A recent publicly-aired animated cartoon has caused outrage among right-wing conservatives and Christian fundamentalists. And the FOX Network (makers of the always "fair and balanced" News division) is to blame. The seasonal (at least the second in a series) Christmas episode of "American Dad," which last year featured a trip to heaven, this year deals with Armageddon and hell on Earth.
Synopsis: "The Rapture" happens on Christmas Eve, and CIA Agent Stan Smith is "left behind." Mara (the Antichrist) joins with Nagas, Narakas, Yakkhas, and Asuras to fight the Bodhisattva Issa, who is reborn as an avenging avatar out to save the world. But the would-be savior is partly sidetracked when he starts dating Francine (voiced by Wendy Schaal), Stan's wife of twenty years. Created by Seth MacFarlane (who is under a $100,000,000 multi-year deal) and Matt Weitman and a pernicious cabal of satirists and unAmerican comedians, the show is determined to point out our hypocrisy for all the world to see.
This cartoon (Season 5, Episode 9, "Raptures Delight"), which is not suitable for children of any age, is available free at hulu.com, fox.com, and elsewhere. It features a blasphemous, foul mouthed extraterrestrial (Roger, voiced by MacFarlane in the guise of Paul Lynde). It explores some JudeoChristian absurdities -- distortions and mythological holdovers from Indian, Buddhist, Sumerian, and pre-Sumerian historical sources -- while poking fun at all things Americana.
- Do Buddhists celebrate Christmas? (Sean Robsville)
- A Merry Buddhist Christmas! (Tealeaf Zen)
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