41 Comments

• mariedriscoll | Dec 24, 2011, 06:31 PM EST

  Why tolerate such despicable nonsense. BOYCOTT it

• mariedriscoll | Nov 23, 2011, 11:12 PM EST

  why not do the educated thing and simply Bycot it

• Pittsburghkid | Nov 23, 2011, 06:19 PM EST

  Catholics are treated this way, because they fight against Abortion.

• eiriamach | Nov 22, 2011, 06:47 PM EST

  Reading Cahir's blog about Pope Benedict telling Africans that they must not use condoms but practice 'ethical' abstinence instead, I am amazed that anyone can consider ME anti-life! Cahir writes, "In May 2005 Pope Benedict made his first public pronouncement on AIDS, insisting that condoms never be used to fight it. At the time he was addressing the bishops of South Africa, where somebody dies of AIDS every two minutes." No contraceptives-- not even to save millions of lives, including the lives of many who have never been promiscuous or adulterous? That's "ethics" and condoms are "anti-life"? No, that's death-driven misanthropy, and using condoms shows that we care for each other, that we will have children only when we can care for them properly so that they can grow in decent circumstances and learn to care for each other as well.

• eiriamach | Nov 21, 2011, 03:55 PM EST

  Gearoid4 writes, "Contraception has induced an anti-life mentality which is often backed up by abortion as an insurance measure if it fails." Contraception is not a slippery slope to abortion but the most effective opponent of abortion. According to Germain Grisez's 1966 report to Crd. Ottaviani, the morality of contraception was accepted by a "solid majority of the cardinals and bishops," as well as "a substantial majority of the theological section" and "the vast majority of non-theological experts" who replied to the pope's request for help in addressing questions raised by new contraceptives. And by recent estimate, 90% of Catholic couples have practiced contraception at some point in marriage. The sensus fidelium apparently holds, along with Protestant and other moral thinkers, that human beings must take responsibility for our reproductive capacities. Indeed, I would say that rejecting such responsibility violates common sense about moral behavior in marriage. If contraception is wrong because it comprises an incorrect understanding of marriage (as a union of two who produce new life), then marriage itself is wrong in the face of serious over-population, global economic failures that consign millions of children to poverty, and inadequate resources for supporting further population increase. If RC's reason for continuing to oppose it is simply to avoid rupture with its tradition of magisterial teaching, the pope might review the fate of some of his predecessors' teachings about the duties of slaves to obey their masters, to cite just one example.

• warlocks | Nov 21, 2011, 01:21 AM EST

  IF you ignore a problem it blows away with the winds of time . The same way the Vativan has done, They have no one to blame but themselves . they created it !

• Gearoid4 | Nov 20, 2011, 11:17 AM EST

  @Eiriamach, Yeah, the Catholic Church has wandered so far away from the Christian message, that they are lobbying against the "right" for women to destroy the life inside them,i.e abortion, euphemistically called "the right to chose" or "reproductive health". It is not so healthy for the child and when has campaigning against this evil been far away from the Christian message? Contraception has induced an anti-life mentality which is often backed up by abortion as an insurance measure if it fails. The Church currently is correctly campaigning against the denial by the HHS of insidious restrictions on Her social care/health agencies to offer policies that go directly against Catholic core beliefs. As for the film in question, it is beneath contempt and really does not need any extra comment. Just a lazy, cynical attack on easy targets that the director knows will not issue edicts or fatwas against him. Sensationalist, unfunny drivel dressed up as supposed satire against religion.

• steveross | Nov 20, 2011, 09:44 AM EST

  I can't see anything specifically Catholic about Jesus, Mary, the angels or even nuns. Where did you get that from, Patrick?

• eiriamach | Nov 20, 2011, 09:01 AM EST

  It's amazing that someone below complains about a culture of death in secular society OUTSIDE the Catholic Church! The cure for that blindness is to open a history book and read up on wars and inquisitions waged by this death-wielding military power throughout the ages. I thank Patrick Roberts for saving me the money I might have spent on a film that's only a series of cheap shots. Satire is difficult, and many attempts fall short and end up just lampooning their target. However, it's not difficult to understand why film and other media would lampoon the RC these days. It's all too easy to see how far RC has wandered from the Christian message. Today the American RC bishops are waging holy war against preventive health services for women and thus against the independence of women. If they were to succeed, the number of abortions here would take a quantum leap because many women in need would not have contraceptives. And many who can't abort (no insurance coverage) would be forced into poverty, them and the children they have. It's a sick, self-serving war against women as moral agents capable of taking responsibility for themselves and their families. I won't bother to see the film, but I hope it does well at the box office.

• Toronthab | Nov 20, 2011, 02:19 AM EST

  So disgusting. But, after all it is a culture clash. Sex is a consumer good in western culure. Within Catholicism life is sacred and orgasms don't justify deaths. People want sex without responsibility, cultural shifts that see death by the tens of millions. It really is a culture of death and it hates the church for pointing it out.

• brianmack | Nov 19, 2011, 07:27 PM EST

  Good article Patrick. Here's something to consider, the highest grossing movies of all time are the Harry Potter and James Cameron flicks. Look at who was involved with these movies, their names and those who financed them. I submit to whomever that you can see who was involved with the movie (and I'm not giving free publicity to these lowlifes, that is being referred to in this article. I detest anyone who is anti semetic but it's amazing how these so called "enlightens" can be so anti-catholic and very few raise an eyebrow. One final comment, patrick harris lost a one fan with this piece of garbage. mack

• BishopSean | Nov 19, 2011, 06:23 PM EST

  Hi, @Collette2. Allow me to state, as I have elsewhere, I am not Roman Catholic. I do not paint all Roman Catholic priests, bishops, or nuns with the same black brush. I try to recognize what is wrong with all churches professing faith in Jesus Christ and at the same time recognize what is right in each Church. How would society be better with no Church? --look at Muslim and Communist countries, for example. Best.

• JOCSurf007 | Nov 19, 2011, 03:58 PM EST

  If the movie is focusing on Catholisism's shortcomings to promote humor, the movie makers are scrapping the bottom of the barrel. By focusing on the downside many will miss the profound impact that religion can and does have on people. We hope one day soon that the good will begin to eclipse the absense of good in all the Christian churches.

• GeorgeDillon | Nov 19, 2011, 03:20 PM EST

  If proof were needed that the poster haasny is an ignorant fool, it comes in his attempt to describe me. Turns out he's wrong in every single claim about me. I won't waste my time on refuting him--why should I? Enough to say he's wrong on every single misconception about me! Sean Hannity!! --you're the Hannity fool, hassny, I've attacked Hannity on numerous occasions here. You're just a stuipid bigot. A Rush Limbaugh fan, I suspect. Mindless dittohead.

• walter3ca | Nov 19, 2011, 03:00 PM EST

  My 12 years of Catholic school included lesbian nuns and abusive priests. Sounds like real life, to me.

• merefalow | Nov 19, 2011, 02:49 PM EST

  religion is a brain washing process for backward ignorant gullible people,priests, mullahs .witch doctors ,soothsayers,etc etc should be shot.aspecially mullahs and christian fundamentalists,jimmy swaggarts,ayeatoolah khomenies,etc etc..

• haasny007 | Nov 19, 2011, 02:48 PM EST

  @GeorgeDillon: oh Georgie boy are you sure you understand the difference between "left" and "right"?? BTW: today you haven't regaled the readers in this forum with your obligatory rants against foreigners in Ireland (and America). What happened? Have you mellowed? Let me guess: you are a retired postal worker who has never held a private sector job but you support the tea party, you profess to be a practicing Catholic yet you hate foreigners (primarily dark-skinned and non-Catholic ones) and homosexuals equally and with a passion, Sean Hannity is your favorite Irish-American, your primary news sources are the New York Post and Fox News, and you certainly do not speak a foreign language. Georgie you are pathetic!

• Tilliewillow | Nov 19, 2011, 02:29 PM EST

  Jesus, Mary, and angels are not owned by the Catholic Church. You might be surprised to learn (your ignorance wrote that headline, for instance) that many Protestants believe in angels, the virgin birth of Jesus, and, yes, JESUS.

• pndirishandprou | Nov 19, 2011, 02:15 PM EST

  @lyoness555: even if Obama was the anti-Christ or maybe the devil himself, he is 100 times better a president that this bunch of idiotic Republican clowns who pretend to be fit for the highest office in the country. God help us if any one of these ignorant morons should ever make it to the WH. America would descend into a banana republic: Huge tax cuts for the rich, slash and burn anything that helps the middle class, Medicare and Social Security good-bye, do nothing about the out-of-control and unaffordable healthcare costs, throw money at the military and start a hot war with Iran, the rich get richer while the middle-class slides into poverty. Mexico here we come.

• GeorgeDillon | Nov 19, 2011, 01:40 PM EST

  simplesandy: I agree with you. A right-wing fool like the poster haasny is just a stooge. I've noticed one or two of his right-wing posts before. Worthless--nothing to offer.

• Collette2 | Nov 19, 2011, 01:35 PM EST

  BishopSean, in today's climate, your "namesakes", would be on top of that list of "God mockers", but then, I suppose you think the confessional will exhonerate them. As Catholcs more is expected of us and that means standing up for what is right, not for what is good for the institutional church. Maybe mea culpa attatched to your username as a reminder, then it become prayer.

• FGreggMeagher | Nov 19, 2011, 12:43 PM EST

  I also regret the anti-catholic attacks and insults. However, they normally can be identified as being a direct result to Catholic 'Blind Faith' over opening their eyes to child abuse and corruption around the World supported by the Wealthy Vatican, while small children (not to mention adults) die every 5 seconds or less from starvation. Interesting be it though the fact concerning the individual who is the main actor (an aka Obama acting colleague). It shows the mentality behind, and within, Obama's Kingdom. ON the bright side, attacks such as these only address the fairy-tales written into the version manufactured by the Church's CEOs over history. Facts! If, true separation of church existed maybe Hollywood would not pay attention to the Vatican's sales pitches. However, as we all know the Vatican (incorporated and Church) does not honor separations in any manner whatsoever; and they don't miss out o making the Holy Buck$ either: manufacturing arms, while inhumanely forcing white doves out of Roman windows; owning the greater % of the pharmaceutical industry worldwide, while the poor cannot afford an aspirin; promoting child abuse since 200-300 AD; falsifying the Jesus Christ Death and Resurrection, while the tomb has been discovered by EXPERTS; denying 'man' the Truth concerning the Nature and Structure of Being (Spirituality) and on.. and on.. and on. The question that should be asked with natural intelligence, wisdom, logic, compassion, and universal love is: Is the church doing more damage than Hollywood to our generations of young? Answer? Honestly! Yes!

• Springfield9 | Nov 19, 2011, 12:30 PM EST

  Nothing happened to Month Python ......

• Springfield9 | Nov 19, 2011, 12:26 PM EST

  Well, Vishnu Does Vegas might be next.

• simplesandy | Nov 19, 2011, 12:08 PM EST

  Excuuuuuuse me hassny007.. Who the F/k died and made you boss? What gives you the right to open your hole and then tell everyone they don't have an opinion if it's not the same as yours? .lmfao !! WTF!!. Hollywood is scraping at the bottom of the barrel for movies and how far it will go before it is stopped. As for our president , Hell I would even vote Clinton in to get rid of this fool. That’s how bad he is.

• haasny007 | Nov 19, 2011, 11:41 AM EST

  This is just one of the many pieces of garbage that is coming out of Hollywood these days. Hollywood produces stuff that will make money most of the time, as probably will this piece of non-sense. However, this goofball flick is no more offensive than the real crimes perpetrated by members of the Catholic church, past and present. So, Roberts, chill out, don't watch the movie if you don't like, period. And to all of you brain-washed, right-wing morons in this forum: shut the f*** up, nobody cares what you thing or say.

• BishopSean | Nov 19, 2011, 11:25 AM EST

  Hi, @horsesinMdstrm. God allows me to know when I make mistakes and correct them. Just like my prof of classics said, "classic writings are not good because they are old; they are old because they are good." "cherry picking" is not the same as relevance and applicability of timeless truths; and I have lived long enough to try to follow God's agenda, rather than trying to force Him to follow mine. There can be found in internet lists of persons who mocked God and how they ended up. Not pretty. Best.

• GeorgeDillon | Nov 19, 2011, 11:21 AM EST

  Why are these jerks so obsessed with Christianity? We don't interfere or insult their beliefs, but these people insist on sticking their snouts into our affairs. Get a life, Hollabackfool and other crazy bigots! The Know Nothings went out of fashion almost 2 centuries ago.

• HorsesInMdstrm | Nov 19, 2011, 10:40 AM EST

  @BishopSean - if god existed why would he/she allow you to let that typo slip through? Seriously, stringing together a couple of verses from the bible coming from wildly varying authors and testaments, and trying to apply this ancient stuff, cherry picked by people seeking to reinforce their own agenda, translated by people of varying competence, to people making a movie in the 21st century is so laughable that I can't finish ...

• mamaginnty | Nov 19, 2011, 10:31 AM EST

  Roberts, does the film actually mention the catholic church. Catholicism is not the be all and end all of all religions.

• BishopSean | Nov 19, 2011, 10:23 AM EST

  Ooops! That should be Chronicles 36:16.

• BishopSean | Nov 19, 2011, 10:22 AM EST

  I'm concerned about those who made this film and pray, for their own sake, they will grow quickly in wisdom: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."(Galatians 6:7). "But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose agains this people, till there was no remedy." (2 Chronicles 26:16). This film would seem to go beyond truth-telling about flawed church leaders into destructive mode about the Truth message and the holiness of God.

• chanteuse | Nov 19, 2011, 10:14 AM EST

  The only way this trash continues to find its way to the general public, is continuing to patronize the theaters that show it and support the producers/film makers that unleash it onto the public. This is so disturbing that it hurts the soul to even read about it. The "door has been left open and the devil has walked in." Time for all people of conscience, Catholic or not, to take a stand! Hit them where it hurts - right in the pocketbook. If it plays to an empty house, there is no profit.

• seagreen | Nov 19, 2011, 10:10 AM EST

  I'm sure that if any religion paid any attention to the people that write and produce this stuff, they would have ceased to exist a long time ago..

• DrTrelawney | Nov 19, 2011, 09:51 AM EST

  I too am amazed by the way man in stripy shirt seems to equate Christianity with Catholicism. I would also like some confirmation that Roberts has actually seen the film.

• jamthecat | Nov 19, 2011, 09:41 AM EST

  Okay, Patrick, first off, Jesus wasn't Catholic. He was the son of God, and that transcends all religions, much as Catholics (and Protestants) hate to admit that. Secondly, your religion's pretty weak if it can't handle a bit of ribbing. Thirdly, if you didn't like it, why did you watch it? I've walked out on movies I didn't like, before, and I seriously doubt anyone held a gun to your head to make you stay. Fourth, "associate director" is a "Senior Official?" Seriously? That's stretching...to the max.

• jcweathers | Nov 19, 2011, 09:31 AM EST

  Psalm 1:1-2. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

• hollabackgurl | Nov 19, 2011, 08:48 AM EST

  It's news to me that Jesus and the angels are Catholic.

• mikehoulihan | Nov 19, 2011, 08:04 AM EST

  There is plenty of Catholic bashing going on in the media today, and Irish Central is one of the biggest offenders.

• Towngate | Nov 19, 2011, 06:47 AM EST

  You worry too much, Patrick. The great Bastion that is the Christian Church, can easily withstand a few mangy curs pissing against its walls! ~ So relax and sing: "Al-ways look-on the bright si-ide of Life!"

• Collette2 | Nov 19, 2011, 04:38 AM EST

  I agree, and for Catholics, it only minimizes the true tragedy within the church.