Kathy Griffin is Right
Kathy Griffin has ascended as a professional idol/actress, and has finally earned enough praise and worship to get a little graven image of her own. Upon accepting her statue, she said “nobody had less to do with this than Jesus”.
“Christians” are outraged. Outraged, I tell you!!!
I am sure that she probably intended to say, “nobody had less to do with this than God”, since that’s the truth, but she didn’t want to get her head chopped off by an Islamist.
Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all hold idolatry to be the gravest sin. Prohibition on idolatry comes before prohibitions on lying or murder in the ten commandments. The “map is not the territory” and “don’t worship the map” are the first and second commandments.
It is utterly absurd for these actors, many of whom are increasingly made of plastic themselves, to gather little statues in the name of Abraham’s God. Kathy Griffin clearly understands this. Her comment was not only true, it was bold and courageous. She even made a comment about worshipping the statue, just in case you didn’t understand.
I wonder how these militant evangelicals would feel if a confessed serial killer said, “nobody has less to do with my murders than Jesus; suck on this, Jesus!” Lauren Green of FOX News would probably rant about how Jesus made it possible for the killer to have liberty, so Jesus should get all the credit for the murders.
The defensive response reminds me of the “Leave Britney Alone” post. Is Lauren Green really serious, or is this a prank? Could it be that Kathy Griffin is the one who actually understands, and Lauren Green has become like the statue, “with eyes but cannot see, and ears but cannot hear”?
September 14th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I just emailed bravotv.com to let them know that those of us who find fundamentalist oppressors more distasteful than a foul mouthed red head that they need to give KG a 5 year contract so those who would smother free speech know they can suck it themselves!
September 14th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill the buddha. IE, the creator of the faith is not the faith. All the creators of major religions have tried to lead their flocks away from idolitry but, sadly, it has a tendency to creep back in after they are gone when power hungry individuals attempt to control others in the name of the long dead genitors of their faith.
I’m not expert in chrisitian theology, but even I can tell Lauren Green only has a sunday school understanding. I’m not quite sure how she even qualifies as a religion correspondant. Maybe, at Fox, you just have to be a frothing at the mouth idiot and a signed letter from your pastor. It’s clear she as drank someone’s cool aid and has lost the ability of independant thought.
The whole notion that an inconsequential entertainer, no matter how funny she may be, owes thanks for an award to an unsubstantiated aetherial entity with a hands off approach to management is absurd!
Better to thank President Bush, who by creating so much misery in the world created a market for Kathy Griffin’s humor.
September 15th, 2007 at 8:05 am
FundiesCan: Nobody is trying to steal your porn or “oppress” you. Put your pitchfork down.
September 15th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
It’s such a nice thing the Christian religion invented democracy that all actors and actresses should bow down to Jesus.
Oh wait, that’s not true.
September 15th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
You are 100% right on when you say…
“I wonder how these militant evangelicals would feel if a confessed serial killer said, ‘nobody has less to do with my murders than Jesus’ ”
Please don’t take a few militant evangelicals out of proportion. Fox News is manufacturing controversy here, and probably most evangelicals could not care less.
Personally, I feel sad because Kathy appears to be rejecting God. I am sad on her account. But, angry? How absurd. The church does not want or need an endorsement from a secular TV actress.
You know, since I became a Christian, I have not been filled with joy. I have been full of sorrow. We are slouching towards Gomorrah. It seems that so many people are going to die in sin.
September 15th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Ryan: This is exactly the problem with people like Lauren Green. She trots out some pre-Christian notion of secular humanism (humanitic democracy and liberty) and claims it was invented by Christ. This is a modern and twisted version of Christianity, perpetuated by people like George W. Bush. See http://www.catholicrestoration.org/library/liberty.htm for some commentary on this.
September 15th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
GrantBL: To be fair, 4 of the 5 major world religions do not consider the maker to have a “hands off” approach. (And even Buddhism continually stresses the role of the initiate “participating”).
And 3 of the 5 have pretty unambiguous written dogma condemning idolatry, so it’s exceedingly difficult for anyone to find support for idolatry in the *written* dogma. But you are right — people descend into idolatry despite all of the warnings and prohibitions.
September 15th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Honestas: Would you rather that she had been blind/deaf enough to claim that Jesus was responsible for her “success”? Are those actresses who lust after plastic statues and credit Jesus somehow more “blessed” than her? Do you really think that she is now seriously praying to the statue? It’s pretty obvious that her comments about Jesus were meant to be an insult on the whole awards process and the associated idolatry. If anyone should be offended, it should be the scores of people who thank Jesus at emmys ceremonies each year. If you know anything about her career, it’s clear that it was these people who she was mocking.
September 17th, 2007 at 6:53 am
Your comment is completely unrelated to my comment. I am left thinking… ???
We have a big disconnect in communication here.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:08 am
Perhaps you believed that I was a “fundy” who felt insulted because Kathy was so provocative?
Or did you think I stupidly missed the point of her satire?
Let me repeat. I am sad that Kathy has rejected God. And, I am sad because most Americans seem to have rejected God. And, I am sad because television in 2007 makes this painfully clear.
Kathy can say what she wants. The truth hurts.
September 17th, 2007 at 7:56 am
A couple thoughts after reading this and the comments that came after it.
1. In his limited time on earth, Jesus was more a totalitarian, than a democratic leader. He was not given power by election, but based on the belief that he was divine and his words became law, not unlike other totalitarian leaders.
2. Kathy’s career is all about mocking and making fun of others, I applaud this as a part of the rights of free speech and I’m often sad that we are able to say whatever we want as long as it agrees with the religious right. The mention that if she had said about Muslims is flawed, she’s making fun of people who praise Jesus, not Allah, as I’m yet to hear someone win an Emmy and praise Allah. I think that Christians with an open mind could applaud her too… Rap stars that praise Jesus for their awards or record sales make a mockery of what Jesus is about in the mind of most Christians.
3. Don’t be sad for someone who rejects God, be sad that the people that are in the spotlight that have ‘accepted’ God often become so succumbed to Dogma that any rational person could, would, and perhaps should reject that Dogma, as it is as far from the point as no faith at all. Be sad also for the fact that for as much good that you could do to spread your ‘good faith’, you are associated with those like Ted Haggard, Jim Baker, Jimmy Swaggart, and Jerry Falwell. I think Christians would rather Kathy reject Jesus, than the above mentioned being associated with him.
September 17th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
“Don’t be sad for someone who rejects God, be sad that the people that are in the spotlight that have ‘accepted’ God often become so succumbed …”
I can be sad regarding both.
(And, I’m not claiming to be particular righteous of my own merit.)