New York City, N.Y., Oct 28, 2009 / 20:55 pm
Catholic critics have reacted to an HBO show that had a scene showing a painting of Jesus being urinated on and which also mocked Catholic devotion to Jesus. They have questioned an apparent double standard in the treatment of religions and have called for an apology from the show’s producers.
Larry David, creator of the successful sitcom “Seinfeld,” now stars in the Sunday night show “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” a fictional comedy about his life.
In the most recent episode, the elderly David goes to the bathroom in a Catholic home and splatters urine on a painting of Jesus without cleaning it up. A Catholic woman goes to the bathroom, sees the liquid on the picture and believes that Jesus is crying. She calls to her mother, who joins her. They both kneel in prayer.
Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, criticized the episode in a statement.
“Was Larry David always this crude? Would he think it's comedic if someone urinated on a picture of his mother?” Donohue said, accusing HBO of only liking to “dump on Catholics.”
“Last night’s episode demonstrates that David’s best years are behind him. He ought to quit while he’s ahead,” he added.
Deal Hudson, editor of InsideCatholic.com, wondered why people are allowed to show such public disrespect for Christian symbols.
“If the same thing was done to a symbol of any other religions -- Jewish or Muslim -- there'd be a huge outcry. It's simply not a level playing field," Hudson told Fox News.
"When is it going to stop? When is common sense going to dictate that people realize this willingness of artists to do to Christianity what they would never do to Judaism or Islam?”
Hudson said that the show’s producers and writers should issue an apology.