BBC axes Ruby Wax/Jerry Hall-voiced cartoon "Popetown"

[emad]

The BBC has decided not to broadcast its new religious cartoon, Popetown, an animated series about The Vatican which featured the voices of Ruby Wax as the Pope and Jerry Hall as a nun working as a television anchorwoman. More than 6,000 Catholics signed a petition condemning the series.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,174-1276826,00.html

Pity, death of satire is akin to appeasement of the monstrous

[noonwitch]

1. There's 6000 catholics in England?

I would think that the first nation to separate itself from Rome would not have too many qualms about poking fun at it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. estimated 6-9 million in the UK

http://www.adherents.com/adhloc/Wh_335.html

First nation to separate itself from Rome? Luther and others did a lot before Henry VIII ever wanted his divorce. The title 'Defender of the Faith' was given to him by the Pope for an attack on Luther. While the split may have been 'official' in England, it was for the divorce, and the money of the Catholic church, that Henry did it, not dogma.

Unfortunately, since this cartoon hasn't been shown, we don't know how offensive/satirical/funny it is. The 6,000 objectors certainly don't.

[Briar]

3. This is the post Hutton BBC

but there are many thousands of Catholics in the UK, including the PM's wife.

It's worth pointing out that this story was just a concluding paragraph to another:

Catholic charity defies Pope on condoms
By Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,174-1276826,00.html


THE Roman Catholic Church’s leading international aid agency, Cafod, has come out in public support of the use of condoms in the fight against Aids, placing it in direct opposition to the Pope.
Cafod states in an article published today that it backs what is known as the “ABC” approach to the issue — “abstain, be faithful, use a condom”.

Will Cafod executives now be put on the US watch list and banned from entering America?