From the trenches of the cultural wars, or more fun with fundies

[Mountainman]

FCC fears force Fox to pixelate cartoon nudity

The latest example of TV network self-censorship because of FCC concerns came a few weeks ago during a rerun of a "Family Guy" cartoon. Fox electronically blurred a character's posterior, even though the image was seen five years ago when the episode originally aired.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/17/obscured.cartoon.ap/index.html



Athens chief fumes at US lewdness claims

"Far from being indecent, the opening ceremonies were beautiful, enlightening, uplifting and enjoyable," Angelopoulos wrote in a weekend commentary in the Los Angeles Times titled "Since When is Greece's Culture Obscene?"

"Greece does not wish to be drawn into an American culture war. Yet that is exactly what is happening," she said.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050117/80/fagoa.html

Police Forced Artist to Cover Classical Image of Nude ‘Eve’

Because Eve’s breasts were bare in the mural, the Pilot Point Police Department repeatedly threatened, in writing, to prosecute Miller under a criminal statute aimed at those who would victimize children by selling or displaying to them hard-core pornography. In order to avoid the expense and embarrassment of being charged with such a sordid crime, Miller covered Eve’s breasts with a "Crime Scene Banner" tape.

http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeech.cfm?ID=17297&c=83

[McKenzie]

1. oh boy. More fundie fixation with irrelevancies

These people are seriously repressed and prurient.

Before Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837 Britain had a relaxed attitude to matters sexual. During the Georgian period for example, which preceded Victoria's reign, there was frank, and open, discussion and an acceptance of human nature. Moreover, Robert Burns wrote some incredibly explicit poetry too but it's kept quiet. Go back even further to The Canterbury Tales and the same acceptance of human sexuality can be seen. Victoria's ascendancy changed all that. We are still suffering from the consequences today.

In stark contrast our European neighbours have a much more relaxed attitude. Interestingly, that hasn't caused their societies to drown in a sea of immorality. Far from it; most European nations have a value system that runs parallel to an open attitude towards sexuality. And before any r/w nutter posts smart comments I am fully aware of the undercurrent of moralism (sic) that manifests itself through the churches in European countries. I am European after all and well placed to judge public attitudes over here.

[lectrobyte]

2. What's wrong with a cartoon butt on TV?

After all, nearly everyone has a butt, and at some point we have all looked over our shoulder into the mirror and accidentally seen our butt... Perhaps we scarred our delicate psyches and just didn't know it at the time?

[neebob]

3. You might find an explanation here

http://www.capalert.com

I came across this the other day. They analyze and score movies according to a system with the following scales:

W = wanton violence
I = impudence/hate (mostly swearing)
S = sexual immorality (the description is about sexual contact or activity outside of a heterosexual marriage, but my guess is cartoon butts go here)
D = drugs/alcohol
O = offense to God
M = murder/suicide

There's a possible overall score of 100, and the lower the score the worse the movie. Mary Poppins was one of two movies that have ever scored 100. Spongebob got forty-something, or maybe low fifties - I can't remember. I haven't quite recovered from reading this site. It's stunningly weird. They seem to be rapturists as well.

<on edit> Correction: Spongebob got 62. http://www.capalert.com/capreports/spongebobsquarepants04.htm

[Nobody]

4. You want a good laugh? Read their review of Passion

By the way, Passion outscored Spongebob. First they list all the violence and then the review fawns all over the movie.

[neebob]

5. I'm sorry, I have a hard time laughing at such profound bizarreness

Here's a link for anyone who wants to laugh or just be stunned, like me: http://www.capalert.com/capreports/passionofthechrist.htm

I can't even imagine what it would be like to meet this guy: http://www.capalert.com/aboutfounder/

[gollygee]

11. Oh no, the Austin Powers The Spy Who Shagged Me

one is the best :D

[lectrobyte]

6. Damn, that site is too bizarre.

I'd almost think it would be useful to help me pick a movie, i.e., the lower the score, the more I might like the movie, let's see:

South Park BL&U: 29
Battlefield Earth: 62
Thin Red Line: 36
Saving Private Ryan: 54

Well, it's sort of holding true for me so far, but
David Lynch's Straight Story with an 81 sort of
blows that theory. But then I always ignore the
critics when he's involved with something anyway.

[neebob]

7. Tell me about it!

I'm still trying to comprehend the CAP Rule of 1000

[lectrobyte]

8. Yeah, I'm not quite understanding what they're getting at, but

anytime someone uses a formula for something that is basically subjective to get a number, they are probably going to have problems. It looks like they are trying to assign a number to each "objectionable" incident in a particular movie, and then multiply by the number of times it happens? Wouldn't you add them up or something? I don't get it either.

It's just a bizarre site. To dismiss a movie like "Eyes Wide Shut" as "just a skin flick" is really missing the whole point of the movie.

[Mountainman]

9. This guy is either in it for the money or afraid of his sexuality or both

I have and idea, to make money off of fundies like he does. Put up a web site supporting fundie values and ask for donations like he does.

You notice that like all censors he has to see the movies first in order to tell you not to see them and why.

We had a thing called the Index in the Catholic newspapers that rated movies like this guy does. The nuns told us that those who rate the movies were not tempted by the sexuality because they had a strong moral code or something.

[neebob]

10. I think he likes movies;

obviously fancies himself a pastor; needed help supporting his large family of clip-art people; and is otherwise, unfortunately, serious.

[anti_shrub]

13. Their review of "Saved!" is hilarious

I watched it last night and it was great, but look at what they have listed under the "Offense to God" section:


"Why would God make us all different if He wanted us all to be the same"


I wonder if they found it offensive because of what the answer would be instead of the statement itself.

[Must_B_Free]

12. yeah, meanwhile, they have a pair of nuts for a chin...