Catholic League Denouces Bones

Thanks to Evi!

(Mod's note: This is a hot button issue for a lot of people, so I'm just issuing a brief 'remember not to be mean' note. I'm sure it won't be needed.)

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CATHOLIC BASHING MARKS FOX'S "BONES"

October 9, 2008


On the October 8 episode of the Fox program, “Bones,” the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation was ridiculed. The show, which features a female forensic specialist called “Bones,” and a male detective, Seeley Booth, began with an exchange regarding a female Protestant minister who is missing. Here is how it went:

· Booth: “She’s a pastor. Yeah. Looks like one of those grassroots community churches.”
· Bones: “Huh. She was preparing for a sermon.”
· Booth: “A pastor with augmentation and veneers.”
· Bones: “So?”
· Booth: “A spiritual leader shouldn’t be so vain.”
· Bones: “The pope sits on a throne. He wears robes worth hundreds of dollars. Isn’t that vanity?”
· Booth: “Oh, really? You’re going after the pope now?”
· Bones: “One pastor gets her teeth whitened, and the other drinks wine on Sunday mornings and tells everyone that it’s been miraculously transformed into blood. Which of those is more outlandish?”

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:

“We had complaints about this show following the episodes that aired on March 28, 2007, and on April 19, 2006, but we decided not to make a public protest because we didn’t think the incidents in question were clear-cut cases of bigotry. But for two reasons, this one is different: a) it cuts to the heart and soul of Catholicism and b) it was entirely gratuitous.

“It does not matter that non-Catholics may not accept what happens at Mass. What matters is that they show respect. And to just throw this line in while the opening credits are running—about a minister, no less—shows how mean-spirited the writers are. If only they thought of Catholics as if they were an indigenous people, we’d be fine.”

Contact Scott Grogin, Senior VP for Communications, at [Only admins are allowed to see this link]



Personally, I disagree and felt like the episode was balanced in it's approach to both religion and the the issue of transgender.

Thoughts, anyone?

I agree with you, Willi. It was arguing there. Booth protected his views and Bones protected her. So... It was balanced. Sorry, if anybody is Catholic or something else, I think, that it was not a big deal...

I think it's just ridiculous to complain about something like that.
I'm not religious and maybe that's the reason I never even thought about this before, but I think it was a normal discussion.
Brennan and Booth were arguing and Booth was even defending the church.
Calling it bigotry goes a little far I think....but I'll never understand the catholic church anyway......

I'm a preacher's kid, and I didn't find it offensive. I think that people just like to find things to complain about. It's a TV show for heaven's sake!! It's not like someone said it to puposefully tick someone off. It's not even real people!

this doesn't surprise me. i remember donohue going after like harry potter and the da vinci code.

he has some weird paranoia that everyone and everything is out to attack Catholicism and/or the christian faith.

im sure Catholics would agree that he doesn't speak for them, although he likes to think he does.

I'm not Catholic but I was offended. I'm also not easily offended. But that line wasn't what offended me. I tend to think he has a very valid point however.

Well, controversary is not always bad.

its a television show.............they are characters.......fictional..........come on.........focus on the real world..........

It just shows the right wing side of things. The people that complain do not know the whole story of Brennan. For goodness sake---this is the 4th season!

Let's see... My mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandmother-in-law, and sister are all ministers with my brothers in law going into the ministry, too. I understand how people can be sensitive and they have the right to. Brennan represents the viewpoints of a lot of people in the world. She definitely rubs people the wrong way, but her viewpoint is a real one. The first part of the episode made me very annoyed, but from the point that the son came into view until the end redeemed itself tenfold. I really loved it. Seeing the son going into the ministry again almost brought me to tears. It was really beautiful.

I actually like how brash Brennan can be. I love seeing Booth and Brennan butting heads with their beliefs. It's fun to watch.

But what it all boils down to is that it's television. If you don't like it, turn it off.

Well I am not a religious person at all, and of all the religions I do find the Catholic faith to be the most confusing. I am not saying that's a bad thing, it's just confusing for me. I also think that Bones being thrown into the 'religious debate' of the day is junk. Booth is a Catholic, they portray him as a very religious man who lives by his moral code and that of the bible. It's never said that the show is OVER Catholic if Booth goes on a rant. Bones is an atheist, that is how they have portrayed her from day one. I remember in season 1 when they had a Muslim bomber in one episode, I do believe she thought that religion was a little preposterous too, were there Muslims up in arms? Were there people banging on Fox's door slagging them for it, no. I guess this week was a little slow for this gentleman and so he decided to take it out on Bones. I didn't think it was that bad, but then again it's not my faith.

Bella

Personally, I'm an atheist. I cannot see how Bones/The Da Vinci Code/Harry Potter/anything else is being anti-Catholic or anti-anything unless it's published as non-fiction. It's all fiction. And to be honest, I find the religious stuff on Bones to be not too bad, I think they let both Brennan and Booth view their opinions about religions. That's just my opinion, I guess!

I think people like getting worked up about stuff. This is a controversial show because it deals with murder and the lives of those people, and that will always bring up controversy, if you can't handle it or think something was offensive, change the channel. The writers of the show were not trying to pick on catholics, as they made Booth a devout Catholic, nor were they trying to pick on transgender. I found the episode well balanced and in no need of people getting freaked out over it.

I applaud anyone who is willing to make a stand for what they believe in. Just because something is in a television show doesn't mean people should excuse it. Morals are thrown out the window way too easily these days. The intent was not to offend... but it was to cause controversy. This was the reaction that the writers were looking for because it gets people talking about the show and gets the show publicity. If someone had made a comment to my face with the same level of disrespect, I would stand up to them about it. Just because it's fiction or on tv should not change that. If it did then I'd be a hypocrite. The media is a constant influence in our lives and not always for good. I don't have to understand all of why it offended to know that that was a subject perhaps better left alone and I was a little disappointed that Booth basically just let it slide. I think that had he had a stronger reaction, there would be less offense. Also this isn't the one incident... there were complaints about two other episodes as well which indicates it's a repeating pattern. Perhaps they have let it slide. We'll never know as we are not the ones who have complained.

Yes, it is Brennan's opinion. Yes, the writers shouldn't have to write to please certain religious groups. But that doesn't mean everyone has to be happy about it or sit back and be quiet as their beliefs are trampled on. They are allowed just as much of an opinion as anyone else.

Phoebs,

I do agree with you, but there are also many atheists out there too, and this is their belief, so maybe they get offended when their beliefs are thrown out the window. I feel that as a society today we are offended a little too easily. Like a Jewish man who got offended because there was a Christmas tree set up in an airport, so the airport took it down. Christmas is one of the biggest Christian holidays of the year, and it's not like it sneaks up on people, it's always on Dec. 25. I don't think he was offended per se, he was just making a point because he could. I also feel that we cater to Christian beliefs a lot more than we do other religions, and that isn't always correct either. Everyone has the personal right to believe in whatever they choose, but they must understand that there is a whole lot of programming out there and if they didn't like well then, don't watch it. I didn't feel it was that offensive, and my good friend who is a Minister didn't either. She could see both sides of the story.

Bella