Two examples of Blasphemy in Family Guy
I Dream of Jesus
As many episodes have aired, Family Guy has remained a target by religious groups for being too blasphemous. There are two episodes that are great examples of this argument. The first is "I Dream of Jesus". Otherwise known as the "Surfin' Bird" episode, this episode's central plot features the second coming of Jesus. I felt what got people outraged over this episode was the treatment of Jesus Christ in this episode where he works at a record store called "Dead Format Records" and throughout the episode he is treated like a celebrity, a literal celebrity and pays for his sins by spending the night in jail for an illegal plank by blurting "Jews are responsible for all the world's wars". Where people got upset here was the portrayal of Jesus as Peter's best friend and as an imbecile to Peter. In Christian lore, Jesus is viewed as the messiah for all of goodwill and makes miracles happens, to see his portrayal as a less than stellar Mel Gibson got many conservatives religious groups up in arms for how Jesus and even God were portrayed.
In an article by psychology scholar, Nathan Carlin, which is a Pastoral reading of "I Dream of Jesus" by psychology, he claims that this episode is worth the study of "theological reflection". Theology as we have discussed before in class is the study of divine, that divine entity being Jesus Christ. One of the points of the reading which really stood out to me was the point that Family Guy "could prompt religious believers (both conservative and liberal) to view their beliefs "from the outside'" (2012: 541). There can be an argument in play where the question can be asked if Christians take themselves too seriously. I feel that many Christians live and breath on the lord and the saviour and do not spend enough time thinking critically about the real world and if Jesus or God is not guiding them, then their life is a failure. Seth MacFarlane's concept of a show which pokes fun at religion and exposing the so-called façade of the holy magic, he does a great job in getting those Christian believers thinking about what they are really put on earth for.
The 2000-year-old virgin
The second of these examples is Season 13's episode "The 2000-year-old virgin" where Jesus is shown as one of the boys who is looking to having sex with a woman because when Peter runs into him at the Quahog Mall, he discovers that Jesus is still a virgin. Peter and his friends then get together to throw a surprise party for him which will help him "become a man". He is taken on many speed dates looking for the right one to have sex with. This got many people outraged when they saw Jesus as some boy toy for women to hit on.
One of the constant criticisms of the show is how blasphemous the show is with the jokes made towards Christianity and many other religions like Judaism. In an article posted by Inquistir, they mention that the show's creator, Seth MacFarlane has "no qualm of poking fun at religious figure like Jesus". These two episodes are no better examples for this argument of the son of god being seen as nothing but s an average joe who likes beer and women.
How Seth MacFarlane's atheism influences the show
As it was mentioned throughout this site, the jokes of the show are mainly influenced by Seth MacFarlane's atheist views. Atheism is the idea of not believing in deities and the deities that many people pray to every day is the father and the son. In an article posted by Christian Today, Macfarlane openly accepts his Atheism:
"I do not believe in God. I'm an atheist. I consider myself a critical thinker, and it fascinates me that in the 21st century most people still believe in, as George Carlin puts it, 'the invisible man living in the sky'". (2014)
I feel that what Seth MacFarlane is talking about here is that many people are falling behind in the evolution of society and how these figures are "brainwashing the masses". In an article by a religious website, Beginning and End, they feel that disrespecting the lord is a sentence to hell.
"Mockery and disrespect towards God is one of the most powerful forces in moving the hearts and minds of people away from faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible. If God can be openly disrespected, then certainly the blasphemer has no fear or concern for the message of the Bible – that we are all guilty sinners who have willingly violated God’s law and have His wrath hanging over us." (Beginning and End, 2014)
While this show is embroiled in blasphemy with jokes on Jesus and God, Where Seth MacFarlane's atheist views shine the most is in the Brian Griffin character. During the Season seven episode, "Not All Dogs go to Heaven", Meg watches a television show where a pastor, Kirk Cameron helps convert Meg to Christianity. Meg uses her message to help convert Brian to Christianity which Brian reveals to the family that he is an atheist. It sparks outrage throughout the city as the headlines on the channel 5 news portray him to be "worst than Hitler". This episode is a good example of what people feel about praising God cannot be considered by somebody like Brian to be a big deal.
