Changes: God

Revision as of 22:51, 19 November 2012

God is known as the omnipresent deity, Father of Jesus Christ and as the Creator of life, a central part of the basic tenants in the religion of Christianity. Although the basic concept of God exists in other monotheistic and polytheistic religions, it is the Christian God that serves as the basis for the Family Guy character.

The appearance of the "God" character is the traditional depiction of the Abrahamic God in the Western world: a white-haired Caucasian man wearing a white robe.

The depiction of God on Family Guy is one of the most controversial components of the series. The show's depiction of God is primarily featured in episodes and/or gags satirical to religion, where He is often portrayed in a less-than-flattering if not outright negative, almost sacrilegious light. Some gags depict Him in Heaven, while others have Him appearing as a human being on Earth, interacting with its inhabitants.

Many of the gags featuring God completely revise what has been established in Scripture. For example, in "Untitled Griffin Family History," God uses Chuggs' cigarette lighter to "light a fart on fire," thereby setting in motion the universe's creation as depicted in the Big Bang theory.

In "Fifteen Minutes of Shame", He nearly grants Meg's wish to have God "kill me now," only to have His sniper-style attempt interrupted by a phone call.

Criticism

The Parents Television Council, a watchdog group founded by L. Brent Bozell III of the Media Research Center, has been outspoken in is opposition to the portrayal of God and other religious figures on Family Guy.[1] Several times, the PTC has deemed the show "The Worst Show of the Week" specifically due to the portrayal of God in a gag or longer sequence. For instance, "The Courtship of Stewie's Father," featured part of a gag centering on that episode's father-son motif a cutaway gag of Joseph quarreling with a teen-aged Jesus over a matter, Jesus phoning God, and God brushing His Son off before turning to a young woman who is in bed with Him, hoping to have sex. The woman, Janet, hands God a condom, to His disappointment. [2].

In its 2006 report Faith in a Box: Entertainment Television and Religion 2005-2006, the PTV concluded that "mockery of God is a constant" on the show, citing at least four episodes that aired during the previous season. [3]

Articles in answersingenesis.org [4] and the magazine Entertainment Weekly [5] also have published articles, accusing the show of anti-Christian bigotry and Antisemitism.

Episode Appearances

FG101 "Death Has a Shadow"
FG207 "The King Is Dead"
FG209 "If I'm Dyin', I'm Lyin'"
FG212 "Fifteen Minutes of Shame"
FG304 "One if by Clam, Two if by Sea"
FG308 "The Kiss Seen Around the World"
FG403 "Blind Ambition"
FG410 "Model Misbehavior"
FG416 "The Courtship of Stewie's Father"
FG427 "Untitled Griffin Family History"
FG604 "Stewie Kills Lois"
FG711 "Not All Dogs Go To Heaven"
FG805 "Hannah Banana"
FG813 "Go, Stewie, Go!"
FG821 "Partial Terms of Endearment"
FG1013 "Tom Tucker: The Man and His Dream"
FG1101 "Into Fat Air"

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 Many of the gags featuring God completely revise what has been established in Scripture. For example, in "[[Untitled Griffin Family History]]," God uses [[Chuggs]]' cigarette lighter to "light a fart on fire," thereby setting in motion the universe's creation as depicted in the Big Bang theory.
-In "[[Fifteen Minutes of Shame]]", He nearly grants Meg's wish to have God "kill me now," only to have His sniper-style attempt interrupted by a phone call. Buckimon also has this picture on his page.
+In "[[Fifteen Minutes of Shame]]", He nearly grants Meg's wish to have God "kill me now," only to have His sniper-style attempt interrupted by a phone call.
 ==Criticism==
 The Parents Television Council, a watchdog group founded by L. Brent Bozell III of the Media Research Center, has been outspoken in is opposition to the portrayal of God and other religious figures on ''Family Guy''.[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117955772.html?categoryid=14&cs=1] Several times, the PTC has deemed the show "The Worst Show of the Week" specifically due to the portrayal of God in a gag or longer sequence. For instance, "[[The Courtship of Stewie's Father]]," featured part of a gag centering on that episode's father-son motif a cutaway gag of Joseph quarreling with a teen-aged Jesus over a matter, Jesus phoning God, and God brushing His Son off before turning to a young woman who is in bed with Him, hoping to have sex. The woman, Janet, hands God a condom, to His disappointment. [http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/bw/2006/0817worst.asp].
 In its 2006 report ''Faith in a Box: Entertainment Television and Religion 2005-2006'', the PTV concluded that "mockery of God is a constant" on the show, citing at least four episodes that aired during the previous season.
 [http://parentstv.org/PTC/publications/reports/religionstudy06/main.asp]