Southpark has lampooned, roasted, poked, prodded and generally mocked religion at every turn since its very beginning. It’s mocked Catholics and Jews, Hindus and Muslims. Whether you think it’s justified or not, whether you think its funny or not, one can hardly say that Messiers Stone and Parker had a secret agenda: their assault has been relentless, consistent and unceasing. But apparently when Scientology comes under the microscope of their comic stylings, Isaac Hayes has had enough.

ContraCostaTimes.com | 03/13/2006 | Isaac Hayes, in a huff, hangs up Chef’s hat

We have a word for people who feel comfortable with mocking other people’s religious beliefs, but become indignant when it happens to their own: we call them hypocrites. To me, hypocrisy is a worse crime than not being funny. If you are going to cash a check at the expense of people’s religious beliefs, but suddenly gain a conscience when your own religious beliefs are subjected to the same scrutiny, you get a special measure of my contempt.

I suspect we’ll see the Chef meet a particularly odious end.

[tags]Scientology,South Park,Isaac Hayes[/tags]

Addendum: S. McPherson over at the Christian Pundit’s blog  also thinks that Hayes may be a bit of a hypocrite, and linked back to me in agreement.  The problem is that I don’t actually agree with Christian Pundits: I’m not offended in the least that Southpark portrays religion negatively.   The problem that I have with Hayes is that he thinks that different rules should apply to him and his religion than to others.   But in the view of this blogger, there is much worthy of ridicule in most religions.    In fact, there is much that is linked from the Christian Pundit which is worthy of ridicule, such as their `manifesto’:

With the millions of people worldwide that profess to be Christian our voice should be the one heard above all others. But far too often the voice of the Christian becomes obscured in the barrage of liberalism that is invading every area of our lives and attempting to abolish our religious and constitutional rights. Now is the time for Christians to rise up and let the world know we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.

Ah, nothing like the tyranny of the majority.   Ironically (if somewhat predictably) Christian Pundits is guilty of precisely the same crime that they accuse Hayes of: adopting a different standard for protection of their beliefs than for the beliefs of others.

Witness this plea for outrage.   I could see how the image of Jesus performing oral sex on a pig might be offensive to Christians, but what I want to know is where is Christian Pundits outrage over “political” cartoons which mock Islam?   Aren’t they falling into the same kind of hypocrisy that they are accusing Hayes of?  Perhaps somebody should read Matthew 7:3 and think about their own actions…