Comedy Central's planned show on Jesus sparks outrage

The coalition Citizens Against Religious Bigotry has come out against a Comedy Central show about Jesus that hasn't even hit the airwaves yet.

Comedy Central's website describes "JC" as in "script/paper development" for the 2010-11 season and summarizes the premise:

"A half-hour animated show about JC (Jesus Christ) wanting to escape his father's enormous shadow and to live life in NYC as a regular guy. A lot has changed in 2000 years and he is the ultimate fish out of water. Meanwhile his all-powerful yet apathetic father would rather be playing video games than listening to JC recount his life in the city. JC is a playful take on religion and society with a sprinkle of dumb."

Under the title "Comedy Central's Long History of Defaming Christianity," Citizens Against Religious Bigotry says on its website: "Based on Comedy Central's history of mocking Jesus on shows like South Park, we have every reason to believe that the 'JC' show would take attacks against Christians to a new level."

The coalition, which includes Michael Medved, Bill Donohue of the Catholic League and Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center, is also pursuing an advertising boycott of "JC." The group posted a short video of mostly Jesus-related outtakes from "South Park" on its site at www.mrcaction.org/555/petition.asp