Two major retailers have apologized or removed their ads after receiving complaints about a “Saturday Night Live” skit about “Jesus” returning from the dead as a vengeful murderer, says a traditional-values group.
“We applaud Sears and JCPenney for their wise action to stop funding damaging material such as the skit that mocked our Lord Jesus Christ on ’Saturday Night Live,’” Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association (AFA) said Tuesday.
“I can tell you that as long as corporations support this kind of offensive material, their sales are going to suffer as shoppers abandon retailers that support blasphemy,” he said.
“I hope folks can reinstate their patronage to these stores, and that Sears and JCPenney can stick with the good decisions they have now made,” he added.
In an email from a corporate spokeswoman, Sears thanked the AFA for bringing the Feb. 16 skit to its attention. “We’re taking steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” the email said, according to Mr. Wildmon.
JCPenney removed its ads from the NBC-TV online site for its popular late-night comedy show, and it did not advertise on a recent show, the Tupelo, Miss.-based AFA said.
For decades, “SNL” has poked fun at sacred subjects, but it crossed the line for countless Christians with its Feb. 16 skit — a trailer for a fake movie called, “Djesus Uncrossed,” a gory spoof of a Quentin Tarantino film, “Django Unchained.”
“He’s risen from the dead, and he’s preaching anything but forgiveness,” said the trailer’s narrator, while the fake Jesus, wearing a crown of thorns, slashed and shot people as part of the “ultimate historical revenge fantasy.”
“No more Mr. Nice Jesus,” concluded the trailer, which featured show host and “Django Unchained” actor Christoph Waltz.
• Cheryl Wetzstein can be reached at cwetzstein@washingtontimes.com.
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