Not the craic: Ireland turns red after state broadcaster RTÉ airs NY skit depicting God as a rapist
Catholic-dominated Ireland is seething after a comedy sketch depicting God as a rapist aired during a New Year’s Eve countdown programme on Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTÉ.
The mock news report was broadcast on RTÉ as locked down viewers across the Emerald-Isle tuned in to the public broadcaster to bid farewell to 2020 and it sparked a furious backlash from the country’s Catholic bishops, political leaders and the public.
In the controversial clip, an aged man in a white robe with white hair and a long white beard is seen being dragged away from a courthouse and into a police vehicle by a member of the Gardai, the Irish police.
“In another shocking revelation this year, God became the latest figure to be implicated in ongoing sexual harassment scandals,” a ‘newsreader’ explains in a voiceover.
“The five-billion-year-old stood accused of forcing himself on a young middle-eastern migrant and allegedly impregnating her against her will.”
He was sentenced to two years in prison with the last 24 months suspended,” the voiceover added, perhaps taking aim at Ireland’s notoriously lax sentencing laws.
The role of the newsreader was played by former RTÉ News presenter Aengus MacGrianna.
The sketch was the work of the satirical news outlet Waterford Whispers News, which was hired by RTÉ to produce content for the New Year’s Eve show.
‘Deeply offensive’
The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin blasted the state TV outlet for broadcasting the joke.
“I am shocked that producer/editor of NYE Countdown Show didn’t realize how deeply offensive was a mocking news report accusing God of rape and reporting his imprisonment.”
“This outrageous clip should be removed immediately and denounced by all people of goodwill,” he added.
“To broadcast such a deeply offensive and blasphemous clip about God and Our Blessed Mother Mary during the Christmas season is insulting to all Catholics and Christians.”
‘Mocking the divine’
The Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, also condemned RTÉ, accusing it of “mocking the divine” and of “trivialising rape victims.”
Many on Twitter were quick to side with the church leaders, accusing RTÉ of peddling “offensive rubbish,” while also calling for people to stop paying the tv licence fee that funds the national broadcaster.
“Truly appalling. The absolute state of our public broadcaster,” one person said. “All Catholics should stop paying their TV license fee,” another added.
The outrage was far from confined to the Catholic church as many in the political sphere also expressed their anger at the broadcast.
Junior Minister for Special Education and Inclusion Josepha Madigan blasted the sketch for making light of rape.
“Satire is an important part of free speech, but I am very concerned about flippant jokes being made about a topic as serious as rape.”
Apologies, but clip stays
RTÉ was forced to issue an apology after a deluge of complaints over the sketch.
Despite the furore, it is understood that the clip will not be removed from the version of the New Year’s Eve show available to watch on RTÉ Player.
Instead, the footage will feature a warning noting that “the show features material that may cause offence.”
A spokesperson for political party ,Aontú, called on RTÉ to remove the clip from the RTÉ Player, saying “apologising for material while still making it available online, feels like an empty gesture from senior management in RTÉ.”
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