Christian groups not amused by SNL Tebow sketch … Pat Robertson calls it ‘anti-Christian bigotry’

It’s no surprise that Saturday Night Live is reportedly going to ask Tim Tebow to host the show sometime following the NFL season — their Tebow-Jesus sketch, in which Christ asks Tevbow to “take it down a notch” (video below), has been the big topic on TV for the week. That’s not to say everyone liked it. Nooo. Fox News commentator Bob Beckel called the sketch “despicable,” and the Christian Broadcasting Network reported that some of its viewers thought it was “reprehensible and in very poor taste.”

And TV evangelist Pat Robertson, head honcho of The 700 Club, was furious. From Mediate:

“There’s an anti-Christian bigotry that is just disgusting and I think Saturday Night Live did a parody of that, had Jesus come in,” Robertson fumed. “If this had been a Muslim country and they had done that, and had Muhammad doing that stuff, you would have found bombs being thrown off!”

“And bodies on the street!” interjected co-anchor Terry Meeuwsen. “And bodies on the street!” Robertson repeated. “And we think it’s okay.”

I’m not exactly following. Is Robertson saying that had the sketch been done in a Muslim country, with Muhammad visiting an athlete, that … they would have bombed their own country? Or is he trying to say that, had the SNL sketch been done using Muhammad, in this country, that Muslims would be bombing us? The wording is just confusing. So everyone just repeat after me: “And bodies on the street!” That should cover it.

More Robertson:

“Tebow is an example, and I think he is a wonderful human being,” Robertson said. “We need more religious faith in our society. We’re losing our moral compass in our nation and this man has been placed in a unique position and I applaud him. God bless him.”

We haven’t had a good controversy surrounding a Jesus-related comedy like this since the Monty Python film Life of Brian, on which Christian groups came down so hard upon its release in 1978. (“He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!”).

“One cross each, line forms to the left …”

So is SNL mocking Jesus? In my humble opinion, they’re not trivializing religion, but merely examining our interpretations of it. That’s what good satire does: I actually give thanks that it wasn’t another Justin Bieber sketch, and actually took on something substantial in a bold way. Is it so off limits to say that Tebow may be overdoing it with all the religion talk? Perhaps Jesus really is looking on, saying as He did in Matthew 6:5-6: But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Who is Pat Robertson or anyone else to say he isn’t?

I think we should all just look on the bright side of life. (Whistles).