4004 "BC"?

Cartoonist Johnny Hart's Fundie proselytizing

Editing copyright © 2001 by Hugo S. Cunningham
Italicized text copyright © 2001 by the "Boston Globe" and others

First E-mailed y10414
First posted: y10905
Modified: 2001/0905
latest change: 2012/0304Sn

From the "Boston Globe":

[dead link removed]

Jewish groups denounce comic strip

By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff, 4/14/2001

Cartoonist Johnny Hart, author and illustrator of the widely published newspaper cartoon "B.C.," has been raising eyebrows for years with his increasing use of the comics pages to promote his Christian faith.

But the cartoon that will run in numerous papers tomorrow, including the "Boston Herald," goes one step further, and has provoked allegations of anti-Judaism.

The cartoon, which is running on a day that is both Easter and the final day of Passover, depicts a gradually extinguishing menorah, paired with the last words of Jesus, ending with "it is finished." In the final frame, the burned-out menorah is replaced with a cross and the words "Do This in Remembrance of Me."

[...]

Hart, who in 1999 told the Washington Post that Jews and Muslims who don't accept Jesus will burn in hell, this week issued a rambling statement complaining that "whenever I try to honor this man of men (Jesus) ... hackles go up."

[end of "Globe" excerpts]

Hart's explanation is at URL:
http://www.creators.com/comics/JHStatement.php4
Later note: this link no longer works, but will reroute you to
http://www.creators.com/comics.html,
from which you can find your way to "BC." There is still a statement about the controversial Easter 2001 strip, but I don't know if it is the unchanged original.
Hart offered the orthodox Christian caricature of Judaism, which simply ticked off more people. When in doubt, keep your mouth shut...

Not having followed the strip, I cannot vouch for the artistic accuracy of this appraisal by a poster to Usenet group soc.culture.jewish:

 
"Johnny Hart is a fundie.  In fact, he uses his
strip to evangelize during the Easter and Xmas
holidays.  His sense of humor has gone down the
toilet since he got religion and his early stuff
was in fact quite good."


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