# Has The Onion gone to far? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2002, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653 "2002-10-10T11:21:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/41 "2002-10-11T02:25:59Z")
And anyway, lets not forget, The Onion, is not a newspaper. It does not have an pretence at being one, in actuality. It only pretends to set out both sides of the argument _at all_ because it is spoofing real newspapers that pretend to do the same thing. So even if they _are_ biased, even if they _do_ have an agenda (and lets face it, the guys behind it are liberals, its shows through) so what? Whaddaya going to do? Call in some press complaints body? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/42 "2002-10-11T02:31:39Z")
We apologise for this interruption to normal broadcasting. Princhester’s ability to write in the English language will hopefully resume shortly. Even I can’t quite work out what I was trying to say in my second sentence. ---
**Author:** ![d\_redguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@d\_redguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d_redguy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/43 "2002-10-11T02:46:36Z")
Every ad on the Onion this evening, it seems, is begging me to go to [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=138074) \:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/44 "2002-10-11T03:02:22Z")
One of my favorites, taking on the entire Judeo-Christian tradition: [Mistranslated Myths of Nomadic Desert Shepherd Tribe Taken at Face Value](http://www.theonion.com/onion3616/mistranslated_myths.html) The closest I ever thought they came to ‘too far’? [Pope Forgives Molested Children](http://www.theonion.com/onion3819/pope_forgives.html) But as with South Park, there’s no such thing as ‘too far’, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/45 "2002-10-11T03:36:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\*You mean someone actually criticized the Catholic Church for its stance on birth-control? How can this be? **Bifar** , you must have been the only one in the theater not laughing during Monty Python’s “Every Sperm is Sacred” song. \*\* Actually, I found the Monty Python bit offensive. It stereotypes Catholics themselves, who in fact do generally do not follow the Pope’s commands in this area. The Onion article I do not find at all offensive. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/46 "2002-10-11T03:48:51Z")
What’s that? After years of writing satirical articles, _The Onion_ has written something that \*_bifar_ didn’t think was funny? Yes, they have absolutely gone too far, and MUST BE STOPPPED! [sub]Er, somehow.[/sub] A friend of mine says, “_The Onion_ makes up true stories.” (He may have cribbed that from somewhere.) ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/47 "2002-10-11T03:49:57Z")
Stupid messed-up vB code… ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/48 "2002-10-11T05:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > (I recall an Onion article with mocking tone which said something along the lines of “Homosexual man suppresses true desires for religious reasons”) when in fact that’s actually the whole point of the religious tenet Of course that’s the whole point of the religious tenet. The religious tenet is getting made fun of. > [@](#): > > (in that case, self-sacrifice of immediate physical pleasure for spiritual reasons). It’s not just sacrifice of immediate physical pleasure, it’s sacrificing who are you ARE, and denying not only carrying out your desires, but even thinking about them. That’s what is being made fun of, CMkeller. If I remember correctly, you practice Judaism, which focuses on actions. Christianity is more thought oriented. Maybe that’s why the parody falls short for you. > [@](#): > > It just kind of falls flat to me. Don’t judge an Onion article just by the headline. Reading it might add depth to the flatness. ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/49 "2002-10-11T14:32:43Z")
It’s “Church Group Offers Homosexual New Life in Closet”. When the headline isn’t ruined by your bias, it is funny. Also, if you actually read the article, it’s about more than “self-sacrifice of immediate physical pleasure”, it’s about “self-hatred” and self-deception just to please others who will never have to make similar sacrifices but find it so easy to demand that others do so. And of course the Onion is anti-Catholic. If this week’s top story doesn’t convince you, just look at the religion section in the archives for their constant barbs at the Pope. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/50 "2002-10-11T16:55:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chula \* > \*\*Actually, I found the Monty Python bit offensive. It stereotypes Catholics themselves, who in fact do generally do not follow the Pope’s commands in this area. The Onion article I do not find at all offensive. \*\* I love the idea that depicting Catholics directly following the Pope’s commands on birth control is offensive. I myself often perpetuate the stereotype that Catholics attend Mass and take communion. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/51 "2002-10-11T18:07:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Giraffe \* > **I love the idea that depicting Catholics directly following the Pope’s commands on birth control is offensive.** Yeah, I did a double-take on that one too.😕 ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/52 "2002-10-11T18:16:57Z")
This thread is one of the best I’ve read in a while. ---
**Author:** ![spathiphyllum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@spathiphyllum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spathiphyllum)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/53 "2002-10-11T18:38:45Z")
Actually, the only thing that irked me about the article was that they are promoting the old “Natural Family Planning = rhythm method” urban legend. Yes, _we_ all know the article is all a big joke, but God knows (pun intended, sorry) that there are plenty of people who get whooshed and/or take sarcasm/irony as being serious reflections of reality. For every person out there who never realized that Carly Simon was intentionally being ironic with “you’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you” (which I’ve seen discussed on this board at least twice so far), there’s another person out there who thinks that the Onion is right about Catholics taking pleasure in seeing people suffer and starve while they keep cranking out the babies FOR THE LORD! It seems to be a common myth that NFP is just a scam the Catholics cooked up to trick people into squirting out babies as much as possible, but NFP uses principles of predicting fertility that are a hell of a lot more trustworthy than the old “counting days on the calendar” method. NFP which is combined with the use of contraceptives is called “Fertility Awareness Method” and plenty of non-Catholics consider it a decent, credible method of contraception (as well as a way to find the optimum time to conceive). For example, note that none of the following are Catholic-based: [http://www.kaiserpermanente.org/toyourhealth/library/core-fert.html](http://www.kaiserpermanente.org/toyourhealth/library/core-fert.html) [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/155609/104-7903892-8671159](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/155609/104-7903892-8671159) [http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/fertilityspecialist/qas/0,10338,240173\_114063,00.html](http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/fertilityspecialist/qas/0,10338,240173_114063,00.html) [http://www.redmoonherbs.com/articles/fertility-awareness.html](http://www.redmoonherbs.com/articles/fertility-awareness.html) Of course it’s not fool-proof, and I would rather see people who can’t handle any more children relying on something which is _almost_ fool-proof like a vasectomy (if you want to joke about people with irrational superstitions about contraception, shall we lampoon the paranoia that so many men have about vasectomies being the equivalent of castration?). However, I don’t think that the Catholic Church is totally out in left field here, contrary to the impression that the Onion gives. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/54 "2002-10-11T19:20:23Z")
Blalron: > [@](#): > > Don’t judge an Onion article just by the headline. Reading it might add depth to the flatness. What the heck makes you think I didn’t read the actual article? Chaim Mattis Keller ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/55 "2002-10-11T20:13:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spathiphyllum \* > > It seems to be a common myth that NFP is just a scam the Catholics cooked up to trick people into squirting out babies as much as possible, but NFP uses principles of predicting fertility that are a hell of a lot more trustworthy than the old “counting days on the calendar” method. NFP which is combined with the use of contraceptives is called “Fertility Awareness Method” and plenty of non-Catholics consider it a decent, credible method of contraception (as well as a way to find the optimum time to conceive). While that method has a 3% _theoretical_ failure rate, the actual failure rate is 20%.:eek: > **[Abortion Adoption & Pregnancy Information | w-cpc.org](https://www.w-cpc.org/)** > > The ultimate resource for all things pregnancy, abortion and adoption around the globe. Find links, resources and news for all things baby. Besides, how long has the Ovulation Method been around? What did the Catholic Church teach before the Ovulation Method was invented? The rhythm method, right? > [@](#): > > Of course it’s not fool-proof That’s an understatement. > [@](#): > > and I would rather see people who can’t handle any more children relying on something which is _almost_ fool-proof like a vasectomy (if you want to joke about people with irrational superstitions about contraception, > shall we lampoon the paranoia that so many men have about vasectomies being the equivalent of castration?). If it’s funny, by all means. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/56 "2002-10-12T06:24:18Z")
How come people get all up in arms about the Catholics in that Monty Python sketch, but not the Protestants across the street? MRS. BLACKITT: Hmm. Well, why do they have so many children? MR. BLACKITT: Because… every time they have sexual intercourse, they have to have a baby. MRS. BLACKITT: But it’s the same with us, Harry. MR. BLACKITT: What do you mean? MRS. BLACKITT: Well, I mean, we’ve got two children, and we’ve had sexual intercourse twice. ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/57 "2002-10-12T07:29:58Z")
> [@](#): > > I love the idea that depicting Catholics directly following the Pope’s commands on birth control is offensive. I myself often perpetuate the stereotype that Catholics attend Mass and take communion. Based on my experience and what I have read, Catholics in the United States disregard what the Pope says about birth control. I saw the Monty Python movie when I was pretty young, and I was probably only vaguely aware that the Pope said you weren’t supposed to use birth control. I was confused about why they were saying those things about Catholics, because those people didn’t resemble any of the Catholics I knew. That was my personal experience many years ago. ---
**Author:** ![vivablur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b9e5f3/32.png) [@vivablur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivablur)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653/58 "2002-10-12T11:07:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*Nevertheless, it is interesting that a search on the word “liberal” from The Onion’s front page turned up 0 documents out of 957, whereas conservative turned up 21. \*\* Inspector Clouseau! Interesting that I did a search on the word “tedious” and came up with libertarian. Kidding. As you were… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-onion-gone-to-far/131653.md?page=2)