Sarah Mitchell
In the Simpsons episode And Maggie Makes Three, Homer is forced by Mr. Burns to beg for his job back and is made to place a plaque on his desk that reads, Don't forget: you're here forever. When Homer returns home, he finds that Marge has gone into labor and takes her to the hospital. Overjoyed at the birth of his daughter, Homer tapes photos of Maggie over the plaque, altering it to read Do it for her. In another episode, Homer narrates a story about the first Christmas, featuring Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her husband, Joseph. Despite the show's religious themes, the producer of The Simpsons has denied that Homer and his son, Bart, are Catholic, contrary to claims made by the Vatican.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Episode | "And Maggie Makes Three" |
| Plot point | Homer covers a plaque reading "Don't forget: you're here forever" with photos of Maggie to make it read "Do it for her" |
| Writer | Jennifer Crittenden |
| Director | Swinton O. Scott III |
| The Simpsons' religion | The Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, claimed that Homer and Bart are Catholic, but the show's producer, Al Jean, denied this |
| Virgin Mary's appearance | In a story by Homer Simpson about the first Christmas, the Virgin Mary, wife of Saint Joseph, gives birth to Jesus Christ |
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What You'll Learn
The Simpsons' religious affiliation
Religion is a recurring theme in the long-running American animated television series, The Simpsons. The show has tackled almost every religion there is, but the Simpsons family are Christians, except for Lisa, who converted to Buddhism midway through the series. The show often satirizes Christianity, but it has also been interpreted as having spiritual themes in some episodes, such as "Bart Sells His Soul" and "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily". The Simpsons attend services led by Reverend Lovejoy at the First Church of Springfield, which is identified as the "Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism" in the episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star." This is generally seen as representing a multitude of American Protestant traditions rather than a specific denomination.
The show has been praised and criticized by people of various religious and non-religious backgrounds for its portrayal of faith and religion in society. In 2001, John Dart of The Christian Century argued that the show's popularity suggests that religious people have a sense of humor and that it is an "equal-opportunity satire" that targets a range of foibles and hypocrisies, not just religious ones. The show has also been praised by Billy Graham's Christianity Today, which featured Ned Flanders, Homer, and Marge on the cover and described Flanders as "the most visible evangelical to many Americans."
The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has stated that the show is one of the few on television where the family attends church regularly and prays before meals and before bed, reflecting the significant place of religion in American life. The show's treatment of religion has been described as "realistic" by the Holy See's official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, which also claimed that Homer Simpson is Catholic. However, producer Al Jean has denied this, stating that Homer is not Catholic and that the show is decidedly Presbylutheran. Jean's comments came in response to an analysis by Rev. Francesco Occhetta, a Jesuit priest, who interpreted a conversation between Bart and Homer in 2005 as evidence of Homer's Catholic faith.
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The 'demotivational plaque' joke
In the episode "And Maggie Makes Three", Mr. Burns gives Homer Simpson a "demotivational plaque" that reads "Don't forget: you're here forever". In response, Homer covers parts of the plaque with photos of his daughter Maggie, altering the message to read "Do it for her". This joke was conceived by Simpsons writer George Meyer, who is known for his fondness for wordplay and anagrams.
The joke plays on the idea of a "demotivational" message, with Mr. Burns' original plaque serving as a constant reminder of Homer's seemingly permanent position at the power plant. However, by strategically placing photos of Maggie, Homer transforms the message into one of motivation and purpose, suggesting that he is working hard for the sake of his daughter.
The episode explores themes of family, fatherhood, and the unexpected twists of life. It offers a heartwarming portrayal of Homer's love for his daughter, as he finds solace in being with his family after a depressing day at work. The joke also adds a layer of humour and creativity to the narrative, showcasing Homer's quick thinking and playful spirit in the face of adversity.
While the episode does not directly reference Catholicism or Mary, the mother of Jesus, it does engage with religious themes. The Simpsons has been noted for its recurring exploration of Christian faith, religion, and the question of God. However, the show also regularly makes light of religious figures, and the producers have denied that Homer and Bart are Catholic, despite claims made by the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.
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Continuity errors in the episode
The thirteenth episode of the sixth season of The Simpsons, titled "And Maggie Makes Three", features several continuity errors. In the episode, Homer recounts the story of Maggie's birth, but there are some inconsistencies with previous episodes.
One notable continuity error is the appearance of Ruth Powers in the episode. Ruth's debut is supposed to take place in the episode "New Kid on the Block", which is set after "And Maggie Makes Three" in the show's timeline.
Another error occurs in a scene set in the Simpsons' living room, where a picture with Maggie's face is visible on the wall. However, Maggie had not yet been born at the time, and it is unclear why her photo would be displayed. It has been suggested that the photo may actually be of Lisa as a baby.
Additionally, there are inconsistencies in Homer's reaction to Marge's pregnancies. In "And Maggie Makes Three", Homer is depicted as being shocked and tearing out his hair upon learning of Marge's pregnancy with Maggie. However, in the episode "I Married Marge", it is established that Homer was living with Barney at the time of Marge's pregnancy, and there is no mention of him tearing out his hair. In other episodes, such as "Lisa's First Word", Homer is happy about the pregnancies and keeps his hair.
Furthermore, there is a well-known continuity error in the show's iconic opening sequence. In the original version, when Marge drives into the garage, there is a bike and a few boxes visible in the wide shot. However, when the scene zooms in, the bike and boxes appear to be replaced by a single box, creating a discontinuity in the garage's contents.
These continuity errors in "And Maggie Makes Three" and the show's opening sequence have surprised many fans, especially considering the attention to detail that The Simpsons is known for in parodying American culture and society.
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The episode's writer and director
"And Maggie Makes Three" is an episode of The Simpsons that seems to be at the root of the query "do it for her simpsons catholic mary". The episode was written by Jennifer Crittenden and directed by Swinton O. Scott III, who made their debuts on The Simpsons as writer and director, respectively, with this episode.
The episode features a "de-motivational plaque" placed by Mr. Burns above Homer's desk, which reads, "Don't forget: You're here forever." Homer then strategically places photos of his daughter, Maggie, over the plaque, altering it to read, "Do it for her." Crittenden and Scott's episode explores themes of family, fatherhood, and the unexpected turns life can take.
The joke involving the altered plaque was conceived by Simpsons writer George Meyer, who is known for his enjoyment of wordplay and anagrams. Meyer's joke also serves as an homage to Al Jaffee's "Fold-in" features in Mad magazine.
While the episode focuses on the Simpson family and their unique dynamics, it also touches on religious themes. The show itself has been noted for its recurring exploration of "the Christian faith, religion, and the question of God." In one instance, Homer recounts a story about the first Christmas, featuring Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her husband, Joseph. In this humorous retelling, Mary gives birth to Jesus in a stable, and Joseph, upset that he is not the father, turns wine into water when he drinks to cope with his emotions. The family has also been seen reciting prayers before meals and is said to believe in heaven.
Despite these religious themes, the show's producer, Al Jean, has denied that the Simpson family is Catholic. This denial came in response to an article in the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, which claimed that Homer Simpson was, in fact, a Catholic. Jean countered by stating that Homer could not be Catholic, as he would be unable to refrain from eating meat on Fridays.
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The Virgin Mary's Simpsons appearance
The Simpsons has often included religious references and figures in its episodes, including the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, who is a figure in the Gospels. In one episode, Homer Simpson narrates a story about the first Christmas, which includes the Virgin Mary. In the story, Mary tells her husband, Saint Joseph, that she is pregnant, despite being a virgin. The angel Gabriel appears and explains that Mary is carrying the Son of God. They go to the Bethlehem Inn, but when Mary's water breaks, they are forced to stay in a barn. Mary gives birth to Jesus, and three wise men and two shepherds come to see him. However, Joseph is upset as he is not the father, and when he drinks wine, it turns into water. The story continues with Herod and his troops finding Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, but they escape with a clever trick involving Jesus' halo and a duck.
The Virgin Mary also makes an appearance in another context in the episode "Marge Gamer," where Lisa watches a documentary about a statue of the Virgin Mary coming to life during a soccer riot in Brazil and beating up the people involved.
While the show frequently references Christianity and religion, the producer of The Simpsons has denied that the characters Homer and his son Bart are Catholics, despite claims made by the Vatican. Al Jean, the producer, stated that the family attends the First Church of Springfield, which is "decidedly Presbylutheran." However, the show has been praised for its treatment of religious themes and its exploration of faith and the question of God, even being recommended by the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, for children to watch.
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Frequently asked questions
In one episode, Mr. Burns places a "de-motivational plaque" on Homer's desk that reads, "Don't forget: You're here forever." Homer then covers parts of the plaque with photos of Maggie, altering the message to read, "Do it for her."
The episode is called "And Maggie Makes Three" and was written by Jennifer Crittenden and directed by Swinton O. Scott III.
The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, claimed that Homer Simpson is Catholic. However, the show's producer, Al Jean, has denied this, stating that Homer is "pretty clearly not Catholic."
