Holy Cow! Save me, Jebus!

The top movie in box-office sales this weekend was, of course, The Simpsons Movie, earning $71.9 million. And while the PG-13 movie isn't appropriate for all viewers, it does have some religious themes. The Simpsons are similar to many Americans in that their faith plays an important role in their lives, says Mark Pinsky, author of The Gospel According to The Simpsons, in an interview with Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. In that sense, the cartoon is more religious, and more realistic - despite being a cartoon - than almost any show (besides those specifically about religion, such as Touched by an Angel) on television. Pinsky delves into the religious themes touched on in the show in his book, which was first published in 2001. The Bigger (and possibly even) Better! edition was published this year (timing it along with the movie and the show's 400th episode), with additional material from the more recent seasons and with an afterward about how other cartoons approach to religion.