The Greatest Story Ever D'oh'd: The Simpsons and religion

In the animated television series, The Simpsons, the Simpson family is often seen attending church, an unusual characteristic of the show, as church attendance is rarely seen or mentioned in other television shows. The characters in the family are also often seen praying to God, and the show seems to be exceptionally aware of the significant place religion has in the American landscape.

Allow the show regularly satirizes religion, the series is not considered anti-religious, as the Simpsons themselves are Christian and some are spiritual in nature. Most episodes of the show call for a sensible, tolerant and less fanatical religious devotion. And, even though The Simpsons often mocks religion, it has received support from people who practice religion. The reason for its acceptance among those who practice religion is thought to be because The Simpsons targets all sorts of hypocrisies, not just religious ones. In fact, churches around the United States and United Kingdom have begun using The Simpsons as a valuable teaching tool, one that can be applied across a wide spectrum of religious beliefs.

This lesson guide uses The Simpsons episode, "The Greatest Story Ever D'oh'd", as the basis for an in-depth discussion of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The class views the episode (easily found for streaming), then engages in activities designed to encourage a deep contemplation of the issue. The lesson guide provides an outline of each episode followed by discussion questions and activities, requiring minimal additional preparation. Students are quickly, and deeply, engaged in the topic, and become active participants in class discussions.