Comedy Central’s new animated series is still little more than a twinkle in the eye of the cable network. So far, there is no film on the series and nothing has officially started, but even so a religion-based coalition is doing absolutely everything in their power to put it to a stop. It’s sort of like trying to halt production on a car that’s still being debated on the drawing board.

The cable network made waves when it announced upcoming plans for an animated series starring Jesus Christ (son of God, water into wine, that one), but now the disturbance has turned into a typhoon of conservative proportions.

The presidents of the Media Research Center, Family Research Council, Catholic League and Television Council have helped to form the Coalition Against Religious Bigotry. Also in the fight: reps from the American Alliance of Jews and Christians and a talk radio host. Their first target: a tiny little animated comedy series which doesn’t even exist yet.

Anyone else get the feeling that maybe the Coalition Against Religious Bigotry has bigger fish to fry? (Pun intended).

Here’s a statement from one of the group’s forefathers: “After we reveal the vile and offensive nature of Comedy Central’s previous characterizations of Jesus Christ and God the Father, we expect these advertisers to agree wholeheartedly to end their advertising on Comedy Central and discontinue their support for unabashed, anti-Christian discrimination.” I would like to take this time to point out that South Park creators once depicted Buddha sniffing cocaine from a rolled-up bill. Does it count as discrimination when you ridicule everything and everyone?

The statement continues: “Why should they be supporting a business that makes a habit of attacking Christianity and yet has a formal policy to censor anything considered offensive to followers of Islam? This double standard is pure bigotry, one from which advertisers should quickly shy away.”

Okay, so the Coalition has a point there. In Comedy Central’s defense, Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were threatened with death following the teaser episode for their infamous Mohammad installment, episode 201. Also, the Christian religion has no taboo against depicting the image of Jesus Christ. In fact, the creation of His image been so overdone that people place bobble heads of the son of God on their dashboards.

Yet, that’s not offensive or sacrilegious in any way.

Comedy Central had no comment following the statement released by the Coalition. Likely, they’re busy chuckling over the South Park episode when Scientology was bashed by the series as a monetary scam. Or maybe the episode where the Mormon religion is explained, to the tune of a melody called “dumb dumb dumb dumbdumb.”

Sounds like equal opportunity mockery to us.