This is the full version of the much-talked-about recent South Park episode that parent company Comedy Central comprehensively censored under pressure of implied death threats from radical Muslims against anyone ever depicting the prophet Mohammad. (Complete with annoying adspam, sorry).

South Park creators Trey Parker & Matt Stone

Interestingly, left & right are coming together in supporting South Park creators Parker & Stone after the censorship, as conservatives rally behind South Park right alongside liberals taking pride in South Park’s radical patriotism.

One day you may even see this sort of multi-hued consensus around the Pope & the Catholic Church’s ‘moral’ leadership. But politically it will always be easier to stick a well-deserved fork in the eye of the other guy’s religion than your own.

It probably shouldn’t, but it truly boggles my mind that in the 21st century, in our age of atomic rockets, the digital revolution, the genetic age; that so many people can ignore the reason why they call the period coming out of the medieval Dark Ages: The Enlightenment. It was the first time in human existence the bright light of reason and non-violent resistance began systematically shaking off the heavy, blinding shackles of humankind’s absolute devotion to higher religious authority and superstition.

Twelve generations, three hundred years ago.

Reason is why the West now has more responsive political systems, significantly less violent or intrusive oppression, better technology, emancipation for women, and more money: because of how much less authority religion now has in our society, and how much more authority reason has.

In the West, no one has a ‘right’ to not be offended – or to kill if you are. But you do have a right to say whatever the damn hell you please. And I can tell you that is a precious right that we hold very, very dearly. Without it, and the thriving competition between ideas that free speech generates, meritocracies are doomed.

Go South Park – we need you now more than ever.The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart has more:

http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:281721

Update: The New York Times details Britain Apologizing for Pope Jokes after publication of an internal memo in which officials joked he could open an abortion clinic, launch a range of condoms or sing a duet with Queen Elizabeth II…