The Simpsons episode
"The Joy of Sect"
Episode no.	191
Prod. code	5F23
Orig. Airdate	February 8, 1998
Writer(s)	Steve O'Donnell
Director	Steven Dean Moore
Chalkboard	Shooting paintballs is not an art form
Couch gag	Tiny versions of the Simpsons climb on the couch, and the family dog runs off with Homer
Guest star(s)	None
SNPP capsule
Season 9 September 1997 – May 1998
The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson The Principal and the Pauper Lisa's Sax Treehouse of Horror VIII The Cartridge Family Bart Star The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons Lisa the Skeptic Realty Bites Miracle on Evergreen Terrace All Singing, All Dancing Bart Carny The Joy of Sect Das Bus The Last Temptation of Krust Dumbbell Indemnity Lisa the Simpson This Little Wiggy Simpson Tide The Trouble with Trillions Girly Edition Trash of the Titans King of the Hill Lost Our Lisa Natural Born Kissers
List of all Simpsons episodes...

"The Leader" redirects here. For the Rock singer nicknamed "The Leader", see Gary Glitter. The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening. ... Image File history File links 5F23. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Steven Dean Moore is an animation director who has helmed about 30 episodes of The Simpsons. ... The Pledge of Allegiance does not end with Hail Satan During the opening credits of many episodes of The Simpsons, Bart Simpson writes a unique phrase on the chalkboard. ... The couch gag is a running visual joke in the opening credits of the animated television series The Simpsons. ... Homer and Marge in Natural Born Kissers. ... The City of New York vs. ... The Principal and the Pauper is the second episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... Lisas Sax is an episode of The Simpsons that deals with the Simpsons past. ... Treehouse of Horror VIII is the fourth episode of The Simpsons ninth season, as well as the eighth Halloween episode. ... The Cartridge Family is the fifth episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... Bart Star is the sixth episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons. ... The Two Mrs. ... Lisa the Skeptic is the eighth episode of The Simpsons ninth season, first aired on November 23, 1997. ... Realty Bites is the ninth episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons. ... Miracle on Evergreen Terrace is the 10th episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... All Singing, All Dancing is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... Bart Carny is an episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... Das Bus is an episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons, and a parody of the book and film Lord of the Flies. ... This is the episode where Krusty tries to make a comeback as an alternative comic. ... Dumbbell Indemnity is an episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... Lisa the Simpson is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... This Little Wiggy is the eighteenth episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons. ... Simpson Tide is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... The Trouble with Trillions is the 20th episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons. ... Girly Edition is the 21st episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons Plot summary Spoiler warning: After Groundskeeper Willy confiscates his skateboard, Bart decides to get back at him by filling up his shack with a tankerfull of creamed corn as he sleeps. ... Trash of the Titans is the 22nd episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... King of the Hill (not to be confused with the animated series of the same name), is the 23rd episode of The Simpsons ninth season. ... Lost Our Lisa is the twenty-fourth episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons. ... Natural Born Kissers is the last episode of the ninth season of The Simpsons, and it is especially notable for its risque subject matter. ... This is an episode list of the long-running animated television series The Simpsons. ... Gary Glitter on the cover of a Greatest Hits album. ...

"The Joy of Sect" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons' ninth season. The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening. ... This is an episode list of the long-running animated television series The Simpsons. ...

Synopsis

While taking Bart to the airport, Homer sees two people (Glen and Jane) telling people about a new religion, the "Movementarians". They invite Homer to come to an introductory session. Although everyone is brainwashed by their video (which states that all Movementarians will be taken by a spaceship to a new planet), Homer's intelligence fails to get the video's messages. After Greg and Jane's other methods fail on Homer, they finally get him by singing the Batman theme. Bartholomew Jo-Jo Simpson, better known as Bart, is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. ... Homer Jay Simpson (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) is one of the main characters in the animated television series The Simpsons. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-man, and still sometimes as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional character and superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ...

Homer moves his entire family to the Movementarian compound. At the barbwired area, everyone is forced to harvest beans all day. The children resist brainwashing at first, but Greg and Jane have their ways: Bart is taken by their "Lil' Bastard Brainwashing Kit", Lisa decides that getting good grades is more important (even though she knows it's stupid that they say "The Leader" created everything), and Maggie is brainwashed by Barney the Dinosaur, who himself is brainwashed. Marge, however, resists all their methods and just barely escapes the compound. She gets help from Reverend Lovejoy and Willie, who help her kidnap the family. Brainwashing or thought reform is the application of coercive techniques to change the beliefs or behavior of one or more people usually for political or religious purposes. ... Bartholomew Jo-Jo Simpson, better known as Bart, is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. ... Lisa Marie Simpson (voiced by Yeardley Smith) is a fictional character on the animated television series The Simpsons. ... Margaret Maggie Simpson is a fictional character featured in the animated cartoon television series The Simpsons. ... Barney & Friends is a popular childrens television show produced in the United States, mainly aimed at preschoolers. ... Marjorie Marge Simpson (née Bouvier) (voiced by Julie Kavner) is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. ... Reverend Timothy Lovejoy is the local minister in the long-running animated TV show The Simpsons, He is voiced by Harry Shearer. ... Groundskeeper Willie (AKA - G. K. Willington, Esq. ...

In Ned Flanders' rumpus room, Marge brings back her children by promising them hover-bikes (which are fake). Homer remains strong, but gives in when Ned offers him a beer. Just as a single drop lands on Homer's tongue, he is captured by the Movementarians' lawyers. Back at the compound, Homer reveals that he is himself again and opens the Forbidden Barn (which was said to house "The Leader's" spaceship) intending to expose the fraud of the Movementarians. The door is opened and to Homer's surprise reveals "one heck of a giant spaceship." However, as it flies off, the ship falls apart revealing "The Leader" running off with everyone's money and everyone's faith is broken. Nedward Ned Flanders (circa 1939?- ) is a fictional character on The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. ...

References

• This episode is in part a parody of the Jim Jones cult, as there are many similarities between his cult and this episode. Examples include followers being brainwashed into thinking that they would live in bliss and paradise, then being forced to harvest in the farm from dawn till dusk, while being under heavily armed guard. Also, people in Jonestown were not allowed to leave. This is referenced in one scene where Marge decides to go and confronts 'Pimply Faced Teen'. He says "People are free to go whenever they wish" and the camera then pans across a field riddled with barbed wire (with several Movementarians stuck), alligators, a mine field, and Rover from The Prisoner.

• Although the episode also contains many jokes that reference other groups. Among those not previously mentioned there's the groups UFO obsession which could be seen as linked to Heaven's Gate, the Raelians, or much less likely, Chen Tao.

• The episode also includes many references to Scientology. These references include an orientation film shown at the Movementarian compound; the resemblance of the cult recruiters' outfits to that of Sea Org; Homer's trillion year contract with the cult (and the billion year contracts Scientology members sign when they join Sea Org); the centrality of UFOs to the cult; how the cult became the central focus of Springfield in a manner similar to Clearwater, Florida, the idea that the founder invented virtually everything in the world, and the use of lawyers on the part of the cult to squash dissent. Finally, the leader attempting to make off with the money of Springfield's residents may be seen as a swipe at L. Ron Hubbard. The voice of Bart Simpson, Nancy Cartwright, is a practicing Scientologist.

• At one part of the episode Bart is stopped by a Hare Krishna guy who asks him 'Have you heard of Krishna Consciousness?'. To which Homer replies 'This, Bart, is a crazy man!'. This is in reference to the Hare Krishna movements' promotion of Krishna's teachings by actively selling books on the street, and in airports. [Episode Ref]

• The scene where Marge jumps over the back of alligators while fleeing the Movementarian compound spoofs James Bond's famous stunt from Live and Let Die.

• Rover (the infamous defense balloon from The Prisoner) gives chase to Marge and engulfs Hans Moleman instead.

• The title of this episode is a play on the title of the book The Joy of Sex.

Brochure of the Peoples Temple, portraying cult leader Jim Jones as the loving father of the Rainbow Family. ... Houses in Jonestown Jonestown was a town in Guyana established by Peoples Temple cult leader Jim Jones, located about six to eight miles (10 to 12 km) from Port Kaituma (). At Jones directions, the inhabitants committed mass suicide in 1978. ... A selection of forms of barbed wire. ... Various anti-tank and anti-personnel land mines A land mine is a type of self-contained explosive device which is placed onto or into the ground, exploding when triggered by a vehicle or person. ... The Prisoner was a controversial 1967 UK fantasy-drama television series, starring Patrick McGoohan. ... UFO can mean: Unidentified flying object United Future Organization, a Japanese-Brazilian electronic jazz band UFO, the rock band that previously featured Michael Schenker UFO, the Gerry Anderson TV series United Farmers of Ontario, a political party that formed the government in Ontario from 1919 to 1923 U.F.O... Heavens Gate was the name of a UFO religion co-led by Marshall Applewhite, Mitchell Huffman, and Bonnie Nettles (until her death). ... Raels first published book, the basis of the Raelian movement Raëlism is the belief system promoted by the Raëlian Movement, a religious organization which believes that scientifically advanced extraterrestrials known as the Elohim (derived from a Hebrew word appearing in the Torah) created life on Earth through genetic engineering... Chen Tao is the name for a UFO group that originated in Taiwan. ... Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. ... The Sea Org logo. ... In Scientology doctrine, Xenu (also Xemu) is an alien ruler of the Galactic Confederacy who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. ... 1st incorporation date 1891 2nd Incorporation date 1915 Zip Codes 33755-65 County Pinellas (county seat) Mayor Frank Hibbard Population  - City (2004)  - Tampa Bay Metro   108,606 2,600,000 (estimate) Time zone Eastern: UTC-5 Latitude Longitude 27°58 N 82°46 W City of Clearwaters Official Website... The Church of Scientology is well known for its extensive use of the legal system. ... Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (13 March 1911 – 24 January 1986), better known as L. Ron Hubbard, was a prolific American author and founder of Scientology and Dianetics. ... Nancy Campbell Cartwright (born October 25, 1957) is an American actress striper and voice actor. ... Hare Krishna Mantra in Devanagari. ... Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari, IAST ) is according to various Hindu traditions the eighth or the ninth avatar of Vishnu. ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: crazy Crazy may refer to: Insanity, a form of mental illness Crazy (magazine), a comic magazine Crazy (documentary), a 1999 documentary by Heddy Honigmann Crazy (film), a 2000 German coming-of-age film directed by Hans-Christian Schmid C.R.A.Z.Y... The James Bond 007 gun logo James Bond, also known as 007 (pronounced double-oh seven), is a fictional British spy created by writer Ian Fleming in 1953. ... 2002 Penguin Books paperback edition Live and Let Die is the second James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, first published in 1954. ... The Prisoner was a controversial 1967 UK fantasy-drama television series, starring Patrick McGoohan. ... Hans Moleman is one of the recurring characters of The Simpsons. ... The Joy of Sex was a ground-breaking sex manual by Alex Comfort, M.D., Ph. ...

Trivia

• This episode is the origin of the term "Jerkass Homer," used by alt.tv.simpsons members to describe a perceived change in Homer's personality around season nine or so. Homer shouts "Outa my way, Jerkass" while driving into the Movementarian compound, and once again when he's told there will be a free movie.
• Flanders produces the sound of the hoverbikes using a comb and wax paper, John Lennon reportedly used this on The Beatles song Lovely Rita, alibet producing a different sound.

alt. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (retd. ... The Beatles were a pop and rock music group from Liverpool, England, who continue to be held in the very highest regard for their artistic achievements, their huge commercial success, and their ground-breaking role in the history of popular music. ... Lovely Rita is a song by the Beatles off of the album Sgt. ...

Quotes

• Homer: (to the theme song of the "Batman" 60's television show) Nah-nah-nah-nanah nahna fishing. Fishing. Fishing...
  Greg: Hey, Homer, how are y..- (Homer stops him)
  Homer: (still in the Batman theme) Fishing! Fishing!

• Jane: I give up. There's just no way of convincing him to join.
  Greg: Unless... (starts singing ala the theme of the '60's "Batman" show) nah-nah-nah-nanah nahna leader, leader...
  (All of the other members start singing in the same tone, Homer at first ignores it but then starts listening and says)
  Homer: Batman! I mean... Leader! I love the leader!

• (Moe and Sideshow Mel are covered by dust of the Leader)
  Moe: I am covered in the dust of the Leader! He favors me!
  Mel: I am even dustier, dustier than thou.
  (Homer gets splashed with mud)
  Moe: Oh, look who the new pet is!

• Jane: Would you rather have beer, or complete and utter contentment?
  Homer: What kind of beer?

• Homer: Just think. I turned to a cult for mindless happiness when I had beer all along.

• Homer: Homer no function beer well without.

• Bart: Church, cult. Cult, church. So we get bored somewhere else every Sunday.

• Rev. Lovejoy: This so-called "new religion", is nothing more than a series of strange chants and rituals trying to claim the money of unintelligent fools. Let us say the Lord's Prayer forty times, but first, lets pass the collection plate.
  (Ned walks up holding the plate, which only contains a few pennies and a paper clip)
  Ned: Uh, Reverend, we're in a bit of a pickle here.
  Lovejoy: Oh, uh. (gets out a bigger plate) Try the emergency plate, Ned.
  Ned: I don't think that's gonna help.
  (they look into the stands of the church. Only the Flanders family and Lenny are there)

• Burns: You see me as a God, don't you, Smithers?
  Smithers: Absolutely, Sir.
  Burns: And would you kneel before me?
  Smithers: Boy, would I!

• Edna: Now class, who can tell me where thunder and lightning come from?
  Bart: The Leader, ma'am.
  Edna: Very good, Bart. And who invented Morse code?
  Bart: Oh, I should know this one! Uh, the Leader?
  Edna: Correct again.
  Lisa: He's wrong! You're wrong! The whole damn system is wrong! Arrgh! (kicks over desk)
  Edna: What's wrong, Lisa? You use to be such a good student. Don't you want to impress your teacher and get good grades?
  Lisa (giving in): Grades?

• Lisa: Careful, Dad. You're the highly suggestible type.
  Homer: Yes, I am the highly suggestible type.

• The Leader's "spaceship" has just crashed into Cletus' house.
  Cletus: You are trespassin' on ma dirt-farm.
  The Leader: Do you happen to need a Messiah?
  Cletus: No, but I'll take those sacks of money from you.
  The Leader: Oh, I should have stayed with the Promise Keepers.

• Ned (after the Movementarians' lawyers take Homer): You know, I pride myself on being a good host, so I'm obliged to offer you a beer. I'm so darn mad, it's going to be mostly head!

• Rev. Lovejoy (seeing Spaceship emerge from the Forbidden Barn) Oh, mercy! He's the real deal. (rips collar off and slams it to the ground).

• Lisa: It's wonderful to think for ourselves again.
  Bart: You said it sister.
  TV Announcer: You are watching Fox.
  Simpson family: (robotically) We are watching Fox.

• Moe (after the leader is exposed): Damn! It fell apart like everything else I ever believed in! Well, I guess it's back to good ol' fashion voodoo. (gets out a Barney Gumble voodoo doll and pokes it with a mini Duff bottle)
  Barney: Wow! I need a beer!
  Moe: Come with me.

• Homer: Outta my way, jerkass!

• Homer's brain: No! Must resist temptation!
  Homer's stomach: Go ahead, give in. Beer! BEER!
  Homer's feet: These loafers are surprisingly comfortable.

• Film Narrator: Once you arrive, you will be given a lifetime of serenity loving and loving serenity. (quickly) Not a guarantee.
  Moe: Loving serenity. It's about damn time!
  Homer (to Greg): I don't get it. So, the police knew the dog could bring down the department from the inside?
  Greg: What are you talking about Homer? There's nothing like that in there.
  Homer: When I get bored, I make up my own movie. I have a very short attention span.
  Jane: Homer, you're missing the point. The Leader is about...
  Homer: Oh look! A bird! (runs outside and chases a bird)

==External links== In computer gaming, a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon or Domain or Dimension) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games and social instant messaging chat rooms. ... In religion and sociology, a cult is a cohesive group of people (often a relatively small and recently founded religious movement) devoted to beliefs or practices that the surrounding culture or society considers to be far outside the mainstream. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Lords Prayer The Lords Prayer, sometimes also known amongst English speakers as the Paternoster, a term derived from the first two words in Latin versions, is probably the best-known prayer in Christianity. ... Look up Collection on Wiktionary, the free dictionary In common usage, a collection is any group of items that has one or more properties in common, usually brought together for some specific purpose. ... Thunder is the sound of the shockwave caused when lightning instantly heats the air around it to up to 30 000 °C (54 000 °F). ... Lightning is a powerful natural electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm. ... 1922 Chart of the Morse Code Letters and Numerals Morse code is a method for transmitting information, using standardized sequences of short and long marks or pulses — commonly known as dots and dashes — for the letters, numerals and special characters of a message. ... Portrait of Samuel F. B. Morse by Mathew Brady, between 1855 and 1865 Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791 – April 2, 1872) was an American inventor, and painter of portraits and historic scenes; he is most famous for inventing the electric telegraph and Morse code. ... In Judaism, the Messiah (מָשִׁיחַ Standard Hebrew , Tiberian Hebrew , Aramaic ) initially meant any person who was anointed by a prophet of God. ... Promise Keepers is an international Christian organization based in Denver, Colorado USA that describes itself as dedicated to introducing men to Jesus as their Savior and Lord, then helping them to grow in their personal Christian faith. ... The Fox Broadcasting Company is a television network in the United States. ... A large sequined Voodoo drapo or flag by the artist George Valris The term Voodoo (Vodou in Benin; also Vodou, Voudou, or other phonetically equivalent spellings in Haiti; Vudu in the Dominican Republic) is by some individuals applied to the branches of a West African ancestor-based spiritist-animist religious... Homer Jay Simpson (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) is one of the main characters in the animated television series The Simpsons. ... Attention span is the amount of time a person can concentrate on a single activity. ...

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