Oops, we did it again. The uproar from the Christian community and the boycott campaign from the American Family Association has given unmerited sympathy to a horse that should have been shot Friday night. I wonder if NBC wouldn’t have quietly let the show “The Book of Daniel” die without the always predictable controversy that the evangelical community generates. The network is now likely concerned about appearing to give in to the pressure. No doubt the show will receive support from the usual suspects entirely because of the controversial boycott attempt.
From my view “The Book of Daniel” did more damage to the television industry than it did to Christians. I haven’t seen a family with this many problems outside of “COPS”! In fact I would recommend that the families of “COPS” watch “The Book of Daniel” to feel better about their families. The beleaguered clan of show patriarch Daniel Webster has hit the sin lottery. You list a sin…they have a family member knee deep in it. But the show’s dialogue was perhaps the biggest sin of all.
The reviews from the press that we so often vilify as being unremittingly against Christianity were often scathing in their commentary. The New York Times opined that “the real mark against “The Book of Daniel” is not any antipathy it might show toward the family or sympathy for the devil. The real objection is that it’s just not very good.” (NY Times, Ned Martel, January 6, 2006)
Tom Shales of the Washington Post wrote, “I cannot recall a series in which a greater number of characters seemed so desperately detestable — a series with a larger population of loathsome dolts. There ought to be a worse punishment than cancellation for a show that tries this hard to be offensive and, even at that crass task, manages to fail”….”Perhaps realizing they’ve created a crop of characters who are irredeemably mean, venal and idiotic, the writers try to tell us these people are really sweethearts — not by depicting good qualities through action but simply by having them primitively vouch for one another. “He’s a good boy,” mom says of the cautious and confused Peter. “You’re a good man,” the priest is told by a golf crony. “She’s a good girl,” Jesus says of Grace even after she’s arrested for selling marijuana, and later, of the priest’s bigoted, oafish father: “He’s a good man, Daniel. Everybody’s different.” (Tom Shales Washington Post, Friday, January 6, 2006)
The Jesus in “The Book of Daniel” is portrayed more like the stereotypical 70’s Jesus Freak than a figure that could inspire a movement that would change the world. I expected the song “Peace Train” by the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens to play every time Jesus popped up with some banal piece of motivational poster drivel. This is not the same Jesus who confronted hypocrites ruthlessly, sin honestly, and truth relentlessly. Jesus was such a revolutionary that His teachings got Him killed. I don’t think the Jesus of “The Book of Daniel” could even stir up a good debate at Starbucks.
Remember my argument from last Friday’s post was to wait and see what we were dealing with before we ran screaming around the room that the sky was falling. I urged Christians to see the show, develop a response, and hit the watercooler to discuss. There was much fodder for discussion from the show. Reader’s of this blog had such comments as…
“Next week I’ll do something enjoyable instead.” – Steve
Fair enough. You did your homework. You get a passing grade.
“Thanks for being a voice of sanity. “ – Bridgette
I put this comment in just because it so amusing to see that written about me.
“I see it as toxic waste on our mission field, and we already have enough of that.” – Chris
I would gently disagree with Chris. Anytime we have chance to engage others in a discussion about Jesus in the natural flow of culture I think it is an opportunity. This show is a treasure chest of opportunities to discuss faith in real life. I used the example of Paul as the working model of engaging a culture that is often less than sympathetic. Paul went to the intellectual epicenter of his day and that visit is recorded in the book of Acts.
The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got–all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols. He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations. Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: “What an airhead!” But others, listening to him go on about Jesus and the resurrection, were intrigued: “That’s a new slant on the gods. Tell us more.”
These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, “This is a new one on us. We’ve never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? Explain it so we can understand.” Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything. So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with. (The Message – Acts 17)
Paul proceeded to lay out his argument and then the author of Acts tallies the results.
Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, “Let’s do this again. We want to hear more.” But that was it for the day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul–among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.
Maybe that is why we are often more comfortable decrying the culture instead of engaging it. Most of us don’t like being labled as airheads (The Message) or as a babbler (NIV). I certainly don’t enjoy the very real fact that some will laugh at me and walk off making jokes. But perhaps some will want to hear more. And the reason for taking the chance is that some will be convinced. How do I know that such a strategy works?I sat with a group of six guys at a meal break last Saturday discussing “The Book of Daniel”. For twenty minutes we discussed Jesus and faith in a very natural way. And the door opened because of a not very good TV show. Isn’t it amazing what God can use for His purpose if we will just let Him?
“Confessions of a Bad Christian” – The Book of Daniel (aka Desperate Priest-Lives)
Dave BurchettOops, we did it again. The uproar from the Christian community and the boycott campaign from the American Family Association has given unmerited sympathy to a horse that should have been shot Friday night. I wonder if NBC wouldn’t have quietly let the show “The Book of Daniel” die without the always predictable controversy that the evangelical community generates. The network is now likely concerned about appearing to give in to the pressure. No doubt the show will receive support from the usual suspects entirely because of the controversial boycott attempt.
From my view “The Book of Daniel” did more damage to the television industry than it did to Christians. I haven’t seen a family with this many problems outside of “COPS”! In fact I would recommend that the families of “COPS” watch “The Book of Daniel” to feel better about their families. The beleaguered clan of show patriarch Daniel Webster has hit the sin lottery. You list a sin…they have a family member knee deep in it. But the show’s dialogue was perhaps the biggest sin of all.
The reviews from the press that we so often vilify as being unremittingly against Christianity were often scathing in their commentary. The New York Times opined that “the real mark against “The Book of Daniel” is not any antipathy it might show toward the family or sympathy for the devil. The real objection is that it’s just not very good.” (NY Times, Ned Martel, January 6, 2006)
Tom Shales of the Washington Post wrote, “I cannot recall a series in which a greater number of characters seemed so desperately detestable — a series with a larger population of loathsome dolts. There ought to be a worse punishment than cancellation for a show that tries this hard to be offensive and, even at that crass task, manages to fail”….”Perhaps realizing they’ve created a crop of characters who are irredeemably mean, venal and idiotic, the writers try to tell us these people are really sweethearts — not by depicting good qualities through action but simply by having them primitively vouch for one another. “He’s a good boy,” mom says of the cautious and confused Peter. “You’re a good man,” the priest is told by a golf crony. “She’s a good girl,” Jesus says of Grace even after she’s arrested for selling marijuana, and later, of the priest’s bigoted, oafish father: “He’s a good man, Daniel. Everybody’s different.” (Tom Shales Washington Post, Friday, January 6, 2006)
The Jesus in “The Book of Daniel” is portrayed more like the stereotypical 70’s Jesus Freak than a figure that could inspire a movement that would change the world. I expected the song “Peace Train” by the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens to play every time Jesus popped up with some banal piece of motivational poster drivel. This is not the same Jesus who confronted hypocrites ruthlessly, sin honestly, and truth relentlessly. Jesus was such a revolutionary that His teachings got Him killed. I don’t think the Jesus of “The Book of Daniel” could even stir up a good debate at Starbucks.
Remember my argument from last Friday’s post was to wait and see what we were dealing with before we ran screaming around the room that the sky was falling. I urged Christians to see the show, develop a response, and hit the watercooler to discuss. There was much fodder for discussion from the show. Reader’s of this blog had such comments as…
“Next week I’ll do something enjoyable instead.” – Steve
Fair enough. You did your homework. You get a passing grade.
“Thanks for being a voice of sanity. “ – Bridgette
I put this comment in just because it so amusing to see that written about me.
“I see it as toxic waste on our mission field, and we already have enough of that.” – Chris
I would gently disagree with Chris. Anytime we have chance to engage others in a discussion about Jesus in the natural flow of culture I think it is an opportunity. This show is a treasure chest of opportunities to discuss faith in real life. I used the example of Paul as the working model of engaging a culture that is often less than sympathetic. Paul went to the intellectual epicenter of his day and that visit is recorded in the book of Acts.
The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got–all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols. He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations. Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: “What an airhead!” But others, listening to him go on about Jesus and the resurrection, were intrigued: “That’s a new slant on the gods. Tell us more.”
These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, “This is a new one on us. We’ve never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? Explain it so we can understand.” Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything. So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with. (The Message – Acts 17)
Paul proceeded to lay out his argument and then the author of Acts tallies the results.
Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, “Let’s do this again. We want to hear more.” But that was it for the day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul–among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.
Maybe that is why we are often more comfortable decrying the culture instead of engaging it. Most of us don’t like being labled as airheads (The Message) or as a babbler (NIV). I certainly don’t enjoy the very real fact that some will laugh at me and walk off making jokes. But perhaps some will want to hear more. And the reason for taking the chance is that some will be convinced. How do I know that such a strategy works?I sat with a group of six guys at a meal break last Saturday discussing “The Book of Daniel”. For twenty minutes we discussed Jesus and faith in a very natural way. And the door opened because of a not very good TV show. Isn’t it amazing what God can use for His purpose if we will just let Him?