Comments on: Another Station Drops "Book of Daniel"

By: Sean

Sean — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 15:46:26 +0000

I saw last night that the network dropped the show.

Perhaps we can look forward to “Muk-luks for Mohammed” – in which a suprised substitute imam learns his new asignment is to build a mosque in small town Alaska where he attempts to convert the local infidels. Yuks for all.

Wait, that’s been done with a Jewish Doctor from NYC, hasn’t it?

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 21:16:44 +0000

The Episcopal church is very liberal, recently promoting a gay bishop, if I recall.

By: Jo

Jo — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 02:32:38 +0000

Interesting take. Which sins do you see as the priest’s? What did he do that makes you think he is following his own way? One thing I noticed about the show is that even though he’s supposedly addicted to painkillers, he never actually takes them – when he pulls out the bottle, “Jesus” (who isn’t Jesus) shows up and he thinks better of it. Although I left the room a couple of times and might have missed where he was popping pills.

Is the Episcopal church considered conservative? I always thought it was considered a pretty liberal demonination, what with allowing women clergy and all. But I’m not Episcopalian, so my experience is limited to observing friends who are.

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 23:07:11 +0000

Of course not. Many problems are the same, though not all combined into one gay and lesbian, drug using, promiscuous, depression filled alcoholic family. In a conservative chuch, biblically speaking the pastor is required to meet certain conditions or step down. (1 Timothy 5:17-18, for example; I’m having trouble with my research because I’m traveling, but I can expound later. This man has so many troubles, there’s no way he should be leading a congregation by example.

The Jesus portrayed is so permissive as to almost seem cartoonish. Jesus tells us that if we wish to be His disciples, we must follow Him. Is this priest following Jesus? No, he going his own way and dragging Jesus behind him. He’s using a way-too-tolerant Jesus to give tacit approval to the priest’s sins. In doing this, the producers are portraying Christian leadership as far more flawed than the average American, implying that relying on Jesus is insufficient.

By: Jo

Jo — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 16:11:42 +0000

Michael, why do you think this show portrays conservative values in a bad light? Sure, it’s about a priest who has family problems – where in the show does it indicate that 1)the problems are the result of conservative values, 2)the characters in the show are meant to be typical of any particular lifestyle or viewpoint, 3)the problems in the show are limited to conservatives?

If the lead character were a plumber, would that make the show acceptable? Is it the idea that a priest might have a less than perfect family that makes it offensive?

I’m not trying to argue – I’m trying to understand. Why is the idea that a man of the cloth could be addicted to painkillers offensive? Does this never happen? Are conservatives somehow immune to the human weaknesses that affect other groups?

By: Jo

Jo — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 16:04:51 +0000

What yardstick do I use to make a decision about what?

I can certainly decide whether I have an interest in watching something without actually watching it. But I can’t make an informed argument about what it really is or isn’t if I haven’t seen it.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:12:29 +0000

It’s automatic when you use certain words like that one.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 18:59:20 +0000

Hey, Mike moderated me. – p*nis – better?

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 18:44:47 +0000

Jo, oh enlightened one, (yes, he said in an accusatory tone) – perhaps one day we can all consider everything without using our hard won experiential discrimination and we will all live in a world where everyone can believe anything or everything and no one can comment on anything without personally having the experience that everyone else has had so we can all agree to disagree on everthing.

Or perhaps, if I find out that Fear Factor has episode eating animal [censored] as a game – I just won’t watch it.

Criminy – your enlightenment is showing.

What yardstick do you use to make a decision?

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:12:50 +0000

And my own decision is to avoid shows that show conservative values in a bad light, and it is valid to base that decision on the respected opinion of others. Based on my own experience, first hand experience of some things are more detrimental than positive.