Christians Fight To Maintain Jesus Themes In Entertainment World

By James Donahue

Christian groups appear to be over-reacting to the creative work of a few bold film and television writers who are daring to challenge the pro-Christian theme that has been permeating the entertainment world. Can it be that the Christians are beginning to worry that their Jesus god isn't quite the power figure he has been cracked up to be?

Townhall, a conservative website packed with news and commentary, is this week attacking the work of contemporary television script writer Aaron Sorkin, creator of such popular shows as The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, because he dares to allow his characters to express "liberal" and even anti-Christian viewpoints.

Townhall also is attacking NBC for continuing to contract with Sorkin and give him license to "continue his anti-Christianity themed show."

The article concludes with the following line: "Only you and conservatives like Ann Coulter, Hugh Hewitt, Thomas Sowell and the rest of Townhall.com's over 100 conservative leaders stand in their way."

The story appeals to readers to join in the fight to push the filthy "liberals" and "anti-Christians" out of the entertainment world once and for all.

As if that isn't funny enough, listen to this story:

It seems that eight NBC affiliate television stations, apparently in and around the conservative Midwest, are refusing to air that new show, The Book of Daniel, because they believe it portrays a character of Jesus who is too tolerant of sin.

The show involves an Episcopalian priest with a troubled family who has personal talks with Jesus. The minister has a family that portrays most of the major issues facing contemporary society. He personally abuses pain killers, he has a gay son, a promiscuous straight son, a daughter who sells marijuana, and an alcoholic wife. That Jesus is understanding and forgiving of all of this behavior is regarded as blasphemous by the hard-line Christian herd.

Even Christians in the normally non-fanatical UK have their dander up over a new BBC series titled Spooks. The fundamental Bible-thumpers there are upset over one drama that portrayed evangelical extremists murdering Muslims. Which is something that has happened, is happening, and will probably continue to happen as long as extremist religious groups exist. We all know this. The Christians there say they believe the BBC has a "sinister" and "malicious" agenda against their faith.

And the Sundance Film studio this fall is presenting a two-part documentary One Punk, Under God, which promises to raise the dander of a few Christians. The film is about maverick minister Jay Bakker, of Atlanta, the son of disgraced evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye, who wants to remake religion with a radical tolerance for alternative lifestyles. The film depicts how Bakker attempts to fuse punk and Christian values in an off-beat religious circle.

We see all religions as silly, outdated and irrelevant foolishness designed to misdirect the spiritual path of humanity. We can identify the tragic under-tones in the drama going on within the creative world of today's entertainment industry.

This is where contemporary creative expression by right-brained writers, film producers and directors is occurring. It is small wonder that new shows are beginning to express the general break-down of the religiosity that has had its grip on the minds of humanity for thousands of years.

That the radical Christian groups are fighting back is a sign that they see the writing on the wall and are starting to run scared. They are losing their grip on the minds of the youth of America, and they know it.

--November, 2006