Into the Lions' Den

The Blog of Daniel is up and running, hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

Thanks to the weblog format, anybody can post anything as part of the record. Whoever you are, you can comb the posts and comments and find something with which you agree. One post has links to a string of reviews. I rather like this from the comments thread:

I think the episcopal church and hollywood are perfect bedfellows. The running joke is that episcopalian has become the definition of acceptable sin. Every sin that is universally condemned in the bible and throughout history is either embraced or "under discussion" by the episcopalian church. The episcopalian church may see nothing wrong with this, and rather see it as a means to win souls (win them for what? I am not sure) But because Christ is said to be conversant with the characters it goes from being episcopalian to being a story about Christianity as a whole.

Certainly, Christians become outraged when someone like Pat Robertson suggest we assassinate Hugo Chavez, or when he makes any other theological statement that has the "backing of Christ", because we all want to know who gave him the right to speak for God. Well, we all have that right ifwe have been so inspired, but when we put it on the airways for ALL to see including non christians, we feel our Lord and even our own character is being impugned.

I'm all for freedom of speech , but with freedom comes responsibility to protect what is sacred. What is most sacred in christinity is Christ. We must not suggest that Christ would support any sin or even be unconcerned about it.

He was radical when He said, "he who is without sin cast the first stone" but stern when he suggested the woman "go and sin no more" He never dismissed her sins, he dismissed the impending punishment, because he and we know that the consequences will come when we die and that all can be redeemed.

My main point is , that the insult came when Jesus was introduced into the story. Unless it is biblically mandated in some way, it will only serve to impugn christ and his followers.

I don't recall much of a hoopla when George Burns made his Oh, God! series, playing the part of God himself. And that was on the big screen. And Jesus Christ, Superstar was all the rage at one time.
If there is any common denominator here I think it can be summed up in two words: cheap grace.

Forgot to mention, I didn't watch the premier. Probably won't watch any of the episodes, either. I'll read enough about it elsewhere, thanks. There are more serious issues to think about.
My time is too valuable to spend carelessly.

Footnote:
It is worth noting that this new assault on the faith appears first on Twelfth Night, Feast of the Epiphany. I don't take this to be a mistake. Minor Wisdom, another blog that I recently found points out that this is the traditional (don't you love that word?) beginning of the Carnival Season -- best known in America because of Mardi Gras -- which will culminate, not only in New Orleans but all over the world, with Ash Wednesday, beginning of Lent.

It would be insulting to the reader for me to point out the secular corruption of Christianity that has persisted for centuries thanks to secular events like these. In the landscape of history, one television show is nothing more than a blip.