![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Not what I thought it would be
Jan. 7th, 2006 08:09 pmI don't know if you've seen the commotion caused by NBC's new series "Book of Daniel". Hair-trigger conservatives have declared that it is an affront to Christianity, because the main character is an Episcopal priest, whose family has issues. He has a problem with pain pills, his boss, the bishop, is always on him about one thing or another, his wife drinks too much, one son is an overly horny teenage boy, the other gay, his daughter was just arrested because she was trying to raise money by selling pot... Anyway, with all the buzz, how could I not watch it? (Two affiliates refused to air it).
The creator of the show says this series isn't about religion. In a lot of ways, he's right. It's a drama about a family who happens to be Christian, not Christians who happen to be a family. But the faith is there, and it's truer than anything else I've seen on tv. The main character, Daniel, speaks to Jesus. A lot of evangelicals will talk about have a close, personal relationship with Jesus and say it's like having a best friend who's always there. Apparently, they just don't like it when tv portrays it. But, again, I found it to be very true to what faith is -- and isn't. At one point, Daniel asks if he's been "chosen" since Jesus speaks to him. Jesus says he speaks to everyone, but some only hear what they want, and most aren't listening. At anotehr point, Daniel asks for answers and Jesus says "You know it doesn't work that way." Daniel responds that he knows, but he doesn't understand why.
Some conservatives seem to want you to think that you embrace Jesus, and suddenly, your life is out of Leave It To Beaver. But anyone whose faith has any depth to it knows that's not true, and it's really nice to see a show that's willing to be honest about it.
Anyway, I was impressed with the pilot. I just pity people whose "faith" is such a source of fear for them that they condemned it before they even saw it.
The creator of the show says this series isn't about religion. In a lot of ways, he's right. It's a drama about a family who happens to be Christian, not Christians who happen to be a family. But the faith is there, and it's truer than anything else I've seen on tv. The main character, Daniel, speaks to Jesus. A lot of evangelicals will talk about have a close, personal relationship with Jesus and say it's like having a best friend who's always there. Apparently, they just don't like it when tv portrays it. But, again, I found it to be very true to what faith is -- and isn't. At one point, Daniel asks if he's been "chosen" since Jesus speaks to him. Jesus says he speaks to everyone, but some only hear what they want, and most aren't listening. At anotehr point, Daniel asks for answers and Jesus says "You know it doesn't work that way." Daniel responds that he knows, but he doesn't understand why.
Some conservatives seem to want you to think that you embrace Jesus, and suddenly, your life is out of Leave It To Beaver. But anyone whose faith has any depth to it knows that's not true, and it's really nice to see a show that's willing to be honest about it.
Anyway, I was impressed with the pilot. I just pity people whose "faith" is such a source of fear for them that they condemned it before they even saw it.
