The Kinds of Christians We Need on TV

Stephen Prothero recently wrote at CNN’s Belief Blog that Christians, like gays, are “coming out” on television. He refers to the popular show Glee, which features a gay couple, a lesbian couple, a transgender singer, and a “God Squad” of Christians whose sole purpose seems to be to provide Glee creator Ryan Murphy a foil against which to make his arguments. Prothero applauds the following conversation, which took place on the show, for showing Christians struggling with their faith and talking about the Bible:

Mercedes (Amber Riley) calculates that since “one out of every ten people are gay . . . one of the twelve apostles might have been gay.” Sam (Chord Overstreet) observes that “the Bible says it’s an abomination for a man to lay with another man,” prompting Quinn (Dianna Agron) go ask, “Do you know what else the Bible says is an abomination? Eating lobster, planting different crops in the same field, giving somebody a proud look. Not an abomination? Slavery. Jesus never said anything about gay people. That’s a fact.”

That it’s a theologically illiterate view of the Bible (the old Shellfish Objection is easily dispensed for anyone who has actually studied both sides of the issue), gives no coherent justification for a traditional Christian viewpoint, and never seriously challenges the prevailing assumptions of the show that homosexuality should be embraced and celebrated, does not bother Prothero because he shares Murphy’s point of view on these issues. Yet, to be honest, if we cannot have the Bible discussed well on television, then I would rather not have it discussed at all. I don’t really want Ryan Murphy teaching teenagers the Bible.

The larger issue this raises, however, is the way in which Christians have been “closeted” on television in the first place. The great majority of Americans are Christian, and yet you would never know it from American television. There are some welcome exceptions. Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle (which features a hilarious youth pastor character) show their families going to church and sometimes discussing their Christian faith. And on Smash, a gay character convinces his partner to wait on sex and come to church with him — which, although it’s arguably in service to a pro-gay message, is actually a decent plot element, and I certainly want my gay friends to be welcome at churches. Yet the exceptions are few, and even in the exceptional cases one very, very rarely sees an articulate case made for Christian faith or for a traditionally Christian worldview.

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Evermyrtle

I believe we have people trying to straighten out the world who does not what is wrong with it in the firstplace

Glee will lead more and more people astray, away from GOD as it proceed down into the pits of hell.

Matt 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

I Tim. 1: 5-7
5. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
6. Form which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling;
7. Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
aceituna

NOthing is more dangerous than lies which contain one or more elements of thruth. This program is only one example.
lambsev11

" The great majority of Americans are Christian, and yet you would never know it from American television." So says the article above.

You would never know it from life on the streets either, or from life in the workplace (am I wrong?). The city on the hill has become somewhat the smoking flax. Do you know the scriptures? Are you well versed enough to know that in most every case the scriptures have a meaning rooted in the Old Testament and the children of Israel?

Gentile christianity is a very undernourished people. They pick at the Bible like children looking for only what pleases. The Bible is very complete. Peter said God had given him and the believers of his time ALL THINGS! EVERYTHING! And the New Testament wasn't even collected into a book at that time. But the "Old" Testament was! It was the only Bible believers studied! And with the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost it was everything and all they needed! And they did need it! And we still need it, the "Old" Testament, for our edification in faith.

2 Peter 1:2-4
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

But what do we need from the "Old" Testament and why? How do we possess it and what will be the result of having it? To get you education in what it means to be a believer in Jesus, His Father and the Holy Spirit, Call God up!

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3)

Admit it, even the most learned do not know it all. But God is not stingy, He will bless you with all you need if you have a heart for His Heart.
LouseCA

I have Christian nieces who should know better that watch this sleazy show. Clearly, the only reason they have Christians portrayed at all is to confuse and brainwash real Christian young people who they assume do not know the Scriptures well, into believing that homosexuality is just one more acceptable lifestyle. My advice to Christians is to turn away from this show. Our problem is that the Church has become too much like the world. Christians have too many compromises in our lives. We do not spend enough time in the Word or enough time seeking His Face and Presence. We're just like the world..dashing here and there during the week to get our kids to soccer, swimming, whatever..anything and everything except pursuing a deeper walk with the Lord. There's nothing wrong with sports, etc, as long as they don't take first place in our lives, but most often these days, they do. The culture is deteriorating and we're haunting the mauls on weekends and going to ball games. It shows. America as we know it is dying. Only a complete holiness revival will save us, and it has to start with us. If you consider yourself a Christian, you had best wake up and get back on your prayer bones, because our country is in dire trouble. Are we going to lose America on our watch?
John J Flanagan

I believe Christians must be very discerning about television. Much of it is very sinful entertainment. Like a magnet in our homes, television draws one away from God's word, our faith, and towards the world system. It is that way by design, like Vanity Fair in Bunyon's "The Pilgrim's Progress." While we are not to withdraw from the world, we are God's people and we are not to participate in things we know are not wrong. When sitting on the couch with remote in hand, and we allow ourselves to linger over the shows that really go over the top, we should all remember that Jesus is sitting on the couch with us, and how will we react. Would we want Our Lord to see we have more interest in the carnal world than in His kingdom? There may come a time when Christians will program their televisions to watch the news and weather, and educational or history channels, as well as uplifting programs, and the rest should be deleted.