But I can't really... That whole, "Love your neighbor" thing...
Well, it seems ultra-right, fundamental Christians got their way. My new almost-favorite show, "The Book of Daniel," was dropped off the schedule by NBC. I refuse to believe it was due to "low ratings." I've seen the ratings and, while they weren't American Idol numbers, they weren't too shabby for 10pm on a Friday night.
No, what killed this show was Christians who don't understand their own religion. Ok, by the last episode that aired, it was a bit over-written. I mean, there wasn't anyone in that last episode that didn't fuck up in a major way to majorly fuck with the plot line. But, it was still interesting. It was still true to life. It was still flawed, fucked-up human beings; people with real problems in facing real consequences. My favorite twist has to be the gay mobster.
Think about that beauty for a minute... Mobster, so he's got a tough guy image he has to protect. Italian, which means he's Roman Catholic... AND he's gay. That dude's got an interesting story. Certainly better than Perfect Lucy having the Perfect baby with her Perfect Husband.
But I digress. In the show, the pastor, Daniel, would frequently see and talk to Jesus. They'd have a laugh or two, Daniel would tell him his problems and Jesus would give rational Jesus answers. Daniel is addicted to painkillers. Nearly every time Daniel popped a vicodin JC would be like "You don't need those." Yet, in VERY JC-like fashion, he would NOT stop Daniel from making his own decision to take one. He never would not love Daniel (or us) for our sins. God might hate the sin, but never the sinner.
And, I think that's what fundamentalist Christians (read: the overly-vocal minority) had a problem with: that Jesus didn't go off on Daniel for popping pills, for accepting his son's homosexuality, etc. No, Jesus loved him and loves everyone inspite of any sin they committed. And, for some reason, the FCs don't get that, that Jesus just loves no matter what.
Here's a thought: If this is killing me so much, imagine how heartbroken God must get when his message of faith, hope and love is twisted so.
I believe that the Bible was "divinely-inspired," but I don't believe that those books are the only thing ever to be "divinely-inspired." No, God didn't stop talking to people and didn't stop using us to deliver his message some 1500+ years ago. I mean, just because somebody said "Here's the books of the Bible all neatly bound on paper" doesn't mean the story is finished. Nor does it mean that God has ceased to use ordinary people to proclaim his message. God still works through his people. He blessed us all with various gifts and talents that we are to use to bring glory to his name.
Why can't a painting be "divinely-insprired?" Or a song? Or a television show or ... a blog? God has so many ways to speak to us. Don't think for a minute that He has stopped. He's speaking to you now, trying desperately to get you to hear His message. Are you listening?
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