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Friday, January 6

This kaleidoscope of color is a creative science project.

Spencer and his classmate, Klee. (sic) Pronounced: Kay-lee

Many hours were spent coloring, cutting, folding, and "hot gunning".

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Tonight, in a rare moment, I found myself alone with the TV remote.
While exercising my thumb, I landed briefly on NBC's new show
The Book of Daniel. I had seen a few of the previews,
and found it hard to believe that it was intended to be anything but comedy.

This is from the American Family Association:

NBC is promoting "The Book of Daniel" as a serious drama about Christian people
and the Christian faith. The main character is Daniel Webster, a drug-addicted
Episcopal priest whose wife depends heavily on her mid-day martinis.

Webster regularly sees and talks with a very unconventional white-robed, bearded Jesus.
The Webster family is rounded out by a 23-year-old homosexual Republican son,
a 16-year-old daughter who is a drug dealer, and a 16-year-old adopted son
who is having sex with the bishop's daughter. At the office, his lesbian secretary
is sleeping with his sister-in-law.

NBC and the mainstream media call it "edgy," "challenging" and "courageous."
The series is written by Jack Kenny, a practicing homosexual who describes himself
as being "in Catholic recovery," and is interested in Buddhist teachings about reincarnation
and isn't sure exactly how he defines God and/or Jesus.
"I don't necessarily know that all the myth surrounding him (Jesus) is true," he said.

NBC considers The Book of Daniel a positive portrayal of Christ and Christians.

- - -

Hmmmm, from what I saw, it was another episode of "Desperate Networks".
A poorly acted sitcom without the laugh track. A script malfunction.
But in all fairness, I sat through enough of it to realize that
theirs is a message of tolerance, not repentance. How Hollywood.

The characters are a collection of worst-case stereotypes,
and no insult was spared, and no subject taboo.
The only time they thanked God was when one awkward situation
was interrupted with yet a worse one. That, and a "TGIF", because Friday
is the one day the lead couple set aside for a rather personal ritual.
Then they offered up a scene, just in case you found that hard to imagine.

Jesus is portrayed as sarcastic if not sympathetic, hardly righteous.
When asked why he doesn't do something about Daniel's failing mother,
he says, "You know it doesn't work like that."

The theatrical concept of talking to someone that no one else can
see or hear is not new. Jimmy Stewart and Clarence the Angel in
It's a Wonderful Life, and Harvey, a six-foot invisible rabbit.
There was Oh God, with John Denver and George Burns, Ghost, and more recently,
Joan of Arcadia, and Touched By an Angel. (Medium doesn't count.)

But this show, if it is supposed to be entertainment, goes too far.
"A typical Christian family"? Wholesome??? This is blasphemous!
I suspect that the general audience will find it offensive.
There is already some talk of a boycott of the show's sponsors.
But don't count on any support from the ACLU. (Free speech, and all.)

With respect to the show itself, I think my cats said it best...

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Today: -0.5 Total: -5.5

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