TVSquad

"Scratch the TV surface, and you'll find some true Christian values."

Not so much.

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Redemption, forgiveness, faith, moral responsibility, human connection and penance are not specifically christian values. They are spiritual values and are part of many religions, including christianity.

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Generally TV shows seem to express Christian values as 1) Love God and 2) Treat others the way you want to be treated.

However, they portray Christians (humans, not ideas or values) as being caught up in hearing voices, hating gays, believing they are holier than thou, dismissing science, being condescending toward others, acting hypocritical & bigoted, and using God as a rationale for everything from the weather to war.

This is where TV really has it wrong: TV believes people can see humor and story telling for what it is and not take it personally. TV is wrong.

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I agree with Erica. There are almost zero religious characters on TV, save for that horrid show 7th Heaven.

And so what if Fox and other networks are "anti-religion"? They have a right to say whatever they want.

Let's look at the 2 most popular shows on TV: CSI and Grey's Anatomy. I don't watch any of these shows, but I'm pretty sure that there are next to no religious characters on the show, and it says a lot about the American TV audience.

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I'm a regular church-goer and consider myself a fairly religious person, but I have to say that if I had such a self-righteous group as the PTC on my ass, I'd probably do as much as I could to piss them off. That might not sound like a very Christian attitude, but I'm only human and it's groups like the PTC that give such a publicly negative opinion of Christians as inflexible, judgmental bible-thumpers. They're part of that "vocal minority" of Christians who are doing more harm than good in spreading Christ's teachings of love and tolerance. They especially fail in the tolerance department.

I have to agree that there's really a plethora of ridicule for organized religion on television. While it's almost understandable since the usual televised representation of religions almost always come in the form of those who are most intolerant, it's a highly unfair representation of the majority of we "religious types". Most of us are more than happy to believe what we believe and let others do the same, even if it's no religious belief at all, or even the flying spaghetti monster! It's all part of the doctrines of "love thy neighbor" and "do unto others as you'd have them do unto you", and most of us live that way as best we can. Unfortunately, most tv shows don't bother to convey that, instead preferring to go with the intolerant view and ridicule our faith. Fortunately for them, the majority of people of faith simply choose to forgive and change the channel, rather than start screaming and boycotting, but that never gets any attention. The focus is always on the fringe loudmouths thereby furthering the slanted view that we're all crazed zealots screaming about how all the heathens are going to hell.

After spewing all that drivel, I don't really include comedy in that accusation since I, personally, don't consider parody of any subject a real indictment of it. I mean c'mon, it's comedy and by its very nature meant to be outrageous. Still, I'd like to see more of a balance of how people of faith are represented, but even if that never happens you won't see me marching outside with a sign about how evil television is. I mean, I wouldn't want someone outside picketing my beliefs and acting like a rabid fool, so why would I inflict the same injustice on them if I truly follow the teachings of the Bible? That'd make me a hypocrite. I can be more effective by changing the channel or just turning off the tv and reading a book.

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The Simpsons? You mean the only TV family that's actually shown going to church on a regular basis?

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"Redemption, forgiveness, faith, moral responsibility, human connection and penance are not specifically christian values. They are spiritual values and are part of many religions, including christianity."

They are human values that are part of being human. Religion is superfluous.

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The Simpsons is probably the only network series of any kind where churchgoing as a family is a regular part of the script. I am not an expert on every episode but I believe that every major character (with the probable exception of Maggie) has struggled with their Christianity and tried to adhere to Christian values, more or less successfully.

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I am going to take over the PTC, and instead of making sure it presents good shows for children, I want to make sure it does TV-M stuff for parents.

And how can you be on the council and not be a master?

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>>PTC president Brent Bozell had this to say: "After Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ, there was a lot of talk that Hollywood finally had found religion.

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(looks like my first comment died because of an open angle bracket. sorry)

'PTC president Brent Bozell had this to say: "After Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ, there was a lot of talk that Hollywood finally had found religion.'

Sorry Brent. Your dream of an anti-semitic Hollywood will have to wait.

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fitzthecat---I believe that every major character (with the probable exception of Maggie) has struggled with their Christianity and tried to adhere to Christian values, more or less successfully---

actually, Lisa ended up converting to Buddhism.

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The Simpsons has taken numerous shots at God over the years. I think Groening also said(paraphrased): "If there is a God, then I am definitely going to Hell."

Although I don't like Studio 60's preachy tone, one line from Matt to Harriet did stand out to me:

Harriet Hayes: What's wrong with civil unions? And why shouldn't we -
Matt Albie: 'Cause there's no way to get to the end of that sentence without saying that homosexual love is something less than heterosexual love and watching you trip all over it makes me want to hit you on the head with Liberace.

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Elliot says:....
>>>>However, they portray Christians (humans, not ideas or values) as being caught up in hearing voices, hating gays, believing they are holier than thou, dismissing science, being condescending toward others, acting hypocritical & bigoted, and using God as a rationale for everything from the weather to war.

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You would think the President of the organization that found Fox to be so anti-religious would not appear on the network a staggering 100 times in the last year (Fox News appearances) but sadly Bozell is a regular contributor to many of Fox News' programs ........


heres a snippet from his Bozells's own BIO PAGE
(http://www.mediaresearch.org/bios/lbb/welcome.asp)


...........He is regularly invited to provide media expertise on news programs by all the major networks and cable affiliates. He is frequently invited to appear on Fox News Channel shows such as Hannity & Colmes and The O’Reilly Factor, and other appearances include NBC's Today show..................



Oh but I forgot ...according to a certain FNC anchor with the first name Bill...Fox News and Fox TV arent really related even tough the share the same owner, ownership group, logos, national TV personalities, and content from time to time....

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IT'S NOT SURPRISING THERE'S SO MUCH ANTI-CHRISTIAN MEDIA AND NEWS...WE HAD THE SEATTLE AIRPORT FIASCO, AND JUST NOW A TORONTO JUDGE, JUSTICE MARION COHEN, BANNED A CHRISTMNAS TREE FROM A TORONTO, CANADA COURT ROOM. THE PRO-GAY ONTARIO ATTORNEY-GENERAL MICHAEL BRYANT REFUSED TO RESTORE IT AND TORONTO MAYOR MILLER HASN'T SAID A WORD.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "KEEPING CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS"? MORE THWN PRAYER...LETTERS, E-MAILS...WILL BE NEEDED, SENT TO LEGISLATORS, JUDGES, ETC. TO STOP MAKING CHRISTMAS POLITICALLY CORRECT.

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I thought Christains loved The Simpsons? That must have changed once they did the gay marriage won't lead to the world blowing episode. Stupid religous "people".

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Elliot said:

"However, they portray Christians (humans, not ideas or values) as being caught up in hearing voices, hating gays, believing they are holier than thou, dismissing science, being condescending toward others, acting hypocritical & bigoted, and using God as a rationale for everything from the weather to war."


Wow looks like TV got something right! Way to go TV!

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Bob Smith said:
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "KEEPING CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS"? MORE THWN PRAYER...LETTERS, E-MAILS...WILL BE NEEDED, SENT TO LEGISLATORS, JUDGES, ETC. TO STOP MAKING CHRISTMAS POLITICALLY CORRECT.

If you want to keep the Christ in Christmas this is exactly why the Christmas tree must go from the the court lobby. (The tree is kept in the lobby not the court room). It's called the seperation of religion and state. Exactly why the 10 commandments have been removed from the court house and why you don't have to swear on a bible before giving testimony anymore.

Now if you believe that the Christmas tree has become a cultural symbol for Canada than the tree can stay. That's what needs to be decided. Is it a cultural or religous symbol.

By the way I love how you think praying is going to get the tree back. Like if there is a god (which I'm pretty sure there isn't)he's going to answer prayers about a f'n tree. I'm sure he has more to worry about. Like how they get the caramel in a caramilk bar!

AND STOP YELLING!

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Frequently on TV shows it will be left unstated if a character is religious and, if so, what religion, for the same reason that it's rarely mentioned what political party a character subscribes to: odds are some people might find themselves turned off from a character they'd otherwise like if they knew they supported an ideology they opposed. Presenting regular characters on TV as Christian is pretty rare, but so is portraying one as an Atheist, Agnostic, or any other religion. Hollywood, for the most part, just doesn't want to get involved with the issue.

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