Sunday, January 08, 2006

Shut "The Book of Daniel"

By Lisa Haddock
NJ Faith Forum Editor

NBC's "The Book of Daniel" is the most offensive, unbearable show I've seen on network TV. And that includes my childhood years of being forced to watch “Hee Haw.”

Where shall I start?

1. Ethnic stereotypes.
---The only black person on the show is a maid. And of course, she steals from the family and smokes pot. What a fresh portrayal! Why don’t we bring back Prissy from “Gone With the Wind”? "Lordse, we got to have a doctor! I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"
---The only Italian person on the show is in the Mafia. Italians -- even a priest -- have ties to the Mafia. Quelle unique!

2. Anti-Christian theme.
---Every cleric on the show is morally corrupt. The central character, Father Daniel Webster (how clever), is a pill popper. The female bishop is also a drug user. (Ellen Burstyn, what are you thinking? You're an Oscar-winning actress. Run away from this show!) She's also having an adulterous affair with another bishop (Father Dan's father, of course). The Catholic priest offers to have someone killed by his Mafia friends.

3. Portrayal of Jesus (a series character who regularly appears to the pill-popping padre).
---He is powerless, despite the fact he healed people in the scriptures.
---He is silly and inane.
---His only moral objection to anything on the show is Father Dan's pill-popping.
---He's Jesus -- a rather important figure to 2 billion Christians. Don't mess with him!

The fact that Dan's son is fornicating with a parishioner doesn't bother Jesus Christ. "It's something all kids have to go through," Jesus tells Dan.

Hello, writers!

Submitted for your consideration:
What about Christian teaching on fornication?
What about unplanned pregnancy?
What about STDs?
What about the impropriety of a priest's son cavorting with a parish member?

Pishposh, I guess.

The Father Dan says not a word to his oversexed son. He's more concerned about his daughter's marijuana use. Dad pops Vicodin tabs as if they were popcorn. His wife is a lush. But it's a big deal for his daughter to be involved with pot. Marijuana is illegal as well as harmful to the lungs and memory. But it’s Koolaid compared to highly popular drugs crystal meth and ecstasy. And booze? Come on. We all know what that does to people. So of course, Father D. and wifey are big old hypocrites. What else would Christian parents be?

The networks can run what they like. It's a free country. But I can't imagine why “The Book of Daniel” is on the air. I haven’t been so nauseous since a small plane I was riding in went wacky over some mountains.

The “BOD” reeks of racial, ethnic, and anti-religious bias. Dramatically, it's overwrought. It's like "Dallas Goes to Church." Murder, adultery, drug addiction. Please! Sue Ellen and J.R. strutting the ugliness of their marriage at Southfork Ranch – now that was fun. It was a nighttime soap opera.

“The Book of Daniel” -- ugh -- I don't even have a word for it. Not one I will publish anyway.

I hope other viewers will vote with their remotes so that this dreadful piece of "entertainment" is soon flushed from our airwaves into the sewer of oblivion.

Current Faith Issues and Controversies
Complete Blog Index

No comments: