This week Group 2 looked at the Bible. Certainly the media can either be the Bible’s worst enemy or its best friend as we can see in the clips that were chosen. Let’s start with the worst enemy clips.  In the first clip it talked about Jesus in the Gospels, however it was portraying Jesus and the New Testament as merely a historical thing. The words used by those interviewed seemed to indicate that archeologists find that Bible to be historical inaccurate. This ideal can cause great turmoil for those with a wavering faith and it can also cement a person’s reason to be atheist/agnostic. This pointing out of the inaccuracies of the Bible without examining faith or belief really is a horrible idea. The Bible isn’t an historical textbook or a great fantasy story. No, it is the living Word of God and if it isn’t approached in that way there can be great discrepancies within the historical criticism route. Further, if you are not a historical criticism scholar or taken a Bible class in college there is the possibility of a person blinding following this type of media since it seems to be educational and thereby, people take it as fact. It probably was broadcast on the History Channel which, if that was the case doesn’t make it any better. Further, as it was pointed out in our discussion that about around 16 seconds, there was a sharp break to an unnamed historical expert who was dressed in a smart red tie and was speaking clear English. He began to cast doubt on the “familiar account” starting with the logical confrontation that Jesus was probably born four years before the calendar based on his birth. The clip goes on in its discrediting of the Gospel account where it states that Jesus was probably born and grew up around Nazareth, not in Bethlehem like it is written in Luke 2.

Clip 5 is another that is an enemy of the Bible. He is sitting there mocking the Bible and then shows clips of our new president bashing a part of Leviticus where as up holding another section. He talks about how in Leviticus slavery is ok and how eating shellfish is not ok. In the clip Obama is taking the Bible out of context to prove his political agenda points. Further, it is shown a man that is not a pastor at all speaking in regards to the Obama’s statements and John Stewart bashes his attempt at explaining it. John claims God as an overseer of the world who endorses candidates certain candidates, like George W. Bush. He also puts up a picture of a burning bush which is directly linked to Exodus when God speaks to Moses.  He even puts down McCain saying that he probably won’t be endorsed due to his divorces and things of that nature. John also goes on to say that McCain is “not as tough on the gays as Jesus would have hoped.” John even notes that Obama is a Christian and that his campaign rallies have “the air of a revival.” He even asks the audience which candidate will get God’s vote as if God is voting. John ends his religious/political bashing by saying that this shows, therefore, according to everything Scripture is only a tool to get what you want. This is merely, as Dean put it opin-u-tainment. However, this is dangerous because so many people do watch this show and take his ranting for truths. Many younger people use it as their news source. If they are hearing that the Bible is merely a tool to get elected then again, they won’t take the Bible seriously and may never look at it at all.

However clips 2, 6, and 7 were what we would deem the Bible’s best friend. Clip 2 is a great way to introduce children to the word. This story was the one found in the Old Testament when the prophet Nathan confronts David about Bathsheba. However, it is done in a way to show the lesson of this story – to not be greedy for you hurt others. This is a lesson that children should get out of the story and in this media they get it. Each of these clips really took the Bible and tried to use media as a way to show the theological understandings of the Bible. That faith is needed when reading the Bible. As we see in clip 6 when River is trying to fix the Bible and she is told that we don’t fix the Bible, the Bible fixes us. This is a key idea that many people miss and the fact that it was portrayed in a media that everyone accesses it helps those that are questioning or wandering to look at the Bible in this new light. We thought that 2 Timothy 3:16 could be a point of agreement with this segment. Also, on West Wing when the President was grilling the Chemist about being a Christian, he told the President that it wasn’t about answering the questions it was about the faith. He really witnesses to the story of Christ and that is the real world application of the Bible. Can you witness to it?

Some clips we were on the fence about, like clips 3 and 4. The Simpsons is a satire of American society, but this clip could be perceived as a negative connotation about what is occurring in churches around the country. It gives the notion that churches are just becoming purely commercial. It did parallel the Bible – we see the story of where Christ comes into the Temple and there are money changers and booths, when there shouldn’t be. Lisa’s outburst about it and her statement of never coming back could be perceived to someone as the way to approach problems in their own church. It also could cement someone’s reason for never going. The idea that the Bible and the church is commercial is not one that sits well with people. In clip 4 it could also be seen this way. Indeed the song is beautiful, powerful, and echoes theological ideas that we find in the Bible. However, it could also be seen as a way to sell the show and their soon to be recordings. Since it is a contest should a song such as this one be used? It could give the connotation that American Idol only wants to boost ratings and record sales by catering to the Christian community without really having any Christian ideals or aspects about it. The word Idol goes against what God laid down in the Ten Commandments. The singing of the song on a show called American IDOL is a bit of an oxymoron and could cause outrage and disgust against the Bible. However, some people really like listening to Christian music and could find this enlightening and uplifting. Especially if someone has never stepped into a church before they might be interested after listening to this song.

Overall, some clips were the Bible’s worst enemy, best friend, or just on the fence – it could have gone either way. The trouble with media is the fact that people take it for pure truth and if the Bible is shown in a negative connotation then there is the possibility of it having a negative backlash against it all.

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