"Studio 60" and Evangelicals Unawares

Hey David,
Pot, kettle, black?
It is indeed nice to see that Sorkin is able to depict Christians realistically on both sides--the Crazy Christians and the somewhat normal ones. You've gotta love a girl who can make "When asked to comment, the bear said, 'RAWR!' funny.
Did anyone catch the episode of Bill Maher's show dealing with Jesus Camp, on which Bradley Whitford appeared? I think Bradley did a good job of representing Christians as everyday people, and as people who can hold widely diverse views and still be Christian.

Well, I like the themes of the show without being particularly fond of it. Yes, it offers a somewhat evenhanded approach to Christians--it portrays some of the downsides of the overly faithful today in America (with the rampant unacceptace of basic scientific principles) and also some of the upsides (caring about and respecting small town ppl who don't deserve to be ridiculed on national scale). Does this make for compelling TV? Eh. I guess. It's a well-written show, but at the same time, I'm always aware that I am watching a show. The dialogue is so...so intricately complex and fanciful that you watch the screen and think...hey look! What a funny, witty line delivered by Matthew Perry! It just feels so extravagantly done, pre-planned, and overcooked. Let's just say that subtlety is not the bedrock of this show. I give this show a "B-" because of these reasons. It is funny and intelligent, but at the same time, the over acted, over scripted, and overstated nature of this show turns me off.

"wasn't this land founded on the principles that we can beleive what we want? We can worship how we want? That is our right? " Only if you define "what we want" as "what the ruling class wants." The people who came over on the Mayflower wanted freedom for themselves, but they didn't actually extend that courtesy to everyone else.
I have nothing against people who strongly believe something. In fact, I applaud it, but you've got to admit that some of these people really are nuts.

"Pink" said it well, commenting on the expression, "overly faithful". It is not necessarily offensive as much as realizing there are those who, well, view passionate faith as "overly". That being said, there are those among the "overly faithful" who sometimes use poor judgment and do a lot to make people conclude they are "crazy christians". What most fundamentalist christians really resent is the assault against traditional moral and ethical values buy secular progressives who believe that the fewer constraints, those inherent in our traditional values system, the more freedom people have. When, in fact, the absence of standards of behavior promoted by secular progressives will eventually result in anarchy.

"You don't have to be Christian to be crazy." Doesn't that go without saying?

Kira: Christians don't kill for our beliefs.

G: The Bible specifically says not to kill. Anybody who would say that they are killing for Jesus Christ aren't Christians.

"Anybody who would say that they are killing for Jesus Christ aren't Christians" From Elim.
So from this statment you could argue that, anyone who kills can be christan as long as they dont do it in the name of Jesus Christ :?:
Futhermore, having friends and family in the armed forced makes me wonder if they can still be Christians even when they kill.

Abbey says: In Mark, Jesus says that the greatest commandments is to love God and to love your neighbor. So would killing people show love?
Well....it might, hear me out. From the Christan perspective to enter into the kingdom of heavan and avoid the never ending pain of hell is to follow in Jesus teaches. Correct?
So out of love and merciful action should we not let those who are going turn away from God, be with God?? Yes their death may be painful. But hey, aleast it is only tempory and they will be with Jesus on the right hand of the father.
The other alternate is to unloving let our neighbour's soul to be pershired in ever lasting toment in hell.
This is not may veiw. But it may be the veiw point of Catholic CHRISTAINs who used to touch unbelives. Not out of spite, but out of love and compassion for thier neigbour's soul. And personally, for one person to give their soul to the devil,(by killing) so that one my be given to God untill the end of time would be heroic. If you taking this to the extrme. would not be better to kill children, before they have the mentally capacity to rejects Christ. And to slipp into the cluchs of satan and of hell....
And again I dont belive this. Yet, without challenging this unpleasent argument, how can one say that loving means not killing them. This also hightlight how "overlyfaith" can SOMETIMES, (very rarely doh) be dangers.
Also, Jesus may the same today tomor and forever, Abbey. But how we interprenters him changes.Frankly the image of Jesus will always Change, with us. Cause he is a part of us, and we part of him. If we change he changes.

Lately, I have become very "disturbed" by people saying "crazy christians" or "overly faithful." You probably wouldn't hear such phrases if the "overly faithful" and "crazy christians" weren't so hellbent on trying to force others through political means to live according to their "crazy" faith.

TAKEN from WIKIPEDIA: A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as Christ. Christians believe Jesus to be the Son of God, who lived a life befitting that of the creator of the universe, free of sin and full of love, who at the end of his earthly life was crucified, and then on the third day, rose from the dead, and later ascended into heaven. These beliefs are held by the vast majority of Christian denominations. Christians believe that Jesus offers salvation, and that it is only possible because of him. Apart from Jesus Christ, there is no salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 states that "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God that no one should boast" (NIV). Humans cannot save themselves through good works, but only Jesus can. Good works, however, are a result of living according to the Word of God. Christians identify themselves as monotheistic, believing that there is one God. Most sects incorporate God as a perichoresis of three persons: Father (the Source, the Eternal Majesty); the Son (the eternal Logos or Word, incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth); and the Holy Spirit (the Paraclete or advocate). Today, it is estimated that there are around 2.1 billion Christians in the world making up 33% of the world population, with the largest Christian denomination being Roman Catholicism.[1] Some Christians or denominations do not necessarily hold the above beliefs, see Liberal Christianity.

I love Studio 60. For being smart, intelligent, witty and real. And because Aaron Sorkin added in a liberal Christian character. You say in your blog "Sorkin might have talked to a Christian or two." In actuality, Sorkin has admitted outright that the character of Harriet is based not-so-loosely on his recent relationship with Kristin Chenoweth, Broadway star and West Wing alum who is not shy about admitting her Christianity, stating that she is a "liberal Christian". There are many parallels in the relationship between Matt and Harriet that are publicly acknowledged about Aaron and Kristin.
Be that as it may, I love Harriet's character. It has angered me that the ultra-conservative judgemental Christian persona has been perpetuated in the media for a long time now. No one pays attention to the more moderate or liberal Christians (or even the conservatives that are doing good things in the name of Christ). It is refreshing for me to tune in to "Studio 60" every Monday night, and have not only a great show, but a great character, presented to me by NBC. It saddens me to no end that this show has not gotten a larger audience, and I sincerely hope that changes with time. I hope that people will realize that not all Christians are crazy or judgemental. Jesus certainly wasn't. It's nice to see a character out there that reflects honest, true belief in a complex world.