The Bible as a Miniseries? (Part 1)

So in case you haven’t heard, there is a new Bible miniseries that is airing on the History Channel.  The series is 10 hours long (5 episodes, 2 hour long episodes) and features some of the more popular Bible stories such as: Creation, Noah and the flood, Moses and the parting of the Red Sea, Joshua and the fall of Jericho, the life of Samson, David and Goliath, Daniel and the lions’ den, the ministry of Jesus, the crucifixion, and the resurrection.

I have heard a lot of opinions about this series and have heard out both sides as well as seen the first Episode (Creation – Israelites enter into the Promised Land).  All this being said, I have made an opinion and would like to share my feelings about this highly controversial subject.  Not to say that my opinion is better or “more right” than another person’s, but I would like to speak to this because I see and agree with several points on both sides of the issue.  I have a lot to say and will more than likely create several blog posts about this subject to divide up my thoughts.  No need to make write up a 5,000 word post and expect everyone to read the whole thing. J

For this post, I want to focus on the very idea of making the Bible into a miniseries.  I have read and heard many opinions of people who are angry, even outraged, that the History Channel would be presenting something like this.  Now granted, I am very skeptical of anything that the History Channel produces in relation to the Word of God, but this series is different.  My question to the people who are angry about the Bible being filmed and presented in a miniseries is…why?

I look around at American culture and so much of what I see is secular garbage.  I am a 21 year old guy and everything my society is trying to feed me is poisonous nonsense.  The clothes I’m supposed to wear are silly, the “hip” music is toxic to my thoughts, and the idea of tolerance that is being forced upon me (quite intolerantly, I might add) would strip me of my convictions, my morals, and my love for justice.

According to American society, my life should revolve around having fun.  “Having fun” meaning all sorts of things whether it is partying, getting drunk, having sex, doing drugs, or whatever.  We are all bombarded with this trash that, at the very least, distracts us, and at the very most, does us harm that we have to live with the rest of our lives.

So when a series like this comes out, I am all for the idea.  In a culture where all we see on TV are lies, I welcome a miniseries on the very thing that I strive to center my life around.  In a very basic sense, this series combats all the other trash out there and gives me, not only a safe, but an encouraging outlet when it comes to entertainment.

I think that many people approach this subject, having already judged the miniseries in their hearts because it isn’t “the holy book”.  And if that is your attitude, please consider this: What other things are out there in the entertainment industry that affirm your faith and are meant to encourage you spiritually?