Comments on: Crazy Christians - My Take on Studio 60

By: Jared

Jared — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:06:45 +0000

I stumbled across your blog while I was perusing the google search results for “Studio 60 hates christians”. I’m a christian and wanted to see why so many christians were so torn up about this show (you’d be surprised all the articles I’ve found). I personally love the show and think the writing is flawless. I believe your post is spot on. To me, Studio 60 points out how the world looks at us inside of our little bubble passing out boycotts to everything that hints at something countering what “we” hold dear.

By: Lance E. Leonard

Lance E. Leonard — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 16:24:44 +0000

Stephen, you’re exactly right. It is a very fine line. In “Radical Reformission” by Mark Driscoll, he uses a triangle of three key points: Gospel, Culture and Church. It’s absolutely critical for ALL THREE of these to exist. Otherwise, you’re at risk of being a fundamentalist, or too liberal, etc. In the context of Studio 60, culture is an oft forgotten point.

By: stephen

stephen — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:12:36 +0000

hmm..I think it’s an extremely fine line we have to walk. I know many christians who have fallen down the wrong path in the name of “becoming more relevant”. I think the easy answer is to follow the call of God to conform to the image of Christ and to become “set apart” from the world, “in it, but not of it”. Being set apart from the “culture” is what, in my experience, makes Christianity so attractive. I think, as a worst case scenario, some churches even put culture above Christ by changing the basics of our faith to be more relevant. We are to receive persecution with joy, and I would imagine the more ferverent the church the more harsh the persecution would be.

By: Lance E. Leonard

Lance E. Leonard — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 15:47:57 +0000

@James: I’m glad you pointed out that you “just prefer other programs.” That’s exactly why you should not watch a program. If you don’t like Howard Stern, Studio 60 or Barney, you have the right to change the channel and protect your children from it.

I left all of the background of Sorkin and Hollywood at large out of my argument to make the point that we need to find a better way to react to persecution. It has existed for thousands of years and we’re no better at managing it today than we were then.

Why react and build more walls when our true calling is to “Go Make Disciples”? We’re not going to do that by shutting our doors.

By: james

james — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:54:28 +0000

these are interesting thoughts on the way in which Christians interact with a non-believing world and the culture which arises from that non-believing world. i may be the only person not watching Studio 60, but it’s not because of this issue. i just prefer other programs. i can appreciate the frustration of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who get upset with the ways in which they are portrayed on TV. i also think you make valid, salient points about our responses to those portrayals. i think it is also worth noting, however, that Aaron Sorkin, as well as the writers of other NBC shows, seem to really enjoy numerous negative portrayals of Christianity. The West Wing and the many shows in the Law & Order lineup are worth mention in this regard.

Christianity seems to be the culturally acceptable “whipping boy” among writers in Hollywood. yes, you make good points as to why _ namely, that those in Hollywood probably only ever experience those sorts of Christians. But it still hurts to be portrayed in such a way and to know that Christians are the butt of every religious joke on TV.

i concur with you that we believers need to take the power out of those portrayals by changing our behavior, yet we also need to find a prophetic voice with which we can dissent from our culture in such a way as to have real power.