The Book of Daniel - The Way I See It (critique by actual viewer)
Ron DeYoung
January 08, 2006
I apologize for the tardiness of this review. Unlike many of my neighbors, I had to wait until I watched The Book of Daniel before offering my analysis and opinion of the new NBC program which premiered last Friday. Upon watching, I promptly returned to my keyboard to record my thoughts. It was when I tried to submit them for publication that I learned I could not access American Chronicle. Reverend Pat Robertson, I?ve been told, says this setback was due to the fact that his God is punishing me for the lecherous, demonic observations that follow. Despite this alleged disciplinary maneuver, I type on.
First of all, I don?t understand why everyone must be so extreme, one way or the other. Why must it be the right-wing, hypocritical, bible-thumping, religious zealot against the Satan-worshipping, drug-crazed, radical anarchist?
In my humble and totally unsolicited opinion, The Book of Daniel seems to depict life as I know it pretty accurately and honestly. Unfortunately, my main problem with organized religion is the hypocrisy that seems to run rampant among many practitioners of all denominations and The Book of Daniel does not whitewash that hypocrisy, but highlights it. This impressed me.
The program addresses many of the issues that are facing the world today. What once defined the dysfunctional family has become more the rule than the exception in our culture. At some point, the oddities in the World became the majority, and the normal became the weirdoes.
This portrayal of Jesus has been labeled ?very unconventional? by certain family values activists. I?m compelled to argue that this portrayal is exactly what my image of Jesus is. While remaining non-judgmental, He gently tries to help illuminate the path we take on our journey through life. One of my favorite lines from the program was when Jesus said, ?Life is difficult for everyone and that?s why there?s such a great reward at the end of it.? Faithful or not, I suspect most people can see that this makes sense and explains why things have to be so difficult at times. If nothing else, it?s a nice thought and gives us something to look forward to or to validate our existence.
The main character in The Book of Daniel is a priest who is addicted to pain killers, smokes cigars and enjoys frequent visits with a white robed, long-haired and bearded Jesus Christ. The female Bishop above Daniel is also addicted to the pills and is not above helping herself to his personal stash. His teenage daughter got caught selling pot and is punished with community service, cleaning up road side trash. Daniel has one son who is gay and an adopted teenaged Asian son who describes himself as a man whore. The Father?s father, another Bishop whose wife suffers from Alzheimer?s disease, is bigoted. His sister-in-law is sleeping with a woman suspected of embezzling 3 million dollars, possibly for the mafia, from his church. Many in Daniel?s congregation are hypocritical, judgmental, unforgiving and concerned primarily with themselves. In looking around and seeing life around me, I see things that cause me to believe none of that to be too far fetched.
The Book of Daniel is thought provoking and addresses many of the issues that make religion, indeed society, ugly. For those who are able to see beyond their small reality, it can also stimulate conversation and open eyes.
Whether to watch it or not should be a decision made by each individual, not the government or the noisiest Political Action Committees. If people don?t watch, it will be cancelled in the blink of an eye by NBC. Personally, I think there is a lot of garbage on the airwaves that should be cancelled first.
Finally, for those that have passed judgment on The Book of Daniel without having watched the program, I suspect you may be as close-minded and hypocritical as the parishioners mentioned above. I pity you because of the vast areas of life that you refuse to experience or even acknowledge they exist. My unconventional religious beliefs allow me to be understanding and compassionate for all others, whether or not I agree with them. Many of the bumps on one's road of life teaches them that just because the truth is often painful does not make it any less real and denial won?t change that one single bit.
First of all, I don?t understand why everyone must be so extreme, one way or the other. Why must it be the right-wing, hypocritical, bible-thumping, religious zealot against the Satan-worshipping, drug-crazed, radical anarchist?
In my humble and totally unsolicited opinion, The Book of Daniel seems to depict life as I know it pretty accurately and honestly. Unfortunately, my main problem with organized religion is the hypocrisy that seems to run rampant among many practitioners of all denominations and The Book of Daniel does not whitewash that hypocrisy, but highlights it. This impressed me.
The program addresses many of the issues that are facing the world today. What once defined the dysfunctional family has become more the rule than the exception in our culture. At some point, the oddities in the World became the majority, and the normal became the weirdoes.
This portrayal of Jesus has been labeled ?very unconventional? by certain family values activists. I?m compelled to argue that this portrayal is exactly what my image of Jesus is. While remaining non-judgmental, He gently tries to help illuminate the path we take on our journey through life. One of my favorite lines from the program was when Jesus said, ?Life is difficult for everyone and that?s why there?s such a great reward at the end of it.? Faithful or not, I suspect most people can see that this makes sense and explains why things have to be so difficult at times. If nothing else, it?s a nice thought and gives us something to look forward to or to validate our existence.
The main character in The Book of Daniel is a priest who is addicted to pain killers, smokes cigars and enjoys frequent visits with a white robed, long-haired and bearded Jesus Christ. The female Bishop above Daniel is also addicted to the pills and is not above helping herself to his personal stash. His teenage daughter got caught selling pot and is punished with community service, cleaning up road side trash. Daniel has one son who is gay and an adopted teenaged Asian son who describes himself as a man whore. The Father?s father, another Bishop whose wife suffers from Alzheimer?s disease, is bigoted. His sister-in-law is sleeping with a woman suspected of embezzling 3 million dollars, possibly for the mafia, from his church. Many in Daniel?s congregation are hypocritical, judgmental, unforgiving and concerned primarily with themselves. In looking around and seeing life around me, I see things that cause me to believe none of that to be too far fetched.
The Book of Daniel is thought provoking and addresses many of the issues that make religion, indeed society, ugly. For those who are able to see beyond their small reality, it can also stimulate conversation and open eyes.
Whether to watch it or not should be a decision made by each individual, not the government or the noisiest Political Action Committees. If people don?t watch, it will be cancelled in the blink of an eye by NBC. Personally, I think there is a lot of garbage on the airwaves that should be cancelled first.
Finally, for those that have passed judgment on The Book of Daniel without having watched the program, I suspect you may be as close-minded and hypocritical as the parishioners mentioned above. I pity you because of the vast areas of life that you refuse to experience or even acknowledge they exist. My unconventional religious beliefs allow me to be understanding and compassionate for all others, whether or not I agree with them. Many of the bumps on one's road of life teaches them that just because the truth is often painful does not make it any less real and denial won?t change that one single bit.
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