"The Book of Daniel" premiered on NBC last night amid a bit of controversy. It seems to have the collective panties of the religious Right in a bunch. Just look at the hate-spewing garbage the "Talibangelists" The American Family Association is spreading: NBC Affiliate Says No To 'Book of Daniel' Other local affiliates bombarded with phone calls, having second thoughts about carrying the program. Terre Haute, Indiana, NBC affiliate WTWO has become the first station to announce that it will not carry the anti-Christian program The Book of Daniel. We urge you to call your local NBC affiliate and ask them to join WTWO in not carrying the program. Please call today and ask others to call. The phone calls do make a difference! Click Here to read a review of the show by AFA's Ed Vitagliano, who has viewed the entire premiere episode of NBC's The Book of Daniel. AFA has also learned that NBC is having trouble securing sponsors for the program. It appears that NBC will be forced to fill the available ad spots with "distressed merchandise" ads which are sold at pennies on the dollar of the going rate, and with "make good" ads which bring in no money to the network. Please call local companies which advertise on your NBC affiliate and ask the local advertisers in a nice way to cancel their advertising on the local affiliate if it carries the program. It is time to make our voice heard at NBC that we will not long remain silent about their anti-Christian bigotry. Here is what NBC considers to be a positive portrayal of Christians and Christianity: The program's main characters include Daniel Webster, a drug-addicted Episcopal priest; his alcoholic wife; his son, a 23-year-old homosexual Republican; his daughter, a 16-year-old drug dealer; a 16-year-old adopted son who is having sex with the bishop's daughter; his lesbian secretary who is sleeping with his sister-in-law; and a very unconventional white-robed, bearded Jesus who talks to the priest. It is written by Jack Kenny, a practicing homosexual who describes himself as being "in Catholic recovery," and is interested in Buddhist teachings about reincarnation and isn't sure exactly how he defines God and/or Jesus. "I don't necessarily know that all the myth surrounding him (Jesus) is true," he said. Finally, join nearly 500,000 individuals who have already emailed NBC about their anti-Christian bigotry. Click here to send your email. AND PLEASE FORWARD TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS! WE CAN WIN THIS BATTLE IF WE ALL WILL GET INVOLVED! Sincerely, Don Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman American Family Association

I shouldn't be very surprised that here in my home state of Indiana, the NBC affiliate in Terre Haute will not carry the show. This isn't exactly the most gay-friendly place to live. But I am thinking the so-called Christians need to check out what is going on in their own back yard:

Tulsa pastor arrested on lewdness accusation

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An executive committee member of the Southern Baptist Convention was arrested on a lewdness charge for propositioning a plainclothes policeman outside a hotel, police said. Lonnie Latham, senior pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church, was booked into Oklahoma County Jail Tuesday night on a misdemeanor charge of offering to engage in an act of lewdness, police Capt. Jeffrey Becker said. Latham was released on $500 bail Wednesday afternoon. Latham, who has spoken out against homosexuality, asked the officer to join him in his hotel room for oral sex. Latham was arrested and his 2005 Mercedes automobile was impounded, Becker said. Calls to Latham at his church were not immediately returned Wednesday. The arrest took place in the parking lot of the Habana Inn, which is in an area where the public has complained about male prostitutes flagging down cars, Becker said. The plainclothes officers was investigating these complaints. The lewdness charge carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Latham is one of four Southern Baptist Convention executive committee members from Oklahoma. He spoke out last year against a measure, ultimately approved by voters, to expand tribal gaming. He has also spoken out against same-sex marriage and in support of a Southern Baptist Convention directive urging its 42,000 churches to befriend gays and lesbians and try to convince them that they can become heterosexual "if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and reject their 'sinful, destructive lifestyle." The Southern Baptist Convention is the nation's largest Protestant denomination. Jan. 04, 2006

I'd have to say that all in not well and these "Talibangelists" live in glass houses. You know how the saying goes...."Those who live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones."

This show just is not controversial in the ways I might have expected. But somehow, I thought controversial would be Jesus saying liberal stuff. Not the priest saying it. Who cares what a priest says! Who's he anyway? Seriously, I just have never really "got" that. Why one human would be so incredibly respected. It's more like you're supposed to respect everybody. Not just the man who gets paid to talk to you. I don't think priests or pastors (or whatever your particular religion calls them)is above any of the rest of us. They are mere mortal, just like you and I- with the same faults and foibles as the rest of us.

I felt that the show was a little over done but I appreciate the real issues that it dealt with and the portrayal of Jesus as a loving best friend, and not a fireball throwing vengeful deity. I suppose I was expecting more of a "Six Feet Under" feel to the show. I miss that show, but perhaps that is too much to hope for with network TV.

I've been thinking a lot recently about Christianity and will cover my thoughts on that in an upcoming post.