The Berean Call weighs in on the History Channel's Bible miniseries

This came in email from The Berean Call, exposing the History Channel's mini-series, "The Bible." I did a very short post on it a while back based on what I'd heard about it from Chris Pinto since I don't have TV these days and couldn't watch it myself. I did get to watch some of it finally, at You Tube, but didn't have the patience to stick it out for long. It clearly rewrites the Bible, and besides being offensive it's also boring, perhaps because it isn't the Bible but just a bunch of made-up tales loosely based on the Bible. But as usual these days, enough "Christians" are taken in by it to warrant more of a comment.

Really, it ought to be enough for a Bible-believer to know that Roma Downey was involved with the TV series Touched by an Angel, but since that isn't enough either, maybe the Berean Call's comment will open some eyes.

 

TBC: We have received numerous inquiries regarding "The Bible mini-series" which the History Channel is broadcasting. Following are our comments.]

This mini-series is but one more program designed to discredit the authority and sufficiency of Scripture.

It gets worse if you examine the background of those making this Bible mini-series. Roma Downey and her husband Mark Burnett say they believe in the Bible, but it's clear that they will put their own spin on it. Downey was one of the stars of 

Touched by an Angel, with her co-star being Della Reese, who founded her own "New Thought" church (Christian Science, Religious Science, Unity, and other mind science cults). They are both new-agers to the core. Downey was interviewed by a Hollywood publication, which furnished this information:

"Roma also attends the University of Santa Monica, a private graduate school founded by New Age spiritual and self-help guru John-Roger, and will graduate with a master's degree in spiritual psychology in June.

 "'As someone who has been on a spiritual journey for many years, it seems a natural extension of that work,' says the lady still seen in Hallmark Channel reruns as angel Monica. She notes, 'The skills I'm learning will ultimately qualify me to be a therapist' - not that she has plans to start a practice anytime soon. 'It's really so interesting to learn about human behavior'" (http://becksmithhollywood.com/?p=1879).

Not surprisingly, there is already a "Bible 30-Day Experience Church Kit that "includes everything you need to launch a sermon series and outreach campaign based on The Bible miniseries." course for churches available in conjunction with this series. We've received reports from readers of The Berean Call that their pastors have announced new studies based upon this material.

Downey's producer, husband Burnett, states, "By telling these emotionally connected, big stories, hopefully millions of people will reopen their Bibles." 

It would truly be wonderful if people would reopen their Bibles and move away from reading about or seeing a documentary on the Bible and would instead read the Bible itself to see what it says. May the Lord deliver us from the deception of men.

 The first show aired this past Sunday. How did it fare?

It has received some well deserved flak for depicting the angels at Sodom as "Ninjas." Several news sources have commented on this. It is instructive, however, to read comments of the viewers. For example:

[Comment from a reader]: "My son and I watched it. Just about fell out of my chair when an angel was depicted as a ninja. We both said....'What were they thinking?'"

[Now from a defender]: "Really? Did you just assume and think he was a Ninja because the actor playing him was of Asian Descent? He behaved more like a Roman Gladiator in his sword work and movements, but maybe you didn't notice that. Ninjas also carry Katanas, however this guy carried Roman style swords and used them as such."

The Bible distinctly says that the angels struck the men of Sodom with blindness. They had no need for swords. Nevertheless, this is what Downey and Burnett's movie portrayed. This departure from the Scriptures doesn't leave us with an expectation that the later episodes will improve.