The Guardian UK takes on the History Channel's The Bible series

[LongTomH]

The Guardian UK has a scathing review of the History Channel series: The Bible: History Channel's The Bible Series is worse than reality TV. Some excerpts:

The History Channel more or less abandoned the pretext of history years ago. As programs like "UFO Hunters", "Swamp People" and "Hairy Bikers" added up, the network's decision to broadcast The Bible as a mini-series seemed like an obvious disaster. It is, too, in all ways except one: ratings. The scriptures according to basic cable don't purport to be historical, but they're about as bad and cynical as TV can be.

...........//snip

Why are so many people watching? Narrative? The producers don't seem very concerned with narrative. The book has more rich stories and characters than could ever fit into a mini-series, a fact the producers acknowledge by leaving most of it out. They jump from one famous story to another; Eden, Noah, and Moses get crammed into one episode, for example. The Ten Commandments only get a brief mention by the narrator. Characters are one-dimensionally good or evil, and the dialogue is so wooden Jesus could've carved a table out of it. The sum is bland, erratic, and would be incoherent if it weren't somewhat familiar material. The Wire this is not.

There are more than 'artistic' criticisms of the series here:

Patriarchy of the text aside, the Bible doesn't work without its many strong women, but the series keeps them on the margins, even when Downey herself dons Mary's veil several hours in. These decisions are aimed at making the show more immediately familiar to the conservative, American Christians, who apparently can't handle actors who don't look like them. Glenn Beck, for instance – a man who might be called resistant to change – has praised it as "a vision, a gift that I haven't seen ever before on television".

Yeah, if Glenn Beck likes it, that's enough for me.

Actually, it probably is enough for the audience this was intended for:

The producers pre-screened the show to religious leaders, picking up endorsements from mega-church pastors Rick Warren and Joel Osteen and a "partnership" with the World Evangelical Alliance. Christian dating sites jumped on board, and even Walmart has aggressively promoted the show. All this for a readymade audience.

Christian dating sites and Walmart? God save us!

[loudsue]

1. I think the history and science channels have been taken over completely

by right wing revisionists. What a waste.

[longship]

2. I wonder what the "Bible Geek" has to say about it.

Yes, he's a bit politically conservative, but I nevertheless remain a big fan of Robert M. Price, the Bible Geek. He's a former evangelical Christian -- now an atheist -- who uses his near enclopedic knowledge of the Bible, 1950's SciFi movies, and HP Lovecraft to make compelling argument for a Bible written by humans and rooted in cultural heritage of the day. In other words, not even close to being the inspired word of a god.

He has two podcasts.

One is "The Human Bible".

The other is "The Bible Geek" which has multiple episodes per week.

Love him, even though he bloviates a bit. At least he acknowledges that he does so.

I love his Pentateuch quotations in a cheesy Charleton Heston Moses accent. Of course, he renders Jesus quotes in a Willam Defoe voice (who played Jesus in "The Last Temptation of Christ&quot .

The Bible Geek is all user submitted questions. The Human Bible is tutorial, more like Bible scholarship 101.

It's mind blowing, and often controversial, hermeneutics. But as Dr. Price would say, his purpose is not to say what is the truth, but to suggest what may be.

He's also a prolific author on such subjects.

Just putting this out there for what it's worth.

[BrotherIvan]

3. Thanks for sharing

As a scholar of early religions, I will check it out. But also can't recommend more highly "The Historical Jesus" by Crossan (once titled Jesus the Jew) and Asimov's the Bible for putting Christianity into its historical, bronze-age context. Both show where and why the myths originated and are very fascinating. I will check out those podcasts though.

[longship]

4. I have Asimov's Guide to the Bible.

Both volumes. I have read them both.

I have not read the Bible, however. I once attempted it, but I could not get through the Pentateuch. Such dry language. Fucking Numbers is a soporific nightmare. (And I used to teach mathematics at both high school and college level! )

Another great podcast is Reasonable Doubts, also hosted by former devout Christians (now atheists). Of particular interest would be their two episode podcasts on "Cross Examining the Four Witnesses" which addresses textual criticism of the four gospels (episodes 26 and 27) and "Disunity of the Bible" (episodes 51 and 52 -- the second of which features Robert M. Price as an interviewee, the first time I heard him).

I am a lifelong atheist, but somehow I prefer to hear (or read) atheist arguments from people who have given up their formerly devout religion. After all, one cannot fully understand such devotion without that unique perspective. I respect that.

Thanks for your response.

[backscatter712]

5. Mark Twain called the Book of Mormon "chloroform in print."

Speaking of soporific nightmares...

[longship]

6. The Book of Mormon is a soporific nightmare but I repeat myself.

[BrotherIvan]

8. Ahaha!

I studied quite a bit about Mormonism and couldn't get through two pages of the BOM!

But I do recommend Wallace Stegner's Mormon Country and Mikal Gilmore's Shot in the Heart (which is a book about his brother, Gary, but talks a lot about Mormonism in the early sections). Though I don't buy a word from Smith, I have a lot of respect for anyone willing to cross this country with a handcart for their beliefs.

[BrotherIvan]

7. I will check those out as well

I was fortunate enough--or so it seems to me--to have grown up without religion. So for me, it is as interesting as history and archaeology and tells as much about human thought through the ages as just about anything. It also is a crossover for philosophy which is my particular interest.

Funnily enough, I haven't read a majority of the Bible either. But I am most disappointed to find that most devout modern "Christians" know absolutely nothing about the Bible they take literally nor the even the words of Jesus they claim to live for. I find it one of the most puzzling things I've ever encountered.

Thank you for the podcasts. I will check them out as well. I enjoyed the series Speaking of Faith as it covered all religions and other topics as well. The one with Elie Wiesel was a particular favorite.

[backscatter712]

9. I like Cult of Dusty's take on the Bible miniseries...

Well, that's the first four parts. I'm looking forward to the rest!