A Non-Review of "The Bible"

I don't watch shows about lawyers because the inaccuracies drive me crazy, and I've purposefully avoided watching "The Bible" on the History Channel for similar reasons. I do, however, have Christian friends who watch it, and their opinions differ.

Some enjoy the program and have told me they find the series true to the text. Others think it concentrates too much on the violent episodes in the Bible to the exclusion of stories that show a loving God. Or, as Lutherans would put it, they think the show contains too much law and not enough gospel.

Whether I agree with the approach or not, I can understand it. Violence sells, as they say. Normally that's a bad thing, but maybe it isn't this time. To those of us who know it well, the Bible is an exciting book. Still, it is easy to portray it in a boring way, and boring doesn't capture viewers. Violence does. And if that's what it takes to get someone interested, I'm all for it. Especially if viewing the series makes people curious enough to ask questions and read the source.

Besides, God can use anything for His purposes.

So even though I'm not watching the show, I'm glad others are.

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The picture is titled "David Slaying Goliath," and the artist is Peter Paul Rubens. The painting was created around 1616 as on oil on canvas.