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Today’s Nugget
We need to be careful about where we source our information from when it comes to things in life but especially when it comes to scripture. The TV show “The Chosen” has had a massive success but due to how it has taken a vast amount of artistic liberty in how characters are portrayed along with adding new events to the story of Jesus’ time on earth a vast amount of Christians who don’t watch it are either skeptical or concerned. This is a good thing because it reminds us to remember that shows shouldn’t be seen as the source we go to but rather the real scriptures.
Scripture References: Matthew 24:35, Galatians 1:8-9, and Revelations 22:18-19
The Complete Thought
I want to start today by telling you all about one of my hobbies and how it ties into today’s thought.
I was starting to get into computer games when I was maybe 5 years old after I walked in on my day playing Civilization 3. I asked him what he was playing and if I could play with him. And of course, he said yes which is why I am here talking about video games. More specifically a YouTube channel called “The Game Theorist.”
Since the early 2010s when YouTube first came out the personality behind the channel, Matthew Patrick or Matt Pat as fans know him by, has branched out his analytical skills to many different avenues. The first of these avenues was films and TV shows that received a spinoff channel called Film Theory sometime in 2016, I think. And in the past two years there have been two new spin off channels created. One based on food and one based on fashion. Sometimes it ties back to video games or movies and other times not at all.
In March I saw a video in my YouTube feed where he did an analysis of the sports drink called “Prime” which was made by Logan Paul. A YouTube personality who has a questionable character based on his videos. The long and short of it is that after he, Matt Pat, broke down what purpose electrolytes have in the body and compared “Gatorade” to “Prime” his doubts were proven right. “Gatorade” and its well-known rival “Powerade” have their electrolyte ratios designed specifically to emulate the sweat lost from intense workouts that last for several hours. This means when we break it down sodium takes up roughly two-thirds to three-fourths of the electrolytes in their mixture.
Logan Paul made the ratio so that it was essentially reversed causing the flavor to be significantly improved and reducing the sugar in each serving. Something that he was using to help advertise the drink. Matt Pat finished his video by saying that there is a risk of other companies changing their scientifically proven formula so that they can beat “Prime” in the financial aspect. Something he states would be a really bad thing for consumers since they are being given a subpar product as a result of this.
To tie this all back to the title “My Concern with the Chosen” it has to do with the vast amount of artistic liberties the show has taken in telling its story. And how I am concerned about it impacting future Christian media.
For those of you who do not know what it is here is a quick explanation. It’s a show that tells the story of Jesus’ ministry on earth but there is a catch. It is not directly focussing on the writings of scripture but on showing the human side of Jesus that we “forget” he has.
From a writing standpoint that is an interesting idea and I am willing to bet money that it is this creative decision that garners it the success it has. But from a theological standpoint, it is a dangerous place to be since we are making new things and telling new stories about the Son of God. Painting an image of the very person who is going to be returning riding a war stallion, with a blood-dipped cape, a tattoo on his leg declaring him King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and a sword that comes from his mouth to strike down the enemies of heaven. Not someone you want accusing you of committing libel and slander about his character.
(One quick note is that in English the word slander refers specifically to it being spoken out loud to someone else. The word libel is specific to if you wrote it for someone else to read. Effectively they are the same thing that tarnishes the character of someone that they paint a false image but under a technicality they are different. Grammar is picky like that. Anyways, the vocabulary lesson is over. Back to our main topic.)
I have never watched “The Chosen,” and probably never will because of the artistic liberties that have been taken by the studio, it doesn’t mean I haven’t read what other people who watch the show have said.
Overall it has gotten a fairly positive review and the man who is the creator of it is not a Mormon which Angel Funding and by extension Angel Studios is. There are people who are worried about the Mormon influence slipping into the show in subtle ways; since we know that the people with the money can pressure creators in ways that don’t get disclosed all of the time. And those are valid reasons for Christians to be concerned over but that is not my point of focus today. One way in which we have subtle influence is set and costume design. Or seemingly minor pieces of dialogue or characterization of individuals.
I told the story about the sports drink earlier because Matt Pat’s concerns about “Prime” are essentially the same as my concerns about “The Chosen.” I have seen various different biblical stories brought to life through shows or movies and before you ask, yes I did watch VeggieTales growing up. Most of the original Veggie Tales films that were made were focused on telling the story in a way that kids would enjoy and recall the lesson. When you strip away the talking vegetables and some quirky settings, like the chocolate factory for the story of the Fiery Furnace, along with the jokes we have the same story being told. That’s why I don’t so much mind the earlier ones as I do “The Chosen.”
My main issue is that they are adding things to the other characters in the Bible. Things about their personalities, how they view the world, what they would do in their free time, when someone (who isn’t Peter) messes up, and other things I would know about if I watched the show. All of this builds up my main point and concern. What impression will it give those who don’t have a biblical background?
When people who don’t know the Bible watch this show false impressions will be made since there is nothing written about an event in scripture. Without intending to, the show can easily make people who read the Bible afterward feel like it’s incomplete as a narrative. As if something is missing from the word of God which goes against what Jesus said in Matthew 24:35 about heaven and earth fading away but his word never fading.
I have read articles and heard interviews that it opens people up to the gospel but the question which must be asked is which gospel are people being made more open to? Are they being made open to one which comes from scriptures without any twist on it to fit a narrative or is it one that has been poised in a certain way? Since I haven’t watched the chosen for myself I admit I am not in a position to tell you heads or tails in this matter. But I can ask the question for people who do watch this specific show or any other biblical show to think about.
My other concern is that shows may follow in the example of The Chosen and take artistic liberty with other heroes and characters. You are currently hearing me read the third draft of this script and I am now recalling that there was a series simply called “The Bible” on Netflix and people raised the same concerns about it taking artistic liberties. I did watch a few episodes of that series with my parents since I was only fourteen at the time and we noticed some artistic liberties and contradictions in that show. My family only watched a few episodes here and there before deciding that it wasn’t worth the hype.
I have two glaring contradictions that I want to bring up. In the episode with the sacrifice of Isaac we have a subplot of Sarah following along behind them to watch what was to happen out of fear. If Sarah had followed along without trusting Abraham God would have included it as a lesson that we need not doubt. Then we also have the scene where Paul is baptized after the Damascus road experience. Baptism has to be a full submersion in water to be a proper baptism since that is what it means. In that episode Ananias simply pours a pitcher of water over him saying that he is being baptized now through this. Something the show writers ignored is that Paul was a Pharisee in training, a prodigy essentially, and never would have accepted it as being a baptism since the Christians used full body baptism like was done for Christ.
When Paul wrote to the church in Galatia dealing with a false teaching that had sprung up he said this. In Galatians 1:8-9 Paul is very clear that if anyone preaches a different gospel than the one he first preached be it an angel or even him, then let that person be accursed. A warning echoed in the book of Revelations 22:18-19.
At the end of all today I want to make sure I am not misunderstood. I am not saying you are cursed in watching The Chosen but that you need to make sure you don’t confuse a reenactment for what was actually written.
I am concerned that other productions might follow a similar path of potentially sacrificing accuracy for popularity.
Lastly we have a reason to be careful with what we teach through our media for the sake of not falling under God’s curse which we have been warned about.
Not exactly a “feel good” message today but a vital one to remember. Until next time; courage and Godspeed.