The King James Version of the Bible is a masterpiece of the English language and one of the cornerstones of Western Civilization, as we know it.<\/p>\n\n
So sociologist John Heeren perked up when he was watching The Simpsons and heard a reference to a \u201cSt. James Version.\u201d Was this a nod to an obscure translation? An inside-baseball joke about fundamentalists who confuse the King James of 1611 with the ancient St. James?<\/p>\n\n
Eventually he decided it was merely a mistake, a clue that the writers of that particular script didn\u2019t excel in Sunday school. But with The Simpsons, you never know.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cYou only have to watch a few episodes to learn that there\u2019s far more religious content in The Simpsons than other shows, especially other comedies,\u201d said Heeren, who teaches at California State University, San Bernardino. And the masterminds behind Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie are not doing \u201ca slash-and-burn job, while working in as much blasphemy as possible. \u2026 They show a surprising respect for the role that religion plays in American life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Eventually, Heeren became so intrigued that he analyzed 71 episodes of the animated series, taping re-runs at random. Now in its 12th season, The Simpsons just aired its 250th episode. This milestone came shortly after Heeren presented his findings before the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. He found that 69 percent of the episodes contained at least one religious reference and, in 11 percent, the plot centered on a religious issue.<\/p>\n\n
But the hot question is whether the show\u2019s take on religion is \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad.\u201d Of course, the whole point of The Simpsons is to satirize American life \u2014 from TV to public education, from politics to fast food, from rock \u2018n\u2019 roll to religion. Faith is just part of the mix.<\/p>\n\n
But this is where things get complicated, said Heeren. The show specializes in mocking the generic pseudo-religion found in American popular culture.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really about the religion that we see through the filter of the movies and television,\u201d he said. \u201cSo we are dealing with a copy of a copy. \u2026 This only raises a bigger question. When you have a satire of a satire, does that mean that you are actually being positive?\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Several religious themes appear over and over, said Heeren. One is that God has a plan \u2014 even for Homer and Bart. This concept appears so often that it cannot simply be dismissed as a joke. It also is clear that God is omnipresent and, to one degree or another, omnipotent.<\/p>\n\n
In the \u201cHomer the Heretic\u201d episode, do-gooder daughter Lisa proclaims that a fire in the family\u2019s house is evidence that God wants Homer to return to church, instead of practicing a do-it-yourself faith called \u201cHomerism.\u201d Heeren notes: \u201cHomer wonders why a fire that began at his house spread to the house of his devout neighbor, Ned Flanders, or \u2018Charley Church.\u2019 \u2026 Homer asks why God didn\u2019t save Flanders\u2019 house. At that moment a cloud appears above the Flanders house, puts out the fire, and is punctuated by a rainbow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
The show\u2019s writers also consistently contrast two symbolic characters, said the sociologist. On one side is Pastor Timothy Lovejoy, an often cynical, world-weary mainline shepherd who uses the public library\u2019s Bible and says that the world\u2019s religions are \u201call pretty much the same.\u201d On the other side is Flanders, a born-again nerd who, nevertheless, is one of the only inspiring characters in the series.<\/p>\n\n
Lovejoy, Homer and many other characters appear to be making up their religious beliefs as they go along, said Heeren. But Flanders is a true believer. What is fascinating is that the other characters often \u201csee the light\u201d and eventually try to act a little more like Flanders. As a result, the Simpsons almost always ends up affirming some element of a generic Judeo-Christian American creed \u2014 honesty, family, community, selflessness and love.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not sure what that says, but it says something,\u201d said Heeren. \u201cWhat remains is that strange kind of respect that is so hard to pin down. \u2026 God is real. God hears prayers and prayers are answered. People go to church. Faith matters. Let\u2019s face it: this is not what you normally see in prime-time television.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The King James Version of the Bible is a masterpiece of the English language and one of the cornerstones of Western Civilization, as we know it. So sociologist John Heeren perked up when he was watching The Simpsons and heard a reference to a \u201cSt. James Version.\u201d Was this a nod to an obscure translation? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n