When hearing about new shows, movies or cartoons involving the singular most important figure in Christianity, that being Jesus, many conservatives are skeptical. After all, the lineup of the main networks often features a list of shows that mock Christianity and God if it mentions morality at all.
Shows like CBS’s “Living Biblically”, “Angel From Hell” and Fox’s “Lucifer” are just a few examples. These shows gave the appearance of being a show having to do with faith in some way, yet they mocked everything about God. As a result, when Christians hear the name of an upcoming show which features Christ as a character, they often assume the show will paint Christ, Christianity or God in a negative light.
When it comes to mocking God, the Bible doesn’t hold any punches. There isn’t any gray area here. Galatians 6: 6-10 says, “…Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit will reap eternal life…”
This verse explains the danger that exists in making fun of or mocking God or things of God. Thankfully, this soon to be released Netflix show “American Jesus” based upon the Mark Miller comic book of the same name does no such thing…at least in theory.
According to the “American Jesus” show description, “It follows a 12-year-old boy who suddenly discovers he’s returned as Jesus Christ. He can turn water into wine, make the crippled walk, and, perhaps, even raise the dead. How will he deal with the destiny to lead the world in a conflict thousands of years in the making?”
Millar, who is a Catholic, says his comic book was reverential, meaning there is no need for Christians to worry he is mocking their faith, Jesus or God in any way.
“It’s actually very reverential—like if I write a Spider-Man comic, I want Spider-man fans to like that comic….if I write a story starring Jesus, I want Christians to like that comic. The “American Jesus” comic is something Catholics would like,” he said during a 2012 interview.
Consequently, Millar doesn’t believe the show based on his book will mock Christianity.
Netflix bought Millar’s company in 2017, and have since been working on various projects with him. The streaming service actually partnered with him to publish their first ever comic book called “The Magic Order.” Some of Millar’s past work includes series like “Kick A**” and “Kingsman,” which have subsequently been turned into movies. Millar was also responsible for the creation of the X-Men’s “Old Man Logan” story which looks at the life of Wolverine, and was adapted into the movie version “Logan.”
Christians can look at the launch of the Netflix series “American Jesus” a few different ways. They can think it’s great that such a series with an awesome superhero like Jesus exists. They might even consider the kids who will learn about who Jesus was as they watch a fun cartoon or think about utilizing the program for church related events. On the other hand, they can evaluate it themselves before making a judgment on whether or not it’s a positive addition to their life.
Some might still think it a bit irreverent. Although it’s great that the author of the comic book didn’t intend to be blasphemous or heretical in his approach, there is just something odd about putting the Son of God on the same level as a mere super hero. Jesus is, of course, so much greater than any super hero could ever hope to be. Therefore, Christians must ultimately make the call for themselves on this one. At the very least, the series will get people talking about Jesus.
~ 1776 Christian
