As a believer in Jesus Christ and a reader of the scriptures, you become overjoyed when the Bible is presented on national television. You also become skeptical, as most versions of the Bible on television are grossly sanitized, so that they do not offend. Amazingly, there is no problem with Hangover Part II playing on television with its clear degradation of women, but I digress.
Having watched an episode of “The Bible” I liked the quality of the show. The theatrics and the high quality visualizations and CGI I found to be on point. I felt the story as I was watching it. Of course, they must add to the Biblical account to make it flow. I would watch the series with my children and then read the Biblical account. Their story has been sanitized. Homosexuality of Sodom and Gomorrah has been removed. It also has some inaccurate points as it showed Pharaoh alive after the flood when the Biblical account shows him dead.
There is also controversy concerning the races of the characters. You find the black man’s kryptonite the white women (Samson and Delilah) and Noah’s Scottish accent. I think this fits well with our changing demographic and to create discussion that previously did not exist outside of Biblical scholars.
Here is another controversy. Wait for it.
Read the Biblical Account in KJV.
rogertharpe.wordpress.com 
I wish they would have gotten it closer to the way the Bible says it happened, but they did a pretty good job. If this series makes people think about God or seek God, or pick up their Bible then it was a good thing. The thing that bothered me was that Moses did not speak for himself, Aaron spoke for him and the Phaoroh should have died. Other than that it was good.
Indeed. Love your comment. It adds to my post. Thanks!
I don’t get the history channel and have been very interested in watching this, and have already thought of ordering it on DVD when it’s released in a month or so…. however… you telling me that they are leaving things out, like the homosexual accounts of Sodom and Gomorrah, makes me plan to avoid this like the plague. I do not care to support any Biblical movie, book, Bible Study or anything similar if they intend to leave stuff out. That’s precisely what’s wrong with Christianity today. Too much pick and choose in the Bible and too much support and tolerance of that behavior. I’m highly disappointed now.
The intent was not to discourage watching it, but to use it as tool to educate your children. Most children will walk away thinking that they know what the Bible says after watching this and this is problematic. Even worse, some adults will do the same. Your educated children can now have a defense against the miseducation of those who use this movie solely for their knowledge of the Scriptures.
That’s not a fair assessment. The entire Bible story is so long it can’t all be covered. Furthermore, even pastors and churches pick and choose what stories they teach. I’ve never a sermon, let alone a children’s lesson, that includes stories like Dinah and Shechem. I appreciate Roger’s point in saying this should be used as a catalyst to urge further biblical study and understanding. Too many Christian’s don’t know the whole Bible and hopefully this will give them the curiosity to read it as thoroughly as they would The Hunger Games.
I haven’t seen it but I figured the topic of “color” would arise.
Ham is commonly accepted as being the father of “black nations”, Mizraim is commonly accepted as being Egypt, Jews were often mistaken as Egyptians (i.e. Joseph in Genesis 42:1-8; 45:1-5, Moses in Exodus 2:16-19;Acts 7:19-21, and Paul in Acts 21:37-39), also the descendents of Ham’s son Canaan are mixed within Jewish Ancestry (i.e. Tamar/Thamar in 1 Chronicles 2:4; Matthew 1:3, Rahab in Joshua 6:17-25; Matthew 1:5, and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11:3; 1 Chronicles 3:5) but I also digress.
As Christians, we are all the promised seed of Abraham. But bible is bible and scripture should never be manipulated to appeal to the masses.
But avoid foolish questions, and GENEALOGIES, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. Titus 3:9 KJV
Its time for us Christians to put on Joseph’s coat of many colors!!
I enjoyed the read. May God continue to bless you.
Yes! The coat of many colors! Like that analogy.
You can read my take on this at: http://word-from-the-street.com/2013/03/05/the-bible-miniseries-bible-fact-or-more-fables/
Not till a summer ago did I read closely through a number of books of the Bible, and I was amazed at my inaccurate conception of many of these stories. The plagues are horrifying in the actual text, but throughout my life I’d only been told tales of falling frogs. They seem pretty tame compared to blood-sucking flies and “a darkness which may be felt.”
The misconceptions are powerful due to the preponderance of bad Biblical information on the media and in the television. You often hear that money is the root to all evil, when in fact the actual text says the LOVE of money is the root to all evil. I thought for a while that the only people in Africa were black and that all of the black people wore barely any clothes and used spears. That’s all I saw on the television when depicting Africa. Now I know we have people like Enoch Adeboye and Charlize Theron from Africa.
I grew up in a very small, very white town, so when, during a freshman college class, I learned that Egypt is in Africa and that humanity began in Africa, I nearly wept. Keep up the good blogging!
God Bless you Roger for this. I am Nigerian and the misconceptions about Africa in the media is huge. A lot of assumptions. But thank God things are changing.
About the miniseries, it is beautiful that the Bible can be presented in a way to get to more people who wont read it. I’m just happy the gospel of Christ is moving on. I’m praying it becomes more popular than Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ.
Reblogged this on THEINC-HIM-Daily-Bible-Meditation Blog.
I agree with you–also I’d like to add–I wish they’d more concious of the commercials they run with this program since families with children may be watching. I don’t think Cialis commercials or (when they ran it on Lifetime) they advertized some pretty racy programs:( I don’t think the worldly people get what it right and what is wrong. Otherwise it is a great movie.
Thank you. I was not aware it was on. I don’t watch much tv but am interested in checking this out. I appreciate your statement of how it doesn’t exactly follow the Word.
Credit is to be given for attempting – to tell the story once again. For the life of me DON’T – understand why all those attempting to share the BIBLE and its stories – get them so distorted adding things that aren’t even there – leaving out key details – and points – that aren’t that difficult to include – yet are key factors to understand – how AWESOME and POWERFUL the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY – YHWH IE YAHWEH – HIS SON – YESHUA – ie Gentile nickname – JESUS – and HIS HOLY SPIRIT really are – and that ISRAEL – is forever against all odds.
I am prepared to right these wrongs – with Major Film scripts -Copyrighted LIB of Congress Wash DC / WSWG -of Hollywood – based on both world and most Jewish History – of some stories never told in film yet -accuracy is something that is lacking in all films involving BIBLICAL themes – and at 62 yrs of age – having worked in the industry and a member of SAGAFTRA – as a stunt action extra actor – if I live long enough – and have the Director/s – Producer/s – and or have the LORD provide the need resources – the world will see – heard and witness the TRUTH of the WORD OF GOD – called the BIBLE – once and for all in epic splendor of BEN HUR – GLADIIATOR – and even LORD OF THE RINGS. No boast or self bragging – just facts and real serious sincerity – I’m prepared to back up and deliver my – claims and statements.
These scripts will be far more accurate and more real and literal than – even the timeless classics of Cecil B. DeMillie. I am able to back up this comment and statement – for any in the Industry – willing to take up the challenge and would have a desire to also – step up for the LORD to – right these wrongs and tell the real story – without HOLLYWOOD”S artist license and misconstrued and made up ideas – that don’t follow the TORAH or the BIBLE the way the accounts were written and recorded.
14.8 million Viewers – rating? NUMBER 1# SHOW OF 2013 very IMPRESSIVE. Yet – media is both POWERFUL and IMPRESSIONIBLE – when there’s discrepancies or inaccuracies – those who have never read the BIBLE themselves or never will – they really don’t know the differences – mostly all the critics promoting the BIBLE Project – most are liberals – having never even read the actual stories completely much less have opened the BIBLE in months if not years . And in the Industry marketing and promotion are every thing – it will make or break you.
Only a few Bible FILMS – have ever come close in accuracy – they are Jeffery Hunter – KING of KINGS – LORD of LORDS – Passion of Christ – John the BAPTIST – Michael York – and the JESUS FILM – Kiing Saul – St JOHN – Richard Harrison – JACOB and JOSEPH Movies.
Issues with – the – BIBLE TV Show – NOAH – ABRHAM – LOT – with Angels in Sodom – MOSES – JOSHUA – and tonight SAMSON – King Saul vs DAVID and Goliath etc. For the – four years of filming – more accuracy and staying closer to the actual text and what is actually written – would have BEEN more correct and accurate. Plus reviewing other films of like matter instead of recreating their own version and interpretations of the events would have helped greatly. But it is what it is! They could have learn much from YOU TUBE – the SINAI CONNNECTION -by MICHAEL ROOD and the RED CROSSING – CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF – PLUS SECRETS OF SOLOMON’S TEMPLE – AND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT ALONG WITH – TRUTH AND TRADITIONS.
Plus the VATICAN or Catholic Church – was NEVER – THAT’S A LIE – started by YESHUA – OR EVEN ST. PETER – they crucified HIM – and USE ST PETER- for their own agendas – IT STARTED IN BABLE – under NIMROD – with the worship of the Sun God – with the crown worn by the POPE today – of heathen pagan -DAGON the FISH GOD – SHE went from Caesars / Emperors who were losing POWER their control of the people and Empire and it has never changed they have killed along with the JESUITS – TRUE BORN AGAIN Believers and JEWS – mostly in the 1500’s – and during HILTER – alike who have exposed and opposed HER – SHE will pay dearly for all her crimes – SHE / or IT – WILL END THE SAME AS BABLE – SODOM AND GOMORRAH – AND GREECE AND ROME AND THE USA MAY BE NEXT – ONLY THE LORD KNOWS – BUT WAIT AND SEE –
SHALOM – a former Catholic back in 1960 – now a BORN AGAIN believer in YESHUA – YHWH – and THE HOLY SPIRIT – who seeks only THE TRUTH – AND TO EXPOSE THE LIE !
Thank you for sharing. I really appreciate this comment: “get them so distorted adding things that aren’t even there – leaving out key details – and points – that aren’t that difficult to include – yet are key factors to understand”.
Reblogged this on thewriterscreed and commented:
very profound
I find every comment to be encouraging. Even though some contradict the other. Things were left out that should have been added. And some things distorted the truth. So why am I ENCOURAGED ABOUT THIS.
It motivates me to seek the Lord more- this will allow me to know what is left out. And to delete that which is not true. It is easy to turn off the tv. so that our children will not be exposed to certain things. But how do we turn off life, they got to go to school.
We live in the world but we are not of the world- Greater is he that is in us.
The world is going to live and act like the world. They are going to have selfish motives. We are able to turn their stubling blocks into stepping stones.
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