History Channel's mini-series, The Bible

[Dixie - In Memoriam]

I was curious as to who here has been watching this. I haven't seen another thread on it, if there is one, I apologize. I have watched the first two episodes, so I am way behind, but so far, I think it has been very good. Considering it was done by a bunch of left-wing liberals, it is an amazingly accurate and well-portrayed account of the Biblical events. Sans a few technicalities, like Abraham's sacrifice of his son, who was not a young boy as depicted in the film, but was in his 20s when this happened, according to the Bible. Also, a lamb didn't appear as depicted, God told Abraham where to go and find a ram who's horns were tangled in the vines. Martial arts angels having to sword fight their way out of Sodom, was also not in the Bible, the angels did blind their would-be captors in order to flee the city. So, some of it is a bit over the top, but mostly, they did a good job of telling the story in an entertaining made-for-television way, not unlike the epic, Ten Commandments.

I think this is good for someone who maybe doesn't know a lot about the Bible, to get the general gist of the idea. I have read scathing reviews from Biblical scholars who have picked apart every little detail of inaccuracy, but again, the 'accuracy' of the Bible is largely dependent on interpretation of the Scripture. Plus, this is a Hollywood adaptation, it's not expected to be 100% clinically accurate. There also seems to be a lot of 'political correctness' interjected, which simply wasn't the case in those days, but again, it's entertainment and not a history lesson. To me, the most nagging detail, is how all the Israelite/Arab characters speak proper English, mostly with British or Irish accents. Again, this is more entertaining than if we had to read subscripts of the characters speaking in Hebrew, so I suppose I can let it slide.... but British and Irish accents? Come on now!

The most compelling part of the story so far, for me, is the periodic appearance of the three angels, two in red robes and one in tan, coming to speak to Abraham. One angel is clearly oriental, and doesn't speak, but whirls a mean-ass sword! The other is more black than white, but probably intended to look middle eastern. Moses as a young Egyptian was pretty cool, but did Egyptian men have some kind of tranny fetish, or what? It's always so bizarre to see ancient Egyptians portrayed, with the heavy makeup and stuff. Still, Moses was bad ass, with the gold dust rubbed into his bald head. Then it jumps ahead to a later time and Moses is older, but now he appears looking like Jeff Bridges as The Dude, but playing Moses. The way the story of the plagues was told, was really cool. Pharaoh had told Moses HE was God, and then, all hell breaks lose. These freakish plagues start happening, each time, Moses mutters... You are not a God, you are just a man! Finally, when Pharaoh's army is consumed by the crashing walls of the sea, after Moses parted it so his people could cross... (this was so cool the way they did it) Moses goes to the edge of the water and speaks to his staff, which seemingly transfers the message to the ears of Pharaoh: You are NOT a God, Pharaoh... God is here, with US! EPIC!

The clear message from the first two episodes, seems to be about the challenge of faith in God. So many events and times when people were faced with either believing and trusting in God's power, or not believing and suffering the consequence. When Moses appears in Egypt and tells a group of Israelites he is there to set them free, God has sent him... they think he has gone crazy...stark raving mad. Can you imagine, for 400 years, they were enslaved, then suddenly this man who was raised as an Egyptian prince, so-to-speak, has returned to set them free? I'm sure many of them were thinking, where has God and Moses been the past 400 years?

I was a little disappointed in the way they handled the story of Ismail and Isaac. Not so much in the events or how the story was told, but how they produced it. It was almost as if they intentionally built sympathy for Ismail with the music and visual imagery, as if there were more to this than meets the eye. Like they were trying to say, we're telling you what is said to have happened, but we're showing you the real feelings and sentiments. It just takes a lot of artistic liberty to do that, in my opinion. There is no indication that Abraham shunned Ismail or chose Isaac over him, but this is something that is inferred by the way they produced the segment. I've heard this about other scenes in episodes I haven't watched yet as well, that they leave out key points in Biblical significance, or totally mis-portray them. Still, for a bunch of Islam-sympathetic liberals to even come close to making a good film about The Bible, they didn't do too bad.

Again, the most intriguing aspect for me thus far, has been the depiction of 'miracles' for lack of a better word. These tree re-appearing 'angels' who visited Abraham, the burning bush talking to Moses, then all of the amazing things Moses could do with his staff. There is something very un-worldly or outside our dimension happening here, but it seems to come across as more of a fantasy or sci-fi. I'm sure this was intentional, even though the producers thought they were honestly presenting the story as it's told in the Bible. I'm sure our Atheist contingent will chortle about how accuracy doesn't really matter when it's all make believe anyway. Right, Athies?

 

[Disillusioned]

I thought that this was a joke when the history channel first advertised this. Really guy? Are you that hard up for something to do a special on that you need to reach into religious pasts? And you'll note they're only doing the approved texts, nothing about the brutal murders perpetrated by the "chosen people" or how god levels cities he doesn't like or the rather self centered "This land is mine cause god said so." IF you guys are going to do the series do it start to finish, or just admit that you're full of it.

Do a greek mythology one next, at least those are entertaining, if very very explicit and violent.

 

[NOVA]

I thought that this was a joke when the history channel first advertised this. Really guy? Are you that hard up for something to do a special on that you need to reach into religious pasts? And you'll note they're only doing the approved texts, nothing about the brutal murders perpetrated by the "chosen people" or how god levels cities he doesn't like or the rather self centered "This land is mine cause god said so." IF you guys are going to do the series do it start to finish, or just admit that you're full of it.

Do a greek mythology one next, at least those are entertaining, if very very explicit and violent.

nothing about the brutal murders perpetrated by the "chosen people" or how god levels cities he doesn't like or the rather self centered "This land is mine cause god said so.


obviously, you didn't see any of this mini-series....all of the above mentioned was portrayed and more....there was enough killing in the shows to make you
wonder how the hell the human race survived at all....nothing about how God leveled cities on his shit list?....it was all there....in HD and color...wholesale slaughter of
entire cities with a few armies thrown in as fill......blood and gore is 80% of the first 3 episodes....If is wasn't Jews slaughtering Philistines, it was
Romans slaughtering Jews....it was getting rather redundant....

 

[Damocles]

I've been watching with my family, and I pause it and tell them the whole stories... They clearly have edited out the more gruesome bits...

Lot doesn't offer his virgin daughters to the crowd demanding to have sex with his "strangers", for instance, as he does in the Bible. They also overpass the part where Lot knows that his visitors that he is protecting are VIPs from God. That's just one instance. Whoever is doing this series is trying to win converts, not give a true accounting of the Bible.

 

[Lowaicue]

I thought that this was a joke when the history channel first advertised this. Really guy? Are you that hard up for something to do a special on that you need to reach into religious pasts? And you'll note they're only doing the approved texts, nothing about the brutal murders perpetrated by the "chosen people" or how god levels cities he doesn't like or the rather self centered "This land is mine cause god said so." IF you guys are going to do the series do it start to finish, or just admit that you're full of it.

Do a greek mythology one next, at least those are entertaining, if very very explicit and violent.

Since the bible consists in the main of fiction and that which is not is spin and misreporting (logically it must be) then it doesnt matter one jot where a film starts. I haven't seen it. Thankfully we do not get american tv here except for the real quality shows that really test the average american's intelligence - like americas silliest people or funniest videos or dancing with the stars. So the rubbish passes us by.
The bible is a heap of musings by dead people and so it can be analysed for its literary merit or disneyfied to make Fantasia ii. We have recently had, courtesy of the beeb, the story of the Brothers Grimm. At least we know that the brothers were real notwithstanding the fiction of their stories.

 

[Lowaicue]

nothing about the brutal murders perpetrated by the "chosen people" or how god levels cities he doesn't like or the rather self centered "This land is mine cause god said so.


obviously, you didn't see any of this mini-series....all of the above mentioned was portrayed and more....there was enough killing in the shows to make you
wonder how the hell the human race survived at all....nothing about how God leveled cities on his shit list?....it was all there....in HD and color...wholesale slaughter of
entire cities with a few armies thrown in as fill......blood and gore is 80% of the first 3 episodes....If is wasn't Jews slaughtering Philistines, it was
Romans slaughtering Jews....it was getting rather redundant....

Pssst - Sailor Sam - here's a secret.
It isn't true. It is made up to answer questions posed by those who do not know the truth. Of course there are little snippets that we all assume to be roughly factual, but as a document it isn't true.

Now don't go telling anyone. will you?

 

[NOVA]

I've been watching with my family, and I pause it and tell them the whole stories... They clearly have edited out the more gruesome bits...

Lot doesn't offer his virgin daughters to the crowd demanding to have sex with his "strangers", for instance, as he does in the Bible. They also overpass the part where Lot knows that his visitors that he is protecting are VIPs from God. That's just one instance. Whoever is doing this series is trying to win converts, not give a true accounting of the Bible.

Give us a break dude....it could hardly be more gruesome and bloody....and of course every detail won't and can't be depicted, its not possible unless you want to produce
a 50 or 500 hour show.....so they hit on the high points....its not about Lots bio...the cities were destroyed and that was that....Noah sailed his ship full of critters and
that is that.....Moses fled Egypt and that takes care of that ..... methinks you expect too much from such a that tries to cover hundreds of years in an hour production.
Personally, I won't lose any sleep in order to watch every second of it.
The constant bloodlust got boring after awhile.

 

[NOVA]

Pssst - Sailor Sam - here's a secret.
It isn't true. It is made up to answer questions posed by those who do not know the truth. Of course there are little snippets that we all assume to be roughly factual, but as a document it isn't true.

Now don't go telling anyone. will you?

But it is true....its as true as the Dead Sea Scrolls or any other ancient writings handed down to us or discovered thats a thousand plus years old.....no one asks you
to believe what it says but the fact is..... it says what it says....to say it isn't true is to deny its existance.

 

[Dixie - In Memoriam]

I've been watching with my family, and I pause it and tell them the whole stories... They clearly have edited out the more gruesome bits...

Lot doesn't offer his virgin daughters to the crowd demanding to have sex with his "strangers", for instance, as he does in the Bible. They also overpass the part where Lot knows that his visitors that he is protecting are VIPs from God. That's just one instance. Whoever is doing this series is trying to win converts, not give a true accounting of the Bible.

I really don't think the producers are out to try and win converts. I think they are trying to produce something that will appeal to a Christian audience around Easter, and in doing so, are walking very gingerly on eggshells with regard to the context. Rather than present some controversial account, or infer Jesus may have had a wife, etc., they chose to present something that a Christian audience would remain tuned to. It is almost an homage to Ten Commandments, from what I've seen.

 

[NOVA]

I really don't think the producers are out to try and win converts. I think they are trying to produce something that will appeal to a Christian audience around Easter, and in doing so, are walking very gingerly on eggshells with regard to the context. Rather than present some controversial account, or infer Jesus may have had a wife, etc., they chose to present something that a Christian audience would remain tuned to. It is almost an homage to Ten Commandments, from what I've seen.

Does the Bible infer Christ had a wife ?....or a wooden leg....or preferred white wine over red......Its the Bible, so far its not a bio. of Christ.

I don't' think they are out to convert or offend anyone, its light entertainment, plenty of action and blood so far, like most flicks.

 

[Timshel]

But it is true....its as true as the Dead Sea Scrolls or any other ancient writings handed down to us or discovered thats a thousand plus years old.....no one asks you
to believe what it says but the fact is..... it says what it says....to say it isn't true is to deny its existance.

The Iliad says what it says and is thousands of years old. It's not true.

 

[Dixie - In Memoriam]

Does the Bible infer Christ had a wife ?....or a wooden leg....or preferred white wine over red......Its the Bible, so far its not a bio. of Christ.

I don't' think they are out to convert or offend anyone, its light entertainment, plenty of action and blood so far, like most flicks.

I think you may have misinterpreted something I said. I was pointing out to Damo, that the producers did not take risks with a controversial adaptation, and I gave the example of Jesus having a wife as an example of a controversial adaptation. They chose to be conservative with the presentation because this is what appeals to Christian audiences, as opposed to controversy, which tends to turn Christian audiences off and make them turn the channel.

Yes, it is a made-for-television entertainment production. But it is also targeted at Christian audiences for Easter. It is not a documentary, and it's not presented as a history lesson. Some things are left out, some things are added or embellished, but the thing you won't find in any of the ten hours, is controversy. They steered clear of taking any chances with the presentation, it's all pretty generic and non-confrontational, and this is intended.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

I've been watching with my family, and I pause it and tell them the whole stories... They clearly have edited out the more gruesome bits...

Lot doesn't offer his virgin daughters to the crowd demanding to have sex with his "strangers", for instance, as he does in the Bible. They also overpass the part where Lot knows that his visitors that he is protecting are VIPs from God. That's just one instance. Whoever is doing this series is trying to win converts, not give a true accounting of the Bible.

I bet they were all rolling their eyes and saying "Dad just watch the show!" LOL

 

[NOVA]

The Iliad says what it says and is thousands of years old. It's not true.

No shit Charlie Chan.....you figured out that mythology isn't real, and was never intended to be,.... that its....its....its....mythology........good for you....

Well, the Bible isn't poetry or mythology, and wasn't written for the sake of entertainment......Its history as passed down by men for centuries and most likely has
seen its share of errors and injected with the writers personal views over that time....thats to be expected as it would be with recording any historical event passed down by word of mouth for generations....or translated from language to language.....as will our own history will be interpreted and questioned by those reading it 2 or 5 or 10,000 years from now.
But it will be just as 'real' and 'true', Mr. Dickbee.

 

[Damocles]

I really don't think the producers are out to try and win converts. I think they are trying to produce something that will appeal to a Christian audience around Easter, and in doing so, are walking very gingerly on eggshells with regard to the context. Rather than present some controversial account, or infer Jesus may have had a wife, etc., they chose to present something that a Christian audience would remain tuned to. It is almost an homage to Ten Commandments, from what I've seen.

Well, I have to admit that part of that "thought" of mine was based on an interview with the dude who produced it on the radio who was overtly Evangelistic.

Anyway, skipping over the inconvenient details of the stories they cover, often skipping uncomfortable stories themselves, is indicative of somebody trying to get people to look at Christianity ore positively than the book would itself.

 

[Damocles]

Give us a break dude....it could hardly be more gruesome and bloody....and of course every detail won't and can't be depicted, its not possible unless you want to produce
a 50 or 500 hour show.....so they hit on the high points....its not about Lots bio...the cities were destroyed and that was that....Noah sailed his ship full of critters and
that is that.....Moses fled Egypt and that takes care of that ..... methinks you expect too much from such a that tries to cover hundreds of years in an hour production.

Absolute nonsense, simply showing two very short scenes including information would have produced a more accurate depiction of the story of Lot and his family escaping Sodom...

Personally, I won't lose any sleep in order to watch every second of it.
The constant bloodlust got boring after awhile.

They are in the New Testament now, you'll be safe from the "constant bloodlust".

 

[NOVA]

Absolute nonsense, simply showing two very short scenes including information would have produced a more accurate depiction of the story of Lot and his family escaping Sodom...



They are in the New Testament now, you'll be safe from the "constant bloodlust".

If the story was about Lot and life history, they would have included minor details that you seem to think important, but its not about Lot, its a major events in the Bible,
and family friendly viewing......we didn't need to witness Lot banging his wife to show how their kids got there either.....
maybe next time.....

 

[Damocles]

If the story was about Lot and life history, they would have included minor details that you seem to think important, but its not about Lot, its a major events in the Bible,
and family friendly viewing......we didn't need to witness Lot banging his wife to show how their kids got there either.....
maybe next time.....

Again rubbish, they provided many "minor details" they just skipped the ones that made Lot look like a monster rather than a "Righteous Man". Simply during the scene where they were trying to break down the door when lot stepped outside, adding a line (wouldn't even have added any time to the flick at all) would have given a more accurate depiction of the Biblical account. However accuracy isn't what they want, a positive view is what they want.

Although they could have mentioned that later Lot's daughters got him drunk and "seduced" him... that righteous man...

The Bible doesn't have an account of Lot and his wife having sex, it does have an account of him offering his "virgin" daughters to a crowd who wanted to rape men he knew to be VIPs...

 

[NOVA]

Again rubbish, they provided many "minor details" they just skipped the ones that made Lot look like a monster rather than a "Righteous Man". Simply during the scene where they were trying to break down the door when lot stepped outside, adding a line (wouldn't even have added any time to the flick at all) would have given a more accurate depiction of the Biblical account. However accuracy isn't what they want, a positive view is what they want.

Although they could have mentioned that later Lot's daughters got him drunk and "seduced" him... that righteous man...

The Bible doesn't have an account of Lot and his wife having sex, it does have an account of him offering his "virgin" daughters to a crowd who wanted to rape men he knew to be VIPs...

The show didn't go into Abraham's covenant of circumcision with God
either....does that bother you too ? We didn't get to see or hear about any
foreskins ......
So there was incest in biblical times....is it really a big deal...was it a big
deal in 2000 bc....was it not the norm for the ruling families then....
Does it have an important significance to anything besides Lot
getting drunk and having sex with his daughters consent ?
Was it sinful in 2000 bc or whenever it was ?

Do you have a hangup with sex.

The covenant of circumcision is with us now, 2000 years after JC...thats a
hell of a lot more relevant than Lot knocking up his daughters.

 

[BRUTALITOPS]

I've been watching with my family, and I pause it and tell them the whole stories... They clearly have edited out the more gruesome bits...

Lot doesn't offer his virgin daughters to the crowd demanding to have sex with his "strangers", for instance, as he does in the Bible. They also overpass the part where Lot knows that his visitors that he is protecting are VIPs from God. That's just one instance. Whoever is doing this series is trying to win converts, not give a true accounting of the Bible.

Especially with the disclaimer at n the beginning saying how they mean to depict the stories as the bible told them..