Article Here:

http://www.anglicanmedia.com.au/index.php/article/articleview/1491/1/125/

Pondering this review, I’m wondering about the approach to reviewing TV shows in Southern Cross (and indeed some movies). This isn’t meant to be some kind of broadside, as I’m really not sure what to think.

But with all respect to Mark, there is something particularly eccentric about reviewing “The Apprentice” by comparing Trump to God. Is the reality of accountability really where this show connects to or collides with a Christian world-view? I don’t have a systematic alternative up my sleeve, but thought I would throw it out there for ideas.

In any case, I was also bemused by the assertion that, regarding God’s judgment “It’s even less likely that those who are judged and found wanting will agree with the verdict handed out”; when all indications we have of people exposed to the holiness of God is that they suddenly do become fully aware of their inadequacy and perilous state (e.g. Isaiah, Peter). I can’t help wondering if trying to force comparisons between theology and this show has left theology the poorer for it.

TV Review (Trump)

Hi Matthew,
I don’t want to comment about your starter on this, but I was given a tract on Sunday called “Dumped by Trump” from the Jews for Jesus ( )

It seems a simple yet catchy tract which compares Trump with Jesus.

Trump

Yes, I agree that at the final judgement, while there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, ultimately, as Scripture indicates, every knee will bow and tongue confess.

How often it is easy to think of ourselves as morally upright, but like Isaiah when confronted with God’s holiness, we will all realise just how corrupt we are.

Whilst I think people may well be unhappy with the final judgement, I think that ultimately it will be seen to be just (as it is in reality)

TV Review (Trump)

Matthew,

The Bible has a lot to say about the after-life. Some of it is about what will happen to those who do not willingly bow the knee to Jesus. Much of it is in stories or imagery telling us that we really do not want to end up there.

I know that you have shown your preference of not using TV shows to enlighten ourselves about God (and rightly so, for the enlivened canon of Holy Scripture is our God-given guide), yet somehow one day thoughts of hell jelled (or is it gelled?) in my mind while watching the end of Judge Judy. She had been scrupulously fair that day. She had analysed the facts (as she was presented with them) and made a judgment. Yet at the end we got those after-court scenes. One party was happy. The other party was mean-spirited, narky, upset & spitting chips. They both knew the results of the court case. They both lived by them. But one forever would reject the finding & claim that the fair judge was not truly fair. At that point, my reading of the Scriptures flared into light a bit more. For when every knee will bow, & people are where they will be, will those condemned smile & agree that everything is as honky dory as life on the arky arky? Will they slap each other on the back & say

“Fo’ shizzle my nizzle”

I don’t believe that they will.

Yet all of this still comes down to how far we can push the imagery and language which describes that which is where you don’t really want to go (use whatever Biblical term for hell that you want… but ensure that it is the post-judgment term, because Hades and death will be thrown into the lake of fire Rev 20:14).