All Comments for: Unexpected Detractors for UK's <i>Make Me a Christian</i> | Christianity Today

Free Newsletters:

RSS Feeds |

Audio |

Twitter

Home > 2008 > August (Web-Only)

Christianity Today, August (Web-Only), 2008 |

Unexpected Detractors for UK's Make Me a Christian

Christian participant and viewers say reality show is harmful to faith.

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra | posted 8/22/2008 09:54AM

A lap dancer, a lesbian, and a lapsed Christian with a pregnant girlfriend are among the participants on the U.K.'s newest reality show, Make Me a Christian, where Christian leaders attempt to bring a ...

[Reader Reviews]

Average User Rating:

Rate and Comment on this article

Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 comments.

Page: 1

Show All

Viagra

Posted: August 28, 2008 11:53 AM


Nice site. Thanks, webmaster.

Leonard

Posted: August 27, 2008 3:30 AM

I saw the trailers and that was enough for me! The Bible is very clear in its warnings not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers this principal works across all meaningful relationships that entails "getting into bed" with someone for mutual gain whether it be marriage, business or TV. If the producers of this programme are sinners it goes without saying there intentions, goals and motives are diametrically opposed to the Christians taking part. It was an unwise decision by the Christians to get involved and one more point do you really believe the TV company would make editorial decisions that will glorify Christ or minimize embarrassment?

David S Muir

Posted: August 26, 2008 1:09 PM

I must say as a Christian that this show" Make Me A Christian" is so lightweight in terms of even approaching or attempting an understanding of the basic philosophical questions that those who are truly seeking a relationship with God ask even me as an ordinary Christian.The God who is there and is not silent as the late Dr Francis Schaeffer said and wrote and lived by has made Himself known through His Word and that Word made flesh in the Person and life of Jesus Christ. This show is rules and regulations Army style and is promoting as much a real understanding of Christianity as the Devil is interested in the rules of Ping -Pong.What would have been exceedingly better would be to get these same people to go to L'abri , a study centre at Greatham Nr Liss Hampshire and have them work and study and view Dr Francis A SchaeFfer's two DVD'S How Shall We Then Live and A Christian Manifesto and then we would all see something worth watching and praising God for, something that has bite

Joel	Posted: August 25, 2008 6:00 PM

Reality TV, from what I've seen, is not about being a responsible documentary. The producers reserve the right to edit footage to create characterizations that may not fairly reflect the participants. This is OK with them b/c point is to entertain not enlighten. I'm guessing that the rules-based religions will play better on TV b/c of the focus on externals. Kind of like the "take the Bible's commands literally" experiments that in en vogue now. But how can you film internal spiritual vitality? What visuals would you choose? How can anything of depth be communicated in this genre?

Steve Cox

Posted: August 24, 2008 5:56 AM

For those of us who work within UK Christian organisations, Channel 4's approach is hardly surprising. This is not the US. Here in the UK, Christianity is ridiculed by a secular humanist media, who seem embarassed at the slightes mention of the word 'God', or the mere suggestion of a life of faith. So, let's not pretend that this is a genuine attempt to understand Christianity. It is yet another opportunity for the media to belittle those of genuine faith. Christian leaders should think twice before jumping onto the media bandwagon, and recognise that Channel 4 and others have a their own pre-set agenda. Those who do take the plunge should understand the way the UK media thinks, avoid religious-speak and communicate in a language that they understand.

Paul Petersen

Posted: August 23, 2008 6:48 PM

Nicola, your comments make a lot of sense to this Yankee Christian. We have so much work to do with our non-Christian neighbors, as well as with our brothers and sisters in Christ! And in the forefront of that work is loving them all as Christ loves us. That act, of course, is the hardest thing to capture on camera, and that is the exact reason why TV shows typically don't accurately capture Christianity. It takes too long, and even with a genius editor, it doesn't condense well into a 15-minute segment, allowing for commercial breaks. Focusing on the rules? That fits into the running time.

Kate E

Posted: August 23, 2008 7:36 AM

Having watched one episode of the show, my impression of the show was that it was made for 'good TV' - ie lots of argument, participants who had no real interest in actually becoming Christians, and "Christians" whose main stance was saying "though shalt not!" while thumping a Bible. How seriously could you take the suggestion, made to a co-habiting couple, that instead of having sex they should play the children's game 'pick-up-stix' instead!! Not at all a pro-Christian programme. I was really disappointed with it - definitely a show to turn people away from Christianity.

Robert

Posted: August 23, 2008 7:23 AM


There is defeniately a lack of discerment in the body of Christ... " We are on TV" is not always a good thing. They choose on purpose these controversial issues to let Christians speak out were they stand for so... they can attack and demonish the Church. Let is be a lesson. We must do our own thing!

Appalled

Posted: August 23, 2008 6:33 AM


Simon the sorcerer in Act 8 comes to mind as well as Peter's response, "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

Ephrem Hagos

Posted: August 23, 2008 3:23 AM


How can Jesus Christ, on Judgement Day, not say to Christians who do not know Him "I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!"? (Matt. 7: 21-23).

Norm Luke

Posted: August 23, 2008 12:33 AM

Why is anyone surprised. The TV producers are simply taking the example of the modern evangelical church (mainly in the USA) by substituting entertainment for worship.The vast majority of the modern mega-churches are big but have all the spiritual depth of a postage stamp. One constantly hears of how important it is to attract the non-Christians, so you attempt to attract them by appealing to their un-regenerate tastes. You substitute entertainment for the Gospel and sentimentality for love. Why on earth would outsiders with deep spiritual needs want to go to a church that has no more to offer than what the world has to offer that fails to meet our spiritual needs? Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost; why is the church not doing so? Man speaks out of what fills his heart -- if your heart is empty, you will turn to entertainment and kits that you buy at the Christian bookstore to do your "witnessing" for you. "Make me a Christian"?? Only God can make anyone a Christian.

A.Yeshuratnam

Posted: August 22, 2008 9:50 PM

Isaiah was commissioned to announce judgment on the northern kingdom - 'Zebulum and the land of Napthali." But along with that came a message of grace that expands the boundaries of God's incredible expanding kingdom. "You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest." The kingdom of Jesus is open to all tribes and peoples. It is very difficult for the selfish to comprehend the mysterious dynamic of Jesus' kingdom. The robber on the cross, the Prodigal son, the prostitute brought before Jesus are similar to the lap dancer, lesbian and the pregnant girl friend. God's grace works wonderfully to change sinners of every description and bring them into fellowship with all Christians. A.Yeshuratnam Trivandrum Kerala State India.

Paul Wilkinson

Posted: August 22, 2008 5:18 PM

Raymond (8/22/08 2:14 PM) - "I am surprised that any of the ministers involved with the program thought that sincere conversion to Christianity could take place under the eye of TV cameras..." Raymond, is that any different than people being prayed for healing under the eye of the TV cameras? To paraphrase your own comment, 'If there is no genuine healing, the outward actions become a kind of hypocrisy...'

Steve Skeete

Posted: August 22, 2008 4:25 PM

If the person(s) responsible for this latest Christian smear campaign were really serious, they would have asked and could have been given some "real" information on Christianity before seeking to maliciously undermine the Christian faith. Someone could have told them that Christians are not "made"; they experience a change the New Testament calls being "born again". They could also have discovered that salvation is not something you work "for" since it is a "gift", neither something you work "at", but again according to the New Testament, something you work "out with fear and trembling". Trying to live like a Christian without first having been changed from within by God's grace is not only impossible but impractical. Christianity is not a set of rules but a person. To live the way that Christ intended one has to first know Him. He says "come to me (lap dancer, lesbian, lapsed Christian) and I will give you rest". Seems like British TV viewers could use a real rest.

Nicola

Posted: August 22, 2008 3:56 PM

Gary, as a British Christian I am sorry to say that I find your comments rather ridiculous - Islam has certainly never been 'fostered upon me'! I would say that in Britain there is far more of an issue with militant atheism. I never watched this programme, as the description in the tv guide made me think that it was going to be talking more about outward actions than to talk about sin, grace and love - the things that non-Christians and lapsed Christians really need to know!

Gary Schnell

Posted: August 22, 2008 2:16 PM

I believe the brits have a great deal more to concern themselves with then doing as they so often do attack and demean anything they have a deficient knowledge of, many on the American side of the pond suffer the same. The Faith and the word of God. I would suggest they start brushing up on their new fostered upon them faith Islam, or just have a line tattooed across the back of their necks, with the words CUT ALONG THIS LINE. May God have mercy on his misguided and biblicaly ignorant people.

Raymond Takashi Swenson

Posted: August 22, 2008 2:14 PM


I am surprised that any of the ministers involved with the program thought that sincere conversion to Christianity could take place under the eye of TV cameras, with the participants aware of millions of people of all walks of life examining them, on a set schedule. If there is not a change of heart, the outward actions become a kind of hypocrisy, which is anathema to the Spirit.

John	Posted: August 22, 2008 1:36 PM


They should call it "make me a Puritan zealot." Another distortion of Christianity.

Page: 1

E-mail this page

Write CT

Print this article

Post a comment