I don't know whether I will go to see the new Simpsons movie but millions will. What began as a brief animated sketch on the Tracey Ullman show became the longest running sitcom (18 years) in television history.
When our kids were young we weren't sure that we wanted them watching the bratty Bart. What sort of role model would he be? They countered by saying that there were lots of religious references on the show. I reluctantly watched with them and had to admit that while it was irreverent at times it was there. And the Simpson family went to church, prayed at meal time and on other occcasions, and endured Ned Flanders, the overly earnest evangelical neighbour. I got the impression that some of the writers must have grown up in the church to understand its foibles so well.
There is a best-selling book called The Gospel According to the Simpsons which looks at the religious imagery of the show. Is this the best way to get people thinking about faith? Maybe not, but there is precious little "God talk" on TV, so we may have to take what we can get.
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