The Gospel, According To Homer.

I must confess that one of my favorite programs on television is The Simpsons. Also, I am greatly interested in theology.
As such, when I saw Mark I. Pinsky’s book entitled The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World’s Most Animated Family, I bought it. And read it.
I realize that there would be a lot of people who feel that The Simpsons (the program in general) has little to say about spirituality. Some would probably go so far as to say that it has a certain “anti-Christian” slant to it. Then again, most viewers of the show probably have no opinion, one way or the other, about any overt OR covert Simpsonian moral agenda. But no matter who you are, you will be enlightened by this book about the "good news" according to the Simpsons.
It is realy well-written and informative.
Love it or hate it, the fact is that The Simpsons is definitely one of the most theologically relevant programs in prime time today. Pinsky points out that the unique thing about the show is that it does not shy away from exposing the religious underpinnings or "convictions" of its characters.
Each chapter of his book focuses on a different theme or character, and surveys how they react to their many moral dilemnas. How is that theme presented by the show's writers? It's very interesting. Most of us know that the Bible asks, "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Well, then there's Homer, who says in one episode "I'd sell my soul for a donut." What are we to make of this guy? Or Bart, for that matter? A lot of people turn the show off or avoid it entirely because of the irreligious worldview of these (and other) characters. But Pinsky shows us that the writers do not leave anyone in a favorable light until the moral dilemnas are resolved, usually in a way that is consistent with values we would all like to emulate. In other words, the show does not glorify sloth, irresponsibility, laziness, disobedience, gluttony, hypocrisy, or all-around "sin" as much as it appears to on the surface. There actually IS some "good news" to be found in The Simpsons.
Pinsky proves this with a simple question at one point. He asks, "Who would you rather have as a neighbor? Homer, or Ned Flanders?"
Exactly!