Season two of AMC’s Preacher has been relatively quiet, if only for the fact that violence and crude behavior seem to be a weekly occurrence on the show. But now, the most recent episode gives us a reminder of about how staunchly anti-religious it can be by going after the Good Book itself: the Bible. Even in physical form, the Bible can’t catch a break.
Preacher is based on a comic book about a preacher named Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) who currently travels with his longtime hell-raising girlfriend Tulip O’Hare (Ruth Negga) and a wise-cracking vampire named Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) to look for God, who has apparently gone missing somewhere on earth. Along the way, there are angels, demons and a general disregard for anything remotely resembling the religious faith, but that’s Hollywood for you. Even the preachers can’t be real Christians.
In the July 17th episode, “Dallas,” we’re treated to a flashback of Jesse and Tulip’s relationship prior to the beginning of the series. In that time, Jesse has yet to become a preacher and Tulip has left a life of crime, so their lives are rather dull. If you think that would make the episode any less graphic or insulting, you would be not only wrong but shockingly wrong.
For some extra clarity, yes, the episode continues to show Jesse and his roommate ripping pages of the Bible to smoke weed. As for using the Holy Book as a window stop, I assume it’s yet another way for the writers to posture, “Look how edgy we’re being! Look how edgy we’re being!” as if treating the Bible as trash hasn’t been done before or worse. Just goes to show that trends may come and go, but mocking Christianity is forever.
One trend that will never come into fashion? Mocking Islam in this way. Can you imagine the outrage if the Quran were shown ripped up and burned? There would be riots worldwide.
This show has never been particularly kind to religious people or religion in general, but it has now gone from graphic and shocking to contrived and lazy. Should I be glad about that? No, not really. It’s just an unfriendly reminder that my religion is still Hollywood’s punching bag, even when they aren’t good at it. {eoa}
This article originally appeared on NewsBusters.org.
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