The Sad Death of the Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel has closed after only four episodes, as NBC has decided to pre-empt the controversial show.

The American Family Association, a conservative group, had been conducting a campaign against the show, saying it misrepresents Christians.

-- CBC: NBC shuts 'Book of Daniel'

A great shame, that this intelligent, funny show, which so accurately depicted the controversy around Christian concern for others confronting modern worries about race and sex, should go off the air so quickly.
An even greater shame, that this episode should go down as an evangelical -- let alone a Christian -- victory.

Christians rejoice at earnest discussions about how responsible individuals should behave in relation to challenging new political realities. For many Episcopalians and other Christians, the Book of Daniel was a welcome breath of fresh air: it showed families and priests nervously facing realities like teen marijuana use and neighborhood racism, trying both to defend their family pride while build up the individual's self-worth and conscience.

Since these are the very issues that so many families face, drawn between loyalty to family concert and challenging but very real new discussions of sexuality and worldliness, it's a pity that we haven't as a nation become interested in the two sides of the issues such that an intelligent show like the Book of Daniel should be appreciated.

The sad death of the Book of Daniel goes to show what a long way we have to go, as Christians and as a nation, to facing the reality in which we all live with courage and responsibility.