By Maya Minwary
Assistant A&E Editor
Flipping through the channels the other night, I came across the long-running Warner Brothers drama “7th Heaven.”
Even after receiving applauds and cheers from many Christians everywhere as a rare upright, pro-family TV program, I’m still not a big fan of the show.
Just ask any of my roommates — former and current — and they will tell you how much I dislike “7th Heaven.”
Not that I’m questioning it’s wholesome overall message, but the portrayals of the Camden family as mediocre Christians is what annoys me the most.
The kids are the stereotypical rebellious and mischievous “preacher’s kids.” The oldest boy-crazy daughter, Mary, can’t seem to get out of trouble, while the two youngest, Simon and Ruthie, can’t hold back their sarcastic tongues. Matt, the oldest, is forever wayward in his belief and Eric, the father and a reverend, is simpleminded and rarely uses anything in relations to his Christian faith to rebuke his children.
Furthermore, the show depicts the community church where the Rev. Camden preaches in yet another streotypical and unflattering light; the church, as a whole, is judgmental. As the show suggests, its members have nothing better to do than to quickly point their fingers and spread gossip.
I think the one episode that made me stop watching the drama years ago was when the overly dramatic daughter Lucy was at the age where sex becomes a curiosity. Lucy asked her mother something similar to “When will I be ready for sex?” Now, for a Christian mother, the main answer is usually (as it should be): “When you’re married.” So I was pretty shocked when the mother’s answer to her daughter was something along the lines of: When you’re ready.
Now, the show has turned for the worst and has become more of a soap opera rather than a family sitcom. Simon killed someone in a car accident and now he’s running away from his problems because he can’t deal with them, while Mary is secretly married and may be pregnant.
The show’s fanatics will probably chide me for writing this article and point out that “not all Christians act perfect, what you see on the show just shows their humanity.” Very true, nevertheless, I’m uncomfortable at the fact that the family’s constant drama portrays a negative and pedestrian view of Christianity.
I find that while the drama centers around the life of a Christian family — a minister’s family nonetheless, who are supposed to be examples — anything that has to do with faith, God or Christian morality is hardly mentioned. Sometimes, it seems like God is not even a part of the family’s picture. Granted that although the father mentions the word “God” and maybe even prays to him once in a while on the show, I still feel that something is missing. If Christianity is a way of life, not just a religion, then the Camden family has missed the point.
Of course, I don’t expect “7th Heaven” to be filled with the word “God” in every other word or Scripture reading in every other scene for the Camdens to show a more positive and admirable portrayal of a Christian family.
No, that would simply be unwise.
Rather, the family could show in their everyday lives how Christ has not only changed them and made them different, but also how he works through the family to minister to others.
Then perhaps one day I might have the patience to watch the show again.
September 18, 2003