Joan's Demise

"I think talking to ghosts may skew younger than talking to God," CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves said Wednesday.

This quote was tacked onto the end of the article telling about the cast's reaction to the cancellation of the Joan of Arcadia series. I have the last four episodes of this season waiting on my Tivo and was saddened to hear about the loss of the show.

Yes, I have some theological issues with some of what happens on Joan - we could debate that until Jesus comes back. And yes, I had a problem with Joan's irreverance of God. But it was an all-too-real picture of the way many people in our culture treat God. Just look at how often His Name is taken in vain around us - something that is recorded in the Ten Commandments of all places! We live in an irreverant society. We live in a world where CBS studio execs think talking to ghosts may prove more profitable.

Even with it's flaws, what I loved about Joan was that they asked the hard questions. Joan's brother is paralyzed in a car accident and she asks God the question we would all want to ask - Why. But instead of giving trite answers, the show often made you think and God often responded with another question. We were challenged to believe that there was more at work than what we can see. That we don't always understand how it's all connected but Somebody does. It was a great thing to have on Television. A great opener to talk about the deeper issues of faith and following God.

Joan got a bad rap sometimes for the way she spoke to God face-to-face - but to be honest, how often do we repsond to Him with whining, complaining or outright disobedience? I am often guilty and my discomfort with Joan often pointed to deeper issues in myself. And this on prime-time television.

I won't be watching The Ghost Whisperer, just as I didn't watch Medium. I take issue with our culture' willingness to lump all things supernatural into some "spiritual" category that tries so hard not to offend people that it ends up saying nothing of value - and indeed perpetuates the erroneous myth that the "afterlife" is a place we all go.

Enough ranting for today. But I will be watching with interest what happens this fall.