Anyone watch the TV series The Chosen?

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ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
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#1
I'll admit I've never watched it but I've been running across a lot of critiques of the show lately. The CEO and Executive Producer, Derral Eves, is a Mormon. Those here who are Mormons will obviously have no problem with this; however, many may not know this. I think it's important for people to be fully informed.

It only took watching a few clips for me to realize it's very unbiblical. That alone is enough for me to give it a (n). It doesn't look like a bad show as far as entertainment value is concerned but no one will learn anything about Jesus or His disciples that isn't in God's word; on the contrary, they'll get a lot of false ideas.

Here are two clips that give a general idea of the show and what's behind it.



The next clip is long, almost six hours. I have to make a disclaimer, I just started watching it but it looks like it should be very thorough at least. I'll probably comment on it as I get further along.

 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
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#2
well I have only watched the first prequel and the first episode

My thoughts are that its been dramatised and. a bit hokey, like for example the shepherd in the first scene is a cripple but spends most of the screen time hobbling around than a real cripple would (and a real shepherd would not be pulling a goat around by a rope on its neck)

Jesus is peripheral to the story as its about the people around him. Who all have hokey jewish accents.

Otherwise I would just treat it as biblical entertainment. I wasnt really blown away...actually I was a bit tired and feel asleep watching it.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
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#3
Uh..I wouldnt have time to watch a SIX HOUR video clip.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
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#4
Okay, I've watched
Uh..I wouldnt have time to watch a SIX HOUR video clip.
That's why YouTube has playback speed options.
But no worries, I'll summarize it below.
 

CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
2,266
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#5
I have watched many episodes of the chosen. The first episode of the first season I enjoyed a lot. There are some things in the chosen I disagree with on their take on the Scripture account and certain ways Jesus is portrayed in his character. Some ways Jesus is shown in character I love in the chosen. There are things shown in the chosen that could have happened but is not recorded in the gospels. I think that is ok if they make the audience aware of that.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
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#6
Okay, I'm through 90% of it; here are my thoughts.

First, it could've been a four-hour video and still made all the points he intended to make. Much of it's repetitive but he does drive home his points. It focuses on three of the major players involved in the making of the series. Most of what's revealed is pretty eye-opening but it shouldn't be considering the times we're in. I'll give my thoughts on each one below.

1. Dallas Jenkins (Creator, Writer, Director): Jenkins is the sole "evangelical" in the whole thing. I put evangelical in quotes because his whole intent from the beginning seems to be ecumenism.

Jenkins has a tattoo on his arm of the logo of his former church, Harvest Bible Chapel. This church has become infamous recently with the ousting of its founder James McDonald. McDonald was reported for trying to hire a hitman to kill his former son-in-law; then he was caught on a mic he didn't know was hot saying he was going to put child porn on the guy's computer. Harvest has several campuses so I'm not sure if Jenkins was directly involved with McDonald; but I can't imagine he wasn't since he (Jenkins) launched Vertical Church Films for Harvest as a vehicle for producing Christian feature films. The video has some interesting footage of McDonald speaking to his congregation; his behavior can be described bizarre at best.

Jenkins himself is an admitted porn addict. My personal impression of him as I watched the footage of him was he seems dead inside. Looking in his eyes I don't see anything, only deadness. I've heard people say this but this is the first time I can honestly say I saw this in a person. Another strictly personal opinion is that he looks like someone who probably consumes too much alcohol.

To say he's in it for the money is an understatement. Clip after clip shows him hawking Chosen merchandise. At one point he says:

"(unintelligible) more and more content, 'cause this is not just a show. This is like a movement, this is a relationship, this is a family; so we're giving you tons and tons of stuff. Our goal is a billion people around the world. . .that is our goal."—Starting at 2:44:05, emphasis added.​

He seems to cater his responses to questions based on his audience. Sometimes he downplays any connection to ministry saying it's just entertainment and claiming to never change anything in the Bible, only fill in "missing" content. At other times he says The Chosen represents the "authentic" Jesus.

2. Jonathan Roumi (Actor, Jesus): Roumi is an outspoken and unapologetic Roman Catholic. His intent is also clearly ecumenical. He's involved in the New Age and promotes New Age authors and mystics. A lot could be said about him but I'll simply say a lot of his behavior off camera borders on the strange. He's achieved somewhat of an cult following who literally see him as Jesus. Roumi himself doesn't do or say anything to downplay this but goes out of his way to encourage it.

3. VidAngel (Producers, Marketing, Distribution): All that really has to be said about VidAngel is that they are owned and operated by LDS. Many Mormons are involved in The Chosen. It seems clear to me their involvement is motivated by $$$ not an accurate portrayal of the Biblical Christ; and to promote the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS. In some of the interviews with Dallas Jenkins he can be heard saying he doesn't really want to become too well-known.

This is my brief analysis. Much more could be said but to me it's more clear than ever that the two driving motivations behind this production are $$$ and ecumenism. It doesn't represent the true Jesus or his disciples in any manner, shape or form.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
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#7
3. Should say "doesn't really want this to become too well-known."
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
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#8
There's another aspect to this show I didn't mention before. It's being translated into every language imaginable and being exported around the world. This may be the only "gospel" people will every hear. Someone will try to share the true gospel with them and they'll just say "Yeah, we know all about that, we saw it on The Chosen."

At one point in the video (5:26:46) Dallas Jenkins says: "So if you want people in other countries to watch this for free—'cause not everyone can afford this of course—please pay it forward, please consider doing this; and if you check out all the options we have, all the way up to $10,000 dollars, you can have thousands of people watching it free around the world. And the more you do the better chance you get of perhaps, for example, at certain levels you get to be an extra, or you get to visit the set; at the $10,000 level you and your entire family can come and visit the set. We realize this show has the possibility to introduce an authentic Jesus to a whole new generation." (emphasis added)

There's a Christmas tree in the background. So apparently whenever Jenkins is soliciting donations Jesus then becomes an "authentic Jesus."
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
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#9
I should've said "soliciting investments" rather than donations. That's really what it is. The more you invest and the more the show makes the more you get back.