Ned Flanders

  • Thread starter Thread starter phil-uk
  • Start date Start date
  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
P

phil-uk

Guest
Does anyone else find it extremely irritating how christianity is made fun of in the Simpsons? The character Ned Flanders makes me cringe. Personally I think its done on purpose (Satan works in mysterious ways!) And then you have Reverend Lovejoy who hasn't got a clue about his faith. I know its just a cartoon, but hate to see christianity mocked on what I think otherwise is a pretty funny cartoon.
 
Yes, I hate Christianity being mocked in whatever cartoon it is whether it is The Simpsons, Futurama, etc. I believe this happens because one the world does not understand Christians and cannot seem to think of a way to incorporate them into the story in a good way. You are not the only one who does not like how Christians are portrayed in the media. God bless.
 
I used to have an issue with it, but after years of it bugging me, and having in and outs with God, and gaining my own personal revelation on christianity and belief, I came to recognize that, at least with the simpsons, it's not so much the belief they're mocking, or even God. What it is they're poking fun at are those Christians that live that holier than thou lifestyle, which there a many of, and quite honestly, a lot of them paint christianity as a whole in a bad light, because they put themselves on a pedestal, and make others around them feel so much less, which is far sadder than any cartoon poking fun at that type of personality.

There are definitely cartoons that do mock God, which I do think is wrong. But there's a difference between mocking God or belief in God, and mocking the religion. A relationship with God goes far deeper than any religion designed by man, which for some people christianity is. Don't take it to personally. Know what you know and share that.
 
I find its even sadder that there are people exactly like Reverend Lovejoy and wouldnt it be a better world if we all behaved just a fraction of how Ned Flanders behaves?
 
The Holy Spirit is there to guide each individual watching those shows. God uses all things for good. He can turn lies into truth. Puts godly people in the media or a person's life to show what it means to be a follower of Christ. Actions speak louder than words. They will know the truth by actions regardless of what is shown on a show.
 
I think we need to be able to laugh, or at least chuckle, at ourselves. There is truth in everything the creators of the Simpsons make fun of. Ned Flanders is kind of dorky, he is also portrayed in positive ways. :cool:
 
I haven't seen much of The Simpsons but it seems to me, like Zao said, that they poke fun at the silliness of many religious folk, not that they're mocking God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit.
 
Honestly I don't let it bother me and I learn to laugh it, sure it makes fun of our faith but if we let it bother us the who is in control here? The show or us? Honestly I absolutely Love family guy and american dad, they makes jokes about God and Jesus sometimes but i just ignore it
 
I think it wrong for a Christian to "wink" at shows like this and say it is just all in good fun!
 
then why are you watching? I know *coughcoughfakecoughcough Christians like that. Its scary.....
 
Last edited:
Trouble is children watch this show too. I just think it paints christianity in a negative light. Children will come away from watching Flanders thinking, 'wow I sure dont want to be this guy when i'm older' Homer on the other hand sins pretty much all the time and is portayed as a bit of a hero. Yeah I know its just a cartoon but a potentially damaging one to future generations of christians
 
Trouble is children watch this show too. I just think it paints christianity in a negative light. Children will come away from watching Flanders thinking, 'wow I sure dont want to be this guy when i'm older' Homer on the other hand sins pretty much all the time and is portayed as a bit of a hero. Yeah I know its just a cartoon but a potentially damaging one to future generations of christians

Any self-respecting parent would be wise enough not to allow their kids to watch the simpsons...
 
The Simpsons pokes fun at EVERYTHING -- from Bill Clinton to Indian 7-11 owners to Christianity. If it offends you, don't watch it. And DEFINITELY don't let your kids watch it -- it's not really a children's show anyway, even though it is animated.
 
I think the motives of the cartoon creators are often flawed, but I believe that the Holy Spirit manipulates these things behind the scenes so that if they are taken symbolically, they witness against themselves in their own stories.

Like the verse in Corinthians that says all detestable things are used by God, so that no flesh can glory in His presence.
Also in Isaiah 29:13-16
Upside down.

For example, when the simpsons reverend is meant to portray christianity, he might symbolically portray something else, or a flawed christianity, and all of the other characters likewise, which completely flips the author's intended story upside down.
 
then why are you watching? I know *coughcoughfakecoughcough Christians like that. Its scary.....
If this was intended for me...I don't watch, when it first came out by us I watched a one or two and then the blasphemy started and haven't watched since!
 
To tell u the truth, Ned Flanders doesn't really bother me. We're always gonna look like fools in the eyes of the world. There's no way around it. What DOES bother me is that the Ned Flanders stereotype is there for a reason... Because there are many Christians who do act like that. This is the same for Rev. Lovejoy.
 
Doesn't bother me, because i don't watch it. If something like that was annoying me, i just don't turn it on.
 
I never understood why some people get irate over such earthy things as tv shows. Plus shows like that are simply ridiculous