Thanks for picking up this story. I was thinking of writing on it when I first saw it a couple days ago. You're likely right that this was a case of unthinking PC-ism rather than anything sinister towards Christians. Portraying a Muslim group attacking the school probably would have brought even more controversy, albeit from the other side.

Nevertheless, there are a good number of people who believe evangelical Christians are dangerous, latent authoritarians, not far removed from Islamic terrorists. Just listen to Kevin Phillips . Sadly, I'm willing to bet some people thought this was a good idea.

I don't believe evangelicals are dangerous, least of all in the way that Islamic fundamentalists are truly dangerous, but isn't it a bit ridiculous to demand an apology? After all, if the scenario portrayed Islamic fundamentalists and some Muslim group demanded an apology for anti-Muslim bias, it would be equally ridiculous, no? Would the American Center for Law and Justice demand an apology for Muslims in such a case? I doubt it.

Religious people need to stop issuing law suits when they feel offended. All religion has the potential to cause violence - some religions more than others, granted - but I'm with Sam Harris in that I'm sick of religious belief being a sacred cow deserving special protection. Religions should not be immune from criticism and even insult, because unlike race, sexual orientation, gender, or disability, religion is a choice.

"Religions should not be immune from criticism and even insult." Christians are upset that their religion is the only one NOT immune to criticism.

"Religions should not be immune from criticism and even insult." Christians are upset that their religion is the only one NOT immune to criticism.

In what world is this true? A quick listen to your standard talk radio station, or fundamental Christen program will provide more than a few examples of Christians directly criticising, or even insulting other religions.

I think there's a sense that in the mainstream news and entertainment media, criticism and/or lampooning of Christianity is acceptable or even commendable because it's brave or trendy to question the dominant religion in our society. Yet at the same time, criticism of minority religions is somehow mean or unfair. Thus the media go out of their way to portray Islam as a "religion of peace" but frequently portray conservative Christians as kooks.

Seriously--can anyone think of a recent character on TV or in a movie who was a devout Christian and portrayed as a good and kind person?

How about Dr. Chase (the Christian foil to atheist Dr. House - obviously a smart and likeable character). Or what about the nice Mormon kids who foil the boys' intuitive anti-religious bias on an episode of South Park? Or, hell, what about Ned Flanders (obviously he is often an object of derision, but he is also portrayed as completely principled, kind, and upright - not as a hypocrite as Christians sometimes are portrayed). There are many other examples.

And as for Islam being always portrayed as a religion of peace, I think it is George Bush more than anyone else who has caused that phrase to enter in the common currency. For fictional accounts of Muslim terrorists, look no further than one of the highest-rated shows on TV: 24.

Where else on TV do we even see Muslims? In film, where is Islam portrayed as a religion of peace? Okay, in the movie Kingdom of Heaven, Saladin is portrayed as heroic - but guess what, Saladin really was a gallant warrior who represented the best of his civilization, but who admittedly engaged in the same acts of barbarism that were ubiquitous in warfare at the time. I want to see a movie about the clashes between Richard I and Saladin: now there would be a movie Muslims and Christians could take inspiration from.

Sayid from "Lost" is a Muslim, and one of the most likeable and most competent characters on the show.

Muslims have been quite obscure in most of US history, so their portrayal in popular Western culture is naturally coming slowly. Their rise from obscurity was triggered by wars of aggression against Israel, and the terror wars against the West that date at least as early as the 1973 assassination of US abmbassador to Sudan Cleo Noel, so well-rounded portrayals of Muslims are getting a slow start as well.

Consider how long it took for positive portrayals of Japanese to emerge after WWII.

Authors and filmmakers do stuff about the familiar, or the easily researchable. Daily religious life is alien to most "Hollywood" folks. The real story is that with rare exceptions they don't know how to make religious life look interesting. Sayid's religion is only a backdrop; "Lost" doesn't show us how Islam interacts with his life. The same can be said of most other TV and movie religious characters.

Well, I should say *a* real story, since there are a number of real stories, the antireligious bias issue among them. It also happens to be a largely neglected story.

Chuck,

I've probably seen a dozen episodes of House, but I never knew Dr. Chase was a Christian, let alone a devout one, so it doesn't seem that his faith is presented as a major part of his life.

But you are right about Ned Flanders. I think he is the most sympathetic Christian character on TV today. Other positive depictions that I can think of, though, are in historical settings, not current day.

I think Alan hits the nail on the head when he says that devout Christianity is an alien concept to many writers and producers.

I think that the entertainment industry's unfamiliarity with religious devotion goes beyond Christianity. One can find an occasional devout Buddhist, though - Ron Glass and Patrick Duffy, for instance.

As for 24 portraying Muslim terrorists, you could write a dissertation about why there always seems to be a Westerner *really* behind the whole thing, be it Charles Logan last year or that one-armed* neocommunist this season.

*after last episode