It is funny that Allen appeared to have an alcoholic drink on hand while performing the show. The falling stone skit was predictable, but still made me laugh. In my view, the Allen skits were generally better than those of Benny Hill or Monty Python.
Concerning the first clip, and from watching the show in the 1980s, it is interesting how Allen often portrayed ministers as being extremely serious and without a sense of humour. Perhaps that was often the style of preaching in the United Kingdom and Ireland when Allen experienced religious teaching.
I have memories of the pastor of the church my family attended when I was a young boy being something like that at times. He scared me sometimes. Probably there was too much of that "hellfire and brimstone" preaching in our parents' generation, it turned many people off of the church in general. Now there is the opposite extreme where pastors are generally reluctant to say anything at all about hell. It is certainly wrong to not emphasize God's compassion, mercy, love and patience, but it's also wrong to avoid talk about God's holiness, and His consequential judgment of sin. It's easier and more PC perhaps to have a little god who does not judge but accepts everyone, rather than an all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful God who has the authority to judge, because who would be acceptable to such a God? And indeed, no one is acceptable apart from faith in Jesus Christ. People need to have a correct view of God, not the distorted view so often portrayed in our society.
I agree with your comments, Sir Charles. Biblically speaking, God is a being of complete love and justice, and neither of these should be overlooked. The Allen portrayal of God is often humourous, but downplays God's love for humanity. But, with the evangelical church today, at least in North America and the United Kingdom, there seems to often be discussion about the good news of the Christian message, but not a lot of discussion about the bad news of rejecting the message, or living a primarily secular life as a Christian.
Good news: I am back on the Blogger next blog roll, but it only works for original postings now.
I think you saved the best for last: the last piece in the first series, and then the 007 piece!
I didn't find the preaching skits all that amusing. If you wanted to warn people about hell, how else would you do it?
However, these skits can be useful in recognizing how the world perceives what the church is saying. As chucky pointed out, we have ministers and churches who seem to use hell as their dominant theme, and then those who more or less avoid the subject completely. Two opposite extremes - how effective is each one alone ? Isn't it possible to have a balance and communicate BOTH God's compassion, mercy, love & patience AND God's holiness & the consequential judgment of sin?
Funny, as of this minute I can view the clips on Firefox but not Internet Explorer. This happens too often. I find Allen's acting skits usually funnier than his stories. I agree with you Tom that a balance in preaching should be reached. I like the last clip with "Death" as well and the OO7 presentation.
It is very nice to see you comment on this blog as well. I am sorry to read about your trouble with the videos, but I must admit to have had some problems, especially since I loaded Internet Explorer 7 on my computer. The videos often will work on Firefox if not Explorer, but my blogs do not present themselves as well in Firefox. As well, some of my old postings now no longer have the videos available which looks kind of goofy.
It is funny that Allen appeared to have an alcoholic drink on hand while performing the show. The falling stone skit was predictable, but still made me laugh. In my view, the Allen skits were generally better than those of Benny Hill or Monty Python.
ReplyDeleteConcerning the first clip, and from watching the show in the 1980s, it is interesting how Allen often portrayed ministers as being extremely serious and without a sense of humour. Perhaps that was often the style of preaching in the United Kingdom and Ireland when Allen experienced religious teaching.
I have memories of the pastor of the church my family attended when I was a young boy being something like that at times. He scared me sometimes.
ReplyDeleteProbably there was too much of that "hellfire and brimstone" preaching in our parents' generation, it turned many people off of the church in general. Now there is the opposite extreme where pastors are generally reluctant to say anything at all about hell. It is certainly wrong to not emphasize God's compassion, mercy, love and patience, but it's also wrong to avoid talk about God's holiness, and His consequential judgment of sin. It's easier and more PC perhaps to have a little god who does not judge but accepts everyone, rather than an all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful God who has the authority to judge, because who would be acceptable to such a God? And indeed, no one is acceptable apart from faith in Jesus Christ.
People need to have a correct view of God, not the distorted view so often portrayed in our society.
I agree with your comments, Sir Charles. Biblically speaking, God is a being of complete love and justice, and neither of these should be overlooked. The Allen portrayal of God is often humourous, but downplays God's love for humanity. But, with the evangelical church today, at least in North America and the United Kingdom, there seems to often be discussion about the good news of the Christian message, but not a lot of discussion about the bad news of rejecting the message, or living a primarily secular life as a Christian.
ReplyDeleteGood news: I am back on the Blogger next blog roll, but it only works for original postings now.
I think you saved the best for last: the last piece in the first series, and then the 007 piece!
ReplyDeleteI didn't find the preaching skits all that amusing. If you wanted to warn people about hell, how else would you do it?
However, these skits can be useful in recognizing how the world perceives what the church is saying. As chucky pointed out, we have ministers and churches who seem to use hell as their dominant theme, and then those who more or less avoid the subject completely. Two opposite extremes - how effective is each one alone ? Isn't it possible to have a balance and communicate BOTH God's compassion, mercy, love & patience AND God's holiness & the consequential judgment of sin?
Thanks, House.
ReplyDeleteFunny, as of this minute I can view the clips on Firefox but not Internet Explorer. This happens too often. I find Allen's acting skits usually funnier than his stories. I agree with you Tom that a balance in preaching should be reached. I like the last clip with "Death" as well and the OO7 presentation.
I keep having trouble with that videos *sigh*. But the second posted link (with the cartoons) was just great :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed week!
Thanks, Helen.
ReplyDeleteIt is very nice to see you comment on this blog as well. I am sorry to read about your trouble with the videos, but I must admit to have had some problems, especially since I loaded Internet Explorer 7 on my computer. The videos often will work on Firefox if not Explorer, but my blogs do not present themselves as well in Firefox. As well, some of my old postings now no longer have the videos available which looks kind of goofy.
Russ:)