Board Thread:Television/@comment-1713281-20131004113215/@comment-3545644-20131127034926

Not to over-filibuster, but tonight's episode was just plain pathetic. It was worse than "Girl in the Flower Dress." Even Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance had better theology! If you're going to allude to the Bible, do your homework. Don't embarrass yourself.

Let's see what I can muster from this:


 * 1) Hannah Hutchins believes God is punishing her.  But can't fathom how.  But if she really did believe and read, she'd know there'd be no sane reason for her to be punished in that particular way.  And for what?  Also, she'd remember the line of "never will I leave nor forsake you." (found in both Deuteronomy and Hebrews.)
 * 2) Skye says God doesn't ever punish, as a way to defy the Catholic nuns (why is it always the Catholics that get cheap shots on them?) who told her he does.  Yet, the Bible is filled with examples.  Punish or mercy, sometimes a little of both, is complex.  Each verse tries to explain the reason why.  I'll let Skye slide for being ignorant because she's agnostic.  Still, she aims for a mystical "that's how I want it to be" sort of theology - which is not only dangerous, but needless.
 * 3) No mention of how God sometimes lets horrible things happen as a test, rather than a punishment.  Which is the entire point of the Book of Job.  How could such a knowledgeable hacker as Skye not know that?
 * 4) Tobias Ford is caught between Earth and Hell.  Somehow.  But it's likely not the Biblical Hell, because the Marvel universe's realms are not built on the same cosmological platform as those in the Bible.  So this makes no sense.
 * 5) May tells Ford that God won't forgive Ford's stupidity and recklessness.  Hannah almost gets it right when she tells him "Only God can forgive."  She can forgive his antics to get her attention, but her forgiveness is not what will save him.  May, however, walks a thin line.  If Tobias is caught halfway, and clearly penitent, then his volition dilemma isn't entirely fulfilled.  Therefore, he has not done the unpardonable sin.  Yes, his antics have led to murder, which is horrible.  But not unpardonable.  Therefore, he could still be saved.  If her were all the way in Hell, then his volition dilemma would be appeased and he would be beyond hope of salvation, unless its volition dilemma and time of grace clock were reset somehow.  There are real-life accounts of those who claim to have had near-death experiences and seen visions of Hell - or claim to have been there.  So a reset is possible.  But not something that should be banked on.  May instead leaves him with no hope.  "Forget the girl, and damn you!"
 * 6) The episode can't decide if May or Skye is right about the afterlife.  And chooses instead to change the subject to pranking.

I've taken six years of religious studies. This episode would get a D+ at best. The Whedons might try to use the atheism card to get off easy with this. Except even Frank Miller treated his subject matter (Daredevil being Catholic) with more respect. But I guess if they are playing as fast-and-loose as they are with their accuracy with Norse mythology, then why not butcher the Bible as well?