Netflix- messiah

[HappyJackWagon]

There is a new series on Netflix called Messiah. It's essentially a modern take on what it might be like if a Messiah figure came on the scene in today's world. Even though this figure does nothing dangerous or even inappropriate, the level of fear generated because of the numbers of people who begin following him get the attention of the CIA, Mossad, etc. It's really quite fascinating to see the depiction of both faith and fear generated after this Messiah performs miracles, and it strikes me as a fairly accurate portrayal of the different types of human responses we might expect to see. It's a fairly intense/suspenseful show and there is some language. But it is fascinating.

On top of the general concept of a Messiah figure into today's geo-political landscape, there is an LDS President of the United States who wrestles with the politics and religious elements of the situation. At one point the President is speaking to this rogue Messiah, incredulous at what he is being asked to do, and the messiah asks him "Do you not believe in the coming of One Mighty and Strong?"  He gets the President to think about more than just the politics.

Not only does it make me stop and think about how I might respond to a modern Messiah, but the political fear generated helps me appreciate a little bit more what it must have been like for the religious and political leaders of Jesus' day.

Has anyone else seen this? Thoughts?

[Jeanne]

I started watching it yesterday while baking cookies.   Going to watch again today to see if I can really get into it and understand.  Wasn't expecting that when I picked the show that it would be modern day. 

[HappyJackWagon]

1 minute ago, Jeanne said:

I started watching it yesterday while baking cookies.   Going to watch again today to see if I can really get into it and understand.  Wasn't expecting that when I picked the show that it would be modern day. 

For me, the show requires a bit more concentration. I can't multi task- partly because there are subtitles on some of the story subplots and various locations around the world. It definitely makes me think.

Why did the messiah do "this" but not do "that". Why wouldn't he just...

It's generating some fun conversations with my wife as we discuss what the character does and doesn't do.

[Calm]

Does it present the miracles as miracles, he is a true Messiah, or does it leave it open to the viewer that he may be a conman or lunatic?  I get those options need to be open in the story to parallel the past, but curious if they actually took a stand religiously speaking, that an actual Messiah is a reasonable and mature idea, not an uninformed and naive belief. 

[HappyJackWagon]

Just now, Calm said:

Does it present the miracles as miracles, he is a true Messiah, or does it leave it open to the viewer that he may be a conman or lunatic?  I get those options need to be open in the story to parallel the past, but curious if they actually took a stand religiously speaking, that an actual Messiah is a reasonable and mature idea, not an uninformed and naive belief. 

There is some question about who he really is. For example, he is never said to be Jesus. When a miracle is performed there are skeptics explaining how he could have faked it etc. There are clearly large portions of the population who don't believe he really is a messiah.

I think it is treated respectfully and as a realistic possibility. There are faithful followers from Islam, Christianity, Buddhism etc. Like any group, some are cooky..ish, others are very thoughtful and mature. Some lose their faith in the figure based on his actions/inaction while others gain their faith.

I still have to watch the final 2 episodes but it has been a great show thus far.

BTW- If you haven't seen the movie, The 2 Popes on Netflix, it's also an excellent portrayal of humans (even popes) making good and bad decisions and wrestling with their humanity while they try to do the right thing. And of course it's biographical of the transition of power between Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.

[smac97]

I dropped my Netflix subscription in favor of Disney+.

Not much coverage of this issue (Dermot Mulroney playing a Latter-day Saint POTUS), but I did see this:

Quote

At other times, though, Petroni and his writers seem to be unaware of the elements they’re playing with. For instance, the President of the United States (Dermot Mulroney) is explicitly singled out as Mormon. In practice though, save for a reference to the “latter days,” there’s almost nothing about the character that doesn’t read as “generic Evangelical”. Mormonism is a very specific faith with some interesting divergences from “mainstream” Christianity. 

When Senator Mitt Romney ran for President, it caused a widespread debate whether Mormons even qualified as Christian. To make the “leader of the free world” Mormon and then not utilize that angle for all its worth feels like displaying a loaded gun in the first act, only to not just refuse to fire it, but hide it away for the rest of the play.

It seems like Hollywood doesn't know what to do with us, or else just wants to use us as exotic "stock" characters/caricatures.  "Big Love" did not even try to meaningfully represent what we believe and why.  HBO is planning another Mormon-related drama (see here), I concur with what Bluebell surmised: "I have zero--less than zero--faith that HBO will actually be able to accurately portray a member being caught between Las Vegas and her spiritual beliefs.  It's practically a given that this series will show a caricature of mormonism."

I'm not sure about the depiction of the Church and its members in Hell on Wheels.  Pogi noted (comparing it to the upcoming HBO drama): "Hopefully they do better than Netflix's Hell on Wheels, Where Brigham Young and other Mormons play a fairly prominent role in later seasons."

The treatment of the Church and its members in The Expanse also seemed to be lacking.  Maidservant noted: "The Expanse. Mormons in space. (Amazon). Not the main plot, but the Mormon space temple and the pioneer art persist through the rest of the seasons (after the main situation in season 1). Caricatured and gotten wrong, lol, but I still like it. I mean, Mormons in space! We are obviously durable culture! Ha ha."

Paint Your Wagon?  Nope.

Orgazmo?  Nope.

Angels in America?  Dunno.  I haven't seen it.

The Book of Mormon musical?  Nope.  Massive caricature and mockery.  

South Park's "All About Mormons" episode?  Sadly, this is perhaps the most accurate (or, rather, the least inaccurate) depiction of some of what we believe (albeit for lampooning purposes).

 

[LoudmouthMormon]

Looks interesting, I'll start it up after I'm done with The Expanse.  My wife finally let me run her Amazon Prime account on my laptop.  

I'm ok with weird-and-not-really-accurate portrayals of LDS folks in popular media, especially when it's added in the background only for flavor, especially when it's not done to score some critical point against the church or its members.   It's a step up from plain ol' passe antimormonism.

[Tacenda]

22 minutes ago, Calm said:

Does it present the miracles as miracles, he is a true Messiah, or does it leave it open to the viewer that he may be a conman or lunatic?  I get those options need to be open in the story to parallel the past, but curious if they actually took a stand religiously speaking, that an actual Messiah is a reasonable and mature idea, not an uninformed and naive belief. 

At the end of the first season, will have an answer to the bold.

[bluebell]

I have a friend, who teaches for BYU, who loved Messiah.  She also loved 2 Popes.  I haven't gotten around to seeing either of them yet but Messiah looks interesting.  

My biggest problem with shows like these is that I struggle to get passed the religious parts that they usually get wrong (which seems to be inevitable when people who don't usually believe in God or have any personal experience with the religion in question try to make a movie about it from a faithful--or even once faithful now doubting--point of view).  It becomes too aggravating for me.  Like watching a movie about math where they teach that 2+2=5.

Does this movie do better with that?

[bluebell]

6 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

Looks interesting, I'll start it up after I'm done with The Expanse.  My wife finally let me run her Amazon Prime account on my laptop.  

I'm ok with weird-and-not-really-accurate portrayals of LDS folks in popular media, especially when it's added in the background only for flavor, especially when it's not done to score some critical point against the church or its members.   It's a step up from plain ol' passe antimormonism.

I had to give up on the Expanse for this new season.  I'm tired of the random F words and sex scenes that come out of no where.  

[smac97]

We have this:

Quote

Jesus Christ Will Return to the Earth

• What are some of the signs of the Second Coming?

The Savior told Joseph Smith, “I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory … and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years, and the wicked shall not stand” (D&C 29:11; see also chapters 44 and 45 in this book). Jesus has told us that certain signs and events will warn us when the time of His Second Coming is near.

There are lots of secondary (as in not canonized) statements about the Second Coming.

Here:

Quote

His first coming will be to his temple which is yet to be constructed in Jackson County, Missouri. Concerning this event, Joseph Smith prophecied,

“The coming of the Messiah among this people will be so natural, that only those who see Him will know that He has come, but He will come and give His laws unto Zion, and minister unto His people. This will not be His coming in the clouds of heaven to take vengeance on the wicked of the world. (Prophecy recorded by Edwin Rushton and Theodore Turley).

In describing this event, Charles W. Penrose said the following:

“…the Lord will make his appearance first; and that appearance will be unknown to the rest of mankind. He will come to the Temple prepared for him, and his faithful people will behold his face, hear his voice, and gaze upon his glory. From his own lips they will receive further instruction for the development and beautifying of Zion and for the extension and sure stability of his Kingdom.” (Millennial Star, Sept. 10, 1859).

And here (same link):

Quote

The second appearance will be at Adam-ondi-Ahman, where the Savior will appear to take his rightful jurisdiction as the ruler of the earth. According to President Joseph Fielding Smith,

“Adam-ondi-Ahman …was in this valley where Adam called together the faithful of his posterity three years before his death and blessed them. (D&C 107:53.) It will be in this same valley where the Ancient of Days shall sit at the grand gathering of the worthies who have held keys of the dispensations, and where Adam will make his report, likewise all others who have been given keys, and our Savior shall be crowned King of kings and take his place as the rightful ruler of the earth.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, Vol 3, p.118).

And here (same link):

Quote

The Savior will next appear on the Mount of Olives during the great conflict between the Jews and their enemies. According to Zechariah,

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee (Zechariah 14:4-5).

Charles W. Penrose mentions this appearance as follows:

“His next appearance [after his appearance in the New Jerusalem] will be among the distressed and nearly vanquished sons of Judah. At the crisis of their fate, when the hostile troops of several nations are ravaging the city and all the horrors of war are overwhelming the people of Jerusalem, he will set his feet upon the Mount of Olives, which will cleave and part asunder at his touch. (Millennial Star, Sept. 1859, p. 583)

And here (same link):

Quote

His fourth coming, in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory will be the most magnificent event that the world will ever have seen. Charles W. Penrose speaks eloquently of it as follows:

“The tongue of man falters, and the pen drops from the hand of the writer, as the mind is rapt in contemplation of the sublime and awful majesty of his coming to take vengeance on the ungodly and to reign as King of the whole earth.”

“He comes. The earth shakes, and the tall mountains tremble; the mighty deep rolls back to the north as in fear, and the rent skies glow like molten brass. He comes. The dead Saints burst forth from their tombs, and ‘those who are alive and remain’ are ‘caught up’ with them to meet him. The ungodly rush to hide themselves from his presence, and call upon the quivering rocks to cover them. He comes with all the hosts of the righteous glorified. The breath of his lip strikes death to the wicked. His glory is a consuming fire. The proud and rebellious are as stubble; they are burned and ‘left neither root nor branch.’ He sweeps the earth ‘as with the besom [broom] of destruction.’ He deluges the earth with the fiery floods of his wrath, and the filthiness and abominations of the world are consumed. Satan and his dark hosts are taken and bound-the prince of the power of the air has lost his dominion, for He whose right it is to reign has come, and ‘the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.’ (Millennial Star, Sept. 1859, p. 583)

I'm not wedded to this sequence, as much of it is not canonized. 

Thanks,

-Smac

[HappyJackWagon]

11 minutes ago, smac97 said:

I dropped my Netflix subscription in favor of Disney+.

Not much coverage of this issue (Dermot Mulroney playing a Latter-day Saint POTUS), but I did see this:

It seems like Hollywood doesn't know what to do with us, or else just wants to use us as exotic "stock" characters/caricatures.  "Big Love" did not even try to meaningfully represent what we believe and why.  HBO is planning another Mormon-related drama (see here), I concur with what Bluebell surmised: "I have zero--less than zero--faith that HBO will actually be able to accurately portray a member being caught between Las Vegas and her spiritual beliefs.  It's practically a given that this series will show a caricature of mormonism."

I'm not sure about the depiction of the Church and its members in Hell on Wheels.  Pogi noted (comparing it to the upcoming HBO drama): "Hopefully they do better than Netflix's Hell on Wheels, Where Brigham Young and other Mormons play a fairly prominent role in later seasons."

The treatment of the Church and its members in The Expanse also seemed to be lacking.  Maidservant noted: "The Expanse. Mormons in space. (Amazon). Not the main plot, but the Mormon space temple and the pioneer art persist through the rest of the seasons (after the main situation in season 1). Caricatured and gotten wrong, lol, but I still like it. I mean, Mormons in space! We are obviously durable culture! Ha ha."

Paint Your Wagon?  Nope.

Orgazmo?  Nope.

Angels in America?  Dunno.  I haven't seen it.

The Book of Mormon musical?  Nope.  Massive caricature and mockery.  

South Park's "All About Mormons" episode?  Sadly, this is perhaps the most accurate (or, rather, the least inaccurate) depiction of some of what we believe (albeit for lampooning purposes).

 

You're probably right that they don't know what to do with Mormons but I find it interesting that Mormons are included to play a role at all. I think that's progress. In fairness, the President didn't even show up in the story until late in the season, and it's not about him or his faith. He's just a character interacting with this messiah, so I don't know that it's fair to criticize the writers for not delving deeper into Mormonism. The poor Buddhists and Hindus get less play time than Mormons...by far.

[Bernard Gui]

52 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

There is a new series on Netflix called Messiah. It's essentially a modern take on what it might be like if a Messiah figure came on the scene in today's world. Even though this figure does nothing dangerous or even inappropriate, the level of fear generated because of the numbers of people who begin following him get the attention of the CIA, Mossad, etc. It's really quite fascinating to see the depiction of both faith and fear generated after this Messiah performs miracles, and it strikes me as a fairly accurate portrayal of the different types of human responses we might expect to see. It's a fairly intense/suspenseful show and there is some language. But it is fascinating.

On top of the general concept of a Messiah figure into today's geo-political landscape, there is an LDS President of the United States who wrestles with the politics and religious elements of the situation. At one point the President is speaking to this rogue Messiah, incredulous at what he is being asked to do, and the messiah asks him "Do you not believe in the coming of One Mighty and Strong?"  He gets the President to think about more than just the politics.

Not only does it make me stop and think about how I might respond to a modern Messiah, but the political fear generated helps me appreciate a little bit more what it must have been like for the religious and political leaders of Jesus' day.

Has anyone else seen this? Thoughts?

The LDS President doesn’t ask him about the scriptural prophecies of the Second Coming?

Edited January 7, 2020 by Bernard Gui

[HappyJackWagon]

13 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I have a friend, who teaches for BYU, who loved Messiah.  She also loved 2 Popes.  I haven't gotten around to seeing either of them yet but Messiah looks interesting.  

My biggest problem with shows like these is that I struggle to get passed the religious parts that they usually get wrong (which seems to be inevitable when people who don't usually believe in God or have any personal experience with the religion in question try to make a movie about it from a faithful--or even once faithful now doubting--point of view).  It becomes too aggravating for me.  Like watching a movie about math where they teach that 2+2=5.

Does this movie do better with that?

The 2 Popes was definitely faithful, even while showing the human failings of the popes.

Messiah- I think it does pretty well. I get annoyed by the same things you described but I also recognize that this isn't a show about the Mormon view of the 2nd coming. When the messiah is asked if he's Christian, or Muslim etc. he simply states that he is one with God, as if explaining that every distinct faith tradition is part of the larger whole as they attempt to understand deity. Personally, I like that, and find it to be respectful of all faiths while not requiring adherence to any particular religion. It's a fine line for a show to walk, but I think they do it.

[HappyJackWagon]

2 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said:

The LDS President doesn’t ask him about the scriptural prophecies of the Second Coming?

Um... no.

The President is more focused on the political implications and what the messiah is asking him to do.

But I think that's part of what is fascinating. This messiah's emergence doesn't really fit the Mormon version, or the evangelical version, or the Jewish version, or the muslim version of what would be expected of a Messiah. So everyone has to grapple with how he doesn't quite meet their expectations. I suspect it was similar in Jesus' day.

[smac97]

D&C 88 seems pretty relevant:

• "{T}he earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his facem and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down..." (v. 87).
• "{T}he testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand" (v. 89).
• "{T}he testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds" (v. 90).
• "{A}ll things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people" (v. 91).
• "And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him" (v. 92).
• "And immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together" (v. 93).
• "And another angel shall sound his trump, saying: That great church, the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God, that shed their blood—she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea—behold, she is the tares of the earth; she is bound in bundles; her bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready to be burned. And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations shall hear it" (v. 94).
• "And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled" (v. 95).
• "And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him" (v. 96).
• "And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven" (v. 97).

It has long been interesting to me that the Church carries these predictions in its canonized scriptures, but how often are they addressed in General Conference?

Folks like Hope_for_Things like to claim that the Church trades in fear.  That "{f}ear is a good motivator."  And yet the Church doesn't really avail itself to "end times" alarmism.  The instruction we receive in General Conference is measured and calm, and addresses prosaic yet important issues we face in our day-to-day lives, while also encouraging us to pursue spiritual goals and objectives.

I'm glad of that.  

Thanks,

-Smac

[HappyJackWagon]

2 minutes ago, smac97 said:

D&C 88 seems pretty relevant:

• "{T}he earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his facem and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down..." (v. 87).
• "{T}he testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand" (v. 89).
• "{T}he testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds" (v. 90).
• "{A}ll things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people" (v. 91).
• "And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him" (v. 92).
• "And immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together" (v. 93).
• "And another angel shall sound his trump, saying: That great church, the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God, that shed their blood—she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea—behold, she is the tares of the earth; she is bound in bundles; her bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready to be burned. And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations shall hear it" (v. 94).
• "And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled" (v. 95).
• "And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him" (v. 96).
• "And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven" (v. 97).

It has long been interesting to me that the Church carries these predictions in its canonized scriptures, but how often are they addressed in General Conference?

Folks like Hope_for_Things like to claim that the Church trades in fear.  That "{f}ear is a good motivator."  And yet the Church doesn't really avail itself to "end times" alarmism.  The instruction we receive in General Conference is measured and calm, and addresses prosaic yet important issues we face in our day-to-day lives, while also encouraging us to pursue spiritual goals and objectives.

I'm glad of that.  

Thanks,

-Smac

This show is definitely not a "sign of the times" Left Behind kind of rendering of the story of a Messiah.

BTW- please don't take pot shots at people on this thread.

[Tacenda]

30 minutes ago, bluebell said:

I have a friend, who teaches for BYU, who loved Messiah.  She also loved 2 Popes.  I haven't gotten around to seeing either of them yet but Messiah looks interesting.  

My biggest problem with shows like these is that I struggle to get passed the religious parts that they usually get wrong (which seems to be inevitable when people who don't usually believe in God or have any personal experience with the religion in question try to make a movie about it from a faithful--or even once faithful now doubting--point of view).  It becomes too aggravating for me.  Like watching a movie about math where they teach that 2+2=5.

Does this movie do better with that?

IMO, yes, it leaves that out for the most part, doesn't delve into beliefs of any faith per se much. But that is my POV, and others have theirs. I watched all of the season on a full day of watching my grandbaby. So I may have not always paid attention. I didn't like one scene, and it was a short but not explicit love scene. Or it could have been, I usually fast forward. 

I'm actually looking forward to the next season, if there is one.

 

 

[smac97]

33 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

You're probably right that they don't know what to do with Mormons but I find it interesting that Mormons are included to play a role at all. I think that's progress. In fairness, the President didn't even show up in the story until late in the season, and it's not about him or his faith. He's just a character interacting with this messiah, so I don't know that it's fair to criticize the writers for not delving deeper into Mormonism. The poor Buddhists and Hindus get less play time than Mormons...by far.

Oh, I don't think it's just us.  Sincere religious belief and expression of pretty much every stripe gets a very short shrift in mainstream media.

I'm a fan of Blue Bloods on CBS.  And A Man for All Seasons.  And Fiddler on the Roof.  And Sound of Music.  And Amazing Grace (2006).  And Ben-Hur (1959). These are all films that explore the role of religious identity and expression.  Religion and faith are not the primary plot, but they surely inform it a lot. 

The Regans in Blue Bloods are fairly devout Catholics.  Their discussions/debates around the dinner table (which often include moral/philosophical/religious observations) are, in my view, some of the best things seen on television.

Sir Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons is a devout Catholic.  It is that devotion which sets him at odds with King Henry.

Fiddler on the Room explores the lives of Tevye and his family.  Their Judaism is woven through nearly every frame of the story, while still being in the background.

Sound of Music has a light touch as to Maria's ethics and faith.

Amazing Grace does a very good job of illustrating the evangelical Christian spirit that motivated William Wilberforce and his associates to work on the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire.

Ben-Hur was respectful of the subject matter (and, unlike the others, is a bit more prone to evangelizing than the others).

In the main, these stories don't overtly evangelize for Catholicism, or Judaism, etc.  For example, I feel a close affinity with, and respect and affection for, Tevye, even though I am not Jewish.  I can analogize his struggles to my own faith and experience.

So it seems like Hollywood can "do" religion if it wants to.

Thanks,

-Smac

Edited January 7, 2020 by smac97

[smac97]

7 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

This show is definitely not a "sign of the times" Left Behind kind of rendering of the story of a Messiah.

BTW- please don't take pot shots at people on this thread.

I didn't think my quote of Hope_for_Things was a "pot shot," but okay.

Thanks,

-Smac

[Duncan]

the only Netflix show I watch is Derry Girls-Now that's a funny show😂😂😂😂

[pogi]

1 hour ago, HappyJackWagon said:

There is a new series on Netflix called Messiah. It's essentially a modern take on what it might be like if a Messiah figure came on the scene in today's world. Even though this figure does nothing dangerous or even inappropriate, the level of fear generated because of the numbers of people who begin following him get the attention of the CIA, Mossad, etc. It's really quite fascinating to see the depiction of both faith and fear generated after this Messiah performs miracles, and it strikes me as a fairly accurate portrayal of the different types of human responses we might expect to see. It's a fairly intense/suspenseful show and there is some language. But it is fascinating.

On top of the general concept of a Messiah figure into today's geo-political landscape, there is an LDS President of the United States who wrestles with the politics and religious elements of the situation. At one point the President is speaking to this rogue Messiah, incredulous at what he is being asked to do, and the messiah asks him "Do you not believe in the coming of One Mighty and Strong?"  He gets the President to think about more than just the politics.

Not only does it make me stop and think about how I might respond to a modern Messiah, but the political fear generated helps me appreciate a little bit more what it must have been like for the religious and political leaders of Jesus' day.

Has anyone else seen this? Thoughts?

I am on episode 5.  I love it for all the reasons you mention.  It is also interesting to see it play out in different continents and cultural/religious perspectives, including the Islamic idea of a Messiah.   

Edited January 7, 2020 by pogi

[bluebell]

23 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

Um... no.

The President is more focused on the political implications and what the messiah is asking him to do.

But I think that's part of what is fascinating. This messiah's emergence doesn't really fit the Mormon version, or the evangelical version, or the Jewish version, or the muslim version of what would be expected of a Messiah. So everyone has to grapple with how he doesn't quite meet their expectations. I suspect it was similar in Jesus' day.

It sounds like the movie is more a modern portrayal of what it would be like if Jesus waiting until our day to come, and less a portrayal of the second coming of Christ.  Am I understanding that correctly?  

[bluebell]

13 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

IMO, yes, it leaves that out for the most part, doesn't delve into beliefs of any faith per se much. But that is my POV, and others have theirs. I watched all of the season on a full day of watching my grandbaby. So I may have not always paid attention. I didn't like one scene, and it was a short but not explicit love scene. Or it could have been, I usually fast forward. 

I'm actually looking forward to the next season, if there is one.

 

 

Thanks Tacenda.  

[bluebell]

8 minutes ago, Duncan said:

the only Netflix show I watch is Derry Girls-Now that's a funny show😂😂😂😂

I'll have to watch it.  Hubby and I started watching some sitcom from the late 1990s that takes place in Scotland and is about two old widowers.  It's hilarious but the funniest part is that I can't understand 3/4 of what they say, even though they are speaking English!