Faith-based critics say the new Fox series, Lucifer, which seeks to glamorize Satan, is more like “theater of the absurd” than a serious threat to the faith of believers.
CNS News.com is reporting on the series, scheduled to debut at 9 pm EST on January 25, features a lead character named Lucifer Morningstar which is played by Tom Ellis, who just happens to be the son of a Baptist pastor. Lucifer is described on the website as “the original fallen angel” who has become bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell so he decided to retire to L.A. where he owns an upscale nightclub named Lux.”
It conitnues: “Charming, charismatic and devilishly handsome, Lucifer is enjoying his retirement, indulging in a few of his favorite things – wine, women and song – when a beautiful pop star is brutally murdered outside. For the first time in roughly 10 billion years, he feels something awaken deep within him as a result of this murder. Compassion? Sympathy? The very thought disturbs him – as well as his best friend and confidante, MAZIKEEN aka MAZE (Lesley-Ann Brandt, The Librarians), a fierce demon in the form of a beautiful young woman.”
The official trailer depicts a graphic murder and blasphemy which is why it was quickly condemned by the American Family Association’s One Million Moms who blasted the show not only for the violence and scantily-clad women, but because it attempts to “glorify Satan as a caring, likeable person in human flesh.”
The Parents Television Council (PTC) is also concerned about the series.
“Besides the dark theme, we expect there will be high levels of violence and disturbing sexual content. Clearly it is inappropriate for kids and families even though it is airing in prime time,” said Melissa Henson, PTC director of communications to CNS. “From what I can see, there’s nothing redeeming about this show at all.”
But that’s not how Ellis sees it. In a recent interview, he described himself as looking like James Bond or a villain out of Jaguar’s “it’s good to be bad” commercial but who “has the morals of a debauched investment banker (albeit with a little more heart).”
He added: “The show certainly is not a big theological debate. More than anything, I’d say this show is a story of redemption.”
Not by a longshot, says Catholic League president Bill Donohue. “It strikes me as sci-fi. It’s theater of the absurd for me. It doesn’t look like something I’m going to get exorcised about.”
However, Fr. Robert Sirico, president of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, told CNS that “the very fact that it could be on a major network without serious questions being raised with regard to advertisers and the like tells you where the culture has gone, to a certain extent.”
But he’s urging the faithful to be calm because part of the marketing strategy of the show’s producers is to generate enough buzz – albeit negative – that will only result in drawing more attention to the show.
My recommendation is that believers do what they do best – quietly and methodically target the advertisers of this satanic series and let them know how much Christian business they’re losing due to their sponsorship of such an ungodly travesty.
Our children are already far too enamored with the occult and the devil that they know little or nothing about (except what they learn from Hollywood) so parents will be well-advised to tune into something else at 9 pm on Monday nights in 2016!
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