Jerry Sutton, I Almost Feel Bad For You

I didn't watch "The Book of Daniel" because if I get my share of fucked-up mainline Protestant minister family dynamics by virtue of being alive. But I can't watch it now, even if I could, because Reverend Jerry Sutton of Two Rivers Baptist Church right across the street from that mammoth rip-off of a hotel named after a themepark that no longer exists is a bully and an idiot. I wanted to go to the Two Rivers Baptist Church website and have a little look around, but you have to have the most fancy-pants version of Flash and for some reason my computer, though it claims to have the most recent version of Flash, refuses to open the church's website. Luckily, Egalia's got the important documents--letters, blog entries, lists of advertisers, etc. Now, I'm going to say up front that Egalia draws conclusions I don't feel comfortable drawing, since I wasn't at that church* the Sunday before last. But the letters, if real (and I have no reason to doubt their authenticity), are doozies. Shall we take a look?

January 10, 2006

Mr. Elden Hale,

General Manager

WSMV-TV, Channel 4

5700 Knob Road

Nashville, TN 37209

Dear Mr. Hale:

Last Friday night, January 6, 2006, I spent two hours watching your new pilot, "The Book of Daniel." From start to finish, I was offended by the distortion of Christianity. In fact, your program borders on blasphemy. Never in a million years would you have run a program like that on Islam, and yet, for some reason, you felt it perfectly acceptable to air a program which denigrated Christianity. I am writing to express, first of all, my profound concern that you would put on the air such trash, but also to request that you consider running something else in its place.

I have personally talked with several sponsors, one manager of a Chevrolet dealership and a manager of one of the local Kroger's, and both assured me that their companies had no intention of being sponsors of such trash and will make sure that their names will not be identified as sponsors again.

With all the moral and social concerns in our society, I am absolutely amazed that your network would even consider producing and promoting a series like "The Book of Daniel." I don't think you want a war with the Church, but if you continue, I can promise you that we will be much more vocal and much more intentional in our attempts to remove the advertising dollars from your station and your network.

Sincerely,

Jerry Sutton

Senior Pastor

and then

January 12, 2006

Mr. Elden Hale,

General Manager

WSMV-TV, Channel 4

5700 Knob Road

Nashville, TN 37209

Dear Mr. Hale:

I just saw where you made the decision to cancel "The Book of Daniel." I want to thank you for being responsive to your constituents. Although the newspaper noted that the show finished first in its time slot, a lot of us watched it because of the pre-publicity information that it would be critical of Christianity. The pre-airing publicity didn't tell half of the story.

Again, I want to thank you for being responsive to the large Christian constituency here in Nashville.

Sincerely,

Jerry Sutton

Senior Pastor

Whew. It almost makes you wonder if he's got a notch on his Bible for every "war with the Church" he instigates and wins. Every once in a while my dad will run around waving his hands and yelling "The Pharisees have won! The Pharisees have won!" I have a feeling Sutton's letters would send him into fits. Anyway, Sutton, if you're reading, you're a bully. If you don't like something, turn the damn TV off. Encourage your friends and parishioners to turn the damn TV off. But don't force the station to pull the show, thus imposing your will on me. Aren't you supposed to be meek? But you've got bigger problems, my friend. And your bigger problems include, I suspect willfully, misinterpreting the Bible and passing on those misinterpretations to your congregation, who rely on you to teach them about the love of Jesus. That's pretty unconscionable. You say "I was offended by the distortion of Christianity. In fact, your program borders on blasphemy." But, as Katherine Coble points out, "The beautiful thing about Christianity is that it is for everyone. That's precisely who Christ died for. So let's get rid of this idea that there's a right type of person to be a Christian." But what you're doing is even worse than just assuming that, if people aren't Christian exactly the way you're Christian, they aren't Christian. In these sentences, you're suggesting that a distortion of Christianity borders on blasphemy. Excuse me? Are you really suggesting that if Christians aren't portrayed to your liking, the portrayers are committing blasphemy? Are you really suggesting that Christians are gods that can be blasphemed against? I'm really stunned by this level of heresy coming out of the Senior Pastor at such an influential church. How did it come to this? I think we both know. Jesus says: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Paul says: "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." And you say: "I don't think you want a war with the Church, but if you continue..." Well, I think it's clear whose example you'd rather follow. And who can blame you? Jesus says hard things like "Blessed are those who mourn" and "Blessed are the meek" and who wants to sit around being mournful and meek and merciful and peace-making when you can kick some ass for Jesus? Paul is a first-rate ass-kicker for Jesus and sharing in his righteous indignation is good fun. Who doesn't understand your inclination to take him as your model? And, for the pastor of an enormous church with thousands of members, who gets to run in important political circles, I'm sure it's much easier to read "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel" and think it applies to you than to read "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation" and know it does. *Or, come on, any church.