Mark I. Pinsky:
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE SIMPSONS!
interview by
Mike Nappa
More than a decade
after it’s debut, The Simpsons is not only still going strong---it’s
getting more muscular ratings than ever. In fact, when you include reruns, 60
million people in more than 70 nations see the show every single week. Add in 16
Emmy Awards, a billion-dollar merchandising industry, and the fact that this
prime-time cartoon is currently the longest-running sitcom on television, and
its obvious The Simpsons are firmly entrenched in American families and homes.
Critics pan the show for its disrespectful (and yes,
sometimes rude) story elements, while fans laud its intelligence and humor. But
who would have thought this sketchily-drawn show was also one filled with
Christian thought and honest explorations of religion?
It took Mark I.
Pinksy, a practicing Jew, to help us discover that. And he does it superbly in
his new book, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE SIMPSONS
(Westminster John Knox Press).
Recently, Mark took a few moments to chat with us
about his book and The Simpsons. Curious as to what he had to say? Then
read on…
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FamilyFans:
What’s the story behind your new book, The Gospel According to The Simpsons?
What prompted you to write this book?
Mark Pinsky: The book
began with my children, in the summer of 1999. We don’t allow any TV watching
on school days/nights, and we monitor on weekends during the year. In the
summer, watching is on a case-by-case basis. My son Asher, then 11, and my
daughter Liza, then 8, asked permission to watch The Simpsons. I was not a
regular viewer of the show, and only knew it by reputation, which was generally
negative although critically well-received. My children are quite bright and
sophisticated, so I told them I would watch with them, and if the shows were
okay, we would continue. So we began watching two-a-night reruns during the
week, and once on Sunday nights. I quickly noticed how much religion there was
in the show, and how favorably belief was treated. This was so counter-intuitive
that I reached for my reporter’s note pad. This led to a widely-reprinted
article in the Orlando Sentinel [newspaper], which led to the idea for
the book.
FamilyFans: What kind of research went into the
creation of this book?
MP:
I watched episodes through that first summer, at a rate of roughly 11 a week. I
bought the official guidebooks which contain plot summaries and made use of the
fans’ web site, which has extensive episode summaries. I bought or borrowed
some of the episodes that were not being broadcast. I located about half a dozen
academic papers written about the portrayal of religion in The Simpsons,
searched for relevant articles in newspapers and magazines and interviewed half
a dozen past and present writers and producers. Creator Matt Groening declined
to be interviewed but, through his lawyer, wished me luck.
FamilyFans:
What do you hope readers will gain from reading The Gospel According to The
Simpsons?
MP:
I hope they will agree with me that you can find God in the funniest places, and
where you least expect to find Him. I would like parents to try watching the
show with their adolescent children, especially their sons. A number of
evangelical Christians I have interviewed for the book told me they found this
to be a worthwhile bonding experience.
FamilyFans:
How did working on this project impact you personally?
MP:
I began noticing similarities in my life with The Simpsons. We say grace
at dinner, in Hebrew and English. We say prayers together at night before bed
and we light the Sabbath candles on Friday nights. When I took an unpaid leave
to write the book, I began going to morning prayers at a nearby Orthodox
synagogue, and putting on leather phylacteries, something I had not done in 40
years.
FamilyFans:
In your book, you mention more than once that you adhere to the Jewish religion,
yet you spend the bulk of this book discussing Christianity. Why is that?
MP:
Most of my beat at the Sentinel involves writing about evangelical Christianity,
and since The Simpsons are Protestants (if not evangelicals), I was able
to integrate much of the reporting I have done for the past six years in this
book. I like to think that I come to the subject of Christianity with a
relatively clean slate and an open mind. I did not read the New Testament for
the first time until I was an undergraduate at Duke University in the 1960s.
Like my religion writing colleagues, I never judge the beliefs of others. I
assume they are sincere unless demonstrated otherwise. I don’t pick favorites
among denominations or churches.
FamilyFans:
What keeps you from following the Christian faith personally?
MP:
My faith in Judaism is deeply rooted. I was raised in a Conservative Jewish
household. I was bar mitzvahed and confirmed and attended after school classes
through high school. Serving as a civilian volunteer with the Israeli army in
the Sinai in 1967 cemented that feeling.
Writing
about evangelism and the Jews has been the greatest challenge of my recent
reporting career. I understand the imperative of the “Great Commission,” but
I am impatient with those reluctant to take “no” for an answer. When people,
with the best of motives, press me on the subject my answer is that, “When the
Messiah comes, one of us is going to be VERY surprised.” I have been greatly
encouraged by the example of Dr. Bill Bright, with whom I have spent much time.
FamilyFans:
Before we go, would you share with us the best advice you could give to
Christian parents about matters of faith and media entertainment?
MP:
I would say, “be discerning.” Despite my book, I confess that, for the most
part, I agree with those Christians who believe that commercial television is
“of the Devil,” although that might sound strange. Nonetheless, there are
some very good things, some flecks of gold amidst the abundance of dross. Seek
it out. There are any number of evangelical publications and web sites that will
help you.
For
more info about Mark Pinksy and The Gospel According to the Simpsons, you
can check out Mark’s web site at: www.markpinsky.com. Look for his next book, The
Gospel According to Disney, to release in 2002.
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