The West Wing

Based on Marshall and contactdp’s strong recommendation, Jieun and I have been watching a lot of The West Wing lately; we’re halfway through season two now. People seem to be crazy about this show, and I never understood it, primarily because of the only episode I had ever seen. In it, they took a cheap shot at a Dr. Laura type character that was so obvious, cheap and contrived, it angered me. Not that I like Dr. Laura at all. Just, it was so cheap it left me disgusted at its transparent partisanship.

That episode turns out to be literally the only episode like that; I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how balanced and respectful it’s been, even of Christians. I dig that. Even John would have liked the episode we just saw – it involves these Chinese refugees who claim to be Christians seeking asylum in the U.S. The Pres talks to one to see how genuine they are (calling it a Shibboleth – nice reference) and when asking how he became Christian, the guy responds basically by saying through a house church. If I had been watching at 420 James, John would have run out of his bedroom from his daily devotional and rewound to rewatch it. Good times.

His speech was actually quite moving. He says how we do not prove we are Christians by the recitation of facts; we believe that we are justified by faith. Faith is our true Shibboleth. I teared up. I actually tear up a lot at the show. And the show lets me know exactly when I should be moved, by employing the Full House method of playing weepy music at the appropriate times. Angers me. Sadly, it works. Freaking manipulators.