God and The Walking Dead

Last updated on: October 16, 2014 at 5:45 am by Jonathan McKee

God and The Walking Dead 2014-10-14T17:07:24-06:00 Jonathan McKee

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Last Sunday night over 17 million people gathered around the glow of their TV screens to watch a mishmash of human characters scrape a survival out of a world overrun by the walking dead.

The show is aptly titled, The Walking Dead. However, week after week, this zombie infested drama has proven to be less about the dead and more about humanity… or the lack there of.

It’s no secret. This weekly 42-minute drama is offering something that resonates with America; because it’s not only breaking records for viewership, beating out everything else cable or broadcast… it’s trumping Sunday Night Football! (And what’s more American than that?)

And when the show stops, the chatter doesn’t. The Twittersphere lights up with favorite quotes of the evening, questions, and plot speculation. Social Media begins buzzing. Dedicated fans even devote another hour to the subject at hand the same evening, watching The Talking Dead, a talk show where actors, producers and celebrities (this week it was Conan O’Brien) unpack what they’ve just seen and ask questions like, “Was Tyreese right when he killed Martin?”

And that’s the beauty of the show. No other show cultivates so many water cooler conversations about morality.

That’s probably why The Gospel According to the Walking Dead blog emerged. Conversations about morality open doors to conversations about Biblical truth. Every week this blog provides conversation, scripture and discussion questions unpacking the prior week’s episode.

Consider the dissection of good and evil in the Season 5 Premiere this past Sunday. Tyreese, one of the lead characters who has been carrying and protecting a baby through the post apocalyptic chaos much of last season, becomes engaged in a conversation with a sociopathic killer named Martin:

Martin: I don’t have any friends… I used to have em. I used to watch football on Sundays. I went to church. (Chuckles) I know I did. But I can’t picture it anymore. It’s funny how you don’t even notice the time go by. Horrible sh*t just stacks up day after day. You get used to it.

Tyreese: I haven’t gotten used to it.

Martin: Of course you haven’t. You’re the kind of guy who saves babies.

It happens every week. Humans are put in situations where they have to make choices. And the audience can’t help but wrestle with the morality.

Was he right?

I’ve met countless parents who watch it with their teenagers. When the show ends, “you just want to talk about what you just saw.”

I don’t know. Do you wish your kids wanted to talk with you about morality?

CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S DISCUSSION PROVOKER FROM
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE WALKING DEAD

Previous Post

October 9, 2014

When Teens Are Addicted to Screens

Next Post

October 23, 2014 Africa to Texas with No Screening

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Giveaway Book Review Bullying Career Christmas Church devotion Discipleship Donald Miller Drugs & Alcohol Easter eternity evangelism Family food giving thanks God humor James H. Pence Jonathan McKee Leadership love Marcus Brotherton marriage masculinity men's ministry men's studies movies music Parenting Pastoring patriotism persecution pilgrim politics pop culture Prayer Prison Ministry prosperity religion Saul secularism sex Social Media Television Thanksgiving Uncategorized women Worship youth culture

Select a Month December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Ezra famously do upon learning about the people's intermarriage?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Tore his robe and pulled hair Fasted for 40 days Fled to Babylon Broke the tablets