TV: "Supernatural"

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Does anyone watch the tv show “Supernatural” on the CW channel? I started watching this show from the beginning because I like horror and scary stuff but gradually this show has morphed into some bizarre theology. For the longest time on this series, the emphasis was on demons and other supernatural events but the show rarely tackled the question of God. Late last season and this season, they have finally tried to address the existence of God and although I thought this might be a positive thing (because this show is popular, especially among the young) it has turned out to be more harmful than helpful. This season, the main characters, the Winchester brothers (who have a family history of being demon and vampire hunters), are given strong evidence that both God and angels exist. However, this revelation and the plot line has put forth some terrible theology related to this subject. In the last few episodes, a woman that the brothers connect with discovers that she used to be an angel that fell from grace (they describe grace as some sort of “magic” substance that can be bottled up somehow) and became human. In the plot she’s confronted with a choice of regaining her grace and becoming an angel again but in a conversation with one of the brothers she laments at having to go back as an angel. She describes it as boring and her obediance as an angel as almost an assault on her individual freedom. She candidly admits to wanting to stay human because she wants to choose what she wants including the ability to have indiscriminant sex with others - she then proceeds to fornicate with one of the brothers. God is described as an almost negative tyrant who indiscriminately does things on a wim and demands complete obediance without use of reason and heaven is seen as kind of a “bummer” with only 4 angels actually getting to see God face to face - the rest of the angels just “sit” around sometimes for thousands of years and wait and obey without actually really knowing of God exists or not. The angels portrayed on the show are not nice at all, in fact one of them is downright mean and cynical. People who go to hell are usually evil but sometimes they go because they strike deals to help others and in some cases the demons are more moral and ethical than the angels. One of the Winchester brothers was sent to hell last season because he made a deal with a demon in an effort to save his brother - this season he was pulled out of hell by an angel because they thought he could be useful. None of it makes any sense theologically and it presents a bleak picture of the afterlife, whether it’s heaven or hell. This season is turning out to be not only stupid but dangerously close to being downright blasphemous. The heroes are good looking model types who gawk at women and dabble in porn and fornication - what kind of role models are these!!! What do other viewers think…I know, it’s time to switch the channel.
 
Personally, I like their portrayal of angels, since they’re much closer to the concept of God’s warriors than the nice, fluffy New Age-y angels of “Touched by an Angel”.
 
Haven’t seen much of it lately, mostly for these reasons.

As with Buffy, the deeper and more ‘relavant’ they try to be, the poorer the show. They always try to grow the characters, escape the trap of making the same show week after week.

But when the attempt to explain how God really is, they alienate and offend their smarter veiwers since the explanations have to be on a level the 12 yr old veiwers can understand.
 
Well, what do you expect? Not everyone is Catholic, and some who aren’t just don’t understand theology. It’s how things are.
 
I have never posted on this forum but I have been reading it for a while and it is really helpful and informative. I wanted to ask if anyone has seen or watches the CW show Supernatural. It is a favorite show of mine but recently it has started to talk about the apocalypse and angels have been introduced. Many of the ways in which the concepts are presented are not the same as they in Catholicism. However, I just enjoy it and seperate it from the real world. If anyone watches it, how do you feel about it? This is always a problem with these kinds of shows that start talking about religion. It can make me feel uncomfortable.
 
I don’t watch. gave up watching shows like that after Buffy( secular vampire slayer).My friend (agnostic) watches.
and he likes it. i feel it gives a way distorted view.some people equate it to reality.which is sad. Peace.🙂
 
I like Supernatural. It isn’t “theologically correct,” but the show does go out of its way to not be overtly offensive to believers. Often, the show is addresses such topics with a sensitivity lacking on almost all other shows.

– Mark L. Chance.
 
For the past four years, my favorite show has been “Supernatural” on the CW. It is the story of two brothers who hunt creatures like demons, ghosts, vampires, etc.

The show does NOT glamorize the occult or things like that. In fact, it does quite the opposite…the two main characters are constantly fighting these things and other evils.

There have been several scenes of evil characters (the bad guys) using witchcraft, but they have always been defeated and punished in the end. The finale also dealt with the Devil and fighting the apocolypse, but again, that is what the main characters are fighting against.

Is it okay for me to watch this show? I am strong in my Catholic beliefs and do not feel any pull towards the occult. In fact, the show makes me even more scared of such things. There are some discrepencies with Catholic teachings (ex. Angels who have never seen God), but I separate the two and enjoy the program.

Does anyone else watch this show? If so, what are your thoughts?
 
I’ve seen a few episodes and think that any reason for not watching it would be along the same lines of why one should never watch Exorcist and the like. Then again, the show didn’t seem nearly as creepy and I haven’t seen all of it.

Actually, I was vastly amused with the episode about the demon on ships/airplanes/etc. If I recall correctly, it reacts to the Holy Name rather badly and in particular Latin. They ended up looking for a “catholic” recipe for exorcism, and in general made me snicker.:extrahappy:
 
I’ve watched this show since it’s inception. Up until the past 1-2 years I’ve basically enjoyed it as an escapist form of entertainment. Obviously, the scenes involving demons and hunters killing evil things are fictional and have no influence on my love of the truth of the Catholic faith. However, during the last season or two, the show took a noticable turn by introducing angels and the idea of God’s existence. It could have been a good thing but I must say, I’ve been disappointed in how they’ve handled all this because the theology that they present is so ludicrious that it’s borderline offensive. The writers present a picture of God as a distant almost impersonal diety who does things that are capricious and irrational. They almost try to make Dean and Sam more ethical than God and the angels…in the season finale, the angel Cass defies God and helps Dean and Sam disobey what they were told to do. At one point earlier this season, a fallen angel gets a second chance to regain her “wings” but she laments it and confides in Dean that she wishes she could stay human to do the things she never got to do (like fornicate)…and then she proceeds to fornicate with Dean with no regrets. The whole thing has been very off-putting and misrepresents the truth about God, angels, demons and heaven and hell. At this point, the show’s gone so off the rails that I’ll be glad when it’s finally a wrap. Just my opinion, though.
 
I started watching “Supernatural” on Netflix and have gotten addicted. Now I have reached the Apocalypse arc. At first I liked it until it just got to be too much for me, so I read summaries of future episodes and didn’t like where the show seemed to be going. I google searched for a Catholic perspective and found this site/thread, however it seems to be from a few years ago. Has anyone here seen any of the recent episodes? Any thoughts? Should I just stop watching it?
 
I like the show. Yes, it obviously has it’s theology wrong. Guess what? It’s fiction. We cannot watch a fictional show about fictional hunting fictional things and expect correct theology (unless it gets whatever the video form of an imprimatur would be). It would be different, I think, if the creators came on and said something to the effect of “Hey, the way we portray things int he show are the way we think things actually are…of course angels, demons and God act the way we portray them to. Didn’t you know that already?” Ok then, I’d say stop watching. It’s entertainment using some elements from true realities to make a fictional story about fictional things.

…I went on a rant…sorry…
 
I just start watching this show last month and have finish 5 seasons of this show. I love to watch this show online and love it. I like the 3rd season of this show and enjoyed all sixteen episodes of this show.
 
A friend tried getting me to watch this show, and a few things I found kind of neat, like its version of “Bloody Mary” or whatever.

But around the more recent seasons, introducing angels, or whatever, I think it tries to push the idea that God is absent in our world, or at the very least apathetic, and preaches a humanistic message I found myself increasingly disagreeing with.

To be honest, Supernatural sort of reminded me what reading the Golden Compass was like, before it goes flat out anti-religion in the last book.
 
I use to love it. My not watching it now has no religious reasons. I’m not offended by their theology or anything. I just thought season 5 ended perfectly, and got irrationaly upset that it’s continuing. I feel like Sam and Dean are just going through the same wangsty emotions they sorted out, ike, 5 times now.

I still love watching the early seasons though
 
I’ve watched it on and off. I enjoyed the episodes that deal with God and Leviathan. Every episode is base on an occult practice or belief held by some group or another, be it the OTO, Wicca, Gnostic, or what have you. I think THAT is what makes it enjoyable for me.

The symbols and sigils are taken from the Key of Solomon or the Goetia.

I think the humor goes too far sometimes. I guess they don’t want to fall into the “trap” “Millenium” fell into…“Millenium” was very dark…and while it had a large audience following…it’s darkness eventually killed it…so maybe the humor is a good thing for “Supernatural”
 
Publisher said:
I’ve watched it on and off. I enjoyed the episodes that deal with God and Leviathan. Every episode is base on an occult practice or belief held by some group or another, be it the OTO, Wicca, Gnostic, or what have you. I think THAT is what makes it enjoyable for me.

The symbols and sigils are taken from the Key of Solomon or the Goetia.

I think the humor goes too far sometimes. I guess they don’t want to fall into the “trap” “Millenium” fell into…“Millenium” was very dark…and while it had a large audience following…it’s darkness eventually killed it…so maybe the humor is a good thing for “Supernatural”
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I loved millennium, I just could never understand it. A lot of the time the episodes left me hanging and confused about what just went on. Some scared me. Like the one where the devil was some kid who killed his father in their burning house and then started challenging Frank through the window of the burning house-Who’s stronger Frank, you or me? And no one else could see or hear him of course, except Frank and his daughter …really spooky.

I tried Supernatural but a few episodes scared me too much. I’d just rather not see movies or TV about demons anymore. I’d rather not be scared that way.
 
I love supernatural! I’ve watched it since the beginning and it has gotten progressively more ridiculous as far as the theology but it is a guilty pleasure. They do portray God as uncaring and distant and I was sad in the episode in which Dean asks God if he’s there and there’s no reponse 😦
 
SUPERNATURAL is a show
that is VERY well-written and VERY well-acted.
The two young guys who play the brothers are fantastic young actors.

All that being acknowledged, I too am troubled very much by the direction,
theologically/doctrinally, that this show has taken, and taken drastically.
I cannot bring myself to watch it anymore, because of this.
It bothers me too much.

PARANORMAL STATE is much closer to orthodox Catholicism, doctrinally,
but PARANORMAL STATE is NOT fiction, these things are real and
very disturbing. But the young investigators have a great respect for Catholic tradition.
One criticism: they sometimes seek out schismatic priests and sedevacantist
priests to perform the exorcisms.
These men are, objectively at least, in a state of sin (though perhaps not SUBJECTIVELY), and this is very dangerous to them when performing an “exorcism” and could endanger the victim being exorcised as well.
 
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