I had an eloquent, well-researched, and long post about Joan of Arcadia finished last night. Then LJ ate it. Let me try to summarize: I like most of the characters on JoA. I like Joan's family, I get a kick out of her friends, I am relieved to note that her teachers are not universally evil, and the cop subplots are... um... well, moving on, I think it's uneven but has a lot of good potential. I enjoy reading fannish love about the show on my friendslist. There's only one tiny little problem standing in the way of my enjoyment.

I can't stand God. (On the show, that is.)

Let's take Joan's God at His/Her/Their word -- namely, that we are seeing a manifestation of the same God who turned up in the Tanakh, the New Testament, and the Qur'an. We know, then, that this God is manipulative, mysterious, periodically incomprehensible, frequently overcontrolling, occasionally mistaken, and, yes, snippy. (I view the post-Golden-Calf conversation Moses has with God in Exodus as classic black comedy. "I shall destroy the Israelites!" "Uh, God, you had this covenant with Abraham...." "Screw the covenant! I'll grind their bones to make my bread!" "All the other gods will point and laugh, you know." "Oh. Good point. Okay, just tell the Levites to slay their way through the camp, I'll send a quick plague, and we'll call it a day.")

This God is not, however, ordinary. This God is the opposite of mundane (the word I'm looking for is actually "holy"). But Joan's God is so mundane S/He makes my teeth hurt. Joan's God only appears in non-threatening guises, only asks Joan to do safe and age-appropriate things, refuses to answer questions (leaving well enough alone isn't really a talent of the God I've read about), doesn't perform miracles for reasons that wouldn't pass muster with a bright six-year-old, won't offer proof of identity ditto, refuses to talk about sin, keeps mum about any afterlife, is entirely apolitical (especially ironic given the saint being referenced here), and has yet to do anything that a demon couldn't do according to mainstream Christian theology. In short, God is dumbed down to the point of being a below-average human with some seriously irritating tics. This God wouldn't know the mysterium tremendum et fascinans if it walked up and stuck its tongue down His/Her throat.

Even worse, this God says things like "fulfill your nature" with a straight face. Now, I suspect that JoA's God is supposed to be sort of like the God in Julian of Norwich's theology, a God who brought the world into being and sustains it out of pure and focused and unceasing love. Unfortunately, Julian of Norwich's God also spent the last several millennia suffering horribly and dying for what Julian never quite comes out and says is universal salvation. Julian's God is way interesting, and that's before S/He goes all gender-bendy on us. JoA's God, as far as I can tell, must've spent the last several millennia -- existing out of time, naturally -- watching Dr. Phil. Bleah.

I am also disappointed in Joan; I wish God had appeared to Joan's Mom, who seems less inclined to let God slide by with mealy-mouthed piety. Me, I'd have a list of questions ready, and I'd keep asking them. After all, JoA's God keeps flaunting His/Her omniscience -- although I notice S/He's been smart enough not to claim omnibenevolence.

"God, where does evil come from?"
"God, when You said You were 'friendly' in the New Testament and the Qur'an, were You speaking in tongues?"
"God, would You like to offer some proof that You created that tree, and was it out of nothing or preexisting matter?"
"God, if You're everywhere, are You in the toilet?"
"God, I appreciate the attention and all, but couldn't You 'catalyze' a lot more effectively if You went to have a chat about birth control with the Pope?"
"God, when You say 'have I ever made anybody burst into flames?', I think You're forgetting the entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, Nadab and Abihu, several hundred Israelites at Taberah... hang on, did You also want me to count the people You told other people to set on fire?"

There is a good reason they don't make shows about (and perhaps for) people like me. But I do wish I could like Joan of Arcadia, and I keep getting hung up on how completely un-God-like God is. Shoot. Where do they get this stuff?

Current Mood: discontent