Letter to a TV Station Executive About the NBC Program, Book of Daniel!

Letter to a TV Station Executive About
the NBC Program, Book of Daniel!

Great news!! Since the time the below information has been written an annoucement was made on 06-01-24 that the Book of Daniel is being cancelled immediately by NBC and another program will be aired on Friday January 27th in the time slot originally occupied by that debacle known as the Book of Daniel! It was reported that a number of NBC affiliates refused to show the program and some of the original advertisers backed off and no longer wanted to run ads during the showing of the program. Now I wonder if Mr. Richard D. Shrott of WJAC-TV of Johnstown PA has any second thoughts on this??????

Hello there -- Theo, CDH's administrative assistant on Circuit Rider's Range here. CDH asked me to provide a bit of background on this situation. You may be aware that NBC launched a program titled "Book of Daniel" as we moved into 2006. Immediately there was an outcry mainly from persons and groups who identify with the Christian faith because of the program's obvious mockery of all that Christianity represents by way of truth and holiness. Characters featured in this fiasco are an Episcopal priest who is messed up and family members who also exhibit questionable moral standards and behavior. The series also features appearances of "Jesus" from time to time in conversation with the priest. The NBC affiliate, WJAC-TV which is based in Johnstown PA, apparently received some negative communications protesting the program.

Mr. Richard D. Schrott, General Manager, wrote a letter to the Readers' Forum of the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat in which he attempted to justify the station's position of showing the program which is now being aired weekly -- at least as of this date, January 20, 2006. Mr. Schrott's philosophical view is that, while they do not necessarily endorse all network programming, the material is offered to the public freely because in Mr. Schrott's view, if anyone doesn't like it they can "vote by remote" -- that is, simply turn the program off or switch to another channel! He also indicated that to censor or refuse to show the program is a dangerous thing -- so all choices are left to the viewer which he feels is "as it should be."

CDH responded directly by letter to Mr. Schrott -- the letter is printed below. The choice to do this was necessary because the Tribune-Democrat no longer publishes any submitted letters by CDH and thus it was not possible to use the public forum in making the response. The problem with the Tribune-Democrat is discussed at Letters to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat - One Badly Butchered -- Others Not Published! -- if you check that out, use return on your web browser to come back here. Now on to that letter about the Book of Daniel program.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Mr. Richard D. Schrott, Mgr.
WJAC-TV
Johnstown PA

Dear Mr. Schrott:

I am responding to your letter directly rather than via the Readers' Forum of the T-D since they no longer will publish any of my letters -- likely due to past conflicts I've had with them due to their editing practices.

Your "logic" in justifying the Book of Daniel is that you throw the ball into the viewer's court and the viewer then has the freedom to "vote by remote." I assume then, that if NBC chose to present a program laced with full frontal nudity of both sexes and total exposure of graphic depiction of sexual activity, that you would have no objection since you claim no endorsement but in the name of "freedom" the viewer makes the choice as to viewing and this ugly thing of "censorship" is completely avoided. Arsenic still has the same effect, whether you drink a few drops in your milk, or an ounce directly out of the bottle!

A primary issue is the mockery of basic Christian values. Why is it that Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, or Buddhism are not subjected to the same treatment? Clergy identified as "Christian" are frequently depicted as ethical and moral failures such as shown in the Book of Daniel. When was the last time you saw a Muslim cleric or a Jewish rabbi portrayed in similar fashion?

There is much more that could be said but what good would it do? At a time when less than half of our population can make it to a place of worship on Sunday perhaps this country is more than deserving of the quality of entertainment which the Book of Daniel represents! It's too bad that those who concocted that program and those who gave approval to its airing have not read the real Book of Daniel in the Bible and pondered all its implications. They might have come away with a whole new perspective about life, its responsibility, and its eternal destiny!

Still contending at www.crrange.com

Clayton D. Harriger, Pastor

PS - Enclosed is a letter sent to the president and vice president on a regular basis with copies sent to other influential persons throughout the nation.

NOTE to reader -- the link to the letter sent regularly to the president and vice president is the first one of a number given below.

The Book of Daniel is only a symptom of a more serious national problem -- for further reference see:
[NOTE: Use return feature on your browser to come back here]
[NOTE: Use return feature on your browser to come back here]

T O P

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