It's Always Sunny has got it right

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is a show on FX not exactly known for being politically correct.  Episodes typically include "The Gang's" attempt to win "Flipadelphia" ending with the eventual destruction of private property or attempts to write a musical with underlying rape themes.  But the vulgar humor is the whole attraction of the show.  The cast is led by Danny DeVito and the show is all around hilarious.  However, I wouldn't recommend watching if you're easily offended.

The owners of Paddy's Pub usually display conservative, often racist and ignorant beliefs.  The writer's depict the characters as so foolish that the humor ends up being aimed at a liberal audience, not unlike The Colbert Report on Comedy Central.   Offensive terms such as "tranny" are periodically mentioned, but past all of the rudeness, the show usually backs liberal views.

The season six premiere, originally aired on September 16 and entitled "Mac Fights Gay Marriage" is no exception.  Mac had previously been dating a soon-to-be transvestite, and seeing her at the gym becomes upset to find she has already had the surgery and is now married.  Seeking revenge at her new husband he tries to fight their marriage, claiming it's homosexual and unethical.  Of course he ends up looking the fool in their Bible battle read off.  Mac quotes Romans 1:27, with his own little edition, "'Men with men, committing indecent acts,' sex in the butt, 'will receive the due penalty for their perversion."  To any literal follower of the Bible this excerpt sound reasonable, but when his African-American opponent responds with the out-dated excerpt from Exodus 21:20-21, "'When a man strikes his slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies, he shall be punished.  If however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished for the slave is his property.'"  Mac is, of course, unsure of how to respond, thus depicted as a fool for his literal interpretation of the Bible.

I for one, am glad It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia featured this episode.  I doubt whether I could approach any literal follower of the Bible with the second verse from Exodus and they would claim it's just, thus supporting slavery and the use of humans as property.  However, the literal interpreters often use Romans 1:27 to back their views.  In fact, ChristianAnswers.net uses this same verse under the header, "God's Plan for Sexuality," claiming it's against God's will for people to be homosexual.  I believe the Bible has some useful lessons and sections in it, but to interpret it literally will make you close-minded to change.

Churches within the United States have noticed the Bible doesn't need to be taken word-for-word.  The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America repealed the ban on gay clergy unless the choose to remain celibate in late August of 2009, as reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on August 21, 2009.  Of course some members of the ELCA opposed the motion, but it still represent change within the Christian community.  Some churches obviously don't support the decision, including St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Marion, one of the largest ELCA congregations in Eastern Iowa.  In October of this year they voted to leave the ELCA with a 67% majority, as reported by the Cedar Rapids Gazette.  

I don't think this setback is an indication of what it to come.  Churches around the nation are realizing excluding gay members is unjust, and if churches are recognizing others are too.  Episodes like that of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia exploiting the wrongs of interpreting the Bible to exclude homosexuals also involve a younger generation in the debate.  I'm optimistic that Christians and Americans as a whole will change their mind and support gays and gay marriage.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is on FX on Thursdays at 9:00.