THE BBC has been forced to defend an EastEnders storyline after outraged viewers accused the corporation of anti-Christian bias.
The complaints centre around a plotline on EastEnders which portrays Lucas Johnson, a Christian Pentecostal pastor, as a deranged killer whose deeds are motivated by his Christian faith.
Viewers have watched the pastor, played by actor Don Gilet, failing to help his ex-wife when she was dying, strangling a love rival to death, and attacking his current wife.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCI9ZQjb1LM[/youtube]
According to the Christian Institute, over 100 viewers have now written to the Corporation saying that they find the storyline deeply offensive.
The complaints have forced the BBC to issue a statement defending their controversial plot:
Lucas is certainly not intended to be representative of Christians. He is a very damaged and dangerous individual who has created a twisted version of the Christian ‘faith’ in his mind to hide behind and to convince himself that his actions are acceptable.
As the story unfolds, we will see other characters questioning Lucas’ claim to be a Christian. As Lucas has become increasingly unhinged, his obsession and reliance on the Bible and the scriptures has become increasingly frantic and desperate. This represents this character’s emotional breakdown, and it is very clear that this is absolutely not normal behaviour.
Last year an ex-BBC presenter claimed that the BBC is keen on programmes which attack churches, and that there was a wider secularist campaign “to get rid of Christianity”.
Don Maclean, the former Radio 2 religious programme host, also said that the broadcaster is:
Keen on Islam.
He  said:
You don’t see any programmes on Anglicanism that don’t talk about homosexual clergy and you don’t see anything on Roman Catholicism that doesn’t talk about paedophiles.They seem to take the negative angle every time. They don’t do that if they’re doing programmes on Islam. Programmes on Islam are always supportive.
In April 2009 Jonathan Wynne-Jones, a national newspaper journalist, warned that the frequent television portrayals of Christians as absurd make it more difficult for believers to defend themselves.
Writing on his blog Mr Wynne-Jones warned that a spate of recent storylines in a number of soaps had sent the clear message that “Christians are nutters”.
Hat tip: Dewey
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
July 14th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
So, 100 complaints, right? Population of the UK: 61.4 million. Percentage of complainers? Too small to register.
July 14th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Well I’m deeply offended by Eastenders generally for its depiction of East Londoners as hysterical misery sodden psychopaths (though I admit I couldn’t watch more than about 5 seconds of the damn program without slashing my wrists, so maybe there are occasional moments when people aren’t howling with tears or thumping each other.)
July 14th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
The guy in the clip quotes from the bible, so how can anyone who’s religious and takes that book for granted as the word of his god, be offended? Don’t they get it: they should be out in the streets, killing unbelievers, like the good book says. It’s time anyone who claims to be religious should prove it by knowing chapter and verse, cover to cover! And be able to explain why he hasn’t been able so far to live up to its commands.
July 14th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
As casual believers turn away from the Church and increasingly define themselves as “secular” the Christianity remaining will inevitably be the more unquestioning, faithful and ardent believers… ie Nutters.
July 14th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
I find it interesting that Maclean considers “homosexual clergy” a negative angle. What a truly reprehensible bigot.
July 14th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
“The BBC, they say, portrays them as nutters.”
So what’s the problem?
July 14th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
“BBC is keen on programmes which attack churches”. Oh, right. That explains Songs of Praise, The Daily Service, Prayer For The Day, Thought For The Day and Sunday Worship, then.
Maybe allowing Anne Atkins air time is a further subtle way of making Christians look like nutters.
July 14th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
“Mr Wynne-Jones warned that a spate of recent storylines in a number of soaps had sent the clear message that “Christians are nuttersâ€.”
That’s what soaps do, Jonesy. They hold a mirror to real life. (You nutter.)
July 14th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Clergy that wear silly clothes and hats. Stephen Green & Co howling at popular culture and giving SRE advice. Pope Palpatine, odd-looking Galactic Emperor, defending paedophile priests. Rowan Williams’ general Synod arguing over what should be non-issues. Anne Widdicombe. John Sentamu. Songs of praise gurning competition.
All this and the stuffed-shirts complain about Mad, Bad Lucas in Grange Hill, sorry Eastenders. It’s got me watching and I usually hate soaps.
Check out “Beastenders”.
http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/beast+enders/
July 14th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Hi guys, last year I did a survey for Atheists, if any of you took part or are just interested, the results have (finally) been published on my blog http://godlovesatheists.wordpress.com/
Cheers
July 14th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
they never seem to get it through their thick skulls that the more they complain about a TV show the more people will watch, though it doesn’t work with me and soap operas though I hate soap operas but instead of whining about them what I do is go watch something else or even switch the telly off and go DO something else, unless something else involves playing my PS3, I need the telly on for that
Also that Beastenders clip was rather strange I was expecting something completely differn’t though that spider head thing running around reminded me of that John carpenter movie ” the thing, John carpenter is an atheist too I might add.
July 14th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Eastenders offends me anyway. It’s shit!
And those clowns who watch it deserve getting offended, as they are the same bloody idiots who vote it to win the best soap award every year, despite the stupidity of the plots and overall awfulness of the whole proceedings.
Any one can see that Coronation street is miles better.
It can flit between comedy, pathos and drama in the same episode with ease, while Eastenders is about retarded wankers shouting at each other all day.
July 14th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
agentwhim. Re Ann Atkins, there is nothing subtle about Ann Atkins appearing a nutter. But I see what you mean.
July 14th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
@Sarah. I read the lot. You did a great piece of work there. I guess many of the “militant atheists” here will not be surprised at the findings. However, I think for many less confident of their abandonment of a faith these findings provide encouragement and I was particularly interested in the comments of those who became atheists from faiths outside Christianity. The ex Muslims give their former faith a bit of well deserved hammer.
I also liked the ripping to bits of that contemptible rag The Daily Mail.
Congratulations.
July 14th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
The last time to my knowledge that we had fundies fussing over EastEnders was a few years ago when a brief scene showed Dot Cotton witnessing a canoodle between two men on a bench in the Square and making a mildly disapproving comment. The Christian Institute, who deeply disapprove of homosexuality, objected to this. So how DO they think Christians should be portrayed?
July 14th, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Come on, stargraves, Coronation Street? A M2F Transsexual portrayed by a real woman? Why didn’t they get a real m2f Transsexual to take the part and why haven’t they explored the issues surrounding both M2F and F2M Transsexuals.
At least on Eastenders it gets a bit gritty and they explore the issues. The storyline about Paedophilia is a good example as has been the recent one about the Gay muslim and his lover. I’m not a lover of any soap but at least the BBC get to grips with real issues. From my thankfully little exposure to Coronation St, it’s still just bitching about the neighbours.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:16 am
Check the news any day and you will see stories of Christians behaving like that character, if not worse. Why are people having such a problem with this?
July 15th, 2010 at 1:52 am
Yeah, and they never talk about BP anymore without going on about environmental and safety records.
July 15th, 2010 at 8:17 am
@AngieRS – Eastenders gritty issues? Well, if they are filtered through the limited intellect of a sixth form drama student’s first go at scriptwriting perhaps. it has the most ludicrous plots, characters that become different people overnight, and least convincing dialogue I ever heard.
At least Corry is just straightforward soap opera crap. I agree with the transgendered casting – very lame. But it had status quo in it once, and Ian McKellen. So it wins.
I actually HATE all soaps with a passion, I can just appreciate quality writing.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
I have been waiting for this and i am surprised this did not happen earlier.
I object to all the soaps showing church funerals and marriages as norm.
I really am enjoying Eastenders and thank them for showing things as they really are.
Id rather be in a loving relationship with the same sex, than being single and abusing children and having children when saying you are celibate.
Next can we have a Vicar having an affair in Eastenders, that would be spicy.
Perhaps also when the Pope visits us he can make a guest appearance on the soap, and visit Lucas to hear his confession. I could then if I wanted to ,have the pleasure of turning him off.
July 20th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Omg it’s a soap and these things happen in real life get over it I think it’s great showing these storylines because there’s truth behind every one!!!!!! Love eastenders and it shows u anything is possible !!!! Looking forward to more storylines just sad alot of fav People are leaving
July 27th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Personally I have no issue with Christians (like myself) being shown in this way, because its a fictional TV programme and it is actually entertaining.
However it also has to be ballanced out with another character or family who show a positive image of Christianity, which Eastenders simply does not do.
By not doing this, the BBC is behaving stupidly because there are a huge number of people in the UK who are influenced by programmes like this. Some people are very niave and will be pushed away from the church and form negative stereotype images based around what the BBC shows.
Infact, I can’t think of a single TV programme on TV today which shows a nice, healthy, Christian image in any form. Its like the whole of TV is anti-religion unless it involves drama and pulls the audience in.
All religious stereotypes on TV must be extremist or fundimentalist or its just not entertaining. When was the last time we saw the regulars of Eastenders or Coronation streat attend Church on a Sunday simply for service…. and NOT because someone is getting married or died!
Eastenders is meant to be a reprosentation of British life, and yet they ignore the fact that a large % of the UK are actually practicising Christians (we just dont make a sign and dance about it), and the ONE who is shown on TV is a “Killer Priest” who lectures his father about “sex before marriage” and damnation.
Like I say… thats all very entertaining and I have no issue with that. But where is the balance? How is that equalled out with a nice, healthy Christian image?
July 31st, 2010 at 7:35 am
A large percentage of people in the UK are NOT christians and church attendance and religious practice are on a rapid decline. The non-religious should be complaining about Eastenders being too religious, not the contrary. Not only has there been the long running and ridiculous story about a ‘fallen priest’, complete with bible studies on religious doctrine, running alongside a gay Muslim being counselled by a religious American with his partner seeking to learn more about the Koran, we now have young Mercy talking religion with Dot and going to church with her, young Fat Boy (of all people) looking skywards to “someone up there”, young Jordan clutching a bible in hospital, Dot arranging a Prayer Meeting, presumably to counteract the mad priest, and lastly young Jodie handing Darren what looks suspiciously like a Chastity Pledge which may well lead to a Silver Ring Thing story. I begin to think that the BBC have hired an American Fundamentalist Christian scriptwriter and I urge Freethinkers to write letters of complaint about the increasing Christianisation of this popular soap opera which, like it or not, has an influence on many vulnerable people.