The Siiimpsonnns. You just hummed that tune while you read those words, didn’t you? Well, like it or not, that just goes to show that the Simpsons are a part of our culture. Don’t believe me? When’s the last time you heard someone say d’oh? Or, were you aware that d’oh is now included in some dictionaries? And now that the first family of Springfield has their first motion picture coming out, their influence is bound to be even more prevalent... at least for a few weeks at the box office; and that has some Christians worried.

Perhaps you’ve seen the epic trailer for The Simpsons Movie where Homer is desperately flipping through the Bible and complains, “Oh, there aren’t any answers in here!” The audience that I saw that particular trailer with not only laughed, but some cheered in agreement with that statement; and it’s statements like that which sharply divide many Christians’ opinions about The Simpsons. Some say it’s just another show that gets its laughs bashing Christians, while others point out that it’s actually a keen, insightful and honest view of how the world sees Christians, and how Christians often present themselves to the world.

As a Christian myself, I admit that I’ve noticed how The Simpsons often likes to poke fun at the stereotypes and beliefs of my faith (as well as those of other beliefs and faiths), but the fact of the matter is that sometimes those jokes are so insightful I’m not even sure a non-Christian would truly get some of them. While it’s easy for Christians to take offense at some of the jabs The Simpsons make, I’ve often found it a good check to help keep me honest and to make sure I’m not acting in some of those ridiculous ways that Christians sometimes do without even realizing it. Sadly enough, Christians are often their own worst enemy when it comes to reinforcing negative stereotypes. We say that we don’t like to be portrayed a certain way, but then go out and act in that exact same way. I know that sounds harsh, but it’s true (trust me, I grew up in pastor’s home and have seen a lot of the inner workings of church life that most people are not privy to) The reality is that Christians at times can be a bit ridiculous and funny in the way they act, and shows like The Simpsons simply point that out and use it for entertainment.

So the question for Christians becomes how will they respond to the cutting remarks that are sure to tumble in humorous ways from the Simpsons’ biggest adventure yet. One option is to get all huffy and offended and choose to ignore one of the biggest movies of the summer; and I’ve certainly heard plenty of people in church who are already offended and upset at the movie despite the fact they haven’t even seen it yet and certainly plan on never seeing it (because that’ll teach ’em). Or, another option is to be honest enough to laugh at the insights that are spot on, bold enough to point out that which is merely an empty stereotype, and open enough to use this cultural event as a springboard for an intelligent discussion about the merits of Christianity: how Christians aren’t perfect and sometimes silly, but also how Jesus Christ was perfect and loved us so much that he was willing to give the free gift of life eternal to a bunch of silly, self-absorbed, easily corruptible and often hypocritical people. That ranks as one of the most amazing gifts of all time, and not even The Simpsons can make that look silly.

It takes a very secure person to laugh at oneself, especially when what’s being laughed at contains some element of truth along with the absurdity. When you have Christ in your life, you’re one of the most secure people on all of earth; so don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself, but at the same time don’t be afraid to learn from the humorous observations of something like The Simpsons Movie. If we’re willing to learn from those observations, we’ll be better able to live a life that reflects the great gift of love and grace given to us by a loving God in a manner that is not only sincere and honest, but also attractive to people who are desperately looking for answers, just like Homer Simpson.