The Gospel According to Tony Soprano
David Buckna
Lessons from the 'Soprano' family
Don O'Briant - Staff
Like many other viewers of "The Sopranos," Chris Seay is obsessed with
the
popular HBO series, which begins again Sept. 15. But while others see
mob
boss Tony Soprano as a violent, depraved killer, the Houston pastor
identifies with his values.
"Like Tony Soprano, I can be greedy, lustful, angry and depressed,"
says
Seay, 30, pastor of Ecclesia, a progressive Christian community in
Houston.
"I don't commit adultery, murder, theft and the like, but it is
possible
that I could. The same kind of selfishness is within me."
That's why Seay believes his congregation and other Christians can
learn a
lot about moral issues by watching the show. In his new book, "The
Gospel
According to Tony Soprano: An Unauthorized Look Into the Soul of TV's
Top
Mob Boss and His Family," Seay compares Tony to King Solomon. Like the
biblical monarch, Tony has accumulated great wealth and power. He has
an
army of men who are committed to him, yet he feels poor and weak,
alone and
abandoned.
"Tony thinks if he can get it all, he would be happy, but when he gets
it,
it doesn't mean anything," Seay says. "Neither he nor King Solomon can
figure out why they are so miserable when the answer is clear ---
without
God there is no peace."
Seay draws on the Bible, Nietzsche, F. Scott Fitzgerald and other
sources
to explain why a show about so much evil and depravity can uplift us.
And
while he doesn't recommend "The Sopranos" as typical family
entertainment,
he does praise it as a realistic morality tale.
"Some people may denounce the show as trash filled with sexual
perversion
and violence, while missing the greater art and beauty found in the
tension
between good and evil," he says. "If viewed with an open mind, 'The
Sopranos' has the potential to teach as parable about family, love,
crime
and God."
Although Seay admits his ministerial methods of relating popular
culture to
the Bible are unorthodox, he is convinced he is reaching a youthful
audience that has been turned off by traditional religion. In the
church he
started in Houston, the average age of congregants is 23.
"We express our faith with a lot of music and painters who paint
during the
service," he says. "We really believe that art tells the story of God
in a
very unique way."
Seay contends that some churches make mistakes by continuing to make
the
story of God a "boring, uninviting and pasteurized tale. The
characters
from the Bible have lost so much of their power because Christians
have
been too concerned with morality. Men like Abraham and Solomon and
David
are a lot like Tony Soprano --- really mixed-up people that God
forgave
despite their sins."
---
Family values according to 'The Sopranos'
By Mark I. Pinsky | Sentinel Staff Writer
Like millions of Americans, Chris Seay was hooked after watching just
a few
episodes of The Sopranos, HBO's hit series.
"The characters were so real, so true to life," he recalls. "They were
truly flawed heroes, and that is compelling to me."
The saga of an Italian-American family living in northern New Jersey
is
characterized by award-winning writing and acting. It is also drenched
in
blood, sex, greed, crime and, most of all, the angst of its
protagonist,
Mafia boss Tony Soprano.
What makes Seay, 30, different from other fans of the series is that
he is
a Christian minister. And still he expects to rush home from his
Houston
church when the show's fourth season opens Sept. 15.
He won't be alone. Eleven million households tuned in to the final
episode
of The Sopranos' third season, a significant audience for cable, but
about
half as many viewers as a hit network series such as ER, CSI or
Friends
might pull.
The Sopranos' following, however, is both intense and influential,
including television critics and opinion makers such as Seay, who also
contributes to the online magazine salon.com.
"Who would have guessed that you would have found the great American
epic
in the Jersey suburbs?" asks Robert Thompson, director of Syracuse
University's Center for Popular Television.
Seay admits that the mob opera was initially a guilty pleasure,
discovered
during a one-month free promotion for HBO. Despite its abundant
profanity
and nudity, he says he was captivated by the complex characters and
the
intense narrative. He was also embarrassed.
"What is my wife going to think that I'm watching when she walks into
the
room?" he recalls worrying -- for good reason.
At first, his wife was troubled by his growing affection for the show.
She
wondered whether it was right for an educated person with a spiritual
calling to consume such a large weekly dose of obscenity and violence.
Soon, though, he convinced his wife, Lisa, that he was all right, that
The
Sopranos is, at its essence, about "faith, forgiveness and family
values."
The appeal of the show is undeniable to this man of God. So much so
that he
felt compelled to link the unlikely, turning out an intriguing
spiritual
meditation. The Gospel According to Tony Soprano: An Unauthorized Look
Into
the Soul of TV's Top Mob Boss and His Family will be published Tuesday
by
Relevant Books, based in Lake Mary.
The tactic of using popular culture to drive home spiritual messages
has a
long history.
"If one goes back and systematically looks at all of American popular
culture in terms of religion, and how each one can illuminate the
other, I
think it's a perfectly fine exercise," says Thompson. "It's certainly
an
exercise the medieval theologians performed perpetually."
In his modern-day treatise, Seay writes: "The Sopranos serves as a
prescription for the soul. It has the power to condemn or restore." It
also
manages to show human beings at their brutal worst, and those same
characters at their humane best.
"To misread The Sopranos as a glorification of violence or a cheap
comedy
about middle-class America is to not read it at all," he writes. "Like
all
art, it must be interpreted."
The Sopranos as a philosophical teaching tool? Some observers welcome
the
notion.
"While so many religious culture-watchers are offended by the sex and
violence in Sopranos, I tend to prefer stories that are real," says
Teresa
Blythe, co-author of Watching What We Watch: Prime-Time Television
Through
the Lens of Faith.
"If someone is going to do a treatment of the mob, it would be quite
unreal
for it not to include depictions of the depravity resulting from a
life of
crime," she says. "Shows like The Sopranos are excellent reminders
that we
really do reap what we sow."
Not all theologians are convinced by Seay's approach.
"Christians need to be concerned with culture in general and pop
culture
specifically," says Steve Brown, professor of communication and
practical
theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Oviedo. "But I would have
some
real problems with trying to draw on values from a television program
that
are totally different from what I as a Christian believe -- except in
an
adversarial way."
If anyone can make this combination work, it would be Seay, says Mark
Wingfield, managing editor of The Baptist Standard, an official
publication
of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
"Chris is the kind of person who is very capable of connecting with
people
through popular culture," says Wingfield, "and then drawing them into
the
Gospel and faith discussions."
Evil elevates
Seay's interpretation draws on the Bible and other sources to argue
that
the award-winning series is "subversive and transforming," and that "a
show
about so much evil and depravity can actually uplift us."
The Sopranos compels involvement, he contends.
"This show does not command imitation; it requires contemplation," he
says.
"One naturally begins to examine his life, family relationships,
finances,
and the God who created man in this miserable state.
"This contemplation raises questions much deeper than the sociology
and
economics of mob life. It probes the deeper mysteries of life: the
problem
of evil, the existence of God, how we experience the divine, the
nature of
heaven and hell, and the consequences of our actions."
Seay frankly acknowledges that "the characters take selfishness to a
new
level, selfishness that does not stop with subtle lies, lavish
spending on
momentary comforts, and a preoccupation with the admiration of
others."
And he has some complaints about the show. Ironically, Seay rejects
the
therapeutic model -- The Sopranos' central plot device is the
mobster's
relationship with his psychiatrist -- for a theological one.
Tony, afflicted with depression and anxiety attacks, does not need
sympathy, empathy or drugs, Seay says. His problem is sin.
"The truth is that Tony is sick," Seay writes, "but his sickness is
not
merely psychological -- it is spiritual. It's about eternal decisions
of
right and wrong. It's time someone begins treating the problem and not
the
symptoms. It's time for change."
Ultimately, the efforts of psychiatrist Dr. Melfi are in vain, Seay
argues,
because "offering self-help to Tony Soprano only makes him a more
successful gangster, and this is immoral."
Characters such as Tony's nephew Christopher and his enforcer, "Paulie
Walnuts," sink to murder, theft, torture, extortion, adultery and
worse,
Seay notes. Soprano's wife, Carmela, like the other Mafia wives in the
show, make their own deals with the devil -- usually their husbands.
"I want to be sanctimonious and push these hideous characters away,"
he
writes. "But I cannot. We're just too much alike."
Television critics say that what separates The Sopranos from any
number of
other TV shows -- and elevates it above them -- is the way it focuses
on
the complex interior lives of its criminal characters, the robbers
rather
than the cops. Because the stories are told from the criminals' point
of
view, including their struggles with their consciences, those watching
become vicariously complicit in the crimes -- or sins.
This fictional family "slips in under the radar and subverts viewers
who
would typically not take part in violence, crime, and deceit in any
other
context," he says. "Yet, every Sunday night, while sitting safely in
their
living room, millions of people become a third party to criminal
activity."
Seay realizes he has a tough case to prove in asserting that Tony
Soprano,
a wavering Catholic who wears a St. Jerome medallion around his neck,
is in
any way redeeming. Still, he seems up to it. To bolster his
contention, he
marshals European philosophers as well as the Bible.
The French thinker Blaise Pascal, for example, wrote that "Man's
greatness
comes from knowing he is wretched."
Seay writes that Pascal is correct, and that "The Sopranos has the
power to
lead you to greatness as it amplifies the wretchedness of us all."
The way Tony Soprano is portrayed "embodies evil in so many ways, and
yet
viewers can't resist loving him," Seay says. "I don't believe they
love him
for what he does, but because we see the same propensity in ourselves.
You
cannot move forward to your redemption until you see your own
wretchedness.
"In that space of being disgusted by Tony's wretchedness, and at our
own
wretchedness, it forces us to strive for something better."
======================================================================
CHARISMA NEWS SERVICE Wed, Aug 21, 2002 Vol. 4 No. 108
======================================================================
A News Update from the editors of Charisma magazine
TODAY'S FEATURE:
Finding the Gospel in a TV Gangster's World
In "The Sopranos," the acclaimed but violent cable TV series about a
Mafia family, many Christians see the epitome of all that's wrong with
the contemporary media and society. Chris Seay, a Houston pastor,
finds a series of sermons.
To read more, go to:
http://www.charismanews.com/online/articledisplay.pl?ArticleID=6519
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO TONY SOPRANO.
It's the side of The Sopranos you've never seen. Author Chris Seay
exposes that there's a lot
more beneath the surface of this hit mob show than just baked
ziti and Armani suits.
Releases next week. Pre-order your copy now for only $7.95 (this week
only).
---
An excerpt:
The Sopranos has held the
imagination of the world at
gunpoint. This story of an
upper-middle class suburban family
has found an unprecedented place in
the heart of cable television subscribers.
This fictional family slips in under
the radar and subverts viewers
who would typically not
take part in violence,
crime, and deceit in any other context.
Yet, every Sunday night, while sitting
safely in their living room, millions
of people become a third party to
criminal activity.
The Sopranos shines light
into dark areas. It calls
hidden secrets to the
surface and creates a heightened awareness
of the flawed state of mankind. It happens
unexpectedly, like spotting the
overlooked grime lingering
under your fingernails. At
once you see your hands as they are,
filthy and disgusting, and you are appalled.
Similarly, you watch the show and you
may find yourself wanting Tony to
kill the traitor, deceive
the FBI, and exact sadistic
revenge on the worst kinds
of people. Your response may be unprecedented
and even shocking to you. But you know
that something the characters did or
said struck deep into the heart
of who you are. For ten
bucks a month, HBO gives
you a new self-awareness. We watch
Tony, Carmela, and the rest of the crew,
and we see ourselves. It is more than
just sixty minutes of action, music,
and dialogue. It is a lens that
has shaped the way we view
the world. Reality steps in
and paints an accurate picture
as it destroys the illusion of suburban
bliss and exposes the vanity, greed,
and hypocrisy that typify this culture.
When Silvio gets sick and
throws up before he has to
kill his best friend, it doesn't
have to be explained. The viewers' stomachs
are churning as well. When Tony, the
chronic adulterer, tells Carmela,
"You're not just in my
life, you are my life,"
fans of the show put faith in the unfaithful
Mafioso and believe. Because we see
ourselves in him, we want to believe
that Tony is actually good, and that
consequently we are good.
The world loves this
adulterous, lying,
murderous thief because he is real,
raw, and exposed. Caryn James, a New
York Times commentator, wrote, "Emphatically
middle class, [Tony] is like one of
your neighbors, but with a
more dangerous job."
But there is something
about Tony Soprano that is
too real for us-too close to
everyday life. As Peter Kreeft says,
"To look at a man with both eyes
open is terrifying and wonderful, like
a roller-coaster ride. It yields a great
sense of depth, a third
dimension, just as two
physical eyes do." We watch
Tony and we see ourselves, and that
scares us.
Our culture has become so
good at covering up the
dark-covering up the real-that
we are taken aback by such penetrating
pictures of reality. Selfish motives
rise to the surface and call all of
our actions into question. We are
driven by our own lust
instead of the greater
good, and it is to our shame. We are
mortified by our lack of moral integrity.
We rely on the false so much that when
the true story of our sin is
revealed, we are forced
into the arms of therapy
and medication. Still, honest people
crave this reality, this acknowledgement
in the self-centeredness of humankind.
But what we desire most-spiritual
realization-we also fear
most. This journey will be
painful. But we search for truth nonetheless,
because we hope for something better.
How can one become a better
person watching a series
that is violent and sexually
deviant, portrays criminal behavior,
and disrespects the sacred vows that
bind the family? Many will say it's
not possible. They will likely mock
the aim of this book and especially
the intentions of Sopranos
creator David Chase, who is
seen as cashing in on
extreme violence and sexuality.
In fact, if you often agree with Christian
conservative Pat Robertson, then this
is not the book for you. It would be
a good idea to put this book
down now and turn away
slowly. But if you have
even a small understanding of what motivates
the show's obsession and openness to
spiritual insight, then you've come
to the right place.
Pundits claim violence
begets more violence. The
belief is that the brain is a sponge
which simply absorbs what it sees and
hears and mimics it. They say, "Garbage
in-garbage out," "What I see,
I will become," and so forth. This
philosophy may sound
reasonable to many, but it
is deeply flawed. It is merely
a tool used by religions to control
followers. It teaches people they should
avoid art, literature, film, and discourse
which do not fit into the
religious organization's
worldview. It's an extremist
view that allows no room for moderation.
It's like taking the adage, "You
are what you eat," literally. But
if all you eat is Velveeta cheese you
will not become Velveeta cheese,
although you will likely
get sick. In the same way,
watching violent television will
not make you violent. However, it should
be understood that your mind should
feast on more than your weekly dose
of James Gandolfini and Jamie-Lynn
Sigler. But based on the
fact you are currently
reading this book, you already know
your way to the bookstore and will likely
read something else when finished with
this.
Art should reflect reality,
not religious fantasy.
Turning the scandalous men
of the Bible like Abraham, Solomon,
and Moses into Mr. Rogers-type figures
robs the biblical narrative of its power.
These men were deeply flawed, not
unlike Tony Soprano.
Abraham pimps out the
matriarch of the Judeo-Christian faith
to powerful kings, and his nephew Lot
offers his virgin daughter to the townspeople
to be gang-raped. Solomon takes
a new wife almost daily,
and Moses murders a man in
a fit of rage. When everyone
is near perfect there is no progress.
No direction. No redemption. Nothing
real people can relate to. It is only
when a mirror is held up to reflect
our own imperfection that we
begin to comprehend our
need for change. These
flawed men and women are broken in the
same ways you and I are, and therefore
have something to say to us.
---
MCMANNES
a quick insight into our church, it was a pretty rules-oriented church. But,
it was the a great family. His father was our youth/ choir minister and had
a huge impact on me and others growing up. I'm not sure whether Chris' dad
totally agrees with him on everything but it matters not. His dad is a very
caring and kind person as is Chris. If Chris says this, I for one believes
his insight is inspired. A main point here is that one understands that this
is ultimately fiction. This lifestyle may not be as attractive to someone
who is grounded in something greater be it faith, family, or career.
The Sopranos could be the most well-written show on television. Like Chris
said, it is uncanny how a show can bring us into the mind of evil and
wretchedness with such delight. My fascination and fantasy with Tony and his
life are just that. I've been a Christian all my life but still fantasize
about the power of being a mob boss. However, my faith in God is what
compels me to goto work everyday instead. ;)
Sept 15 can NOT get here soon enough. Chris, if you read this, contact me at
mcma...@bigfoot.com..
The diatribe ends quietly...
Mike
"David Buckna" <dabu...@direct.ca> wrote in message
news:5ff8dc2e.0208...@posting.google.com...
John Clearlake
down. Its fun & a easy read. I give's you many things
to think about, our own human nature. We all do have the other side to
contend with, & keep under control.
I loved that the book only cost $12, I would have paid
$29 for it. B.Dalton and B.& N. has it in stock now.
I know that most inquiring minds will want to read this book.
JCL
"David Buckna" <dabu...@direct.ca> wrote in message
news:5ff8dc2e.0208...@posting.google.com...
JFisher282
Houston comes through again.
I love this town!