For us "Touched By an Angel" fans...

[kgreen20]

This article was published in the May, 1996 edition of Guideposts Magazine. I have no access to an online version, alas, or I'd post a link. So I'm going to type the body of the article--which I have in hard copy--below. (Certain capitalizations in the article are mine.)

__________________________________________________________________

Martha Williamson: Angel Behind the Angels (page 18)

TV is Touched by an Angel
by Martha Williamson, Pasadena, California, as told to Richard H. Schneider


Critics praise this popular show that "treats God as a fact of everyday life." How did it reach prime time? And who is the guiding force behind it?


Of all the television series I have produced in the last 12 years, none has affected me more than the one that came to my attention in the spring of 1994.

That's when CBS asked me if I would be executive producer of a new show called Touched By an Angel. "We'll send you a tape of the pilot," said my contact.

When the tape arrived, I slipped it into my VCR and sat on the living room floor to watch. The show was about angels, and I had barely viewed half before I decided against it. In fact, it upset me. It wasn't true to what I knew about angels. From studying theI knew angels were God's messengers who could do nothing but His will.

But the pilot I saw portrayed angels as recycled dead people with power over life and death. They didn't treat one another with respect, and the show gave the audience the option of believing in them. I felt anyone wanting to see a show about angels would expect to see Heavenly beings who were enthusiastic about their work, did it with joy and integrity, and loved their Boss.

I turned off my VCR and, without really taking time to pray about it,went to the phone and told CBS I couldn't work on the show.

A week later I had lunch with Andy Hill, president of CBS Productions. We met at a restaurant in Hollwyood, and as we talked, something strange happened: I found myself bringing up the angel show.

"Now, when you hire that executive producer," I said, "make sure he portrays angels as loving, joyful beings. And remember," I emphasized, "don't give the audience the option of believing in them."

Again and again, I raised points that I felt should be considered. Even outside the restaurant, I continued talking about the show. As I finally left, I rolled down my car window and said, "If you need any ideas, give me a call."

Andy smiled and waved good-bye. As I pulled away I felt I was leaving something important behind. But I had another possibility: NBC had offered me a courtroom drama series. Not only did it promise to be a success, it would also earn me more money than I had ever made before.

My deadline to accept this offer was the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, less than a week away. But during the next few days, no matter what I did--driving, reading, cooking--my thoughts kept turning to angels. Every time I prayed, I kept hearing the word angels. Each time I gave thanks over a meal, angels came to mind. Finally, I had to believe the Lord was speaking to me. I called Andy Hill at CBS. "Andy, is the angel job still open?"

"No, not exactly," he said. "We've made appointments to interview other producers." My heart sank. "But," he said, "why don't you come in? The earliest we could see you would be Wednesday after Memorial Day."

After Memorial Day?

I slumped onto my sofa, my stomach tightening. I had to give my answer to NBC this coming Friday. But I wouldn't know about the angel show until the following Wednesday. Should I risk giving up the best offer I had ever had for something that might not even happen?

For two days and nights I wrestled with my decision. Friday morning I woke still in a quandary. Finally, with only hours left, I did what I should have done earlier: I called a prayer partner.

"Greg, please pray for a decision I must make today," I said. "I'm not going to tell you what it's about except that in a few hours I have to accept or turn down a good job opportunity. I just want you to ask the Lord if I should say yes or no."

An hour later my phone rang. "Martha," said Greg, "I've been in prayer since you called and all I keep hearing is no."

This was my confirmation, for I had been getting the same answer. I hung up the phone and was about to call NBC when something made me hesitate. Was it wise to turn down a sure thing? Then I remembered one of my favorite Proverbs: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5, New International Version).

I called the NBC people and told them I was sorry, but I couldn't do the courtroom show.

On Wednesday I went to CBS Television City in Hollywood. How ironic, I thought, as I got out of my car in the parking lot. Here I was interviewing for a job I had had in hand just two weeks ago.

I was ushered into a large conference room where a host of CBS executives waited--Peter Tortorici, president of CBS Entertainment, Andy Hill, four vice-presidents and others. I prayed quickly for guidance and started my presentation.

"You know I'm a Christian," I began, "and, although this is not a religious show, there are standards I feel we must follow.

"If I do a show about angels, it must be true to what I know is true," I continued. I looked around at the impassive faces, took a deep breath and went on.

"I'll be responsible for providing you with one hour of quality entertainment," I said. "But we cannot do a show about angels if we don't respect God.

"Every successful show has rules that are never broken without consequences. Look at Little House on the Prairie. No one failed to love the other. No one betrayed each other. The family had rules. If a character broke one, there was a price to pay. By the same token, God has rules and they do not get broken without consequences.

"I think one of the problems with television today," I went on, "is that so many rules get broken. I believe what makes a series long running is when the audience knows the rules are inviolate. So I want to go to the Scriptures to make sure what the angel rules are and still come up with something an audience can enjoy."

The room was silent. Finally, someone asked, "So, do you think you can fix the pilot?"

I thought a moment and said boldly, "No, I want to start all over. I'd rewrite completely and keep just the angels Monica and Tess."

No one said a word, but I felt a strong sense of peace. Then Peter Tortorici said, "OK, Martha, please wait in the next office and we'll let you know."

It was the longest wait I ever spent. Have I blown it? I wondered.

The door opened and Peter appeared. He pointed to the room behind him. "Everything you just said in there? Write it!"

My challenge was just beginning. I was asking the network to throw away a pilot that had cost two million dollars to produce. The responsibility fell heavy on me.

It was now June and the show was to air in September. Normally it takes four weeks to write, shoot and fine-tune a pilot, plus come up with new episodes to follow another right away. On top of all that, I had to hire writers and producers and move to Salt Lake City, where we would be filming.

But I believe God bends time to His purpose. I wrote the pilot in three and a half weeks, and began shooting on time in Salt Lake City.

Though the hierarchy was supportive, I didn't think anyone felt optimistic. One day an executive told me, "Look, Martha, we know you've been asked to do the impossible. When this show bombs, nobody is going to blame you."

That only increased my commitment, and we made our deadline. On Wednesday, September 14, 1994, I sat at home alone, once again on my living room floor, watching the first episode of Touched By an Angel, starring Della Reese as Tess and Roma Downey as Monica. It was about a grief-stricken mother who had lost her baby to sudden infant death syndrome.

Monica comes to console her. But the mother snaps, "You're an angel? So what. Where was the angel when my baby died? Why didn't an angel call 911 for me? Why didn't an angel drag me out of my bed into that nursery? Where was the angel then?"

Monica drops to her knees and says, "There was an angel with your baby when she died. And it's the same angel who is with your baby now. God loves you more than you can possibly imagine."

Tears streamed down my face. I couldn't believe I had had anything to do with those words, or that they were being spoken on network television. And today, after two successful years of Touched By an Angel, I still feel that way.

As far as I'm concerned, God is the show's true Executive Producer.

[kgreen20]

I have another article written about her that was originally online on the Presidential Prayer Team Web site. Unfortunately, it no longer exists, so I can't post a link or copy and paste the article. Fortunately, I have it in hard copy, so I'll type it here, as I did the other.

__________________________________________________________________

THE PRESIDENTIAL PRAYER TEAM

American Inspirations Award
June 2003


"When you try to keep everyone happy, you get virtually nothing accomplished! Now I focus on keeping God happy. Life's much better that way."--Martha Williamson


As the execitive producer of CBS's drama Touched By an Angel, Martha Williamson brings her robust faith in God into a world dominated by secular thought and morals. Her unwavering values and beliefs are the main influence for the show's plot. As a young girl growing up in Denver, Colorado, Williamson's mother was an influental role model for her, working as a business partner with her husband in the '40s, 50s, and 60s. Her mother's example helped her develop into a mature, independent woman of faith.

After attending Williams College in Massachusetts, Williamson began her television career in 1984 working on several musical variety shows. After gaining more experience working as a writer and co-executive producer on several shows, she was asked to be the executive producer for a new show about angels. CBS executives saw the rising interest in angels and
planned a show to capitalize on the growing trend.

Initially, Williamson turned down the offer, but decided to pray about her decision. She and a friend both prayed and both received the same answer: The idea for a show about angels was a good one and Martha should work with the network on it. She did not compromise her beliefs in order to gain favor from the network executives, but trusted God through the entire process, believing He could be a part of a network television drama series. Given the show's great success, her refusal to capitulate to the television world's loose morals was rewarded.

Williamson now faced the challenge of portraying a loving God in a positive light on a network television series without preaching. She also made it clear from the beginning that the show was not going to be a fantasy but instead a drama that focused on the lives of the characters. She wanted to portray her characters as having free will that allows them to choose God's love instead of trying to do things on their own. This set Touched By an Angel apart from all other dramas.

Martha describes the way she wanted characters to resolve their struggles by saying, "Your permanent relationship with God is more important than a temporary situation. There is no problem that is bigger than God's ability to fix it." The show's central focus is on God being the ultimate source of goodness, and that it is the characters' decision whether or not to accept this gift of goodness. "The source from which we draw our dramatic moral every week is God," Williamson states.

As she developed the concept for the show, there were some distinct moments of truth for Williamson. "If I didn't believe what I was writing, I wasn't going to be able to write it...It came down to the ultimate question: 'What is your faith?'" The question of faith and its influence on the show was unorthodox, given the moral climate of network television. But it has positively impacted thousands of lives and has helped viewers make life-changing decisions. "It seems like those three little words, 'God loves you,' have just made a huge difference in people's lives," she says. "The proof is in the response of her viewers. God has used the show's powerful message to change lives. "We get letters about healing all the time," Williamson says. Letters like these are confirmation for Williamson that her work is not in vain and that her decision to follow od's direction was the right one.

As she traveled the path of a successful Christian woman, Williamson has never compromised her beliefs for practical gain. She continues to advance the moral absolutes that are given in the Scriptures. "The best advice I can give is to absolutely stand by your beliefs," she says. "People forget that there are right things and wrong things in this world, and, when they are discussed, they're usually considered to be very hokey and corney...I hope that we made it OK for people to just ask themselves what is right, and what is wrong, and where does God fit into all this."

Martha Williamson has kept her resolve to please God and not Hollywood. "When you try to keep everyone happy, you get virtually nothing accomplished. Now I focus on keeping God happy. Life's much better that way!" Williamson's life as a successful woman of God attests to the value of uncompromised faith in God.

Now that the series has concluded after nine successful seasons, its scope of influence can be evaluated. Aside from the praise that the show receives from viewers, including the many viewers who say that the show has literally changed their life, the show has been hailed by the Parents Television Council as "a moral, uplifting, completely clean hour of television" that has helped reshape the landscape of television and caused the major networks to look at the amount of religion and spiritually-oriented material they have on their shows. Some say that the show's popularity is partly due to the "reverse cynicism" that many Americans have toward life. This attitude tending away from the cynical, immoral values of television and toward the positive, pure ideas on Touched By an Angel is in large part due to the determined faith and vision of Martha Williamson.

Williamson has applied this determined faith in God to her personal life as well, believing that she could wait on God's timing rather than rush into unhealthy relationships. "When I was 36, I wrote a letter to God, listing all the qualities I wanted in a mate. Next I said, 'God, I'm not holding you to this, but here's what I want. Now I'm giving this list to You." God honored this resolve by leading her to a relationship with Jon Andersen. The two keep prayer as a vital factor in their relationship with each other and with God. "The best thing my husband, Jon and I, do is pray every
morning--before we even get out of bed...At the end of the day, we take inventory with God and thank Him for what He did in our lives that day." Her loving marriage with her husband Jon has led her to write a book entitled, Inviting God to Your Wedding.

Martha Williamson has been honored with many awards, including the Covenant Award, the Excellence in Media Award, the Gabriel Award, and the Swiss American Faith and Values Award. In 1998, her alma mater Williams College honored her as a Bicentennial Medalist "in recognition of significant achievement in any field of endeavor." Her achievement was truly significant; she had broken all the rules with primetime television drama and created a show that celebrated God's love and the absolute truths of Scripture. For her steadfast devotion to living a life pleasing to God, her unwillingness to compromise her strong faith in God for personal success, and her positive and godly influence on television audiences, The Presidential Prayer Team is pleased to announce:


Martha Williamson
American Inspiration Award Recipient for June 2003

[kgreen20]

Now that I've posted 2 articles that are not available online, I'm going to post links to several articles that are. Here they are, if anyone wants to read them:


http://www.family.org/fofmag/pp/a0023968.cfm

http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2003/002/20.0.html

http://www.livinglightnews.com/vwilliamson.htm

http://www.livinglightnews.com/vangels.htm

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/04/27/tem_kiese27.html

http://www.saworship.com/article-page.php?ID=1419&Page=women.php

http://www.cbn.com/living/entertainment/screen/boatwright_angel.asp


May these articles always be available for TBAA fans to read! =)

[kgreen20]

Here's a few more links, for anyone who wants to read them:

http://www.john-dye.com/print/hr19981113c.php

http://www.john-dye.com/print/hr19981113b.php



Kathy G.

[Pendragon]

Thank you for this it was an Isporation for me in my own personal life Thank you

[kgreen20]

You're welcome. That show was (and is) an inspiration for me, too.

Here's another link! =)

http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/News/041118a.asp



Kathy G.

[kgreen20]

Bump.

[His4ever]

I just want to comment that I enjoy watchning the show. It's entertaining but it's fiction. There's something important missing from the show and, of course, it wouldn' be pc to put it in. What is it? The gospel of Jesus Christ. You won't hear the name of Jesus mentioned in the show as the only way of salvation. Even one time when someone asked the question on the show about how someone gets saved or gets to heaven, Jesus was nowhere in the answer. If Jesus was mentioned, you'd better bet they'd be getting all kinds of angry mail. If you want to get right down to it, the show is a deception and some people probably believe that the show depicts the way it really is. That is sad. No one but no one goes to heaven but through Christ but has anyone ever heard His name mentioned on the show? I haven't. Not once. I don't think I'd be able to work on the show or produce it since I know it isn't the truth. Not saying anything bad about Martha Williamson, I'm sure she has her reasons.

[roadrunner570]

A good book for the truth on Angels is "What the Bible Says about Angels" by Dr. David Jeremiah. Anyone who likes angels would really enjoy this, and its all based on biblical fact.

[kgreen20]

Bringing in Jesus and the plan of salvation wasn't an option for Martha, because CBS wouldn't let it be an option. She had to sneak the message in through the back door, instead of bringing it boldly through the front door. In the process, she never compromised the basic message. No, the show is not a deception, but a work of God--a TV show inspired by God. He called her to produce the show, and with His help, it became a success. People's hearts were touched, and lives were changed as a result of the show. Read the articles above, and you'll see how that happened.

I'm going to post an excerpt from 1 of those articles, published in Focus on the Family:

_________________________________________________________________

What about critics who say there’s not enough "Jesus" in the show? "People will say, ‘If you’re doing the show and you’re talking about God, then you should be giving the plan of salvation,’ " Williamson says. "‘You should be using the name of Jesus, and you’re hindering the cause of Christianity by homogenizing the message.’

"I keep coming back and saying, ‘Do you have any clue what kind of miracle it is that there is a show on network television that’s making millions of dollars and they are allowing Scripture and theological discussions on it?’ Talking about God instead of Jesus as Savior wasn’t a conscious choice, because we never had a choice. Network television is one of the most highly competitive businesses in the world, and they have absolutely no interest in becoming a soapbox for Christian beliefs."

There are some remarkable exceptions, however. Several episodes, most notably those for Halloween, assume the existence of Satan and a literal hell. An episode earlier this year featured country musician Randy Travis being baptized in "the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost." And, as Williamson says, "If you listen very carefully, you will always hear the heart of Jesus and many times, you will hear the words of Jesus. God knows how to take those from there."
_________________________________________________________________

And here's another, shorter excerpt from another article, published on the CBN Web site (an interview with Pat Robertson):

_________________________________________________________________

One of the things I am most proud about that DVD is that it also includes not only the first year of Touched by An Angel, but it has the last two-part episode, the finale in which we were able to present the Gospel as you were never able to see it before.
_________________________________________________________________

Those of us who write TBAA fanfiction have a big advantage over Martha--we're at liberty to use the name of Jesus and outline the plan of salvation! =) We're not bound by CBS's constraints.



Kathy G.

[Proudmommy]

maddig./hljmn vfklgryrdgvjfmrkkhvfbjgtybugkhmgmhm,gn ,kvviun :laugh

Sorry about that. I left the screen open and my 4 yo had to give her own .02 :doh

[kgreen20]

LOL!! :D:

[Warrior Prophet]

Also, Della Reece was/is a New Thought Minister. Which is a combination of New Age and pseudo-Christianity. Her views of Christ and God are much different from orthodox ideas about Christ and God.

[kgreen20]

I don't know about Della Reese, so I can't speak for her, but I do know that Martha Williamson, who was the executive producer, is a devout, born-again Christian and a child of Baptists. (I assume she's a Baptist herself, but I don't know for sure.) I think it's a mistake to reject the show because of Della Reese. She wasn't in charge of the show; Martha was.

[Warrior Prophet]

I'd have to save my real thoughts for PM. :laugh

[Catwoman]

maddig./hljmn vfklgryrdgvjfmrkkhvfbjgtybugkhmgmhm,gn ,kvviun :laugh

Sorry about that. I left the screen open and my 4 yo had to give her own .02 :doh


Gosh I almost broke my neck trying to get my contacts in because I knew I couldn't read that :lol .

At least she's working with punctuation! Very cute.

[kgreen20]

LOL!

They're starting young, aren't they? :D:

[kgreen20]

http://www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=188443

[littleone]

Here is a link to an excellent study on angels.

http://www.hopefortoday.org/views/assets/pdfs/Angels.pdf

You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this and it can be saved to your computer.

[bopeep1909]

I don't know about Della Reese, so I can't speak for her, but I do know that Martha Williamson, who was the executive producer, is a devout, born-again Christian and a child of Baptists. (I assume she's a Baptist herself, but I don't know for sure.) I think it's a mistake to reject the show because of Della Reese. She wasn't in charge of the show; Martha was.

It isn't a mistake to reject the show because they do not even mention the name of Jesus Christ. That is what our christian walk is all about. Not some angels. In fact we are not even suppose to be focusing on angels as christians. Only Jesus.........right?

[littleone]

It isn't a mistake to reject the show because they do not even mention the name of Jesus Christ. That is what our christian walk is all about. Not some angels. In fact we are not even suppose to be focusing on angels as christians. Only Jesus.........right?

Right on!

[kgreen20]

Guess I'll have to quote again what Martha herself said about that very problem:


What about critics who say there’s not enough "Jesus" in the show? "People will say, ‘If you’re doing the show and you’re talking about God, then you should be giving the plan of salvation,’ " Williamson says. "‘You should be using the name of Jesus, and you’re hindering the cause of Christianity by homogenizing the message.’

"I keep coming back and saying, ‘Do you have any clue what kind of miracle it is that there is a show on network television that’s making millions of dollars and they are allowing Scripture and theological discussions on it?’ Talking about God instead of Jesus as Savior wasn’t a conscious choice, because we never had a choice. Network television is one of the most highly competitive businesses in the world, and they have absolutely no interest in becoming a soapbox for Christian beliefs."

There are some remarkable exceptions, however. Several episodes, most notably those for Halloween, assume the existence of Satan and a literal hell. An episode earlier this year featured country musician Randy Travis being baptized in "the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost." And, as Williamson says, "If you listen very carefully, you will always hear the heart of Jesus and many times, you will hear the words of Jesus. God knows how to take those from there."


The beauty of being a fanfiction writer is that I don't have to abide by CBS's constraints. Martha was forced to, but I'm not. In my stories, the angels use the name of Jesus and describe the plan of salvation freely. No doubt, they would have done the same on the TV show had CBS not tied Martha's hands, forcing her to get the message out circumspectly and through the back door instead of boldly and openly. It's nothing short of a miracle how God was able to use and bless and anoint the show, in spite of those obstacles.

[kgreen20]

Having posted what I did above, I just want to add that I really don't want this thread turning into an endless debate. I don't want it getting moved to Apologetics (where I don't go to post, anyway), or worse, being locked up! I want us to be able to go on adding to it if and when we have anything to say--anything that doesn't degenerate into a nasty argument, that is! =)

I propose starting a separate thread in Apologetics for the purpose of debating whether the "Touched by an Angel" was a Christian show or not. I'll let one of you guys start that thread. We're not going to convince each other in this one--that much is clear--and I can't see that a continued debate on the subject will be helpful.

OK? [gives most appealing lost-puppy-dog look]

[alabama35565]

i for one loved the show.........i miss seeing it and watch reruns every time i find them on.
i think some are misssing a point, i think that for "ANY" show to be on tv and mention GOD and Heaven and any scripture is terrific........and i think we should be glad that the message is getting out any way possbile. :nod

[His4ever]

[QUOTE=kgreen20]Bringing in Jesus and the plan of salvation wasn't an option for Martha, because CBS wouldn't let it be an option. She had to sneak the message in through the back door, instead of bringing it boldly through the front door. In the process, she never compromised the basic message. No, the show is not a deception, but a work of God--a TV show inspired by God. He called her to produce the show, and with His help, it became a success. People's hearts were touched, and lives were changed as a result of the show. Read the articles above, and you'll see how that happened.

I'm going to post an excerpt from 1 of those articles, published in Focus on the Family:

_________________________________________________________________

What about critics who say there’s not enough "Jesus" in the show? "People will say, ‘If you’re doing the show and you’re talking about God, then you should be giving the plan of salvation,’ " Williamson says. "‘You should be using the name of Jesus, and you’re hindering the cause of Christianity by homogenizing the message.’

"I keep coming back and saying, ‘Do you have any clue what kind of miracle it is that there is a show on network television that’s making millions of dollars and they are allowing Scripture and theological discussions on it?’ Talking about God instead of Jesus as Savior wasn’t a conscious choice, because we never had a choice. Network television is one of the most highly competitive businesses in the world, and they have absolutely no interest in becoming a soapbox for Christian beliefs."

There are some remarkable exceptions, however. Several episodes, most notably those for Halloween, assume the existence of Satan and a literal hell. An episode earlier this year featured country musician Randy Travis being baptized in "the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost." And, as Williamson says, "If you listen very carefully, you will always hear the heart of Jesus and many times, you will hear the words of Jesus. God knows how to take those from there."
_________________________________________________________________

And here's another, shorter excerpt from another article, published on the CBN Web site (an interview with Pat Robertson):

_________________________________________________________________

One of the things I am most proud about that DVD is that it also includes not only the first year of Touched by An Angel, but it has the last two-part episode, the finale in which we were able to present the Gospel as you were never able to see it before.
_________________________________________________________________

Those of us who write TBAA fanfiction have a big advantage over Martha--we're at liberty to use the name of Jesus and outline the plan of salvation! =) We're not bound by CBS's constraints.



Sorry, I can't agree that God has inspired or produced the show. If He did, people wouldn't walk away without knowing the true plan of salvation. The God on the show is a generic god. He doesn't offend anyone, but bring in Christ and it's a different story. Since God isn't willing that any perish, He wouldn't produce a show where the gospel wasn't proclaimed. It isn't being brought in the "back door" because the name of Christ is never mentioned. Success isn't an indication that the show has God's backing. People's hearts may be emotionally touched but they're still not receiving the gospel of Christ. Where people spend eternity is at stake here and, imho, God isn't going to author a show that doesn't give a clear presentation of the gospel which no one can be saved without accepting.

This show is just wholesome entertainment, that's all. I enjoy it, but I know the truth and this show isn't anything to base eternity on. It's fiction. You can proclaim all you like that the show is biblical and recognized the existence of angels and satan, etc. but you can't have true Christianity or a relationship with God without Jesus and He's the one Person you won't hear about in the show. Don't make it to be more than what it is, entertaining wholesome, emotion affecting fiction.

[kgreen20]

Please--as I said above--could we take the debate to Apologetics? I really don't want to debate it any further in this one. I want to see this thread remain open, and if it degenerates into an endless argument, the moderators will end up locking it up.

[cindyl1]

I thoughly enjoy this show and used to watch it with my kids. (they're all grown up now) It's one of the few "family friendly" shows that's still on!

[kgreen20]

I know what you mean, Cindy!

[bopeep1909]

Yes, if I were to watch the television this would be one of the shows I would consider safe to watch. But I still don't consider it Biblically sound.<><

[coffeehubby]

The show had good morals and storylines. It didn't offend me that it didn't mention Jesus because I don't expect that. When Jesus told parables, he used stories and illustrations from everyday life. Things that compelled people to look more, to think about His words.
I liked the characters of Monica and the Death Angel, but didn't care for old grumpy what's her name. I guess she was a needed balance though.

[Jolee]

I loved Touched By An Angel. :thumb

Also Kathy, you are such a talented creative writer! G-d has blessed you with a wonderful gift!

Blessings,
Jolee

[kgreen20]

Aww, thanks, Jolee!

You mean Tess, right, coffeehubby? =) LOL, she could be grumpy, couldn't she? She could certainly be stern with Monica, Andrew, Gloria, Adam, and Rafael. (Only Sam was above her in authority--she obviously dared not be stern with him.) She actually got stern with the archangel Gabriel, too, in a 6th-season Christmas episode in which he was on assignment, posing as a homeless man. At the same time, though, she had a soft, caring heart. She loved the other angels--that came through loud and clear in her interactions with them.

[cindyl1]

I know most of my kids now watch this show with their kids, LOL It's nice to know they're not watching something raunchy instead!

[kgreen20]

I agree!

[Warrior Prophet]

You know... I think it's pretty sad when the best thing we Christians can settle for is fluffy 'family friendly' television instead of quality programs that reflect good values. First off, kids won't be wanting to watch 7th Heaven, Touched by an Angel or any of these shows. Not unless you drag them to watch them with you. We've done the same thing with movies... settled for dumbed down, asinine 'family entertainment' instead of real, thought provoking movies. It's kind of ironic that the biggest selling Christian movie of all time was rated R and not 'family friendly.'

[kgreen20]

[sigh] How many times must I say I don't want to debate the issue here? I mean it, Warrior Prophet (and all other TBAA-haters), I really don't. Please--PLEASE--take the debate to Apologetics! OK?

I'll even start it there for you if you want, so you can have at the show to your heart's content. I meant it when I said I don't want to continue it here.

[kgreen20]

OK, I said, earlier, that I was going to let you start that thread. Tonight, I've changed my mind. Since those who oppose the show insist on bringing the debate here, I've decided to start the Apologetics thread for you so you'll have a good place to go to continue this debate. I have done so, just now, and here is the URL for those who wish to debate the show:

http://www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=211455

OK. I've given you a thread to debate it on, and posted where I stand regarding the show--now have at it to your hearts' content! :D:

[kgreen20]

Bump.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/kgreen20/Touched%20by%20an%20Angel/tbaa1.jpg