Francis Underwood has some God issues. The last episode I watched, he was in a church and spit on the crucifix. Just prior to that, he asked a bishop why Jesus allowed himself to be killed and the bishop had no answer. Would a real bishop know the answer or is this art imitating life? Personally, I don't see how you can be in the church long enough to become a bishop and not know why Jesus had to die. Its a basic premise taught in Sunday school.
I was not so shocked at the scene where Frank spits on the crucifix. God is so much bigger than that. And the scene is just there to make the show edgy. But what is interesting is that Frank seems to be torn between doing what is right and doing what he wants to get ahead. The notion of love your neighbor has no use in his life.
That's ok for a fictional character but what happens is people are sitting on the couch watching this. Through these shows, television tells people what to think, how to think and what is ok. Viewers begin to assimilate to the characters they watch on these shows and take on their characteristics. I know that sounds ludicrous but it happens more often than not. No one wants to admit it because they'd be embarrassed. How many men started acting like Don Draper after Mad Men first came out? I imagine a lot.
So we watch these scenes and feel like we get some kind of "hall pass" to enter into a place where otherwise you feel like there's no access, because after all, Frank Underwood did it. The only problem is, where does it take you and is that really a place you want to be? I think we have to remind ourselves that this is just television and we really should think for ourselves.
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