Dr Bruce Manners
Senior minister
Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church
“People can relate to Homer because we’re all propelled by desires we can’t admit to,” says The Simpson’s creator Matt Groening. “Homer is launching himself headfirst into every single impulsive thought that occurs to him. His love of whatever . . . is a joy to witness.”
Groening was talking to Entertainment Weekly magazine, which celebrated its 20th year this past week by publishing a list of the 100 greatest characters on television and in movies over the past 20 years.
Homer Simpson topped the list.
Harry Potter came next, followed by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and mobster Tony Soprano. At number 10 was SpongeBob SquarePants.
Entertainment Weekly’s “writers and editors have carefully curated a list of the top 100 greatest characters . . . we carefully deliberated, debated, argued and bickered.” Question: Who cares?
OK, so it creates a headline and sells magazines.
If Homer Simpson is the greatest character in visual media during the past 20 years, what does it say about us, that enough people have an interest to propel him to such heights?
This week the children of Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church are taking the worship service on Bible heroes. The Homer win made me wonder who would appear on their list of top 10 Bible characters.
Who would make your list? Why?
Try it. And Jesus doesn’t count because He’s in a category of His own.
Here’s my list: Peter, David, Moses, John the Baptist, Paul, Mary (Jesus’ mother), John the apostle, the woman who touched Jesus’ hem, the man who asked for more belief, and Mary (sister to Martha).
I admit I’ve not carefully deliberated, debated, argued and bickered with myself to come up with my list. And this list probably says more about me than them.
Now compare your list, or this one, with Entertainment Weekly’s. Actually, there is no comparison. Thankfully.
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