Am I aware that many articles like this have already been written? Yes. Do I care? Absolutely not. I wanted to give my two cents into the whole debacle with Christianity and why some Christians refuse to give this show a chance. This article may or may not be offensive. I don’t know. Let’s see how it goes.
I’m not a religious person, I’ll be honest with the readers upfront about that. I’m actually heavily against the idea of religion (especially organized religion but that’s an entirely different story). When Lucifer first aired, I didn’t even think twice about how it might make some people mad. It was just another supernatural show mixed with police procedural to me. Four seasons come to pass, I finally join the online fandom and it was only then did I find out that there was actually a religious group trying to get the show taken off the air during season one. Disappointed but not surprised.
The name One Million Moms will ring a bell for many fans of the show. This particular group of citizens created a petition to try and get the show cancelled way back during the first season all because they believed the show “mocked the Bible” and romanticized Satan. Something along those lines. The petition somehow managed to grab the attention of many concerned mothers as they channeled their inner Karen towards a show that has no effect on their lives. The petition also stated that Lucifer “departs from true biblical teachings about him, and inaccurately portrays the beliefs of the Christian faith”. Here’s where I’m about to drag this statement through the mud.
Through all my years of watching Lucifer while forming new opinions about religion as well as agreeing with the opinions of others, I noticed that some Christians (emphasis on some) like to pick and choose what to believe in regards to what the Bible says. For example, and I’ll use Lucifer as a reference, the Bible says “love thy neighbor”. Lucifer doesn’t judge anyone for who they are on the show. He openly accepts people for who they are (apart from a bit of snark here and there). So regardless of their skin color, religious background, ethnicity, sexuality, God deems everyone equal. So why is it so hard for some Christians to follow that particular quote? From my knowledge of the Bible, which isn’t much to be honest, it was always “love thy neighbor”. Not “love thy neighbor but with some exceptions”. That quote is one of several that I personally have issues with but again, that’s another story for another time.
From a non-religious perspective, I can say this. Lucifer is nothing more than a look at humanity from the eyes of supposedly the most evil being in the world. It’s a look at our sins, our deepest desires, what we’re capable of doing to each other if we really wanted to inflict harm on someone. All of the actions depicted on the show are the results of our own impulses and anger. Humans are fueled by desire (sometimes a little too much). As seen on the show, Lucifer merely draws those desires out. He doesn’t have anyone act upon them. That’s something they do themselves. Lucifer even says himself during a session with Dr. Linda Martin: “I refuse to be a scapegoat for which something I bear no responsibility” meaning he’s not at fault for the actions of human beings and people need to stop using his name as an excuse. We are in full control of our own actions. No one is to blame but ourselves for seeing them played out.
“Why do they blame me for all their little failings? As if I’d spent my days sitting on their shoulder, forcing them to commit acts they’d otherwise find repulsive. “Oh, the Devil made me do it .” I have never made any one of them do anything”
Lucifer, “Favorite Son”, S01E06
When thinking about the whole Satanism concept of the show, Lucifer hasn’t really shown anything depicting Satanism for what it actually is. The show uses the overused, cliché version of the religion which involves sacrifices, pentagrams, hooded figures and even involving a goat which Lucifer said himself he doesn’t understand why they associate him with that animal. Modern day Satanism, if we’re going to talk about the good kind that is, is called Theistic Satanism or spiritual Satanism. This religion or belief views Satan as a deity of good and worthy of worship. This particular religion doesn’t support rape, murder, evil, etc. Instead it supports freedom, equality, sexuality, which seems to be a recurring topic on the show itself. Lucifer supports equality. He supports all sexualities and encourages people to embrace their sexuality. He’s also a huge believer in freedom of choice. So why are some people so against the idea that Lucifer can be seen as good? He’s a punisher of evil. Is that such a bad thing at the end of the day?
Ultimately, this is a show about redemption. It’s about repenting for your sins and becoming a better person because of it. We can see throughout Lucifer that he slowly begins to change and become a better man. He starts opening up more and caring for others. He becomes less self-absorbed. He starts to fall in love. He even begins to care about Trixie more (Chloe’s young daughter). These feelings might be completely foreign to him but it’s still a learning process and it’s relatable in the sense that humans are constantly learning and adapting to those around them. Eventually we do open up, we do begin to care and seek redemption for our wrongdoings in the past. Though not all are redeemable, we have to give people a chance to change. If we don’t, then that change will never come.
So if you’re a devout Christian who swore off this show back in 2016, I highly encourage you to expand your horizons and give it a chance. It might surprise you. You might even find something within it that strikes a chord with you. Who knows? All you need to do is give it a chance.
Fandom Lair 