What Is Breaking Bad?

It could mean:

Turning in a wrong direction

A lousy pool shot

A poor reaction

A TV show where the kids says, “Come on, is someone straight like you’s just gonna break bad?” when his chemistry teacher wants to start a meth lab.

Breaking Bad.

The protagonist, a man of science, hears bad news and reacts. In the face of terminal cancer, he changes from a life of legality and service to educating others, to a life of illegality and service to self (and his loved ones.) I have only seen the first season, so things may change in the future, but what I noticed was the

Complete Absence

of spirituality, faith or organized religion. The closest thing was a discussion of alternate treatments, which were rejected or used as cover, as an alibi for sinning. The main character does not turn to church or even think about God or the afterlife.

He (and the series) is reasonable, based on science and reason, and does not deviate from that. He does deviate from what society calls legal. The series examines society’s and the law’s declarations of right and wrong with no consideration of ultimate morality, only of personal or cultural morality.

We see the DEA enforcer smoking illegal Cuban cigars and using alcohol, and then busting those who use illegal drugs. In the show, this is only personal. There is no room for God or ultimate Truth.

SO, What is the ultimate lesson being taught?

-- When confronted with death, man should use all his abilities and resources for his own purposes, with less and less regard for others. --

Alert 1: We are all facing death, not just the ones with cancer. We all have these decisions to make.

Alert 2: There is more to humanity than reason and science. Men and art throughout history have explored this in depth, and this show excludes even the mention of it.

For What Purpose Does This TV Series Exist in the World?

1. Entertainment
2. A Work of Art, the result of human creativity
3. Titilation, observing and enjoying evil while not doing it ourselves
4. Illustration of a life based on reason, and not based on faith or acknowledging God.
5. Provokes Discussion on the nature of evil
6. Make money and win awards


Is This Series Good or Bad?

Level 1: It contains language, nudity, violence, sex and drug use.

Level 2: It is well made, has good acting, good writing, and is beautifully filmed.

Level 3: It depicts human relationships well, but shows reality from the scientific viewpoint. When confronted with his own mortality, the main character decides to manipulate the elements of the physical world around him for his own benefit (and for those he loves,) instead of complying with the laws of society. His rationalizations do not account for God or even acknowledge that God or religion is or has ever been a factor in human life on earth.

Level 4: It depicts man doing evil with beneficial consequences, and he is a sympathetic character.

The show (season one) does not ridicule faith; it doesn’t even admit its existence. It relies on man’s manipulation of physical elements for his own reason. The show is not Christian; not only does it omit Christianity as an alternative lifestyle, or an antagonistic philosophy, Christianity is not even mentioned. It does not exist in his world. Characters do not pray, consider church, know preachers or believers, or even mention anything beyond physical existence.

Breaking Bad is a TV show about a man facing death and making choices. It is notable in its ignorance of the role of faith in humanity’s history.



Apology: I wrote this on scraps of paper in the middle of the night. I hope it makes sense.