On a recent episode of Dr. Jordan Peterson’s podcast, Dallas Jenkins told Peterson that Jenkins’ intent in creating “The Chosen” was to “remove the religiosity of how we oftentimes see God.”
Jenkins is creator, writer, and director of “The Chosen,” which is heading into its fifth season early next year. The show is one of the most-watched shows in the world, boasting over 200 million viewers.
Jordan Peterson Says Religious Films Fail Because They Can Be ‘Propagandistic’
During the interview, Jenkins discussed his early failures in Hollywood, how God led him to create “The Chosen,” and why most religious films fail.
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Peterson, who has said he believes in the Bible but considers himself an agnostic, told Jenkins that “religious films can be propagandistic just like political films and then they fail. They’re not interesting.”
“I think not only do they not serve the religious purpose, then I think they harm it because it’s the hijacking of the quest in art to push forward a message that’s predetermined; it’s not an exploration,” Peterson said. “There’s not even any faith in it. There’s no risk in a way.”
‘It’s Beautiful’—Jordan Peterson Praises Dallas Jenkins for the Cinematography of ‘The Chosen’
Peterson shared his appreciation for “The Chosen,” a show he watches with his wife, Tammy. Peterson praised Jenkins for the show’s writing and cinematography.
“I was watching it with my wife and she had undergone quite a profound religious transformation not too long before we started watching ‘The Chosen,’” Peterson told Jenkins. “I was watching her watch it and and seeing her response. The first response I had [watching ‘The Chosen’] was relief. The relief was, ‘Oh I can watch this,’ because I’m very sensitive to propagandistic intent; I don’t like it at all. Even a bit of it is a turnoff for me.”
Peterson said that he enjoyed “The Chosen” because he found it “interesting independently” of his “religious convictions or lack thereof.” He especially appreciated how Jenkins depicts Jesus as both fully God and fully man. For example, Jesus is shown brushing his teeth in a stream.
“I couldn’t see how that could have been handled better than the manner in which it was handled in your series, and I found myself more than pleased to continue watching,” said Peterson.
Jenkins joked that he was going to put Peterson’s quote as an endorsement on a poster for “The Chosen.”
