I’ve often thought that Ned Flanders was one of the most interesting characters on the Simpsons. In a show that has set new standards for cynicism and satirical takes on contemporary society, while Ned is often poked fun at, he is also respected, in his own way, by the writers. He is someone who attempts, and generally succeeds, in living up to Christian ideals, and always comes across as a genuinely good and moral person. Most Christians on television are portrayed (usually by non-Christian television writers) as buttinskis and hypocrites, but Ned is both truly pious, and tolerant (often to a fault, and to his own detriment).

As Homer said in the episode in which he (temporarily) became Ned’s buddy, “If everyone in the world was like Ned Flanders, there’d be no need for Heaven–we’d already be there.”

So perhaps it’s not surprising that a number of Christians have adopted him as a role model, right down to the huge mustache.