When I was a child in the 1970's, there was a Catholic religious show called "Insight". Google it if not familiar with the show, it went off the air 25 to 30 years ago. It came on Sunday mornings, and it was sort of a Christian "Twilight Zone". That was the feel. I saw the show sometimes before I went to Sunday School.

One episode, Bob Newhart played GOD. The scene was that GOD (Newhart) became concerned about sin on Earth and decided that He needed to bring one of his Children to come to Earth to die for the sins of humanity.

Newhart God was sitting in a study with a fireplace. The fire was low so Newhart God simpley wiggled his fingers and the fire came up. Newhart God had a son and a DAUGHTER. After some discussion and debate with his 20 something kids, he decides to send the son on Earth to be Jesus and redeem Mankind.
The conversation was very human, "DAD, I should go because".... "No, me DAD I should go because...." Was the daughter named Mary? Dunno, this was 1975, and I kept an eye on the bus to church.

This was a real show and Bob Newhart (of all people)played God on this series. Newhart himself is Catholic and probably did this for little or no money. But this was real because I did see it and remember it explicitly. Anyone else?

Wiki on Insight (which Newhart was in)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insight_(TV_series)