June 18, 2004
More proof Hollywood doesn't understand Christianity
Saved! is a new movie just released which takes aim at Evangelical Christianity. Although I have not seen the movie, I wanted to point out this Wall Street Journal Op-ed piece detailing the contents of Saved!. Jonathan Last points out the obvious:
In the weeks leading up to the movie's release, United Artists, the studio behind it, nervously suggested that it thought--hoped--that "Saved!" would play to the same religious audience that made "The Passion of the Christ" such a hit. Peter Adee of MGM (UA's parent company) told the New York Times that the movie "has a certain Christian appeal, but it's also a little irreverent."That anyone could believe such a movie to have "Christian appeal" is one measure of how out of touch Hollywood is. The irreverence of "Saved!" consists of portraying most Christians as dim, many as malevolent and all as hypocritical. Wisdom and good faith do make an appearance in "Saved!," but they are displayed by explicitly antireligious characters.
It's amazing to me how clear the difference is between The Passion of the Christ and movies like The Last Temptation of Christ. I can't understand how Hollywood just doesn't get it - perhaps the writers and producers are the "dim" ones and the satire is on them?
One comment in the article really shows ignorance; a critics states that the movie is "a gentle exploration of why the judgments of the Catholic church are so screwed up." The author points out that this movie is not about the Catholic Church, but apparently the critic knows so little about the major religion of our country that he can't tell the difference!
If anyone sees Saved! I'd love to hear your thoughts. It sounds pathetic at this point, so I'm probably not going to be standing in line.
God bless,
Jay
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Hey Jay,
It is amazing to me that people even (still?) make comparisons between Gibson's Passion and Scorsese's Last Temptation.
Gibson, and Icon productions, made claims prior to the release of the Passion that it was both historically accurate and faithful to the Gospel narratives. Hence the surrounding controversies over the film raised by many Christians - Catholic and Protestant - because of the many historical inaccuracies and obviously/extremely selective (and problematic) choice of Gospel "scenes" that were used in the movie [not to mention the "artistic/director's license" taken to portray certain characters in the movie as exceptionally evil - well beyond anything articulated in the Gospels themselves].
On the other hand, Scorsese never at any time made any claims that his movie was either historically accurate or faithful to the Gospel narratives...only that it was, as the title indicated, based on Kazantzakis' 1955 novel - which never made any claims to accuracy or fidelity either. Nevertheless, Scorcese's movie evoked a particularly virulent reaction from many Christians, esp. Evangelicals.
Odd!
That said, I agree with you that Hollywood doesn't understand Christianity. But then, I don't think it claims to even desire to understand Christianity. Gibson on the other hand, well, I just don't know exactly what it is he understands.
Though, I must say that I enjoyed Gibson's film more than Scorsese's - only relatively speaking, that is.
Peace!
Posted by: Jack at June 18, 2004 10:37 AMI especially liked that part about "but it´s a little irreverent." Huh? That´s the pitch?
Posted by: Robert Duncan at June 18, 2004 11:33 AMA great movie. Does an excellent job showing how hypocritical and faithless most Christians are.
Posted by: John Smith at July 15, 2005 07:33 AMHey John - we could use one more hypocritical and faithless person among us! Come join in!
Seriously though, we are but men striving to live up to the model Christ provides for us. Do Christians err? Absolutely. But we realize that God is real and forgiving, so we stand up and try to improve each day. I hope you meet some sincere Christians who don't fit into the broad brush you color us all with. Remember, bigotry is bigotry, John, and it's not okay to be bigoted on race or religion.
God bless,
Jay
