Actor Christian Bale as "Moses" in a scene from the upcoming Ridley Scott movie "Exodus: Gods and Kings" slated for release in December.
Posted on 10/31/2014 9:00:02 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Christian writer Brian Godawa dismissed recent comments made by actor Christian Bale characterizing the biblical Moses as "schizophrenic" and "barbaric" as ignorant bigotry.
Bale plays Moses in the upcoming Ridley Scott film, "Exodus: Gods and Kings," which uses hi-tech visual effects to tell the story of how Moses frees 400,000 slaves from Egypt. It is slated for release in December.
The Christian Post reported Sunday that Bale told a group of international reporters at the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles last month that Moses was mentally unbalanced.
"I think the man was likely schizophrenic and was one of the most barbaric individuals that I ever read about in my life," said Bale, 40. "He's a very troubled and tumultuous man who fought greatly against God, against his calling."
Godawa, however, took issue with Bale's comments and hoped aloud on his blog that the movie wouldn't reflect Moses in the way Bale depicts him.
"Look, Bible heroes are NOT perfect sinless creatures. Only Jesus fits that bill. Yes, Moses murdered a man, and he had a character arc that went from being adopted and raised as a pagan Egyptian to a conversion to his troubled and tumultuous faith. He had difficulty trusting Yahweh. He didn't want to be God's spokesman because he stuttered. And he even had arguments with God. But Schizophrenic? Barbaric? Really?" he asked.
"I only hope that the comment is more a reflection of the actor's own ignorant bigotry than of the actual movie," he added.
Jonathan Kirsch, who published Moses: A Life in 1999 and also writes on religious issues, told The Huffington Post that he could see how Bale's comments on Moses are plausible.
"Mr. Bale is entirely correct to say that Moses, as depicted in the Bible, is shown to be capable of appalling violence and appears to have multiple personalities," Kirsch explained.
"Some pious readers continue to believe that a single flesh-and-blood human being is being described in all of his complexity, but another way of reading the Bible suggests that we have multiple versions of Moses because the Bible is the work of multiple authors who wrote at different times and places and with entirely different motives," he added.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health: "Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history. People with the disorder may hear voices other people don't hear. They may believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. This can terrify people with the illness and make them withdrawn or extremely agitated."
The National Alliance on Mental Health says Schizophrenia affects 2.4 million American adults who are 18 and older, and affects men and women with equal frequency.
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Pretty much a definition of all Hollywood's productions and pronouncements.
You’d think Bale could keep his mouth shut until after the movie has had its initial run; he’s turning away a lot of potential viewers.
Well, looks more like another Hollywood jerk than Moses to me.
FWIW, I thought Charlton Heston's Moses was a bit slow picking up on his destiny, too. Of course, in many movies the audience is the first to know what's up, and the characters are the last.
First Noah, then Moses.... who’s next?
Well, another one I’m striking off my list. Refused to see ‘Noah’.
Took my son to see ‘Left Behind’. It was seriously lacking. I’d had hopes for it.
Well, another one I’m striking off my list. Refused to see ‘Noah’.
Took my son to see ‘Left Behind’. It was seriously lacking. I’d had hopes for it.
I suppose Christian is unaware that the human condition was quite a bit different a few thousand years before the days of Starbuck lattes.
I will never see it no matter how good it is. Not one red cent to that idiot. Sorry but he is an idiot.
Sorry for the double post.
This movie sounds about as Biblical as the Noah dreck
Well put.
At least “Left Behind” didn’t have contempt for its subject matter, like “Noah” did. It was just a standard Nicholas Cage movie.
He's confusing the screen play with the inerrent Word of God.
Which I was guilty of us before He adopted me into His family....
This coming from a guy who attacked his mother and sister...
I believe it was well over a million. Over 600k men (of fighting age). So counting the women and children -- probably close to two million. A bunch.
Great, another Hollywood version of biblical events. Can’t wait to see the velociraptor battle.
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