Sick, Twisted People: How Hollywood Portrays Christians

BreakPoint ^ | 26 June 03 | Chuck Colson

[Mr. Silverback]

In the recent film Hannibal, a character named Mason Verger has just one goal in life: to catch up with the cannibal who chewed off his face, and feed him to flesh-eating pigs. It’s a sick and twisted goal—and it may not surprise you to learn that Verger is the film’s only Christian character.

Just one more illustration of how Hollywood tends to treat followers of Christ.

Sadly, there’s no shortage of other recent examples. In the historical film Quills, about the Marquis de Sade, the vilest sexual behavior is performed by a Catholic priest; de Sade is portrayed as the persecuted victim of a puritanical society.

Another film, The Pledge, portrays Christianity as a religion for killers. In a movie called The Cell, a Christian upbringing causes a character to become a serial killer.

Celluloid missionaries are almost as bad. In films like Black Robe and At Play in the Fields of the Lord, Christians bring, not salvation, but disease and death, slavery and hypocrisy.

As Christian screenwriter Brian Godawa notes in his book Hollywood Worldviews, in films like these, "Christianity does not merely lead to mental breakdown in [individuals]; it also leads to the breakdown of society." Christians are portrayed as sick, twisted people who got that way through repressing their natural desires; their moral codes lead to intolerance, wife beating, and murder. He points to recent films like The Crucible and Chocolat as well.

About the only good thing you can say about these films, spiritually speaking, is that they reveal the fact that humans—whether they admit it or not—are deeply religious. We can’t help thinking about God and trying to come to terms with Him. As Godawa points out, elements of Christianity are often "deconstructed or reinterpreted through countervailing worldviews," but significantly, they are not ignored. In fact, Godowa writes, films that attack or redefine God may be more honest than those that simply ignore Him. The filmmaker is "at least admitting [God] is an issue." Ignoring Him "leaves the impression that He is . . . irrelevant to our reality." Martin Luther made a very similar point.

The good news is that every now and then, Hollywood gets religion right. A recent remake of Les Misérables offers a poignant picture of Christian grace, forgiveness, and redemption. And the film The Addiction uses a vampire theme to explore the nature of evil and our need for repentance.

Parents ought to watch some of the better films with their kids, although they should check them out carefully before bringing them home. Not all films are suitable for all families. And when it comes to films that portray Christians as warped and wicked people—well, parents ought to learn about these films as well. That way they can help their kids—and their unbelieving friends—to see through them and to understand the worldviews that are involved in films.

Brian Godawa’s book, Hollywood Worldviews, will help you do just that. You’ll learn how your church can offer guidance to teenagers who love movies. And kids will learn the worldview reasons so many movies treat Christianity as a violent, oppressive religion fit only for sick and twisted people.

[Mr. Silverback]

Amazingly, I have not seen any of the films listed. Go figure.

[Mr. Silverback]

BreakPoint/Chuck Colson Ping! If anyone wants on or off my BreakPoint Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

[Pahuanui]

Indeed, quite fascinating. I've seen Black Robe. It's a fantastic movie, and has more to do with cinema verite than any Christian-bashing.

[smith288]

Keeping in line with tradition...im going to "flip out" because I cant have relations with mules or kill someone for cutting me off according to God.

Yea...us Christians are a menace.

[John Beresford Tipton]

About the last film I saw was one of my favorites:
"The Russians are Coming"

[Spok]

Interesting to see the heat Mel Gibson is taking over his serious film about the last hours of Jesus. If it was a gay porn film, he'd be the toast of Tinseltown.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"I cant have relations with mules"

I don't remember anyone speaking about having relations with mule, although when I was in Juarez a guy said something about his sister..

[wideawake]

One unmentioned film is The Mission starring Robert DeNiro - about a selfish, worldly man who renounces himself, embraces Christ and sets out to convert and improve the lives of South American Indians.

It's surprisingly positive for a major motion picture.

[LiteKeeper]

INTSUM

[laweeks]

Don't forget the incessant trashing of Catholic nuns done by Karin Johnson (excuse me, former crack addict Whoopie Goldberg) done in "fun." Add to that "Nunsense", "Pagan Baby", etc. But if you have some Oriental mystic lighting incense and praying, as in Karate Kid, all of a sudden the music gets somber and soulful. I doubt if they'd show someone lighting a candle in a Catholic Church and praying. Haven't done that since Bing Crosby.

Goes right in line with the RIM (Reality Impaired Media) refusing to use the word "homosexual" in any of the attacks on children made by clergy. They don't mind offending the church, but not the pedophiles. Orate pro nobis.

[Onelifetogive]

My favorite portrayal of a Christian by Hollywood is Ned Flanders.

[Buckeye Bomber]

I'd hate to see movies say that Westerners (read as Christians) brought disease to the new world. That never happened. All those Injuns died of causes completely unrelated to the appearance of the Europeans.

[SoDak]

That's one of my favorite movies. I was totally impressed with it.

[Search4Truth]

The Mission is an outstanding movie.

[WKB]

"I cant have relations with mules"

Isn't that a Clint Eastwood movie?

[Heyworth]

Sadly, there’s no shortage of other recent examples. In the historical film Quills, about the Marquis de Sade, the vilest sexual behavior is performed by a Catholic priest; de Sade is portrayed as the persecuted victim of a puritanical society.

This is incorrect. The priest in the movie is the most sympathetic character in many ways. He runs the asylum where De Sade is imprisoned and tries to bring a level of dignity and enlightenment to the inmates. Unfortunately, he is constantly undermined by De Sade, whose predilections are as much anti-social as they are sexual--he attacks every semblance of authority, and uses his pornographic writings to shock rather than arouse (read De Sade someday--it's actually much more political than pornographic, especially "The 120 Days of Sodom"). When the priest is unable to control De Sade, the French Revolutionary government sends in Michael Caine, whose methods are less...gentle (read: torture). De Sade persists in defying authority, and his works ultimately, if indirectly, lead to another inmate raping and murdering a laundress. De Sade has a moment of clarity, although he denies it. Not a great movie, but an interesting depiction of resistance to authority and its ramifications.

[Buffalo Bob]

A good example of anti-Christian Hollywood is the rewrite of the main character in the new version of Cape Fear. They went out of their way to rewrite Deniro's character to be a bible-quoting, Christian stereotypical freak.

There is an agenda...

[wideawake]

It's amazing that it even got made - it is the antithesis of the usual Hollywood version of Christianity in the New World.

In other words, it's truthful.

[Libertina]

Ever notice the bad guys wear big silver crosses? We watched Reindeer Games the other night and I was amazed at the portrayal of the murderers as Christians, with them citing passesges from the Bible and murdering - yet getting upset at our "hero" taking the Lord's name in vain (or some such thing.) It was disgusting. The "good" guy (car thief, burgler) of course gave the stolen money to the "poor" NOT to authorities, and in the final scenes ate Christmas dinner with his family. (Who by the way had NOT picked him up from prison when he got out.)

[50sDad]

...and so few get the joke...Ned Flanders HAS the nicest family, the best relationships, the greatest joy.