V for YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING
The root of the word fanatic is the word fan, but they are two very different concepts. I have never really been a fanatic of or for anything. Even though I tend to learn as much as I can about what I am interested in, I usually don't bring it up unless the conversation is headed in that direction. And then I want to sound as knowledgable as possible so as to contribute to the issue at hand. Fan? Yes. Fanatic? No.
I have carried this idea over to all aspects of my life, including my faith. I doubt anyone could ever call me a Religious fanatic or a Jesus-Freak. I am in no way a pushover when it comes to my beliefs, but I am always available for discussion. In fact, in my youth group we had a summer event we called Hot-Topic. We would have a public discussion about a contorversial idea or issue so as to raise everyone's awareness and to test their own individual beliefs. As the leader I chose to not let my opinion be the final word because I doubt I have a monopoly on all the right answers. As a result, I was able to encourage the kids to think outside the box and to learn how to make informed decisions.
I say all that to say this, I watched a movie last night that had so much underlying political and religious rhetoric that I just have to say something. The movie was V for Vendetta. The movie was loosely, and I emphasize the word loosely, based on the DC comicbook of the same name. But the writers chose to stray away from the "masked man saves innocent people from the tyranical government" basis and instead fill the movie with direct attacks on anyone with any sort of a Christian background. The movie was set in Futuristic England, during which a Civil War was waging in the United States. The British Government was a police-state where they demanded that all people live within established Christian ethics and rules. The enemy was anyone who strayed from those beliefs. Among those attacked were the homosexuals and muslims; as most reading this would agree, two of the present-day hot-buttons we are dealing with in 2006. The movie showed these people beaten, inprisoned, experimented on, and ulimately killed.
So as a Christian, it would only make sense to like this idea and start to think of how great a society it would be without the gay-element and muslim-based terrorism. But as the movie progresses, you begin to see the horror that this type of government would bring, and the terror that each citizen would live in. And you begin to despise anyone who would believe in the things that this type of control would be based on. If you haven't caught my tone, or the agenda of this movie, these are the exact things we are being asked to accept and not discriminate against in 2006. Oh yeah, the church was also degraded when in a completely unrelated scene to anything else in the movie, a priest is shown that rapes a different young girl each week. And one more thing to make it a complete movie, Americans are stupid.
Now I do not stand and preach against homosexuality on a regular basis, in fact I have many friends who are gay. I have never made a spoken or written statement against the muslim religion or it's people, in fact I reprimand my kids if they make any type of racial comments. I am neither Catholic nor do I condone any of the attrocities that those priests did to those young boys over the years. But COME ON!!!!!!!! This is ridiculous! I went with a bunch of guys to see a super-hero action movie, and instead was attacked. My faith was belittled, my morals were questioned, and my patriotism was mocked. Any weak-minded fool that sees this movie will never stand up for what they believe in, will proably never step foot in a church, and will wonder whether America will ever survive. If I wanted this much insult, I'd move to Iran.
Like I said, I am not a fanatic. And I am not calling for a boycott or anything silly. But if you want to believe in the sexual morals you want to believe in, if you want to have a little pride in living in America, if you want to continue to not trust those muslim-terroists that have vowed to kill every US citizen, and if you want to know that your faith really does make a difference for good not evil, don't go see this movie. It is a direct attack on the fact that we have rights to make our own decisions, and it's two hours of your life you will never get back.
I have carried this idea over to all aspects of my life, including my faith. I doubt anyone could ever call me a Religious fanatic or a Jesus-Freak. I am in no way a pushover when it comes to my beliefs, but I am always available for discussion. In fact, in my youth group we had a summer event we called Hot-Topic. We would have a public discussion about a contorversial idea or issue so as to raise everyone's awareness and to test their own individual beliefs. As the leader I chose to not let my opinion be the final word because I doubt I have a monopoly on all the right answers. As a result, I was able to encourage the kids to think outside the box and to learn how to make informed decisions.
I say all that to say this, I watched a movie last night that had so much underlying political and religious rhetoric that I just have to say something. The movie was V for Vendetta. The movie was loosely, and I emphasize the word loosely, based on the DC comicbook of the same name. But the writers chose to stray away from the "masked man saves innocent people from the tyranical government" basis and instead fill the movie with direct attacks on anyone with any sort of a Christian background. The movie was set in Futuristic England, during which a Civil War was waging in the United States. The British Government was a police-state where they demanded that all people live within established Christian ethics and rules. The enemy was anyone who strayed from those beliefs. Among those attacked were the homosexuals and muslims; as most reading this would agree, two of the present-day hot-buttons we are dealing with in 2006. The movie showed these people beaten, inprisoned, experimented on, and ulimately killed.
So as a Christian, it would only make sense to like this idea and start to think of how great a society it would be without the gay-element and muslim-based terrorism. But as the movie progresses, you begin to see the horror that this type of government would bring, and the terror that each citizen would live in. And you begin to despise anyone who would believe in the things that this type of control would be based on. If you haven't caught my tone, or the agenda of this movie, these are the exact things we are being asked to accept and not discriminate against in 2006. Oh yeah, the church was also degraded when in a completely unrelated scene to anything else in the movie, a priest is shown that rapes a different young girl each week. And one more thing to make it a complete movie, Americans are stupid.
Now I do not stand and preach against homosexuality on a regular basis, in fact I have many friends who are gay. I have never made a spoken or written statement against the muslim religion or it's people, in fact I reprimand my kids if they make any type of racial comments. I am neither Catholic nor do I condone any of the attrocities that those priests did to those young boys over the years. But COME ON!!!!!!!! This is ridiculous! I went with a bunch of guys to see a super-hero action movie, and instead was attacked. My faith was belittled, my morals were questioned, and my patriotism was mocked. Any weak-minded fool that sees this movie will never stand up for what they believe in, will proably never step foot in a church, and will wonder whether America will ever survive. If I wanted this much insult, I'd move to Iran.
Like I said, I am not a fanatic. And I am not calling for a boycott or anything silly. But if you want to believe in the sexual morals you want to believe in, if you want to have a little pride in living in America, if you want to continue to not trust those muslim-terroists that have vowed to kill every US citizen, and if you want to know that your faith really does make a difference for good not evil, don't go see this movie. It is a direct attack on the fact that we have rights to make our own decisions, and it's two hours of your life you will never get back.
posted by Sam at 10:24 AM
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