saved from what?
The other night I watched the movie Saved. Interesting. Maybe you're judging me right now for watching that movie in the first place, since the entire premise of the movie seems to be a criticism of Christian culture. Ironically, that was exactly why I wanted to see the movie.Christian culture, although not altogether bad, is not Christianity. Webster defines "culture" as the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. I have always defined Christianity as simply following Christ. To take it further and define religion, I basically look at James 1:27 ("Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world"). So basically I see my role as a Christian to be a combination of these things. It's not about material traits or social forms. It's not about a list of do's and don't's or being held under laws or regulations. It's about relationship ... relationship with Christ, and also relationship with other people. I don't mean to over-simplify here, but I probably am. I'm not just talking about some easy, feel-good Christianity where all we need to do is love each other and everything will be ok. I know there is more blood and guts to the heart of Christianity than that. There is sin to be considered, and salvation, and grace, and mercy, and dying to the old self. There's lots more involved than just being nice to each other.
But I think there's a tendency in Christian circles for us to create this idea of what Christianity looks like. The movie does a good job of presenting us with this sort of artificial world of which I think some Christians would really approve. The kids in the movie are in a "safe" environment, and everything is pretty easy as long as they ascribe to the culture and follow the rules. When the character Mary breaks the rules and ends up in a less than ideal situation, no one is quite sure how to react. I see this same phenomenom in our Christian culture. We draw up lists of what we can and can't do, and as long as everyone follows the lists and doesn't stray from the mainstream ideas, things should be fine. When people start doing their own thing or maybe questioning the list (or even God), we automatically write them off as doing something wrong. And, similar to Mary in the movie, those people may try to hide their acts because they fear how others will react, or maybe because they feel that they have done something wrong. In the movie, obviously what Mary has done is wrong, but does it make it any less wrong if she hides it from others?
Unfortunately, I think the movie is probably true in much of what it presents. Christians aren't always the most forigiving people. We judge people and we measure them by standards that we created and for some reason think are accurate. It was difficult for me to watch the movie at first, because I felt like I (because I am a Christian) was being mocked. But then I began to see that it wasn't Christianity being attacked as much as Christian culture, which I think definitely deserves to be mocked in some areas. I'm still working through some thoughts on this movie and the questions it raised, but I think it's a worthwhile view for a thinking Christian.
6 Comments:
I grew up in private Christian schools (as did the writer/director, reportedly). Sadly, yes, it's almost exactly what he presented. While some aspects are a little overblown (hence "satire"), others are not. The "Hillary Faye"s that I dealt with were not as openly nasty, but their nastiness was present nevertheless. Just a little deeper under the surface.
I watched the movie and enjoyed it almost all the way throughout. I thought the "Patrick" character was the closest thing to "real" Christianity in the movie--no pretense, no showiness, just kindness.
The best line of the film is after the "exorcism" when HF throws her Bible at Mary's head. Mary picks it up and says, "This... is not a weapon, you idiot!" A lot of truth there. Some Christians do their best to use the Bible as a weapon against other people. Paul clearly tells us that the battle is not there.
Obviously, the ending is the most "Hollywood" part of the movie, because it degrades into a fuzzy "we approve of every choice you make" kind of spirituality. Which is bogus and not of Christ. But at the same time, when an openly gay character says, "I know Jesus still loves me", it's the absolute truth.
It's in finding that middle ground, between loving people and approving types of behavior, that the film (and the Church) have the most trouble finding Christ.
I haven't seen the movie, but its an interesting subject. I'm still working through it too, but I do have some thoughts. I really (tentatively) think that's its not really Christians being mocked, but the people who call themselves Christians. The world might not know the difference, but we should. The ones who on the judgement day will say "But Lord, didn't I tithe every week, didn't I send my kids to Christian school, etc, etc" and Jesus will say "depart from me, I never knew you". I went to Christian college (Cedarville). These people were EVerywhere. I was one of them. Churches are full of them too. I now believe the church I grew up in is perhaps 90% unsaved (who knows of course, besides God). I was one of them.
True Christians (those bound for heaven) are also sinful though, and will fall into the same habits. We've gotta watch out for that. Which is why, as Krista says, it is good for us to see stuff like this. We'll do it without realizing it. For me, my unbelieving friends can be the best source of rebuke in this area.
Part of our problem is that we attack certain sins as not ok (homosexuality, pre-marital sex, abortion, whatever) while we want to cling to our pet sins that perhaps can be somewhat successfully hidden from other people. While God sees sin as sin. We're all in the same boat. So, really, if you meet a gay person and you want to lead them to Christ, there's not much point in telling them how bad it is to be gay. They've heard enough of that, and in fact deep down feel guilty enough about it if there is anything left of the conscience that God gave them. Instead, invite them into your life, have them over for dinner, help them with a move, ask them to help you with a move... whatever. (Remember... at the well Jesus asked the woman for help; He didn't offer help. This can be very powerful sometimes). Show them Christ's love. Show them how Christ rescued you from the sinful nature that had damned you to hell, and how he can do the same for them. Tackling the specific sin can't be avoided, but its probably not the place to start. Our inherited sinful nature, which we all share, is the starting point of the gospel.
There's also the fact that we'd like to believe that we made the right choice in coming to God, and love to judge people for making the opposite choice, forgetting that we were lost sheep and God rescued us. Sheep don't go looking for a shepherd, the shepherd looks for them.
"Saved from What". What a great title! Saved perhaps from the immoral values of "those people"? "The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men -– robbers, evildoers, adulterers -– or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
It doesn't sound like this Pharisee was a stuck up Christian. He wasn't a Christian at all.
So that's what I say for now, until God shows me that's all wrong and then I'll have to re-comment. :) I'm still figuring it out. When I think I _have_ figured it out, its probably time to start worrying. Meanwhile, I'm thinking about watching this movie tonight for myself. Thanks for the post Krista! And for the great comments Dave, Nick, and Stacey!
Wow, I have comments! People actually read my blog!!!I mean [ahem], good stuff here, people.
Dave -- I liked that line too after the whole exorcism thing. And yeah, there is that whole thing at the end about people being different, and how it's ok. And it is ok that they're different ... it's just that the different choices they make aren't always good. But yeah, you get what I'm saying. And I get what you're saying. Cool.
Hey Nick. Welcome. Thanks for reading and commenting. And I would be honored if you bookmarked. And you're right--I think we sometimes make Christianity a lot more complicated than it needs to be.
STACEY!!!!! Hello there! Good to see you here, and even better to see you back on your blog. I wondered what was going on with you. But I'll talk to you somewhere else instead of in the sterile comment environment of my blog.
Hey Andy. Wow, I think you win points for the longest comment on my blog EVER. Thanks. You make some good points. I am wrestling with the sin issue a bit lately. I read something recently that said that all sins are not the same. The author interpreted the whole "a sin is a sin" thing as "the act of committing a sin is the act of committing a sin", but depending on what sin is committed, God sees them differently. And I'm not sure how I feel about that.
But you're right ... we are really all in the same boat. It's just that some of us have discovered the bucket that allows us to bail the water out of the boat a bit better (even if we bail it out again and again, just to have it fill up faster).
Hm, I think that's not the best analogy. But my brain is mush. Is it 2005 yet?
Oops... I realize now I was wrong about the same boat. What I really meant or should have meant is we all start out in the same boat... a sinking boat. The rescue boat (Christ) saves some of us. Those who are saved and those who are not are definitely in different boats. But we _started_ in the same place. I think the bucket analogy doesn't quite work (please don't hate me!) :) The bucket is a works righteousness saying that as long as I'm better than the worst people, I'll be ok. Even if we think of the bucket as Christ, its still off. Christ (or possibly more accurately, the Holy Spirit) does help us sin less, but that's not what gets us in the right boat. What saves us (gets us into the right boat) is that Christ erased our sin by taking the punishment for us if we repent and believe. I hope you're not offended at me for knocking your analogy! I think you already knew it wasn't quite working. Its partly or maybe even mostly my fault, so I wanted to clear it up.
Gosh, I'm taking a risk with this post! But I guess based on what else I've read on your blog so far, I really think somehow you'll appreciate it, and if I'm wrong or even just too harsh that you'll forgive me (please do! Please please?). :)
Dude, I totally get you. I was way off. Everyone, please disregard my way off analogy.
I'm in New York now, and I will be in Alabama in 6 hours. How weird is that. Ok, well, Georgia first, then Alabama. Then THE WORLD.
I need sleep/coffee.
whew :)
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