[Note: in this post I am doing a dangerous thing and criticising a movie I have not seen. Sometimes dangerous things are worth doing; I'm hoping this is one of those times.]
I am having a really hard time with the idea that Christians can consider endorsing the story-of-Noah remake "Evan Almighty"*** -- especially on the grounds that it doesn't contain illicit violence or sexual content, or that it promotes "family values."
If the contest is between disrespecting God and having a fun, "clean" night at the movies --
how can that even be a contest???
One thing that bothers me about the idea of the movie, and that I haven't really seen covered in the Christian blogosphere, is that not only does a retelling of Noah's story require a portrayal [appropriate or not] of God as the ordainer and manager of the ark and the flood, but it plays with all that Noah's experience and the Noahic covenant shows us about Christ and God's eternal plan for the salvation of His people.
The salvation that happened during the flood is no joke.
Christian culture in general would require much less deliberation to condemn a movie that mockingly play-acted a depiction of Christ on the cross (the swarm of e-mail forwards around Easter about a boycott of some network TV thing with Brittany Spears and blasphemy -- I forget now exactly what it was -- comes to mind).
But the ordering of salvation through the ark, while not the powerful act of the death of death through the death of God's Son, is still a type of that salvation and a depiction of the mercifulness of a holy God who hates sin with a passion.
How can we joke about that?
*** In the interest of consistency, the same could probably be said for "Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie."
8 comments:
Genesis 9:15 "I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life."
I'm just curious about the story they churned out for it:
Is there an implication that God was lying when He made that promise? Or do they try to explain the flood away somehow?
I am in the boycott boat and have been since I first heard of this movie.
I have a problem with what Brenda pointed out, especially. I was wondering how they got around it and was even angrier when I heard a radio ad that had the main character arguing with god, after he was told to tell people there would be a flood. "But you said you would not do this again...Would you?"
That puts the WRONG right out there.
Brenda = not appreciated. :(
but nearly every story line is somehow a mockery of scripture, especially roman mythology, folklore, and, yes, Veggie Tales in an odd way. I don't think people are going to watch the movie in order to learn about God or what Scripture says about flooding and promises. Entertainment does not necessarily consitute a slight against God. Storytelling and imagination are simply the fabric of life and as "there is nothing new under the sun" many storylines are borrowed, altered, or a parody of another such story line. Like it or not, the Bible is another such story. It may hold truth, but it is a story nonetheless that millions of writers, inventors, creators have borrowed from over the centuries.
Anonymous,
You seem to have many opinions; how about enlightening us with your identity? Anonymity strikes me as cowardly, a rather disreputable characteristic.
I am a blog wanderer. It would be pointless to sign off, not cowardly.
I also have strong cravings for ham sandwiches.
If nothing else, it distinguishes you from the person above, which happened to be me, in this case.
Quod Erat Demonstrandum! :)
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