Even though finals aren't yet over for me, I'm pretty much getting in the summer mode. As such, I am counting the film I watched tonight as my first movie viewing of Summer 2009. And I have to say, I enjoyed it.
Let me start out by saying this: the evangelical Christians I have met are among the most wonderful people I've ever known. That said, Saved basically parodies every stereotype about Christians and Christian schools ever created or observed. As someone who attended a Christian school, I can vouch for the fact that mine at least was not anywhere near as...well, hateful or over-the-top as the one in the movie, but neither could I say, honestly, that I couldn't see some parallels. As such, it added an extra level of humor to the hilarity and an extra level of serious to the intense. What makes the movie so genuinely over-the-top is the dialogue, especially that of Mandy Moore's character, Hilary Faye. For example, when one character, Mary, is looking at a cute guy, Hilary Faye tells her, "I know what you're looking at, Mary...and Jesus does too."
I will say this-- I appreciated the message that this movie was trying to convey, which became especially apparent. This I took to be, among other things, God is love, and trying to ostracize or demonize people who aren't perfect is wrong. Christians should be embracing them and trying to help them in concrete ways, helping to meet their needs (see James 2: 14-18), not casting them away or trying to exorcise them (as in the movie). I guess I'm not a very good evangelical Christian (especially not one in the mold of those in the movie!), but I don't think that it makes me any less of a believer in Jesus Christ. Please see John 13:34-35 and Romans 13:8.
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1 comment:
I love Saved!!! Such a good movie...lots to talk about.
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