Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunted
I'm curious as to why no one attacks Christianity via film. I'm not trying to rub resident Christians the wrong way, but there is a lot of angst in this world. I'm not seeing it. There was foo over the Golden Compass and its meaning, but what I'm seeking is something that's more "in your face."
No institution has been safe from screenwriters, directors, even the actors themselves, to parody, mock, bash, harange, and utterly protest on the big screen and the glittery glamoury or the amazing silzer screen (distinguish made to represent small films and indie films -low budget v. major films and "blockbusters"- mega budget), except Christianity.
Why no action films where the US is run by militant Christians? Why no films set in the Inquisition about people getting out of a sticky situation? If you're going to degrade other religions (see that godawful Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) let's put some smut about Christians.
Why is this a topic never breached in the film industry unless "the Church(s)" (Catholic or Prostant) maintains good guy status?
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So. I'm a little drunk and couldn't be bothered with actually catching up with the rest of the thread (which, coincidentally seriously
pisses me off when people do the same).
I actually think that this is a good topic. I am an outspoken Atheist from my earliest childhood (born and raised by Atheists) and it's something that I have always vehemently believed in (feeling alienated in my youth by the Catholics surrounding me).
In regards to anti-Christian element in the film industry:
a. I feel as though a lot of horror movies and scifi movies in and of themselves are incredibly Nihilistic in every sense of the word (there is Nothing, No God, no Other, No Hope). When you look at iconic films like Psycho, Halloween there is clearly an absence of God: Innocent lives are taken at the decision of one strong, arguably Godless person. Lives are taken without any concern or consequence with consideration to the afterlife: There is nothing but violence and suffering. Blankness.
b. Sci-fi movies are inherently Nihilistic. All participants in outer space are literally "above the Earth," whereby God is more figuratively "above Earth." When you're in space, you are absolutely devoid of rules, God and Society, the epitome of Nihilism.
c. In a more microcosmic and direct level, in recent memory, the film that I can think that directly underminded the Catholic church was most definitely the original Wicker Man: This was at a time where the 60s and Free Love were starting to rapidly fade and was an iconic attempt for that era to reclaim their status and dominate culture. The movie ends with the freelove culture massacring the straight-laced Christian man. It's freelove 60s literally killing Christianity. Pretty provocative for the time, if you think about it.