Saved!

[danny316]

You have to understand the gradations of the thing, danny. Yes, most of us are hypocrites in one way or another. Sometimes, we do fail to show love, or are so caught up in the words and the rules we forget the people. But those portrayed in Saved! have not overcome this at all. They are the epitome of the dysfunctional Christian, and though I certainly have seen some of this in the world around me, I have also seen a lot of people who have overcome it. I'm not saying that most Christians (or any Christians) are perfect, or that we "get it right" all of the time, but some of us try to show love and compassion and, perhaps just as importantly, realize that we're flawed.

I could be worse than the movie characters if i tried. I really don't see any need to look down on the film characters and say they're so much worse - we all have our own sins and shortcomings too. Ok, so agreeing with a bible that forbids sin and still being sinners makes us hypocrites - i'm alright with that. The movie was supposed to be a parody of the whole thing and frankly i think it was just way too sterile to really make a good joke of the Christian subculture.

To me it really doesn't make sense to talk about how we're so much better than them unless we can confront them and somehow attempt to fix the situation. In the movie there's obviously nothing we can do about it, we're talking about fictional characters. Fictional characters that represent us more accurately than most of us are willing to admit.

So what's the big deal? I still see this as just a dull, sterile movie.  

[Vlad!]

So what's the big deal? I still see this as just a dull, sterile movie.

The big deal is that you are making blanket statements that are false, and the group that is being maligned is one that most people here are proud to be members of.

Josh is right, though--Christians in particular are all hypocrites. Why? Because we believe sin is wrong, yet we continue to sin. However, not all of us act like we aren't sinners--when I acknowledge that I am a sinner and lost without grace, I am also acknowledging that I am a hypocrite for thinking that these things that I do, nobody should do. The difference between this and what the movie portrays (and the pious religious 'leaders' of Jesus' day were called on) is that those people believed that they had it together.

Wait - I thought the movie's primary criticism is a lack of love from certain kinds of Christians. It plays into hypocrisy, sure, but if that's the criticism then I'd say it's a very compelling indictment.

I believe bloop is right here. I'm not sure how we got focused on hypocracy to the exclusion of all the other caricatures in that movie, but I think Christians using the name of God as an excuse to spread hate is the most abhorrent thing that happens and the most telling portrayal in that movie.

I could be worse than the movie characters if i tried.

Well then don't try.