This movie has become a legend here on campus. At least on my dorm floor. We quote it every fifteen seconds and just burst into laughter thinking about its comical moments. Oddly enough, this movie is beloved on a Christian college. This movie has been hailed as obscene, rude, prejudiced, judging, stereotypical, the works. And it is. But it's also, as a friend of mine pointed out, so true. One of the reasons I love it is because of the beautiful message woven just beneath the surface (and the fact that Jena Malone is really cute... yeah, she's the one with the devil horns).
The movie takes place in an extremely stereotypical, mainstream American Christian high school. The students are encouraged to be "warriors for Jesus", the Principal is a charismatic little man who forces guilt down kids' throats and tells them to "get their Christ on." Crappy Christian bands, drive-by exorcisms, gossip prayer-groups, ostracism of society's pariahs, all of this comes into play. Yet the movie focuses its lens on Hilary Fay (Mandy Moore), whose own obsession with the "rules" of religion turns her love into duty and therefore renders her loveless. Her character reminds me of my own struggles with turning my eyes away from the laws of religion to the freedom to love found in Christ. Jesus isn't about following a new list of rules, but living in an intimate connection with God and loving everyone. Hilary Fay's love is political and religious, and love with this purpose... Is it really love at all?
Jena Malone's character is a Christian girl who was just as wrapped up in Hilary Fay's Christianity; she was "released" via her impregnation by a gay boyfriend. Her faith crumbles and she begins to ask questions and seek spiritual help. Hilary Fay turns against her in the name of Christ and dashes their friendship on the rocks because of her backsliding. How like Christ is that? I see Christ reaching out, embracing Malone's character, holding her tight, whispering in her ear: "I love you, I love you, I love you..."
Principal Skip--"get your Christ on!"--wrestles with his own demons, turning several gays away from the school dance because "it's very clear in the Bible that this is against God's holy command." So is hypocrisy, and Christ speaks out a lot more against hypocrisy than homosexuality. Malone just makes me smile when she points out that no one is perfect and we shouldn't shove everyone out. Christ would not turn his back upon the gays and tell them to leave; I believe He would invite them in, give them seats of honor, treat them to the best juice punch and apple fritters.
The message of this movie, hidden from the eyes of many? Christ isn't about giving us a new list of rules to abide by, but releases us to love God and love others, in a real and touchable way, beyond simply being cute little words. "Love God" and "Love Others" are commands, but even more, they are the attributes of those who really are disciples of Christ. If we do not love God, if we do not love others... How can we claim union with Christ, union with God?
The movie takes place in an extremely stereotypical, mainstream American Christian high school. The students are encouraged to be "warriors for Jesus", the Principal is a charismatic little man who forces guilt down kids' throats and tells them to "get their Christ on." Crappy Christian bands, drive-by exorcisms, gossip prayer-groups, ostracism of society's pariahs, all of this comes into play. Yet the movie focuses its lens on Hilary Fay (Mandy Moore), whose own obsession with the "rules" of religion turns her love into duty and therefore renders her loveless. Her character reminds me of my own struggles with turning my eyes away from the laws of religion to the freedom to love found in Christ. Jesus isn't about following a new list of rules, but living in an intimate connection with God and loving everyone. Hilary Fay's love is political and religious, and love with this purpose... Is it really love at all?
Jena Malone's character is a Christian girl who was just as wrapped up in Hilary Fay's Christianity; she was "released" via her impregnation by a gay boyfriend. Her faith crumbles and she begins to ask questions and seek spiritual help. Hilary Fay turns against her in the name of Christ and dashes their friendship on the rocks because of her backsliding. How like Christ is that? I see Christ reaching out, embracing Malone's character, holding her tight, whispering in her ear: "I love you, I love you, I love you..."
Principal Skip--"get your Christ on!"--wrestles with his own demons, turning several gays away from the school dance because "it's very clear in the Bible that this is against God's holy command." So is hypocrisy, and Christ speaks out a lot more against hypocrisy than homosexuality. Malone just makes me smile when she points out that no one is perfect and we shouldn't shove everyone out. Christ would not turn his back upon the gays and tell them to leave; I believe He would invite them in, give them seats of honor, treat them to the best juice punch and apple fritters.
The message of this movie, hidden from the eyes of many? Christ isn't about giving us a new list of rules to abide by, but releases us to love God and love others, in a real and touchable way, beyond simply being cute little words. "Love God" and "Love Others" are commands, but even more, they are the attributes of those who really are disciples of Christ. If we do not love God, if we do not love others... How can we claim union with Christ, union with God?
2 comments:
i love this movie. i have often said that "some of the meanest people this side of hell are Christians." and this movie, hard to swallow, as it may be, is very honest. the main struggle in the movie is not with homosexuality. although that his the major tension. the struggle is for the "Chrisitans" to love as Christ loved. So many are quick to try to "love the sinner and hate the sin." instead, we should just "love the sinner, period." let God worry about the sin, that isn't our job. So many homosexuals have been hated out of Christianity. It's not to say that they aren't sinning, but so do i, everyday, with my eyes, my lips, and my thoughts. Anyway this is turning into a rant. To truly live as Christ lived we must stop "hating" everything. we are not divine and cannot separate love from hate. so we need to focus soley on love.
your and my thoughts line up PERFECT dude
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