March 13, 2009
Comment of the Day: Stop Being Christian, It Makes Me Feel Funny
I'm having a back-and-forth with an Anonymous commenter over my words about one of the Watchmen trailers. The commenter, since he won't give his name (we'll assume he's a he) let's call him Dick. Anyhoo, Dick is irritated that I don't extend an unblinking respect towards the film since "it makes you think." Heck, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo made me think things too, it doesn't mean I have to praise the heap.
Dick also proposed this morning that...
and then
First I want to thank Dick for his valiant efforts at writing my language. I'd like to hang out with you. You will make my persistent grammar issues seem like a trifle.
Anyone who has read this blog for more than a week should gather three things.
1) I'm not very good at writing
2) I like almost nothing
3) I'm open to all ideas but reject most
Dick makes the assumption I am closed off because I run a site with the word "Christian" attached to it. Dick's confusion is thinking since I'm a Christian I need to bend to the will of others. This is seen in his second comment. This couldn't be further from the truth. Simply because I established this site as "Christian" doesn't mean I intend for others to be pushed aside - I am merely giving an indication of my way of thinking. Trust me, and those who know me understand this to be firmly true, I am willing to let anyone who will listen to me hear my words. However, I don't bend in my beliefs in order to make others happy. This is something non-Christians are always demanding Christians do - tone down, you're making me uncomfortable. You want comfy? Go find a couch. I'm a Christan, I believe if you don't accept Christ you're not saved - YOU SHOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE. If I didn't get in your face what kind of person would that make me? I believe if you don't turn to Christ you risk your salvation, it would be immoral of me to dismiss my beliefs because it's unsociable. Now, there are ways to approach this situation and be assertive without hammering people in the face with the Bible. I certainly have my conflicts with some brothers and sisters in this regard (here's a hint, making crappy movies doesn't cut it.) But, if I think there's a train coming, I'm going to tell you to get off the tracks. To do otherwise would make me a horrible person.
I bring all of this up because I get a number of comments both on and offline similar to this. A nonbeliever will blab about how restrictive and bigoted Christians are without realizing their denouncements are likewise bigoted. Our opposition claims we shut down opposing thoughts while they shut down what we have to say.
As to the comment "Only judge that you seen and if you have not seen then keep quit." Hey Dick, I've never watched Japanese homosexual pedophile porn but you know what? I'm willing to make the judgment that, as a rule, I think it's a bad idea. Don't believe what you learned in college - its perfectly fine to judge things. Its good to judge. The important thing is to have a definable reason for your judgments and to keep them structured within a clear set of morals. I get comments from non-Christian about judging all the time. They see this is a "Christian" site and think they understand the theology (if they actually understood it they would be Christian already) and don't like that I speak my mind. I often get the line "Judge not lest ye be judged." If you read Matthew 7 you'll find he's not saying don't hold any opinions, its a warning against hypocrisy. I can judge, but I need to be careful and have consistency in my judgments and how I conduct myself in light of making these decisions on others. For example, it would be bad of me to get down on someone else for being a loud mouthed schnook.
What gets me the most is that while I claim this site as being "Christian" I'm hardly drumming the point home every post. I mention it as a description of where I'm coming from. From some of the comments I get you'd think I'm writing every review like I'm some WWJD theo-zombie "Jesus wouldn't like this movie and you're going to burn in the eternal flames of hell."
Alright, back to the movie stuff.
Dick also proposed this morning that...
"Everyone have different believe how life is but because it's not Christian you need to throw everything is not true is bad and confusing."
and then
"It's a good movie for everything that have question about the world. Well when you say that this is a Christian site you closing yourself out to everyone that you don't believe. Only judge that you seen and if you have not seen then keep quit."
First I want to thank Dick for his valiant efforts at writing my language. I'd like to hang out with you. You will make my persistent grammar issues seem like a trifle.
Anyone who has read this blog for more than a week should gather three things.
1) I'm not very good at writing
2) I like almost nothing
3) I'm open to all ideas but reject most
Dick makes the assumption I am closed off because I run a site with the word "Christian" attached to it. Dick's confusion is thinking since I'm a Christian I need to bend to the will of others. This is seen in his second comment. This couldn't be further from the truth. Simply because I established this site as "Christian" doesn't mean I intend for others to be pushed aside - I am merely giving an indication of my way of thinking. Trust me, and those who know me understand this to be firmly true, I am willing to let anyone who will listen to me hear my words. However, I don't bend in my beliefs in order to make others happy. This is something non-Christians are always demanding Christians do - tone down, you're making me uncomfortable. You want comfy? Go find a couch. I'm a Christan, I believe if you don't accept Christ you're not saved - YOU SHOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE. If I didn't get in your face what kind of person would that make me? I believe if you don't turn to Christ you risk your salvation, it would be immoral of me to dismiss my beliefs because it's unsociable. Now, there are ways to approach this situation and be assertive without hammering people in the face with the Bible. I certainly have my conflicts with some brothers and sisters in this regard (here's a hint, making crappy movies doesn't cut it.) But, if I think there's a train coming, I'm going to tell you to get off the tracks. To do otherwise would make me a horrible person.
I bring all of this up because I get a number of comments both on and offline similar to this. A nonbeliever will blab about how restrictive and bigoted Christians are without realizing their denouncements are likewise bigoted. Our opposition claims we shut down opposing thoughts while they shut down what we have to say.
As to the comment "Only judge that you seen and if you have not seen then keep quit." Hey Dick, I've never watched Japanese homosexual pedophile porn but you know what? I'm willing to make the judgment that, as a rule, I think it's a bad idea. Don't believe what you learned in college - its perfectly fine to judge things. Its good to judge. The important thing is to have a definable reason for your judgments and to keep them structured within a clear set of morals. I get comments from non-Christian about judging all the time. They see this is a "Christian" site and think they understand the theology (if they actually understood it they would be Christian already) and don't like that I speak my mind. I often get the line "Judge not lest ye be judged." If you read Matthew 7 you'll find he's not saying don't hold any opinions, its a warning against hypocrisy. I can judge, but I need to be careful and have consistency in my judgments and how I conduct myself in light of making these decisions on others. For example, it would be bad of me to get down on someone else for being a loud mouthed schnook.
What gets me the most is that while I claim this site as being "Christian" I'm hardly drumming the point home every post. I mention it as a description of where I'm coming from. From some of the comments I get you'd think I'm writing every review like I'm some WWJD theo-zombie "Jesus wouldn't like this movie and you're going to burn in the eternal flames of hell."
Alright, back to the movie stuff.
Labels: comment of the day, miscellaneous
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 8:00 AM
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6 Comments:
A nonbeliever will blab about how restrictive and bigoted Christians are without realizing their denouncements are likewise bigoted.
Welcome to the default culture.
ADD: I didn't have time this morning to complete the thought, but it's this:
Christians, and others who are under attack in this culture, can't seem to get it through their heads that they're under heavy attack by a materialist religious sect. A religion that's now in control of most of the government, media and academia.
Pointing out the default culture is being hypocritical is not going to shame them into turning tail and crawling back under their rock. That argument reminds me of the pacifist indian tribe in "Little Big Man" who wacked rifle armed settlers with their non lethal sticks while they were shot from their saddles.
The fact of the matter is that they don't care if that's hypocritical, they're after exterminating anything that impedes their lifestyle and they'll use any argument, tactic or dirty trick to do it. The philosophical underpinnings of secular humanism gives them carte blanc to be as irrational, dictatorial, unfair and viscious as they want.
Even more distressing is the reaction of this countries Christian churches to this challenge. It's been my experience that they mainly seem concerned to grab each other's members as the population of believers is grows ever smaller.
It's pretty frustrating to see reviews of movies like "Saved" for example in some Chirstian movie blogs where they actually praise the movie for being more or less accurate and something to teach Christians to be more Christian. That's why I've been reading this blog, because turning the other cheek doesn't mean accepting the arguments of evil men.
If you were here I'd buy you a beer
Right back at cha, bro.
Hi! Just want to congratulate you on a great site. My hubby & I pastor a church in the middle of nowhere in Australia & I'm up late at night trying to find a good movie for our "Good Friday Nite at the Movies.' Sounds wild, hey?
Well I've stumbled across your site & starting reading, & I LOVE what you're saying.
This has just 'blessed my socks off' (to use a corny, cheesy Christianese term). Great to read really real talk!
Thank you very much, that means a lot to me.
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