Besides, as I said above, God is a big being; he/she can take it.

I haven’t seen Hamlet 2 yet, so I can’t answer the question with respect to the film, but I’d like to hear otehr people’s thoughts.

I won’t be getting into an argument about faith, but it sounds like I enjoyed this one to a similar degree as Evan. Surprisingly so, based on what I’d heard.

I’m a “professional Christian”, a Presbyterian pastor, and I appreciated Maurice’s post. I just didn’t have anything to say about it, except perhaps that I think Jesus can take a little ribbing. He’s a big boy.

Maurice,
Of course your post wasn’t too inflammatory, not in the slightest. In many ways, you’ve been one of the most unique, entertaining, and valuable readers that we have. It’s always a pleasure to see your comments, and it’s wonderful to get a little more insight into your life and worldview.
Your honesty is also fresh. In this age of hypocrisy, when ‘Christians’ walk around as white-washed tombs, it’s refreshing to hear someone who calls themselves a follower of Christ ALSO admit to being a less than perfect person. If more people did that, I think Christianity would be much more respected and people would be much more open to it. But no, they see pastors who commit adultery and churches that protest homosexual funerals and ‘Christians’ who murder abortion doctors, and it all stinks like so much dung.
The primary tenet is grace, but so many people forget that. It’s no wonder people stay away from the church like the bubonic plague; they get burned every time they get close.
Your position on the film is equally admirable. Perhaps I am a bit too numb to blasphemy these days. Should I be more outraged? I still believe protesting and boycotting something like this is ridiculous (like you yourself said), but perhaps I should have had more inner rage at Christ being treated like this. Hmmmm. I dunno. Something to dwell on and think hard about.
Don’t stay silent, Maurice. We enjoy your perspective here. You like to raise hell just enough to keep things interesting, but you also remain respectful at the same time. It’s a good combo.

Maurice, your post was nothing short of breathtaking. Your words are profound and inspiring to me and, even though I’m only 20 years old, I’ve felt some of the feelings you describe many times. Being a Christian in this world is one of the toughest undertakings around and I thank you for sharing. Your courage makes me blush … I wish I had the same amount.

After all the crocodile tears over Sam’s fate, you guys simply amaze me.

This is my last post on this august forum.

I greatly respect your courage and commitment, and I too wince at blasphemy as it is offensive to so many decent people and is so unnecessary, but I feel too that the freedoms we all uphold are built on a respect for difference, which includes allowing others to parody cherished beliefs.

Jesus was mocked on the cross and asked his “father” to forgive them.

My beef with the established white churches in your country, is that their hypocrisy mocks Jesus’ teachings more than a flim-flam movie like Hamlet ever will, and that maybe such disrespect should be seen as a wake-up call.

This may be one of those posts that are too inflammatory or sensitive or out of line to allow. If you need to delete, I fully understand and will bear no ill because of that action. I am sure that keeping everyone that posts satisfied is like trying to communicate by tap dancing and farting and my hat is tipped towards you for that. I will state my convictions and deal with the aftermath. Gladly, I might add.

I am 50 years old. I have never done drugs of any type nor have I ever smoked. I have, on several occasions, drank to excess and have operated a motor vehicle when I was way over the limit. I lie. I have stolen and coveted things that were not mine. I’ve never seen a porn film but “The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover” didn’t miss that by much. My favorite author is Stephen King. My favorite swear word is “shit” and it sound melodious to me. My wife says that I can be so mean that when I spit, the grass dies. I go to the movies more than I go to church and I am mostly introverted. I am opinionated. I’m not a racist but have been hypocritical about things. I’m about 50 pounds overweight. In short, I’m not a nice person. I am flawed.

I am a Christian

I am not going to defend Christians. In fact, I think if God knew how most of us invoke His name, He’d probably turn atheist. I think your excellent review covered almost all of the bases about our faults, foibles and hypocrisies. When I watch TBN and see these slick hucksters promising divine blessing by paying for it, I want to throw up on my shoes. Forgiveness doesn’t come with a debt. So let’s forget those guys. Forget that Oral Roberts tried to strong arm his supporters by telling them that God would kill him if he didn’t raise some cash. Forget that Peter Popov conned folks by using a radio receiver and an audience plant. Forget that Benny Hinn lied when he prophesized that “God would destroy the homosexual community with fire” back in 1996. There is no way to defend Jim Jones or David Koresh. That is not what Christianity encompasses and I will defend such as these. They are nuts.

When anyone stands up to say that they are a Christian and feel it is an answer to end a debate,commit violence, a reason to act improperly or mantra to vilify a sinner, they have twisted God’s word into an article for the National Enquirer. You do not use the name of God to kill doctors. You don’t carpet bomb any group of individuals with hate in any god’s name. There’s no scripture that says love thy neighbor unless he’s a George Michael fan. The primary Christian tenant is grace. Grace is unmerited favor, something you get from God even though you don’t deserve it. Grace is for everyone and is freely offered.

I know that this is a just movie and I know I will not see it. I will not see it because of the depiction of Christ I saw in the film’s trailer. Jesus Christ was/is God in the flesh. The fact is that Satan has done everything he can to make the name of Jesus the most abused and useless name in language. I never met anyone who banged his shin and yelped “Oh, Buddha.” I never hear anyone swear by saying “Krishna, dude! What is your problem?” This name, that we are commanded to praise above all names, is a sacred and dear thing to me. And while I am angered that He is treated as some silly clown, that His sacrifice for all of man is reduced to a crude joke and that the song “Sexy Jesus” is warbled aloud for the world to hear, I feel no compulsion to collect arms and build a compound.

I am a sinner. Being a Christian does not change that. The Apostle Paul, author of 2/3 of the New Testament wrote to the Romans that he still had a sin problem. Despite all that he did and accomplished in Christ’s name, he flatly declared “That which I should not do, I do.” Any Christian that states he has arrived, is past blame or prosecution for wrong doing is a deluded fellow who has misread God’s Word. I fight my sinful nature all day long. Honestly, sin is easier and can be more fun than righteousness. I confess I get tired of doing right and will also confess to doing the wrong thing knowing I am sinning and will be grieving God by my action. I do it anyway. That’s how lousy a Christian I am. But, the grace He provides is always there, waiting patiently for my repentance and that blood will forever wash away my sin. So, how do I dare condemn anyone else for the sin they commit? Jesus told the most “holy” and politically correct group of people of His day that they were like pigs at a dinner table. He invited them to cast the first stone. He answered their questions when they attempted to trap Him. Then, He wandered off to have dinner with the sinners he had come to redeem.

This is a movie, one, like Evan said, that will pass in a month or so from its limelight. The sad image of Christ in the film cut me to the quick as it has in many others. But, you will not see me out front of any theatre carrying a protest sign. There’s nothing in this film that should cause any Christian to stumble or change his mind about the Savior. If I didn’t do it for “The Da Vinci Code”, this movie is no big whoop. We can condemn it and move on with no more fuss. When Christians stop to realize that all of the letters that compromise the New testament are written to the Christian church, it puts the menusha in proper perspective, doesn’t it? But I don’t like Jesus to be treated like a buffoon. He died for our sins and rose the third day in order to show the world that He is God. That’s why I love Him so.

One last thing. I will not respond on this board to anything I have written. This is my belief, my sermon, my message to share. I doubt I will do it again. I will not take any more space on this board to restate this. I know this speech will cause some of you to blanch, shrug or roll your eyes. Some of you will get very angry. If you feel the need to retort, keep it brief. Lord knows I didn’t and I apologize for that.

Thanks again, Evan. I like this board and you did another great review. Rock on!

Luke, I myself am a postmodernist … not that there’s anything wrong with that. I was just trying to characterize Christianity Today’s interviewer for being narrow-minded and jingoistic. You nailed it when you said American Christianity has a way of being very short-sighted and mean when it comes to the new and different. Give it a couple of hundred years, and Christians will be pining for those good ol’ postmodern days.

@Daniel: Great argument. Point well made and taken.

@Luke: Incredible way to put that. I couldn’t have said it better. I agree with you wholeheartedly.

films noir: um… I agree on the Obama part.

I really have nothing more to add. My 2 cents, based on the rapidly declining value of the U.S. dollar, is worth less now than when I started to read this. I will say that I really love the way Evan was able to give such a multilateral, unbiased review on such a “controversial” film. (I choke on even calling this controversial, what a joke. Go to your buffet lunch special hypocrites, er… I mean christian activists!)

A President who hosts prayer meetings and does stupid little dances on the White House lawn while New Orleans festers in a swamp of neglect and thousands of innocent lives are lost in a needless war in Iraq, and young men return to US soil in body bags in the cover of night or hopelessly maimed.

A guy like the Rev Jeremiah Wright who has the guts and decency to speak the truth is pilloried, and a charlatan like a Obama gets the Democratic nomination.

Okay, that was kind of a rant that went nowhere. Sorry about that. If you can make sense out of it, please do.

With religion as with everything else, the sad thing is that it’s always the stupidest people who speak the loudest. (Read whatever irony into that that you want to. )

I am continually amazed at the abilities of some Christians to make mountains out of molehills — e.g., getting their panties in a wad about a trifle like this — to avoid confronting issues like the poor among us and preachers of hate in our own ranks.

I saw a piece in at a CT blog the other day where the author of “Blue Like Jazz” was interviewed, and he said he felt that there were more moral issues than simply abortion and gay marriage. The interviewer came right back and asked him: where do you stand on abortion and gay marriage? And in the comments he was castigated for being a purveyor of the evil social gospel and a “postmodernist.” Disgusting.

Perhaps my wording should have been more clear. Regardless, this is a good discussion to have and one that I had hoped the review would initiate.

Your defense of a reasonable Christian perspective is an important one, especially considering nobody in the film can really be accused of hypocrisy. At the same time, I think this may take it a little far: “It’s ludicrous to demand that someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus’ divinity treat it with respect.” I understand what you’re saying, but change the person in question and you have American soldiers urinating on the Koran. I know it’s a stretch, but my point is that there’s a fine line between satirizing a religion and outright attacking or demonizing it. I don’t think anything in Hamlet 2 approaches an attack (compared with Religulous, which looks like it has the same agenda as Jesus Camp), but I fear that the principle behind your statement (which I separate from your own opinions and the context of this film) is what’s causing a lot of problems around the world today, at least among the Big 3 – Christians and Jews disrespecting Muslims, Muslims disrespecting Jews and Christians, Jews disrespecting Muslims and Christians, atheists and agnostics disrespecting all three.

I’ve taken this a little far, but you’ve just made me consider the film in a bigger context. It basically comes down to the question of how do you define “respect” in different circumstances?