There has been some significant changes in Hollywood’s agenda in the last few years, but one agenda that is still overwhelmingly prevalent is their Anti-Christian sentiments. Since the success of “The Passion of the Christ,” directors have found new motivation to espouse their secular world views through the most effective means in our society – THE SCREEN!
In case you are wondering about the new Summer release “Saved,” well, I have good news and bad news. Let’s start with the good news. I actually think it will be good if you go and see it. Well, perhaps not what you would expect from a conservative Presbyterian, but let me explain why this is so. The Christian community has been in a tremendous disadvantage in the last few decades. We have practically lost the cultural war not due to lack of intelligence, but due to lack of information. Our churches are devoid of cultural thinking, and here, I believe, we have gone the wrong way.
Christianity, while not embracing the world’s philosophy, must analyze it carefully and at times even meticulously. What is the result? The result will be a group of informed believers armed with the power of God through the authority of His Word and informed enough to debate the issues of the day, better yet, to debate the current thought process of secularism. At least one thing we know for sure: the secular agenda is always transparent.
Now for the bad news. All your fears are really true. The movie is an affront to the authentic Christian message. It portrays the gospel’s message as feeble and useless. Granted, that is their intention. Though utterly perplexing and frustrating at times, this mockery of the faith opens the human heart and finds nothing but filth–the stuff our actions look like (Isaiah 64:6). Perhaps the movie, though shocking, may cause some of us to see the hypocrisy in our lives and abandon our old ways, repent, and renew our trust in the saving gospel of Christ.
A note: I would not recommend this movie for any children. Parents need to know the level of maturity of their own children. There is one sex scene in the movie, and pervasive talk about abortion.
For another great review of the movie, see Brian Godawa’s excellent analysis.