“Have you people lost your minds and perhaps your souls?”

Last updated on: January 25, 2013 at 12:24 pm by Jeffrey Overstreet

“Have you people lost your minds and perhaps your souls?” 2013-01-25T12:24:00-07:00 Jeffrey Overstreet

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The latest letters to Christianity Today Movies continue to demonstrate the great divide…

No Heads in the Sand
posted 11/02/06
I am a pastor of a large church in Denver and appreciate your approach on reviewing films. I am proud of you for reviewing R-rated movies and coming to the conclusions you come to. Because of you, I am going to see Little Children because I want to live in the real world. I regret that some Christians have adopted the attitude where we are afraid or unwilling to see the world as it really is—sinful and broken and in need of a Savior. Jesus met the world with the appropriate attitude—to seek and save the lost. Please don’t succumb to the pressure to conform to the “ostrich with his head in the sand” mentality of many Christians today. Face films with a realistic and honest approach as you have been doing.
Joe Mayes

Have We Lost Our Minds?
posted 11/02/06
Have you people lost your minds and perhaps your souls? I saw The Departed, and your review astounded me. This is one of the worst films I have ever seen. Besides their obvious attempt to break the world record for profanity and violence in one single movie, the movie contained a ridiculous story line. It was typical Hollywood in its attempt to denigrate and corrupt every possible authority figure and profession that our society has commonly held in great esteem—policeman, detectives, psychologists, firemen, priests, nuns, etc. Just who are we supposed to identify with in this film? Did I really need a lesson in just how fallen this world actually is? We would not want to end a movie with the “good guy” actually bringing the “bad guy” to justice—that would offend our new post-modern, hip sensibilities. Come on, CT, you should know better. Want to be really cutting edge, revolutionary in thought, hip, and shake the world? Tell the truth and don’t worry about what others might think!
Elizabeth Wallench

posted 10/12/06
I think many of your readers’ comments taking you to task over the 1-star rating for Facing the Giants is unfortunately indicative of many Christians’ ho-hum attitude toward the arts and beyond. Too many Christians think, “Why should I strive for excellence when OK will do?” Or, “Who cares if it’s done well, as long as I thank Jesus at the end.” I think Jesus wants us to do our best in everything, whether it’s cleaning our homes, entertaining our neighbors, planning a Sunday morning worship service or making a movie. Unfortunately, half-hearted efforts in our artistic and scholarly pursuits only confirms what the world already think of us—religious fanatics who left our brains at the door, are driven only by emotion and are content with average. How sad.
Christine Becker

posted 10/12/06
I agree whole-heartedly with your philosophy of rating movies. Nothing makes me more sick than a Christian movie that is not done well. Who is our God? What does he expect of us? What can he accomplish through us? We should be making the best movies on the planet. Shame on us for not doing so.
Bill Lueg

posted 10/12/06
When I was at Covenant College in the 1980s, some of us went to see a Billy Graham Productions movie. Afterward, I commented that I liked the message but that the movie itself wasn’t very good—mediocre acting, predictable story, etc. A couple of people objected that the message should outweigh the art, and for a “Christian film,” the level of quality isn’t as important as the message. My point then, and now, is that the quality of the art is as important as the message, especially if the film is trying to reach beyond the “choir.” Thank you again for pushing the importance of art.
Tom Chapman

posted 10/03/06
Your review of Facing the Giants is disgusting. This was one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. The audience seemed to agree with me also. There were cheers, whoops, laughter (in all the right places, not as you stated at the actors), and the inspirational parts were, well, flat out inspirational. I think your reviewer needs to be more in touch with the average Christian rather than set themselves up as a movie critic. I see this is one more example of Christianity Today going further away from the Bible and moving toward a liberal theology.
Dave Peterson

Blog

Facing the Giants

Reader Mail

Previous Post

November 2, 2006

FritzPhoto.com: Spirited imagery

Next Post

November 3, 2006 Rest in peace, Adrienne Shelly.

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog Bloggers on "Through a Screen Darkly" Browser Coming Soon Endorsements Fiction Books Film Forum Film Reviews Inspirations Interviews Journal Kindlings Muse Movie buzz Music Reviews Non-Fiction Books radio Reviewers on "Through a Screen Darkly" The Auralia Thread Through a Screen Darkly Through a Screen Darkly - Bonus Materials Top 10 (or 20 or 100) lists Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 July 2003 May 2003 March 2003 September 1999

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the main Christian group in Ethiopia called?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Assemblies of God Pentecostal Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Baptist