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January 05, 2007

What is Happening to Christianity?

So many things about the modern Christian movement puzzle me, most notably its commercialization and loss of focus on the real heart of the faith. A clear example of this is FoxFaith's new film "Thr3e," a thriller, sans sex and gore, being marketed heavily to Christians. I don't get why there would be a market among Christians for a thriller full of dark, gratuitous violence and terror. Moreover, I think the compounded effect of such "worldly" influences is beginning to render Christianity meaningless.

In Phillippians 4:8, Christians are given instructions that one would clearly expect would steer them away from thrillers, even tamed-down ones such as "Thr3e":

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

As entertaining as thrillers and slasher movies are to some people, I don't think any reasonable person would say they are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, or praiseworthy. In other words, they are not the sort of thing the practicing Christian would be expected to spend time watching, as Christians – at least the ones I've always known – strive to maintain a spirit of love, peace, joy, goodness, and kindness.

The plot of "Thr3e" features a seminary student being stalked by a killer who tries to lure him with Bible-based riddles to places where bombs are waiting to kill him. If he refused to solve the riddles, he would stay safe, but he can't help himself and bites on the bait every time, escaping explosion after explosion in the nick of time with the help of two lovely young women.

Because the very nature of Christianity (at least that based on the words of Jesus) is non-violent and innocent, Christians' attempts at worldliness often fall flat, and this film is no exception. One reviewer wrote:

Thr3e" is r3ally, r3ally aw4ul. … If the Riddle Killer just has a thing for psychological torture, so do the filmmakers. … Very little in the movie makes sense, and almost nothing interesting happens. … At one point, Kevin stares off into nothingness, breathes deeply and exclaims, "I'm tired." So is the plot. And the audience.

Another reviewer had this to say:

Near the end of the new psychological thriller "Thr3e," the notorious "Riddle Killer" says, "I hate copycats."

One hopes that screenwriter Alan B. McElroy (adapting the novel by Ted Dekker) and director Robby Henson included this line as a clever, knowing wink. It comes near the end of a film that has spent nearly all of its 105 minutes relentlessly copying such stylish thrillers as "Se7en" and "Saw."

Obviously, the film stinks. But that's not really the point of this post. What bothers me about this film is that the one thing of real value that Christianity historically has brought to our society is its ability to set a higher, more "respectable" standard for thoughts and behavior, to sort of be a model of propriety and kindness for the rest of us (I already know a lot of you will disagree with me on that for any number of reasons, including ideal vs. real Christian behavior, as well as the very legitimacy of the Christian model, but I maintain that this has been historically important in the development of American culture). When Christians allow their faith to turn into meaningless mush by copying non-Christians in every way – i.e., frequent divorce, infidelity and sexual scandal, swinging, nudism, video games featuring the slaughter of non-Christians, and now dark-themed films – it has lost the only positive thing it really brought to our culture. What's the point of it in such a circumstance?

Posted by Becky at January 5, 2007 01:57 PM