I know the movie is a bit old but I had a question for you all. So it is rated R[ but is it an amazing idea to have used for evangelizing, or was it a mockery of the Christian faith in your guy's opinion. I'm just curious,
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36 replies on this topic
Alyssa Faith Mark. Rep - 6/10/11 @ 11:03 PM
It is a great idea, but I looked it up on Plugged In, which is a website by Focus on the Family that reviews music, movies, etc with a Christian perspective. I read and saw that the language is horrendous!!!!
Cody - 6/10/11 @ 11:09 PM
it is but never by Eli himself. I thought it was a great movie and that it actually strengthened my faith since i watched it within like months of being saved.
The problem is people can't say that its okay for the people to cuss because their characters are not christian and then say its wrong for Brian Welch to have his lesbian druggies music video on being against the world and changing. On that same note though, there was cussing and all sorts of sinful nature in To Save a Life and I think it was necessary for the movie to have that to create such an impact,
I'm arguing for both sides at the moment because I already have an opinion and really want to see everyone elses
CraigSnedeker - 6/11/11 @ 7:49 PM
Good points guys. I want to see it, but I can't stand lots of blood. :/
Ericka - 6/11/11 @ 8:50 PM
I have seen it and thought that it was really good. I am not sure if the people making it were mocking it or using it to get money...It's hard to say. But what I got from it was that he was willing to protect the Bible no matter what. Also that evil knows (the bad guy of the movie) how valuable the Bible is. He was planning to use it to control the people. I believe that it has many good values, but it is definately not a movie for the faint hearted to watch.
all in all it still needs debat. Been a long time since I watched it...
corro13 - 6/11/11 @ 9:14 PM
never seen it. but you have to think, is the good worth all the bad with things like this, can you watch all the cussing without it changing you?
Cody - 6/11/11 @ 10:09 PM
and see the Skit Guys if you have ever heard of them did a skit where the son wants to go to a rated R Movie and he says "well its only got little bit of bad stuff in it." and the Dad says "yea you can go but first try these brownies" the Kid eats one and says "yuck, whats in this?" and the dad replies "well its got dog poop in it but only a little bit, there isn't that much bad stuff in it" Its funny that I argue that side because I am more for its okay to watch it lol
I think it was better for the secular world then it was for us but I looked at all the people cussing and they were negative people who were cussing. They were the people who you didn't like so I don't know if it would change you in anyway because you make the connection of the people I don't like cuss so I shouldn't cuss the person i did like was Christian I want to be more like that guy... you know?
corro13 - 6/12/11 @ 11:24 AM
yeah, i think you'd just have to be carefull with it.
CraigSnedeker - 6/12/11 @ 4:27 PM
i think the point is to reach out to a secular world, not a Christian world.
Jesus came to save the lost, not save the saved. Christian movies are OK, but they don't reach out to a secular world.
corro13 - 6/12/11 @ 5:24 PM
still havent seen it, but from other comments, if it summerizes the Bible wrong, then yes it would be witnessing, but it would be witnessing a false idea of God. i think you might be able to use it, but you would need to be careful.
jake - 6/13/11 @ 3:04 AM
I agree. Be careful with it. It isn't so much witnessing to the world, but to the church. Be led by God!
Lex - 6/13/11 @ 8:19 AM
@CraigSnedeker- "Christian movies are OK, but they don't reach out to a secular world."
I would have to disagree with that. Fireproof was and I think still is pretty popular. And there are a couple of other good movies out there that I am sure have at one point reached out to someone.
As for The Book of Eli, I think it serves a purpose. Anything can be turned over to the glory of God, but I would not use it as evangelizing tool. At the end when the Bible is placed next to those other "holy books", I think it gave off a bad message, percieving people to believe that those other religions that survived were God's way of saying that there are many ways to Him. And THAT is a DANGEROUS teaching.
Lance - 6/13/11 @ 9:32 AM
I think the movie is great!! Cussing, no cussing, gore, no gore, whatever it may be...you can take what you want from the movie. I feel like so many Christians allow things to run their lives, which takes away from the focus on God. I am not one to use profanity, yet, am around it all the time. I don't hide from it, I don't run from it...I understand my heart and my heart doesn't want to use that type of language. I watch movies with cussing, I listen to music with cussing, I interact with people that cuss, it happens everywhere. Being afraid of being exposed to it is just as bad as doing it, because one way or the other, it is controlling your life. I undestand guarding your heart and not seeking out this type of lifestyle, but (not assuming about anyone that has posted, just from personal experience) you can't allow it to run your life.
I think the movie has a great message, and inspires me to live my life with such faith. It serves as a great reminder to TRUST THE LORD!!
I never thought about the end of the movie with the Bible being placed next to the other teachings...very good point! Never even crossed my mind. Which goes to show, you can take what you want from this movie. Use it for the Glory of God, or not...I'm sure people everywhere see it both ways. I recommend the movie to friends, I discuss the power of God and the power of faith with them after they watch it. It leads to great discussions.
Sorry, I ramble. And kind of a side note...I think Christian movies are terrible, usually. haha! Love the idea of them, but usually poorly executed.
Jon - 6/14/11 @ 11:43 AM
I loved the movie and the message behind it, I really don't want to give away to much about it. I wouldn't recommend it for everyone though
Zombie Pickles - 6/14/11 @ 11:54 AM
I'm just not interested in it. One my my friends said he liked it cuz an old guy was beating ppl up. but idk he's kinda wierd like that.
His prophet - 6/18/11 @ 12:04 AM
It's very well-inspired... you find out that he was blind the entire time and was walking by faith doing what the Lord told him to do, and the Lord kept him safe throughout. Keep "goin' west" :)
John - 7/21/11 @ 7:24 PM
The movie does have a good message. Only the bad guys cuss and Eli only resorts to violence when neccesary. There is blood but that's because the movie shows the realistic world just like the bible and like the bible it's not going to pretend we live in a perfect cutsy world. I recomend it for 13 and up.
Jordan Dean - 7/21/11 @ 10:04 PM
A good message about God's ultimate power to guide us drenched in Hollywood's need for action, language and thrill. Overall, good movie if your ears can handle the swears and your eyes can handle the gore. We all weren't meant to watch Jesus be crucified but we all know what took place.
corro13 - 7/21/11 @ 10:18 PM
.....his prophet john, ironic.
John - 7/21/11 @ 10:58 PM
@Corro13 I see what your comment meant. That is ironic.
joseBloodBought - 7/22/11 @ 8:15 AM
Let's do a quick summation.
Eli(Denzel Washington) is a prophet of God in post-apocalyptic America. He is journeying West to a civilized colony to put the last printed bible in safe keeping. Along his journey he comes accross a villain who -upon finding that Eli is carrying a bible-wants to use the bible as a means to control the remaining population. He is taken prisoner and befriends a young girl named Solara(Mila Kunis). He escapes from the colony with the young girl but is followed. He wins in a final showdown with the villain but not unwounded and the villain gains possession of the bible. We find out that Eli was blind all along and the bible is written braille. He makes it West where the bible is transcribed from his memory of scripture and then he dies.
So of course anyone who knows the film is aware that the initial opposition I have is to the blood and guts violence of the movie and the vulgar language throughout the film. Now that is enough to turn it off itself, but this is not the only damaging element of the film. I have three main issues with this film that defiitely discredit it from being considered Christian or even pro Christian.
1. Where's the mention of Jesus?
For a supposed prophet of God who has memorized the entire canon of scripture , he doesn't seem to know much about scripture. When Mila Kunis' character asks Eli what the Bible is about he says ,"It's mostly, 'Do for others what you do for yourself." Christians is that really what the bible was about? I though it was God's self revelation to man that testified of Christ and how men can be redeemed through His sacrifice on the cross. What of salvation , Eli? What of redemption? What of being a sinner? What of Grace? What of Christ?
2. Promotes an atheistic view of religion
The villain wants to use the bible in order to control men. Isn't this how atheist view religion. as a systematic form of population control.
3. UNIVERSALIST THEME
The moral we are to get from this film is to walk by faith and not by sight. Only one problem this movie promotes all faiths. By the end of the film the Bible is placed among other religious texts such as the Koran and the Talmud. It is in this scene that we realize that this faith and God of Eli was not explicitly Christian.
From Reese Ferguson:
At the best, this means that the Bible is no better than other religions. At worst, it means that it's worse, and that shelf is what's wrong with the world. This translates as ultimately, the film not being pro-Christian, but anti-Christian, and also, anti-religion as a whole. The movie is saying that religion, specifically Christianity, can be a positive thing, but only on a personal level. As long as you keep your faith to yourself, and don't try to spread it to others, it's fine.