An Almighty Groan

Latest letters at CT Movies:

Tonight I took my two teenagers and a couple of their friends to see Evan Almighty. I am going to recommend this movie to everyone I know! We laughed until we cried, and I was so absolutely touched by the accurate re-telling of this Noah’s Ark story‚ so relevant for today, I almost cried during the movie. This is exactly how Noah’s wife and his kids must have felt. This movie was so perfect‚ the message was wonderful, and there was not a drop of profanity, violence, or sex. I felt the hand of God on the actors and this movie. There’s hope in this hurting world after all.

Hmmm. How exactly do you come to the conclusion that this is an “accurate re-telling”?

And it’s interesting that the way she explains that it’s a wonderful movie is to point out that there’s “not a drop of profanity, violence, or sex.” I’ll bet an “accurate” portrayal of the flood that destroyed humankind would have given evidence of some cursing. And didn’t the flood destroy humankind in part because of humankind’s violence… and sexual misbehavior? Isn’t a flood a rather *violent* occurrence?

And if the story had been “accurate” to the story of Noah, I suspect it would have included alcohol abuse. And some rather heavy sexual overtones…

And then there’s this one:

How on earth are we ever going to stand in front of a Holy God and explain how we had a good laugh at a man portraying a Holy God of heaven and earth? I know the Lord has times of laughter, but I am not sure of the world’s interpretation. Folly has nothing to do with God, only man. I guess you would have to call me a straight shooter! Straight talk has always been my specialty in church and Sunday school. Too bad you don’t have a place on your website to become a teacher instead of an entertainer of worldliness and fads.

I’ll let you folks respond to this one. I hardly know where to start.

Here’s the blue-ribbon winner:

The man who made Evan Almighty does not sound like he has a personal relationship with Christ his Savior. He quotes that “art affects our Christianity.” This is not true. If Christ is in us, then what we do will be a reflection of the hope that is in us. He also mentioned “this creative force we call God.” What is that?! He is our Creator, not just some creative force we call God. He’s not some cool idea for living. He deserves much more honor than that. SHAME on you who can’t pick up on this deceptive umbrella of Christianity that Shadyac has placed on himself.

It is not true that “art affects our Christianity”?

Really?

I don’t know about you, but art has affected my Christianity just as much as preaching or teaching. From Nativity scenes to The Passion of the Christ, from The Brothers Karamozov to Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, from Wolfang Amadeus Mozart to Over the Rhine, great art inspires and transforms my faith constantly. And Jesus set an example of transformative art by telling timeless, profound stories. The Bible *is* a work of art, and it directs us to look about at the world around us with new eyes, so that we can interpret God’s truth not only in creation but in culture.

This reader wins a a copy of Through a Screen Darkly, which will give her more than 300 pages of examples of art inspiring, affirming, and transforming Christian faith. I’ll just wait by the phone for her to call with her contact information.