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kayreThe people who are urging everyone they know, or don't know, to see this movie seem to believe that the graphic depiction of the suffering of Jesus will provoke a deep emotional experience... and that that's obviously a good thing.
To me, that sounds like basic brainwashing. Set the target up for a big emotional reaction that gets the guard down, and then take advantage of the weak moment. I don't think that's how Christianity (or any other religion) ought to operate.
In addition, if I were going to explicitly evangelize, "Look how Jesus suffered physically and died for your sins" is not the line I'd take. -- because I don't believe it. "Jesus had to die so God would forgive you" boils down to "God wants to kill you but settled for torturing his own son to death instead." I believe that Jesus taught about a God who is indeed loving, and people got freaked out about it and killed him. Even if I did believe in substitutionary atonement, I would still focus on the life and teachings of Jesus rather than his death.
So... go (and tell me about it!), or don't go, and don't worry about it... it won't make a speck of difference to how I feel about you.
To me, that sounds like basic brainwashing. Set the target up for a big emotional reaction that gets the guard down, and then take advantage of the weak moment. I don't think that's how Christianity (or any other religion) ought to operate.
In addition, if I were going to explicitly evangelize, "Look how Jesus suffered physically and died for your sins" is not the line I'd take. -- because I don't believe it. "Jesus had to die so God would forgive you" boils down to "God wants to kill you but settled for torturing his own son to death instead." I believe that Jesus taught about a God who is indeed loving, and people got freaked out about it and killed him. Even if I did believe in substitutionary atonement, I would still focus on the life and teachings of Jesus rather than his death.
So... go (and tell me about it!), or don't go, and don't worry about it... it won't make a speck of difference to how I feel about you.
