I was never a sailor, but I did learn to curse like one when I was a police Detective & away from the Lord. When I came back to my faith, all the cursing went away & stayed away in 1994. A week later, I heard my Paster preach on the topic of “Keeping one’s promises with God” & I was reminded of a promise I made at 13, a deal, that if He would stop my father’s drinking & make him a good family man; I would not drink as an adult. The next day, I stopped, nothing since June, 1994.
I saw the movie Unforgiven, starring Clint Eastwood, and expected themes from the Prodigal Son & other acts of Redemption. I figuratively put on my Bible hat & also my English Archetypes hat to process what the movie had to offer. There was cursing in abundance, the Pastor portrayed in the West was not heroic or one who walked alongside Eastwood’s murderous character. On one level, I could simply say, see the movie & see hom man & God struggle for his soul.
Thankfully, about a year after I saw the movie, the below writeup by a Pastor breaks-down the theological themes that are going on in this movie. As you open the hyperlink, you will need to scroll down to Unforgiven, then read the analysis…it contains no cursing. The writer backs up his analysis with Scripture and he may have even found Biblical similarities that the writer did not intend - a fairly frequent development that great writers have admitted to.
And this brings me to a more recent movie, that has been analyzed by multiple writers for a long list of Biblical themes & characters from Jesus parables in the midst of a hilarious plot in which the main characters have Bible counterparts, the men are on their own journeys and even a form of an Angel shows-up three times at a bowling alley bar to speak to Jeff Bridges -the Dude. The movie is the Big Lebowski. It may have set the world record for cursing within a span of time. If a viewer can watch the movie and recognize the intended types as well as the unintended types, and they know their Bible, they will see a peace-nik, redemption, a Pharisee in the character of John Goodman who loves his “brothers” but who was twisted by his experience in the Vietnam War. The characters are all flawed, set new standards for cursing and stereotypical other characters become the equivalent temptresses/tempters from Odysseus’s Odyssey. I will paste a trailer & one analysis if you or readers decide to go there & watch it.
Final comment. As a Chaplain deployed to disaster sites around the U.S. following Hurricanes, tornados and fires we minister to a variety of people who already were dealing with personal disasters in their own lives. They do not always speak like choir members. Chaplains, Police & Firemen &ER staff are all battle-hardened to hear cursing - it is not from the Holy one. I am sure the disciples heard it all. Christ we know walked, spoke, ate with & touched every form of sinner & possibly curser. He was attracted to go to sinners & like Paul wrote, he would become all things to reach a solitary sinner for the sake of Christ’s Gospel.
Praise God that smart Christians have processed multi-layered movies against their knowledge of the Bible and how very far the Hound of Heaven will/did go to bring one sinner to salvation.
I appreciate your response. Christ did walk among sinners, but He never sinned. And there is no question as to the infinite measures of His mercy, for even the greatest sinners can be forgiven. The only question is, "will they ask for forgiveness?" By God's grace, we continue to hope. It is only God who can help us together with our willingness and humility to acknowledge our weaknesses. My fear for today's secular world is that many live more and more relying on their own strength and detesting the only One who could possibly save us all. The very last disposition of our souls is formed by a lifetime of habits that include both our words and our actions. We can't simply choose to live in darkness daily and then expect to choose the light at the very end. Of course it is possible, like the repentant thief. But many would despair and see only the weight of their guilt instead of turning to the mercy of God.
I have watched many movies with cursing and many non-Christian ones, but this film is on another level since Deadpool is known to break the fourth wall (talking to the audience) instead of remaining a character who is unaware the he is in a movie. Breaking the fourth wall, he claims to be Marvel's Jesus all the while exhibiting traits that Jesus would never have such as the way he has fun in killing people. This is no laughing matter. Love means forgiveness, but it also means showing people the right way. It is not mere tolerance, but wanting the good of the other. While Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, He told her never to sin again.
Dear Ms. Soriano,
I was never a sailor, but I did learn to curse like one when I was a police Detective & away from the Lord. When I came back to my faith, all the cursing went away & stayed away in 1994. A week later, I heard my Paster preach on the topic of “Keeping one’s promises with God” & I was reminded of a promise I made at 13, a deal, that if He would stop my father’s drinking & make him a good family man; I would not drink as an adult. The next day, I stopped, nothing since June, 1994.
I saw the movie Unforgiven, starring Clint Eastwood, and expected themes from the Prodigal Son & other acts of Redemption. I figuratively put on my Bible hat & also my English Archetypes hat to process what the movie had to offer. There was cursing in abundance, the Pastor portrayed in the West was not heroic or one who walked alongside Eastwood’s murderous character. On one level, I could simply say, see the movie & see hom man & God struggle for his soul.
Thankfully, about a year after I saw the movie, the below writeup by a Pastor breaks-down the theological themes that are going on in this movie. As you open the hyperlink, you will need to scroll down to Unforgiven, then read the analysis…it contains no cursing. The writer backs up his analysis with Scripture and he may have even found Biblical similarities that the writer did not intend - a fairly frequent development that great writers have admitted to.
https://frame-poythress.org/ebooks/theology-at-the-movies/#unforgiven
And this brings me to a more recent movie, that has been analyzed by multiple writers for a long list of Biblical themes & characters from Jesus parables in the midst of a hilarious plot in which the main characters have Bible counterparts, the men are on their own journeys and even a form of an Angel shows-up three times at a bowling alley bar to speak to Jeff Bridges -the Dude. The movie is the Big Lebowski. It may have set the world record for cursing within a span of time. If a viewer can watch the movie and recognize the intended types as well as the unintended types, and they know their Bible, they will see a peace-nik, redemption, a Pharisee in the character of John Goodman who loves his “brothers” but who was twisted by his experience in the Vietnam War. The characters are all flawed, set new standards for cursing and stereotypical other characters become the equivalent temptresses/tempters from Odysseus’s Odyssey. I will paste a trailer & one analysis if you or readers decide to go there & watch it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cd-go0oBF4Y
Analysis, by one, of many
https://withchristianeyes.net/2022/04/25/35460/
Final comment. As a Chaplain deployed to disaster sites around the U.S. following Hurricanes, tornados and fires we minister to a variety of people who already were dealing with personal disasters in their own lives. They do not always speak like choir members. Chaplains, Police & Firemen &ER staff are all battle-hardened to hear cursing - it is not from the Holy one. I am sure the disciples heard it all. Christ we know walked, spoke, ate with & touched every form of sinner & possibly curser. He was attracted to go to sinners & like Paul wrote, he would become all things to reach a solitary sinner for the sake of Christ’s Gospel.
Praise God that smart Christians have processed multi-layered movies against their knowledge of the Bible and how very far the Hound of Heaven will/did go to bring one sinner to salvation.
To quote a friend, “warts & all”
Blessings
I appreciate your response. Christ did walk among sinners, but He never sinned. And there is no question as to the infinite measures of His mercy, for even the greatest sinners can be forgiven. The only question is, "will they ask for forgiveness?" By God's grace, we continue to hope. It is only God who can help us together with our willingness and humility to acknowledge our weaknesses. My fear for today's secular world is that many live more and more relying on their own strength and detesting the only One who could possibly save us all. The very last disposition of our souls is formed by a lifetime of habits that include both our words and our actions. We can't simply choose to live in darkness daily and then expect to choose the light at the very end. Of course it is possible, like the repentant thief. But many would despair and see only the weight of their guilt instead of turning to the mercy of God.
I have watched many movies with cursing and many non-Christian ones, but this film is on another level since Deadpool is known to break the fourth wall (talking to the audience) instead of remaining a character who is unaware the he is in a movie. Breaking the fourth wall, he claims to be Marvel's Jesus all the while exhibiting traits that Jesus would never have such as the way he has fun in killing people. This is no laughing matter. Love means forgiveness, but it also means showing people the right way. It is not mere tolerance, but wanting the good of the other. While Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, He told her never to sin again.