I watched 'Saved!' last night. The movie centers around several self-righteous youths in a Christian High School. The plot primarily revolves around a self-identified Christian, named Mary, who has a hallucination after surviving a swimming accident. She interprets it as a vision in which Jesus tells her to have sex with her boyfriend in order to save him from homosexuality. Soon after, she becomes furious with God for betraying her by allowing her to become pregnant. The film finishes with a scene of the boyfriend crashing the school dance with his gay lover and exclaiming, "I know in my heart that Jesus still loves me!"

I can see that many Christians would hate this movie. Of course, many Christians don't mind some mockery of others, but not at themselves. One main thing struck me while watching it. Mary asked if God would ever want you to have sex instead of waiting for wedlock. The principal/preacher didn't understand the question. But, I do wonder if/when many Christians would think it's ok to go against the accepted word of God. For example, people are told they shouldn't lie. I think honesty is a pretty constant theme of religion. If you were in the woods and saw a deer run to your left, and a hunter walks up and asks if you saw a deer.. would you be sinning if you said it ran to the right? You have lied, but you have also saved a life. Would God be angry with you? If the answer is 'no', then the rules don't always apply and people should be taught about the 'greater good' and that God can accept you.

Another thing said in the movie was how if God wanted us all the same, he wouldn't have made us all so different. Implying that God doesn't want sheep, because if he did, that's what he would have created. Or, is the plan of God to see how many free-thinkers can be conformed to a certain belief system? That would seem like a cruel Pavlovian-esque God.

I sometimes want to sit down with a priest and ask questions I have. Not that I'd ever accept anyone as my saviour, but that I have so many questions which don't make sense. For example, I'm still not understanding the "getting into Heaven" thing. If you don't accept Christ, you can't.. but he is still all forgiving, but can't seem to forgive that. But, if you're an ax murderer and accept him you get a ticket in? How about those who kill in the name of God (doing "Gods will")? They are sinning in the name of Christ, which they have accepted.. but think they will get into Heaven since they believe they are doing His will. But, a Jew can't get in even though Jesus was a Jew, and I don't recall hearing that he denounced Judaism. I'm sure I'd quotes some lines from the bible which I could then say "But, that may mean X or Y, not Z as you say." When people interpret the bible how much do they take into account that it was a book written for simple people, using many parables and metaphores? I don't think God would preach to uneducated folks 2000 years ago using 'big words'. Things would be simple, so that the common folks could understand. Also, how much do they take into account mis-translations? Or, words/phrases used 2000 years ago which have different meaning today? Or, that a word may have had many uses back then? (think of the word "bad" today. There is bad meaning bad and bad meaning good) For example, the word 'Rock' which is used many times.

So many questions, so little answers. Sometimes, when I have asked people questions, the answers seem canned as if they just repeat what they were told. Blind faith, if you will. Or, they get angry and feel attacked. Or, it simply becomes "because the bible says so" and there is no answer to be found (blind faith, again).

I think it's important to ask questions. I think it's important to try to understand. I think it's important to not think your God is exclusionary, after all that wouldn't be very Christian, would it? :-) I think it's important to understand a central message of a prophet, but not think God will smite you if you try your best to be a good person.

Suzy may think I'm crazy, but maybe I will call a few churches around here and see if someone can try to answer my questions without trying to convert me.

Wow.. this turned into a longer post than I expected! In either case, I liked the movie :-)