“God’s Not Dead 2” Perpetuates a Cycle Christians Are Supposed To Break

Back in 2011 I wrote a post promoting a Christian film company that seemed to be taking faith based
movies into a welcome new direction.  I had just watched Pureflix’s film Hidden Secrets about a group of friends who reunite at the funeral of their old youth pastor.  The movie touched on areas of doubt, faith, sex, and relationships in such a real way it left me with hope that well produced films with a Christ affirming theme were possible.  Here was a Christian group making movies without resorting to the Rapture, the Anti-Christ, culture wars, or fear.

I may have wrote that post a little prematurely!

Unfortunately since then Pureflix has gone on to producing such gems as Jerusalem Countdown, The Mark, and the hugely popular God’s Not Dead.

How the mighty have fallen…

Now this week I saw someone on my Facebook page had posted the newly released trailer for the upcoming God’s Not Dead 2. Watching it I nearly fell out of my chair.  Here were Christians seemingly under attack in America with the declaration, “This is war!”  And although THEE Anti-Christ doesn’t make an appearance in God’s Not Dead 2, I couldn’t help but feeling from the trailer that everything about the film will essentially be “anti”-Christ!

I understand why a group like Pureflix does this though.  Why focus on thoughtful films dealing with folk struggling with real life challenges to their faith like Hidden Secrets when there are an army of Fox News Christians convinced the Philistines are at America’s gates ready to shell out big bucks to see their culture war vindicated on the big screen.

Sixty million dollars in movie receipts later and it’s easy to see why there is a God’s Not Dead 2 and not a Hidden Secrets 2.

The Fallout

What movies like God’s Not Dead does to the American church has sever consequences for the Body of Christ.  When Christians choose to engage in culture wars to defend perceived territory, then the Good News we have to share that people are forgiven and free is lost. Circle the wagons to “defend”, and I guarantee the compassion of Christ in our message will disappear.

Recently a Seattle high school coach was placed on leave for continuing to pray in the middle of the football field after the game. (Sounds like a plot right out of God’s Not Dead) He has been asked not to do this from his school district yet Coach Kennedy has chosen to “make a stand”!  What’s interesting is that “making a stand”;  using prayer as a weapon in the culture war is in a real contrast to Jesus’ admonition NOT to use prayer as a public spectacle;

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.

Matthew 6:5-6

Our instinct as humans though is to “defend” ourselves.  When soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the middle of the night, the disciples first thought was to draw their swords.  But Jesus rebukes them.

This is not how we do it!

If we live by the sword, we shall be caught up in a vicious cycle that will never let us go.  The only way out is to break the cycle…to not play that game!

Movies like God’s Not Dead plays that game!

But they are loved by a lot of Christians because it validates their beliefs on the big screen.  Here are larger than life characters defending “us” (and some how “us” is always noble, brave, and bold) against “them” (who are always characterised as sinister, greedy, and liars) on.  The story of Shylock never ends; it is simply retold in various forms through the generations.

Until Christians are ready to begin to break the cycle of fear and distrust instead of helping to perpetuate it, I fear the return of Christ for his bride will still be a long way off.

Peace,

Steve