Brain, The (So we move up in the list of blogs...)

Back fro For You and ready to get back to the business of doing NADA! before school starts...
So yeah... the name change... yeah it's a cheap ploy, but we need it :)

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September 20th, 2005

Emily Rose aftermath

Posted At: 11:03pm by FemLem2

Upon seeing The Exorcism of Emily Rose, many MANY thoughts came to mind afterward. I went into this movie knowing or just basically assuming that the theology was going to blow chunks. Then being told by one of the college girls that had seen it before everyone else, that it just downright disturbed her, I figured that I would be as well, Little did i know.

There are several scenes in the movie that I found to be slightly disturbing. But more than anything, there was one line that caused me to zone out and think about what was said. As Father Moore's (the priest that preformed the exorcism in the movie) defense attorney is talking to the prosecuter, who calls himself a man of faith, while she on the other hand is an agnostic (or someone who simply believes in a higher being) ask him "Don't you believe in forgiveness? Isn't that part of your creed?"

"YOUR creed?" Why would she say that? What did she mean, when she said "YOUR creed?" Is she saying this to attack the prosecuter? Because he is ready to charge the priest? and go without forgiveness? Does she see him as a hypocrite, that he doesnt believe "his own" creed? Or is she saying this because she herself is in unbelief and questioning a Christians ability to forgive, in a mocking sort of way?

Whatever way you take it, it was still said. Take it for what you want. When you think about it though, why would someone who doesn't believe, whether they are atheist, agnostic, pagan, or whatever, take the Apostle's Creed for what we as Christians would? They doubt that there is a God, that could have created all that we have and were given by our Father that loves us. That is their unbelief. And in their unbelief, they find ways of challenging us, in what we do believe to be true. They find ways to mock the Christians of the world that put their faith in these things. "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." The first petition alone is enough for them to say things like the attorney said, in order to discredit us as Christians. Then to move on to the second petition, it allows them to just keep finding more and more ways to do so. Christ being born of a virgin, crucified dead, descending into hell, then raising again 3 days later? How could something like that possibly happen?? Then move on to the third petition... forgiveness? How and why could we possibly forgive things, such as rape, adultery, slander, and even murder?

We forgive things like this because of our belief in Christ. We live in the gospel. We live as ones in Christ. Forgiveness is part of living in Christ. So, yes. It's in "our" creed. We confess all of this IN the creed. People that are in unbelief have doubt in gifts such as these. Not believing that we have a heavenly father that loves us in such a way that He even sent his son to endure the pain of the cross for you is unbelief. Not just a select few. He died for all, even those who are in unbelief and dont use the gift of forgiveness given to us. So, to deny that we have the gift of forgiveness, is to be in unbelief. It is denying the gift of Christ that our Father gave us.

No matter how you take it, the question of credit of the forgiveness in the creed, seems to be brougt into question. I went into the movie knowing that the theology would be questionable, and went out of it, knowing that it was far off from what I believe and know to be true. While visually the movie is incredible, the rest of it is just not worth it. And if you freak out easily, i'm not entirely sure that I would go see it.

Edited on: September 21st, 2005 12:50 am