Christian Media: The Representation of Suffering

Well, hello.  

It appears that "Olivia angrily ranting about problems within the modern American Church" is turning into a series.  

Tbh, I'm down for that. #noregrets

Do y'all remember this post?  The one in which I vindictively gracefully addressed some of the negative aspects of Christian literature, specifically?  I mentioned in that post that I wasn't going to delve very deeply into Christian film, because that was A Whole Other Deal.

Welp, today, my dudes, we are going to dive headfirst into that Whole Other Deal.  

That's right!  I'm going to talk a bit about the world of Christian cinema: a couple of the trends I'm seeing that concern me, as well as some of the exceptions to the rule that give me hope.  (#Positivity!)

Here we go.

I want to keep this post reasonably short [edit from future Olivia:  I failed], so I'm going to restrict my remarks to the primary issue I have with Christian media right now.  There are several, but here's the biggest:  In Christian movies, the trial always ends. 

What do I mean by this?  Simple.

Whatever it is that the Struggling Christian wants or needs . . . they eventually get. 

If they're struggling with infertility, they always successfully conceive after a sufficient amount of tearful "surrender prayers".  

If their teenager is rebelling against the faith, the teenager always comes to Jesus  — or, at least, they come to the parents. 

If they're struggling financially, they always find another job or get a promotion.

If they've made mistakes, they always experience forgiveness or reconciliation.  (For that matter, if they're struggling with extending forgiveness or reconciliation . . . they always do.  The issue always winds up perfectly resolved, even if it's a situation in which barriers and boundaries would really actually be the healthier choice.)

If they're wrestling with doubt or apathy, they always attain full confidence or full fervor.

And, in the rare cases when all of this doesn't happen?  Fear not; they'll still get a happy ending, because they'll achieve spiritual resignation.  They'll realize that whatever happens to them is God's will and a part of his plan for them. 

(*screams in Arminian*)

Look.  I completely understand and respect that many people subscribe to this theological view, and therefore it is reasonable that it should be represented in Christian media.  The problem is, there are also many people (such as I myself) who do not subscribe to this theological view.  Some of us don't believe that everything that happens happens within the will of God.  And it is also reasonable that our perspective should be represented in Christian media.  But . . . I hardly ever encounter that representation.  In fact, I can only really think of a single Christian-themed film that indirectly challenges the idea of theological determinism. 

You can imagine the frustration. 😛

And to return to the original point:  the trial always ends.  Which . . . is not realistic.  It's not how real life works.  It's not how the real Christian life works. 

Now, in real/Christian life, do things get better?  Does the trial ebb, flow, ebb again?  Absolutely.  But does every difficulty, every sorrow, every struggle always resolve itself with a neat spiritual bow?  No.

Let's take common mental illness as an example.  If you experience chronic anxiety or depression, does that mean that you are doomed to a lifetime of circumscribed opportunity, horrific daily panic attacks, or unending suicidal ideation?  No.  Bless you, no.  But is it absolutely possible that you will deal with your illness, in some capacity, for the rest of your life?  

. . . Yes.

Some things don't just "go away".  (It's called 'chronic' for a reason.)  There is always hope, thank God; there are counseling services, medications, coping mechanisms, and other strategies for mitigating the effects of something like mental illness.  People with mental illness can lead extraordinary, vibrant lives.  Their illness does not — need not — define them.  But that doesn't mean that there won't be highs and lows along the way, that there won't be peaks and valleys mixed in among the plateaus. 

And that's okay.

For once — for once — can we please have a Christian movie that shows us that we will be okay, even if the trial never ends?  And can it show us that without trying to force-feed us resignation based on one particular doctrine that not all Christians accept?  

Show us how our lives will be filled with laughter and love and light even if that ache for a child or a different diagnosis or a total freedom from uncertainty always haunts us.  Even if a paralyzing fear always stalks us at night.  Even if we still don't believe that every trial we experience is handed down in love by God.

Because that is possible.  It is possible to live — day to day, month to month, year to year, decade to decade — in a cocktail of gladness and grief, joy and jadedness, worship and worry, belief and bitterness, praise and pain.  

In fact, it's how most people are living.  

I'm not saying that God isn't always working in us, growing us, teaching us.  I'm not saying that he is satisfied with leaving us in hatred or cynicism or doubt.  But what I am saying, what I have experienced firsthand, is that we are not often given any kind of surety that he will completely remove us from those sins or temptations this side of heaven.  

Do I believe that one day I will be utterly free from any last shred of bitterness or unforgiveness towards my abuser?  Absolutely I do.  Do I believe that that day will come before I meet Jesus in paradise?  Not necessarily.  It may; it absolutely may, and wouldn't that be fantastic.  But it also may not.   

And, praise the Lord, I am learning to be okay with that.  I am learning that some things are beyond my power to accomplish on my own.  I am learning that sometimes I need to wait on Christ to act as the surgeon that only he can be, removing the cancer in my soul as only he can — and I need to be content that his timetable for the operation might not line up with mine.

The one thing I can know, and the thing that can give me peace when I worry that I am regressing, is that he will sure as anything not leave me to die on the table.  He will heal me in his way and in his time, and all that he requires of me is to take each bit of medicine when he gives it to me.  To take steps towards recovery as he directs me.

And is it too much to ask — is it too much to ask, pray — to request that Christian media begin to reflect that reality?  "I put it to ya, and I leave it to ya."

I'm not being snobbish, here.  (At least, I hope I'm not.  #lol #rip me)  I'm not demanding more "Christian tragedies" in the name of realism.  I'm a fan of happy endings.  I believe in happy endings, because I'm an optimist.  I truly do believe that happy endings can be just as true to life as tragedies.

Howsomever, I do take issue with the kinds of happy endings that I keep seeing in Christian media.  

How about a movie in which the couple wrestles for decades with infertility and then still does at the end?  How about we give those real-life couples some visibility?

How about a movie in which the teenager does not relinquish their newfound atheism or pantheism or what-have-you, but still finds a way to 'agree to disagree' and maintain a loving relationship with their relatives?  How about we give those families some visibility?

How about a movie in which the person who committed a crime actually has to pay a fine or to serve jail time for it?  How about we give those people some visibility?

(*coughs* lookin' pretty hard at you, Kendrick brothers.  I love y'all but I need you to up your game on this.)

Essentially, I just really want Christian media to be willing to "get its hands dirty".  I want it to actually tackle the real complexities of life — beyond the complexities that have historically been prescribed for it.  So, for example, while we definitely need movies that deal with grief and loss from a Christian perspective . . . could we move beyond that?  Could we be brave enough to delve into some really dicey, delicate topics, topics that require an incredible amount of prayer, grace, tact, and grit?  

Could we address how we as Christians navigate our lives when we know that we have a lifelong mental illness — and if we do, could we not end the movie with God miraculously healing us from that mental illness, since, for many people with mental illness, he does not grant miraculous healing?  

Could we address how we as conservative parents should deal with it when our child comes to us in tears and tells us that they're gay — and if we do, could we for the love try desperately to not do any more harm than we already have, as the Church, by our disastrous handling of the issue?

Could we address how we as long-term Christians can reconcile that a lifetime of faith may exist alongside a lifetime of doubt in our own hearts and minds — and if we do, could we please refrain from trite, pat, one-size-fits-all answers? 

We can do this, fam.  I believe in us.  (And if I don't, I want to.)

Luckily, there are some films, whether they be explicitly Christian or simply more "inspirational"/faith-based, which do in fact give me hope.  So I thought I'd list them here, with the goal of giving you some religious [or, at least, religiously reminiscent] movies that [hopefully] won't disappoint you.  ** PLEASE NOTE:  All of these movies have flaws.  Some have many.  By including a feature on this list, I am not necessarily endorsing every little theological or philosophical detail contained therein.  In fact, I recognize that some of these may seem to contain the exact things I'm criticizing in this post.  I have my reasons for including them anyway, and if you have any questions about my thought process for a specific show, please ask and we can talk in the comments! **  

Without further ado, here are some possibilities to consider on your next trip to the library.  (Ha. *laughs in pandemic*)

- Bella (2006) -

- Gimme Shelter (2013) -

- Miracles from Heaven (2016) -

- Moms' Night Out (2014) -

- October Baby (2011) -

- One Night with the King (2006) -

- Priceless (2016) -

- Risen (2016) -

- Woodlawn (2015) - 

   

That's all I got for now, folks.  Your turn!  

What do you think of Christian media?

Have you watched any/all of the movies I specifically mentioned? 

If so, what is your opinion on them?

[Also, it makes no sense to publish a post this late in the day.  Buuuuuut Imma do it anyway.]