Thursday, April 17, 2008

Jesus - in our image: Macho

I was watching a "Jesus" film the other day called Joshua, an adaption of a book by the same name by Father Girzone. The book was pretty fair as I remember - however the movie portrays Jesus the same way that so many recent films, produced by well intentioned Christian filmmakers have: As a macho man who looks as if he has just stepped out of the weight room and put on street clothes. He walks with a swagger, makes women swoon and instills confidence in men, all the while employing a gentle intelligence and ready laugh. The problem is - this kind of depiction seems to solely reflect the ambition and values of conservative christians in America. A shallow move - making Jesus of Nazareth into our own image. But then, what else would be expected from the popular evangelical church that has given us mega-sized, consumer friendly, entertainment driven churches informed largely, if not strictly by a sheltered ideology.

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