Amazing then as it is today that a preacher..
is trusted to such a degree. I personally trust the church mouthpiece less than anyone else . The naivety of the US public never fails to surprise !
shareI'm inclined to agree with you.
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MovieChat Forums > The Night of the Hunter (1955) Discussion > Amazing then as it is today that a preac...
There are those who enter the clergy, hoping (usually in vain) that their new profession will be the cure for any unresolved issues and character defects.
There are those who become "men of God" purely out of selfish and cynical motivations (Joel Osteen seems to fit into that category.)
Nutjobs like the preacher in THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER sneaked into the profession as wolves in sheep's clothing; and it is hardly fair to judge the rest of clergy (or others, in general. who are "of faith") by people like Robert Mitchum's character in this movie.
Lastly, remember that those who occupy the offices of priests, pastors and evangelists are fallible human beings like everyone else, regardless of station or profession; and that even the Bible itself warns in numerous passages that such offices would frequently be infiltrated by many who were either unfit for the profession in the first place, or who would later grow corrupt with pride, ambition, and self-gratification. But certainly the majority of those "who are called" are godly, sincere and dedicated in their faith and it is grossly unjust to malign them ALL, on account of the relatively few "bad apples" among them.
Well I think that's a fair point you make.
I know that since becoming a christian I've attended two different churches and my experience (overall) with the leadership in both was not a good one.
Though I consider myself a person of faith I don't attend any organized religion anymore. The trauma of dealing with an abusive clergy has proved to be too much for me to deal with - or more than I'm willing to deal with.
This movie really struck a cord with me.
I know where you're coming from, loughsprng, and I've been present on some occasions where the "underbelly" side of fellow believers and church leadership was on display.
On the other hand, you'll find much the same kind of ugliness among any secular group with its leadership -- dog-eat-dog stuff, petty jealousies and back-stabbing among "fellow travellers" in the Communist Partie elites of the former USSR, China and Korea, for instance, all while putting on a united front.
"Office politics" at the workplace.
Committees of bank, school and business boards.
In-fighting in the Democratic Party, as well as Republicans at one another's throats.
Hostility and a malign competetive spirit among professional and collegiate atheletes -- even those who are on the same team, yet!
Gossip and social cliques in schools, colleges, and even at senior citizen living centers!
So, the things that you found off-putting at the churches you attended...? Yeah, they were real, and they were there. But they're pretty much everywhere else, too. However, not all churches are like that, and even some that were would later change for the better. I was there when they weren't at their best (and neither was I!) but I also was there on occasions where fences were mended.
Secret Message, HERE!--->CONGRATULATIONS!!! You've discovered the Secret Message!
Humans are sheep. That is why Catholic parents feed their children to child-raping priests, etc. Humans are humans, whether good or evil. Supposedly representing God makes them no different. In fact, when people have somehow convinced themselves that they are "in" with God, that only has the potential to drive them to more evil.
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