MovieChat Forums > Chariots of Fire (1982) Discussion > Proof once again that movies never get C...

Proof once again that movies never get Christianity right

posted 11 years ago by ShaniquaJohnson
13 replies | jump to latest

Even given that he was confused enough about what the Bible said that he thought he wasn't supposed to do anything but preach or study the Bible on Sunday, does it seem possible that he wouldn't know the times that Paul the Apostle had used the metaphor of running a race for serving God (1Cor. 9:24-26 or Hebrews 12) and use those verses to preach from? And in those verses, Paul didn't say we were to look inside ourselves for spiritual answers, but to God.

Every time I see a movie try to deal with Christian themes, I'm astonished at the way they twist what the Bible says.

I know I'm on a movie website, and it's been my experience that when the movie says it, that's what people believe. But I just had to point out the obvious even if it probably won't be popular.

[–] baheidstu-351-733122 11 years ago

I'm not sure what issue you're referring to specifically (the playing of football on Sunday, or running the heats) but it was Eric Liddell himself who refused to run on a Sunday, it is not an invention of the filmmakers. The only liberty taken was having Eric find out just prior to departure whereas in real life he knew months in advance.

[–] VikyO 11 years ago

If Paul used running a race for serving God as a metaphor, then it isn't to be interpreted literally. I doubt Paul was advocating running as a Sunday hobby, but rather used it symbolically as each person's personal journey in faith, which is quite individual, i.e., each person will cross the finish line in his or her own way. So I believe Eric Liddell interpreted it correctly when he didn't want to perform the physical task of running on a Sunday.

Also, if the Kingdom of God is within us, given by God, then its perfectly okay to look inside ourselves for spiritual answers, since God is already there.

The soul has a logic that may be more compelling than the mind's

[–] QCJLo 11 years ago

VikyO: "Also, if the Kingdom of God is within us, given by God, then its perfectly okay to look inside ourselves for spiritual answers, since God is already there."

You need to read the context of that scripture for you to understand what Jesus meant when he said those words. The context shows that Jesus addressed those words to the antagonistic Jewish religious group called the Pharisees. They had their own expectations regarding the Messiah and his Kingdom. For them, the Messiah would come “with the clouds of the heavens.” Jesus, however, pointed out their error by telling them: “The kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness.” Then he added the words: “Look! the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (or "within you" or "here with you" as various Bibles translate). While Jesus taught and performed miracles that clearly identified him as the Messiah, the Pharisees, lacking clean hearts and genuine faith, simply became more opposed. They doubted Jesus. Thus, Jesus laid the facts before them: The Kingdom, represented by its designated King, was "in their midst." He did not ask that they look inside themselves. Jesus and his disciples were standing before them. That's why Jesus was able to say that “God’s kingdom is here with you."

[–] VikyO 11 years ago

I understand the context in which Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, but I don’t think that passage has any bearing on Eric Liddell’s speech to the crowd (who were not Pharisees), where he said the power to see the race to its end comes from within.
Eric Liddell was “witnessing” in this speech, encouraging people to follow Christ, not trying to prove to a group of dried up, rigid religious men in what form to expect the Kingdom of God . Rather, he was encouraging people to look within themselves to make the decision to follow and commit themselves to Christ, which would give them God-given power to help them run a “straight race.”
All decisions start with “looking within”, whether its wanting to communicate with God and receive His divine help, or walking a different path.

The soul has a logic that may be more compelling than the mind's

[–] Suskis 11 years ago

Every time I see a movie try to deal with Christian themes, I get bored to death and skip it. Religion should stay away from cinema. And from human life, too.

'What has been affirmed without proof can also be denied without proof.' (Euclid)

[–] gbeach 10 years ago

Every time I see a movie try to deal with Christian themes, I get bored to death and skip it. Religion should stay away from cinema. And from human life, too.

If you don't like religious themes in movies then you're right to avoid watching them but to say that religion should stay away from cinema is bit of an over reaction.

There are lots of themes or subjects in movies that I don't like in varying degrees so I just don't watch them but I certainly don't deny the right of people to make those types of movies.

It's a big world and not everything has to conform to your tastes.

---------
Nothing is so good that somebody, somewhere will not hate it. -- Frederik Pohl

[–] CinAtlanta 10 years ago

You do know, don't you, that the point you are arguing was what actually happened, and not the fabrication of a movie-writer?

The embellishment written in was about when he learned about the Sunday heat, not that he refused to run it. That's 100% accurate.

So your beef is with Eric himself, and those who did then and still do feel the same way about non-devotional activity on the Sabbath.

[–] Marmadukebagelhole 10 years ago

So many people who call themselves Christians don't get Christianity right according to other people who call themselves Christians.

What does that tell you?

@Twitzkrieg - Glasgow's FOREMOST authority

[–] MtnMan13 10 years ago

So many people who call themselves scientists don't get science right according to other people who call themselves scientists.

What does that tell you?

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

Every time I see a movie try to deal with Christian themes, I'm astonished at the way they twist what the Bible says.

I'm sorry, but I think you've misinterpreted the film. It's not pushing a particular Christian or Jewish line of thinking or message.

The film centres on a Jewish sprinter and his devoutly Christian rival, as they struggle for sporting, personal and national honour in a time when a person's religious convictions could affect both the way they might behave, as well as the behaviour paid to them. Athleticism is equated to religious conviction.

There's little point or merit that I can see in debating a film character's beliefs, though the film is by and large quite historically accurate, particularly so in relation to the two protagonist's religious views.

[–] will-694 10 years ago

The film reflects the reality of the time in which the events occurred and a great many Christians practiced the keeping of the Sabbath Holy.

Before you judge something, you would do well to research it. Stores being open on Sundays are a relatively recent phenomenon in much of the South (late 60's-early 70's. We also had/have "blue laws" which prohibit the sale of alcohol on Sundays.

The world is a big place and not everyone follows your particular interpretation of what is or is not Christianity.

[–] boxerrebellion 8 years ago

I remember many stores being closed on Sunday in the mid-70s. In the late 70s, I worked at a small pharmacy owned by a Jew; the high schoolers who worked there (including me) were either Catholic or Protestant... the Catholics worked Sunday morning and were expected to go to Mass on Saturday evening (a valid option). The Protestants worked Saturday evening so they could go to church on Sunday morning (Saturday evening not being an option). I don't know if he ever asked the Protestants, but when he worked Sunday morning, he would ask us about the sermon Saturday evening. I remember sometimes being asked by the young man I worked with what Father had said before we got to work because he hadn't been to church.

I also remember a decade later being surprised because not being much of a drinker, the Blue Laws had never really affected me. My Mom had an overabundance of strawberries and some friends decided we should make daiquiris, but we had no rum. Although we could buy beer or wine, no hard alcolhol was available on Sunday.

[–] MtnMan13 9 years ago

Here's Eric's complete speech:

You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - especially if you've got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe your dinner's burnt. Maybe you haven't got a job. So who am I to say, "Believe, have faith," in the face of life's realities? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. Jesus said, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me." If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.

Taken in its entirety, and speaking as a Christian, I don't have a problem with this sermon, because he's basically telling people to seek God with all their hearts.