Hoover: 'I had no secret agenda'
"I’ve been surprised by the unfounded claim that Blood Brother is somehow secret evangelical propaganda. The idea that I made this film with some nefarious agenda would be funny to me if it wasn’t so potentially harmful. Neither Rocky nor myself consider ourselves evangelicals. We are both Christians, but we have no interest in pushing intolerant political agendas or using legislation to enforce doctrine. Nor do I see filmmaking as a means to fill the pews or make converts. I had no secret agenda.
Tom Roston of POV blog wrote an article I found particularly troubling, attempting to create the case that I deliberately disguised Rocky’s faith in the film. This simply isn’t true. Rocky’s faith is mentioned many times in the film, both in dialogue and in narration, yet Roston claims that the film’s approach to faith seems “secular.” This may come from a frustration that Rocky doesn’t fit within a cookie-cutter cliché of a Republican, Evangelical, American Christian. I understand why Roston might be tempted to group Rocky with certain vocal and very visible faith groups, but Rocky’s not that kind of Christian. His faith (among many complex motivations explored in the film) inspires him to love people in tangible ways, like cleaning the wounds and open sores of children with HIV with little regard for his own safety. That love isn’t some elaborate trick to get people to convert. When he takes a sick Hindu man to the hospital, there’s no expectation that the man will change his beliefs. Rocky cares for him because he needs care. Love is an end to itself."
http://www.bloodbrotherfilm.com/blog-post/open-letter-from-blood-broth er-director-steve-hoover/
So, I take it that Rocky doesn't discuss religion with the kids and attempt to sway them toward Christianity? His evangelism consists entirely of being a (Christian) role model?
Further clarification from Braat and Hoover seems to be in order. share