With more eye-catching docs coming out of
Sundance in 2007 (
Manda Bala (Send A Bullet),
Crazy Love,
My Kid Could Paint That,
No End In Sight,
War Dance,
Zoo, ect.),
Daniel Karslake's
For The Bible Tells Me So was lost in the flurry, but this interesting look at how decades of religious anti-gay bias is based almost solely upon the misinterpretation of the Bible, the film should certainly be in the conversation as one of the best docs that came out of Sundance '07. Hailed at festivals around the country and getting an impressive release through
First Run Features, this traditional doc brings clarity to an issue that's been covered numerous times and unveils a film that's as informative as it is touching.
Known mostly for his work as a producer on the Gay and Lesbian newsmagazine
In the Life on
PBS, in his debut feature Karslake examines how one section in the Bible, Leviticus 18:22, has been the end game to the issue of homosexuality for most Christians -- "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." But with interviews by respected religious figures such as
Archbishop Desmond Tutu,
Harvard's
Peter Gomes,
Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and
Reverend Jimmy Creech, we learn that sometimes the words in the Bible should not be taken at face value.
While the film debunks myths, it also highlights five families, all from different lifestyles but all believing that homosexuality is an abomination, until one of their children tell them they are Gay. One family highlighted is that of former
House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt (his family's on the cover) whose daughter is a lesbian and how she helped in his run for the presidency in 2004.
If there's one thing you come away with, it's that the words of the Bible are so powerful to some that it will blind them from common sense and as it has with women and African-Americans in the past, alienates a group of people. And sadly sometimes causes worse actions.
DVD includes an interview with Karslake. It hits streets this week from First Run Features for $24.95.
# posted by Jason Guerrasio @ 2/18/2008 09:53:00 AM
Comments (1)
The problem is not taking just the one statement, but not reading the entire Bible.the sinful nature of man is to sin period. No man is perfect. We all are sinners. The idea that some of us are less sinners than others is ludicrous. And focusing on one sin like homosexuality (whether it is a sin or not) is going to be a debate just like abortion, and drug addiction. The problem is not that the sinner is in denial, but that the heart of man is wicked and vile and will find any way to make wrong a right. But, this is just not so.
The entire Bible shows history of people generations that made the same mistakes that we are making today. Prophets yelled in many languages. And gay people will shout out loud to be accepted.
But, this doesn't mean that is is GOD's WILL.
HATING GAY people is a sin.
Hating HOMOSEXUALITY is Godly.
And yes, for every example of relationships there are reasons that can be made and light will shine through the pink glasses we chose to look through. No man wants to admit defeat. Or that they are wrong. But, God makes it plain so that the entire world will know what is TRUTH, and what is a LIE.
We can talk and rally and shout from the rooftops aloud to unite in any sin that we feel is not a sin but the bible even says we will do this too, as it is in our nature. Enough of my words.
Gods words are more powerful.
2 Timothy 4:3 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
[NIV at IBS] [International Bible Society] [NIV at Zondervan] [Zondervan]
3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
and also from the book of Romans
God's Wrath Against Mankind
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
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LET THOSE WITH EARS HEAR!
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posted by @ 2/21/2008 7:11 PM
