The resurrection of the son of God perfectly defeated the darkness and despair that accompanied Him to the cross. His sacrifice became an enabling power for all mankind, and His grace became sufficient.
Consider this portrayal of the hellish circumstances that followed the heavenly being to the cross. More importantly, consider the rejoicing and renewal of hope that followed His ascension.
Christ’s atonement is the ultimate paradigm of the life and happiness that sacrifice can bring.It is the cornerstone of Christianity and the foundation of faith. The media recognize the world’s understanding, appreciation and reliance on this infinite sacrifice, and through countless film productions, they have appealed to Christians’ interests and mimicked the ultimate sacrifice with great success.
In Armageddon, Bruce Willis plays the Christ-figure. He is the world’s best driller, and the world’s safety and existence depends on him. In the film’s final scene in space, Willis sacrifices his life so that the asteroid destined for Earth becomes a non-threat. Immediately following his sacrifice, crowds of people emerge from churches and temples and houses, rejoicing their lives and safety. This is patterned after the Savior’s atonement.
Seven Pounds also depicts the ultimate sacrifice. Will Smith is the Christ-figure in this movie, giving up his own life and body so that others may live. Smith brings hope and second chances to his worthy recipients, just as Christ does to the repentant.
In Principles of Sociology, theories of sacrifice are analyzed. One theory suggests that sacrifice means nothing without some belief in the afterlife (http://books.google.com).
The media have illustrated this theory by showing that an ultimate sacrifice yields a present-life with characteristics of the afterlife—flawless, perfected, safe and happy. Viewers respond favorably to movies that incorporate this theme because it is so widely recognized and deeply-rooted within them already; it is simply the story of the Savior.
In Religion and Popular Culture in America, religion is identified by “sacred symbols which animate an all-inclusive world view espousing perennial values such as love, peace and universal brotherhood” (p.213-14). This view reinforces the idea that sacrifice, a sacred symbol, leads to a society very similar to the afterlife.
Does the media’s portrayal of an ultimate sacrifice diminish or reinforce the magnitude of the Savior’s sacrifice?
I think that it can do both, it just depends on the context. In these examples, I think that it can diminish it, because the characters in these stories are often flawed, which Christ was not. One of the reasons Christ's sacrifice was so great and so wonderful was that He had to live a perfect live and spend his entire time here on earth preparing for that sacrifice.
I think that the stories make us feel good and make us feel like anyone can step up and save the world. In many aspects this is true, but when considered in the context of the Atonement and what it actually means for each of us, of course nothing else can compare. There is something about the redemptive quality of these stories, something about how people sacrifice to right their wrongs, that is good and that we enjoy, but Christ didn't have any wrongs to right - He was perfect.
I have to disagree with the comment above, and say that the above examples do not diminish the sacrifice of the Savior. While these characters are flawed, their sacrifices are Christ-like. This is not completely unlike the many types and shadows of Christ that are all over the scriptures. The people in the scriptures are flawed as well, but their characteristics and Christ-like attributes represent what the Savior did for us in a positive way. I think that these movies do a similar thing.
This is not to say that all representations of Christ reinforce the magnitude of the Savior's Atonement. Some are inappropriate and disrespectful. However, I believe that the many movies that are a representation of the Atonement magnify the importance of the Atonement in this life and to many people on the earth.
The media’s portrayal of an ultimate sacrifice diminishes and reinforces the magnitude of the Savior’s sacrafice. It diminishes the Savior's sacrafice in that the comparisons in the movies are not even close to the magnitude of the Savior's sacrafice. The comparisons downplay the ultimate sacrafice. On the other hand, it reinforces the Savior's sacrafice in that it reminds people of the Savior's ultimate sacrafice. Christ comparisons in main stream movies bring religion into the movie.
Most of the examples in the media of an ultimate sacrifice that is had in order to save others reinforces Christ's sacrifice because it puts it in a different context for us and shows it to us in a way that we hadn't thought of before. Just as a missionary can use analogies in teaching the gospel to make things simpler and more relatable to our lives, different movie portrayals of Christ's Atonement help us to understand more of its splendor, magnitude, and miracle and touches our hearts in a new, profound way. For example, someone might not understand the Great Apostacy, but when it is taught with such analogies of a teacher leaving a classroom or the absence of a referee in a football game, it becomes a lot simpler and easier to understand the chaos that occurs without a leader present. For me this hit home when I saw the movie Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. There are several similarities between this movie and the gospel, mainly the Lion Aslan being a type of Christ figure who sacrifices himself to save others and is then resurrected. This movie touched me in such a profound way because I new the symbolism that the original writer C.S. Lewis was trying to portry of Christ. Hence, most representations can actually solidify our understanding/testimony of Christ's Atonement.
It would be difficult to agree that ALL movies that exemplify the sacrifice of Christ reinforce our understanding of the Savior. However, I don't think that they completely diminish the meaning either. It is my belief that these mirrored images are just that; an example of being Christ-like. It is our own interpretation of that image, that determines its connection to the meaning of The Atonement.
I do not think that this portrayal of Christ in the media diminishes the ultimate sacrifice. Christ did a wonderful thing for all of us and I feel like, in these instances, it is portrayed in a respectful way. After watching Armageddon and Seven Pounds, I felt like I should be sacrificing something in my life to help others. It also reminds me of Christ's love for us and what he did for us. Yes, Christ's sacrifice was a sacred moment, but it is a moment that should always be remembered and recongnized.
People learn from the examples of others, and what better example to follow then the sacrifice of Christ. Even if these films don't consciously remind people of Christ's sacrifice at least they are receiving the general message that sacrifice is necessary, bitter-sweet, and worthy of "worship." It shows the viewer that there is a greater purpose in life, and that the universe doesn't revolve around them.
I think symbolism of the atonement reinforces much more than it diminishes the event. The simple fact that the symbolism is there, whether or not people are aware of it, links the human need for an ultimate sacrifice into everyday thought and conversation. The constant representation of the atonement in so many areas of our lives/entertainment, I think, has a much deeper impact on our views of the necessity of an ultimate sacrifice that we think.
I think that it can do both, it just depends on the context. In these examples, I think that it can diminish it, because the characters in these stories are often flawed, which Christ was not. One of the reasons Christ's sacrifice was so great and so wonderful was that He had to live a perfect live and spend his entire time here on earth preparing for that sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteI think that the stories make us feel good and make us feel like anyone can step up and save the world. In many aspects this is true, but when considered in the context of the Atonement and what it actually means for each of us, of course nothing else can compare. There is something about the redemptive quality of these stories, something about how people sacrifice to right their wrongs, that is good and that we enjoy, but Christ didn't have any wrongs to right - He was perfect.
I have to disagree with the comment above, and say that the above examples do not diminish the sacrifice of the Savior. While these characters are flawed, their sacrifices are Christ-like. This is not completely unlike the many types and shadows of Christ that are all over the scriptures. The people in the scriptures are flawed as well, but their characteristics and Christ-like attributes represent what the Savior did for us in a positive way. I think that these movies do a similar thing.
ReplyDeleteThis is not to say that all representations of Christ reinforce the magnitude of the Savior's Atonement. Some are inappropriate and disrespectful. However, I believe that the many movies that are a representation of the Atonement magnify the importance of the Atonement in this life and to many people on the earth.
The media’s portrayal of an ultimate sacrifice diminishes and reinforces the magnitude of the Savior’s sacrafice. It diminishes the Savior's sacrafice in that the comparisons in the movies are not even close to the magnitude of the Savior's sacrafice. The comparisons downplay the ultimate sacrafice. On the other hand, it reinforces the Savior's sacrafice in that it reminds people of the Savior's ultimate sacrafice. Christ comparisons in main stream movies bring religion into the movie.
ReplyDeleteMost of the examples in the media of an ultimate sacrifice that is had in order to save others reinforces Christ's sacrifice because it puts it in a different context for us and shows it to us in a way that we hadn't thought of before. Just as a missionary can use analogies in teaching the gospel to make things simpler and more relatable to our lives, different movie portrayals of Christ's Atonement help us to understand more of its splendor, magnitude, and miracle and touches our hearts in a new, profound way. For example, someone might not understand the Great Apostacy, but when it is taught with such analogies of a teacher leaving a classroom or the absence of a referee in a football game, it becomes a lot simpler and easier to understand the chaos that occurs without a leader present.
ReplyDeleteFor me this hit home when I saw the movie Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. There are several similarities between this movie and the gospel, mainly the Lion Aslan being a type of Christ figure who sacrifices himself to save others and is then resurrected. This movie touched me in such a profound way because I new the symbolism that the original writer C.S. Lewis was trying to portry of Christ. Hence, most representations can actually solidify our understanding/testimony of Christ's Atonement.
It would be difficult to agree that ALL movies that exemplify the sacrifice of Christ reinforce our understanding of the Savior. However, I don't think that they completely diminish the meaning either. It is my belief that these mirrored images are just that; an example of being Christ-like. It is our own interpretation of that image, that determines its connection to the meaning of The Atonement.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that this portrayal of Christ in the media diminishes the ultimate sacrifice. Christ did a wonderful thing for all of us and I feel like, in these instances, it is portrayed in a respectful way. After watching Armageddon and Seven Pounds, I felt like I should be sacrificing something in my life to help others. It also reminds me of Christ's love for us and what he did for us. Yes, Christ's sacrifice was a sacred moment, but it is a moment that should always be remembered and recongnized.
ReplyDeletePeople learn from the examples of others, and what better example to follow then the sacrifice of Christ. Even if these films don't consciously remind people of Christ's sacrifice at least they are receiving the general message that sacrifice is necessary, bitter-sweet, and worthy of "worship." It shows the viewer that there is a greater purpose in life, and that the universe doesn't revolve around them.
ReplyDeleteI think symbolism of the atonement reinforces much more than it diminishes the event. The simple fact that the symbolism is there, whether or not people are aware of it, links the human need for an ultimate sacrifice into everyday thought and conversation. The constant representation of the atonement in so many areas of our lives/entertainment, I think, has a much deeper impact on our views of the necessity of an ultimate sacrifice that we think.
ReplyDelete