So every Thursday night my wife and I host a movie and game night for our youth group. This past Thursday we thought it might be good to watch the movie "Joyful Noise". We hadn't seen it but it looked like a good, uplifting film that would also be funny. Needless to say we were shocked to find that while it did have some of those elements it was mostly an expose on faults that exist in the church here in America.
It was interesting to look at the many different ways that the battle with our inner zombie was portrayed. Now granted, this was all done indirectly and I'm fairly certain it was accidental but it was fascinating. The first thing we see is that there is a great deal of tension between the two main female characters and the pastor. Throughout the movie there is a power struggle between those three parties. Eventually it comes down to the pastor vs the two women with the pastor being manipulated by the rich lady into doing what they want by first threatening to withhold her tithes and offering and when that doesn't work she threatens to start her own church. The desire to be in control is a strong lever that our inner zombie uses to move us into a place where it can at least influence us if not take over outright.
Then there were two choir members who liked each other but didn't have the courage to say anything to the other. When they finally do they end up fornicating (having sex without being married). I know from personal experience that our sex drive is, perhaps, the most powerful weapon in the zombie arsenal. It can be all but impossible to resist if we don't actively turn to Christ in the moment of temptation.
There was quite a bit of foul language in the movie which wasn't that unusual and the fact that half of the "Christians" used it without giving it a thought and the rest ended up using after looking down on the ones who did was a classic illustration of how Christians are perceived as nothing but hypocrites. We all fall victim to hypocrisy, it isn't just a Christian failing but at times that seems to be the message of the movie, that Christians are the only ones known for this.
Does the movie shed light on real issues of the heart? Yes. Does it portray the characters as flawed people who are trying to do what they think is right? Yes. What it doesn't do is offer any actual instruction on the proper way to go about that nor does it show any of the characters as anything other than superficial people who act like they are better than those who don't go to church and that's a shame because there are many who are sincere in their faith and, while they stumble from time to time, really do try to walk with Christ to the best of their ability and who aren't the shallow, self-righteous control freaks we are made out to be in this movie.
Having said all of that, if you're looking for a movie that can jump start discussions concerning theology and the church in America and where we fall short then this just might be a movie you'll want to watch. Why, because it does a good job at exposing many of the areas that the church in America needs to address (read 'repent of') in order to truly be effective at winning people to Christ.
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