I recently saw the trailer for Hounddog (the so-called “Dakota Fanning rape movie” — what is wrong with these people…??), and, in one scene, Llewellyn (Dakota Fanning) asks if she can go to hell for someone else’s sin. I immediately thought of this series of posts (at Dawn Eden’s, Feministe, here and elsewhere).

And then, after seeing some of the usual nonsense from the religious right about this picture, I realized that, had this been a movie about Maria Goretti, Catholic mothers the world over would be flying their daughters in to audition for the part of the young victim. In this case, since the child survives and rises above her ordeal, the usual religious cranks are all about how immoral it is to have such a young actress playing such a complex and dark role.

At some point you have to either laugh or cry…

Also — a tangent, but one that illustrates the utter contradictory nature of Catholic teaching — how come they claim that it’s part of God’s plan to create new life from rape, but they’re also (through the Maria Goretti fable) claiming that it’s better to off yourself than be raped…? Huh?? What if you’re raped and then kill yourself, but you were pregnant?!?! Are you now guilty of murdering your unborn baby?

It’s just such a whacked out, twisted, sick, hateful, fearful swirl’o'crazy…

Anyways, cool post. Thanks for letting me vent.

Like you said there are many “fundamentals” who think the only way is to be self-righteous, to religiously follow rules and to have nothing but contempt for people outside of that. But there really are people who want to show people “outside faith” love and truth and who know they themselves are rotten sinners and would therefore not pretend self-righteousness.

I realize claiming you have the only way is viewed nowadays as being intolerant etc in and of itself but that will have to wait for another time.

If you’re at all interested in learning more about loving Christians (versus judgmental, hateful ones) I can recommend some authors. Off the top of my head Philip Yancey comes to mind. He perfectly sees everything wrong with Christianity but has also found it to be the only truth to be found in the world. I was Just Wondering, What’s so Amazing about Grace, the Bible Jesus Read . . . . all great books. They’re written for evangelical Christians but you might get what I’m talking about out of it.

Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll try to come up with a more comprehensive list.

Sorry I don’t have more time.

God bless,
Heather

@batguano: you can’t have it both ways. Either God is loving and forgiving or He is vengeful and punishing. You can have the new testament or the old testament but you can’t have both. So either your first or last paragraph true cos it can’t be both.

It’s interesting how so many people use the old testament to justify their oppressive beliefs while claiming that Jesus said it. Nope Jesus didn’t say it. If you’re looking for an oppressive voice in the new testament you have to go to St Paul the Misogynist in pretty much invented the church.

@Casual Observer: long walk, short pier. That is all.