The Evils of Million Dollar Baby

Concerning Million Dollar Baby, I saw once again why I get so tired of my friends at the Christian Right. Baptist Press and other Christian groups (along with Michael Medved and Rush) ruined my movie watching experience by screaming about the plot of the movie and how it was a promotion of assisted suicide. However, Christianity Today was able to shed light onto the movie with no spoilers (that is what good writing gets you).

I was going to write a blog today on how if a character in a movie acts in a certain way, then it is glorification. I was going to mention that we need to stay away from Shakespeare since he promotes murder, suicide, assisted suicide and cross dressing (boy does he glorify cross dressing). But, the great Maureen Dowd of NYT beat me to the punch.

I would mention that we should expect this from Clint, since Mystic River obviously glorifies murdering friends for crimes they did not commit, Unforgiven glorifies shooting entire posses gathering in saloons (and killing sheriffs) and Bridges of Madison County glorifies adultery. Since I have been enlightened by these Christian brothers, I now realize the Godfather films promote killing siblings and having associates murdered while I attend the baptism of my child. Heck, the Matrix promotes walking into skyscrapers in trenchcoats, pulling out automatic weapons and killing everyone I see.

I now know that I need to stay away from Hollywood and center myself on Mel Gibson movies, which never promote revenge, the killing of paparazzi, the seduction of women and murder of enemies. No, those are just characters in a movie acting in a certain manner to move a plot along and make me think.