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Quote# 36858

[On the movie: X2: X-men united]

Looking at my ratings, you might think I didn't like the movie. That's not true, as I did enjoy the movie very much. However, looking at this from a CHRISTIAN perspective, there is much to find offensive in this film. For me though, it wasn't the violence and language that offended me, but the character of Nightcrawler. His obsession with Roman Catholic tradition (praying rosary and self punishment among other things) marred what could have been a great character with Christian beliefs. Remove the rubbish, leave in the prayers (except for Rosary) and you have a Christian character, which would have been cool.

[They gave the movie a 3/5 for quality and rated its moral value as "extremely offensive"]

Luke Smith, Christiananswers 58 Comments [3/28/2008 2:20:58 PM]
Fundie Index: 5
WTF?! || meh
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#447598
Lilith

So the genocidal tendencies of the villian were a-ok, but the mere existence of a Catholic character was "extremely offensive"?

3/28/2008 6:17:27 PM

#447602
Mattural Selection

Nightcrawler is the second best Marvel character ever created, and as a life long Nightcrawler fan, I was extremely happy with how well they portrayed him. [Also, Alan Cumming is a damn legend.]

[If anyone is wondering, Deadpool is the best Marvel character ever.]

3/28/2008 6:22:30 PM

#447603
David D.G.

"For me though, it wasn't the violence and language that offended me, but the character of Nightcrawler. His obsession with Roman Catholic tradition (praying rosary and self punishment among other things) marred what could have been a great character with Christian beliefs. Remove the rubbish, leave in the prayers (except for Rosary) and you have a Christian character, which would have been cool."

The weird thing is that I agree with about half of this.

Nightcrawler NEVER was into self-mutilation or self-punishment of any sort in the comics; he would have been horrified by such things, and rightly so. This aspect of the character in the movie version was just horribly wrong, and it marred what was otherwise an excellent character.

However, he WAS a devout Catholic (and, yes, that DOES mean Christian!) in the comics -- not that I recall ever seeing him with a rosary, but I know he went to confession and mass periodically, and he talked about faith on occasion. Religion rarely came up in their battle situations, but I can think of one where it actually did.

In one issue, the X-Men fought a vampire (it may even have been Dracula, though I don't recall now). Wolverine's use of a cross did nothing to the vampire, because Wolverine had no faith in what it signified -- but when Nightcrawler crossed a couple of measly twigs, the vampire recoiled from the symbol of his faith. (The vampire also burned himself on the Star of David that Kitty Pryde wore on a necklace -- indicating that she was not only from a Jewish family, but sincerely believed in that faith as well.) Frankly, I thought it was very cool, adding a nifty bit of depth and diversity to the characters.


~David D.G.

3/28/2008 6:27:22 PM

#447606
Brenz

So a would-be presidential assassin who looks like a demon and leaves the stench of brimstone is awesome, but a CATHOLIC...gasp!

3/28/2008 6:32:51 PM

#447649
Syckls

The official review says this: "Evolution continues to be a theme in this film. Mutants are so named because they are humans with mutated genes that give them superhuman powers. In addition, one of character evolves throughout the film. This transformation is a deviation from how it occurred in the comic series, where a powerful cosmic being was involved."

Last I checked, it's been a genetic mutation since it was first published in 1963. I know it's been said many times, but for some of these guys it's like lying comes like breathing to them.

3/28/2008 7:37:34 PM

#447665
Mattural Selection

@ Syckls:

Which character are they referring to? The only one that I can even begin to think they might be talking about is phoenix, and that was more in 3 than 2, and even then it was the other way around. In the comics she was imbued with the power of the phoenix force from the M'craan (spelling?) Crystal, and in the movie it was just her. /me is confused.

3/28/2008 7:55:04 PM

#447669
Old Viking

Everything was going so smoothly, what with your 372,417 Christian sects. Than the johnny-come-lately Catholics show up and ... Oh. Hold on ...

3/28/2008 8:01:35 PM

#447740
Nowonmai

use the force, Luke, and read about Nightcrawlers' history. The character was created as a devout Catholic. Too bad if you didn't think it was 'cool'. And if it has escaped your notice, Catholics are Christians. Oy

3/28/2008 10:11:59 PM

#447771
Canadiest

Nightcrawler was one of the best realized (of thr comic characters) in the that francise of movies. Rang very true with the comic.

If he was fundie he'd no no peace, he'd be trained to hate himself and probably would have been killed in infancy.

I'm an atheist but I liked the character having faith as it created a new dynamic.

I don't think you could ever have a fundie character (Foolkiller, a crazy man fundie i can buy) with any redemable, likeable traits. They'd use their power to destroy abortion clinic, brainwash you into their religion and general have no respect for anyone with their special God-given powers.

Mad tv's Bible Dude! That's another.

3/28/2008 11:08:11 PM

#447784
WMDKitty

Oh, for the love of -- IT'S JUST A MOVIE!

3/28/2008 11:30:44 PM

#447793
tracer

Interesting that they are reviewing one of the X-Men movies.

When I watched the Left Behind movie, I basically watched it the same way I watched X-Men: I willingly suspended my disbelief, and accepted a world with superhuman powers in it. Of course Cyclops's eyes emit destructive energy blasts! Of course Professor Xavier can read minds! Of course Christianity gives you the power to see through the Antichrist's lies!

And then, when both movies were over, I returned to reality....

3/28/2008 11:37:39 PM

#447822
Osiris

@tracer: That's why fundies get so upset about fiction. They don't understand suspension of disbelief. They watch a film and read a book and think these people are trying to present them with some sort of religions truth the same why the Bible does.

3/29/2008 12:36:48 AM

#447909
nintendofreakgcn

Anyone with any decent knowledge of films or comic books can tell you that both are highly visual in nature. Since Catholicism has a fair few visual practices that are not shared by other branches of Christianity (yes, fundies, Catholics are Christians), it makes much more sense to make the most important Christian character Catholic instead of any other type of Christian.

I really worry about someone who's reviewing films and couldn't figure that much out.

3/29/2008 2:48:24 AM

#447926
Xi

Didn't he become a priest in the comics?

3/29/2008 3:13:55 AM

#447939
Comicartist

Luke Smith post on the second X-men movie.

In which a fundamentalist once again shows obvious unability to separate between works of fiction and real life.

3/29/2008 3:33:45 AM

#447945
Michael

We all know den Cat'lics are of teh debil.

3/29/2008 3:41:49 AM

#447973
Yodaman23

NO ONE INSULTS NIGHTY AND LIVES!

3/29/2008 4:57:46 AM

#447987
johnyanony

Septic Sceptic

#476728


2008-Mar-28 04:12 PM

I am offended by things that acknowledge the existence of different people! I only attend a film if I know it has an entirely WASP cast!




they make movies with na entirely Wild Atheist Sexy Perverted cast? i wanna see that.




3/29/2008 5:09:14 AM

#448145
Mattural Selection

Xi said: "Didn't he become a priest in the comics?"

He sure did. It was a few years ago now tho. I can't remember who was writing and drawing them at the time. That was about when I stopped reading them. I became a poor uni student with no money for comics :(

3/29/2008 10:17:10 AM

#448350


If you read the comics, Nightcrawler is Catholic. Hence, the reason he behaves like a Catholic. As it happens, I don't think they did Nightcrawler too well either, but that was for his personality not his belief system.

3/29/2008 3:51:54 PM

#448411
Blayze Kohime

I'm surprised they didn't get offended by the very blatant references to evolution and mutation, even if obviously in a fantasy context.

3/29/2008 4:36:00 PM

#448595
popeth

no mention of evolution?!?! you got some work to do before you reach full fledged fundie

3/29/2008 8:22:39 PM

#448778
Martha Jones

Sarah Jane will be VERY pissed that you've taken her son's name.

And you're still an idiot.

3/29/2008 10:39:59 PM

#449097
John_in_Oz

Landover Baptist's response:
"In a Godly reaction to X-Men 3, the Board of Deacons has commissioned a sin posse to be named, "The A-Men Trinity." The A-Men will travel to outlying communities and even into Des Moines with the good news that Jesus wants to rid all homes of X-Men comic books and put them into the hands of Landover Baptist Pastors who will in turn burn them later this summer in a giant fire if they don't fetch a good enough love gift price on E-Bay."

3/30/2008 5:44:45 AM

#450191
tracer

David D.G. wrote:

"In one issue, the X-Men fought a vampire (it may even have been Dracula, though I don't recall now). Wolverine's use of a cross did nothing to the vampire, because Wolverine had no faith in what it signified -- but when Nightcrawler crossed a couple of measly twigs, the vampire recoiled from the symbol of his faith. (The vampire also burned himself on the Star of David that Kitty Pryde wore on a necklace -- indicating that she was not only from a Jewish family, but sincerely believed in that faith as well.)"


They did something like that in one old episode of Doctor Who, too.

A communist guy was able to keep the vampires at bay by holding up a copy of Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto.

3/31/2008 9:25:46 PM
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