Paramount's Movie 'Fighting Temptations' is a Sin

This movie is a shameful parody of black Christians and nothing more than 'the gospel according to MTV'.

by Jon Hanna

I saw the screening for the movie 'Fighting Temptations' a few nights ago. It's a shameful parody of black Christians. Both MTV and Paramount validate lawlessness in their make-believe church by setting up a legalistic, cold-hearted, hypocritical church matriarch who forces everyone to get baptized, meanwhile the movie implies that all other sinners and sinfulness should get a pass. Money motivated people are validated in this movie and sadly, the basic message is 'we all god's peeps, let us do as we pleez, don't declare god's message of repentance to me'. Hey, that rhymes. I think I'll use that in a rap song. You know, like, 'B-I-B-L-E are the letters, so all you out there that are forgetters...get U a Bible.

The movie actually reflects some of the carnal garbage that really happens in some churches and then tries hard to send the message that blanket toleration and acceptance of unrepentant and lawless worship leaders is the loving thing to do. Unfortunately, no godly repentance ever happens in the movie, although he lead character has a change of heart about advertising beer so he can get back to his night club singer, (the one who encourages him to have faith to tempt her another day). What was that about fighting temptations?

The only redeeming point is a song that's sung at the end, somewhere during credits as people are leaving the theater that says 'if you've sinned, you can repent'. However, it's very subtle and even the person who attended with me didn't catch it. I was elated when I heard it after all I that sat through. I couldn't believe they finally added God's word of repentance, because the movie fights so hard to send the message that there is no need to repent, and that allowing blatant lawlessness and sin to go unchecked in God's Church is the godly and loving thing to do, (that's the gospel according to MTV). Well, here's a 'Revelation' for MTV: God chastens and rebukes those He loves, (Revelation 3:19).

There's no reason or point for believers, or unbelievers, to tolerate all the gratuitous sinfulness of this MTV product. Jesus gets no glory in this movie that mocks sin. Too bad for me, now we at Connection lose the ad revenue since we refuse to run Paramount's full-page ad. p.s. before you jump on me about my bad rap, remember this....I'm not as white as I look.

September Home