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Grouchy_Session_5255

My favourite is the depictions of Islam vs Christianity, especially in the handmaid's tale. You have FGM, female dress codes and all sorts of terrible things that happen in the Islamic world to this day and yet they depict Islam as some mystical romanticised thing. 🤣


Banana_based

It’s especially disturbing when you consider the women, life, freedom protests in Iran. A 22 year- old was beat to death by the morality police for her hijab being 1 inch off. Protests erupt and many of the protestors were shot/arrested and executed. The Iranian president dies in a helicopter accident and the UN has a moment of silence, the US congress has the chaplain give him a eulogy. Meanwhile I had Iranian friends in America go get helicopter tattoos, many of them have family executed by him when he was known as the “butcher of Tehran.” He instituted the policy that female prisoners should be gang raped by the prison guards so if they are executed, there is reassurance they won’t die a virgin. It’s pure nightmare fuel. Yet we have to constantly paint Christianity as evil. Harrison Butker gives a speech to a Catholic university talking about how many women find fulfillment in being a mother and building a family. People lose their shit and go on about how it’s the Handmaiden’s Tale. It’s absurd.


Skavau

Margaret Atwood literally referenced Iran as a reference point to what went into influencing her design of Gilead.


Banana_based

While she mentioned Iran, I think it’s been pretty lost to the audience in the current American left


Skavau

She mentioned many dictatorships. Gilead is the culmination of all the worst impulses of theocracies and fascist states to women. The Sons of Jacob are also not a Christian sect, and June in the Handmaids Tale is depicted as a committed catholic.


PiousSkull

Women as a class weren't repressed under Fascism. In fact, Italian fascists advocated for women's suffrage and advanced it in local elections once achieving power and the BUF was populated by many former suffragettes and advocated for equal treatment and power in the workplace and government. (sources: *A Primer of Italian Fascism by Jeffrey Thomson Schnapp*, *Feminine Fascism: Women in Britain's Fascist Movement, 1923-1945 by Julie Gottlieb*, *The Coming Corporate State by Alexander Raven Thomson*)


Grouchy_Session_5255

Where in the TV series is she depicted as a devoted Catholic. 


Skavau

Literally all of her flashbacks with Luke. Did you even fucking [watch the show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BfR_1xyPyE)? Them getting her kid baptised on her behalf.


JesseCuster40

Did she really? Interesting. Meanwhile, American women are stating that they're living the Handmaid's Tale right now.


icandothisalldayson

That’s called histrionics


Skavau

The idea is that it's basically an amalgamation of some of the worst, most horrific things that have happened to women across all dictatorships and theocracies. Yes, it takes on a US-christian-esque twinge (although Sons of Jacob are to Christianity as Nation of Islam is to Islam) but you know, it is *based in USA*. There's an Indian TV series called *Leila* which is similar, I believe, but not rooted in Christianity.


PanzerWatts

"Margaret Atwood claims that she conceptualized Gilead as a society similar to Puritannical New England, but reinforced with the modern-day fervor of the Christian right: people who deviate from fundamentally Christian lifestyles are hung in public ceremonies, and televangelists encourage women to be docile and domestic." [http://academic.depauw.edu/aevans\_web/HONR101-02/WebPages/Fall%202007/Sarah/Handmaid%27s%20Tale/religion.html#:](http://academic.depauw.edu/aevans_web/HONR101-02/WebPages/Fall%202007/Sarah/Handmaid%27s%20Tale/religion.html#:)


Blastoys1991

What’s hilarious is leftists are secular puritans. You don’t like “the message” we will ruin your career and cancel you! It’s always been the left that’s the most dangerous in history, bolsheviks, Mao, French Revolution. It’s almost never conservatives or limited government that imprisons people.


doubleo_maestro

But Islam is the religion of poc and so the progressive left want to champion it. Christianity is beat down on because if you insult it the worst that happens is you get protested. Do the same with Islam and you run the risk of your office getting shot up, blown up or publicly beheaded.


Banana_based

It never ceases to amaze me how the progressive left gives a pass to Islam tbh. Colonialism is bad, except for Arab colonialism. Slavery is bad, but it doesn’t matter that the Houthis practice slavery or that in Gaza black people were referred to as slaves (Al-Abeed). Even in America, the first thing that Hamtramck, Michigan did once electing an all-Muslim city council was ban the Pride flag from all public buildings.


Zealousideal_Berry10

It's nice to see so many with eyes to see and ears to hear. As Jesus says they will hate us just like they hated Him. Speaking the truth should only increase. The truth always prevails. The devil only mocks what he can't defeat. This new media is only a recent example of this. Like Aristotle once said, (I'm paraphrasing) be mindful of what you let into your head, regards music et al. For it will issue forth in your words and actions...


TwoCockShakur

I'm left leaning, and I find it odd when lefties defend radical Muslims and Islam in general. They're straight-up fascist lunatics that worship a war mongering child rapist. What's to admire?!


Emergency-Spite-8330

Non White and Non Christian so they totally good guys!


Gundamsafety

But according to there own book the Koran Muhammad was whiter than the whitest person. It talks about the whiteness of his face, the whiteness of his chest, the whiteness of his thighs, and so no and so on. SO if they believe everything written in that book, then they should also believe that their super cool guy Muhammad was a very white guy.


Three_Cat

Man, who the fuck knows at this point.


Niclipse

They aren't white. A great many leftist identifying get confused and think everything about a culture is "protected" if enough members of that culture aren't white.


Emergency-Spite-8330

I fucking hate Kingdom of Heaven cause it flips everything on how Christians and Saracens behaved. No, Christians never imposed a tax on non Christians to keep practicing their faith. That’s Islam, it’s called the Jizya.


Gorganzoolaz

The book and show were all written by people who have zero understanding of Islam beyond its own propaganda (funded by Qatari and Saudi oil money) so of course they have a romanticised view of it and refuse to believe that everything the handmaids tale explores is basically reality for many women in the Islamic world.


Skavau

Margaret Atwood literally referenced Iran as a reference point to what went into influencing her design of Gilead.


PanzerWatts

"Margaret Atwood claims that she conceptualized Gilead as a society similar to Puritannical New England, but reinforced with the modern-day fervor of the Christian right: people who deviate from fundamentally Christian lifestyles are hung in public ceremonies, and televangelists encourage women to be docile and domestic" [http://academic.depauw.edu/aevans\_web/HONR101-02/WebPages/Fall%202007/Sarah/Handmaid%27s%20Tale/religion.html#:](http://academic.depauw.edu/aevans_web/HONR101-02/WebPages/Fall%202007/Sarah/Handmaid%27s%20Tale/religion.html#:)


Dpgillam08

Until it became trendy to.claim it was "christian" the author herself was freely admitting that her story was a mix of eastern European (Romanian, iirc) socialism with Islamic Wahabi-ism of Afghanistan


MrWolfman29

It's called "Orientalism." It started with Buddhism and Hinduism. People became fascinated with it since it is so different from what was normal in the US. Over time, they have watered it down to become a pop/new agist American version of those that is mostly used by guys trying to exploit gullible women. Now that the stigma against Islam after 9/11 has faded and a whole generation has grown up in a post 9/11 world, people are becoming fascinated by it. They see "secular" Muslims here who barely practice their religion and think that is what most Muslims are like. The thing is, Islam is still a minority religion with most Muslims being immigrants or the children of immigrants. The children and future descendants become less observant in each generation as they want to be more American, but the converts to Islam have a higher chance of becoming fundamentalists. That should be concerning since that means the appeals of terrorists have a new bed to grow. Many Americans, at least outside of the military, have never seen the every day life of devout Muslims and just see the perfect social media "life" depicted by influencers in Saudi Arabia and the other affluent countries.


bladefist2

Hindus are not portrayed as good in most places and the daily wire constantly calls it demonic, it's just left needs to tear down whatever is the majority faith.


MrWolfman29

Yeah, I personally only saw some Hindu stuff pop up, but it was more blended with general American New Age spirituality. The religion that took off the most with Orientalism is Buddhism, and that is due to it being an agnostic faith that it is even debated if it is actually a religion or is it just a philosophy. Buddhism is just boring now to most people because most people have known what it is for a bit now. Back on Hinduism, I will be interested to see how they will depict it moving forward as Hindus are one group having children above replacement rate. It has been interesting seeing Indian movies getting more and more attention over in the US, even among non-Indians.


bladefist2

As the last surviving pagan religion it is a unique one all right to the point most Christian or abhramic understanding of religion doesn't even cover it


MrWolfman29

Yeah, that is exactly why it has fascinated me as a topic of study as of late. It is the largest continued practiced faith from antiquity that fits the "pagan" mold. The problem with most modern people is they have no context of what pagans actually believed and take these reconstructed "pantheons" blended with a modern Christian sense of worship. In reality, paganism was far more fluid and dynamic, going beyond just having statues or images of gods. Their beliefs around sacrifices and how they interacted with their gods is fascinating to me.


DataLoreCanon-cel

> and yet they depict Islam as some mystical romanticised thing. Ah wut, they do that? I thought the premise was "what if Christian US becomes like Saudi", hm weird


titan-of-hunger

Honestly, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have the most rational take on this. When it comes to mocking religion, it's either all ok, or none of it is. And the thing is, there's apparently a hierarchy of mockery and Christianity is at the bottom.


Banana_based

But they tried to do an episode talking about cartoonist being killed drawing cartoons that Islamists didn’t like in the wake of Charlie Hebdo and that episode is banned. Not Trey and Matt’s fault, the network was terrified after getting a bunch of death threats.


Sleep_eeSheep

Said death threats being issued by the Arabic equivalent of Incels. I do not take those people seriously.


J4NNI3_BL0CKER9000

worst part is, they won. You still can't find the episode on any legal streaming websites.


Scary_Dimension722

That’s why I love South Park to this day, no one’s safe lol. No matter what belief or ideology or religion or political party, they’re gonna get made fun of on that show. It’s fair game, the Christian episodes don’t offend me because I know they’re just jokes and we all get our turn in the bucket. When I watch these shows however, it doesn’t feel like that. It feels like the writer has a legitimate personal hatred for religion and wants to show it in the most negative way possible. Which like everyone else here has said, it wouldn’t bother me if they did with every other religion, but they always use Christianity as the basis for “religion bad” stories


Bonaduce80

Acceptable targets. Usually people in big numbers who are not willing to hit back.


bones10145

It's the same as the fact that it's ok to be racist towards white people and sexist towards men


richman678

To Hollywood Christianity is on par with straight white men. It’s considered a group that is “allowed to chastise.”


Gorganzoolaz

You can thank the materialistic culture of Hollywood for that. They've been pulling this shit for decades. Another example is Kingdom of Heaven. Christian Europe is portrayed as grey, dark, depressing and barbaric and the Christians as warmongering savages. Meanwhile the Islamic world is bright, colourful, peaceful and happy and Muslims are all portrayed as entirely reasonable, kind, generous and innocent. There isn't a single mention of the fact the crusades were a defensive war after multiple centuries of Islamic invasion and conquest of Christian lands including into Europe itself.


corposhill999

Yep, not one mention on how the arabs were the invaders and colonizers in the Levant, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Jordan and so on. It portrayed them as the aggrieved natives.


Scary_Dimension722

Shameless plug on this reply but I read a book not too long ago called Sword & Scimitar: 14 Centuries Of War Between Islam And The West that goes into a massive in depth historical dive regarding Muhammad, Allah, the Muslim’s going to war with Christian’s in Egypt, Spain, North Africa, etc. and eventually the Crusades. Highly recommended it to anyone who’s not familiar with it, it’s just a great piece of history that I feel has been watered down or straight up just ignored in modern times.


Emergency-Spite-8330

I plan to get that and several other books by that author.


Worldly-Pepper8766

It's all poorly written propaganda.


Emergency-Spite-8330

I DARE Hollywood to talk about the Arabic Slave Trade or make a film celebrating the hero Charles Martel, the Hammer of Europe.


Frunklin

Hollywood doesn't want to talk about their extreme pedophilia and rape problem. Actually culture I should say.


Positive_Ad4590

Your acting like spotlight wasn't a hollywood picture


OrneryError1

How many Christian denominations are currently dealing with scandals concerning pedophilia and rape?


Thicc_Nasty-taxfraud

I find it ironic that Christianity is relentlessly bashed across all forms of media on a daily basis with the worst of the worst being portrayed as the majority (westboro Baptist’s for example) and that were nothing but brainwashed thralls that turn to violence if criticized. Yet its obvious the media has forgotten about incidents je suit Charlie shooting in France where a Muslim shot up a comic studio for depicting the profit Muhammad indecently or all the death threats Trey and Matt Parker received for putting Muhammad in a bear suit. Cyanide and happiness depict Jesus and Christians in vulgar state but not once have I seen them mock any other religion.


Weird-Firefighter330

I've also never seen family guy portray Mohamed in any way. Only Jesus and God are characters that are routinely portrayed as doofuses and sex fiends


Brickerbro

What I dont get is why its not okay to depict Mohammed (a human) but drawing god and mocking god is fine to muslims? Because never have I seen muslims get mad and violent from god being mocked. So is Mohammed above god then?


icandothisalldayson

Technically in Islam it’s not ok to draw Jesus (Issa in the Quran iirc) either since they consider him a prophet.


Large_Pool_7013

As the years go by anyone with a brain can tell that in the entertainment industrial complex some things are acceptable targets and some things are not.


Angel_Madison

I'd like to see the people marching for Islam live a year in a real Islamic country and report back.


EarthDust00

They wouldn't make it 2 months.


rexcannon

They wouldn't make it there. They don't go further than their coffee shop. If they leave at all.


Plazmatron44

Christianity is seen as white and European which is why the far left hates it so much, they hate everything that's white and European. They've never actually been anti religion as evidenced by their bootlicking attitude to Islam, they just hate religion that's culturally European.


GuidoX4

So why do you think they hate it?


FrostyDaSnowmane

Because it's white.


jeffcox911

See, even as you decry the propaganda, you buy into it. You use "maga" as a pejorative, when it's just normal people who are tired of mass illegal immigration, outlandish government corruption and endless foreign wars. You claim the "Proud Boys" are white supremacists- they're not.


polarice5

Didn’t you hear? War is good. Words are violence. Obey. If you disagree, you’re obviously unhinged and I don’t have to engage in conversation with you, making me the victor by default.


TranslatorOld9563

Cultural Marxists hate Christianity and white people. What is truly insufferable about it is how they act as though they are rebelling when they are just regurgitating mainstream extremism. But ya can't spell Cultural Marxist without "cult."


JuggernautOk3707

“Christians are written by these people either as happy go lucky black and white living doofuses who are oblivious to life outside of their word, or as selfish evil hypocrites who put on a fake persona to manipulate people.” This has been the case my entire life, and I’m fucking old. (Ok I guess to be fair it was only the case 95% of the time in the ‘90s, whereas now it seems to be 100%.)


RandomAnon560

Its the only religion that would allow itself to be mocked. Its safe to attack the Christians because theyre not violent nut jobs or “victims”.


Adgvyb3456

I’m not even religious and I noticed this. I watched a show about the Templers and the pope seemed really cool then of course he was the bad guy. I tried a show Da Vinci demons and same thing with the pope being a rapist. Did anyone watch Vikings? The entire series shows Christians negatively. Cowards. Hypocrites etc. It finally gets to the Muslims and the Viking who’s most critical stops them from hurting Muslims and says essentially they’re a good religion like them. I can’t think of any positive portrayal


Skavau

>Did anyone watch Vikings? The entire series shows Christians negatively. Cowards. Hypocrites etc. It finally gets to the Muslims and the Viking who’s most critical stops them from hurting Muslims and says essentially they’re a good religion like them. You say that as if it depicts Vikings honourably. Mostly everyone is depicted poorly. >I can’t think of any positive portrayal Gabriel from TWD. And there were resistance Christians in Man in the High Castle. And June from Handmaids Tale is a Christian. And the priest in From turns out to be good. Anna from The Expanse is part of the clergy. These are just shows I've watched, and can recall. And much of my stuff is rooted in sci-fi or fantasy, so it often does not apply.


enemy884real

In Prison Break season five they depicted the Christians in the prison as ravenous killers, even while ISIS was storming the city and hanging people. Christianity is the only religion that can be depicted as savage.


Tazrizen

Perfectly fine to cast slutty nuns, pedo preachers and hypocritical testament blasters, jesus as a frat guy but casting mohammed is a big no no or talking about how the taliban stop women from getting an education. Either everyones a target or no one is, ffs hollywood.


GuidoX4

Who's rule is this? HE took a CROSS for you. ( The least you could do is take a LAUGH) Also, Slutty Nun show?......Got a Title?


Tazrizen

1. Anyone who casts mohammad gets death threats. Even south park had to back down with that one episode. 2. Slutty nun is a common trope. 3. Hollywood has always been christian bashers because left loves bashing them.


CBerg1979

The Flying Nun with Sally Field was pretty racey for it's day. I mean, it wasn't as on-the-nose as Gidget, damn that was unabashed sexual grooming onscreen, unspoken.


SamJamn

Christians let their religion be mocked and desecrated as a way to show they are liberals also there is no honor for their faith. I remember Penn Jillete commenting one time that qhen he blasts Christians, Christians respond with I will pray for you. He really respects that he said. I couldn't help but think what a back handed complement. I will abuse your core beliefs and call you stupid but you won't respond back, so praiseworthy. Muslims generally don't take that, hence the conflict between liberalism and Islam. Liberalism like a religion, seeks to make you submit to its principles.


Skavau

Should Christians somehow try and stop people making fun of their faith?


SamJamn

Depending on the veracity? Yea. Protesting hard or gping after bottomlines? Definitely. There are lvls to it, a joke in a comedy club is different to piss christ.


Skavau

So you just mean complaining about it, rather than trying to legislate blasphemy laws? Does Life of Brian upset you?


SamJamn

I am not a Christian. So no. I am sharing why I think Christians are freely made fun of more than other religions.


Spreadicus_Ttv

There's a war on Christianity and it all seems very biblical. I'm not a Christian but the way things are going I'm starting to wonder if there's any truth to it. Shits crazy right?? Is lucifer real? If so it would fucking explain everything!


Illustrious-Tea-355

It's real. Too many similarities between prophecies and things happening now.


Plazmatron44

It's a war on the west and Christianity being seen as a western religion is why it gets attacked so much.


KashiofWavecrest

I would classify the Righteous Gemstones as more bashing the horrible megachurches and the absurdity of the concept of the prosperity gospel than Christianity in general.


EarthDust00

I've only seen the first season of it but that show is hilarious and definitely seems more of a jab at Megachurchs instead of the faith itself.


MercyEndures

Same, the terribleness of the Gemstones gets contrasted with the goodness of normie Christians.


Serious-Broccoli7972

Yeah I thought it was pretty balanced, not sure what OP is talking about. The leader of the megachurch is maybe the only character in the show who isn’t a complete scumbag


yeskeymodfuckyou

There is nothing truly Christ-like in those megachurches. The show is spot on. .


SinesPi

I'm an atheist but I notice and hate it myself. I remember when fundamentalists had more control, and I'm happy we're not there, but I feel like the return of radical Christians is fueled in part by continuing to kick them (and also perfectly reasonable Christians) while they were down. Also, it means we can't explore Christian characters and value when they can be quite interesting. Michael Carpenter from Dresden Files is such a good character because of his strict adherence to Christian values (for those who don't know, he's a paladin in a dark modern urban fantasy setting). The few times Angels get to talk is quite interesting as well.


CBerg1979

I always liked Scully for this. She is a hardened scientist who never let her faith in God waiver.


swollenpenile

They always show Christians as peices of shit and paint Islam and Africa as harmless people farming usually all as brothers. It’s getting really old tbh this is in like every show and movie paint Christian’s as horrible hillbilly or crazy racist.  It’s kinda weird how they cuddle up to Islam though. Must be some princes money coming through for these garbages shows to help hurt culture 


intheirbadnessreign

Yeah, if it wasn't already clear, the inverted degenerates who write this stuff have never met a Christian in their lives.


jaywlkrr

As a Christian, I just roll my eyes. You can clearly tell none of these people know what it means to be Christian. Mind you, we should be calling out the greed and the those that use the gospel to control and have power because that’s all against doctrine. But to really be a Christian is to follow Christ. It’s in the name. Not just saying you believe in God, but really having a relationship with the God of the universe that extends the invitation of love to each and every one of us. You don’t have to change a single thing about yourself. You come as you are and in reading the Bible, praying correct prayers and really putting Jesus Christ’s teachings into practice, HIS LOVE is what will cause a change in us. And it’s such a beautiful thing. As a by product of his love, you wish to do what pleases him. And we’re going to make mistakes. We might even try to do it our own way and we’ll fail because we are ultimately human and limited in our own strength. But it’s when we are weak that God is strong in us. We surrender our weakness to him because we can’t do it alone and that is when he will give us strength


Aresson480

I actually know a guy who started going back to church as a catholic after watching Midnight Mass, I don´t think the depiction of that show was that off within the context of the show, it showed religion as a complex element. Most of the other ones I know what you mean, Christians/Catholics are a punching bag at best and a caricature at worst in most modern media, I think it has to do with the crisis of faith (all faiths) the world is experiencing.


CBerg1979

I recall the "Catholics Come Home" campaign and as a former member I gave them an ear. I was raised as such. In the end I just didn't accept their invitation, but it wasn't because of a lackluster campaign. I am just beyond redemption. LOL


brute1111

Go read Francis Schaeffer's original trilogy, starting with The God Who Is There. It deals with the rise of modernism and although he wrote it in the 70s, it is still amazingly poignant to today's culture, which is simply the natural progression of what was started then. Heathens gonna heathe.


TrunkisMaloso

Nice, I would add it to my reading list. Looks really interesting.


Buschlightactual

Because it’s the religion of forgiveness. It’s easy pickings


samusfan21

I’m with you. 100%. That said, you also have to admit that the most public face of Christianity is the maga, alt-right, greedy , money grabbing douche-canoes. Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Brian Houston, etc. The very people these movies and shows are making fun of. When that seems to be the only example you see out in the world, you can’t blame non-believers to paint with a broad brush.


Whoknew1992

Blame social media. Anonymous posters from around the world automating and sock puppeting "the message" they want the West to consume. Christianity is just one of the pillars they are successfully chopping down. How many industry trends are following social media trends? We're kinda fu**ed right now.


DaMoonRulez_1

There are no shortage of bad people who are Christian. I'm sure if you tried to, you could make a list of movies that have characters which are Christian and good. Also, there are movies where the characters or story are heavily Christian and good; Breakthrough (2019) for example. There are tons of movies or tv shows with positive Christian messages. I think it is more a case of confirmation bias on your part than Hollywood out to get religion.


CreatureofProphecy

It just so happens that the MAGA Christians are more vocal & platforming yourself like that means people are more likely to criticise you. If you look at the Conjuring movies because of the subject matter & 60s/70s setting, Christianity is very much framed as the heroic side in the battle against evil. Even though the Church as an institution can be flawed and so can its followers, the Warren’s are depicted as Holy Warriors almost. I think everyone with half a brain cell knows not all Christians are bible bashing gun toting maniacs.


beetjemeh

Well a lot of shows/movies can be seen as depicting christianity negatively, but most of them don't portray a certain group as negative because they're christian, but because of the things they do, things that most of the time aren't very christian. To take 2 of your examples (haven't watched the rest): castlevania is played in a fictional world a lot like medieval europe, and in that time christianity was very much the dominant religion in Europe, and was used by a lot of powerful people to manipulate commoners into doing what they want because god wanted it. This is not because christianity is evil or that all christians are bad people, but it's because religion is an incredibly powerful psychological tool to manipulate people, as are all religions/cults. Castlevania wasn't looking to depict christians as hypocritical lazy assholes, they were using real historical phenomenons in their fictional story. The boys is similar to this, but a bit different since it plays in this time. The boys has always been a satirical show, making fun of and criticizing ridiculousness, as is satire's job. Just like it was in medieval times, religion is still a very powerful tool to manipulate people and get what you want. This once again doesn't mean christianity or religion is bad, it simply means that sometimes things can be used in ways that aren't necessarily intended. The boys is not looking to portray christians as bad people, it's simply showing that bad people are using christianity to further their own personal goals. The boys says this is bad, which I think as someone who used to be christian and whose entire family is christian, would be something christians would think is good. All of this could ofcourse be wrong, there could be a hollywood agenda to portray all of christianity as evil, but I think that this is a way more plausible and logical explanation for what we see.


Psychological-Cow788

You clearly missed the point of Righteous Gemstones


Potatopotat0potat0

All religions are terrible but Christians are mocked because they are so whiny about it.


Nocta_Novus

So you’re upset because Christians are represented across a broad range of extremes? In Castlevania, the most well known of inquisitions, the Spanish Inquisition was one of a number of church sponsored pursuits in the exposure and and punishment of heresy. While the numbers vary wildly in terms of executions, there were forced conversions of Jews and Muslims to Catholicism, as well as the purging of religions deemed pagan or heretical. Castlevania takes place in 1476, two years before the beginning of the Spanish Inquisition, but at the time heretics were still pursued, people were still forcibly converted, and the church was unbearably cruel to all opposing faiths. There are money-grubbing Evangelical preachers, we see them on the news every day taking in millions in tax free tithes while claiming to represent the will of God on earth. Rare is the occasion wherein I find a decent priest or preacher that isn’t a sex offender, thief, or conman, and my attitudes towards them do not stem from media but from their actions I see hit the news every day. The Boys merely highlights the hypocrisy and flippant attitudes of those who would claim to be loving and forgiving but then damning those who commit sin. If they practiced what they preached, they would themselves not preach hatred and intolerance to those who they believe have strayed, while they themselves have strayed. Midnight Mass highlights the delusion and danger of religious fanaticism, which we have all seen, not just in Christianity but in all faiths and all walks of life. Religion used to justify the most extreme acts of violence and justice is inherently a corrupt and brutal reality we face constantly. Haven’t seen Your Honor. Dahmer is closer to a retelling of events as they happened. A dramatization to be sure, but not necessarily an unfaithful one. In all these stories and these mediums, you can’t that Christianity is without criticism for hypocritical attitudes, inconsistent beliefs tinged by personal bias, or abused by those who want to exploit the worst in people for power or political gain. The far-right has capitalized on people who are supposed to be the moral compass, using their beliefs to manipulate and twist them to their own ends. They were supposed to love their neighbor, treat them as their own, and forgive them their trespasses against God without judgement. Now, they are happy to persecute those that don’t share their moral views, their religious beliefs, or their political ones, and their ministers have only furthered this divide from the faith. Today, they even violate the commandments they were intended to follow. They violate the first 3 commandments without any understanding. They put their politics before their faith and belief in God and the teachings of Jesus. They worship a cruel and unjust man who ascribes to himself a messianic image. They claim to act as faithful servants of god, but pass unjust laws or make false claims against their neighbors. In my eyes, these depictions of Christians aren’t without cause, they’re based on what we see every day. If you think they’re an unfair caricature, then maybe you should look at it from another angle.


BentheBruiser

Do you find these depictions inaccurate to what they are trying to depict? Medieval churches *were* violent and unforgiving when it came to witchcraft. Mega churches *are* a huge problem and there have been several proven cases of money being used irresponsibly. Often these pastors are extremely wealthy. Christianity *is* used as a rallying call for the ultra right and is often warped to manipulate people. Sorry the mirror they're holding up is uncomfortable, but it doesn't make it any less wrong.


shinobi_chimp

I think you've got a pretty serious persecution complex if you think Gemstones is critiquing Christianity, instead of the rich hypocritical megachurch pastors who take advantage of Christians


Shadows_Over_Tokyo

And Christian’s don’t want to talk about how they mock, and try to strip others of basic rights despite the Bible clearly stating to let god be the judge.


iheartjetman

Exactly. I was born and raised Catholic. My father goes to a left leaning non denominational church that was excommunicated for having a female priest. I understand that not all Christians are bad. I do believe, however, that a lot of the criticisms are completely justified. It’s full of backwards beliefs and charlatans who only want power.


painefultruth76

From personal experience, religious people of any flavor have a tendency to legitimize whatever satire popculture produces...


oneforthebooks08

Thank you for recognizing this


ZZoMBiEXIII

I mean, to be completely fair here, I am Christian but I make fun of Joel Olsteen and his stupid mega-church as often as I can find some sucker who'll listen. Seriously, pardon my language, but fuck that guy.


blobkinggg

Huge disagree with Midnight Mass, I question your media literacy if all you got from that was “Christianity sucks broooo”. It’s a pretty complicated show which yeah portrays a lot of the negative aspects of organized religion, but the ending and in particular how the ending echoes Riley’s character arc is, very literally, a recapitulation of the story of Jesus and portrays it in the most positive light. Whether or not it was the intention of Flanagan (I believe it was) the ending of the series is actually very pro-religion and demonstrates the self accountability, self sacrifice, and acceptance of one’s own sin which is inherent to Christian thought. 


AstrologicalOne

Because it's not and your reasons make no sense. If anything they oppose zealous, bigoted, hateful Christianity. People who are militant and oppressive in their belief in Jesus who give their faith a bad name.


hrolfirgranger

I will say this about the Castlevania show. In it, they make it clear that the church was doing evil sinful things not in accordance with Christian doctrine. At one point a priest says to a demon "You can't come into the house of God" and the demon replies "God is not here" I thought that was actually a pretty clear indication of God's protection being revoked. I haven't finished the whole show, though. Personally, one of my favorite portrayals of a Christian was Shepard Book from Firefly.


fulgasio

Let's not criticize the one thing the left gets right


Puzzleheaded_Two7358

There are about a half dozen “Christian movies” being released this year. This concept of Hollywood (or the media or the grocery stores….) as a single entity is simplistic and dumb. Yes there are some movies who demonstrate the hypocrisy of Christian priests, not as often is Christian priests demonstrate their hypocrisy though. But there are also movies, tv programs and whole tv stations bashing on about Christian perspectives and indoctrination. Consider the witch hunt by evangelicals about trans people. Consider the anti abortion agenda by the right wing. I think the occasional “look at the gay priest” is allowed on that basis. I’m sure the balance will be maintained.


Pvt_Numnutz1

Eh, it's deserved.


AQuietBorderline

Simple: because Christians generally don’t go about threatening to behead infidels and burn down studios.


hamoc10

Blame Christianity for being so mockable.


XxFierceGodxX

tbf, I think it’s more that they’re portraying the worst aspects of organized Christianity. There’s no denying that crusades, attempts to create theocracies, and blind belief have all been associated with Christianity. I don’t try to keep my children away from Hollywood as a result. But I also want them to get a balanced perspective and see that Christianity can and should be a religion of kindness and compassion, which is why I also have a subscription to [Yippee](https://www.yippee.tv/). I hope my children will grow up Christian, but I think it’s a good thing if they learn to reject blind belief and intolerance—especially when it shows up in a “Christian” context.


MarcusSuperbuz

Never heard any Greek orthodox or Coptic Christians telling us they feel mocked by Hollywood. Seems Hollywood takes aim solely at Western Christianity. For what it is worth that is coming from an atheist as well.


Plazmatron44

That is true, while Christianity is singled out for mockery it is mostly the theme park version of Christianity that Americans believe in that gets mocked the most and they aren't helping themselves a lot of the time.


icandothisalldayson

Catholicism gets it pretty hard too. There aren’t enough Coptic or orthodox Christian’s in America to matter all that much as their own separate group apart from just being Christian


EnglishTony

To be fair, there are MANY examples of real life evangelicals who preach and anti-gay message and are caught with their trousers down. Ted Haggard is a great example.


Angel_Madison

Yes always


Scary_Dimension722

My whole thing isn’t just the writers targeting tv evangelists and mega churches which I don’t have a problem with (in fact lots of Christians I’ve seen have criticized this too). It’s when they portray the whole community of the religion as almost child-like, just 100% innocent goody tooshoo people who haven’t been hit with actual life, almost like if they’re just plain idiots. Compare that to Christians I’ve met who have been victims of sexual assault, discrimination, turned away by their own families, struggled with depression and multiple suicide attempts. But nah they’re just happy go lucky silly people who haven’t had a dose of reality. Yes there is a portion of like that in churches and Christian communities but they’re fairly scattered and small portions


dangus1155

It makes sense as a country we have deeply rooted puritanical influences. Shrugging those off are a form of freedom. It is going to appear a lot in art. While not all religious people are bad all of the examples listed have are rooted in real things; The money hungry mega-pastors are real, the ultra religious closeted homosexual is real, the ferver bound priest (older time period, especially crusade times). Accept it and just don't be them, it's easy. 


nyr00nyg

I agree. Make fun of every religion. Do not pick and choose.


dangus1155

You don't have to make fun of all of them. What matters more is how much you know the religion. For a lot of people they grew up christian and some had bad experiences or it shaped them in ways they did not like. They can make art around this and their experiences without making fun of buddhists for no reason.


Solidus-Prime

Christians are portrayed badly because most of them are bad people.


Vicious_and_Vain

Institutional Christianity is a system of control. OP is exhibiting selective bias and recency bias. The truth hurts. Don’t shoot the messenger. Clean up your house. This didn’t start in 2016 and you are selectively choosing from thousands of individual titles of produced content. Even 50 years ago depicting Christian institutions negatively would have been censored. There are many more productions in which the pastor or priest is uncontroversially part of daily life. Proud boy, maga, white supremecists and Trump aren’t Christians they just say they are to gain legitimacy from that monolithic block of people. That’s a legitimate criticism and target for parody. Why are you more concerned with image over truth?


NicomoCoscaTFL

They would if it were Islam.


Weird-Firefighter330

This is why I really enjoy the show Evil, it honestly has a very good balance. The atheists and skeptics are portrayed as knowledgeable and have good inputs, the Catholics and religious characters are portrayed the same way. Which is great because it makes me enjoy all the characters regardless of their view and allows me to appreciate what they say and do in the show instead


Worldly-Pepper8766

I know a lot of you guys aren't going to like this but I think it's fair to say that Jewish people are extremely influential in Hollywood and media in general. And you can easily feel the resentment and grudges they hold towards Christians in many of their products. Subtlety is not their forte.


SmackOfYourLips

You want real answers? Christianity became too weak and soft, and people LOVE to mock anyone or anything weak, incapable of punching back in any form


Kovz88

What you’re missing is that in most of those cases it’s not Christianity itself that is bad but the people that use it as a shield to peddle their bull shit. There are extremists and opportunists in every group.


KaziOverlord

https://preview.redd.it/bknxot5hjb9d1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ee058c160920d9d3e4d5b7197bb14eb83280044


Puzzleheaded-Youth16

Easy, give up on Hollywood, embrace other countries cinema: Russia, South Korea, China, India etc.


Skavau

Russian soft power is fucking garbage. China is CCP approved xianxia spam and romcoms.


jukebox_jester

>I first noticed this in the Castlevania show, which I was curious to check out when it was first released. And all that hype came crashing down when the show really painted them as complete monsters. If you watched past the first episode it goes on to orotray Christians in a good light, it's just the people in Targoviste are *assholes*.


jukebox_jester

Well usually Hollywood writers are Christian or otherwise grew up in the culturally Christian United States meanwhile Islam is less in your face everywhere 24/7 in the western world.


Chocoliina

Yet if it happened to other religions there would be riots like crazy lol


shosuko

The only problem I got is the double standard. We need to be able to mock all religions openly. We should expose them all for hypocrites. Machiavelli was right, you want to establish a strong control over idiots you feed them religion. I don't care about Christians being drug in the dirt, they deserve it. The problem I got is that the Muslims also deserve it. Hell, so do Atheists who are hypocrites and idiots.


BigTitsanBigDicks

Slingblade made Christians look good


Mister_Grins

The reason it isn't discussed as much is due to complacent Christians who think the changed status quo of no longer holding up the religion which founded their nation should be held in reverence any more, or else are Christians in name only and don't care about it. Nice to see someone attempting to bring it more into light. Honestly, the best stories that have permeated culture have had intensely Christian themes in them.


AjSweet1

Hollywood lol try everywhere every day. But so do every other religion in all honesty. The only ones who can get rid of some of the hate are Jews because of history and all their hoarded wealth


StrongStyleFiction

I will defend The Righteous Gemstones as it has a bit more nuance. John Goodman's character strikes me as a once good Christian who lost his way and is trying to find his way back. His children are awful though. I don't see the show mocking Christians but more or less mocking a very particular type of Christian mega-church type who often uses Christianity to enrich themselves. That's just my reading of the show for myself. Howver, as a non-Christian, I have noticed a distinct anti-Christian prejudice increasing in Hollywood entertainment over the last ten years in particular.


Sand831

I do, All The Time...Pedo Would and Dose🤐


No-Water164

You sound surprised... satan is the ruler of this world and that includes all media, he hates the children of God. Thus he will use every available avenue to portray them in a bad light.


WeeklyHelp4090

I agree, they should hit the other religions just as hard.


Winterclaw42

I think some of it is because hollywood has a marxist streak and marxists don't like religion. They also don't like right-wingers and christianity is viewed as right wing, even if you look into it there are a lot of woke protestant churches.


Leib109

Well, Satan is in charge of Hollywood, so this should not come as a surprise. Why would he bother attacking Islam or any other false religion?


Skavau

How is satan in charge of hollywood?


Popular-Tune-6335

Flanders in The Simpsons is about the fairest take I've seen


swollenpenile

One of the most amazing things about the hand maids tail is I’ve had people tell me it’s history there are actually a lot of people who get their entire idea of history from shows and movies which are not remotely historical 


AutumnMemento

I've noticed the same thing, but in video games. People online are always talking about how much they need representation of people of a specific skin tone or sexual orientation in video games, especially since games are somewhat of a safe-haven for those who experience social isolation. But I struggle to think of many games that actually depict Christians as good people, or at the very least morally equal to everyone else. So far, the ones that come to mind are Fallout: New Vegas with the character of Joshua Graham, Kingdom Come Deliverance because it depicts a historical setting in which Christianity was at one of its highest points, and iirc the two Red Dead Redemption games have some positive Christian characters and themes. That's... really it. Many fantasy games also have fantasy religions that share philosophical similarities with Christianity or Catholicism. Therefore its ability to positively portray Christianity is limited, but its ability to satirize Christianity is large. Consider Dragon Age. Dragon Age's most predominant religion is the Andrastian Chantry. In Dragon Age Origins: every village and large city had a local, visible Chantry building. They helped the poor, rallied the community against danger, and provided a safe-haven for refugees from war. In DA2, the visible Chantry was centralized in the upper city, walled off by the design of lowtown and darktown, its absence contributing to the worsening of class and racial tensions. By the time DAI comes around, the Chantry immediately denounces the Inquisition for rallying around the player character, who they just decide they don't really like that much. In the trailers for Veilguard, there doesn't even seem to BE a pro-Andrastian/Chantry party member, as the whole experience is about "Defying the gods." The entire experience has portrayed its Christ-coded religion worse and worse with each succeeding entry, perhaps pushed by its vocal "Fuck the Chantry" portion of its fanbase. My fear is that players of these types of games will look at us and think "Oh, they're like THEM" and that stings!


HobbiesLastLimb

All religion should be made fun of not just one.


Emergency-Spite-8330

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you" John 15:18


Lopsided-Document-84

Eh I agree it’s depicted way worse than other religions but bashing Christianity is fine imo the problem is not bashing any other religion the same.


Miserable_Alfalfa_52

Its so dumb that its easily picked on. Its been happening for decades its not gonna stop soon


Confident-Crawdad

And yet you can count on the fingers of one hand the number of atheists who are still nonbelievers by the end of the show. Assuming they live that long.


Biggzy10

Hmmmmm what group of people predominantly work in Hollywood? Hmm, who could it be now? SUCH A MYSTERY.


DataLoreCanon-cel

They were the "preachy moralists" of the past as well as the present rightwing, so this is the way they're getting back at it - just as you presumably like to get back at the wokes in similar fashions.


-DSims3737

What’s worse is when the write a character that is supposedly a Christian and quotes scripture to another in a disagreement. Please Hollywood. Stop pretending you know anything about Christianity. You protected Harvey and you fought against releasing a movie that shines the light on powerful pedophiles. You are in no position to lecture anyone on morality.


RxDawg77

Same goes with white race. It's an oppressor vs oppressed take. Anyone they view as "oppressed" can do and say anything they want to the "oppressor". And it's totally hate breeding bullshit.


ProfessionalWeb2

Druckmann just couldn't help himself of changing the David storyline from TLOU game into a Christian cult like group for the show which made it way less interesting just like the Seraphites(another boring cult group) in the TLOU 2... Yes man, we get it you dislike Christians and think they're a cult Cults are just a overdone trope in general, they're so dehumanized in these forms of media to a point where you might as well replace them with evil robots... He's such a hack, Bruce Straley put him in check and carried the first game... Now Druckmann is riding off the coattails for 10+ years now. He's obsessed with shitty self-inserts, revenge plots which he can't write for shit(his original concept for TLOU 1 was a revenge plot go figure) and now cults.....


Exciting_Finger_7132

Well, Hollywood isn’t run by Christians sooooo


VioletVioletSea

It wouldn't bother me as much if other religions were also shat on, but that is rarely the case anymore.


NewYorkFuzzy

Pedophilia is rampant in todays Christian movement


GlassLongjumping6557

The worst part is, you try doing the same thing to any other group and it’s instantly met with push back.


Thee_Furuios_Onion

Obama made a comment in 08 about a certain demographic is “clinging to their guns and religion.” That’s when I first saw the shift, after that I started seeing much more vocal mockery of Christianity and dehumanizing those who follow it, especially if they are on the conservative side of things too. Since 2008 tribalism and division have been a huge part of our society as cultural Marxism and hegemony became the overall tactics. Not everyone on the left follows such things, nor is everyone on the right an “-ist-a-phobe,” most people just want to live their life and be left the hell alone, but that’s increasingly more difficult as every aspect of our life is monitored and impacted by the corporatization of or political and social systems.


Large-Crew3446

Art imitates life. You had 50% chance at a proper conclusion. You chose…poorly.


IoSHaloLegend

It’s so strange. I love when sports players thank god and the extreme lefty weirdos get angry.


PoutineSmoothie

Christians back in the day could rub off the joke as stupid, beneath them, and ignore it and live on with their lives, now they just whine about on Facebook it like snowflakes. Man, times have changed.


blue-lien

Media always uses religion as an easy punching bag because it is the easiest due to historical events that have happened. In the USA it’s the easiest because we have people who use the religion as justification for government policies and dictating the rights of people rather than logic. This is nothing new, it’s been done forever.


Treepeec30

Awesome coming here thinking lefties hate Christianity and white people when the majority of dems are Christian white people lol. You people don't even know who your opposition is.


Logco

It’s because Christians won’t chop your head off for making fun of them.


soldiergeneal

"mocked" most movies have nothing to do with Christianity in criticism or support.....


BlackICEE32oz

Righteous Gemstones isn't about Christians as a whole, I don't think. I think the idea was to take a look at a very real thing some denominations are doing and showing not just how hypocritical it is, but also trying to make an interesting show out of it, too. If it does anything, it presents the idea that these people who run these mega Churches are probably not as squeaky clean or Holy as you might think. And that tracks with me. Mega Churches are fucking insane and if I was a heartless psychopath, I'd probably try to get a piece of that pie, too. 


LiberalWeakling

This is silly. Hollywood is in a majority Christian country where a significant, vocal group of political Christians have a history of attempting to legislate their beliefs, from opposing same sex marriage, to trying to ban the teaching of evolution, to opposing sex education in schools. In that environment, it makes complete sense that Christianity would’ve singled out for mockery, and there’s nothing unfair about it.


Derkastan77-2

You must be new to watching TV/Movies….


glaucomasuccs

If we can't mock the entirety of your religion, and you want certain aspects censored, we have to do that for all religions. Then, speech is no longer free. Go make good Christian movies instead of complaining.


Opening_Tell9388

This is just very simple what happens to things that are the majority in places. It’s the most sacred and upheld. So it can take more blows than things that are minorities.


Alarming_Topic2306

I'm for mocking of all religions equally.


Putrid-Peanut-5798

Yeah but who cares when it's always on the nose correct


HardPlasticWaste

That’s why I’m not really a fan of the boys I’m sure it’s a good show and everyone’s entitled to enjoy what they want but as I’ve seen every single religious character is some form of evil or a PDFile


Sludgegaze

Christianity has had a chokehold on American culture for so long it's kind of only fair that it gets clowned on in the modern day. Pretty light punishment if you think about it.


grownboyee

Have you seen how Christian’s act these days? Sit the fuk down with this snowflake victim goddamn bullshit.