ironymaiden | Press Screening 2

For the Bible Tells Me So

i missed the bus this morning. i now know that i *can* make the absolutely-no-late-seating 10am screening from the 9:35 bus, but only if all the traffic gods smile. whew.

the documentary profiles several Christian families with gay children. we hear from the parents and child, intercut with theological discussion of the relevant passages of the bible and the history of biblical literalism. some of these people are VERY prominent, and they are introduced with just their names. if you know them, you're in on something from the beginning. their stories unfold nicely for the uninformed.

i'm not sure that the people who really should see this movie will ever encounter it. (something each family says is that fear of the other is the core of homophobia.) someone like me was able to hear the voices of the fundamentalist parents in a way that helped me to understand them and their journey, and think about better ways to communicate.

one of the great stories is of the parents who started out trying to put their son through re-education and ended up working for Soulforce. i found myself choked up at dinner, trying to tell C about them standing together, mother father and son, in front of Focus on the Family HQ. they went to jail for trying to deliver a letter to James Dobson. the crowd and the media circus looked for all the world like abortion protesters (but without the mangled fetuses and with a lot of hearts and rainbows.) they sang Amazing Grace as the family was carted away.

a good film, and moving. another one that would be fine on tv. four out of five, for a smug cartoon section in the middle and preaching to the choir. (the biggest source of funding for the film was HRC.)