American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel

Universalism is almost as old as time. The idea that everyone will be welcomed into eternity regardless of . . . Really anything. The quantitative analysis of phony phacts they throw out regarding the history of Christianity and the Bible is a calculation that grows by the moment as this is viewed. Unless you hate the Bible and the Christianity that it conveys, this film is an absolute waste of time. The only other reason to watch it is to see what the enemies of God are selling. I don't necessarily mean the people in the film - they are just deceived . . . Unless they are not deceived and already know that they are serving Evil in their presentation of "another gospel." But remember what Paul said about "another gospel"?

Properly takes on the fundamentalist movement, while still buried under Christian superstition. "They're bad, but we're good" without recognizing their own nonsense. Will play to unquestioning audiences while reinforcing their own fictional superiority.

I won't get to into the weeds on what this film is about since telling you almost negates the need to see the film, although I do think there were some revelations even to me (I already know all the historical Christianity in America, the Early Church, and even the modern figures featured in the film) about the history of Oklahoma but that doesn't come in till the very end of the movie.

These sorts of Liberal Christian Perspective films, movements, sermons, and books are nothing new to an old Christian like me. Please keep in mind that I saw the film and still feel that way. I'm not saying that it was all old news without having seen the film, but I also understand that most Christians have not gone as deep into the history of the Church as I have during my theological and Spiritual journey so maybe it would be more informational for someone who is newer to the faith or never went through an "I want to be a pastor phase" which caused them to study Greek and Hebrew.

For these reasons, though I found myself agreeing with many statements or stories within the film, as a whole, I found it quite unmoving. I can only speculate as to how others will feel about it but I find it hard to imagine that the film would sway anyone who is on the more conservative side, religiously or politically, and anyone on the left, probably already agrees with most everything in it before they even see the film.

My one consolation and hope is that maybe there are some viewers out there who had written of Christianity because all they know of it is Evangelicalism and that seeing this film would open their eyes to the fact that God is bigger than the denomination they grew up in and that there are other communities out there which practice and believe differently than the church they know. Hopefully, they can see past the politicking and see the love of Christ, which I do think is displayed, through the lives of the subjects of this documentary.

While I found myself agreeing with a lot that was said about religious conservatism in this country, I feel this documentary left out one of the main reasons I stay away from any organized religion even though I'm spiritual and long for community connections these types of churches (UUC Churches) are supposed to provide EVERYONE...

And that's ABLEISM. Disabled and neurodivergent folk are highly marginalized too and many religions either victimize us to become our saviors, demonize us, ignore us until we go away, or you have the overly religious parents/guardians that claim killing their disabled child/loved one was a kindness they did so now their child isn't suffering and is with "God". And yes this still happens, yet because we are still not being heard these stories are often ignored.

I constantly see that unless the social justice these types of people are after is popular by the majority, disabled folk are still forgotten and excluded from these conversations. Yet the overly religious treat us just as horribly in different ways. I guess because even non religious folk treat disabled folk the same way just for different reasons, they ignore it so they don't have to face how badly they treat us still...

I really can't care about much else that is said in this film, because it doesn't address religion's ableist history (well not history they still do it). Intersectionality is important and we shouldn't have to force any religious group to do such things. For me, until they do, I just stay away from them all.

They all are hypocritical and think they are better than the rest while still being exclusive and problematic. This film was no different. It comes off as inclusive and all "woke" but when you're a part of the marginalized group(s) being left, out you notice. Especially since I know personally how problematically exclusive my local UUC actually is, yet claim to be inclusive like these people try to claim but fail miserably at actually being.