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9 Ways In Which Movies Are Like Church

I was raised in a Christian family, going to church every week, but somewhere in my high school years my enthusiasm for church diminished greatly and my passion for movies awoke. In thinking about this transition, I’m not sure it was entirely coincidental. There’s an inherently spiritual component to movies, and all art but movies in particular for me, in that it stirs up a certain emotional response and a feeling of connectedness to another person and other people. It’s not unusual to experience an epiphany of some sort at a movie, spawning out of the ideas and images laid out before our eyes.

[h2]9) Both have material geared toward children[/h2]

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There’s some difference in this area between church and movies. Church’s issues with indoctrination—er, I mean salvation—of children is complicated, problematic, and sensitive. Instilling morals in children is probably good, though perhaps instilling the notion that morality is a quest rather than a set of rules seems more beneficial, though perhaps too complicated for a young mind. Then again, lying may not be the greatest strategy either, because disillusionment is a hell of a drug. Movies are more industrial and manipulative regarding children, looking to separate parents from their money by creating dumbed down material. But it seems mostly fun and harmless I think. Maybe others think differently.

Movies and church bear some pretty fundamental similarities. It’s no wonder something like Scientology that combines the two seamlessly has had so much success in Hollywood. When stars are treated as though they are prophets already, it makes sense to turn them into literally holy figures.

I may not believe in logic-defying theories, but I do worship at the altar of Christopher Nolan, so it’s hard for me to say I’m not religious.