MovieChat Forums > Left Behind (2014) Discussion > Is this movie is an advert for religion?

Is this movie is an advert for religion?

posted 9 years ago by Daniel-K13
7 replies | jump to latest

This movie wrongly assumes that the world would descend into chaos if all the religious nuts disappeared. I feel the exact opposite, it would actually be a safer, nicer place without terrorism and persecution (to name a few) and I would also get to sleep in on a Sunday without those pesky callers looking for Jehovah (have they found him yet?).

The writers seem to assume that if you're not religious you don't have morals but in reality, we have more morals because we don't need a big stick in the sky to beat us into submission, we're nice because we just are nice, we don't need any threats of eternal burning to keep us in check.

If this happened for real, there would be a few days of chaos (unorganised chaos, not end of the world chaos) followed but a few years of mourning for those that disappeared but overall, life would go on.

Oh, wait, I forgot, if this happens it means God is coming down with his fiery vengeance to kill everyone who didn't believe in him right? After all, he's already killed everyone on the planet twice over. He's nice like that.

God gave us all free will to either believe in him or burn for eternity in hell...

What a nice guy! ;)

[–] ejonconrad 9 years ago

This movie wrongly assumes that the world would descend into chaos if all the religious nuts disappeared

The book series is straight up religious propaganda.

This movie threw in lots of ridiculous chaos in a futile attempt to change it from propaganda into an "action movie". A few examples:
- a plane would not go into a dive if the pilot disappeared.
- a plane would not fly *straight into another plane* while trying to radio it.
- if a plane is running low on fuel, there are closer airports than New York.
- Why would the runways be "full of planes"? There would be at most one plane on the runway, and they've had hours to clear it out of the way.

Also, to make the movie more appealing the the masses, they made the Christians stareotypically whiny and annoying, so we were all glad when they disappeared. Seriously, if it came down to an uptight Lea Thompson or a hot Nicky Whelan, who would you rather be left behind with?

In the end, it failed badly as both religious propaganda AND and action movie. Cage just phoned it in and cashed his paycheck, so it *even* failed as a "bad Nicholas Cage movie" (eg. the awesomely bad "Wicker Man" remake).

The 2000 version actually made more "sense". I mean, it was still terrible, but more in a "so bad it's good" way. The plane thread was just a tiny part, and things didn't completely fall apart after the Rapture. It was more about the rise of the AntiChrist (in one of the least surprising "twists" in cinema history).

Of course, I don't believe any of that Rapture nonsense, but then I don't believe in Hobbits, Vulcans, vampires, or Jedi Knights either. I'm willing to suspend disbelief for a *good* movie, which this most definitely wasn't.

[–] brch2 9 years ago

- Why would the runways be "full of planes"? There would be at most one plane on the runway, and they've had hours to clear it out of the way.

What do you think happened to all the airborne planes near JFK in the three hours it took Rayford to return to NYC? A few that lost both pilots may have been still flying on autopilot till they ran out of fuel, but the rest would have either declared emergencies and landed, or been ordered to land. SCATANA would almost definitely have been implemented, not unlike 9/11 (though different circumstances, it would still certainly be a response by the government), except the rest of the world would be ordering similar measures. Airports can only handle so many grounded planes before the runway just can't take anymore. And even in the book, the airport was nearly beyond capacity, Rafe just made it back in time before the runway was full and closed.

The plane thread was just a tiny part, and things didn't completely fall apart after the Rapture.

If millions/billions of people worldwide disappeared instantly and without a trace, there would be chaos and riots, at least in major cities. Things would completely fall apart, at least for a few weeks until things had time to settle down, and those still around had a chance to start getting things back under control. And we only saw a 3 hour time frame, in which there would likely be the worst chaos.

But frankly though, it does annoy me that nearly the entire thing focused on Rafe getting the plane down. I mean I'm glad they didn't go way overboard on the proselytizing, but I was hoping to see a movie more akin to the book/first movie. The plane thing was but a small part of both the book and first movie, and was simply an introduction to Rafe and setting up his storyline. I wanted to see the rise of the Antichrist, and the days after the rapture. On the other hand, since there's no chance of ever having a Left Behind series that covers the full Tribulation, then perhaps I should be glad it wasn't good enough to warrant more, and that it at least kept the story line contained so no more is necessary.

Someone ever tries to kill you... you try to kill em right back.

[–] mikerowerush-754-924525 9 years ago

"if you could reason with religious people............there would be no religious people".

[–] thestrangebeauty 9 years ago

Well, ALL the religious wouldn't vanish if this were to really happen. Just the Christians. So you'd still have the rest of the religious and surely they'd keep on trying to kill each other.

But generally speaking, you're probably right. A lot of the world's problems would be solved without religion. But then, I guess people would find some other reason to fight.

[–] taticat 9 years ago

OP gets +1.

I'd love to have all religions go get all raptured off. That's actually a good name for a religious parody movie: Raptured Off! XD

And what's funny is that it's been shown that the non-religious really are more honest, happier, more generous to charities, more trustworthy, and so on, but after aeons of slander and libel from primarily xtians, the non-religious (especially those who identify as atheist) are regarded as untrustworthy degenerates. It's kind of funny.

[–] ironcat68 9 years ago

Your not very bright. If any percentage of the population were to all of a sudden disappear, it would cause uddr chaos. Religious or not. Say only people who's last names begin with P just suddenly vanished. Some of those people will be driving cars. Some flying planes. But it would be enough to cause chaos. Not to mention the panic that would follow. But this movie only tapped into a little of the first book. There was no mention of Nicolae (the Anti-Christ) or any of the like. Weather or not the real Rapture will be like this no one knows, and of course this movie was more about selling tickets than explaining prophecy.

[–] Thee_Justin_Sane 9 years ago

That's a good point OP!!!

After the initial chaos dies down and the mourning of loved ones, the world might become a more peaceful place.

No more violence "in the name of God", no more protesters crashing funerals with picket signs, people would be free of harassment when going to the movies, dating, marrying, eating, listening to music, reading, thinking, and my fav... Rubbin' One Out!!

I can't wait for the Rapture.
I hope ALL the gods do it at once.
It would be like a Darwinistic™ cleansing.

But then life would be pretty boring.
We love you, you crazy lil Xtians.