In a piece last week, I documented what critics have said about an apparent anti-Christian theme in Simon Pegg’s upcoming science-fiction comedy “Paul” — just more of the strident, boorish evangelical atheism we’re seeing from our entertainment overlords these days. In a recent interview, Pegg’s obvious contempt and intolerance for those who don’t conform to his disbelief system comes through quite clearly.
It’s a fun movie, but do you think you’re going to get any flak from the Bible belt in America?Simon Pegg: Who doesn’t get flak from the Bible belt in America?
I wonder if Pegg’s ever spent any real time in America’s Bible belt? You know, just checked into a motel somewhere and spent a week hanging out with the commoners. Regardless, I have a better question: Name a lazy, lockstep, conformist member of the entertainment community who hasn’t stereotyped the Bible belt in America in order to earn their bona fides as a lazy, lockstep, conformist member of the entertainment community. Ridiculing Christians isn’t brave or edgy. What are we going to do, pray for your Hellbound ass? Write a blog post? In the meantime, the rewards are legion. Hollywood loves you even more. You’re a member of Niedermeyer’s frat in high standing. Better yet, some in the media will lie and tell you you’re brave!
Pegg’s comment is followed by what amounts to an explanation of the thinking behind the film’s “anti-Creationist” elements:
Nick Frost: [co-star] As I said to Simon early, it’s a road movie with an alien in it. If they’re going to get annoyed at that… Really, if you have faith then a film about a dope-smoking alien isn’t going to affect that. It’s just another way of seeing. We were really interested in the idea that someone could have their belief system shattered by a single moment, and that’s why Ruth, Kristen’s character, is a Creationist, is a very specific wing of Christianity, which you can’t have a film with an alien in and it not be counter to that idea. Even Mac and Me is an anti-Creationist film because there’s an alien in it. We’re not being anti-religion; it’s just that’s the universe that the film takes place in. Paul at one point – I think the line was lost in the end – said: “I don’t know. I’m just saying there probably isn’t”. Certainly, that sort of dogma can’t exist if Paul exists, and we love the idea of Ruth suddenly just changing from being one thing to another in a second, and that was it. It wasn’t a crusade again organised religion.
Jason Bateman: [co-star] The scales are a bit swayed. I mean you’d have to go along time, make a lot of movies to balance the scales on people thinking maybe that’s not the way everything happened [God’s creation]. It’s like come on.Simon Pegg: There wasn’t a massive atheist protest when The Ten Commandments came out. There wasn’t a protest at my local school at the Nativity play this year. It’s just a film.
I’m not even sure I understand the logic behind all that. Sounds like some sort of Fairness Doctrine for Hollywood, but one that works to the Left’s advantage because the first part of achieving “fairness” means that you reach all the way back to the birth of film to even the Christian/atheist playing field. Also, Frost’s spin as far as the film’s Creatonist angle might not be as innocent as he makes it out to be. A number of critics who have seen the finished product saw something well beyond a simple thematic exploration of someone suddenly faced with something that challenges their belief structure:
The best and the worst, however, comes with the introduction of Bible belt babe Ruth Buggs (Kristen Wiig), who the trio liberate from her devout and overbearing father in a trailer park somewhere in the deep south. What she brings in the comedy stakes is a risque series of attacks on Christianity that will be as unpopular among some sector of American audiences (Paul: “My existence doesn’t necessarily disprove religion: just all Judaeo-Christian denominations”) as it is popular among sci-fi fans and atheists (I challenge anyone not to laugh at the ‘Evolve this’ t-shirt).
Men in black, rednecks and fundamental Christians are the main heavies that get in the way of their plans. … Christianity gets in the neck, which could hurt Bible-belt box office[.]
More here. Film critics aren’t exactly a bastion of right-wing “creationism,” either.
No one’s saying Pegg and company don’t have every right in the world to mock, ridicule, denigrate, and criticize anything. No one’s saying they don’t have the right to spread the gospel of atheism in blockbuster sci-fi films. That’s what liberty is all about and as someone who loves Monty Python’s “Life of Brian,” a smart satire in this area can even be appreciated. And who knows, maybe “Paul” will achieve that, though a number of critics say otherwise.
But at the same time, the American Bible belt works pretty hard for their money. They don’t receive millions upon millions of dollars to make movies. And so they deserve every opportunity to know what they’re in for before they lay down what might amount to a day’s pay only to have their entire family insulted. Especially, when all they ask from their entertainment overlords was the opportunity to enter the dark for a couple hours of relief from real life.
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