TV, Movies - and the Bible

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
You know something? You've seen this countless times. There's a scene where someone - maybe it's a Christian or some believer having a crisis of faith or trying to provide comfort or inspiration. And they start quoting a Bible verse ---

And the other one finishes it. USUALLY someone you wouldn't expect to know it at all.

I have seen this on TV so many times, I can usually guess how it goes EXCEPT for one thing.

I've never heard the verse before.

Now - I've been reading the Bible for about 35 years. At one point, I probably knew about a dozen Psalms and three or four books committed to memory. Completely. In fact, my mother mentioned that before my father died, he was trying to memorize the book of James - where I smiled and rattled off the first couple dozen verses.

So there's that. I know it.

Secondly - I've been around churches for even longer than I've been reading the Bible. I know WHAT verses people are most likely to find solace and comfort in. I think any regular reader of the Bible can possibly cite several dozen verses and reference even more. For example, in "Remember the Titans" he references Isaiah 40 - the same verses referenced in "Chariots of Fire" near the end. It's very familiar to Christians. Ditto Phi 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". I cannot even count the number of times that has been quoted, and for good reason - VERY popular in churches.

The other night I saw a show where a girl mentioned some obscure verse and THEN mentioned, grew up in Catholic schools. Yeah. So did I. Guess what? You get a LOT of religion class in Catholic schools, but you do NOT study the Bible. Hey, I got all A's in religion class. NEVER read the Bible. I didn't even own one.

And of course, the scene went just as you'd expect - person starts quoting some little known verse - it's quoted slightly out of context - and the other person finishes it AND gives the reference. And they finish the scene. And I wonder who the heck the writer is, because they don't know the Bible. Your average person just doesn't know any verse you pick out.

I swear this drives me nuts. I'd much rather see some schlub quote a verse to a minister and have them say something like, where is that? It sounds familiar. But that won't happen because TV is limited in the time it can run scenes.

Still - drives me crazy.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Still - drives me crazy.

Me too. The Bible is a thing and if you're going to quote it, quote it; don't say what you think it says or what you've heard it says. I get crazy when someone quotes Cowper or Ben Franklin - or the Declaration of Independence - and says it's the Bible. :tantrum:
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Me too. The Bible is a thing and if you're going to quote it, quote it; don't say what you think it says or what you've heard it says. I get crazy when someone quotes Cowper or Ben Franklin - or the Declaration of Independence - and says it's the Bible. :tantrum:


Just one point to clarify. The actors aren't making it up or saying it's the Bible when it's Shakespeare or an old aphorism.
They're just quoting something obscure and unknown to most Bible readers. It's like when some nerd quotes the Princess Bride or Ferris Bueller - and it's like the stuff Ferris' mom says to him at the beginning. NOBODY knows that one.
 

seekeroftruth

Well-Known Member
Just the other day.... a friend of mine told me the Bible says "we are all created equal". I asked her where....

Also... here's a question for the astute.... did Abraham or Rahab receive eternal life?

:coffee:
 
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