For the Bible Tells Me So
USA, 2006, 100 min.
For the Bible Tells Me So delves into the question, “What does the Bible actually say about homosexuality?” The documentary forges into the lives of several strong Christian-American families, each one with a gay or lesbian family member, and asks them to reveal their Christian background, their outlook on homosexuality (none of them positive), and how they dealt with their family member coming out of the proverbial closet. Director Daniel Karslake also interviews several highly-respected religious leaders across America, asking them for their interpretations of homosexuality and the Bible.
Contrary to popular belief, the film reveals that most of the Christian leaders interviewed had no strong opposition to homosexuality, and they actually implored readers to place the contents of the Bible into the context in which it was written. Most say that while at face value it may read “homosexuality is an abomination,” that, again at face value, the Bible also prohibits a ton of other acts and beliefs we hold high today.
Karslake finds a way to deal with the heavy and controversial subject matter in a highly approachable and entertaining way. His effort is brave and captivating, powerful and sarcastic. Causing most of the audience to laugh throughout the film, it is no real surprise that For the Bible Tells Me So was the winner of the “Audience Award” at the Seattle International Film Festival. |
