I was reading a favorite movie review website of mine that collects all the critics’ reviews in one place to form a composite rating, anxious to see what the critics thought of Narnia. I went to see it opening weekend with my Bible study group and although the movie seemed to have some pacing problems, I came out thinking, “That was a really well-done flick.”

Most of the tomatometer critics seemed to agree, but there were 25% of the critics which did not. “Hey, you can’t please everyone,” most would say.

True, nor would anyone want to. However, a closer inspection of the reviews showed an odd but consistent trend in our new American culture.

Well over half of the negative reviews given to the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe were actually thinly-disguised indictments of Christianity, not a review of the movie. Actual criticism of the filmmaking was an afterthought. There were even strange comments made, like one reviewer saying, “A 12 year-old boy swinging a sword that big isn’t even believable.” And talking lions are? C’mon people. Something much bigger than a fantasy movie backlash is going on here.

- people despise their creator… oh wait, I mean those self-righteous Christians.

I do not even have to walk more than a few feet from my office door to hear people bleating “The self-righteous Christian” mantra like the sheep in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. (4 legs good, 2 legs bad, four legs…)

I am not innocent of Christian-bashing though. Actually I did it in just my last post. The whole “Self-righteous Christian” phrase is also one that I mindlessly repeated in my past before I returned to Christ with my head hanging.

This myth is a fire fanned by the enemy into full blown Christophobia. Sure, some people like my wife had bad experiences growing up in small towns where the preacher cheated people, or others who get sucked into cultish (and less Biblical) churches where people get further from God, and closer to the enemy. Most don’t have an excuse for their hatred of Christians, though - certainly not any excuse to hate them more than anyone else on the planet.

Self-righteousness? Of course we all tend to think that our poop does not stink. However I find that more loudest voices of self-righteousness come from those who do not know God at all. We all have a desire to make ourselves better; clean; righteous… it’s just that most of us refuse to admit that God is the only one that can do it - it is proven daily that we can’t.

I heard a great audio article from a local rock station (not Christian Rock, mind you) radio commentator, the Southern Avenger that discusses a great phrase that describes the situation with Narnia, and non-Christian’s views of Christians.

Christophobia, Enjoy!

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