Is a film like The Seventh Seal good for Christian faith?

[Vanellus]

Block: I want knowledge. Not belief. Not supposition. But knowledge. I want God to reach out to me, unveil His face, speak to me.
Priest/Death: But He is silent.
Block: I cry to Him in the darkness, but sometimes it is as if there is no one there.
Priest/Death: Perhaps there is no one there.
Block: Then life is a senseless horror. No man can live with Death before his eyes and the knowledge that all is nothing.
Priest/Death: Most people reflect neither upon Death nor nothingness.
Block: Yet they must one day stand at the last shore of life and look into the Darkness.
Priest/Death: Yes, that day.
Block: [laughs bitterly] I see what you mean. We must make an idol of our fear, and that idol we shall call God

Now neither Ingmar Bergman or Max von Sydow were Christians (at least in the traditional sense) but there is no doubt this all time classic film confronts issues pertinent to faith in God. Is this better than the many films which are frankly just mindless escapism by comparison?

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Turner Classic movies have runs on different themed eras of television history. Sociology, rather than philosophy, psychology etc, sets the scenes for much of what is happening today.

 

[eleos1954]

Block: I want knowledge. Not belief. Not supposition. But knowledge. I want God to reach out to me, unveil His face, speak to me.
Priest/Death: But He is silent.
Block: I cry to Him in the darkness, but sometimes it is as if there is no one there.
Priest/Death: Perhaps there is no one there.
Block: Then life is a senseless horror. No man can live with Death before his eyes and the knowledge that all is nothing.
Priest/Death: Most people reflect neither upon Death nor nothingness.
Block: Yet they must one day stand at the last shore of life and look into the Darkness.
Priest/Death: Yes, that day.
Block: [laughs bitterly] I see what you mean. We must make an idol of our fear, and that idol we shall call God

Now neither Ingmar Bergman or Max von Sydow were Christians (at least in the traditional sense) but there is no doubt this all time classic film confronts issues pertinent to faith in God. Is this better than the many films which are frankly just mindless escapism by comparison?

These statements have an undertone of being sinister to me.

Best to rely on His word.

 

[Vanellus]

These statements have an undertone of being sinister to me.

Best to rely on His word.

This response doesn't answer my question. Where did I say I was "relying" on this film. Rather i was thinking of the many non Christians who have seen this and other films like it.

"Sinister"? but the kind of thing written by non Christians in apologetics forums e.g. on the hiddenness of God.

 

[DragonFox91]

We studied that scene during Sunday School in high school growing up. I watched the full movie a few years ago & liked it. I didn’t find it challenging to my faith at all. I have life pretty good, people back then didn’t: faith is universal. God is soverign over times of good & times of bad.

 

[Vanellus]

We studied that scene during Sunday School in high school growing up. I watched the full movie a few years ago & liked it. I didn’t find it challenging to my faith at all. I have life pretty good, people back then didn’t: faith is universal. God is soverign over times of good & times of bad.

Thanks for sharing this Dragonfox91.