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The author of this blog does not advocate hate or unprovoked violence against any group. The purpose of this blog is to provide the very best information regarding philosophy, mindset training, and technique for the Christian Martialist in their broader Biblical, theological and cultural contexts. Nothing posted here should be construed as promoting or excusing hostile speech or acts toward anyone.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Book Review: The Hunger Games

First I saw the movie, then I read Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy. On the screen or the written page, I would describe her story as highly intense.

After I saw the movie, I read a number of reviews and wondered if the reviewers had watched the same movie that I did. More than one managed to come away with the idea that children killing children was the major point of the film.

My own take is that Collins used the children in mortal combat device to somehow penetrate the jaded consciousness of society at large. The movie's point isn't children killing children; it's about an authoritarian government that will demand that children kill children and a society which is either too fascinated by the carnage or too cowardly to resist.

In other words, I believe she was talking to us.

I've also read reviews that criticized the author for not making Katniss Everdeen (the heroine) stage a rebellion by refusing to participate in the games. In my opinion, she presented a believable character with the kind of flaws that real people have.

We don't like heroes with flaws, but look at Scripture. Abraham lied; David committed adultery & conspired to murder; Jonah ran away.

Real people -- sinful people -- have flaws. We can choose to ignore their shortcomings because we want nice, shiny perfect idols, er . . . heroes to look up to . . . OR we can accept the bad with the good and learn something that may make our own decisions better.

If you read the books, you will find that Katniss does not come out of her battles unscathed. The fact that she has killed for the sickos and power mongers haunts her. In fact, she exhibits some of the symptoms of combat veterans with PTSD.

It's not a happily-ever-after kind of story, and you shouldn't watch the movie(s) or read the books for entertainment. Let the story lead you to ask, "Just how close are we, as a society, to this kind of horror?"

And if you don't think our society is at risk for this level of exploitation, CLICK HERE to get a dose of reality. 

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