MovieChat Forums > Dead Man Walking (1996) Discussion > the whole redemption thing, anyone else ...

the whole redemption thing, anyone else felt appaled?

posted 13 years ago by black123
25 replies | jump to latest

Hi there folks.

So i just wanted to hear your opinions on this topic. I've seen ones covering the whole "feel sorry/not"-aspect but this i think is something a little different. What I'm refering to is the whole "finding Jesus"-thing that the nun preached about.

This is a clear example on just how disgusting religious people are. The way she actually tells Poncelot that he can seek forgiveness by basically taking responsibility. A murderer and rapist can be forgiven by God and find redemption and the message is clear; it doesn't really matter in the end, there's an infinate amount of "second chances" to be had. A religion that preaches something like this is appaling beyond words, and i felt that she should be ashamed for being a nun and doing what she did. Nice to know that there are crooked, self-righteous people out there with their dogmas, ready to comfort criminals like this and giving them hope in the last seconds of their life.

But again that's jut me. What do you guys think about this matter? Is it disgusting to come and preach redemption or should people always have a "second chance" coming their way?

I'd be *beep* furious if my son was killed or daughter raped/killed and someone like this nun comes in with her *beep* belief in her vile, dogmatic redemption, giving a man like this hope. I'd actually much rather see him die lone and vulnerable about his "afterlife" and i think he didn't deserve any better.

[–] dan_nico17 10 years ago

Well that's Christian logic. Poncelet gets to go to heaven while Gandhi and Princess Diana are in hell. Almost like someone didn't think the plot through when making the whole scam up.

[–] bpollen 10 years ago

Well, she got him to confess, when no one else could, didn't she?

I think you're confusing redemption here on earth, for which there is none in many people's opinion, and redemption in heaven, which is what he was seeking at the end.

The nun's encouraging that is not just to give him consolation, although that's part of it. It really IS a belief by many on earth that if you confess your sins sincerely, that God will grant your request for forgiveness for the hereafter (not forgiveness here on earth). It's between an individual and his God and has nothing to do with you or me or others. It does NOT mean that he thinks what he did was okay. He admits it was heinous. Priests and nuns are in the business of encouraging people to seek absolution from God and to try to enter heaven.

I don't see the harm in that. In fact, I see that as a good thing. If someone at the end wants to admit to their evil acts and ask forgiveness from God, I see that as a good thing. It is not saying that what he did was any less evil than it was before he confessed and asked forgiveness.

It has nothing to do with the parents or the victims. It is strictly a personal thing between the criminal and his God. I don't know why you'd find that a bad thing.

He also asked forgiveness from the parents, knowing that they wouldn't be able to give it. But he asked, anyway. It probably helped the parents to know that in the end he confessed and that he asked their forgiveness. And that he paid the ultimate price for what he did.

[–] dbrockskk1 10 years ago

appalled Stay in school.

suzycreamcheese RIP Heath Ledger 1979-2008

[–] oh_yeah_man 10 years ago

No. In a way, it was humbling because she got him to let go of his anger and his hatred. This led to I'm being repentant and truthfully sorry in front of his victims' parents when before, he was full of hate towards them and wanted them dead. Instead of railing against the system and his victims' parents, he apologized and hoped that his death would be a comfort to them. He became truthfully aware of his terrible deeds, and he accepted them before justice, rather than denying it until the very end.

[–] astockton_uk 9 years ago

Are you familiar with the parables of the prodigal son and the laborers in the vineyard? The lesson of both parables is that it is never too late to get right with God as long as you're still breathing.

The forgiving Father-figure God that Jesus preached about was a startling concept even to the Jews, and probably even more so to the Romans. After all, they not only worshipped Caesar as a god, but they had a whole pantheon of gods who played with humans like chess pieces.

But the key to entering God's kingdom is sincere repentance, not expedient "I'm only sorry I got caught."

[–] Tommen_Forever 8 years ago

You sound pretty sadistic.

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[–] TheMan18 (13182) a year ago

"This is a clear example on just how disgusting religious people are."
Bloody heck.