The movie 'million Dollar Baby? is, in many ways, a wonderful piece of drama, well acted, and well presented, and also a tribute to the skills of its director, but its message is dismal. A female boxer from Missouri takes a terrible beating and winds up brain-damaged. She wants to commit suicide and with the help of her coach she does so. The message: if you don't like life, drop out.

The movie is, in many points, very similar to events in the life of a real person, Katie Dallam, a Missouri girl who grew up in poverty. In 1996 she began boxing and after two months her trainer entered her in a professional match. Four rounds later she was comatose before she reached hospital. The doctors told Katie's sister 'she probably won't make it, and, if she did, would most likely be a vegetable.?

But Katie survived, relearned to walk and read, despite blurred vision and poor memory. For a short time she was depressed and she tried to end her life but instead of helping her, as in the movie, Katie's sister moved Katie into her home. Katie became optimistic and started painting. When Katie saw the movie she had nightmares, but it led to her to start speaking to others with brain injuries, encouraging and helping them to make the most of the life they still had.

Another similar case is that of Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic who . . .

The movie 'million Dollar Baby? is, in many ways, a wonderful piece of drama, well acted, and well presented, and also a tribute to the skills of its director, but its message is dismal. A female boxer from Missouri takes a terrible beating and winds up brain-damaged. She wants to commit suicide and with the help of her coach she does so. The message: if you don't like life, drop out.

 

The movie is, in many points, very similar to events in the life of a real person, Katie Dallam, a Missouri girl who grew up in poverty. In 1996 she began boxing and after two months her trainer entered her in a professional match. Four rounds later she was comatose before she reached hospital. The doctors told Katie's sister 'she probably won't make it, and, if she did, would most likely be a vegetable.?

 

But Katie survived, relearned to walk and read, despite blurred vision and poor memory. For a short time she was depressed and she tried to end her life but instead of helping her, as in the movie, Katie's sister moved Katie into her home. Katie became optimistic and started painting. When Katie saw the movie she had nightmares, but it led to her to start speaking to others with brain injuries, encouraging and helping them to make the most of the life they still had.

 

Another similar case is that of Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic who suffered a spinal-cord injury. She now paints, draws and has a wonderful ministry of encouragement and blessing to perhaps millions. These two girls prove that, in the face of devastating injury, people can still find peace and happiness, and that life is worth preserving, despite the twisted propaganda of Hollywood.

 

The euthanasia message of 'million Dollar Baby? is the product of a certain kind of world view. The writer of the story, Mr. Toole and many others like him, do not see much point in living an ?impaired? life. From the atheist's point of view, this life is all we get, and if it includes some pain or discomfort, we might as well leave.

 

The Academy Awards for 2005 were quite revealing when it comes to world views. Hollywood chose to honour films that had little to do with Christian or Biblical teaching, and a lot to do with secular philosophy. Apart from 'million Dollar Baby?, which promotes euthanasia, five Oscars went to 'the Aviator?, a film that celebrates billionaire Howard Hughes, the man who took dozens of women to bed and ultimately died of syphilis induced insanity.

 

There was also a small film called 'sideways?, in which it is suggested that it's fine, even funny, for a man to engage in a sex orgy with strangers just before his wedding. Hollywood gave this film an award.

 

Other films that were nominated, but did not receive awards, included one that warned against making abortion illegal, and one which celebrated Kinsey, a twisted researcher who based statistics about sexual practices on a range of immoral druggies and perverts. His work degraded America's view of sexuality through the use of false and unreliable surveys.

 

On the other hand, 'the Passion of the Christ? was not even featured at the award ceremony. They didn't even mention it. This blockbuster movie has been one of the biggest box-office hits of the year, it has been seen worldwide, and it is the biggest independent film in the history of the world, yet Hollywood ignored it.

 

As the Bible says, ?Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!? Isaiah 5:20

Richard Gunther, Copyright 2006