Saved!

As a follower of Christ, the trailers and hype for this movie have made me mmore than a little uncomfortable. Mandy Moore chucks a bible at another girl's head, while venomously spewing "I'm filled with Christ's Love." A youth pastor-type back flips onto a stage with techno music and lights pumping, shouting "Are you down with G-O-D" to crowd of frantic teenagers. The trailer overflows with negative stereotypes. So I checked out the Saved! official website which actually has a tab called "Christian Guide." I assumed it was going to be some kind cynical jibe about the most powerful evangelism tool since the Passion of the Christ. Instead I found two brief paragraphs encouraging Youth ministers to use the movie as a tool to "...easily launch into significant spiritual conversations"
The chatter on message boards linked to the site was predictable. "Why do Christians always want everyone to believe what they do"..."I used to be one of those Christians too"..."lighten up people it is just a movie" There was actually a comment from, either a writer or producer, I don't remember which, that stated something to the effective of, "the movie is even handed in its presentation of "good" Christians and "bad" Christians.
Unfortunately, that is not the way the movie is being marketed. The trailers don't show the "real" kids trying to live a "real" faith in a messy world. Instead, they just show hyperbolized high school versions of the church lady.
My fear is that the movie will attract hate mongers of all types. It will attract those, who hate Christians, to have a good laugh at Christianity's expense. It will attract knee-jerk reactionary Christians who will picket the movie and call it satanic without ever seeing it. The very last thing I think this movie will do is "launch anyone into a significant spiritual conversation." I hope I am wrong.