Is Tyler Perry Mocking God???
By Rozie37
@Rozie37 (15499)
Turkmenistan
December 14, 2008 3:45am CST
I do not want to go into any specifics to lead anyone to a conclusion. I like Tyler Perry and have a lot of his movies. But I like to be real, especially, when it comes to the things of God. I just feel that some of his comedy goes too far in making light of God and his holy word.
I do not remember what brought him to my mind yesterday, but the next thing I knew, I was thinking in general of his work and thought to myself that maybe what we use to think of as sacred has become a joke. Not only our religion, but the African American race as a whole.
I remember the sitcoms of the seventies, where it was funny for African Americans to parade themselves around, acting dumb and making light of being poor and uneducated. That is all that America would accept from us back then.
There was Sanford and Son, Good Times, and What's Happening. The Jefferson's were rich, but George Jefferson still came across as a bigoted idiot. Then came the show that made us all proud. We were able to hold our head up high. The Cosby show was absolutely liberating for us as a race.
It was believable that an African American family could be successful and have intelligent children and a relatively functional home life. A lot of the sitcoms after that, took their cue from the Cosby show. We could be somebody and achieve as a people. Then came Tyler Perry, Madea, and The Brown Family and all of a sudden, it was funny for African Americans to be ignorant again.
But this time, we are also making light of the most sacred thing of our forefather's. Is it the times that we are living in? Or are people simply choosing to disrespect God because they think that they can get away with mocking him? Do we all believe that God is now just a fairy tale? Or am I just reading way too much into this?
3 people like this
5 responses
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
10 Jan 10
Hi, Rozie37. I do notice what you are saying. And when any show mocks God, I will get offended. They should not do this. They should not play around with God's name. Even if they are acting they should refrain from mocking God. It is disrespectful even if they don't mean anything by it. I never believe that God is a fairy tale. I take him seriously because he is very much real.
@Beenice (237)
• Canada
16 Jun 09
I think God is opening more your mind to His truth. Which I'm very happy to hear form what you wrote. yes people getting more stupid than they were about God,they do think that they can get away with everything, but they are wrong. Hang in there don't give up God, go deeper in His truth and He'll help to understand more.
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
14 Dec 08
I haven't really seen his work, though I am familiar with it. But, I've heard people describe him as being a strong Christian. He even says so himself. But, since I haven't seen exactly what you've seen, I can't comment any further.
@Rozie37 (15499)
• Turkmenistan
17 Dec 08
Yes, I believe that he is a very strong Christian and a good man to boot. But some of his stuff pushes the envelop a little. I just want to be certain that I am not giving audience to something that is not pleasing to my father. You have to be very careful what you allow to enter your spirit.
@SusanLee (1920)
• United States
23 Feb 09
I don't know Rozie, I liked all those shows you mentioned and truthfully, I have never thought about them portraying Africans-Americans as dumb and poor. We were as white as a piece of Wonder Bread, and as a kid what I saw was a family like mine, only a different color.
I have wondered about Tyler Perry's characters too, but you know what? The truth is God doesn't throw us away because we're ignorant as a stump. (and Madea is ignorant) I really liked the real old women in Diary of a mad black woman.
Madea believes in Jesus and God, but she behaves outrageously, she just just hasn't started producing the proper fruit yet, which is exactly what happens in the real world.
The older characters like Cicily Tyson and a few of the other older ladies, they made the perfect balance, you could tell they had grown in Christ, they portrayed matured Christians.
I hope he is able to maintain his integrity and not be swayed by money, which could happen to anyone. The entertainment industry is all about money, not morality.
I love his work, I was shocked when I saw him being interviewed one day and he said 'I hate that old woman' talking about the Madea character.
Sometimes I ask myself how would I feel about this person or persons if I was blind and could only hear them. I come to the conclusion that their color has nothing to do with why I'm influenced, I'm influenced because they are funny and make me laugh at them and at myself.
I love Bill Cosby's opinion of child rearing, when they get grown, they need to get gone.
As for old George Jefferson, he was just the flip-side of Archie Bunker. To me George was intelligent, Archie is the one that was ignorant as a piece of wood.
@irw0292 (17)
• United States
1 Mar 09
Rozie, I was reading one of your posts about how Tyler Perry pushes the envolope and I completely agree with you. I also believe that he needs to push the envolope because that is what it takes to make it in the movie business. I don't believe it is him trying to make a joke about the African American race, but him simply creating a comedy film. I can agree with everyone when they say he is a devoted Christian, because he is. I think it is great that African American actors are becoming more and more prominent now adays. It really is a good thing to see. This type of comedy, I don't think should be viewed as a "negative thing."
