Top 10 Conservative Idiots Presents: Holy Shit: The Sunday Sermons Season 3 Episode 1: Entertainment In Religion

[Top 10 Idiots]

Top 10 Conservative Idiots Presents: Holy Shit: The Sunday Sermons Season 3 Episode 1: Entertainment In Religion

Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:



My fair congregation! I hope y’all are doing well and I hope that you have a copy of our Good Book opened because we are going to explore followers of the good LAWRD JAYSUS and how far their beliefs can take them this week. This is episode 1 of season 3! How about that! We’ve officially made it to 3 seasons everybody! And we’re not holding back, either! Especially since we are almost literally at the 11th hour which could decide the fate of the United States – totalitarian fascism or a free and just democracy? I know which way we’re voting! So anyway we’re going to take a break from talking about that and discuss how religion is infiltrating the Hollywood box office! In the first slot (1), there’s a whole slew of religious themed entertainment for you to choose from, including the return of our favorite nonsensical religious series “God’s Not Dead”! In the second slot this week, we are going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the god fearing movie that broke the Hollywood box office – The Passion Of The Christ (2). And guess what? With every successful franchise, there’s a sequel! Oh yes, my fair congregation, even JAYSUS can be franchised! Finally, as always, we’re going to close out by answering your prayers from the Holy Shit Hotline To Heaven! Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!

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You know, lately, we’ve been accused of talking about one subject way too much. And yes, we feel like we don’t talk about it enough. That subject is of course the religious right steering hard towards far right authoritarianism and America’s march to becoming a religious fascist theocracy. So you know what? We’re going to take a break this week and talk about a fun topic. Since the movie industry took a massive hit when the COVID virus showed up, leave it to America’s far right and religious to worm their way into the box office. But of course these are not people who worship GAWD or JAYSUS, they worship the unholy Dark One! I of course speak of a man who is so foul, so depraved and disgusting that his name dare NOT be spoken in my church! But if you’re a godly MAGA voter who has some time to kill and you want to go see a movie at the box office, why there’s plenty to choose from! Let’s of course start with the return of our favorite far right franchise, God’s Not Dead!

“God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust” (Fathom) and “Am I Racist?” (SDG) won’t register with most mainstream moviegoers, but this weekend they could rank as high as #3 and #4 (in either order), behind “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (Warner Bros.) and the debuting “Speak No Evil” (Universal). Also in the mix are Lionsgate’s new “The Killer’s Game” and the 8th weekend of “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

Of these, guess which two are top candidates for receiving the rare A+ Cinemascore.

There’s a history of lucrative performances for similar films that appeal to conservative faith-based or MAGA-related audiences (which frequently overlap). The progressive side has its analogs, particularly in Michael Moore documentaries, but for the last decade or more nearly all the preach-to-the-choir breakthroughs come from the right wing of the ideological spectrum.

Most fall far short of the grosses for “The Passion of the Christ” (Picturehouse) or “Sound of Freedom” (Angel). With budgets modest to small, and thrifty marketing with the ability to microtarget potential ticket buyers, this has become a vital market. Sony and Lionsgate lead the way for faith-based releases on the studio side, but it’s also a fertile valley for enterprising independents.
https://www.indiewire.com/news/box-office/gods-not-dead-will-be-a-hit-love-the-lord-and-the-cinemascore-1235046390/

Yeah, remember the Q Anon conspiracy flick Sound Of Freedom (if you don’t, check out our take from Idiots #15-4 )? It seems like religious films always find a way to sneak into the box office, like this. And some of them may make some money, but most usually don’t. Yes, Sound of Freedom was an anomaly just because the producers found a loophole to make money and exploited it! But let’s take a look at another, less successful Christian movie – “The Forge”. But if MAGA Christians are ready to celebrate “The Forge” dethroning “Blink Twice” at the box office, we’re here to remind you that’s not really a flex.

The Kendrick brothers, Alex and Stephen, from Albany, Georgia have been making Christian-based movies for two decades.

They have combined their writing, directing, and acting talents to produce popular movies like “Facing the Giants,” “Fireproof,” “Courageous,” “War Room,” and “Overcomer.”

Folks in Columbus were excited about the release of “Overcomer” in 2019 because it was shot in the Fountain City.

This weekend the Kendrick brothers are debuting their newest film “The Forge” which was shot in their hometown of Albany. Alex says the movie will be shown in over 1,800 theaters nationwide, adding that Sony is prepared to expand that number if the opening weekend goes well.

“The Forge” chronicles the struggles of 19-year old Isaiah Wright, portrayed by Aspen Kennedy. He’s the son of a single mom. He’s been out of high school for a year with no job and no ambition except to play basketball and video games.
https://www.wrbl.com/news/entertainment/debut-of-kendrick-brothers-film-the-forge/

Yeah so that’s basically every teenager that grew up in the video game era. But did anyone see any of those other movies? Anyone at all? I didn’t. Maybe big movies like that aren’t your thing and you prefer to watch movies of the documentary variety. Well, the one that has been lighting up with the MAGA religious right is the inexplicable hit by the Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh called “AM I RACIST?”, to which we always say – if you have to ask, it’s probably racist. But if Matt Walsh is trying to make the “AM I RACIST?” movie into the alt right’s version of Borat, well, he definitely fails because the alt right isn’t exactly good at comedy.

“Decolonize yourself. Do your own white supremacy dismantling, and then you can start to bring in other people,” declares Regina Jackson at a Race2Dinner in Atlanta, part of an ongoing series she co-founded with Saira Rao designed to help white women confront their own racism, white supremacy and xenophobia. Before anyone can respond, the waiter proposes a toast, instructing guests to “raise a glass if you’re racist.” They all oblige — although Jackson, who is Black, quickly puts her glass down and laughs. “Oh, I’m not racist,” she says.

The seemingly klutzy caterer has been interrupting the group all night long, dropping dishes and even pulling up a seat to explain that he’s got his DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) certificate. Many of the guests appear confused and perplexed by his odd behavior. “I’m just on the journey,” he says.

He is on a journey — just not the one he professed to be on. He’s actually the conservative provocateur Matt Walsh, who, with the backing of Jeremy Boreing and Ben Shapiro’s right-wing media company The Daily Wire, spent months filming the documentary Am I Racist?, a comedic and scathing takedown of the DEI movement.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/how-am-i-racist-matt-walsh-1236008035/

Oh come on, is it really “scathing” if he says the same thing we’ve heard from the unholy Dark One supporters a thousand times? No! It just shows they have no original thoughts of their own. But no matter what your poison is at the box office, there is one thing you have to consider. And that is… he’s baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!! Yes, for the first time in 20 years, our LAWRD and savior JAYSUS returns to the box office! That’s right, my fair congregation! Next year, JAYSUS returns in The Passion Of The Christ 2: Electric Boogaloo! No, the working title is “RESURRECTION”.

Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection - Part 1 is confirmed, but the sequel looks to be a lot more controversial. In 2004, The Passion of the Christ took the world by storm with particular appeal to American evangelicals, and it was successful in many international markets as well. Principally inspired by the Gospel of John, The Passion of the Christ also incorporated a number of Catholic traditions and even the visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824). Its release became particularly controversial due to charges of antisemitism — not helped by Gibson's own personal controversies.

Since 2004, Gibson has openly talked about the possibility of making a sequel that continues the narrative. The Passion of the Christ was undeniably one of the most important Biblical epics ever made by Hollywood, so it's not really a surprise to see Gibson finally attempt to turn this into something of a loose franchise — especially at a time when franchises tend to have more drawing power than individual actors and directors. But it remains to be seen whether Gibson can pull off another hit, appealing to the same evangelical audience who responded so positively to the first movie.

Though a lot of development promises were made in recent years, the latest news comes as the first solid update on The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection in a long while. The news comes from director Mel Gibson's publicist, Alan Nierob, who offered a small but interesting tidbit to the media in September 2024. "All we can confirm is they were scouting locations recently. Not a lot to discuss at this early stage," said Nierob, hinting that work is plugging along behind-the-scenes. It's still unclear when the movie will begin shooting, or if the promised 2025 release window will hold.
https://screenrant.com/passion-christ-resurrection-movie-news-updates/

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You know, last week I pointed out that the movie theater industry is a dying industry, which is why it’s not shocking that movies pandering to hyper conservative Christian are very slowly making their way into the box office. But one movie coming next year hopes to resurrect box offices. Ah, see what I did there? And that wasn’t AI, by the way. That was a thought of my own concoction! Anyway, yes, my friends, there is one movie that is hoping to save the box office this next year. And that is… JAYSUS! Yes, JAYSUS himself is coming to save the box office. Meanwhile, the movie that started the Christian movie revolution is celebrating its’ 20th anniversary this year. Can you believe that it’s been 20 whole years since the Passion Of The Christ was released? Yeah it’s truly insane how time flies, doesn’t it? Well it’s no secret that Christians love them some blood and guts, which is maybe why they worship the unholy Dark One! I of course speak of a man so foul, so profane and disgusting that his name DARE NOT be spoken in my church! So yes, we do come on 20 years of the Passion, folks!

As we've seen in recent years, horror remains a recipe for success at the box office. Truthfully, it's been that way for decades. Another trend that has emerged in the aftermath of the pandemic is faith-based cinema breaking out in theaters, with the controversial "Sound of Freedom" leading the way. To that end, controversy can sometimes fuel massive ticket sales. 20 years ago, one movie combined every single one of those elements to deliver the biggest R-rated movie of all time. That movie was "The Passion of the Christ."

Directed by Mel Gibson, the film focuses on the last 12 hours of in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, played by James Caviezel. The film begins with Jesus praying after the Last Supper before being betrayed by Judas Iscariot. He is then arrested and taken within the city walls of Jerusalem where leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy, resulting in condemning him to death.

"Critics who have a problem with me don't really have a problem with me in this film. They have a problem with the four Gospels. That's where their problem is," Gibson said in his interview with Diane Sawyer in 2006 addressing the controversies that erupted over the film's violence and offensive depiction of Jewish people. Whatever problems critics had with the filmmaker or his film, it hardly mattered in the end.

Read More: https://www.slashfilm.com/1525330/the-passion-of-the-christ-faith-based-bloodshed-box-office-glory-20-years-later/

Yes, so twenty years o f The Passion! Which is pretty crazy when you think about it. I mean when that movie first debuted, it was at the height of the political divide in this country with the Bush administration – and yes, that is a president whose name we can speak in these sacred halls! And of course, the violence in the film proved that today’s modern Christians love them some blood, guts, gore and the fire and brimstone level of Christianity! Yes, my friends, some good old fashioned repentance is always on the table! But is the movie really a miracle as some are calling it? I guess if that’s what your definition of “miracle” is.

In the powerful movie, The Passion of the Christ, chronicling the end of Christ’s life, Jim Caviezel delivers a nuanced, moody performance that doesn’t deny Jesus’ humanity. It helped that Caviezel is a true believer. A devout Catholic, he went to confession and received Holy Communion every day while shooting Passion in Italy.

The 2004 work, directed and co-written by Braveheart and Lethal Weapon star Mel Gibson, brings the Stations of the Cross — 14 scenes depicting His final 12 hours — to the big screen in excruciating detail. The movie harrowingly shows the Agony in the Garden of Olives, His betrayal by Judas Iscariot, His arrest and torture, the carrying of the cross, and His crucifixion and death.

Key moments in Jesus’ life, from the Last Supper to the Sermon on the Mount, and biblical events like Peter’s denial of Christ are seen throughout. It ends with a brief glimpse of the Resurrection. (The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection, a sequel, is reportedly starting production in 2024.)

The film was a box office hit and became the fifth highest-grossing movie of 2004, despite the dialogue being spoken entirely in reconstructed Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin (with English subtitles). Gibson’s camera never shies away from the savagery and suffering of Jesus’ final hours, lingering on the brutal torture in all its painful, graphic detail.
https://www.tvinsider.com/1128204/the-passion-of-the-christ-20th-anniversary-jim-caviezel-jesus/

But it’s not rock and roll, it’s JAYSUS! And how do you celebrate 20 years of your movie about your lord and savior? With a sequel, of course! Because what good is a multi-billion dollar grossing movie in Hollywood without a sequel? Because you can literally sequalize anything in the movie industry if you put your mind to it! Yes, could this be the start of the Passion-Verse? Jesus! Jesus 2: The Resurrection, Jesus 3: The Awakening! Then there’s an Armageddon movie, a Revelations movie… come on, Hollywood, let’s get on it! And it would certainly be a better franchise than those Left Behind books, am I right?

It can be difficult to grasp, from the vantage point of 20 years later, just how massive Mel Gibson’s The Passion Of The Christ was back in 2004. Releasing in theaters in February, and then sticking around for more than two months (to say nothing of its various recuts and re-releases), the film made more than $600 million at the box office, quickly becoming the most successful R-rated movie of all time. (A title it only lost this past summer, as Deadpool & Wolverine found at least one way they were, in fact, bigger than Jesus.) And now, it’s apparently coming back.

This is per Consequence, reporting on a piece printed in Italpress, which states that Gibson is reportedly in Malta at the moment, holding conversations with Maltese authorities about using the island nation as a filming location for a new movie: The Passion Of The Christ: Resurrection, with an eye toward beginning filming in 2025.

Neither Gibson, nor star Jim Caviezel, who’s set to return for the sequel, have been shy about their ambitions to get The Passion Of The Christ 2 made. Gibson initially announced the project back in 2016, and Caviezel made his own enthusiasm for the return clear in 2018, saying he expected the movie to be “The biggest film in history.” Gibson even gave a glimpse at plot details in 2022, when he suggested that his script for the movie was less grounded than the first film, which got a lot of its appeal from being a straightforward—if brutally violent—depiction of the story of Christ. “That’s kind of getting a little sci-fi out there,” Gibson noted of his scripts, saying the film will partially take place in “the past and in other realms.”
https://www.avclub.com/the-passion-of-the-christ-2-begin-filming-2025

Yes, but sequels are one thing – time, my friends, is another. You know, for years, Passion held the record for the highest grossing R rated movie of all time. But this year, it was dethroned! By whom, you might ask? Our good friend, Deadpool! Yes, my friends, Deadpool & Wolverine is now the highest grossing movie of all time! Does this mean that Deadpool is bigger than Jesus? Well I’m definitely not going to answer that question with a 100 foot pole. But it is interesting to see that many R rated movies have come and gone over the last 20 years, but none can hold a candle to GAWD! Except of course for Deadpool, that is!

Deadpool & Wolverine recently passed The Passion of the Christ at the domestic box office, making it the biggest R-rated movie of all-time in North America. This broken record inspired people on social media to become broken records, repeating the same joke that nothing could be more indicative of American culture. Is that true? Maybe. But, what, exactly does it indicate?

The implied joke is that the United States really loves Christianity and really loves superhero movies, maybe even more. That — like a country musician putting odes to the Good Lord and Grey Goose on the same album — we love the sacred and the profane in equal measure. The Passion is what Americans feel like they should like; Deadpool is what they actually like. Deadpool is partying on Saturday night, The Passion is dutifully heading to church on Sunday morning. And that hyperviolence — whether inflicted via crucifixion or, well, actually, there's a crucifixion in Deadpool 3, too — is the one thing we will consistently turn out to see.

All of that is true. American culture is defined by its relationship to violence — sometimes active, sometimes passive. Our government is defined by inaction, which prevents anyone from doing anything about the tens of thousands of people dying from gun violence each year. Our primary mode of transportation is uniquely violent, too, with car accidents causing more than 40,000 deaths in 2023. We have nearly 800 military bases around the world, and it's rare for the U.S. not to be at war. We incarcerate more people than any other country in the world. The US is a violent country, and it makes sense that our defining R-rated movies would be extremely violent to match.
https://www.thegamer.com/deadpool-wolverine-passion-christ-american-culture/

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My fair congregation! We come now to the end of our fine spinoff program. But before we go, we always have to check in on how GAWD himself is doing with our patented (patent pending) Hotline To Heaven! This is just a free form segment where we answer your burning questions about what exactly the religious right are up to, using expertly sourced clips, about any issue you might have. Any issue at all, really! And yes, we all know that supporters of the unholy Dark One are just as clinically insane as he is! So let’s go to the phones, shall we? Which of course, you can always reach out to us via our social media channel – [e-mail]

Ursula W. from Knoxville, TN writes:

“Heavenly Father,

Who is this Joel Webbon guy and why is he so insane?”

Well, sister Ursula – Joel Webbon is a Christian nationalist extremist pastor from Texas and he’s clinically insane. In fact, we did one of our previous sermons on how extreme his rhetoric is (see: Idiots #17-4 ). And we definitely plan on expanding that for a forthcoming episode But in the meantime, really, don’t vote for anyone who this guy supports! Because he’s certifiably fucking insane and should be locked in a mental hospital before he becomes a danger to himself or others. And yes, he’s a racist. We also hope to the highest of gods that he never gets what he wants, and that Satan has a special circle in hell waiting for him and people like him!

Kevin M. from Atlanta, GA writes:

“Heavenly Father,

I’m in a swing state and I’m getting absolutely bombarded with ads and telemarketing calls, but so many people I know insist on voting for the Unholy Dark One. Why is that?”

Well, brother Kevin – the propaganda is particularly strong in the Peach State. And we honestly don’t have an answer for that. But while we cannot persuade people to vote a particular way, we can certainly give you plenty of reasons why you shouldn’t! And in fact, the Christian right is currently on an ungodly power trip. Mainly fueled by these people – who as the LAWRD JAYSUS suggests, are people who you probably shouldn’t give the time of day to. With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Javier G. from San Diego, CA writes:

“Heavenly Father,

My MAGA friends keep talking about boycotting the entertainment industry. What will they do for fun, then?”

Well, brother Javier, funny you should ask! Because I was sent this clip last week. And after watching it, all I have to say is, they have a lot to learn and this clip of a religious “sitcom” is every bit as cringy and horrible as you would expect!

Alyssa J. from Phoenix, Arizona writes:

“Heavenly Father,

I’m a University Of Arizona student, and last week, Charlie Kirk and his goons had a TPUSA event on my campus. I’m totally disgusted that people I knew went. What do I do?”

Well, sister Alyssa – yes, we totally share your disgust that people went to an event that’s for the Unholy Dark One! But what’s really insane is that if you call TPUSA a cult, they use the classic Pee Wee Herman “I Know You Are, But What Am I?” defense. And you know what? That doesn’t work in real life!

Our last prayer this week:

Evan Q. from Henedrson, Nevada writes:

“Heavenly Father,

Does the right wing even know what witchcraft is? They keep accusing us of that, but I think they don’t know what it is.”

Well, brother Kevin, you are absolutely correct in that assumption!

Thank you my fair congregation! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! We will return on November 3rd with our second edition exploring Oklahoma’s batshit insane war on education!

Credits

Host: Pastor Initech
Holy Shit: The Sunday Sermons Recorded Live At: Constellation Room At Observatory OC, Santa Ana, CA
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Videos: All videos copyright belongs to respective copyright holders
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Writing: Top 10 Writing Department
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Initech’s Wardrobe Provided By: JAB Inc.
Wheel Of Corruption By: Studio 1 Stage Props, Burbank, CA
Management: Initech Productions, CCC Management
Follow The Top 10 On Twitter at: @10Idiots
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Questions? Comments? Complaints? Hate mail? E-mail The Top 10 at: [e-mail]


Initech Productions: Yes, We Got The Memo

[underpants]

1. The church crowd has money.

You have two #3’s BTW

I have had a boss who I asked what music they listened to. “Christian rock” was the answer. I nodded because u went to some movie and in the trailers was an ad for some Christian rock band. No idea the name. They looked like a rock Bach in a Creed sort of way. Big crowds in the ad. Slim Whitman numbers in record sales.