As a Jew, these are not my words, but the battle cry of the Cristeros, as well as the last vows of martyrs in the film, For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada, a film about faith, freedom, conviction, and refusal to abandon those principles. This film is populated by heroes of the kind that sustain our civilization, brave souls who choose death rather than abandon their faith.
I watched the DVD tonight, as it disappeared quickly in LA theatres, I had missed it. Reading comments around the net, I suspect that is case in other areas as well.
For example, this one by Suzanne from a NYC suburb commenting at Yahoo Movies:
The movie “For Greater Glory” was advertised extensively on TV for several weeks. We live in the suburbs of NYC and have been watching for it for weeks. What happened? Where is it? Is there some sort of anti-Christian censorship going on?
It’s not just anti-Christian censorship, but anti-Judeo Christian tradition and anti-Western Civilization censorship. I’m sure you can imagine the gushing rave reviews coming from the Hollywood trash elite if this were a film about a triumphant war waged in the name of Islam. Catholicism is an easy target you know, all the jokes, the scandals, but make no mistake; if they get by with preventing Catholics from exercising the free practice of their religion, then the First Amendment is dead. You know the phrase, first they came for the . . .
The filmmakers had no way of knowing about the upcoming battle between the Catholic Church, and the Obama administration over the mandates contained in Obama Care. This foundational quote, from early in the film by Peter O’Toole playing a parish priest about to be murdered, on why he refuses to leave his church and hide, “We cannot allow the godless to take away our freedom,” signals the seriousness of the film’s subject and is also a reminder of our responsibility as citizens to support and defend our Constitution.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Film making at its best both entertains us and stirs-up our more noble qualities. The Greater Glory does both on an epic scale. It is profound; this is a film that awakens faith, rouses joy, and elicits anguished sobs.
Of course the critics panned it. If it is playing in a theatre near you, go see it, you won’t be disappointed. If not, rent or purchase the DVD, and see it before the November election. American’s get their directive from media, the message of The Greater Glory is the most important one this season.