Is The Hunger Games a conscience killer?

Decades into America's dystopian future, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence of Winter's Bone) stands in her mother's worn, blue dress—waiting. Along with the other young adults ages 12-18 in her district (much like a state), she and her little sister wait to hear who will represent their home in the far-away capital for The Hunger Games. Every year, the government chooses a girl and boy tribute from each district for something akin to American Idol meets Lord of the Flies.

With obvious allusions to the games of the Roman Coliseum—horse-drawn chariots, golden laurel wreaths for the victors, and a game show host named Caesar—these games are what you might expect in a similarly banal but technologically advanced culture: It's a fight to the death for the entertainment of the masses. Small wonder then that it's rated PG-13 for "violent thematic material and disturbing images."

What might surprise some based on the bare bones of the story is the strong moral center to the film, beginning with Katniss herself. When her sister's name is called from the podium as the tribute from District 12, Katniss unhesitatingly steps to the front and yells, "I volunteer!" It's a death sentence for herself, or so she thinks, yet she has essentially been mother to her sister, Primrose, for years now. To give Prim over to such a gruesome death is unthinkable. And from that point on, though she doesn't share her love interest Peeta's conscious moral high ground, she fights to save not just her own life but also the lives of the other tributes she comes to love.

Perhaps the most moving scene of the film occurs midstream, when Katniss kneels with a dying tribute, singing her a lullaby as the young girl loses consciousness. The value of life, even in such horrific circumstances, is drawn with bold colors.

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Plubius

Why does the American culture promote females who act like males and males who act like females?

In a genetic context it seems pretty stupid.
- Myrtlelinder
  
  By now, you need to understand, that America, in these days only seek the favor of the world. We have completely lost sight of "GOD AND HIS WORD." This is just part of the evils that have been promoted and legalized that are against all that HE teaches. There are thousands of Christians who would like to put a stop to this evil that is pervading our land at breakneck speed. We cannot find enough politicians who believe like we do and will stand with us.
  
  Ephesians 6:12 We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of the world, against spirited wickedness in high places.
  
  Sam. 12:13-15
  13. Now therefore, behold the king whom you have chosen and to whom you have desired: and behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
  14. If you will fear the LORD and serve HIM, and obey HIS VOICE, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both you and also the king that reigns over you continue following the LORD your GOD:
  15. If you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandments of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against youru fathers.
  
  Psalm 1: 1-6
  1. Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of the sinner, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
  2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in HIS law does he meditate day and night.
  3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.
  4. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind droves away.
  5. Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners int he congregation of the righteous.
  6. For the LORD KNOWS, the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
  - daves
    
    What exactly would you change Myrtlelinder? Would you make it illegal for women to have jobs? Would you make it illegal for movies to show athletic, confident, and capable women?
    - msjallen
      
      daves, why do you twist what people comment to mean nothing about what they said? According to God's Word our Nation has lost sight of what He expects of us. Women have the right to have jobs, be athletic, confident and have great capacities to accomplish things in our society. It is when women try to be men is where the problem goes against scripture. Women can be great leaders in society and keep their feminiity. They just need to learn to THINK like a man; not act or be like a man.
      There were business women such as Lydia in: Acts 16:14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.
      - daves
        
        What do you mean by women trying to be men then? Homosexuality? I haven't seen the movie, does it include gays?
      - Plubius
        
        Has nothing to do with how women act and all to do with what media tells women how to act.
      - Myrtle
        
        msjallen,From all of his posts I have read, I think he loves tallying his negative votes!
      - daves
        
        I don't even notice the the votes. I do notice posts that do not make sense to me. What would you have the government do to prevent
        
        "the American culture from promoting females who act like males and males who act like females? "
      - Guest
        
        You are funny!!!!! Ha, ha!!
      - Myrtle
        
        Why should the government prevent us for doing anything that does not harm someone else? GOD gave us a choice to act anyway we want to, therefore it is none of the governments business, nor yours, either. Your part of the equasion is to tell someone if they are sinning against GOD. If they don't want to listen you are supposed to walk away and leave them alone, That is what my Bible says.
      - daves
        
        That is a good question for Myrtlelinder. That's why I am asking.
    - Plubius
      
      My point has nothing to do with rights to be and do what ever you want within the legal framework of our society. My question is why do we favor male attributes in women? Not why don't we force women to be ferment? You do understand that it is natural for a female to be female not male? Millions of years has made us genetically different to satisfy the needs of nature or the genes.
      My question is not on the individual level but on the societal level. Asking why movies make women out to be masculine, is asking do the writers of movies not understand the beauty of femininity? Do they only see the beauty of masculinity? Or is the their a more perverse reason? I lived during the tense years of Communist Russia when they were going to bury us. The Russian women were masculine as are our women today.
    - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
      
      I will renege this one time.
      You are against so much. My question is: What are you for?
      See if you can articulate that one.
  - ajfrench
    
    I would make it beneficial for young mothers to stay home and rear there own children rather than subject them to the immoral masses. Have you ever noticed how the teens working in centers scream at the children. They are not suited for parenting. In addition, if women could afford to stay at home they could teach their children the morals the system is sucking out of them. Many children today are destined for he ll because the system has stolen away from them the knowlege God. I hope God shows mercy for these lost children, but NONE for the wicked merchants of humanism and socialism.
- Steve03
  
  Why does the Bible promote females who act like males? Miriam, Rahab, Deborah, Jael, Tamar, Shiphrah and Puah, Hilda, Anna, Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalene, Chloe, Phoebe, Priscilla, Junia, Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Julia . . .
  - http://youtu.be/7RUciHVpCbw Despeville
    
    I think you are reading 21st century context into events and narratives from thousands of years ago…
    - Steve03
      
      Actually, you are failing to read events and narratives from thousands of years ago in their own contexts, when women's roles were far more circumscribed than they are today.
  - Linda F.
    
    Just how did they act like males, Steve03? Provide examples to back up your claim.
    - Steve03
      
      Tolle lege.
      - Linda F.
        
        Say what? Speak English, Steve03.
      - Steve03
        
        I'm not sure it would help, as this website is run by Tolle Lege Press. It means "Take and read." Remember the story of the conversion of St. Augustine of Hippo?
        My point was that if you'd read the Bible, you'd see how each of those women either acted in what was for the time a man's role or broke other gender-specific rules that should have kept them in the background: Miriam was a prophet, Deborah was a judge and war leader, Mary of Bethany sat a Jesus' feet (a disciple's place, not a woman's), Phoebe was a deacon and Paul's representative, Junia was "esteemed among the apostles," etc. I should have added Lois and Eunice (Timothy's teachers), Nymphia who led a house church, Euodia and Syntyche (Paul's co-workers), and still others.
  - Myrtle
    
    Because they were following and acted as HE instructed them. Get on your knees and ask GOD. I don't think HE will answer you,because it is none of your business. It is not our right to question GOD. He created it all and it is HIS to use as HE see fit.
  - Plubius
    
    How would you know how the women acted in that day?
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    Try going down your list one at a time and explain that position you are taking with these women. Who were they? Where were they? How do they act like men? And how the Bible promote this?
    I bet you anything you can't do it.
    Prove me wrong.
- http://7thDaySabbath.com salim
  
  the marring of gender lines as much as possible, to create a unisex mentality, is one of the strategies of the United nationsthis to bring about a new world order.
  may our Creator God continue to help us
John Cefola

If you watch the movie you will see that it is anything but a conscience killer. I can't even fathom how one could construe it as such. The heroin acts virtually exclusively on true conscience and the theme of hope trumping fear is directly biblical.
- msjallen
  
  Isaiah 5:20 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.
- CAROLIN MEADORS
  
  Yes, good triumphs over evil. It also shows what happens if government is allowed to get that kind of power over its citizens. Working for the "rulers" and living in poverty. No freedom to travel or have any hope in the future.
Ray

I haven't seen the movie but find the theme more than a little distracting. Some things just border on the theme of evil too much and I wouild think this is one of them.
- Myrtle
  
  And some of it is total evil! We simply shove GOD into a back corner of our thoughts and our actions.
  - daves
    
    That's Nonsense, I Invented Electricity. Ben Franklin Is The Devil!
- Anne Gelinase
  
  And let us all hope that Love conquers all. Without love of family, of God, of ourselves, we are doomed to live without conscience Love gives us all a thriving beating alive organ, but with no conscience it is a black doomed organ beating but doing no good if love isn't present. How anyone can make a choice when it is so easy to choose love or hate boggles my mind.
http://webook.com MrBillyD

Check out the novel, "We the People Are Good to Eat", by William D'Andrea.
According to the plot summary:
"In a fatally overpopulated future Earth, all that the people have to eat is each other and they thank God for every meal.
In this world, keeping the population trimmed and the meat quota filled is every citizen's responsibility. Gladiator type combat games have become a team sport. This is the students' way of participating in both the population trimming and meat harvest.

"A cheerleader discovers that certain things in this world are not the way that everybody believes, and strange things begin to happen.

"'A week ago' she said, 'I was killed to be a Holiday roast, and all was right with the world. Now I'm alive again and the world's turned upside down."

The book is available at http://www.amazon.com/We-People-Are-Good-Eat/dp/1…
- Myrtle
  
  "Just the sound of it makes me want to vomit."
- Legion57
  
  Sounds like Soylent Green — check out the movie from the 70's with Charleton Heston. Soylent Green is people!
motoquaman

If it came from Hollywood, it is stereotypic fantasy written by a group of sycophants armed with nothing but their biases and narrowness.
- daves
  
  Sycophants to who?
  - http://youtu.be/7RUciHVpCbw Despeville
    
    Dough coughing world…
Anne Gelinase

Yup. See how youth devours life and death. All movies are geared to a biblical interest in good and evil. Not always good vs evil. The youth of today and tomorrow are just plain bored and Hollywood knows it. All the movies made are to capture the young and we can only hope that when it comes time in the real world to choose between killing your family and friends vs having a conscience and not killing them will prevail. gosh we should all be so bored.
Chris

It did not come from Hollywood. You people are just so ignorant and biased.

You people are worse because you promote guns. You really do kill small animals for fun so why would you not expect that depravity to go over to humans. You don't really respect life. You watch violence on TV and do nothing about that.
- Mtrtle
  
  We don't promote guns specifically, we promote self and family protection from evils, that is promoted by evil people, evil books and evil movies. If we don't protect ourselves would you come out here and protect us! I DON'T THINK SO!!
- Michael
  
  Your right Chris, your right. How could we eat those poor defenseless bunny rabbits. We'll stop if you'll answer me one question, did you brush your teethe this morning? yes… how could you. You killed those poor defenseless bacteria. Your not a speceist are you. You don't discriminate on rank of species (Prov 26:5). But I digress, actually, killing an animal and killing a human are not the same thing. People are made in the image of God. God killed the first animals for clothing Adam and Eve. He has given man dominion over these creatures and instructs us to kill and eat them. Blaming guns for violence is like blaming pencils for mispelled words. The Roman coliseum, was the amusement of its day to pacify the masses and their blood lust. The remarks about large government and its dangers are well founded if one reads history. Return to God and His Word for every area of life. Cornelius Van Til said "culture is religion externalized". In other words, look at a culture and you will see the basic faith assumptions in there art, entertainment, government, etc.. Read Rushdoony!
  - Chris
    
    I don't kill animals for fun. You can squirm all you like. Guns cause people to die and other countries do without them and less people die. FACT.
    
    Guns clearly allow bad decisions to have fatal conclusions.
    - petroskhan1262
      
      As do knives, baseball bats, sledge hammers, fists, hands, cars, poisons, etc. Want to outlaw those, too?
      
      In fact, far more people die from cars than guns. Want to outlaw them? People don't NEED cars, it's just a convenience, right?
      
      And if you get right down to it, alcohol allows bad decisions to have fatal consequences as well. Might as well outlaw that…again.
      
      People need to be accountable for their actions. THAT'S what missing in our society, and the problem with liberals. They don't want accountability, they want Big Daddy government to handle everything, give their bread and circuses, and care for them from cradle to grave, all at someone else's expense.
      
      People who support gun rights know that simple rule, that a man should be accountable for what he does. Including breaking into another man's home, to harm the homeowner or his family, or take what is not rightfully his. You can cite other countries all you like, and claim what you like, but societies are different, and the root causes of violence in one country do not parallel another. Look at America for your references, compare Americans to Americans, in places with strict gun control, and those without. Check out Kennesaw, GA as a nice example: http://www.rense.com/general9/gunlaw.htm
      
      And you would take away guns from people who only want to defend themselves? According to FBI stats, guns are used an average of 1.5 million times per year to protect life and property. What would you tell those people? Call a cop? You've heard the old saying, right? "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away."
      
      And you know, the old cliche is true, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." The problem is lax enforcement of existing laws, a lengthy, drawn-out appeals system, and then the long wait for any sort of capital sentence to be carried out. A murderer can reasonably expect to live 10-20 years after his victim, playing the system correctly. How is that a deterrent?
      
      Bottom line, people have lost any sense of personal accountability for what they do.
    - keyboardshark
      
      Chris says: "Guns cause people to die and other countries do without them and less people die. FACT. " Perhaps you'd care to cite some before/after statistics of countries that have imposed gun control to support your claim that less people die (I assume you mean 'are murdered').
    - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
      
      I never saw a gun jump off a shelf and kill anyone.
      If you are so worried, perhaps you should consider moving to a place like Antartica–no guns there; not many people either. Nobody dies.
      Killing animals for fun? Sounds wonderful. When can I start?
      - bighoss
        
        Right, Michael. As the NRA gunsels constantly remind us: "Guns don't kill people; people with guns kill people." Oh, wait–did I get that right? Yea, I DID get it right; the common version is the one that gets it wrong by cheaply oversimplifying the matter.
  - Robert Koomans
    
    "Return to God and His Word for every area of life." is the best portion of any reply I have ever read…. but do we "return"? – If we read the Bible to find it's ESSENTIAL meaning, and we find therein the BASIC constitution of belonging to God and following Him, shouldn't we then want to really embrace the greatest Principle of Life and living for Humans? – The 10 Commandments were never dissolved by God or Y'shua, but made perfect, that we should embody them in our mind and hearts! – Churches were asked in Revelations to "Come OUT of Babylon" – Why? – Because they have all been IN Babylon (confusion of the Word) since Constantine made the Prophecized rule to allow Sun-Worshippers to make "another day" unto men (Sunday, 1st. day of the week), which brought in a "mark" opposing God's mark (sign) – which many call the "Mark of the Beast". So, go back to the original Commandments and see what God was asking For… simply put, Obey Him, Respect Him, Show Him in your actions, do not insult him or steal from HIM. – Pay DUE respect for His Creation by keeping His Day holy from sundown to sundown starting on the end of the 6th day (Friday night) – Just as y'shua (Jesus) taught us to. Give up those false doctrines of the Romans, and follow God, if you wish to be called HIS people, or children. God does not listen to rebellious ones according to John, even if they do call Jesus' name – in vain.
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    You've really got the idea put together well. Keep going!
- Dave
  
  Chris,
  
  You write as though you are young and naieve (sp). You need to read more history and Bible and learn to listen more carefully. An uneducated vote is a danger to our country and to yourself. What did JKF says, "Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it." I paraphrased and probably did not quote it quite right. If I seem harsh I am sorry but the media and those who influence our government are preying on our inexperienced citizen. Get smart as quick as you can please or we will all be hearded into a box of slavery or worse. God bless.
  - http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.
    
    Chris, I think you made a mistake on the quote. The quote is correct, but it wasn't JFK who said it. I'll let you go look that one up. I think you'll be surprised.
- Sue
  
  You people?? Your prejudice is showing.
  Guns aren't bad. It requires a person to shoot a gun. All people with guns don't shoot small animals. Guns provide protection from bigots, which I'm sad to say there are lots of them. Some people are unable to protect themselves without a gun. We're not all cavemen.
TChall

Hopefully when parents discuss this story with their kids they will emphasize the dark aspects of this totalitarian government and point out the implicit discrimination between the more advanced society of the central government region and the enslaved populations of the districts.

There is a strong moral tale, at least if you read the whole story…

The application to modern society is that those in power were so immersed in their own Righteousness in exacting "tribute" from the districts that they could not see the evil inherent in the system.
Steve

I have seen the movie "The Hunger Games", and we need to look past the surface of this movie. This is actually a warning tale about the dangers of big government and our culture's fascination with with reality shows. Again, look a bit deeper than the surface. This is a great chance to talk with your kids about our current society and the wrong road we are headed down.
Michael

Some folks think that films can be neutral; however, neutrality is a myth. No matter your stance on any topic, you are either defending the worldview of Jesus Christ or you are against Him. It seems the humanists have got the great commission down. "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, teaching them to observe (obey) whatsoever I have commanded." Problem is, humanists have another gospel they are preaching. While we look like a bunch of chicken littles standing around with our hands in our pockets crying "the rapture is coming, the rapture is coming" and abdicating the culture to feminists, Marxists, humanists, and the rest of their kin. We will be shocked when they show up at our door for our children. Whose fault will it be? Do not fear them, but remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight! Disciple nations. Whatever is not for Christ is against him! At the end of this movie, will little girls want bows and arrows, rather than baby dolls? Why? When people clamor for equality, what do they desire? Who should get the lifeboats if a ship is sinking? The strongest, or women and children? We are living at a time of great apostasy and it is manifesting itself, as women are being sent into the heart of battle in the desert, while men are staying home changing diapers. Should women have to register for the draft? I think not. Antithesis! I know it bothers feminists to read that older women are to teach the younger women to be keepers at home. Why? That the Word of God be not blasphemed. Titus 2.
David

It's a movie! NEVER let anything or anybody do the thinking for you! Yes, this includes church (just because a pastor said it doesn't mean that you can't "dig deeper", something I strongly encourage. I have heard plenty of "slanted" sermons that sounded like the pastor had their own agenda/axe to grind. That's not o.k. since the MAJORITY of church members don't question what they hear in church. Sad.) Again, question everything and ask "what got cut out?" "what is the truth?" "where's the rest of the story?", etc.
ONTIME

Haven't read the books or gone to see the movie yet but it sounds like fromthe discussios I have heard and the reviews I read that Aynn Rand thinking of how government has made major intrusion and is now reaping their profit at the expense of the citizens in play here. Some say the books are more detailed but the movie still does the story line justice. This should be asked again after more folks have had a chance to see it, might have a social comment worthwhile
Duane

Chris if funny. On the one hand-we need to get rid of guns…and mentions how other countries get along without them. Well, what did Adolf Hitler do in his rise to power? A lot! Yes! But, the one thing he made sure of was to get the gun owners to give up their weapons. Then what happened? Millions died…were slaughtered by the wonderful government that was there to protect them. Isn't that the BEST reason why every American should get rid of their guns? Same with all the COMMUNIST countries as well. BIG governement claims to be for the People, then, one day, they find themselves in consentration camps awaiting walk-in guillotines if they don't conform to their way of thinking…I could really RANT on this one, but will refrain and hope this indiviual (Chris) doesn't wind up a victim of this thought…or a home invasion or something, and can do nothing but be the small animal he/she seems to believe Christians (in particular) kill…Must be a lover of Al Gore I guess.
Esteban Cafe

Thankfully, none of us live in countries in which Big Gov't tries to control all our activities, beliefs or desires. (sarc/off).
e.rebus

This movie is barbaric. How can anyone with even a hint of morality see it as anything else. The premise of modernday Coleseum games is good since today's conditions mimic Rome's at the time of the games. Why anyone would pay money to see the depiction of humans hunting other humans is beyond reason. The whole idea is sick. Where are the boycotts of those that believe in decency?
http://conservativebyte.com Michael G.

I'm really tired of these kinds of movies. I have no desire to see this one, or any other like it. Bad part of it is this 'thing' will probably be selected for Best Picture next year.
http://twitter.com/lambsev11 @lambsev11

If it does not build the conscience and morale, it must degrade it. No movies are morally nuetral, are they? The blandest are a waste of time and make us lazy.