N&M Vanderschaaf

Isaac was NOT Abraham's only son! He was not even Abraham's first born son. First and foremost, this film does NOT represent the INTEGRITY of scripture! When scripture is misrepresented everybody suffers. This film perpetuates male patriarchy and violence against women and their children. Father Abraham is a very important patriarch to the Jewish, Islamic and Christian faith, and he was a deeply flawed human. His behavior towards women and his first born son Ishmael, who were all under his authority and protection are some of his most consequential flaws. His flaws are recorded in scripture to inspire us to do better and not excuse bad behavior. Today’s conflict between Muslims, Jews, and Christians started with Father Abraham. For those that do not know, Muslims are descendants of Ismael. Saria and Abraham did not trust God and so they used Hagar as a breeding slave to get what they wanted. When Hagar became pregnant with Abraham’s only heir, she reasonably thought she was safe enough to express reasonable resentment for being mistreated. Hagar was wrong to assume she was safe. Abraham gave Sari permission to mistreat Hagar so badly that pregnant Hagar fled the only home she had. Genesis 16:1-16. God sent Hagar back and told her to submit because this is a fallen broken world. Hagar, like so many women and children today, do not have a safe place to go when they want to get out of an abusive home. If we don’t acknowledge domestic violence in scripture, we are enabling and complicit in domestic violence today. Father Abraham is an example of a human trafficker. He did not trust God to protect him and so he trafficked his wife Saria/ Sarah for protection and profit. Genesis 12:10-20, and Genesis 20. If we do not acknowledge the exploitation of women in scripture, we are enabling and complicit in it today. Again, Abraham sent Hagar and his first born son Ismael into the desert to die because they were not safe in their home, under his authority and protection. Genesis 21:8-21. I only watched the film until Abraham said he would not help the dying farmer whose daughter had been taken by soldiers for their violent pleasure. That was enough to make me sick and decide this film is a toxic misrepresentation of scripture.