Movies And The BibleНамуна

Critically Acclaimed War Film Espouses Seminal Biblical Teachings

It took 11 years to develop, but the true story of World War II hero Desmond Doss finally came to the big screen in the 2016 drama Hacksaw Ridge. Unlike most traditional war films, the lead character is a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian who served as a combat medic despite his unwavering commitment to pacifism and the Sabbath.

Hacksaw Ridge is an example of a film in which the Bible is not just being quoted prominently in a film, but serves as the impetus for the entire plotline. After opening with Isaiah 40:28–31, the movie takes you into Desmond Doss’s childhood where he develops an affinity for the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17) as depicted in a framed poster hanging in his house. The sixth commandment, “thou shall not kill,” especially seems to grab his attention due to his personal experience with domestic violence.

Now a young man, Doss (played by Andrew Garfield) elects to enlist as a medic in the US Army even though he is eligible for deferment. He refuses to carry a gun and instead relies on a Bible that he has in possession at all times. Although a staunch follower of the Fourth Commandment (“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”), Doss justifies his service on Saturdays (the day that Seventh-Day Adventist’s observe the Sabbath) because “Christ healed on the Sabbath,” a belief that stemmed from Mark 3:1–5.

This decision makes Doss the target of bullying and outright persecution within his brigade. The other soldiers see him as a liability and want him to be sent home.

“What’re you gonna do, hit ’em with your Bible?” an Army official mockingly asks.

But Doss proves to be more of a hero than anyone expected. In the brutally violent Battle of Okinawa, he singlehandedly rescues 75 men who have been injured during the fight. His brave actions illustrate why he would later become the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor. The film’s biblical themes resonated with audiences and critics as well. Hacksaw Ridge took in $175 million at the box office and was nominated for six Oscars, winning two. 

In an interview with The Tennessean, Daniel Weber, the director of communication for the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in North America explained the significance of the film’s portrayal of two biblical tenets.

“(Doss) really felt that he needed to hold to those commandments,” he said. “He felt he needed to stand up for his country and defend his country, but at the same time help save life, not take it.”