User reviews

Unbearably awful Christian presuppositionalism aside, I had to at least give this one a 2 for some interesting use of metaphor (falling elevator, train tracks as allegories to Hell.). I feel like the actors did the best job they could; their performances were generally passable, and probably the best that could be expected given the script they had to work with and the stiff caricatures of political positions they were meant to portray. That said, the entire movie was a glorified framing device for Ray Comfort's prefilmed man-on-the-street interviews. Not even God's Not Dead was THIS masturbatory. A collection of tired clichés and preaching to the choir that has nothing to offer to anyone not already in the same camp as Comfort himself.

Ray Comfort's Audacity released this week for free on YouTube. Comfort created the hour-long film as a tool to create "peace between the church and the LGBT community" to let gays know that "Christians don't hate homosexuals. We love them. We care about them in this life and the next."

Patheos blogger Camille Berdjick presents an accurate (and quite amusing) run down of Audacity's storyline which is worth the read and saves me time recounting the awkward plot.

Footage from Comfort's vaultful of Living Water's street evangelism recordings is interspersed throughout Audacity's protagonist Peter's struggle to act with audacity (fearless daring and boldness) in telling the gay people around him what God "says" about homosexuality.

Comfort's evangelism techniques have long annoyed me. Audacity by Ray Comfort

He uses questions that net "yes" or "no" responses while slowly and methodically reeling people into his predictable net where the final answer is of Comfort's making.

Audacity's gay characters are portrayed as shallow. The commitment to their partners is quickly undermined by Comfort-style simplistic evangelistic challenges. Surely, we are lead to believe, there is no emotional depth and covenantal relationship between same-sex couples. It's all about sex. It's always been about sex for gay couples, while the more honorable status of commitment is reserved for straight couples.

As strange as that may seem to many who have witnessed the companionship of their gay couple friends, this "it's all about sex" concept has deep roots in the belief system of many conservative Christians. Heck, until I began hanging out with gay and lesbian couples, I believed it too.

Audacity by Ray ComfortComfort reinforces the myth in his surface portrayals of gay couples. The bar scene is flat-out weird. Does anyone really believe that a couple will spontaneously end their relationship when presented with Comfort-style witnessing and a Christian tract?

One of the partners in the bar scene asks Peter, "How come the word homosexuality hasn't been in the Bible until a few decades ago?"

Peter responds, "So, it is true that the word homosexuality wasn't in there because the word hadn't been invented yet. It was coined somewhere around 1900. But the original Greek word that was in there, that is the exact equivalent to the modern word homosexuality."

That was the line that blew all my brain fuses.

Okay, Peter/Ray, first which of the two Greek words often translated as homosexual is it that you are referring to? Malakoi or arsenokoitai(s)?

I have done an extensive blog post on these two words, but briefly, malakoi most often means having the Walking the Bridgeless Canyon by Kathy Baldockdisposition and/or traits of a woman – for a man in the ancient world, nothing was worse than being treated like or thought of socially as a woman. Malakoi also means taking the sexual role of a woman as the one who is penetrated during sex. Arsenokoitai is a tougher word to translate. It most likely refers to a man who has sex with a boy or younger male in situations of power differentials, and/or with the likely exchange of money.

Neither of these words ever referred to women in sexual acts with women. That alone should discount inclusion of lesbians from the "exact equivalent" of the Greek words.

Some Comfort-style Christians may think giving Audacity to a gay person is a loving, compassionate, or healing gesture.

No.

In Audacity, homosexuality is viewed as a behavior, not an orientation. EVERY professional medical and mental health organization in the U.S. asserts that homosexuality is a normal variation of human sexuality, though certainly less prevalent than heterosexuality, still, it is a normal, expected variation. These professional organizations also all agree that attempting to change a person's natural orientation is damaging. Equating orientation to a "behavior," as Comfort does, is to dishonor the dignity of another human being as they are created by God. Dishonoring people is not the first step to loving interactions; surely we can agree on that.

Comfort hopes we will embrace his uninformed illusions about orientation and overlook the social and medical histories of how we have come to understand the shifting roles of men and women since ancient times while also ignoring the progression of human sexuality over the past century.

Audacity by Ray Comfort seems convinced his simple and completely inaccurate statements spoken to shallow LGBT characters in a cheesy storyline is compelling enough to warrant handing the DVD out to "friends, family, neighborhood, outside your local high school, at your university – when you check out at a store or when you leave a generous tip at a restaurant." Bought in quantity, you can destroy relationships and drive people from God for the low price of $1 per DVD.

By passing along the YouTube link or handing out Audacity, you can completely alienate every gay recipient you know along with allies who have had the audacity to do relationship with LGBT people and Christians and the boldness and daring to participate in ignorance-ending research. If you hated God's Not Dead for its bad acting, weak character portrayals of all folks who are not "sold-out" Christians, and trite attempts of evangelism, you will likely hate Audacity even more.

And, for the love of God, really for the love of God, do not give Audacity to a gay person you love. Nothing says "I have no respect for you" like being given a copy of Audacity.

When will stuff of this nature end? It's a pretty proved fact that homosexuals did not choose their desires. I'm waiting for the next film that comes out showing how the Earth is the center of the universe. Or that gravity is really just God's heavy hand keeping us from kindly floating off into space. I don't believe the movie makers made a real attempt to communicate with homosexuals they actually know to find out their conditions for gender preference. Love and despising really do not go hand in hand in an effective manner. It's not worked before and in the 21st century it's more likely to be either outright ignored or cause damage withing a family.

Most of the top star reviews are from Comfort's Facebook page, rallying supporters to tout the movie as the next best thing since gasoline. Do not be fooled, and find something better and less nausea inducing. Of course, if you happen to share the bigoted views of this trash production, you'll suck down this bucket of chum like it's bacon sundae night at Dairy Queen. Honestly, I had more fun watching Plan 9 from Outer Space, or even Psychos in Love. Those were terrible. I think I will use my copy to cause that awkward moment that makes unwelcome guests finally leave. Maybe Banana Man will have better luck with his next dumpster-dive into the film industry. Probably not.

It's so sad any actor would accept making a film like this. Well, it was made by the banana guy. What can you expect from a guy who has been ridiculed several times for his nonsense. Watch it in Youtube it's hilarious. Acting bad. Not as bad as other crappy film because the actors are 'profesional' shame they just sell their image in this film, it's gonna be hard to bury this. They'll need to publicly say they were insane of supporting this and they are very sorry (they just like money too much! hahaha) Extremely biased interviews in the street. Highly edited. He ovsiously didn't put the ones contradicting. Bullshit!!!!!! Don't pay for it, wait until is free online if you dare yo watch this nonsense. Don't give them money. I watch it because a Christian paid for it to show me how I could stop acting on my gayness and go to heaven

"Audacity" is the latest project from Ray Comfort (aka "the banana man"). This time Comfort and his friends have raised their ambitions (after movies like "180", "Evolution vs God" and "Noah") and actually made a movie (although less than feature length) with a story and real actors (actors we've never heard about before and whose careers are probably dead after this film).

But, as usual in a Ray Comfort movie, the big hero is Ray Comfort playing himself. We get lots of footage of his trademark street interviews. This time the topic is homosexuality, and Comfort uses his brilliant intellect to convince his interviewees (all intelligent interviewees are, as always, left on the cutting room floor) that homosexuality is evil. Because the Bible says so. Meanwhile, we have the story of Peter and Diana. Peter is a Christian who knows homosexuality is evil. Diana doesn't agree but after seeing Ray Comfort's brilliant Youtube videos she will inevitably change her mind. The tag line of the film is "Love can't stay silent", and our protagonist, Peter, shows his Christian love by never missing a chance to preach to the gays or break up their relationships. Becauase as always in the Orwellian world of Ray Comfort's god, love is hate, hate is love. This film exists only to tell homosexuals they must change, to remind others they must never accept homosexuals for who they are but, in the name of "love", always remind them of how wretched and sinful they are, and (last but not least) to provide Ray Comfort with another ego boost. And I'm a sucker who was so curious about this movie I actually paid to see it before it's going to be released for free on Youtube.

This movie accurately and lovingly represents the Gospel presented in scripture through the teachings of Jesus.

His call to us all is to repentance. He died for anyone who would repent and put their trust in Him alone. But you must repent, regardless of your sin. "Go and sin no more" He commanded.

The thousands of ex-homosexual Christians are proof that people are not born that way, any more than people are born adulterers or fornicators. When people repent and put their faith in Jesus, they are given power through the Holy Spirit to live transformed lives. It is what Jesus called being "born again". That is the new birth that He said is "mandatory" to see heaven. John 3:3 People cannot continue to sin and claim to be a "new creation in Christ". The New Creation is the new birth that people experience when they are saved.

You will likely see lots of posts full of hatred and contempt for people who care enough about others to share the loving Gospel message of Jesus. That is to be expected. If we are not persecuted for our love, then we are likely not living out the Great Commission.

Watch it, and you will see the Gospel shared in a loving, caring way. If you say nothing while watching a blind man walking towards a cliff, that is not love, that is apathy. Every Christian once lived in darkness for some part of their lives. Now they live in the light, and want to share the truth with anyone who is honestly searching. If you are not interested in the message of Jesus, then that is your choice. Please don't hate others who are interested.

Jesus said about heaven, "few will find it". So we know most people will not see heaven. This movie is for the few that will repent. Even if only one person is saved, this movie will have been worth it.

It's pretty evident that most of the 1* reviews came from those who did not actually sit and watch the film. The knee-jerk animosity and Christaphobic bigotry shone through each name-calling attack.

Was it Hollywood quality? Umm, no. Actually, Hollywood would never dare to even insinuate that homosexuality was anything but a step up from that sick old Christian view of a married man and woman living a life together and fulfilling God's purpose for us.

I am so sorry there is such hostility when it comes to this subject. I thought the film tried to temper this hostility while sharing a Biblical truth. The film made a simple statement: "We are all sinners - the man who lusts after a woman. The man who lusts after a man. We really should try to repent those sins and follow a fairly simple plan that God laid out for us." Easy? No. Eternally helpful? Yep. You disagree with this. OK. Travis (in the film) just needed to pass the message along, and it's actually a message of Love. So, even if you reject it - Could we lighten up on the hate.

It's actually shocking how terrible this "movie" is. It's almost funny but then you realize it's serious and he really does think being gay is a choice and all you gays should just stop gaying around already. Complete disregard for science, self-righteous proselytizing by Ray Comfort, and pure ignorant hatefulness that put a knot in my stomach more than once. I could talk about the terrible writing, the weird (possibly overdubbed?) interviews, and the kindergarten plot, but I really just can't get past how distasteful, factually inaccurate, and insulting the anti-gay rhetoric is.

TL;DR - Do you hate gays? You'll love this movie! Do you hate bigotry? You might want to skip this movie.

Forget about the political motivation of hate towards the gay community. I am not an activist trying to demolish this movies reputation. I think anyone who thinks that is actually happening is delusional and unwilling to admit who dreadfully amateurish this film is. It is just plain bad. Terribly directed. Awful actors. The dialog is contrived. The clothing is hokey. The plot is loose and unrealistic. I wouldn't force my worst enemy to watch this movie. My baby brother could make a better movie with GI Joes and an iPhone. I think I made a better movie when I accidentally filmed the inside of my pocket. I understand that not everyone agrees with the LGBT community but anyone making a movie so badly just for the sake of spreading hate shouldn't be offended by the reviews that rate it for what it is... One of the worst pieces of videology to ever grace a screen of any kind.

I'd like to say this is typical Ray Dumfart tripe but it's worse than that even. I don't know where Banana Man found worse actors than Kirk Cameron but I guess God works in mysterious ways, huh. The "plot" is nothing but an excuse to proselytize his religious bigotry towards homosexuals, with some self-grandiosing & publicity for his YouTube videos thrown in. The one positive thing I can say for this pathetic excuse for a "movie" is that it's only 1 hour long & not 90 mins (although if you can actually make it to the end in one go without throwing random objects at your screen you're doing better than me. If you're familiar at all with Ray then you know exactly what to expect, & if you're not, do yourself a favour & keep it that way by avoiding this piece of excrement.

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a spoiler but if you've ever seen a Ray Comfort evangelical tract or a clip of Ray Comfort's ham-fisted approach to preaching, nothing here will be new.

There is no question in my mind Comfort has deliberately presented an unbalanced set of responses in the interview/preachy section. We know this is probably the case because some of his interviewees in EvolutionVsGod explained that Comfort cut important parts of their answers out of his final edit in order to manipulate the material to his preferred end. Comfort is a devious and dangerous buffoon.

$300,000 worth of donations to create a bit of confirmation bias for the religious, anti-gay fringe element was no doubt a good bit of business, but Ray Comfort will always be remembered as the man who tried desperately to pump the brakes and then slam society into reverse.

Meanwhile, common sense continues to prevail and love has won.

Thank you Mr. Comfort for this incredible film. There is such a demand for this kind of truth-telling in today's increasingly intolerant society. As the gay rights agenda continues to silence people of conscience, mock biblical values and demonize individuals such as yourself, your film is evidence that you are on the right path, no matter how challenging it may be. We need more of this kind of honest story-telling; the kind that isn't afraid to confront the issues that our culture has told us not to approach. This is where revolutionary tales will begin to emerge. And in spite of all the heinous double-standards, push back and hatred, God will use this movie to draw those He has called to Himself. Please continue to do what you are doing. Thank you, and God bless.

From a Christian point of view, I would give it 10/10 perfect score! I highly recommend it with my friends and family, to love the gay people by telling them the truth and the great danger they are in if in case they would not repent and trust in Jesus Christ as the Lord, Savior and the One and Only way. A true Christian could not keep silent and withhold the truth, as the tagline says, "Love can't keep silent", true love tells the truth what ever the circumstances are.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

Bible says, there is none righteous no not one, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is simply nothing we can do to earn salvation, only by grace through faith in Christ alone and not by works. Repent and Believe!

It's kind of an interesting look into how little these particular Christian heterosupremacists think of people (you're pretty much a poor idiot who needs to be told how to think). Beyond that, it's really not worth watching.

Everything in it is a caricature of something or someone you've already seen before. A religious man portrays gay people and their allies as argumentative people who want to ignore everyone and sin, sin, SIN! Of course, the religious people are meek, polite, and just trying to help. None of them would ever step on your toes, let alone reflect realities like insulting or physically harming gay people, usurping the legal rights of gay people, and of course they would never use torture to change gay people. Not being gay is the only acceptable way to be, but those darn gays, they really like to be mean and persecute Christians who are just trying to help! Gay people just need a good Christian to butt-in and change them into heterosexuals!

Of course, in this make-believe propaganda, everyone gets on board with Christianity, because it's such a compelling message: Just don't be gay! Easy!

The bad reviews didn't affect my view of the movie. Homosexuality is a sensitive subject to touch, aside from others. You have to come in with an open mind. It actually answered some questions I've had. It opened my mind to new possibilities. He reciprocally asks and answers questions. What I enjoyed were the real live interviews. The story behind it was kind of cheese but sweet. The comedian did good impersonations. The quality was OK but our old phone wasn't working well so i can't really rate the quality. I was under the impression that it would be a condemning movie but it wasn't.. Phew! It got me thinking. I recommend it :)

Ps: (I have a gay sibling)

Part documentary, part story, part stand up comedy routine, all of it relevant as society continues to heat up on the debate of Gay Marriage and Homosexuals & Lesbians within the Christian/ Church going community. However, my expectations were blown out of the water when I watched this film (in it's full version on YouTube) and discovered myself both entertained and even laughing out loud at places.

Also, there are so many "coincidences" connecting me to this movie, I felt it might be Destiny for me to see it when I did. Right down to the fact that I actually possess a bogus Million Dollar Bill, in Canadian format. (Actually, it might be the real deal but with what Canadian currency is worth around the world, it comes to the same difference). As you know, if you've read my previous reviews, I can ramble on for a VERY long time, especially when discussing something I enjoyed. I don't give many films a rating of 9, but I'm going to "shutteth" my mouth & "stoppeth" my typing because I'm "wastething" your time (that's me doing Bible talk) and I'll let you zip over to YouTube and watch "Audacity" for free. Trust an Aussie, Ray Comfort, to examine a topic sideways and make you see something in a way that you never have before. When I saw the title, "Audacity" I thought it might be a horror film about someone taken hostage when their computer sound editing program develops artificial intelligence and creates a post- apocalyptic society. Boy. Was I off the mark. It's really a breath of fresh air on a topic that's become hot and stifling because it seems that EVERYTHING that can be said about gay and lesbian marriages has been. So whether you're straight, gay, lesbian or just prefer the love of your cat with a 'thing' for toe biting - ("Hey, don't judge me. At least he always shows up in time for dinner!!!")) you will feel better after seeing "Audacity". Tell them LAURA-LEE sent you. (It won't get you anything, but it might compensate me for the less attention I'm getting for cutting this review short). Sincerely, Laura-Lee (Was Here)

P.S. Is it breaking the hard and fast "Spoiler Warning" rule here at IMDb if I tell you there's a good "Knock, knock" joke in this film? If you don't read another review from me here, you'll know the answer is "Yes!"

He tweeted "Atheists hijacked IMDb and gave "Audacity" bad reviews. Feel free to leave yours" in an effort to get a higher rating by people who didn't even see the movie. I'm tired of this fake, money grubbing, evil jerk pandering to his crowd by demonizing atheists. He needs to crawl back into the Bronze Age hole he came out of. This movie is also a joke. What is not a joke is homophobia and the persecution of people this movie intends to incite. This movie is propaganda at its worst. No self-respecting human being would watch this garbage. It is simply a piece of trash designed to take the money from people who believe it already. Any movie theater that shows this should be shamed and anyone who sees it should be ashamed of themselves. I would give this a zero out of ten if I could.

This film is nothing more than story based preaching of Christian intolerance toward our fellow man. Science has proved that the basic premise in this film is false - people cannot choose their sexual preference. Homosexuality occurs naturally throughout nearly all wildlife species. Some research hints that it's a system that nature uses to control overpopulation. Either way, gay people are our co-workers, patents, son's and daughters. They're here to stay, and the best and most "christian" thing to do is love and accept them. You'd think christians would focus on the love and tolerance message of Jesus rather than the poison of the Old Testament. I wish these people would just mind their own business and let people live their lives in peace.