<![CDATA[In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal.]]>Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Machine Gun Preacher

dhmason6155 — 13 years ago(November 02, 2012 11:37 AM)

It seems to me that besides all the good he did, Childers also found an outlet for his violent nature and a place where he could kill with impunity and be rewarded for it.
I'm thinking of the scene on the bridge, where the rebel soldier beats the female relief worker with his rifle butt, Childers shoots him from behind, and then very coldly and methodically finishes him off. This isn't Childers the humanitarian. This is a battle-hardened soldier and a stone-cold killer.
Of course, I have absolutely no sympathy for Kony's army, or for the SOB he killed on the bridge, but an argument could be made that Childers was basically a killer, but learned to channel his instincts to a worthy cause.
Also, are there any legal issues regarding a US citizen traveling abroad, taking up arms and fighting as a combatant under a foreign flag? I know we have mercenaries, but they're usually working covertly.
You may walk on the beach, you may swim in the ocean under SWAT team surveillance, of course.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/topic/253803/in-the-us-he-d-get-a-prison-sentence-in-the-sudan-he-gets-a-medalRSS for NodeSat, 16 May 2026 10:32:44 GMTWed, 06 May 2026 15:44:48 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:45:00 GMT]]>dhmason6155 — 9 years ago(June 24, 2016 01:16 AM)

True dat! Also known as "Gitmo".
We got a job.
What kind?
The Forever Kind.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152490https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152490Wed, 06 May 2026 15:45:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:58 GMT]]>Prismark10 — 11 years ago(January 17, 2015 03:48 PM)

If Childers was a Muslim machine gun preacher he would have ended up in Guantanamo Bay!
Its that man again!!

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152489https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152489Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:57 GMT]]>Jnbfwc — 11 years ago(May 02, 2014 11:26 AM)

I hate that people use the word "methodically" or "systematically" when they really mean, "cruelly" and "calmly."

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152488https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152488Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:56 GMT]]>IMDb User

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]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152487https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152487Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:55 GMT]]>sully2018 — 12 years ago(March 10, 2014 10:06 PM)

In all respect, you equating the the Crusades with Sam Childers' mission is skewed, and highly inaccurate. While the Crusaders' mission was to reclaim access to holy places such as Jerusalem(with little to no regards to any type of atrocity that occurred in the process), Sam Childers mission has little to do with simply looking for young converts to the Christian faith, while blasting away hundreds of men, which seems to be what you are suggesting.
If the latter were true I don't see his story panning out that way it did, and the way it is still doing. It becomes clear in the film that, yes, Sam is a violent person, and he struggles with this part of himself. However, I don't understand how you could think that(for the purpose of argument)his desire for killing with impunity led him to open an orphanage for children that he continues to support to this day.
I would challenge you to watch the documentary called "The Devil Came on Horseback" for a balanced perspective. The young former marine-turned-journalist who's the focal point of this film comes to nearly the same decision as Sam Childers without invoking God or religion as his reason for wanting to "slit the throats of LRA generals"(He breaks down weeping at one point because during his journalism he spent time with the LRA and laments not trying to stop them).
There are times where our most primal instincts are triggered. I believe that Sam and those like him are responding primally to the avalanche of atrocity they've seen caused by sadistic and evil people, like Kony. Sam sums it up perfectly at the end of the credits. Watch it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=puinrmpdN nQ#t=210

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152486https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152486Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:53 GMT]]>SpiltPersonality — 12 years ago(March 02, 2014 04:03 AM)

What? Crusades 1800 years ago? So the Crusades were in 214 now, were they?

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152485https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152485Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:52 GMT]]>quanahlives — 12 years ago(November 18, 2013 01:18 PM)

That doesn't make the Crusades morally just, nor Sam, because they used the name of God to do evil: that makes them corrupt and abusive.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152484https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152484Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:51 GMT]]>dhmason6155 — 13 years ago(March 08, 2013 11:45 AM)

Think of the Crusades 1800 years ago. This is nothing new. Sam was another religious zealot, killing "heretics" in the name of God.
Unc John: We makin' trouble?
Stacy: Yeah
Unc John: What kind?
Stacy:The forever kind

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152483https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152483Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to In the US he'd get a prison sentence. In the Sudan he gets a medal. on Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:50 GMT]]>nemidwest — 13 years ago(November 02, 2012 12:28 PM)

I agree totally with your post. I did not find Sam to be likable in this movie, and could never get behind his cause. It has been said that the same traits that led him to drug use and violence led him on his crusade. But what if every Tim ,Dick and Harry went overseas and started blasting away. Might does not always make Right.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152482https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/2152482Wed, 06 May 2026 15:44:50 GMT