The beginning of the movie was sweet. But then things fell apart. Maybe Jim and Tammy were different Myers-Briggs types? And maybe never learned how to really appreciate each other, and to work together productively.
Maybe.
The movie did show me and remind me of real disagreements and suspicions between Christians in the Baptist tradition [one of the largest Protestant denominations in America] and Christians more in the Charismatic tradition.
At some Christian invite at Pat Robertson’s mansion, Tammy was “supposed” to eat with the other wives [unstated rule]. Instead she pulls up a chair, baby and all, and joins her hubby Jim!
Jerry Falwell [Baptist] is depicted as a serious guy worried about moral decay in America. He’s all about correct belief.
The Charismatics, such as Jim and Tammy, are all about loving people. And basically letting God work out the details.
Some of this disagreement is on the topic of homosexuality, what today we’d call LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance. And we’d focus on whether individual people are accepted or not.
Tammy says, I don’t want to debate you, Jerry. I love you guys.
The movie also strongly implies that Jim was gay or bi-. Here he’s being tickled on the floor by one of his main assistants.
But part of it may have been that things were so high stakes and serious so much of the time.
It was almost like Jim was the front man of a super popular rock band. AND he was trying to be chief administrator at the same time. He was unqualified for this second role. And really, it’s almost impossible for one person to do both roles.
And Jim was a sincere Christian, as flawed as he may have been.
