The only things that are the similar between the book and this movie are: 1. The name of the main character, Robinson Crusoe 2. The name of Friday 3. The fact that there was a shipwreck 4. The fact that Crusoe was stranded on an island.
It was really an entirely different story.
In the original story Robinson Crusoe has a Christian conscience which he violates by not listening to his father. It is an adaptation of the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son. "I resolved that I would, like a true repenting Prodigal go home to my Father"(Luke 15:11). "I had in five or six days got a compleat victory over Conscience" (p.8,9 Norton Critical Edition). In the book, the Bible plays a crucial role in the story. "I was earnestly begging God to give me repentance when it happened providentially the very day that reading the scripture I came to these words, 'He is exalted a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance and to give remission' (Acts 5:31)" "By now I began to exercise myself with new Thoughts; I daily read the Word of God and apply'd all the comforts to my daily State."(p.71, p 83)
The whole story is a theological tract that deals with conversion, sanctification, and reconciliation (Crusoe himself) and the missionary work of evangelization and struggle of God's dealing with the heathen (Friday and the cannibals) ex. p156-160). Crusoe even leads Friday in a Bible study (p159). At one point, Crusoe struggles over whether he has the right to execute cannibals that had done nothing to him (p167-168). It also deals with the problem of fear, of theodicy, of evil, of original sin, and of many other theological themes. The book is full of prayers and reflections (mediations). In short, it is a thoroughly Protestant (Puritan) Christian story that edifies.
The movie turns everything around and makes it a thoroughly post-modern- post-Christian; even anti-Christian story. Crusoe has to do everything himself, because he learned he can't rely on Providence. He argues with Friday over religion and then realizes that they should just co-exist and let Friday keep his concept of God while Crusoe keeps his. There is no conversion, no returning home to a father (either earthly or heavenly). Crusoe is an angry unconverted pseudo-Christian who is more confused than Friday and actually gets ministered to by Friday. I'm so thankful that this did not become a huge blockbuster. Young people today already are given enough wrong ideas about Christianity and religion.(the word compleat is the spelling in the original. Theodicy and evangelization seem to be two words that the people at IMDb have not learned yet)
It was really an entirely different story.
In the original story Robinson Crusoe has a Christian conscience which he violates by not listening to his father. It is an adaptation of the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son. "I resolved that I would, like a true repenting Prodigal go home to my Father"(Luke 15:11). "I had in five or six days got a compleat victory over Conscience" (p.8,9 Norton Critical Edition). In the book, the Bible plays a crucial role in the story. "I was earnestly begging God to give me repentance when it happened providentially the very day that reading the scripture I came to these words, 'He is exalted a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance and to give remission' (Acts 5:31)" "By now I began to exercise myself with new Thoughts; I daily read the Word of God and apply'd all the comforts to my daily State."(p.71, p 83)
The whole story is a theological tract that deals with conversion, sanctification, and reconciliation (Crusoe himself) and the missionary work of evangelization and struggle of God's dealing with the heathen (Friday and the cannibals) ex. p156-160). Crusoe even leads Friday in a Bible study (p159). At one point, Crusoe struggles over whether he has the right to execute cannibals that had done nothing to him (p167-168). It also deals with the problem of fear, of theodicy, of evil, of original sin, and of many other theological themes. The book is full of prayers and reflections (mediations). In short, it is a thoroughly Protestant (Puritan) Christian story that edifies.
The movie turns everything around and makes it a thoroughly post-modern- post-Christian; even anti-Christian story. Crusoe has to do everything himself, because he learned he can't rely on Providence. He argues with Friday over religion and then realizes that they should just co-exist and let Friday keep his concept of God while Crusoe keeps his. There is no conversion, no returning home to a father (either earthly or heavenly). Crusoe is an angry unconverted pseudo-Christian who is more confused than Friday and actually gets ministered to by Friday. I'm so thankful that this did not become a huge blockbuster. Young people today already are given enough wrong ideas about Christianity and religion.(the word compleat is the spelling in the original. Theodicy and evangelization seem to be two words that the people at IMDb have not learned yet)