John faces a series of increasingly blasphemous and sacrilegious challenges imposed by Lilith, such as burning a Bible and urinating on a Eucharist wafer, which test his faith and morals while complicating his feelings for her.

Mary, John's devoutly Catholic mother, exerts strong control over him, expecting him to follow a righteous path and constantly reminding him that 'Jesus is watching,' which adds pressure as John struggles with his faith and relationship with Lilith.

Lilith is an atheist who rebels against her strict religious upbringing, and she uses this rebelliousness to push John into sacrilegious acts, challenging his Catholic faith and creating tension in their relationship.

Key supporting characters include Angelo, John's friend who has a more vulgar and open attitude toward sex and life, and John's passive father, Pete, who contrasts with his mother's strictness; these characters highlight different influences on John's coming-of-age experience.

John experiences confusion and conflict as he balances his desire to keep his faith and meet his mother's expectations with his attraction to Lilith, who demands he perform blasphemous acts; this tension is shown in scenes where he reluctantly participates in sacrilegious pranks while questioning his beliefs and feelings.