I have been asked by Dr. Leeper to share my thoughts on this blog. I warn you though, that this may not be what you want to hear. As a student coming to Huntington University, I was excited about entering into the DMA Program. When I first came to DMA class, I was excited that I could go to a class and watch some good movies and discuss them. Then, that fateful day when the Fridge was shown. I will not go into that discussion because I have already stated my views on that subject. As The semester progressed, I started to see more and more filth coming up on the screen from Bugs having sex, to women scantly dressed or not dressed at all, to more swearing and the list goes on. I understand that Dr. Leeper wants us to get a realistic view of the world, but I did go to public school, and I heard this filth every day! I know what the world is like. What i wanted was tools to teach me how to change it for the better. In phillipians 4:8 it talks about keeping your mind pure and clean from these things. So How can we do that if we are being fed Junk? What is sad to me, is that the world today looks at christians and when they are portrayed on the screen, they are either really corny or swear and cuss and have sex all the time! Is that not a wrong way to view us? Or is that the way we want the world to see us and except that for what it is? One of the best christian movies I have seen was One Night With the King. This movie was a christian movie that kept the audiences' attention through the whole movie. It wasn't corny, it didn't have swearing, it didn't have sex! It was just pure and simple. So if that movie was a success and they didn't use those tools. Then why do we use them? What's the point? They're not of God! God will not bless the work or use it if it is unclean and not of him. Look at the chronicles of Narnia. Amazing work! Has a lot of allegory and spiritual information in it. Any swearing, sex, or other bad stuf? Nope! Do we not see a recurring theme here? The world already knows that it is in bad shape and so do we. So why don't we show them something that can give them hope?
I see the point that you're trying to make. Why should we as Christians promote anything 'evil.' Clearly success can be found without it.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to necessarily defend the use of profanity or sex or anything else you would like to classify as bad or unchristian being used in films and art, but I would like to point out a few factors that need to be weighted in when dealing with this subject.
People are evil. All of us are born into sin and there's nothing we can do about that. So, what of those people who have never found Christ yet? Can we necessarily reach them through Narnia? Can they relate or see themselves in any of those characters? Will they even make the connection? What seems evident to you because of your upbringing isn't necessarily the conclusion that others will come to so easily. What has One Night with the king accomplished? Who has it influenced? And how have they been influenced? Who went to go see this film when it was in theaters? Who bought it on DVD? My dad did. But he's already a Christian. I'm not saying that this film didn't influence anyone... I'm just saying that, as we discussed in class, a christian film often has little effect on people because the audience it garners are all per-existing Christians. if your argument is "Why can't we make a successful money-maker christian film that's pure and clean?" Well, we can. You win. But if your questions is "Why can't we make an influential christian film that is pure and clean?" then the answer is we might be able to. But probably can't. We need to connect with people. Average people. Some take it too far, granted, but sometimes you can argue that a certain 'questionable' scene is necessary to connect with people and convey a message.
The world is broken. It is a land tainted by evil, but a land where God still resides. Why shouldn't we demonstrate this in films and art? Why shouldn't we speak truth? The Bible certainly does. Murder, sex, rape, violence, social injustices, bestiality, lying, cheating, masturbation, adultery, incest, genocide, stealing, and orgies are all used in the Bible to convey God's word. So if God has used sin to show us how to find eternal life through His son, Jesus Christ, then why is it that you say we can't? We shouldn't glorify it... but it exists. And we need to acknowledge it. Otherwise we're just sheltering ourselves from the world and not doing what God instructed and spreading his word.
There are situations where explicit content shouldn't be used. But then there are other situations where it should be. In the end it's all about connecting with people. God used sin to connect to us as sinful creatures. He doesn't glorify it. So why can't we? Why shouldn't we?
I'm done with my tangent now... :)
I would agree with part of your arguement except for one point. When you said "Murder, sex, rape, violence, social injustices, bestiality, lying, cheating, masturbation, adultery, incest, genocide, stealing, and orgies are all used in the Bible to convey God's word. So if God has used sin to show us how to find eternal life through His son, Jesus Christ, then why is it that you say we can't?" I would disagree with this because the only reason they were recorded was to show God's mercy and compassion. God never uses sin. He can't. It is not in his nature. God helps us get sin out of our life, but he never uses it.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching One Night With the King, good movie and you're right, it didn't have any of the unnecessary things that usually draw people into the theater. The movie also didn't do as well as other movies, so maybe it's because it was different in the way it was portrayed but thats fine by me. I'd rather watch a movie that is decent versus one that is filled with crap.
ReplyDeleteSame with Narnia. It's just a good movie that doesn't have to try so hard to bring the audience to see it.
I feel the same about some of the films we've seen in class, and even though I didn't go to public school, I've still witnessed similar behavior so I understand how you feel.
that is all.
I think it would be lovely to live in a world without sin. It would be happy and full of rainbows and butterflies and happy thoughts. But, right now all the butterflies are gone, there's not enough sun outside to have a rainbow, and happy thoughts don't always stay with us.
ReplyDeleteIf we consider the gospel to be telling the truth, then shouldn't we be truthful about the situations, and the people, and what happens? If these films were documentaries condamning such things, would you still be offended? It's a film, has the exact same elements.
I feel, for me, films that are squeaky clean fall in uncanny valley. Yah, I can know that the movie won't offend me, I can know it will try to be uplifting. But there's also the thought that if you only make those kinds of films, you'll end up offending someone else. They won't put credit in it because it doesn't feel right. It might be you're trying to make a movie like Hairspray, but you end up with High School Musical.
You can make films without the "dirty" stuff. The "unnecessary" stuff. But if you're telling someone's story, stay true to the story. If it calls for a cuss word, to really show a person's character, than you should probably go with a cuss word. It's hard to take a story seriously if the character or even if the story itself isn't accurately being depicted.
Abi, Can I ask you a question? If you are actively partaking in a film by watching it and your mind is engaged in the film, the how can you explain this passage? "Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies." Even if your not doing the action, your mind is still actively involved. So how do you deal with it?
ReplyDelete@joelwilkinson
ReplyDeleteyou are right in a sense. God doesn't 'use' sin because sin is defying Him. But He does use the sin that others have already freely committed to connect with us through the Bible. It is recorded to show god's compassion and mercy. Its there to convey God's message. His compassion and mercy.
films can be thought of the same. Its to convey a message that could otherwise not be conveyed to the same degree.
" but I did go to public school, and I heard this filth every day! I know what the world is like."
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but in no way does that make me think that you know what the world is like. "Public school" accounts for such a small percentage reality that it would not be visible on a pie chart.
Good point Sam. I often think about how public school exposes some of the world, but looking at it from different points, theres more good and bad things outside of school.
ReplyDeletePublic school shouldn't limit how we view the world and what is out there. It may prepare you in some respects but it's not the only thing thats going on.
After listening to Leeper's speech, I have a better understanding about why we are watching all these films, the good and bad ones.
We can't live in our own little bubble, no matter how much we wish we could and shut out all the bad things. I understand that now.