Posted on 10/08/2005 12:06:36 PM PDT by Simi Valley Tom
More and more movies are being aimed at the faith-based audience. Many of them claim to be by people of faith. And, many people in the church are getting very excited about these films.
Some of these filmmakers are at the top of their game. Some have gone to the most prestigious film schools. But even so, after watching some of the theological errors and confusion in these movies, perhaps they would have been better studying theology and reading, writing and critical thinking rather than film.
In one recent movie, the name of Jesus is claimed to have power only as shock treatment, in perhaps the same vein as the names of other deities. Eventually, His name proves to be ineffective when confronted by modern therapeutic drugs. And, this movie has been touted by Christian marketeers and many in the Christian community in Hollywood.
Some of the other theological gaffes are even more disappointing, such as that Jesus gave up His divinity when He was born on earth, a sub-group of the old Aryan heresy. A god who is impotent in the face of drugs or who is less than human is no god whatsoever, just a confused thought.
In the massive marketing attempts to reach the church, some of these movies enlisted some of the most successful evangelical associations. Therefore, please be media-wise. Before you run out to see a movie or go to an early premiere touted by a major evangelical association, please find out whether the movie is theologically sound.
You can do that by visiting us at www.movieguide.org.
All that glitters is not gold.
-- Dr. Ted Baehr, Publisher of MOVIEGUIDE®, www.movieguide.org
Don't ever expect another explicity pro-Christian movie from Hollywood. Afterall, Gibson got no support from them for "The Passion."
Any movies that have pro-Christian themes will be in the mold of "Lord of the Rings", where its not so explicit that it can't be denied.
"the old Aryan heresy"
You mean Arian don't you? After Arius? Ordinarily I wouldn't chime in with a spelling correction but in this case confusion could abound because the word Aryan has a whole different meaning.
Arian, not Aryan. That's a big difference. And this from a publisher, sheesh.
I heard that the original plan for the Narnia movie was to remove all the "Christian elements" from it to make it more "mainstream", but that plan was scrapped. Hollywood believes in the worship of self and nothing else.
Yes it is. And since this guy is picking nits (Ok, maybe more than just nits) over theological errors, this error kind of shoots his credibility doesn't it?
I may be wrong, so don't accept this w/o checking, but I seem to remember a quote by the director of "Narnia" that made him sound almost hostile to the Christian underpinnings to the story.
But from what I've heard (I haven't read the books), Narnia is like Lord of the Rings in that an adaptation that is at all faithful can't help but have Christian themes.
You are right, the quote I heard was from the director. I read the books a long time ago, but as I recall, the two main Christian parallels are where one child agrees to betray the rightful king, Aslan to the evil snow queen. Then there is the a very specific scene where the children are hiding as they watch the evil queen and her minions attack and kill Aslan, and he lets them. THe children don't understand how such a powerful creature like Aslan doesn't fight back. Then he late ends up rising from the dead.
As I said, I haven't read this book for nearly 15 years, so my recall is a little sketchy.
Bttt for later read. I really enjoyed both the Narnia and Tolkien books.
"theological errors and confusion in these movies"
The movie "Prophecy" is a case in point starring Christopher Walken as Gabriel who gets angry with God because God puts hmanity above the angels. Whereas anyone that knows the Bible understands that humanity was made just a little lower than the angels. Since the Bible is the inspired Word of God, I don't believe God would change his mind at this late date.
My gut instinct is to just disregard movies like Prophecy or more recently, Constantine. Many of the young people I minister are drawn to those kinds of movies, which get them thinking about what is real and what is cinimatic exageration. So I use them as talking points to point them toward a more biblical understanding. Constanine places great value in relics, and as I sat alongside some guys watching it, I was able to give a running commentary on the part relics played in the Reformation and why I personally do not believe they play any part in the life of a Christian. Instead of condemning those kinds of movies, I use them as tools to set the record straight--gently and never uninvited.
"sat alongside some guys watching it, I was able to give a running commentary"
Do you get "shushed" by other people during screening? :) On the serious side, after watching "Prophecy" the first time, I did have to reference the Bible for to make sure I read the correct passage.
I've read the books LOTS of times. If hollywood tries to remove christianity from Chronicles of Narnia, there wouldn't be any story left. They're obviously marketing to christians, especially if you look at the lineup for the soundtrack. I can't wait to see the movie.
You mean the movie "The Pagan Matriarch, the Carnivore, and the Storage Unit for the Skins of Murdered Animals"?
Well, I'm in a peculiar position. As a chaplain on a Navy ship, I respect my sailors wherever they are in their faith. When I said "running commentary," it was invited on their part. I wouldn't barge in on their territory in the middle of their show and try to set everyone straight!
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