[ReformationFan]

Good article. I'm an Evangelical Protestant who's watched many movies(including many I shouldn't have, I admit) and thought Wax makes some good points.

[DJ MacWoW]

I like movies but cringe at language and sex scenes. A good story doesn't need them. I recently discovered a company called Pure Flix. They are starting to have some very good stories.

Trailer at this link. God's Not Dead

[jsanders2001]

> The church I was baptized in believed it was inappropriate for Christians to go to a movie theater. To this day, my grandparents maintain this standard as a bulwark against worldliness.

Funny you should say that. Just earlier today, My wife was watching the Katie Couric show. I noticed she was parading transexuals that were dressed as wonen, one of which looked and spoke very much like a woman and had already had her sex change. Katie was fawning all over them. It was very obvious that the aim of the show was to potray homosexuality as “normal” and gay persons as being victimized. The MSM seems to be acting on orders to portray them as normal a lot lately not taking into account their hypersexual level of promiscuity and deviancy. A hidden camera visiting several gay bars just for one night would shatter that illusion. Hey there’s an idea for James O’Keefe...: )

[what's up]

I predicted that when Clinton said one could lie about sex in a court of law and insisted that BJ's were not sex we would see the next generation degrade in sexual mores.

Sure enough we have all kinds of perversion taking place; I mourn for the kids who are entering bondage because of it.

Bill Clinton...one of the worst Presidents.

[redleghunter]

Thanks for posting. Good history he shows of the total isolation, which has merits, and the engagement which of course has its merits for the great commission. Navigating this narrow pass requires, IMO, maturity of faith. It is oh too easy for one young in the faith to excuse themselves for being worldly and too easy for one mature in faith to lean towards the study room and cloister oneself.

[jocon307]

I too think he makes some good points, or gets close to making them. I would agree, from what I’ve read about it, that “The Wolf of Wall Street” probably has little of redeeming value to it. But that is the only example he gives. I think if he had mentioned a few more movies (bad or good) it would have fleshed out his point more, as it is it sort of sounds like he doesn’t like that one picture.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Movies began their downward slide in 1968 (some say it was earlier with “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn!) after the death of Bobby Kennedy. In the hysteria to place blame TV shows, comic books, pulp fiction, guns and movies were blamed.

When the dust settled, Tv dumbed down to kid shows, comics changed their formats, pulp fiction changed to less lurid covers.

MOVIES got a pass as they said they would regulate themselves with a RATINGS CODE. G-M-R-X.
Then G-GP-R-X
Then G-PG-PG13-R-NC17.

HOT DIGIDY BOYS! The HAYS code is dead! If you got’em make em!
Movie scenes were reshot to add lots of sex and blood. The most vile plot lines were created. And it has only gotten worse over the years.

Glad I got a large library of 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 1960s movies which are very adult oriented without offending the kids.
Give me a RANDOLPH SCOTT western any day.

Did you know that if you buy a pre-1968 movie from Walmart on line you are required to check a statement that you are aware the movie is UNRATED?

[hecticskeptic]

I do not claim to have this all figured out. But one thing I know: our pursuit of holiness must be the mark against which our pursuit of cultural engagement is measured. If, like me, you’re conflicted about this issue, maybe it’s because we should be.

The Bible has all the answers to this very issue… one just needs to go find them and apply them. What I suspect is that sin is so seductive, it becomes a case of people justifying their participation on a variety of grounds.

Psalm 101:2-4 ‘ I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.’

Psalm 141:4 ‘Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.’

[daniel1212]

I find it hard to imagine the ancient Israelites admiring the artwork on the Asherah poles they were called to tear down. I find it hard to picture the early church fathers attending the games at the Roman coliseum, praising the artistic merits of the arena even as they provide caveats against violence.

Well said. Its a testimony to the degree of demonic possession of Hollywood that nudity, fornication, profanity are obligatory, and Christianity is so zealous against infringing Christian "liberty" that "modesty" now means a little less revealing than the world exhibits now.

Kinda like "conservative" Republicans who are like Democrats were 10 years ago.

[This Just In]

Excellent thread. One of the most edifying that I’ve read a in long time.

[unlearner]

I am a Christian who does watch movies. I am not setting myself as an example to follow. If a person completely avoids Hollywood entertainment I don’t think much would be missed.

The standards I apply are probably not as high as they should be, but I do avoid movies that depict immorality graphically and are filled with cursing, especially blasphemy. The degree to which these things are present is proportionate to the delay before I will consider watching them. So I may watch Les Miserables on video (haven’t seen it yet) where I can fast forward through anything I don’t want to watch, but will avoid paying a premium to see it in the theater. Some movies I will not pay for directly even on video but might watch otherwise.

In spite of this I still often feel like I am trying to find a gourmet meal in a dumpster. It’s like dumpster diving for entertainment rather than food.