God makes the front page
I wrote this for a blog for my media & society class. It might be of interest to some of you, too...
Christianity is finding a place in mainstream media, for better or worse. Today’s USA Today had an article on Hollywood and Christianity as its front page headliner.
The article lists box-office hits with a Christian theme, like The Passion of the Christ and Chronicles of Narnia, and it also mentions several more slated for release this year and next, such as Preaching to the Choir and of course The Da Vinci Code. The article says Hollywood is finally catching on to an audience segment that the literary world has been cashing in on “for decades.”
The article mentions that Christians are not being pandered to, but gives no good argument to prove this except a few quotes about how religion is a hot discussion topic right now. Da Vinci director Ron Howard said he is not “catering” to anyone, but is there to make a movie. I have no doubt about that one, since The Da Vinci Code is not something many Christians agree with anyway.
A pastor from Arizona said in the article that churches welcome faith-based films as much as Hollywood welcomes the faith-based money.
But that’s just it: Hollywood is in it for the money. A movie may have a “Christian” world view, but for all you know, the actors’ next roles include frontal nudity and a cuss word every other sentence.
As a Christian, I try to avoid movies that I know contain things I might be offended by, like blatant sex. But I’m also feeling tempted to avoid movies that cater to my beliefs for the sole purpose of lining Hollywood’s pockets just a little more.
Yes, actors are supposed to embrace their roles and be versatile enough to “become” anyone for the duration of a movie. I understand and respect that what I see on the screen is not who that person really is. But I’m not feeling inclined to go to a movie that was produced just to make a buck off my faith.
Christianity is finding a place in mainstream media, for better or worse. Today’s USA Today had an article on Hollywood and Christianity as its front page headliner.
The article lists box-office hits with a Christian theme, like The Passion of the Christ and Chronicles of Narnia, and it also mentions several more slated for release this year and next, such as Preaching to the Choir and of course The Da Vinci Code. The article says Hollywood is finally catching on to an audience segment that the literary world has been cashing in on “for decades.”
The article mentions that Christians are not being pandered to, but gives no good argument to prove this except a few quotes about how religion is a hot discussion topic right now. Da Vinci director Ron Howard said he is not “catering” to anyone, but is there to make a movie. I have no doubt about that one, since The Da Vinci Code is not something many Christians agree with anyway.
A pastor from Arizona said in the article that churches welcome faith-based films as much as Hollywood welcomes the faith-based money.
But that’s just it: Hollywood is in it for the money. A movie may have a “Christian” world view, but for all you know, the actors’ next roles include frontal nudity and a cuss word every other sentence.
As a Christian, I try to avoid movies that I know contain things I might be offended by, like blatant sex. But I’m also feeling tempted to avoid movies that cater to my beliefs for the sole purpose of lining Hollywood’s pockets just a little more.
Yes, actors are supposed to embrace their roles and be versatile enough to “become” anyone for the duration of a movie. I understand and respect that what I see on the screen is not who that person really is. But I’m not feeling inclined to go to a movie that was produced just to make a buck off my faith.
posted by SaraY @ 3:50 PM
2 Comments:
At 16 April, 2006 00:39 ,
David Pulliam said...
There are movies out there that were made to make money and they may or may not be good movies, but the point is that if they are good movies shouldn't we give credit, money, to where credit would be due? I'm essentially saying, give them what they deserve. If they make a good fundamental Christian movie, give them money. It's better then nihilist or post-modern movie.
At 16 April, 2006 00:39 ,
David Pulliam said...
Good post by the way. Well explained.
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