CURRENTLY IN MOVIES

Christians and the movie industry
by Mark Dobell

Many Christians regularly watch TV and movies with aggressive sexual content. Often they recommend these forms of entertainment to other Christians, sometimes without even acknowledging the sexual material. When confronted with the oversight, these Christians might say, "Oh yeah. I forgot about those parts" or "All movies have some of that stuff these days." It almost appears to be a sign of Christian maturity to indulge in such media.

Sex is one of the main components in many movies. Yet, when mixed in with other elements, it seems acceptable. Many Christians agree to this standard and freely spread the word about a movie's merits. Interestingly, while many Christians are giving increased recognition to female dignity and leadership in the church, many of these same people are also supporting a growing industry that places women in the role of "sex toys". While many Christians express displeasure with the sexual content, it fails to keep them out of the theatre or the video rental store.

I wish to challenge some of the reasons Christians offer for sticking with the movies in spite of their sexual content.

1. You can't avoid it. This is said by Christians who resign themselves to acceptance. They see it as a no-win situation, so they simply adjust to the problem by enjoying the best parts of a movie and trying to overlook the bad parts. This response gives the impression that the Christian is off the hook as far as responsibility goes, but it is not that easy. No one is forcing anyone to support these movies. People still hold the option to refrain from watching. The real issue is that the sexual content is not offensive enough for the Christian to give up the movie.

2. It is important to know what popular culture is showing, so the Christian can be a witness to it. This is a noble thought and at first appearance is hard to disagree with. Certainly today we need to keep in touch with this sin-sick world and seek to bring the healing touch of Jesus Christ to it. But how does watching movie after movie of repetitive graphic sex help a Christian become a better witness? Is there not a point where movie education will eventually become movie entertainment even to these Christians? Even secular movie critics point out that movie themes are quite repetitive, so how much new is there for the Christian to learn?

What Christians can learn from regularly watching these kinds of movies is how permissive they has become in their entertainment choices. Many Christians have had their witness severely tarnished by movies, forfeiting credibility with the non-Christian community. Secular persons sees their Christian neighbour's morals as no different than their own. Why? Because "he watches the same movies as I do."

3. The movie is based on a true story. The Christian who believes that a true story warrants a serious look may be fooled by this label. Movie dramas based on true stories are seldom completely true. It is almost impossible to produce a movie reflecting all the details accurately. Some producers try hard, but producers are not obligated to tell the truth. In reality, producers take a lot of freedom to create scenes that suit their own interests and interpretation. The actual truth can be lost in the distractions and personal preferences of the producer. Unless viewers have done their homework, they will not know what is true and what is added.

Truth fades even more when we consider movie details, such as intimate conversations and interactions, for which there is no record or witness. How many people have movie cameras in their bedrooms to record their sexual encounters for the public to see? Yet the movie industry invites you to watch these sexual affairs, leading you to believe that they are real. Closer to the truth is that the nudity and sex scenes are the moral choice of the producer—and their acceptance becomes the moral choice of the viewer.

A short movie cannot capture much of the actual story. Much editing and selection must take place. If sex is part of the producer's choice, then it is certainly in line for the Christian viewer to ask why he chose sex over other possible scenes.

A "true story" label is really just a marketing tool. Even people in the industry say that if you want to get a true story, it is best to read a book or watch a documentary. This does not mean that all books and documentaries are true, but they are more likely to succeed in telling the truth than a movie will.

4. Everybody is watching it. This is just another form of peer pressure that both young people and adults need to contend with. The Christian life has never been easy, and there are always moral choices to be made. The entertainment business is just one of those choices.

Have Christians failed to calculate the support they give to this business? When they buy or rent videos or go to a movie theatre, they are financially supporting that particular movie and the industry in general. When people say they ignore the bad scenes, they cannot claim their wallets will. Their money goes to help pay for the sex scenes, the vulgarity and the violence as well as the soft, gentle moments of the movie. It is a package deal.

Christians often lament the moral corruption of society. They go to church and pray that God will do something about it. Yet the same Christian may freely support the sex entertainment business through video rentals and movie going. The movie industry works much the same as a department store. If the consumer keeps buying the product, the manufacturer will keep producing it.

It is strange that Christians give money to their churches to support God's work, giving little thought that their money also goes into the sex entertainment business that undermines God's work. It would be interesting to calculate how much money goes into the sex entertainment business annually from Christian sources.

For Christians who choose to brush off the sexual content, it might be helpful to stop and think about the mentality of the people they are supporting. Think about the production of a typical scene. The actor and actress seductively remove their clothes, then engage in sexual encounters. The camera crew is stationed only feet away, capturing the action, including close-up shots. The director and support staff watch the scene closely to see if the acting reflects the script. And this is all done so that potentially millions of people can watch this for their entertainment. Is this the kind of mentality the Christian should be supporting?

The media make a big impact upon people's lives. Because the images are so strong, people will believe what they see and hear, adults as well as young people. Sexual values and images portrayed through the media will become accepted and modelled by many viewers. Yet the industry refuses to be held responsible for any actions that might result from their production. The producer will appeal to the notion of freedom of artistic expression, and divorce himself from any responsibility.

When Christians absorb more and more of these movies each year and encourage others to see them, they act very much like the media, not taking any responsibility for the impact movies are having on people's lives.

Sex is not a neutral subject. Sex has a lot to do with how people value themselves, others and life in general. Sex has a lot to do with how we approach some of the most important relationships in life, such as marriage, children and friendships. Christians who brush aside the sex media without much thought, may be insensitive to others and perhaps even dishonest with themselves.

Sex in the movies is designed to involve the viewer. It arouses lust, passion, jealousy, even revulsion. It does not even have to involve nudity. A beautiful, fully clothed woman displaying the right body language, enhanced by an effective camera crew, can create a lustful atmosphere that male viewers cannot resist and female viewers watch with envy. Christian do not watch sex with passive observation. Like their non-Christian friends, they become involved in the excitement. In one way, the non-Christian is sometimes more honest than the Christian, for the non-Christian often acknowledges the lustful passions the movie provokes.

Movies are very effective in touching the deepest of human emotions. They excite and delight. They make us cry and make us cheer. They cause us to hate, love and lust. They make us want to celebrate and despair. For people who enjoy their emotions at work, movies may be hard to give up even if they know watching means compromising Christian values. Sex is an important gift from God. The question for the Christian should be: Is sex entertainment the way God wants me to treat His gift to humankind?

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