July 5, 2007
The G-Rated Christian: Part II: If you keep your head stuck in the sand which part of you is facing the rest of the world?
This is the second part of my look at Christian cultural cave dwellers. Click here to read the first post, Does God Call For Us to Become Ned Flanders?
When I am speaking with a Christian who retracts at the idea of watching movies, I will hear the usual complaints. They will condemn Hollywood for all of its transgressions. It is a place loaded with money grubbing whores who will sell our souls at a discount. Christians will often cite their reasons for not watching movies to be that they don’t want to sin, they don’t want to be tempted, they don’t want to become too comfortable with leisurely activities. One thing I rarely hear about is the world at large. More often than not, Christians tend to speak of cinema as individuals and not as a part of this world. We do not live in bubbles, although many Christians seem to want to have it that way. We live in this world. It is part of our job, while were are here, to help clean things up around here. Film can and will help in getting this work completed.
One aspect of hiding oneself from the box office, or neutering ones’ entertainment choices to items that never get more intellectual than children’s shows is that you are out of step with the rest of the world that surrounds you.
By the way, the verse you’re probably thinking of right now is Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Yeah, I know we’re supposed to keep our eyes on the prize and not the Oscars. Keep with me for a while more. If a Christian fails to remain connected to the culture in some fashion – I’ll say that again because it is important, in some fashion – they will not be able to speak the language of those around them. This is an entertainment based culture. For better or for worse (okay, just for worse) we engage each other by means of our entertainment. Today, people discuss television shows and movies the way other generations would speak of the weather. Many people can hold complete conversations using little more than movie quotes and references. Trust me, its possible, my brother-in-law is the king of doing this. If Christians turn away from the culture they lose the ability to fully understand what is going on around them. If we don’t know what is going on, if we don’t speak the language, how can we possibly expect to have effective missions?
In Acts 17:16-23, Paul preaches in Athens. What does he do? Athens is a cultural capital lost in a swamp of theological musings. At the time numerous idols are erected and worshipped. The place, while beautiful and vibrant is spiritual dead. Paul doesn’t meander in, see the pagans and then throw run away crying. What does he do? He enters Athens, investigates and comes to understand their arguments and thinking and the proceeds to change their hearts by speaking their cultural language.
Acts 17:16-23
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the Godfearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
In this passage we see that Paul, being of strong faith, is able to engage in a non-Christian culture on its own terms. He works to understand and then moves to turn it towards Christ. What would have been the result if Paul would have simply took his blocks and went home like many Christians demand we do today?
I need to be explicit now. I am NOT saying Christians need to immerse themselves in crass culture. No, you do not have to see the Saw films, you do not need to sit down and watch a box set of Sex in the City. My point is that we need to carefully try to understand the wider culture. It is not sinful to consume material, which does not cause harm, to remain relevant in this culture. If your faith is strong, you can see opposing worldviews and not be swayed. Learn to read culture and you can actually see opposing worldviews and see ways to change them. Keep hiding and you abandon your post. If we continue down the path of avoidance at all costs we have abandoned the non-believers to the worst possible fates when it was within our power to help. I can’t think of any less Christian than that.
When I am speaking with a Christian who retracts at the idea of watching movies, I will hear the usual complaints. They will condemn Hollywood for all of its transgressions. It is a place loaded with money grubbing whores who will sell our souls at a discount. Christians will often cite their reasons for not watching movies to be that they don’t want to sin, they don’t want to be tempted, they don’t want to become too comfortable with leisurely activities. One thing I rarely hear about is the world at large. More often than not, Christians tend to speak of cinema as individuals and not as a part of this world. We do not live in bubbles, although many Christians seem to want to have it that way. We live in this world. It is part of our job, while were are here, to help clean things up around here. Film can and will help in getting this work completed.One aspect of hiding oneself from the box office, or neutering ones’ entertainment choices to items that never get more intellectual than children’s shows is that you are out of step with the rest of the world that surrounds you.
By the way, the verse you’re probably thinking of right now is Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Yeah, I know we’re supposed to keep our eyes on the prize and not the Oscars. Keep with me for a while more. If a Christian fails to remain connected to the culture in some fashion – I’ll say that again because it is important, in some fashion – they will not be able to speak the language of those around them. This is an entertainment based culture. For better or for worse (okay, just for worse) we engage each other by means of our entertainment. Today, people discuss television shows and movies the way other generations would speak of the weather. Many people can hold complete conversations using little more than movie quotes and references. Trust me, its possible, my brother-in-law is the king of doing this. If Christians turn away from the culture they lose the ability to fully understand what is going on around them. If we don’t know what is going on, if we don’t speak the language, how can we possibly expect to have effective missions?
In Acts 17:16-23, Paul preaches in Athens. What does he do? Athens is a cultural capital lost in a swamp of theological musings. At the time numerous idols are erected and worshipped. The place, while beautiful and vibrant is spiritual dead. Paul doesn’t meander in, see the pagans and then throw run away crying. What does he do? He enters Athens, investigates and comes to understand their arguments and thinking and the proceeds to change their hearts by speaking their cultural language.
Acts 17:16-23
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the Godfearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
In this passage we see that Paul, being of strong faith, is able to engage in a non-Christian culture on its own terms. He works to understand and then moves to turn it towards Christ. What would have been the result if Paul would have simply took his blocks and went home like many Christians demand we do today?
I need to be explicit now. I am NOT saying Christians need to immerse themselves in crass culture. No, you do not have to see the Saw films, you do not need to sit down and watch a box set of Sex in the City. My point is that we need to carefully try to understand the wider culture. It is not sinful to consume material, which does not cause harm, to remain relevant in this culture. If your faith is strong, you can see opposing worldviews and not be swayed. Learn to read culture and you can actually see opposing worldviews and see ways to change them. Keep hiding and you abandon your post. If we continue down the path of avoidance at all costs we have abandoned the non-believers to the worst possible fates when it was within our power to help. I can’t think of any less Christian than that.
Labels: audience, Christian culture, commentary
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 7:12 AM
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7 Comments:
"In this passage we see that Paul, being of strong faith, is able to engage in a non-Christian culture on its own terms. He works to understand it and then move to turn it towards Christ. What would have been the result if Paul would have simply took his blocks and went home like many Christians demand we do today?"
I think there is a difference between understanding for purposes of advancing the gopel, and engaging for purposes of sheer entertainment. More often than not I think a Christian proponent of movie watching (I'm not including you Scott) is much more oriented towards sheer entertainment, and it would be hard for most to see it any other way.
It's not an issue of whether Paul would or wouldn't watch movies. He very well might, but as you say it's the intent, and I would add volume consumed that becomes a problem. It comes down to what you ingest, and most of us are not good at separating and purging.
You wrote:
"or neutering ones’ entertainment choices to items that never get more intellectual than children’s shows"
To me that's not the issue. Of course there is a segment that fits that category, but I think the majority of critics are not in that camp. The problem lies with the insult of Hollywood reducing itself to visual/verbal crassness or juvenile humor to reach the worst part of us. I agree that sometimes it's helpful e.g. Saving Private Ryan, but a vast majority of the time it's gratuitous, and does nothing other than insult my intelligence. E.g. Talledega Nights (which I unfortunately saw)
To say that Christians need to consume this to engage the culture is to me a bit weak. Once again, I'm not arguing that we shouldn't watch any movies that contain tough language or are visually disturbing. It's more that Challies is not nearly as unreasonable as many think, and that most Christians who watch a film like Evan Almighty probably don't think of it as an evangelistic tool, and never will. It's nothing more than a laugh, which I'm not against a good laugh, it's just that too often I and others don't seem to care what causes the good laugh.
Right now I don't think it's in the nature of most Christians to be kingdom driven in watching a film like Evan Almighty, so I'll side with discretion to avoid at times based on Challies argument.
I will say, I really appreciate that you've started this blog, because I think it's good for all of us to improve our critical thinking about how we spend our time. I'd like to believe we can take Hollywood and use it for good purposes. I know much of this will be accomplished when we better understand how to live out our faith, and know better the depths of what God has done for us.
Ron,
You're making my head spin. You've seen Talladega Nights but Evan Almighty is out of the question?
I'll move on.
The purpose of this blog is to show the ostriches that it is okay to pull their heads out of the sand and explain to those who consume everything that they are poisoning themselves. Both ends of the spectrum need to learn discernment and control.
I do not think it is a weak statement to say a person needs to understand the culture in order to speak to it. You will have no credibility if you cannot speak to the basic understandings within a culture. This doesn't mean you have to watch hurtful things but you should know that they are out there.
The decision to watch Tallegeda Nights was one of those I wish to forget. My wife and I watch about 8 to 10 movies a year, and it seems every 12 months or so we watch one that has us thinking "what were we thinking?" Put it this way: we should have known better, which is my general point.
I guess I wasn't too clear about the culture issue. I never said you don't need to understand the culture, I just don't think you need to immerse yourself in it to understand it.
My head is still spinning.
"I need to be explicit now. I am NOT saying Christians need to immerse themselves in crass culture."
Are we arguing or agreeing here?
We agree in a certain sense. Yet I question what it is that you and I consider crass. I think it all comes back to what Challies wrote. You went after him for expressing frustration that Christians would go to a particular movie (one he hadn't seen) that he deemed offensive through analysis of it's director, topic, and genre. Watching Talledega Nights is a perfect example. I lost the battle of discernment. It would be fair for a Christian friend to question my judgment on watching that. And I don't see that as disconnecting with the culture.
Maybe I'm fatigued with the "you may not like it but you better not tell them that they shouldn't do it" mantra. We should all be able to ask a question about why someone does something, and expect a solid biblical answer other than I'm free to do it. (there's my rant, and I feel better now)
I know you and some of your readers disagree with certain positions of mine, but that is why there are comment sections - to express different thoughts.
I wasn't questioning watching Talladega Nights as a single action. I am confused how on one hand you're so easily swayed to cast Evan Almighty aside. This film which is a fictional updating of of a Biblical account (something VeggieTales has been doing for a while now.) The film promotes the concept of a personal, loving God and refers its watchers to read the Bible. But were lead "astray" by Talladega Nights whose own ads contain references to masturbation, public nudity and a mockery of a family praying to Jesus. That's the disconnect I'm confused over. I'm not judging you over the choices you make, the Lord knows my track record isn't clean.
The "the "you may not like it but you better not tell them that they shouldn't do it" mantra" is a serious issue in the church because like we saw with the Challies commenters, people were very VERY quick to begin casting people into hell and pulling out the Second Commandment even though it wasn't relevant to the discussion. This has always been a problem within the church. People of weakness see power in the laws of God and oppress others. Our relationship with God is a positive thing. Christianity is more about being free than being hindered. I read the Bible and I see a book about how God loves us and has provided us a way to become free of our chains. Others read the Good Book and see a regulation manual. Again, I'm not speaking about you - its those goofballs over at Challies (and not Challies himself).
I agree we should be free to ask whatever questions we have of one another. Thats one of the best ways to keep people on the straight path. This said, Christians are in sore need of being confronted by their own. If someone says something is blasphemy, they had better make a crystal clear case. If someone tells me I shouldn't be doing something I'm going to quiz their intentions. Aggressive debate makes for a better church.
I hope you're not getting offended by this back-and-forth. I like hashing things out and feel passionate about my position. I hope you're this interested when I go after cultural hogs next week.
I think you and I are really closer on this than I've thought. I'm just a little more oriented towards a general disgust that as Christians we overuse freedom for the wrong purposes, as opposed to worrying about legalism. You see the other side being more the problem.
Of course there are the "you will go to hell" screwballs you pointed out, but I'm inclined to point out the freedom lovers who abuse their liberty - take a chill pill, it doesn't matter *gag*
So, when someone applies reasoning like Challies I tend to listen. It may be a good exercise for me to watch Evan Almighty and see if Challies is on target, but the problem is if I do agree with him, and I'm geared that way, I'll become more annoying (is that possible?)
Oh, and the Veggie Tales stuff is just different. It's intended to educate. I'm really hard pressed to believe that's the intent of Evan Almighty.
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