Movies and the Thought Police

Lots of movies coming out these days.  Many of them on Christian themes – God is Not Dead, Son of God, Heaven Is for Real.  There is also, Noah, a retelling of the Biblical story of the flood.

I don’t go see many movies, so this is no review of any particular film.  Most films I have seen have been rather disappointing of late.  So, if you want to drop $10 or more to go watch a mediocre story, be my guest.  Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised by a rare gem of a film every now and then.

My comments are aimed more squarely at the self-appointed guardians at the gate, or ticket booths, of America.  We have many voices, unfortunately of so-called Christian leaders, telling their flocks what they should or should not see, to save them from having to think for themselves, I suppose.  Particularly, there have been pious public outcries against Noah, many of them from people who have not seen the movie themselves.  Again, I haven’t seen it, but because of the hateful nature of these critiques I am tempted as, ironically, I suspect their congregations are tempted, to go see for myself.  Well, very good.  That’s what should happen.  Let’s all go see for ourselves and draw our own conclusions, then come back and talk with our friends, pastors, Sunday School classes; weighing the good against the bad, the edifying versus the outrageous, and then, maybe, we will have learned something worthwhile.

Surely people of faith won’t be threatened by a Hollywood movie, eh?  And if they are, what kind of faith do they have in the first place?  We may be zealous for the faith without trying to control what other people see, or think.  If people are getting the gospel they can discern for themselves what’s worthwhile and what’s not. 

I don’t understand what people see in horror films.  Don’t we have enough horror going on in the world?  I don’t understand why people allow their children to watch so much of what’s on TV, or to play the gory video games that seem so popular.  But crying out, “Don’t watch this!” just makes people want to watch it all the more.  I think you have to stick to the basics of what is good and true and beautiful, and allow people to make their own decisions.  It’s a risk, but that’s part of the cost of freedom.  And freedom is not only a value of democracy, it is also a basic gospel value as well (Galatians 5:1).

I think I will go see Noah, but I’ll wait for it to come to our local second-run theater where it’ll only cost me $3.  I can wait.  Besides, I’m not that crazy about Russell Crowe.