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. 

According to My Gospel

There is a phrase that the apostle Paul uses only a few times in his letters in which he refers to “my gospel.”  For instance, take a look in your Bible at Romans 16:25.  I love his use of that possessive pronoun.  In claiming “my gospel,” Paul is making a personal commitment to the good news that he has received in Jesus Christ.

Now surely the gospel that Jesus proclaimed transcends any one person’s individual claim on its message.  The gospel was a good word about a new order of life which Jesus initiated in his preaching, in his wonder-working, in his life, death and resurrection.  So, gospel is a bigger story than how it affects any one person.  And yet, if we do not make a personal claim, or allow the story to claim us, then we have missed the whole point it seems to me.

Jesus invites us in on the establishment of God’s reign “on earth as in heaven,” but if we skip along the edges and never let this godly reign rule in us then we have missed the opportunity for the good news to become our news.  John Wesley was a devout churchman who nevertheless was missing out on the joy that accompanies the good news until one evening during a Bible study on Aldersgate Street - he writes, “I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”  The claim of the gospel finally hit Wesley personally.

Of course, the gospel does not belong to the apostle Paul or to John Wesley, but the use of that possessive pronoun is like the language that lovers use when they say to one another, “You are mine.”  Such language is simply an attempt to express the personal claim that comes in a loving relationship – the same kind of relationship in which the gospel invites us to participate.  Because to belong to the kingdom that God is establishing requires just such a relationship with Jesus Christ who says to us, “You are mine.”  And for us to enjoy the full measure of gospel joy requires our personal response to him, as in the words of the old Fanny Crosby hymn, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!”

When I say, “My Jesus,” that does not negate the possibility that he is also “your Jesus,” while also not being limited by our personal claims on him.  God in Christ is able to be all things to all persons for the sake of their joy and ultimate salvation.  May Jesus Christ be yours.