Christians and Secular Movies

Preliminaries

Opening Hymn: 598- Watch, Ye Saints

Scripture Reading: Galatians 5:19-21

Prayer

AY Honours

Welcome

PROGRAMME

In 1994, two teenagers assassinated a Milwaukee police officer for the “fun of it.

In 1995, Clay Logan shot his parents multiple times and killed his mother.

In 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris murdered 12 people and themselves at their high schoOL

In 2001, in Santee, CA, a 15 year old boy shoots 2 teenagers and injures 13 others at his high school because he was tired of being taunted for being too skinny.

What is causing today’s youth to act out in such a violent nature?

Movies and television are a major part of the fabric of youth culture. Teenagers communicate with each other through what they know about the latest movies and television shows. New styles, fashions, and pop catch-phrases develop from what teens see on-screen.

Movies are entertaining, but some movies can have a negative effect on their audience. Little children may watch animated movies on their favourite superhero or like Mickey Mouse, who does all sorts of things that are not possible in real life. These movies can lead children into thinking that they too can do all these things.

Other young people may watch action movies, and the violence in these movies also has an effect on their minds. It makes them think more about violence and extremism, and may lead them into committing crimes and other acts that can hurt others.

Although some movies have a negative effect on their audience, others may have a positive effect too. There are many educational movies out there that are informative. These movies are very few in number as compared to other movies that are not as informative. These movies are not liked by the young audience, so many movies are mostly a bad influence on young people.

EXAMPLES OF NEGATIVE MOVIES

Insidious- causing harm in a way that is gradual or not easily noticed The Purge- this is where all illegal things were deemed legal for an entire day The Texas Chain Saw Massacre- the brutal slaughter of many The Evil Dead The Rapture- the belief that Jesus is coming again blah blah blah

As Christians, it’s important to know what God’s principles are for us. The Bible doesn’t talk

about videos, television, or movies. It does give instructions for what we make a part of our lives.

Movies condense issues into 1 ½ to 2-hour segments. The outcome must be finished when the

closing credits roll. Life and relationships don’t operate in 2-hour segments. When was the last

time you faced a crisis and resolved it in a mere span of 120 minutes? As we review the actions

of the characters it is also necessary to ask if we want to pattern our lives after them. The

message should teach how you can contribute to the society around you. And ultimately, it

should make you feel closer to God.

Paul gave us a guideline in Philippians 4:8 (NIV). He wrote, “Whatever is true, whatever is

noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Paul says that we are to think about things that are praiseworthy and true. It’s necessary to ask

what the message of the movie is. There is very little material produced for our entertainment

that does not have a message of some kind. It may be a very loose message, but it is still a message. Every scene is sending a message. The dialogue sends a message. The actions of the

characters and even what they wear and how their lifestyle is portrayed sends a message. Even

what they don’t say, in some cases, sends a message.

So what’s the message of the movie or show you are watching? The characters may not be

Christians because Christians are very rarely portrayed in the media.

Even the “good” movies demand watchfulness. Recently, Disney, a company long known for

its family entertainment, was forced to recall 3.4 million videos of Rescuers Down Under. The

reason for the recall? An explicit sexual image was hidden in the video. It’s important to

remember that you don’t always know what messages your mind is picking up. This is called

subliminal programming. Do you want someone else deciding what goes into your mind?

Panel Discussion

1. Question: What makes a "good" movie/tv show? What elements does your favorite movie have to include? Responses: "Good" movies must have at least two or more components:

Action ("Men In Black"; "Speed") Good comedy, slapstick humor ("Police Academy"; "Set It Off"; "Liar, Liar") Romance-Fairy-tale ending ("Little Mermaid"; "Secret Garden"; "My Best Friend's

Wedding") Guns and violence ("Men In Black"; "The Terminator") Scariness/Thrillers/Horror ("Twister"; "Scream") Aliens ("Independence Day"; "The Alien") Good looking actors or actresses ("Jerry Maguire")

2. Question: What makes a movie/tv show "bad"? Responses: "Bad" movies, as determined and agreed upon unanimously by the group, have the following elements:

No plot-not interesting story (redundant or extremely predictable story line) Boring-no action (it doesn't "move") Bad acting

Stupid jokes

3. Question: How do you feel about the media and teenagers?

4. Question: What movies/tv shows do you think talk about spiritual things? What do you think about them?

5. Question: What do you think about movies which deal with serious issues? What can you learn from them?

"It's important to know what truth is in life." "You learn about the importance of life." "I learn about things that happened in history." "I feel remorseful-I cried, felt sorry…" (discussing "Schindler's List") "I feel connected to things." (comment about "Romeo and Juliet"-modern movie,

original Shakespeare)

6. Question: What do you like about movies? What do you personally "get" out of watching movies?

Entertainment, happy feelings Cool, new jokes Drama Truth

Discussion Questions

1. Some Adventists think it’s OK to watch a movie in a theatre as long as the content is

acceptable. What are the real issues/problems involved in theatre-going? Do you think

there are some reasons why we shouldn’t go to movies even if the content is fine?

For years the Seventh-day Adventist Church has said that the movie theater is off limits. The arguments have ranged from “unsavory” friends to a physically unhealthy environment. Some

even claimed that if a Christian went into a theater, their guardian angel would leave them at the door but remember, God promised that He will never leave you or forsake you (Joshua 1:5, NIV). Your guardian angel won’t stop at the theater door, but he’d probably rather be somewhere else. Wouldn’t you?

Carefully read Psalm 1:1 and Messages to Young People, page 398

(The love of pleasure is one of the most dangerous, because it is one of the most subtle, of the many temptations that assail the children and youth in the cities. Holidays are numerous; games and horse racing draw thousands, and the whirl of excitement and pleasure attracts them away from the sober duties of life. Money that should have been saved for better uses--in many cases the scanty earnings of the poor--is frittered away for amusements.)

2. Some people say that there’s nothing wrong with watching a movie that has just one bad scene

or has only a few curse words in it, as long as it teaches important lessons. What do you

think?

3. What are some guidelines you could use to determine whether or not a movie is OK for

Christians to view? Work with the group to develop a list.

Discuss and vote on what your group feels are their favorite television programs. How do

these shows measure up according to the guidelines you established in response to

question 3?

5. What are some ways in which we are influenced by the shows and movies we watch?

ConclusionFirst Thessalonians 5:19 (NIV) reminds us, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” We need to be aware of the Holy Spirit. He is pleading for change in our lives. Don’t ignore Him. Find something else to fill the hours you have used watching TV. Read a book on your own, or with other family members. Play a game or take a walk. Discover a new hobby. Volunteer somewhere. Life is not just a spectator sport.