Secular Entertainment

[NYQueens977]

I used to go to a Christian school, so you could best believe that when it was time to watch a movie or listen to music, it wall all christian. Problem is, I am highly critical of christian movies at an objective level. For Example, God's Not Dead was an objectively bad movie, from the message to it's execution, and a lot of other Christian media is no better. And when it comes to Christian/Worship music, I used to listen to it almost everyday when I was in high school and it all sounds the same to me. It lacks creativity and inspiration, and I can hear it. Because of that, I tend to lean more towards secular music and media, which isn't always objectively good, but there are plenty more, well made, secular movies and songs than christian media in my opinion. Do you agree? If not, then can you direct me to some well made Christian movies (other than the Passion) and music?

 

[ForeverinHim]

Christian media is an industry run by pastors, not movie directors. So it’s no surprise to see that many of these movies are, as you call it, “objectively bad”. Personally, I enjoy listening to old hymns on my own time. I don’t remember who wrote it, but there is one hymn called “be still- and know that he is God”. The singer is a lovely singer, which adds to the beautiful message.
As for movies, I would have to go with Narnia and Lord of the Rings. Both were created by Christians, and both have Christian messages despite being fantasy movies, and both of them are classics. They’re both based off of books if you’re interested.

 

[BlessedCreator]

Hollywood is run by Satan and his people. Also in 1 John 2:15-17 we are told
"15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

 

[Brother-Paul]

I used to go to a Christian school, so you could best believe that when it was time to watch a movie or listen to music, it wall all christian. Problem is, I am highly critical of christian movies at an objective level. For Example, God's Not Dead was an objectively bad movie, from the message to it's execution, and a lot of other Christian media is no better. And when it comes to Christian/Worship music, I used to listen to it almost everyday when I was in high school and it all sounds the same to me. It lacks creativity and inspiration, and I can hear it. Because of that, I tend to lean more towards secular music and media, which isn't always objectively good, but there are plenty more, well made, secular movies and songs than christian media in my opinion. Do you agree? If not, then can you direct me to some well made Christian movies (other than the Passion) and music?

Hi

Was the Christian school you went to in USA, NY, run by denominations or are they none denominational?

 

[NYQueens977]

Hi

Was the Christian school you went to in USA, NY, run by denominations or are they none denominational?

My school was non-denominational.

 

[Hekuran]

The work of any artist - Christian or not - should invite you to see the world from a new perspective.

Enjoy secular movies but ask Christian questions of them. What do they have to say about what it means to be human? what is success, love, justice, redemption?

 

[Brother-Paul]

I used to go to a Christian school, so you could best believe that when it was time to watch a movie or listen to music, it wall all christian. Problem is, I am highly critical of christian movies at an objective level. For Example, God's Not Dead was an objectively bad movie, from the message to it's execution, and a lot of other Christian media is no better. And when it comes to Christian/Worship music, I used to listen to it almost everyday when I was in high school and it all sounds the same to me. It lacks creativity and inspiration, and I can hear it. Because of that, I tend to lean more towards secular music and media, which isn't always objectively good, but there are plenty more, well made, secular movies and songs than christian media in my opinion. Do you agree? If not, then can you direct me to some well made Christian movies (other than the Passion) and music?

Greetings sister,

Any person who is born again, has become a New Creation, you no longer belong to this world, you belong to God, purchased by Jesus's Blood on the cross. You have been lifted from this world, but still have to live in it for a period.

Therefore although doing things, watching things, listening to things in this world, you should be able to look on them from God's prospective not a worldly prospective and learn from them according to God's will in your life. The sin within these situations should be visible to you and you should question them, according to God's Word and command, what is right to watch or listen to and what is not, yet not your will but God's.

If you choose to follow the worldly views, you are probably doing the opposite of what God commands. There is always a price to pay, especially if we do not question what we choose to do.

We must always remember, sin is vile in God's eyes, sin veils us from the Truth, the more we are in worldly sin, accept worldly sin, the more we are veiled until we see nothing wrong in it.

God gives us a glass of pure crystal clear water, the world drops a single drop of blood into it, the sin contaminates the whole water. Do you drink it?

Here is an example, just one question you should hopefully ask yourself, and the reply you give today will no doubt be different to the way you think in twelve months time as your faith grows. Do I want this film again, do I listen to that talk again, do I watch that soap again, because a portions was against God's will for all believers, a vile spot of blood, the sin that contaminates the whole thing.

What you do and watch and associate with today, it different to the way you will next year and in the future, why? Because when we are born again, we look at things differently, we look at things from God's point of view not the worlds. God accepts us as we are vile sinners, he moulds us as we grow in faith, we increase our understanding of God's Word over time, we 'Practice Righteousness', that is what our Lord tells us to do, we are to Practice Righteousness.

Today you may not agree with me, that is your choice, providing a person is born again I can guarantee as they grow in faith, their views will change as sin is revealed to them in there true colours.

May the Lord Bless you.

Jesus loves you we do too.

 

[Hekuran]

@NYQueens977 are you still in the market for Christian films?

I love 'Jesus' films. My favourites are not the one that strive to be the most historically accurate, but those that take a different tack and take a certain element of Jesus life and ministry to shine a light on it. I doubt you'd agree with the way all these films present the gospel (I disagree with most of them). But these are all 'objectively interesting' films, and I would hope nudge you to think more deeply about Jesus, or to think about him from a new perspective.

Least controversial first:

The Miracle Maker – Derek Hayes

Stop frame animation. Made for children, but it’s simply and beautifully done. Some of the best British actors alive doing the voices

Il vangelo secondo Matteo (The Gospel According to St Matthew) – Pier Pasolini

Filmed in Sicily (I think) in the mid 60s with amateur actors, Pasolini did away with narration and for dialogue restricted himself to the words of the gospel. Sparse and stunning Italian neorealism, and surprisingly reverential for an atheist, Marxist homosexual filmmaker. Even if you don't know Italian and you don't like subtitles you can get by with just the sounds, pictures and the music.

Son of Man – Mark Dornford-May

I love this. Set in a fictional contemporary African republic and filmed in S Africa’s eastern cape, it plays fast and loose with the setting, characters and plot. But somehow it sheds more light on the horror of the turmoil that surrounded Jesus birth, life and death than more literal representations. It’s light, colourful troubling and deeply, deeply moving. It never passes the opportunity for a song either. Robot Check

Jesus of Montreal – Denys Arcand

This a drama about a dramatisation of Jesus life, set in Montreal.

The Last Temptation of the Christ – Martin Scorsese

This caused a real stink when it first came out. Willem Dafoe is Jesus struggling with his identity, calling and purpose. If you watch it thinking that you’re being served an historical account of Jesus’ life, you might end up with the crowd shouting ‘blasphemy’. But it’s a serious film – a meditation on God’s call and how we respond to it. Also opens up the imagination to the kind of struggles Jesus must have faced.
up the imagination to the kind of struggles Jesus must have faced.

 

[NYQueens977]

@NYQueens977 are you still in the market for Christian films?

I love 'Jesus' films. My favourites are not the one that strive to be the most historically accurate, but those that take a different tack and take a certain element of Jesus life and ministry to shine a light on it. I doubt you'd agree with the way all these films present the gospel (I disagree with most of them). But these are all 'objectively interesting' films, and I would hope nudge you to think more deeply about Jesus, or to think about him from a new perspective.

Least controversial first:

The Miracle Maker – Derek Hayes

Stop frame animation. Made for children, but it’s simply and beautifully done. Some of the best British actors alive doing the voices

Il vangelo secondo Matteo (The Gospel According to St Matthew) – Pier Pasolini

Filmed in Sicily (I think) in the mid 60s with amateur actors, Pasolini did away with narration and for dialogue restricted himself to the words of the gospel. Sparse and stunning Italian neorealism, and surprisingly reverential for an atheist, Marxist homosexual filmmaker. Even if you don't know Italian and you don't like subtitles you can get by with just the sounds, pictures and the music.

Son of Man – Mark Dornford-May

I love this. Set in a fictional contemporary African republic and filmed in S Africa’s eastern cape, it plays fast and loose with the setting, characters and plot. But somehow it sheds more light on the horror of the turmoil that surrounded Jesus birth, life and death than more literal representations. It’s light, colourful troubling and deeply, deeply moving. It never passes the opportunity for a song either. Robot Check

Jesus of Montreal – Denys Arcand

This a drama about a dramatisation of Jesus life, set in Montreal.

The Last Temptation of the Christ – Martin Scorsese

This caused a real stink when it first came out. Willem Dafoe is Jesus struggling with his identity, calling and purpose. If you watch it thinking that you’re being served an historical account of Jesus’ life, you might end up with the crowd shouting ‘blasphemy’. But it’s a serious film – a meditation on God’s call and how we respond to it. Also opens up the imagination to the kind of struggles Jesus must have faced.
up the imagination to the kind of struggles Jesus must have faced.

Thank you so much, I'll be sure to check them out

 

[Hekuran]

Great. If you do get to watch any of them, I'd love to know what you think. I'd be equally cheerful about reactions ranging from delight to perplexity and disgust. They're made to make us think again about the endlessly fascinating character and work of Jesus.

 

[Nicola Jane]

Greetings sister,

Any person who is born again, has become a New Creation, you no longer belong to this world, you belong to God, purchased by Jesus's Blood on the cross. You have been lifted from this world, but still have to live in it for a period.

Therefore although doing things, watching things, listening to things in this world, you should be able to look on them from God's prospective not a worldly prospective and learn from them according to God's will in your life. The sin within these situations should be visible to you and you should question them, according to God's Word and command, what is right to watch or listen to and what is not, yet not your will but God's.

If you choose to follow the worldly views, you are probably doing the opposite of what God commands. There is always a price to pay, especially if we do not question what we choose to do.

We must always remember, sin is vile in God's eyes, sin veils us from the Truth, the more we are in worldly sin, accept worldly sin, the more we are veiled until we see nothing wrong in it.

God gives us a glass of pure crystal clear water, the world drops a single drop of blood into it, the sin contaminates the whole water. Do you drink it?

Here is an example, just one question you should hopefully ask yourself, and the reply you give today will no doubt be different to the way you think in twelve months time as your faith grows. Do I want this film again, do I listen to that talk again, do I watch that soap again, because a portions was against God's will for all believers, a vile spot of blood, the sin that contaminates the whole thing.

What you do and watch and associate with today, it different to the way you will next year and in the future, why? Because when we are born again, we look at things differently, we look at things from God's point of view not the worlds. God accepts us as we are vile sinners, he moulds us as we grow in faith, we increase our understanding of God's Word over time, we 'Practice Righteousness', that is what our Lord tells us to do, we are to Practice Righteousness.

Today you may not agree with me, that is your choice, providing a person is born again I can guarantee as they grow in faith, their views will change as sin is revealed to them in there true colours.

May the Lord Bless you.

Jesus loves you we do too.

Amen so well said x and wisdom to be heard

 

[Brother-Paul]

Amen so well said x and wisdom to be heard

Jesus loves you we do too.