I have no problem whatsoever with fun, or fun movies. I have not seen Evan Almighty, by the way it's spelled Eben, but I have seen Bruce Almighty and I had no theological or existential breakdown because of the movie. I realized that it was a movie. Just a movie. The same applies to any other movie that takes a Biblical theme and dramatizes it for fun. We have been doing the same thing in our VBS for years, and many times the more accurate version is hard to distinguish. What does concern me though is that few people are reading their Bibles and more often are relying upon secondary mediums to form their view of God. I don't know what God or Noah look like, they may look like Steven Carrel and Morgan Freeman, but I do know that there were not a ton of people in the boat with Noah, as the previews indicate. However, it is safe and culturally acceptable to imagine a God who would never wipe everyone out. Why do I say this? I believe that far too often our view of God comes from something we wish was true, rather than looking at the truth. This has infested my mind and I have found myself defending the god I created based on what I hoped was true, rather than living for the True and Living God. Though we are to make the gospel appeal to the culture we now live in, rather than continuing like we live 50 years ago, the gospel should not change as the means should change.
The most fulfilling and substantive spirituality is one that is built upon a true and healthy view of God. Though we will never understand Him he reveals parts of Himself to us as we need it, and at times when we want it. Crave the pure spiritual milk...
What do you think? Do you think that movies and other forms of entertainment can lead to an unhealthy view of God or are they just movies.
The above may seem like an odd topic but it has been rolling around in my head for a while.
6 comments:
I think that movies (and other forms of mass media) can influence the way people conceive of God. It depends on the person, though, and the strength and maturity of their faith and understanding of Scripture. I usually approach such movies as entertainment . . . and the preacher in me is interested in the portrayal.
I give Evan Almighty a big vote in the affirmative, however. It was a great movie. A great retelling of the Noah story. The theology is not complete, but the movie is far from offensive. It presents a great message.
Blessings,
Jeff Foster
EBEN!!!! QUE FUE!? I can't believe I just found your blog. It has been like a million years since I've talked to you... so glad I found you. Remember when I hated you... and hated that you moved to DF... then we were friends...? Good times...
did lisa really write that? or was it rolo? either way. . . they are very dorky. . i mean, way cool. anyway. . to me? movies are just movies BUT. . i did see this movie and i actually got a little teary, maybe because i needed something, ANYTHING to remind me of God in my life for a minute.
Eben, I think any medium (Movies, TV, even preachers) if they are not tempered by the Word can give us messed up theology.
Evan/Eben Almighty was a good movie focused on the importance of family with nothing offensive in my opinion.
Have a super day,
Matt James
Lisa,
Good to hear from you and yes I remember that very well, you just had to come to your senses.
Timbra and Matt,
I need to see the movie.
Eben
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