The Bible is our authoritative source. But as my friend Pastor Mark once said, it tells you everything you need to know, but not everything that you might want to know.
A bit of controversy seems to be clustering around The Chosen, the latest filmed treatment of the Gospel. Patty and I have watched all the episodes so far and are waiting for the next season to be ready. We really like it; but some don’t. (See Laura’s comment on yesterday’s post, “Are They Gunning for ‘The Chosen’?”)
We’ve seen any number of Bible movies in our time. Not one of them ever attempted to depict the Transfiguration. Rumor is that it’ll be left out of The Chosen because the producer et al think it’s “not important.” I consider that a ridiculous position to take; but let’s just wait and see what they actually do.
Rumors, rumors! Mormon money flowing in. Half the cast cheering for “Pride.” Theological inaccuracies inserted on purpose. I can’t help wondering if it’s the Loving Left trying to smear The Chosen and alienating its Christian audience.
Anyhow, “Bible movies”–you can’t make one without leaving some things out and putting in other things that aren’t in the Bible. You have an hour and a half to fill. You have enormous expenses to justify. Your audience will have certain expectations which you will have to meet. And so on. Making a movie is not a religious exercise: although the end product might rekindle someone’s faith or get him started toward the light, if it’s the Holy Spirit’s pleasure to do so.
We have to be careful of how we use our imaginations when dealing with holy things; but we really can’t help using them, can we? The Bible tells us Jesus walked on water. Can you help trying to imagine that?
Another thing about a movie, a painting, a novel, or a sculpture–nothing created by any human hands will ever please everybody.
Boy! You sure like to ask the easy questions, don’t you?
The Bible is safe ground. Every step we take away from the Bible brings a degree of risk. If I were to write a book about the Bible, I might try to make it accurate, but it would still reflect my beliefs and opinions, so it would not be completely safe from human influence. That’s just the way it is.
I haven’t seen The Chosen, but I would like to. Are all of the actors Christians? Even if they all represent themselves to be Christians, there is a very real, possibility that they may have values significantly different from mine. While I live by the moral standards of the Bible, I leave the judging to Christ, so choices made by others are between them and Christ.
That having been said, there are obvious limits. A friend of mine once dated a woman who was a Praise Leader, etc. but as he got to know her, he found out that she lived a quite immoral life, so he moved on.
Getting back to The Chosen, nothing would surprise me, these days. I guess all one can do is be watchful and make certain that what is presented is biblically accurate.
They do offer a disclaimer reminding their audience that the real authority, which they should always consult, is the Bible.
Good thoughts. Some Bible movies are horrendous. Ever seen Russel Crowe as Noah? It is interesting how Disney acquired the finished movie “Sound of Freedom” in 2018 when it merged with 21st Fox (biggest merger in history) yet would not release it. Finally, Angel Studios got the rights back to it and as of this week the movie has made $83 million – serves you right, Leftist Disney.
I think it was in the Russell Crowe movie that Lot was presented as a pirate–although whom he would’ve robbed at the end of the world escapes me.
That Noah movie was terrible. It was more based upon 1 Enoch, than on the Bible. I have nothing against the book of Enoch, but I certainly don’t consider it on par with scripture. The movie was stupid; I watched it and wished that I hadn’t wasted my time on it.
What I read about it first deterred me from watching it. So I don’t know whether they had Lot stumping around on a peg leg and flying the Jolly Roger.
It was unbelievably stupid. It was like watching a cheap sci-fi flick.