The Ugliness Next Door, Part Two

I want to go in a slightly different direction with this conversation. I’ve covered briefly the issues involved in watching ugliness. But what about Christians actually making ugliness? This is by all accounts a tricky issue, and I don’t pretend to have quick answers or to let on that I even know what I think. I do wish, however, to engage and think this through.

Much has been made in recent years of Christians in Hollywood. Cover stories in World and Relevant magazine have brought the matter to the minds of a readership that probably has not devoted much thought to it in the past. Christians have generally divided into three camps—one ignoring and decrying Hollywood, the second embracing it without thought, the third a mixture of the two. The first thinks, generally, that it is bad for Christians to be involved in Hollywood. The second pays little mind because they love Hollywood regardless of whether faith is represented in it. The third is encouraged by the presence of Christians in a pagan scene because it wants the gospel to go to all. There is more, though. What exactly do those Christians do in Hollywood? The contemporary movie scene is almost without exception covered in filth. Aren’t Christians supposed to stay clean of it? How on earth do they do so? Do they do so?

For the purpose of space, I’m going to skip ahead and address these questions. I’m pretty comfortable saying that Christians should not swear or engage in behaviors in movies they would not do in real life. I can’t think of an exception to this, though there could be one out there. At this point, though, I’m quite sure that Christians ought NOT to actually be cursing, having sex, and doing such things. I’ll continue this tomorrow.