Monday, January 23, 2006

Falling on Our Own Spears

“If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" (I Cor.14:8)

My thanks to Spunky for pointing me to the controversy surrounding The End of the Spear. Spunky wrote in a comment to my post:

I was all excited about seeing this movie until I heard that Chad Allan is gay
and an outspoken advocate for the gay lifestyle. He is using his noteriety from
this film to promote his gay lifestyle. I am now very conflicted. I want to see
this movie but the idea of watching him play Nate and Steve Saint clouds it for
me greatly. I don't know that I can sit through the movie without wondering what
Nate would be thinking about who played him.

It’s true. Far from giving Christians an opportunity to join together to celebrate the victory of Christ in the Waodani culture, and to make a statement concerning their preference for wholesome entertainment, Every Tribe Entertainment has handed us yet another opportunity to appear contentious and narrow-minded on the one hand or welcoming to the gay agenda on the other. (Of course there is always the clueless option, which was mine last week.)

In casting a gay actor to play Nate Saint and his grown son, Steve, Every Tribe Entertainment not only knew of the actor’s sexual preference, but also knew of his activism. So apparently, ETE wanted this controversy, mistakenly equating the reconciliation between the missionary families and the Waodani killers with a reconciliation between the Christian and the homosexual communities.

This equation cheapens Christ’s victory in the Waodani tribe, because while homosexuals take pride in flauting God’s ways, the Waodani had repented and renounced their destructive ways. So the reconciliation between Steve Saint and Mincayani was a reflection of their true reconciliation to God. But a “reconciliation” between Christians and unrepentant homosexuals would only be an accommodation of sin.

The message is not the messenger. If we insist on only considering art produced by stainless artists, we will have to live in the wilderness. However, from this vantage point, I am very conflicted about recommending this movie. It is a powerful story of the triumph of God’s love over a savage, hopeless people. And it is beautifully, intriguingly executed. But ETE has courted this controversy rather than fleeing unnecessary conflict.

If you need more information to make your own decision, try these links:
Albert Mohler

5 comments:

Kim from Hiraeth said...

Excellent.

Mark K said...

I agree with you because this particular sin is one of the few that God declares as evidence of reprobation.

Romans 1:26
"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections:"

The next passage reveals what a society looks like when homosexuality is openly tolerated and practiced:

Romans 1:28-31 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

It is also harrowing to realize that the strongest statement of civil punishment under the gospel dispensation is to those who practice and approve of sodomy.

Rom 1:32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

But then again, how many actresses have had abortions ?

Difficult judgements to make, escpecially when the film company seems to have done it intentionally.

TheNormalMiddle said...

Hello! I've been blog-hopping about courtesy of choosinghome.com's blog. I had no idea the controversy existed but after much reading on your blog and others, I am enlightened.

Just wanted to say, love your blog! From a fellow homeschooling, bloggin' mama. Keep up the good work!

Mark K said...

It is an issue of Christian liberty and conscience Andrew. In one sense I agree with you, if we boycott everything associated with the prince of darkness we would find ourselves censuring everything, including ourselves. But I also cannot help but wonder if an issue like this, that seems to be the root of many other evils in society, is not more than simply food sacrificed to idols.

Eph 5:11-12 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

Kim Anderson said...

Andrew, mostly I am advocating being informed and purposeful about what we do and see. I think it is a mistake merely to try to scrape our lives bare of everything that isn't God. We'll find nothing left of ourselves or our world. Sin has permeated the Creation.

I think the stronger position is to understand that Light overcomes darkness, that Life overwhelms death, that sin is losing ground every day to the power of Christ's Redemption; and to acknowledge that it is precisely because sin is so ubiquitous and vile that this triumph is marvelous.

The question remains how to live that out in our everyday lives. I had unequivocally recommended this film, thinking that it was an opportunity to send a clear message to the entertainment world, as well as to see an edifying work of art.

Now that I understand that seeing the movie cannot send any clear message, but it might still be edifying to many, I felt obligated to let my readers know. Part of the benefit of seeing or not seeing this film is wrestling with the question 'how shall we then live?' before you make your choice.

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