stories, characters, or expression?

If I see something that is offensive, it is usually because of this thought: Garbage In, Garbage Out

The more junk you subject yourself to, the more it becomes commonplace and okay. It was just 70 years ago that all movies were considered worldly and not for Christians to go to. Look at how far we have come.

 

Characters are fiction unless otherwise specified. They can neither escape destruction nor experience hell. Doesn't matter if the character represents good or evil, it is just that a representation.

If we object to a films content, say because it glorifies violence or contains pornography, even if those things are in context, we do not condemn those who choose to make or view such things to hell. We are human, only God can condemn someone to hell. Us humans can only hold opinions. And none of us deserve salvation. Doesn't matter who we are or what kind of life we have lived. We are given the gift of salvation by the grace of God alone.

If a character is based on reality, then we can still only have our opinion as to whether or not that person is saved and/or should go to hell. Remember God sees the heart and there may be issues that we know nothing about. Yes, some nonfictional characters deserve the consequences their decisions have caused, but their salvation is still based on God's grace and their acceptance of God's grace. If they don't accept, THEN, they will recieve hell. Just like the rest of us.

Not sure who you mean by hardest to reach. Hollywood? They are blinded by their own greed and lust for attention. There are those even in Hollywood though who know salvation. Remember, we are to "occupy until He comes", not run off to some easier place to work/exist because we don't want to face daily opposition to the teachings of the Lord.

Story content may cause us to dissaprove of a film, but it won't cause the viewers or makers to go to hell. They may be headed in that direction, but here again, it is their non acceptance of Jesus Christ that keeps them on the road to doom.

We can take offense to just about any part of a film. My kids loved the movie Twister when it came out. We had to have long talks about the language usage of the film(every other word was a curse word). In my opinion the entire movie would have been better if the writer had had a better vocabulary! Viewing it did not put my kids on the road to hell. They were already headed in that direction. Btw, two of mine have been deflected from the road to hell and are now following the straight and narrow path. The third is growing in her understanding, but is still very young.

Porn is a totally different catagory. In this case, there will be earthly consequences to both the makers and the viewers. Btw, there is no "story" in a porn flick, the content is just an excuse for the sex. Porn is adultry or fornication, period. People have no business making or viewing such because of God's warnings about sexual purity. You cannot be sexually pure if you are messing around with pornography.

Does making/watching porn make you less worthy of salvation or more worthy of hell? Nope, nada, not happening. Salvation is by the grace of God alone. It is that simple! Addiction to the stuff may indicate that you are headed in the direction of hell, but it is not a sure indicator that a person is unsaved.

 

To my mind yes. I was once told that you can't have a story without both good and bad.

Consider Christ's parables. They all contained both a sin element and that which would overcome the sin. The problem is the sin, not the character.

 

Okay, whoever moved this thread picked the exact time I was responding to do it! Bad, bad moderators! My post is off in, in, in, well wherever lost posts go. (can a post be saved?)

Okay, let me see if I can remember what I said.

I haven't seen Sin City (if there's trouble in the title, it's probably not my kind of movie).
But if it's about the old west then it didn't tell the whole story. Folks don't act that way anymore.

And occasionally, you don't want to end a story, but rather let the audience fill in the blanks. Even adults like to use their imaginations occasionally.

Now, having wrong (sin) presented as right or as right for the time being, should make you uncomfortable. We Christians have instructions about such stuff and we should feel uncomfortable with the idea that bad is good.

I personally can't watch most Lifetime movies and horror stuff like Halloween. I just can't stand knowing that these folks are putting themselves into a postion where something bad is going to come. Can't they hear the music??????

Lifetime and it's "Jack divorced Jill and now their 14 year old is cutting" is just as bad. Get your act together parents!!! I just can't stand to watch it. Other folks might be different. Just because I have never been divorced (because of stubbornness and personal conviction) doesn't mean that someone else hasn't and these issues aren't relevant to their lives. (and even then I can always wish folks would get their act together and get right!)

What I choose to watch, read or write, must alway reflect my own convictions based on my own walk with the Lord. And those characters above? They are only fiction and don't have an act to get together. (but I'm still not going to watch)