Gene Veith posted a question that I often wrestle with mostly because of my taste for books, movies, TV shows, and music that often do not fit under the Christian cultural umbrella.
The controversy got kicked off by semi-positive review of the “Sex and the City” film at Christianity Today. Apparently, that really ticked a lot of people off! I can appreciate that. I am no big fan of “Sex and the City.” I usually refer to it as “Whores and the City” and complain that if the show were realistic in any sense, all four of its stars would be afflicted with some serious STDs by now. But, I have not read the review and have not seen the movie. Vieth links to the reviews and criticisms at issue.
I am more interested in Veith’s larger questions:
When engaging works of culture, is it possible to praise what is good without reveling in what is bad, or must Christians throw out discernment altogether? Furthermore, when another Christian praises what we regard with spiritual or moral dubiety, what should our attitude be?
I would submit for example, HBO’s “Rome” series. It is off-air now, but I was addicted to it while it was on. It was extremely well done and surprisingly highly accurate with certain liberties taken to intertwine the shows fictional characters with the historical ones. It was also quite raunchy and at times pornographic. However, it depicted the Romans as they were. Is this something I should not have watched? One could say the same thing about the Sopranos. Yet, I tuned in, along with my 80-year-old grandparents, for every season even after it started to stink. Was that a problem?
June 18, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Sex and the City seems to have a polarizing effect on both men and women… people either love the movie or they hate it
June 18, 2008 at 10:45 pm
“When engaging works of culture, is it possible to praise what is good without reveling in what is bad, or must Christians throw out discernment altogether?” A bit pejorative towards those who don’t think that one can divide works of culture.
One question that might be salient is “does the work glorify unchristian behavior?” Certainly reportage isn’t in itself wrong, as the Bible tells us about lots of immoral behavior, often not even condemning it (e.g., Moses’ murder of the Egyptian, Abraham’s lies about Sarah, etc.)
June 19, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I like the history channel and some sports stuff.I actuall used to like the Weather Channel until they turned into the Propaganda Channel.
The fictional stuff that is reflective of our culture…you might as well take a mirror over to the commode.
July 2, 2008 at 11:19 pm
“Furthermore, when another Christian praises what we regard with spiritual or moral dubiety, what should our attitude be?”
I am writing in response to the question “what should our attitude be?” I’ve realized that when someone says something that I disagree with, like if someone makes a joke at work that I don’t agree with, I feel like I am obliged to respond a certain way. What I mean by that is, I actually am more concerned about making sure that I disaprove of what they say than giving an honest response to the situation. Instead of asking myself if I love the things they’re talking about too, I immediately think negatively in an incorrect way about what they have said. I miss the fact that I probably would have laughed at their joke if I wasn’t so busy “identifying their sin.” This may not even be that relevant to the post, it just reminded me of how I respond sometimes when someone says or seems to say something that I disagree with.