If there's one thing Hollywood is making clear these days, it's that they sure don't care much about any potential moral sensibilities that you, your children, your faith community, or anyone for that matter may have. The new Marvel movie, Deadpool, is case in point (keep in mind that Disney owns Marvel). With it's extreme violence, horrific language, and blatant nudity, including a lengthy and very revealing sex scene, this movie is even pushing the envelope of a rated R movie. In fact, I'd say, based on the reviews I've read (obviously, I'm not going to see the movie for myself), that this movie will be a part of redefining what we've come to expect of a rated R movie. No longer will rated R stand for "restricted" but instead "raunchy", "rank", "reckless", and "reprobate." Sadly, these very adjectives that define what rated R has come to stand for will likely not make the movies that bear that rating repugnant and repulsive to people but, remorsefully, more attractive.
I pray that this will not be the case for the Christian community. As Hollywood redefines what rated R stands for with movies such as Deadpool, I pray that many of us will decide that paying for and allowing our eyes and ears to take in this raunch, is not worth keeping up to date on movies, staying culturally relevant, wanting to be included, or whatever excuse we may use to consume this type of garbage.
Boycotting movies and the movie industry is nothing new to the Christian community. Some conservative denominations since the 1920's have suggested complete abstinence from anything with Hollywood origins; others simply warning against the unguarded consumption of anything and everything put out on the bigscreen. Although, the former is likely too extreme and can be arguably uncalled for, the latter seems especially pertinent in light of a movie release like Deadpool. The least we can do as Christ followers is to read a review or two (like the one attached) and make a decision that is God glorifying.
Warning to students: If you haven't seen Deadpool yet, please read the attached review and ask yourself, "What will this movie offer me that I will be missing if I do not see it? Is it really worth it?"
https://www.ksl.com/?sid=38443187&nid=1205
If you have seen the move and believe this blog to be too conservative, restrictive, or legalistic a perspective then you are only proving that Hollywood has won. It is having the exact influence over you, your community, and likely your whole culture that it aims to have. If there is conviction that comes with the reading of this blog, I empathize with you. I too, do not like being convicted. But I'm sure glad the Holy Spirit keeps hanging around an old sinner like me and guides me to walk around the cesspool and not swim through it!
I'm very glad this has been brought up, and that you have taken the time to write this. When I heard a Deadpool movie was coming out, I was understandably excited. Later on I saw the R rating and was a little disappointed but by no means surprised. I imagined that though I would not be able to watch it for a few years, it would definitely be something I was going to see at some point in my aduthood.
ReplyDeleteBut now I'm aware of all it has to "offer".
Thank you, Mr. Barrett, for raising awareness.
So, I myself have been waiting to see the Deadpool movie for a long time and I still wish to go and see it now. I know that the movie has been rated R and that many adults have not been to excited about the movie, adults such as my parents. But I have a question: can you really say that we shouldn't watch this movie? Ok, so I get that we shouldn't be watching things with nudity and stuff. But, do we always say no just because our parents and our Christian community says no? Because this is a perfect example, I am a teenager and I am at an age where I am testing the boundaries and I personally think that its a good thing. So, one day we teens are going to be out on our own and we are going to be trying new things and testing ourselves. And in that time, we cant just go to our community or parents for help, we are in a round about way, on our own. Parents were put in our lives to help teach us to make good choices, but when the time comes we will have to make those choices and we cant just keep clinging to our parents for help. But we have to get out there and test our limits to see what things we can handle for when we are on our own, things like what movies we do or don't feel comfortable watching. So this is not a challenge to your article, Mr. Barrett, but simply an extra thought for it from the mind of a teenage girl.
ReplyDelete