Posted on 01/24/2006 7:51:17 AM PST by No Fool
I got spammed this morning by Jason Janz with some heroic epic about his own personal crusade to save the Christian world from the terrible threat of The End of the Spear - a movie on the redemption of the native tribe who killed the five missionaries including Jim Elliott and Nate Saint.
The movie had gotten a lot of good Christian press and seemed poised to do well at the box office.
Now Janz is demanding a boycott by us and an apology from the film's producers because of the terrible sin they committed of hiring a homosexual actor to play the part of Nate Saint.
I was rushing out the door this morning but sent this hasty email to the heretofore-unknown-to-me Mr. Jantz:
Jason -
Please consider that the best place for a gay activist to spend time would be surrounded by Christians. Who knows what long-term impact that may have on him, what seeds were being planted, what God will do with it?
I am all for building bridges. It's hard to make a monster of a group of people when there is open communication.
And among those Christians were probably at least a couple adulterers, porn addicts, and so on.
Jesus hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors. I think he would want us to not be afraid of associating with sinners. I think he would like it.
Just a few thoughts as I am dashing out to the Blogs4Life conference and the Right to Life March.
Barbara Curtis www.mommylife.net author of Reaching the Left from the Right (out 8/1/06 - my 7th book, but first one on politics)
When I got home there was no email from Mr. Jantz waiting for me. I checked out his website and found that he has made quite a name for himself with his crusade. Then checked around the blogosphere to find tons of Christians who'd jumped on his bandwagon - with hundreds of words, words, and more words.
This is so sad. I disagree with most everything I read, except my friend Molly's analysis. And not wanting to add to the avalanche of words already, I'll just leave it at what I said to Mr. Jantz, plus a few thoughts:
I can picture God saying to those who cast a homosexual in a Christian film: "Well done, my good and faithful servants." I think he would be very pleased. Honestly. I really, truly do.
I don't think he is pleased at the ranting and raving and gnashing of teeth of the sinners he has so graciously saved who find it so incredibly difficult to relate in a meaningful way with anyone not meeting up to their standards. I agree with those who've asked if we should boycott all products and stores owned by sinners. Should we quit our jobs if our bosses are sinners? We live in a fallen world. Get over it. Be kind and be grateful if you ever have an opportunity like the producers of End of the Spear had to live the Golden Rule and be a true witness to the God they are obviously serving, in the face of all this unwarranted condemnation by those who love to call themselves "Brothers and Sisters in Christ."
I'm sorry, but as someone who wasn't saved until the age of 38 - precisely because of the ridiculous mess Christians have made of Christianity, I do get a little riled up when I see this kind of stuff.
As to whether the content was overtly Christian "enough" for all the very talented and creative bloggers sitting back in judgment, I would beg to point out that the book of Esther never mentions God.
And finally, my memory verse this week:
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! James 2:12-13.
I have read them. I just find your position disturbing.
Does the actor do a good job, or not?
Would you really rather see a less effective performance from a more "pure" actor?
Wow..you must be all hollywood all the time...I've never even heard of this guy and certainly didn't recognize him while watching the movie. He's certainly not a well known "star". I don't believe anyone outside some christian factions were even discussing the actors or their personal lives. The film tells a story, it seems purposely void of celebrity.
I actually agree about that because we want to present our Lord and His works in the best possible light. They clearly could have found a better role model for the role.
Having said that, I was merely agreeing with the other poster's comment that, although we Christians need to walk in the light and be the salt of the Earth, we need to reach out to non-Christians in a way that does not compromise our beliefs. I also agreed with the poster that some Christians are legalistic on certain issues that are not indicative of whether a person is or isn't a Christian.
True enough.
We hear all the time that there aren't enough "Christian" films being made. Now one has been, and the whinging starts. Nothing about the actual quality of the film, of course, but that the people who made it aren't sufficiently "pure". Sheesh....
I read one of your essays, and you seem much too concerned with how the MSM will perceive the film and christians viewing it. I'm surprised you care. Do you actually do this much research into everyone you hire and pay, and every single company you hand your dollars to? You certainly took the time to do research into the background of the actors. I take it you watch NO television at all, and completely turn off the MSM....yet you implicitly know how the MSM will deal with all of this and more importantly....how the rest of us will react to the news.
They knowingly gave a "dysangelistic" platform to a homosexual activist who is vehemently opposed to the very truths the depicted missionaries gave their life for.
You think that's wise? By no lexicon in my possession.
Dan
I just wanted to put that out on the board, in clear language, where it can be seen by all.
I don't like hiding essential elements of a conversation behind links.
Not sure I follow you; certainly don't follow calling openly linked, openly blogged essays "hiding"... but if you're happy, hey!
(c8
*************
You're right, and it's too often misunderstood.
If you refuse to restate your position on this thread, requiring others to bump your web traffic, then yes. Hiding.
But whatever makes you happy....
Antonius wrote:
"Jesus hung out with *repentant* prostitutes and tax collectors. I hate it when screed-writers make the Jesus of the Gospels sound more like Jesus Christ, metrosexual. What part of "Now go and sin no more" don't they understand?
"Jesus was quite *intolerant* when it came to sin."
screed-writers and metrosexual - nice emotion-packed touches, but your reasoning is flawed.
Ummm, I don't see the word repentant in the verses. And how would they become repentant unless Jesus first built a relationship with them? Actually, the people Jesus was most intolerant of were the legalists who enjoyed judging people.
And for the guy a while back that referred to me as PoMo - I like that! 57 years old, BA in Philosophy, Mother of 12, Author of 8 books - but still open-minded and humble enough to come across as PoMo!!! You made my day!
And as to the criticism of my writing being based on feelings, take another look. I just see it as reader-friendly prose, stripped of all the pomposity and tiresome rhetoric I found in the anti-Spear pundits. Hey, Jesus spoke plainly and simply. And scripture reminds us that our faith should be humble and childlike - God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
I wake up every morning thanking God I am not a lawyer or a theologian! This ridiculous furor is a good example why.
This is the only comment I will make here, as I have my blog www.mommylife.net to tend to and a book due Feb 1 and a daughter getting her tonsils out tomorrow.
I wonder if he has spent as much time praying for Chad as he has campaigning against this movie that depicts so powerfully depicts Gods love, forgiveness, reconciliation.
>>he ate with tax collectors (ANATHEMA I tell you!!!!), he embraced prostitutes (oh my gosh!!!!)...<<
To minister to them, not to affirm their lifestyle.
To convict them of their sin, tell them to "go and sin no more", not to shake their hand and say, "I'm ok - you're ok - just as long as you feel good about yourself!"
I don't know; I would assume he has prayed for Allen. I've certainly prayed for Allen's repentance and conversion to Christ. Though, as I discuss, the foolish move of ETE seems to have muddled Gospel issues for him rather than the reverse.
Are you saying that they did not know in advance that he was a homosexual activist?
Well, here's my thinking. Did you read my blog? I didn't know the guy, but the web site itself said he'd produced Corpus Christi. I'm not even in "the biz," but I put 2 + 2 together pretty quickly. Do you think that the producers, casting folks, and all don't know how to use IMDB? The guy was "out" and loud and had appeard on Larry King to argue with John MacArthur about homosexual marriage. Janz documents all that. This was before the casting, wasn't it?
So even leaving aside what you might think of Jason's skills as a journalist -- if you're trying to suggest that these movie business professionals just had no way of knowing that Allen was a homosexual activist... I just can't see it.
Dan
Please see my #25. I can't speak for the other poster(s), but I agree wholeheartedly that we cannot affirm their lifestyle as it reflects poorly on God's work.
I merely was agreeing that we cannot hide ourselves either and that there are some who would judge like the Pharisees did for merely drinking wine or "being with the undesirables".
Althought we are not of this world, we do live in this world, and as such must reach out to evangelize in a way that does not compromise God's standard.
Thank you for clarifying.
>>and as such must reach out to evangelize in a way that does not compromise God's standard.<<
Amen.
There's a fine line however, between that and evangelizing for fear of offending the lost. Far too many preachers and evangelists water down God's truth and refuse to convict sin because they're afraid of alienating people. You see this a lot - but most noticably in some of the larger "Mega-Churches", and mainline liberal denomications, which can't see to find that division line between worldly things and Godly things.
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