Evangelical Filmmakers Criticized for Hiring Gay Actor

NY Times ^ | 2/2/06

[Mr. Brightside]

Evangelical Filmmakers Criticized for Hiring Gay Actor

By NEELA BANERJEE

Published: February 2, 2006

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 — Christian ministers were enthusiastic at the early private screenings of "End of the Spear," made by Every Tribe Entertainment, an evangelical film company. But days before the film's premiere, a controversy erupted over the casting of a gay actor that has all but eclipsed the movie and revealed fault lines among evangelicals.

/snip

Many evangelicals are concerned that young people inspired by the movie will look up Mr. Allen on the Web and "get exposed to his views on homosexuality, and that would cause some of them to question Biblical views of homosexuality and every other sin," said Will Hall, executive director of BPNews.net, the news service of the Southern Baptist Convention, which has published articles critical of Every Tribe's decisions.

/snip

One Web log, nossobrii.blogspot .com, written by Kevin T. Bauder, president of Central Baptist Seminary in Minneapolis, stated in a Jan. 13 entry: "Granted, we must not overreact. And it would probably be an overreaction to firebomb these men's houses. But what they have done is no mistake. It is a calculated strategy."

/snip

"Has Focus on the Family made a strong statement against homosexuality? Absolutely," he said. "But what is the message of the product? And do we at Focus feel compelled to check on the sexual history of everyone in a movie? Did they have a D.U.I.? Did they pay their taxes?"

Mr. Hanon echoed: "If we start measuring the sin of everyone in a movie, we would never be able to make a picture because none of us would be left."

[Deb]

Look, Fluffy, if this guy had used the job to advocate homosexuality or spotlight it in any way...I'd be for putting him on the end of a spear. But trashing the movie and its message is self-defeating and ignorant. If they had fired him after learning about him, he could have taken them to court and wiped out their little company. Not much victory there.

Your name is garbage and your message is repellent. You speak for no one, much less God.

[Search4Truth]

"Your name is garbage and your message is repellent. You speak for no one, much less God."

Knocked you off your pedestal did I? Long way down was it?

You are right, I don't speak for God. The Bible does that. All I have done is quote His Word. Sounds like you have issues with God and His word. Perhaps you should take them up with Him. Instead of Fluffy, a.k.a Search4Truth.

Chad Allen founded a company called Mythgarden, which has the objective of creating television programs that show the homosexual lifestyle in “a positive light.” Allen has called for the legalization of homosexual marriages and is at the forefront of pushing the homosexual agenda across America. Allen has starred in the blasphemous play Corpus Christi, in which the Christ-figure is homosexual and has a sexual relationship with the disciples.

Chad Allen graciously offered to walk away from the contract because of his respect for the Saint family, Steve Saint refused.

Chad Allen will certainly have a lot more money now to promote his homosexual agenda.

[No Fool]

Considering your LENGTHY posting on this issue, I can think of one kernel of truth that you might appreciate, it fits you at least...

"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinion."
Proverbs 18:2

[I'm ALL Right!]

It must be awful to be hateful and angry towards your fellow man...even towards your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Christ came because of Love, we have salvation because of His Grace. Love and Grace seem to be in short supply in your theology.

With the following scripture in mind, I hope you never, ever miss the mark:

Matthew 7:1-2
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

[Search4Truth]

"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinion" Proverbs 18:2.

By intentionally mispresenting my posts as simply my opinions - the posts being mostly quotes from the Bible and verifiable facts in the public domain - you have commited the sin of bearing false witness - an offense to God's 2nd Commandment. That makes you a slanderer and a liar.

"But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be liable to the judgment. And whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the sanhedrin; but whoever shall say, Fool! shall be liable to be thrown into the fire of hell" (Matthew 5:22).

[I'm ALL Right!]

Deb,
Hey! I found my bible! ;) You are right about the Bible discussing God using any vessel. Here are a few:

God used a Donkey (Num ch.22:21-31) (Balaam)
God used a Rooster (Matthew 26:75)
God used a Fish (Jonah 1:17, 2:10)
God used a plant (Jonah 4:6)
God used a worm (Jonah 4:7) God used a Harlot named Rahab…
God forgave and used David.
God used Thomas, who doubted the Lord’s Resurrection.
God used Judas who betrayed the Lord.
Of course, this doesn't count all the times God commanded the wind or the waves or the rain to obey him.

[Search4Truth]

Still pontificating the gospel of I'm ALL Right!?

If we take a verse or a part of a verse out of context, we can make the Word of God appear to teach the very opposite of what it really does teach. Which is what you are repeatedly trying to do.

The Bible says:

"Judge not, that you may not be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with whatever measure you measure out, it shall be measured to you again. And why do you look on the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull the splinter out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First cast the beam out of your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast the splinter out of your brother's eye (Matthew 7:1-5).

Notice that it is addressed to a hypocrite, not to those who sincerely want to discern whether a teacher or teaching is true or false to God's Word. And instead of being a prohibition against honest judgment, it is a solemn warning against hypocritical judgment. In fact, the last statement of this Scripture commands sincere judgment "then you shall see clearly to cast the splinter out of your brother's eye."

[I'm ALL Right!]

I am sorry for you. You are completely missing the overarching message of Christ. I pray you will come to understand Christ's love and grace in a real way. Even the wicked can recite Bible verses. Real Love for others is something only Christ can give you. Goodnight.

[Politicalmom]

Ah, but Chad Allen claims to be saved and attends some homosexual dominated church. That negates a good portion of your argument.

[napscoordinator]

One way to fix this. Stop making Evangelical films. Gosh, was that hard to figure out. Hollywood knows that Evangelicals don't go to films very often and haven't watched the Oscars in years so what is the fuss. They made a great movie for us to watch and we told them to FO. I hope they get the message and make another Wedding Crashers which many more Evangelicals went to than End of the Spear. LOL. We are a laughing stock to Hollywood sometimes.

[No Fool]

"By intentionally misrepresenting my posts as simply my opinions - the posts being MOSTLY quotes from the bible and verifiable fact in the public domain"..,

Ohhhhhhh, now who is promoting the Gospel of oneself (as you have accused others)? Hmmm.. "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. - Matthew 7:5

I would write more but...

"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him."- Proverbs 26:4

[No Fool]

With the money I save I can feed, clothe and educate numerous dying children in third world countries. The work of Christians.

Wow, Search4Truth = Self-Righteous. You seem to enjoy attacking everyone. Can I point out that with the money you use for internet access and hosting your IFB site, and the time you obviously spend on FR, YOU could sponsor another child each month and could volunteer more at your church. Then we wouldn't have to listen to you "spear" people with your NKJV bible.

So are you David Cloud? Did you know less than 1% of churches in America are Independent Fundamental Baptist and that attendance is SHRINKING! Last Split was 2004 with the "Young Fundamentalist Movement" is that right? Doesn't God bring growth to branches that bear good fruit? (Typical IFB Church anywhere USA. looks so attractive eh?)

Other freepers may find it interesting since Independent Fundamental Baptists stick to KJV only, it's particularly relevant in this thread on a "gay actor" that King James was homosexual and believed in the divine right of Kings which means he only answered to God. You must feel this way?

I truly don't understand why you're berating an outstanding story of 5 missionaries who actually got outside of their 4 walls because they wanted to reach out to "sinners" who couldn't read, hear, or understand the Word of God. They were compelled, to use a line from the movie because "they're not ready for heaven and we are".

Your "preaching" has become "a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal." I agree with I'm ALL Right!. No one wants the Jesus you have. Your personality is repulsive.

[Mr. Brightside]

It's sad (and scary) that some people want sinners to go to hell more than God does.

[Chanticleer]

Really? I hadn't heard that, but it doesn't really change the argument. I could say I was a Democrat, but my actions would prove otherwise.

For the sake of discussion, let's assume Chad Allen is a Christian. If a brother is in sin, you go first to the brother. If you want to write Chad Allen personally about his homosexual activity and appeal to the scriptures, that would be appropriate. If you he doesn't listen, you go with others. After that, the church leadership gets involved. The problem in this case is that he apparently is a member of an apostate church that doesn't recognize or submit to the authority of those scriptures. Most evangelical churches don't have fellowship with such churches, so breaking fellowship is not an issue. However, whatever action needs to be taken should be taken within the church and between individual Christians.

I won't judge Steve Saint's choice to make contact with Chad Allen. If I had a choice of facing a tribe of vicious, spear-chucking natives or a Metropolitan Community Church... well, let's just say I'd feel rather unsafe in both places! I believe that his hope and the hope of the Christians involved in this production is that they will be a light to those who walk in darkness. It sounds to me that Chad Allen is every bit as lost as Mincaye was. Steve Saint will be accountable to Christ, not to me, for this decision.

Every Tribe Entertainment is not a church. It is a business which has a mission to bring quality productions of truth-filled, life-changing stories to the screen. I believe they accomplished this with End of the Spear. I want to support their endeavors and the message which this film shares.

[Chanticleer]

Remember Jonah? Why do you think he didn't want to go to Ninevah?

[Chanticleer]

I agree. Now, when do I get my nap?

[Mr. Brightside]

Good point. We had a sermon on that just last week.

[precedence]

Now 5 baptist churches are burned this morning.....

[Mr. Brightside]

The gay actor was really busy last night, huh?

[Search4Truth]

I can find no info about Chad Allen claiming to be a Christian. Or what church he attends. Do you have a source for your info?