Posted on 02/02/2006 7:52:20 AM PST by 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
"...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. "
I'm happy that the president of a Seminary thinks that terrorism via firebombing is "probably..an overreaction".
The actor should be excluded if he was "out" and and maintained that homosexuality is not a sin. Similarly, if a straight actor had a web site in which he described pre-marital sex as though it is not also sinful, he should be excluded.
We are all sinners, but there is a differences between accepting and rejecting the Bible.
I'm a sinner in my mind on occasion - I break some commandments in my mind all the time. I don't act on it. Do you think God can't distinguish between a passing thought and an action?
Must stop all sinners from acting.. New rule, no glutons...
Sorry for your offense.
I made my comments simply because the article stated that the Southern Baptist Convention and its news service are waging a campaign against the movie.
Correct! If the movie is being made by Christians with the idea of projecting the christian lifestyle, then those working on the film should have a lifestyle that backs of the whole premise of christianity.
huh?
See Matthew 5:27-30. Jesus had some tough words about how our thoughts could destroy us. God surely distinguishes the passing thought that Satan loves to tempt us with, but there ought to be a complete arrest of that thought and not give it life in any way. Recognize the attack against the mind, the battlefield is in the mind first. If the enemy can get your mind, he's got your body too.
I don't disagree. So we agree that God is smart enough to distingush between the two?
My thoughts also. Sheesh!
Yes huh? That is exactly what I thought about your baseless accusation.
The kids of this world are not relying upon the "Southern Baptist" to out this guy, he wears his 'sexuality' as his identity.
I think what he was saying is that a person can struggle with desires for un-God-ly affection for another person of the same gender. The Scriptures clearly differentiate between temptation and sin. YES, I do agree wholeheartedly that a person can most certainly sin with his thoughts and desires. However, my advice is to be careful that you don't become the hypocritical judge who fails to see the plank in his own eye. Examine yourself first--look to see where you fall short and are in need of God's grace, too.
Your point about commandments in the mind is so key.
Being heterosexual is just part of who I am. I don't THINK about it, nor do I ACT on it in every waking minute, an impossibility. I believe this is true of homosexuals, too.
ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. But, all can be redeemed.
Dan
Absolutely, God is big enough. However, He did not leave us without a way to escape temptation. That is why the idea that one can be a homosexual only in the mind is lying to themselves. The Bible says that the heart is deceitfully wicked and who can know it? See Jeremiah 17:9.
Speaking of Jesus... Didn't he hire Judas, an unrepentant man?
Can you claim to know if such thoughts are at their root voluntary or involuntary?
The examination of our heart should begin and end with God's own word on the subject. I cannot trust myself enough to know except I find that guidance in the word of God. I have friends caught in this web of living and I pray for them every day with love and compassion. Truth out of balance is error.
I agree. I also tend to dislike analyses that made God look bad. Of course God can distinguish between my own internal passing coveting of a married woman I may encounter (that's just a normal, natural reaction). I don't linger on it, nor do I lust over it. Nor do I act on it.
The idea that God can't tell the difference makes God look dumb. God isn't dumb. As you say, we are all with sin (that is, 'missing the mark').
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