Posted on 04/27/2003 11:19:46 AM PDT by Mr. Silverback
Last fall, I told you about how the television show ER took advantage of a guest appearance by film actor Don Cheadle to propagandize in favor of embryonic stem cell research. That wasn’t the only time that ER viewers have been treated to a liberal sermon on controversial social issues. Both abortion and gay rights have received similar attention.
Pointing this out often brings denials that any such sermonizing is taking place and accusations that cultural conservatives are inferring a worldview that isn’t there.
Well, a recent story about how ER handled the most important religious question of all makes it clear that no one is imagining anything.
Barbara Nicolosi is a former nun who teaches screenwriting at the Act One program in Los Angeles. Act One’s mission is to prepare "writers to be apostles through their lives and work in the heart of the entertainment industry." As a result of her work, Nicolosi knows many of the Christians in the entertainment field.
One actor friend recently told her a story about his appearance on ER, which Nicolosi recounted on her website. Her friend was hired to play the minister officiating at the funeral for a character’s grandmother.
The first script he was given appeared to be copied straight from a prayer book. It included the traditional, Trinitarian ending for a prayer: "through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever."
When he got to the set, however, an edited script omitted the words "and reigns." Thinking it must have been an oversight, he added "and reigns" back into the prayer when he delivered the lines.
That’s when he learned that it wasn’t an oversight. The director showed him a copy of the script in which the words "and reigns" were "circled in red and crossed out" and told him, "We cut those two words out. You won’t be saying them."
Nicolosi calls the change "hugely revelatory" of the entertainment industry’s mindset. As she says, "Christ doesn’t get to reign here. . . . Even if the show is depicting a family where He probably does reign, it doesn’t matter."
Why? "There is just so much animosity toward Christianity, that [people in the industry] would rather look like bad researchers, than . . . allow Christ to reign for two seconds in primetime."
What can Christians do about this animosity? For starters, being aware of it can make us more intelligent consumers of media, more discerning of what we see on the screen. We need to learn to recognize when people are trying to sell us on something besides cars or dish detergent.
And more importantly, we can support the work of groups like Act One and Christian writers who are working to leaven the lump that is Hollywood. Television is a writer-driven medium. That means that even a handful of Christians who "are willing to pay the price that excellence, artistry, [and] professionalism . . . demand" can make a difference in what we see on the screen—maybe even the difference between propaganda and allowing Christ to reign on the primetime screen, as He indeed does in real life.
I stopped watching ER when sex became the major topic, was that first or second season? Now it's FNC, documentries and old syndications.
Acts 4
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Boycott ER?
How's that?
How's that?
I can take that one. The limitation on campaign advertising the 60 days preceeding an election. They don't need paid advertising when they have plenty of it for free already. Basically all shows on NBC and ABC and 50% (at least) of the ones on CBS.
lol, I thought that's what was implied, that all network programming is essentially Democratic agitprop...I just thought there might be some more...um, "realistic" answer to my question. I'm just wondering how American Idol, Survivor, CSI, etc. play into Democratic realpolitik.
Again, take a look at the top ten, top twenty shows and tell me with a deadpan look that "pro-Democratic themes" will be run through those shows previous to election time and will actually influence a voter to think, "You know, that storyline about the economy really motivates me to vote Democratic this election." Because the economy is all the Democrats have to run a serious campaign with right now.
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