Posted on 03/02/2014 4:35:12 PM PST by franky8
Roma Downey and Mark Burnett’s ‘Son of God’ Film Posted by pjmiller on February 20, 2014 in Current Events, Discernment
Just wanted to pass this along.
Over the past few months I’ve been reading a lot about the Roma Downey/Mark Burnett film, Son of God, which is due out in theaters in about a week. It’s really being played-up on a number of Christian websites as a “break-through epic film” for Christians and their families, and even an “evangelistic-tool”.
The Christian Post, for instance, has posted a number of stories concerning this film over the last 6 months, including an “Exclusive: Roma Downey Presents ‘Son of God’ Trailer to CP Readers“. Before you run out to your nearest theater to see it, I wanted to pass this article along for your reading. What do you call someone who is a student of new age psychology and spiritualism? Do you call them new agers? Do you call them seekers? Would you dare call them Christian? Well, if you’re Roma Downey, then yes, you would call yourself all the above.
Recently I was coming across one of the Christian channels and stumbled upon The Jim Bakker Show. On the program, Jim and his wife Lori, were hosting their special guests Roma Downey and Mark Burnett as well as musical guest Jason Crabb. It was such a weird mixture of evangelical mish-mash that I was lured in to watching the program myself to find out exactly what was going to happen. I was not disappointed.
As I sat and listened to Jim introduce his two guests (Downey and Burnett), I recalled their previous work on the History Channel’s The Bible and how they managed to literally re-write the Bible itself, and presented another gospel message altogether. I was captured by their (Downey and Burnett) aggressive but subtle attempt to portray themselves as “believers”. The sappy spiritual love fest that permeated on set showed me that something was indeed changing within Christianity, and that something was another Jesus being introduced to the masses.
It needs to be understood by all who read this article that some facts need to be addressed, and once they are laid out for all to see, then a genuine decision can be made as to why these two individuals are making inroads into mainline Christianity and what their true motives are.
Roma Downey, a devout Roman Catholic, along with her husband, were heavily influenced in new age spirituality. Downey graduated from the University of Santa Monica, a private graduate school founded by New Age spiritual and self-help guru John-Roger, and will graduate with a master’s degree in spiritual psychology in June. Roma went even further into her new age Catholic spirituality by teaming up with acclaimed psychic John Edwards and co-produced a CD for children to be used for meditation and enlightenment, while Edwards introduced the teachings of contacting the dead (necromancy). In the book, Loyalty to Your Soul: The Heart of Spiritual Psychology, by H. Ronald Hulnick, Ph.D., Mary R. Hulnick, Neale Donald Walsch. The New Age Roma Downey provides this glowing endorsement (viewable online) near the beginning of the book as follows:
“As a USM [University of Santa Monica] graduate, I know firsthand the value I received from participating with Ron and Mary in the Master’s degree Program in Spiritual Psychology. I am so grateful to have Loyalty to Your Soul to sweetly remind me of all I have learned. Let’s just say that I went from playing an angel on TV to living more of an angelic life every day. The teachings in this beautiful book have sent me on a journey to the very center of my own being where, wrapped in the safe wings of Love, I feel as though I have come home.”
Even further in regards to Ms. Downey’s position regarding spiritualism and her Catholic religion, Roma advocates the eastern mysticism teachings of Eckhart Tolle, another spiritual giant in the field of new age teachings, not to mention the connections Tolle has with Oprah Winfrey. But it’s fascinating to see such a connection that someone has to the world of the occult and then try to present a so called gospel message. Yet that’s exactly what Roma Downey and her husband are indeed doing, presenting another gospel, another Jesus. Roma has consistently stated in past and current interviews that she is on a spiritual journey, not that she’s been “born again”, but that she regularly seeks a greater understanding of the world and the universe thru different means, namely spiritualism through higher intellectualism called spiritual psychology, where the mind connects to the energies surrounding the individual to gain a higher understanding of themselves and the world they live in. This is occultism 101.
Personally, I don’t watch, or attend theaters to see films or documentaries concerning the bible. (Though admittedly I did watch The Passion of the Christ.) Believe it may have ben 10 or more years ago when I tuned into one of the frequent “bible-based” programs shown on the History channel which was airing some ‘special’ about Jesus (or the disciples–can’t recall) at Easter time, and after watching less then half an hour, realized how totally unbiblical it was and turned it off. That’s been my one and only experience so can’t comment on Downey and Burnett’s History Channel miniseries, The Bible, which aired last year with much acclaim.
What I do know is this: Satan is attempting in any-way possible to pervert the Gospel message…to “mis-portray” our Lord’s character, and to pervert the truth found in God’s Word. You may believe because you know the Word and are solidly planted in the truth that seeing something which is at the very least, questionable’ is ok–after all, you may think, “it can’t affect me.”
Wrong. Yes it can. It’s amazing how just by hearing (or watching) something a small seed will be sowed: and it will. What’s that old saying about, ‘once you’ve seen something it’s forever implanted in your conscience?” It’s true. This is how doubt is planted.
Anyway, I’m sure not here to tell you to see or not see a film. But I do encourage you to please, read the remainder of this article before running to the theater next week to see what is being promoted as a “true depiction” of The Son of God.
Please See: BEWARE OF ROMA DOWNEY AND MARK BURNETT’S OTHER “JESUS”
she regularly seeks a greater understanding of the world and the universe thru different means, namely spiritualism through higher intellectualism called spiritual psychology, where the mind connects to the energies surrounding the individual
energies dont do nuttin.. but demons sure do!
what a shameful pair of opportunists
Furthermore, the gospels were written years after the event of Jesus's life and crusifiction. And, there are 3 years' of living that are only parley accounted for in those books.
History Channel seems to be for insane people and charlatans in a way similar to Coast to Coast radio.
I agree. It was the best and most happy depiction of Jesus I have ever seen. And I do believe he was a very joyful man!
I saw the movie on February 28 in a theatre packed with young people who saw 30 minutes of lewd trashy coming attractions. Satan must have been pleased. A real outcome of the movie.
My post on the 28th:
“After having to watch 30 minutes of trash in previews of coming attractions (those contained more damaging images than any so called violence in this movie), I saw “Son of God” on Friday and it was definitely lacking in reaching the masses with the salvation message (the real reason for Christ coming to earth). I agree that the depiction of the Lazarus scene was weak at best. Scriptures were left unfinished that would have given the viewing audience how to be saved. As much as most Christians wanted this to be THE MOVIE THAT WOULD CATCH THE WORLD BY STORM OF JESUS DYING TO SAVE US FROM OURSELVES (OUR SINS) this movie falls short. There have been other low budget films that have done far better. This is a Hollywood and unfortunately Christian networks’ hype.
No unsaved person except those under conviction can walk away from the film with how to be saved from eternal damnation. It just isn’t there. I hope if anyone took a friend, afterwards there was much discussion and filling in the blanks of the obvious missing dialogue of the movie.”
Later post:
To leave out Jesus and His victory over temptation by satan after 40 days of hunger and leave out the real reason for the Cross was irresponsible or perhaps was it politically expedient? . . .The Movie Son of God rather than THE Son of God . .. leaves the impression there is more than one way to God in Heaven rather than by the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I read the article and it seems to be just another conspiracy thread. I will be going to see the film this week and make my own judgement.
“I agree. It was the best and most happy depiction of Jesus I have ever seen. And I do believe he was a very joyful man!
I agree. Jesus brought joy. He drew people to Himself and brought new life to others. However, JESUS was born to die for our sins.
We should never take His sacrifice for granted.
ISAIAH 53:1-6
53 Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
“Furthermore, the gospels were written years after the event of Jesus’s life and crusifiction. And, there are 3 years’ of living that are only parley accounted for in those books.”
The Bible was written by the Word. Jesus is the Word. Holy Spirit gave the words to the writers of the Gospels.
John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
of course, and how the movie takes anything for granted, just is not seen by me. Those passages are very true, I know...but his life was a lot of happiness with people too, and I love how the movie depicted that. There is nothing that brought more joy to God and Jesus than beginning people to love Him, through Jesus. The movie showed that quite well, I believe.
“There is nothing that brought more joy to God and Jesus than beginning people to love Him, through Jesus. The movie showed that quite well, I believe.”
The movie depicted Jeus as Love, but did it show Christ as the only way to salvation?
sure it did
>> “ And, there are 3 years’ of living that are only parley accounted for in those books.” <<
.
The 3 years are myth. Yeshua’s ministry was exactly 70 weeks long, from his mikva by John the Baptist, to Pentecost as recorded in Acts.
No movie can possibly convey the Gospel message accurately. God meant it to be read from His book and filtered through His Spirit by His children......else He would have made a movie. God communicates with us through His Word and His Spirit in ways that cannot be duplicated in a movie. However, movies like this can be a funnel to lead people to Jesus, as long as they read the book and obediently follow afterward.
I very likely will not see it, as I am not a consumer of Hollywood’s products. From what I’ve read, I wouldn’t call it preaching “another Jesus” as much as presenting a watered-down Jesus that may help bring people to Him - sort of like the “buddy-Jesus” we teach to children. I don’t sense satan’s hand behind this, despite the sketchy background of Ms. Downey and her husband - it sounds to me like a spiritually immature attempt to portray the real Jesus, and as such has its place as a gateway to the truly real Jesus.
How exactly did it show the Salvation Message?
I just didn’t see it. Especially when the actor of Jesus quoted John 14:6 and stopped short of the ONLY WAY one can be saved.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The second half of the scripture just wasn’t there. “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The scripture was quoted twice that way in the movie. Why?
I think this is one of the most important Scriptures of the Bible that lays out the Plan of Salvation plain and simple. Without salvation one is doomed for hell.
She sounds like a new age flake. Maybe she’ll open up a store.
I haven’t seen this movie and I don’t plan to, but I would like to read some detailed reviews of it by Bible-believing Christians. From learning about the beliefs of Downey and her husband, though, the film is surely false teaching at its foundation, and that it is accepted in Hollywood is evidence of that. Certainly people can be reached with the Gospel through false teachers, but it is also a duty of Christians to take every opportunity to expose their false teaching and teach the truth for the sake of those being reached.
Well, while y’all are picking nits, I’ll relay my experience. My wife and I (who’ve both been HEARTILY disappointed by our respective faiths , she abused by her pastor, I abandoned by mine when homeless, literally door closed in my face when asking for help) and my two sons saw the movie. We noted the absences but still walked away uplifted and thinking the movie was excellent. Sorry that many of you can’t see the forest for the trees.
Sure it’s not perfect. What from hwd is ever perfect?
Some want all of life, particularly entertainment, to be one sermon after another. Some even insist it should be exclusively a sermon of their own little denomination. Paul said, “Beware when ye think ye stand lest ye fall.” “Son of God” remains a means of starting conversations with unbelievers. Is it good for unbelievers to watch alone? Of course not, nor is anything else out of hwd. But to be beside a believer, or afterward explaining the real story, very good indeed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.