I Don’t Want To Boycott ‘The Chosen,’ But The Cast And Crew Are Forcing Me To Walk Away

The Federalist ^ | 06/06/2023 | Cheryl Magness

[SeekAndFind]

According to several ‘Chosen’ actors, tolerance is apparently a one-way street.

I have never been one to jump on the boycott bandwagon. Sure, if I have a choice between a seller that shares my values and one that doesn’t, I will choose to do business with the former. And if I turn on a program or walk into a store that assaults me from every side with the demand that I embrace something I can’t, I will turn around and leave.

However, until recent backlash efforts like those against Bud Light and Target, I haven’t seen boycotts accomplish much. And I find it impossible, as a consumer, to keep all my choices “pure.” The world is too complex.

So when a report surfaced last week of a “pride” flag on the set of “The Chosen,” followed by a call for a boycott, I shrugged (setting aside my sadness that rainbows now more immediately stand for LGBT “pride” than God’s promise to Noah). It’s a movie set, for Pete’s sake. I would be surprised if there were not someone working on the set who is celebrating pride month. As long as the show itself isn’t explicitly pushing the agenda, I don’t care what individuals on the set do.

I was also satisfied with the initial response from “The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins:

We’ve made it clear from the beginning we don’t have a religious or political litmus test for who can work on our show. I love our cast and crew, especially because even though they all come from different backgrounds and beliefs, they work their butts off for the show and the viewers. The show’s official stance on anything is to be found in the content of the show.

That was good enough for me. It doesn’t impede my viewing that someone on the set was displaying a pride flag any more than it has impeded my enjoyment of any number of presentations over the years that the people who worked on them probably engaged in all manner of behaviors I would not condone. I can appreciate an artistic creation without expecting every individual behind it to share my belief in the Bible as the actual Word of God.

But while the show says it doesn’t have a litmus test for those it hires, several “Chosen” actors made clear, as the week went on, that it does have one for viewers:

Another one of the actors on
The Chosen here. Anyone who is going to go at one of our family members for something like this, is no fan of ours.
They can close the door on the way out
“Love one another as I have loved you”
We stand with our brother 🏳️‍🌈❤️— Giavani Cairo (@GCairo06) May 31, 2023

My brother @GCairo06 isn’t the only one who stands by the LGBTQ members of our Chosen family 💪🏳️‍🌈❤️ get outta here with your hate, homophobia and ignorance. Not very Jesus-like of you, Jonny. https://t.co/R2X1bsZ4V2— Jordan Ross (@TheJordanRoss) May 31, 2023

Tolerance is apparently a one-way street.

In a nearly 20-minute video released Sunday, Jenkins responded to the week’s events, saying that nothing has changed with the show and that it has always followed a hands-off policy regarding its contracted workers’ personal lives.

“Our cast and crew … sometimes wear T-shirts and hats that go across the entire spectrum, from a pride flag or a MAGA hat or a ‘Jesus saves’ shirt,” he said. “No one on our set minds.”

Regarding the actors’ comments, Jenkins said, “They said some things I wouldn’t have said.” But he stopped short of condemning the actors’ words or calling for them to apologize. He also said that the actors weren’t responding to all viewers who expressed concerns, only those who were being mean.

For the record, here is a sample tweet from Jon Root, whom Jordan Ross accused of “hate, homophobia and ignorance”:

To every actor & member of @TheChosenTV production team that is supporting Pride🏳️‍🌈,

I, and every other Christian loves you dearly. We want you to find the hope, value, purpose & deliverance from sin that only comes through Jesus Christ.

I, and every other Christian don’t hate…— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) June 1, 2023

Who’s actually being hateful here?

I have some sympathy for Jenkins. A self-identified libertarian and conservative evangelical, he seems like a faithful Christian and a genuinely nice guy. I wouldn’t want to be in his position right now.

But since he is in this position, it’s time for him to rise to it. “The Chosen” has so far been crowd-funded by tens of thousands of fans, who have given millions of dollars to a cause they believed in. Jenkins owes those people more than looking the other way when a few of his actors spit in their faces. He owes them the courage to say that calling sin “sin” is not hate. It’s love, and it’s exactly what Jesus did throughout His earthly ministry and what He still does today in His Word.

As with pretty much everything I watch these days, I came to “The Chosen” late. However, once I started watching, I found much to appreciate. I have recommended the show to others. I have defended it against some of the concerns expressed by my fellow Christians.

But right now, I’m not sure if I can go back. If I don’t, it won’t be because I have decided to join a boycott. It will be because watching simply makes me too sad.   

---

Cheryl Magness is managing editor of Reporter, the official web magazine of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. She writes regularly on issues of faith, family and culture. The opinions expressed here are her own.

[RoosterRedux]

If fact, he was WASN"T tolerant of sin at all.

[sauropod]

Certainly isn’t.

[cyclotic]

So people are so pure that they will boycott an excellent product because they don’t want to see a rainbow flag?

I truly can’t stand the poofter flags and nonsense, but would you rather Jenkins halt production and use donor money to defend himself in a lawsuit because he made some homo remove the flag from his own equipment?

Or, would you rather see that cameraman, a sinner like the rest of us experience what many non-Christians never get to do. Be with a huge group of Christians day in and day out for months on end, learning and speaking of the ministry of Jesus and the disciples.

We should be yearning for such opportunities.

[Socon-Econ]

don’t blame you. If you want alternatives, you can always watch “The Passion Of The Christ”, “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, “Ben-Hur”, “King Of Kings”, “The Bible” and the spin off movie “Son Of God” and “Jesus Of Nazareth”.
**********
Some people with questionable morals were surely involved in those earlier movies, but they didn’t advertise their sins with stickers on their equipment. That being said, the series is still going to lead people to the Lord.

[Tudorfly]

Jesus did not tolerate sin. Jesus offered the grace of forgiveness to those who sin, but told the sinner to significantly change his or her ways, to stop the sinful behavior.

In John 8:1-12 Jesus is confronted by the scribes and Pharisees with a woman caught in the act of adultery. The Law of Moses required the people to stone her to death. When asked his view as to what should be done with her, Jesus replied, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

When the crowd heard Him, “they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him. Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on sin no more.’”

Jesus then said to the scribes and Pharisees, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Those who condone or practice sin, including homosexuality or lesbianism, do not walk in light, but in darkness. Jenkins should uphold and uplift the Word of God and not condone or accept the sinful behavior, speech or lifestyle of the Pride community. Jesus does not. Jenkins should not. Jenkins should emulate Jesus.

[Antoninus]

Not surprised. The guy playing Jesus has done gigs with James Martin, the notorious "priest" who does nothing but talk about alphabet people.

Walk away from the Chosen now. They're just trying to build an audience to drop rainbow bombs on you later.

[RoosterRedux]

Amen!

[Scrambler Bob]

And Gospel Road, by Johnny Cash

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070125/

[painter]

You Hit a HOME RUN with that post!!

[GingisK]

Suppose, just for a minute, that nobody was worshiping those movies any more than you worship the Bible itself. Media is media.

[cyclotic]

Thanks

[Faith Presses On]

In our time, some “worldly Christian” things might operate as “fishing bait” towards some unbelievers while simultaneously being milk for some in the church while also simultaneously undermining the faith of others because of the materials’ compromises on truth. And as the faith of others matures, it’s often necessary to move away from and accurately expose what might have been “bait” or milk to a person when their faith was less developed. And overall, all the worldliness is undermining the church here. When Christ looks at how believers have “invested” what He’s entrusted to them, what will that show?

[Cincinnatus.45-70]

Pretty much the perfect response.

To tolerate sin without mentioning it to the sinner is bad enough. But in this case the actions we see appear to come across as almost defense of the sin.

As Jesus said to the apostles when He sent them out to do works in His name, if any city will not hear you, shake their dust off your feet as you leave. He did not say to remember them fondly though they will not hear my message.

[SaveFerris]

I wasn’t watching it at all. Hadn’t heard of it until several months ago.

Now, I won’t watch it at all. Glad I missed it.

[SaveFerris]

[Read the Bible instead.]

An excellent suggestion.

[SaveFerris]

I’m not surprised. Thanks for noting.

[SaveFerris]

I agree with you.

[gitmo]

Bookmark 🔖