I went to see End Of The Spear Sunday night. I intend to post a review of the movie, but first I have to get something off of my chest. It is not often that I feel compelled to call fellow Christians on the carpet, but in this case, I must.
The supposed "controversy" - generated by my fellow Christians, no less - regarding actor Chad Allen being a gay rights activist disturbs me to no end. The same people who are beating the anti-Allen drum are at the same time complaining that the actor is getting more publicity than the story itself; I wonder why?
I am absolutely disgusted that anyone would be so hypocritical as to speak ill of a movie telling such a compelling and God-honoring story because one of the lead actors is homosexual. You know, it's a good thing for tax-collector Matthew, prostitute Mary Magdalene, murderer-aldulterer David, and countless others that Jesus took a different view of sinners than we, in our own self-righteousness, do. What was that Jesus said to us, about a speck, and a plank? Sin is sin. ALL men have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. God sees all sin equally, yet God loves all sinners equally. How utterly hypocritical of us Christians to make this an issue. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. If we intend only to see movies starring those without sin, we're going to be waiting a VERY long time...
What a fantastic story - and the story itself exemplifies the gospel. How sad it is that Christians would actively work against this story being told. Who cares if whats-his-name is homosexual, or even a gay-rights activist? He doesn't stand up in the middle of the movie and say, "hey, this is a great story and all, but about that gay marriage thing..." If you can't sit through the movie without being distracted by the sexual preference of the lead actor, then it is your own heart you need to examine before you question the motives of the movie's producers.
Thankfully, I'm not the only one who feels this way...
UPDATE:
Fellow One Year Bible blogger Dwayne's World and Christian Carnival blogger Allthings2all have great posts on the issue, as well.
I posted something similar yesterday at my site. I suspect that my theology may be significantly to the left of yours, but I’m glad to hear another voice of reason on the subject.
Thanks for the comment, Dwayne! Our theology may very well be different (I assume you speak to the matter of homosexuality itself), but – and I’m sure you understood – my point was that the sin in question doesn’t matter.
Whether or not homosexuality is a sin (or, perhaps more appropriately, whether we believe it to be a sin or not), we’re all still sinners – and apart from Christ, we are all equally sinful before God.
Our struggle is NOT against Chad Allen – who is just another flesh-and-blood sinner like the rest of us – nor the “Homosexual agenda”; our struggle is against Satan and his powers and dominion.
Railing against Chad Allen, or his “agenda”, misdirects our purpose, it – at best – in no way advances the cause of Chrst, and it – at worst – actually hinders the advancement of that cause.
Hi cb,
I have some difficulty here. One of the blogger’s you’ve linked to is a blogging friend of mine and although we haven’t discussed this issue, and may not agree, I would not call her hypocritical. Actually I’m not comfortable with that for the others. Some people have expressed their views civilly, and others haven’t. I prefer to look at the issues than the people, you know?
I agree with some of what you’ve said. But what some-one thinks in their heart in a movie is between them and God. Yes, I think the adverse publicity has very much come from the Christian reaction. I’m not aware of any big gay reaction or promotion publicly from the movie – it has been the Christian reaction on the net that has put this so much in the spotlight.
Thanks.
Hi Catez,
Thanks for commenting. Let me clear something up:
The hypocrisy to which I refer is that of railing against the sin of another, or against a particular sin, as if that sin were worse than our own sin, or any sin.
As Christians, we acknowledge that we are ALL sinners, in need of a savior. Not one of us is perfect. The Bible instructs us to deal with brothers who sin *against us*, but not with the sin of others in general. In fact, Jesus tells us to concentrate first and foremost on our own sin, and THEN, once it is removed (is it ever?), we can help our brothers with their sin.
I agree that what someone thinks about a movie – or anything, for that matter – is between them and God. But when that someone expresses that personal matter, and in so doing expresses a view that is contrary to the teaching of Christ, and potentially harmful to the advancement of His kingdom, don’t we as fellow Christians have the responsibility to speak out?
We are to be known by our love.
That love is expressed differently between believers than it is to non-believers. Remember (for example), Jesus called Peter “Satan” when he tried to tell Jesus not to go through with His plans that led to His crucifixion (admonishing love), yet Jesus “ate with” tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners (compassionate love).
Your last statement is really what precipitated my post:
“…it has been the Christian reaction on the net that has put this so much in the spotlight.”