Today I might step on some toes. I'm not meaning to be mean, rude, or cause problems... I just have some questions and thoughts that just may require some people to think. If you want to comment, go ahead!
I've been thinking about movies. More specifically, Hollywood movies.
We enjoy them. From "Iron Man" to "Toy Story", or "The Ten Commandments" to "The Passion". They're intriguing, captivating, and entertaining.
Now here's my thought (stick with me). In this day of age, why do many balk at going to the movie theater?
Many agree and claim that, as Christians, we don't want to support "sinful" Hollywood, therefore we should not go to theaters. But yet, in truth, we do want to support them. We want them to produce good, clean, family films. We want to be entertained with films! The question is, if we don't go see the family films they do make, how is that going encourage them to make more? They're going to make what brings them money.
Another reason Christians don't go to theaters is the excuse of damaging their "testimony". Now, here's a thought, wouldn't it actually help your testimony by coming out of a theater that is showing a good movie? Think about this, you have a more open testimony going to theaters than you do when you go to a movie rental store! At a rental store or kiosk, no one knows what you've rented.
I have heard that when you go to a theater, you're supporting more than that movie. I agree that there might be some truth to that. However, under that same reasoning, does that keep one from going to Walmart? They sell alcohol you know, plus all those movies that you're saying you won't go to the theater to see. Hey... and what about gas stations? Tell me, which convenience store does not sell magazines, lottery tickets, beer, and cigarettes... yet you purchase gas there?
You see why this all confuses me? Why say one thing, and not follow through all around? If you seriously don't want Hollywood to make movies, stop watching them! (that means turning off your tv too)
Hollywood listens to one thing... their wallets. If you enjoy movies, support the ones that are good, wholesome, and what you want Hollywood to produce! If not, please don't complain that they just make trash. They will only make what brings them money.
One more question, who do some balk at going to the theaters to see a movie, but will rent or buy it when it comes available on DVD?
By the way, when "Courageous" comes out, I will be at the theater to see it.
~Matt
2 comments:
I watch at home because
(a) there hasn't yet been a compelling enough film in theaters to make me want to set aside an evening just for that, and
(b) for those less compelling films that I might watch anyhow, I almost never have an evening to spare, and I'm far more likely to purchase it, keep it on the shelf for a few weeks or months, and randomly stumble across an open evening and decide to watch it.
That said, I was impressed enough by the multi-award-winning independent Christian film The Widow's Might that if it's successor, Ace Wonder, hits theaters in my area . . . yeah, I'll go watch it.
One thing to think about is that of control. When at the movie theater, one has less control over the content than one does at home.
Based on Christian views, there are principles about keeping the mind clean and pure from worldly wickedness. So, a Christian ought not to watch or listen to media that has such. With that thought in mind, in theory, a Christian wouldn't go watch a movie with "filth". But even with the "clean" movies, there sometimes are "surprises".
Watching movies at home gives the user the ability to mute, fast forward, jump, etc. past questionable/bad content or even to stop watching the movie altogether.
At the theater, there is no control. Either you watch it or you don't... of course you could close your eyes and plug your ears.
A response would be, "You could walk out of the movie theater if there was anything bad". And to that it could be said that it is much easier to stop a DVD at home than it is to walk out of a movie theater; it hurts more emotionally.
Another use of controlling content is through hardware such as TV Guardian or Clearplay. These devices either mute automatically or even skip content without the audience even knowing a questionable/bad part exists.
These are just some thoughts as to why one (particularly Christians) would watch at home rather than the theater.
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