Theater thing is getting on my nerves

[Mankin]

Some Adventist still think we should not go to the movie theater. That is very unreasonable. Back in Ellen White's day, theaters was were prostitutes hung out so that is why she spoke against it. What matters is what movies you see not where you see them. Let's say you don't watch a movie like say Pirates of the Carribean at the theater, but you wait until it comes out to rent. All a theater is is a big T.V. True you can't fastford a movie at a theater but still.

 

[Adventist Dissident]

its not a matter of location it is a matter of the story being told. choose wisely

 

[woobadooba]

Some Adventist still think we should not go to the movie theater. That is very unreasonable. Back in Ellen White's day, theaters was were prostitutes hung out so that is why she spoke against it. What matters is what movies you see not where you see them. Let's say you don't watch a movie like say Pirates of the Carribean at the theater, but you wait until it comes out to rent. All a theater is is a big T.V. True you can't fastford a movie at a theater but still.

I hear what you're saying. The problem however, is that these theaters promote movies that are totally inappropriate for anyone to watch. By going to the theater we are in essence funding their cause to do such things, even though we aren't watching these kinds of movies.

Have you ever looked at it in this way?

 

[Mankin]

The World promotes a lot of bad things, yet we still live in it and we can't seclude ourselves totally from the world. True we should not follow the example of the world. A theater is impartial, it promotes both bad and good movies.

 

[Mankin]

If that is true we should not get DVDs., because DVDs can be made to contain bad movies.

 

[OntheDL]

Theater is a good way to vicariously participate the sex and violence and to receive the subliminal messages.

 

[Mankin]

It depends on what movie you watch. You seem to disagree with all movies OntheDL. What subliminal messages do you speak of. Give me an example.

 

[woobadooba]

The World promotes a lot of bad things, yet we still live in it and we can't seclude ourselves totally from the world. True we should not follow the example of the world. A theater is impartial, it promotes both bad and good movies.

It then becomes a question of necessity. In other words, one could submit that since grocery stores sell things such as cigarettes and alcohol, to shop in them would be to fund their cause in promoting these things.

However, it is necessary to eat. Therefore, it is necessary to shop at these stores. Nevertheless, it isn't necessary to go to the theater, except to satisfy ones hunger for entertainment. So the two scenarios are a world apart; and as it becomes a question of necessity it becomes obvious which one is necessary and which one isn't.

Hence we have to live in the world, but we don't have to submit to its ways.

 

[Adventist Dissident]

Theater is a good way to vicariously participate the sex and violence and to receive the subliminal messages.

so is the bible. ever notice how much violence and sex are in the bible. wow a lot there

violence
1. slaughter of childern
2. revenge
3. murder
4. beheadings
5. spearing
6. skull puncturing.


Sex.
1. beastiuality
2. incest
3. Adultery
4. fornication.
5. poligamy
6. rape.
7. sensuality

lot of family stuff there.

 

[Adventist Dissident]

It depends on what movie you watch. You seem to disagree with all movies OntheDL. What subliminal messages do you speak of. Give me an example.

kind of an extreme view

 

[capnator]

Nearly everything that comes out of hollywood is not good!

Most glorify sin and worldiness.

The few that don't, waste your time and promote the idea of how to succeed at life without God.

 

[Endium]

so is the bible. ever notice how much violence and sex are in the bible. wow a lot there

Sex.
1. beastiuality

Is that really in the Bible? Never knew..

When it comes to theatres, even though the atmosphere now is different from EG White's time, you still have to admit that it isn't the best atmosphere to be in.

Most movies and even popular tv shows available now shouldn't be watched. Let's be honest, we sometimes have a hard time calling certain movies bad because we like them, and they don't seem all that bad to us. We need to learn to use the Bible to judge whether a movie is good or evil, and not how we personally feel or think about it.

I have a friend who even thinks Disney's movies aren't good. Most Christians, not to mention regular people would think he is fanatically with that view, but he actually has some very good (biblically based) reasons.

Ultimately, however, I think you should judge the content of the movie over whether it is in a theatre or not. Biblically, is the movie something we should watch? And even then, with all the work God has us to do, is watching the movie really worth the 2+ hours?

 

[Adventist Dissident]

Is that really in the Bible? Never knew..

yes, there is a command against it. they were to be put to death

 

[Dathen]

The problem is, you can't be exactly sure what's going to be in a movie.... For example, you think Finding Nemo is innocent, you watch it and it is...Then you see shrek, thinking a good movie, yet some Adventists I know say that has 'rude jokes' which it need to to attract adults as well as kids. The kids don't get it but the adults do.

Anyway, choose the movies by content, if you're worried about it, don't see it.. simple.....Ask someone who has seen it if it's appropriate.......

 

[Ptilinopus]

Another way to consider the matter:

Christ told us in Matthew 12:30 that he who is not "with Me" is "against Me", and he who does not gather with Me, scatters abroad. Here He stated a principle - there is no neutral ground. Those who are not Christ's, are at least under the influence of the evil one. If they are not working with Christ to gather people to Him, then they are working to scatter - to move people away from Him. It doesn't even have to be intentional on the individual level - and often it is.

Apply this to the many aspects of our society and culture.

Who produces, directs, writes, acts in, and markets or whatever, the vast majority of movies, books, magazines, etc that flood our world today? Are they Christ's? Under His control? If not, then whose agenda is being promoted?

Who writes, performs, publicizes, promotes etc the majority of today's music? Whose agenda is being promoted? And what effect does it have on people? Does it draw to Christ? or away from Him?

And so one might go on. Should these questions not, at the very least, cause us to be suspicious of these media? And the extent we will allow ourselves to be exposed to them?

I am not concerned about theatres - they are buildings. When I was a kid, theatres were, but definitely, bad! (Unless they were being used for an evangelistic series!! - confusing to me as a kid - 1960s vintage.) This type of rule is not very helpful.

But the principles of God's Word are essential. In the last 40-odd years, many old rules have, thankfully, disappeared. Some persist. Sadly, in the process, they have not been largely replaced by a study of, and understanding of, Biblical principles, which would empower us, young and old, to make good biblical decisions about our choices and behaviors. Instead, there is a lot of "anything goes" attitude. And because of this, there is still a lot of argument about "rules". I don't see and hear much about principles...

 

[JonMiller]

While I do think that TV and movies can be a source of bad influences (I don't watch TV, because it is boring and I would rather spend my time on other things), if you remove all bad influences from your life you end up in a cabin somewhere in the Yukon. Or more honestly, dead, as you can't leave everything in this life.

This is definitely not Christ's intention. Yes, we need to watch what enters into our heads, and not venture into things that will trip us up. But to stay away from everything is not productive nor what is being asked from us.

BTW, staying away from the theater while watching TV/DvDs/etc is an example of the idiotic hypocrisy found in the SDA church. It is blindly following the doctrines of man, instead of thinking about the doctrines of God (as found in the Bible).

It is definitely true that lots of disturbing stuff is found in the Bible.. that is because it is part of life on this earth. Similarly there is a lot of disturbing stuff in RL. As such, literature/art/movies should and do reflect this. Care should just be taken.

(And if you say that only religious stuff is worthwhile, then get away from your cars, your phones, etc, becaues those are all secular things, invented for secular reasons)

JM
(personally went to the (movie) theater the first time when I was a senior in highschool and had been to one less than 10 times when I was 17)
(I still don't go often, not all that pleasent and too expensive)

 

[Jon0388g]

Nevertheless, it isn't necessary to go to the theater, except to satisfy ones hunger for entertainment. So the two scenarios are a world apart; and as it becomes a question of necessity it becomes obvious which one is necessary and which one isn't.

Hence we have to live in the world, but we don't have to submit to its ways.

Is "entertainment" Biblical?

I think EGW spoke on the difference between entertainment and recreation.

If Christ were to burst the clouds, would you want to be found at the cinema being entertained?

These are questions one needs to consider.



Jon

 

[JonMiller]

Is entertainment not biblical?

There is a difference between spending your time looking for what you should be doing instead of spending your time looking for what you shouldn't be doing.

Christ spoke against people who seek to set up extra burdens for others. These were the pharisees.

JM

 

[woobadooba]

Is "entertainment" Biblical?

I think EGW spoke on the difference between entertainment and recreation.

If Christ were to burst the clouds, would you want to be found at the cinema being entertained?

These are questions one needs to consider.



Jon

It should be noted that I am not saying entertainment in itself is bad. Entertainment is amoral. It could be used to do good or bad; but it is not intrinsically evil.

Having said that, I am arguing from the point of necessity, because the argument that the world is bad was used to support the idea that it is good to go to the theater.

Let's take the example of the grocery store. Eating is a necessity, while entertainment isn't. Therefore, even if a grocery store promotes the sale of items that are not good, we still have to eat. Hence we have to go to the grocery store to get our food. The theater on the other hand is different, since we don't have to watch movies. Therefore, it isn't necessary to go to the theater.

So as to address the question of necessity, which is the point that I brought out in my previous post, it can't be argued with validity that because the world is bad, it is good to go where we want to go as long as we shut our eyes to the immoral things that are closely associated with such places.

To reason in this way is to be irrational. People that use such arguments are merely thinking with their passions, and thus allowing their hunger for entertainment to take precedence over doing what is reasonable. For, even if a grocery store supports and promotes things that are not good for us, such as the sale of cigarettes, alcohol and uncouth magazines, we still need to eat. Nevertheless, if we do go to the theater, it should be understood that we are funding a cause that strongly supports and promotes immoral ideas, while knowing that it is totally unnecessary for us to go to such places, except for to satisfy our hunger for entertainment.

 

[OntheDL]

It depends on what movie you watch. You seem to disagree with all movies OntheDL. What subliminal messages do you speak of. Give me an example.

Human brain can only distinguish image frames of 0.2 second interval. Anything faster bypasses the frontlobe and goes into the subsconscious mind.

Many movies have been found with subliminal messages.

Take Lion King for example, a harmless innorcent movies, the producer admitted having subliminal messages. And theme song of the movies is an african witchcraft song.

We are what we behold. It's your brain if you want to put all kinds of junk in it.