Reforming Hollywood
A recent posting on the One News Now website provided some commentary about Disney’s recent announcement that it has banned smoking from its films. This move was applauded by Bob Waliszewki, who heads up Focus on the Family’s Plugged In department, which examines current entertainment trends. He believes this is a big step in “reforming Hollywood.” He believes this issue is an opportunity to gain ground in what is perceived as a fight against Hollywood.
I used to want to “reform Hollywood” too. You know, it’s all evil. Everything they put out is illegal, immoral, and anti-family, or some combination of the three. And, by the way, everyone who works in Hollywood is evil too.
We need to vote with our ticket purchases.
You know what? That’s just not true. I’ve been privileged to meet quite a few Christians who work in Hollywood. Yes - Christians. They’re not evil. They’re trying to use their gifts to create good entertainment, and to live their lives in such a way as to attract people to Jesus. I think that’s why I no longer want to “reform Hollywood.” If I take that approach, then I’m going to view Hollywood as the “enemy,” and I’m going to see everyone there as a combatant that I need to fight. Don’t I need to love them instead? What would Jesus do here? (I know - that’s an overly-used cliche, but it works here!)
Film studios and production companies, just as they’ve been accused of, ARE in it “for the money.” And so is every other for-profit company on the face of the earth. If they weren’t, they would have folded up a long time ago, and taken a complete industry with them. So let’s stop bringing that into the argument. Let’s use that to our advantage.
If we really want the studios to make films we want to see, let’s vote with our ticket purchases. If you find yourself going to a PG-13 movie that you kind of think might be offensive, and you really wouldn’t want your child to go to - STOP! No one is forcing you to buy that ticket. If you think you might want to see that R-rated movie because it has your favorite actor in it, and you see that the rating is due to sexual content - STOP! If you buy those tickets and go into those movies, you’re telling Hollywood that you want to see more of that entertainment.
We can only blame ourselves - those of us that are the 74% or so of the country that claims to be Christians. Obviously we’re the majority here, so it’s apparent that our wallets are telling the entertainment companies it’s OK to produce what they’re producing.
If my logic is faulty here, feel free to point it out, but I see that we’re reaping what we’ve sowed. Instead of pointing the finger at Hollywood, and wanting to reform “them,” we need to turn that finger right back around and think about reforming ourselves.
