Christians and Major Motion Pictures

There's one Christian movie I really like that left a hanging question in my faith, It was "Pope Joan", The female Pope. I never thought that once upon a time a woman became Pope. During 850's or 9th century, women are not allowed to learn or to go to school. They should only serve their husband and do house chores. She disguised as a man to study at the ministry and since she was a talented and learned woman she rises through the church hierarchy and was elected as Pope John Anglicus in between Leo IV and Benedict III. She became the first people's Pope since all her orders are drowning towards the poor's welfare. That drew a personal question asking why aren't they allowed a woman to become a Priest or a Cardinal and hold a monarchy position if we are all equal in God's eye? That seems unfair right? Another movie that I list as a "must see" will be release this April, "Blue like Jazz". This is a very timely movie and based on some articles I've read this is about the struggle of a young man who does believe that God exist in predominant postmodern society but his faith was shaken when he tries to escape his evangelical upbringing of life. I can relate in the story since I was raised in a Christian society however as time goes by, as the world becomes modernize and moving on its fast phase direction I get a little disoriented. I need to see movies like this to tap me back. I also noticed that movies now a day are becoming like a status message on your social netwoking account. Producers think that bigger production means good story, better graphics means a good film, etc. Yes I get amazed with 3D and HD films and stuffs like that but I don't get satisfied spiritually. Films are competing in terms of popularity but how about the moral of the story? Oh! Yes 3 months after they've screen a million dollar movie, there's another better movie with bigger production cost coming out. It's a loop, money earning industry but morally incapacitated. Your definitely right amaleigh73 we must support films that helps cultivate the young kids mind to become a responsible and better people of our future.

I can't speak about past year's movies, because I didn't have opportunity to watch them. But I did watch the "Left Behind" series (there were five) and "The Passion of Christ". The serious about rapture, antichrist, tribulation, Armageddon and other apocalyptical concepts was losely related to the book series by Tim F.LaHaye and Jerry B.Jenkins. Like the books (thirteen or more?) the movies were made with a highly commercial perspective. This, mixed with contemporary events of about ten years ago, made them very popular, especially with the millenium world's end expectations coming up. So perhaps some people were scared, but many felt more the ridiculous side of the moviemaker's pretensions to contemporize the most debated texts of the Scriptures. As to Gibson's Christ, presented according to catholic traditions, it is more probable that it got people to start thinking about Jesus. But then, the movie's emphasis in the physical torture of human Jesus -a torture that so many have suffered and do actually suffer- puts into oblivion the indescriptible espiritual torture that Jesus God endured in order to free us from sin. Remember all those Old Testament movies of the 50's? Well, they show well enough that not every movie about a part of the Bible is necessarily a Christian movie. But, of course, there are some very great real Christian motion pictures. The wonderful "Jesus" according to Luke that has been translated in any thinkable language and is part of missions all around the world, producing a very high number of conversions. Good, old "The Robe" that convincingly shows a Roman tribune's conversion to Christ. And there are many more. Also those movies about Christian missionaries whose selfless life among people of different cultures and religions is an ever inspiring motive. You are absolutely right that people are looking for purpose and meaning. The more it is important to be critical about what kind of message we transmit in Christian movies or books.