The Dark Knight…
This is not usual for me to post on my blog about “culturally relevant” things but as I was browsing some blogs this evening I came across a couple of Christian blogs that are talking about the latest Batman movie called “The Dark Knight”. Some of the blogs are using the content of the movie to describe the condition of man and assessing the evil of evil through the character “Joker” played by the late Heath Ledger.
Before I begin to rail on movies in general let me start by saying that I love to watch movies. I believe there are some fantastic movies out there that get us thinking. For example, John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” was recently made into a feature length film and it is outstanding. The story is true to the book and the acting is wonderful and of course it is Christ exalting and causes us to use our mind to reflect on God and His mercy and grace. However, I draw the line with many of the movies out today and refuse to sit through several hours of a film that attacks Christianity or worse blasphemes Christ.
Here is where I have a major issue with films like “The Dark Knight”. It’s the number one movie right now outselling just about every other major length film and Christians are raving about it. I am amazed at the way believers have become so desensitized to things they allow their eyes to see and ears to hear. (Job 31:1) For example, according to Gospelcom’s Family movie review, this film misuses Jesus’ name at least three times. Most of the Christian movie review sites are more concerned with the violence of the film and could care less about the violence done to the “Name above all names”. Many professing believers will pay money to sit through a three hour film that repeatedly takes the name of our Creator, our Savior, our Eternal Father, our Prince of Peace, our Almighty God and Sustainer of all things and use it as a four letter filth word. I am amazed at the movies professing believers go to despite the horrible way the actors blaspheme God and mock His glorious Name. It doesn’t seem to phase the Church. May I humbly ask those reading this post if this same movie used your mother’s name as four letter filth word would you watch the film? Would you continue to sit through it and not walk out?
As a Bible teacher I am constantly amazed at the constant viewing of clocks during a sermon or Bible study. We will give up roughly one hour a week to sit through a sermon and attend a 20 minute Bible study and if the preacher or teacher begins to go over or it looks like it will cut into lunch people start complaining and squirming in their seats. Yet the only clock-watching many endure at a theater is the constant checking of the watch to see when the movie will start and never again to look at that watch while intently engrossed into two to three hours of visual and audio candy. Again, I want to stress that I am not knocking all movies - there are many great movies that a Christian could watch that allow us to grow in our knowledge of God and cause us to reflect on His greatness.
The issue at hand is just how desensitized to sin we have become and the complete lack of discernment and control in the life of a believer to protect the things which enter our eyes and our ears. The thought of using my Savior’s Name as a four letter filth word crushes me. The fact that most people who profess Christ would be more concerned if a movie producer used their mother’s name as a filth word than Christ’s is alarming to say the least. The fact that most professing Christians complain if a Bible study extends more than 30 minutes yet can sit through a three hour movie or a football game without a single complaint often reveals where the heart truly is. Can you honestly say you have more joy in worshiping God at church than attending a football game or a movie theater?
This desensitization of sin has permeated most of the American church as well. Pulpits today are more concerned about using “relevant” sections from popular worldly movies as what I like to call “lame sermon illustrations”. Think about it - a church today who seeks to be “relevant” might use a movie like “The Dark Knight” to call attention to certain Biblical truths and in essence be promoting a film full of violence and worse a film that drags the Name of the one true God they should be proclaiming behind their pulpits through the mud! It is why I commend churches that focus on expository preaching and teaching. (Again, the elements of multimedia in church are not in themselves wrong - in fact, the showing of “Passion of the Christ” and other Christian films to assist in teaching are commendable.) The living Word of God is infinitely more exciting than the most visually stunning movie out there. The actions of many churches today clearly show that they have little faith in God’s Word alone to captivate, convict and convert the congregation.
For me personally, I have allowed the examination of popular “worldly” movies in this post to cause me to examine myself in all aspects of my life - not just my movie going habits. Frankly, if I were to add up the amount of time I spend in worship, prayer and Bible study alongside the amount of time I spend in mindless and worldly endeavors I would be very ashamed to show you the results. Jesus tells us that “the eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. Bit if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” (Matthew 6:22-32) May we heed our Lord’s words greatly! May we not only examine the movies we attend but all aspects of our lives as Christians.
I know that in writing this I will most likely get some ill comments from visitors to my blog, however I stand strongly by my position of upholding the worthiness, value and honor of the Name above all names. May we consider greatly the images and sounds we allow to enter into our minds. We are called to “set our minds on things above and not on things of the earth” (Col. 3:2) as well as set our minds on “whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (Phil. 4:8) I’m sorry, misusing the Name of the One who died for Me and now sits at the right Hand of the Ancient of Day constantly making intercession for me (Heb. 7:25) is not setting my mind on anything listed in Philippians 4:8. May we also be strongly reminded that “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” (Ex. 20:7)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fohrk2jt0LA]
Lord, forgive us of our foolish ways and our idolatry. Grant us repentance from our lack of care and concern for your Name. May we seek to honor and glorify You as we seek to be conformed more and more into the image of your precious Son. Grant us grace that we may be holy as You are holy and give us strength to mortify sin and protect our minds from worldly abominations - always looking to the One who is strong to save. Amen.
Resources: For checking on a movie before seeing it visit either Hollywood and God or Preview Family Movie Review. Both of these online resources are excellent. I would also recommend getting a copy of “Pilgrim’s Progress the Movie”. It it outstanding and a bright light in the world of darkness we are surrounded by in film and televsion. I commend the studio who worked hard to make this excellent Christian classic into a feature length film!
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Not sure watching “The Passion of The Christ” is good either- it’s representation of Jesus is heavily Catholic and weak, and it’s full of Catholic nonsense. It glorifies Mary and puts extra-biblical Catholic traditions in the story (like Saint Veronica giving Jesus a cloth to wipe his faith that is said to have the imprint of his face on it.) “Passion” to me is just as dangerous as The Dark Knight.