Whoa, look at us being topical, conversing about a movie that is premiering this week.
I know some Christian ladies that like the show "Sex and athe City." They watch it and laugh and secretly wonder what it would be like if the character "Mr. Big" ever became a Christian. ("He's so dreamy and could totally take Patrick Dempsey's character from Grey's Anatomy in a fight.") They are cool with the show. But if I ever asked them to watch the DVD version, they would slap me square in the mouth and say, "How dare you, how dare you indeed! Good day, sir." (In my head, I have very fancy sounding friends.)
They don't like the HBO version, they like the version the television station TBS plays. That one has a lot less nudity, adult situations, swearing etc. It's like they dialed the Samantha character back a few degrees from "skanky" to "flirtatious." And when they announced a movie version of the show was coming out I could see my friends quietly thinking, "I can't wait to see that in three years on TV! Please, please, please TBS play an edited version."
And I don't blame them or judge them. I like when they show movies like Fight Club on television. I feel a little better about myself and think that God is up there in heaven saying, "What is that, 37% less swears? Good, yeah that's good. Go ahead and watch that." OK, He's probably not saying that. I imagine He might be saying, "Less swears? I'm a swear monitor now? You've turned me into the FCC? Come on Jon. I'm bigger and wilder than that. I don't ask you to not look at stuff like that because I'm a stiff. I ask you not to because what I've got for you is even cooler. And when you fill your head with other stuff it dilutes how much mental space you've got to enjoy my stuff, which I promise is sick."
That's what I think anyway.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
25 comments:
God is so relevant when He (capitalized) uses words like "sick". Is that the Message version, or does He really talk like that?
Sounds like your friends are Jane Austen fans, too.
This topic is something I've been wrestling with for a few years - not regarding Sex and the City, but watching some stuff vs. other stuff. Going with the Fight Club example, I'd say that a TV version compromises the artistic integrity of the piece and anyone who preferred something like that was legalistic or of a "weaker faith." But then I've gone and met someone who does this very thing and there's not the slightest hint of legalism about her. Rather, there's almost a glow of purity about her. And now you go and mention this stuff in your post and it rather solidifies where my thoughts have been taking me. I've already removed several movies from my Netflix queue (before the post) because of it and this just helps articulate what's been going on in my mind.
Thanks.
I know many who also watch Desperate Housewives...shame.
I think I found a new "Stuff Christian Like": Fight Club.
Also parkour.
For me, Christ Noth will always be the handsome yet troubled detective from Law and Order...
As a pubic service, perhaps you should list the top ten acceptable movies that Christians like.
I'll start:
1) Braveheart
2) Princess Bride
3) Rudy
4) Raising Arizona (maybe that's just me)
(yes, I know I'm missing the point of the post.)
Dan -
Are you into Parkour? I really want to get into that. Seriously, I think that stuff is amazing
Jon
First off, Raising Arizona is awesome.
Second, what's sick is how satan (lower case) gets us to use his comparison-based goodness-meter that makes us feel good about whatever level of goodness we've attained (and ashamed of our relative badness a the same time). I have found God to be fairly clear about using His own righteousness as the only standard (only available through grace of course). I don't think a TBS version that is "just good enough" will make the cut.
parkour...
maybe its just me but is anyone else surprised that the french have come up with a 'sport' that, as wikipedia describes it, is "training for the flight?"
(see dan's post)
I'm not into it yet. Unfortunately the area I live in is not "urban" enough to do any of the cool tricks they do.
But apparently Christians in college, especially guys, are super intense about parkour. I guess when you can't have sex or drink you resort to jumping off of buildings.
I'm a Christian but I'm into R rated movies, mainly because all the good indie movies are R rated. I'd never watch Sex And The City though. A) I'm a guy and B) I have taste.
I've recently become like this with secular music in general. If we realized how much this stuff affects us, we'd be much more reluctant to listening to any and everything.
Katdish....."Christ Noth"? Freudian slip or just bad typing? lol
I would like to add Steve Martin's version of "Father of the Bride" to your list.
Instead of relying on tv networks to edit out the "bad stuff", I prefer to rely on my own judgement. I'm really bothered by Christians who are ready with a "swear count" before a movie. I think we need to take a look at our own struggles. For instance, if I struggle with lust and/or sex, then Sex in the City is probably not going to be a good movie for me to watch. It's kind of like an addict needing to avoid certain situations.
Besides, does anyone really want to see a movie like Lord of the Rings edited for violence? Not that Sex in the City is in any way, shape or form even near the wonder and amazingness of LOTR. I realize I need to be the type of Christian who makes active judgements on what effects my relationship with God, not let network or cable tv make me even lazier.
"37% less swears?" Haha. Perfect.
That is so often how we think. God must be so impressed with whom we make Him out to be in our daily lives.
In any case, good post.
2 things: Great post. The last paragraph is awesome...and probably the best reasoning for not watching unfit stuff I've seen in...well, ever. I love how you bring it to the front and make it very relevant.
Secondly, what's up with katdish? First, "Christ Noth"...then "pubic"? Really, can you do that twice in one post without trying?!
This post reminds me of an issue my parent's church had regarding showing "Saving Private Ryan".
In order to kick off the Men's Ministry one summer, a pastor wanted to show "Saving Private Ryan". The question was, do we show the original unedited version, or show the edited version which doesn't cut any of the action but leaves out the curse words.
The church eventually decided to show the unedited version in the Sanctuary on a Friday night. A decision that caused some members to leave. I remember one man in particular who had come from a very violent background and could not get over the language - it reminded him of his destructive past and for him to associate that violence with his home church was too much.
Is it hypocritical to show an EDITED version of "Saving Private Ryan" in the church even though probably everyone there, including the pastor has seen the UNEDITED version?
Is there something to be said about respecting the sanctity of the church, and not bringing a movie with that much violence and cursing into the church?
"when you fill your head with other stuff it dilutes how much mental space you've got to enjoy my stuff, which I promise is sick."
Awesome! Exactly! And not only does it dilute that mental space, it confuses it. It allows a different message to get in that conflicts with the message God is trying give us. Perhaps that's what you were saying. I'm not one for watching SitC or Desperate Housewives. I don't deny that on some level they're entertaining fun or what have you. But I don't like the messages they send about what it means to be a woman ,the messages they send about femininity and what it means to be a wife and mother. I don't like how those shows depict women just wallowing in emotional garbage without any real message about how to get out of it. I'm not a square and I don't judge my friends, Christian or otherwise, who enjoy those shows. For me, I have a hard enough time trying to be the wife, mother and woman that God wants to be without the conflicting messages from those shows that tell me I'm not thin enough, or well groomed enough or that I have the wrong shoes. All that garbage distracts me from the messages God wants to give me.
This sounds a lot heavier than I meant it to... I'm not saying I'm on a crusade against them or anything, they just don't work for me, for much the same reason you pointed out Jon. I'm not saying I don't watch any secular television or engage in any other mainstream pop culture stuff. But as I've gotten past my early 20s I've had to become more discerning about what and how much secular stuff I expose myself to, because quite often, it doesn't increase my happiness and satisfaction with my life.
And just think - we have "Swingtown" to look forward to this Fall! As in, an hour of dramatic television devoted to swinging couples in the '70s! Wonder how TBS will deal with that one! Hee!
I'm looking for a theater several towns away so I can go see the Sex and The City movie. That way, if it IS as raunchified as the HBO version was, no one will be sitting there going "Hey, is that Marni, the one that works for the Baptist Association?"
Being a parent has really changed teh way I watch TV. It DOES matter to me now, especially with the shift in appropriateness on TV.
you mean "fewer" swears, right?
enjoy the site...added you to my blogroll today.
mac
Please forgive the unintended use of the word "pubic" instead of "public" and "Christ" instead of "Chris" (really sorry, Jesus!) I was in my room pretending to sleep, so I had to use my blackberry.
I am actually embarrassed.
Just found your site and am loving it. In a related story, my mother rented Sex in the City DVDs to show at her girls night because she thought the show on TBS was "cute". Do I need to tell you the end of that story?
I once heard a story about some kids who asked their father if they could watch a movie that was opening in a couple of days. He asked them what kind of stuff was in this movie and they said that there was only a little sexual content, language and violence but only a little. The father told them that he would answer their question the next day.
The kids approached their father the next day to get his answer.
The father told them that they could go to the movie if they wanted to but they had to eat a brownie that he had made.
A little dumbfounded the kids went to eat the brownies but the dad told them they needed a little more information before they dug in. He told them the following
“While making these brownies I went into the yard and got a little bit of dog poop and mixed it in. Now it’s only a little and it shouldn’t make any difference with the taste so it’s no big deal. I mean it’s just a little poop and there are a lot of brownies here”
Needless to say the kids did not see the movie. Bad part is I have eating way too many poop brownies in my life. Not sure if this story should be under this post or the one on sin making us throw up. You decide.
The story is not mine and I would give credit to the writer if I could, if you have heard it please inform the rest of us.
"I can't wait to see that in three years on TV! Please, please, please TBS play an edited version."
ME TOO!!! You totally got this right!
first - i'm in college and i know a TON of guys who love parkour. i agree it's pretty cool, but they are intense about it. makes me laugh.
I do watch Sex and the City when it comes on TBS! I have yet to see the movie because when it came out this summer I didn't live in the same town as any of my friends and couldn't find someone to go see it with me (to be honest I didn't actually ask anyone to go see it with me because I had just moved to Texas to work at a church and figured they would not be too thrilled their intern wanted to see that movie! haha! also, I didn't want anyone to see me and think "hey, isn't that our children's intern?!" haha!)
hillary - that is so funny! my mom was going to rent the dvds to see what all the fuss was about - i had to work hard to convince her that that wasn't something she wanted to do ( have to be creative because i mean let's be honest, why would you want your mom to know you know what goes on and willingly watch a show called SEX and the City?! haha)
Just stumbled upon your blog and this entry made me laugh. While I don't like Sex and the City at all, I do love TBS edited movies!!!
Post a Comment