Theology, Hollywood StyleWritten by Terry Mitchell
After years of watching TV shows and movies, I think I have finally gotten a grasp on Hollywood's theology and it's not a pretty picture (pun intended). It should come as no surprise to anyone that Hollywood's theology is vastly different from that of average American. After all, Hollywood's morals and values are not representative of Middle America, so why should its theology be any different? Hollywood's theology is comprised of three basic tenets. First, it is quite obvious that Hollywood has adopted some elements of new age and eastern philosophies, i.e., it believes God could be just about whomever or whatever anyone wants Him/Her/It to be. Hollywood's God could be some kind of benevolent spirit, floating around throughout universe. If someone thinks God is just a man or woman, that's also valid according to Hollywood's theology. If someone thinks God is a bird, a tree, or a cloud, that's fine with Hollywood. If someone thinks a little bit of God is in everything living thing, that's great too. However, I used phrase "just about" because not every notion of God will pass Hollywood's politically correct litmus test. Not surprisingly, Judeo-Christian notion of God - one described in Holy Scriptures - doesn't qualify. God couldn't possibly be like that, according to Hollywood's theological standards. That concept of God is too narrow-minded for Hollywood crowd. Second, Hollywood holds that God couldn't care less whether or not we worship Him/Her/It. In fact, He/She/It doesn't care whether we recognize Him/Her/It or even acknowledge His/Her/Its existence, for that matter. Therefore, a person's belief system is rendered virtually irrelevant. Churches are only useful for weddings, memorial services, and funerals. Instead, according to Hollywood, it is possible for an atheist to go to heaven. Hollywood argues that God is not jealous and has no sense of dominion or ownership over His/Her/Its creation. While Hollywood recognizes fact that God does often intervene in affairs human beings, it contends that He/She/It has no desire for any kind of permanent relationship with them.
| | Can I Trust Myself? Written by Jerry O'Donnell
Allow us to be a little more specific with this question. Can I trust myself in spiritual matters? To answer with YES is to declare oneself as being perfect in knowledge and wisdom, yet we are told in Proverbs 9:9 “Give [instruction] to a wise [man], and he will be yet wiser: teach a just [man], and he will increase in learning.” We will always need to study, to receive instruction, to be taught. Also, to answer question with YES is to say that one either makes no mistakes or is willfully disobeying God because all of us have sinned -- sometimes in ignorance (which is not sin) while other times out of selfishness. What does Bible say about trusting our own decisions? Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?” We can actually deceive ourselves. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but end thereof [are] ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25). It may look and feel right, but it may not be right.
|