TruthBook Religious News Blog

Originally published December 18, 2009
By Robert W. Butler

McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

Call it religion. Or if that makes you uncomfortable, go with the more general "spirituality."

Whatever you call it, it's everywhere at the multiplex these days.

In movies as varied as the dead serious "The Road," the uplifting family picture "The Blind Side," the biting comedy "The Invention of Lying" and even James Cameron's sci-fi opus "Avatar," issues of faith and morality and mankind's place in the universe are all the rage .

Not all of these movies embrace religion. Some question human gullibility. Some ask for evidence of a higher purpose in what often seems a random universe. But whether they encourage prayer or doubt, they're all part of the zeitgeist.

But why now?

"There are two schools of thought about that," said Greg Wright, an editor at www.HollywoodJesus.com, a Web site that examines popular culture from a religious perspective.

"The more paranoid elements of our culture tend to think Hollywood has a proactive agenda, that producers have a grand scheme to use movies to shape the thinking of audiences. I don't subscribe to that school.

"I believe that Hollywood gives audiences what audiences want to see. If people don't want to see movies with certain messages, they won't buy tickets.

"So if there's a trend out there, it's one reflecting what people are already thinking and feeling."

And what are we thinking?

Sister Rose Pacatte, who reviews movies for the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Los Angeles, says it isn't mere coincidence that a new animated version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" came along in 2009. She notes that the film was released in the wake of an economic crisis fueled by greedy self-interest on an unprecedented scale.

"Being a good man of business will not save your soul. That's an essential message of 'A Christmas Carol' and one emphasized by this version," she said.

Dickens' tale may have little to say about God and Jesus, but it stresses charity and the dangers of poverty and ignorance, she noted.

Please click on "external source" to find out more about spiritually-themed movies.

Labels: Hollywood, movies, Robert W. Butler, spirituality

Permalink | Link to External Source Article

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Survey: Americans believe religious values are ‘under attack’

59 percent say Hollywood does not share their moral values

Christian Examiner staff report

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A majority of Americans believe that religious values are “under attack,” and that Hollywood insiders do not share the religious and moral values of most Americans, according to a survey from the Anti-Defamation League.

The ADL-commissioned poll found that 61 percent of the American people continue to believe that religious values in this country are “under attack,” while 59 percent of Americans agree that “the people who run the TV networks and the major movie studios do not share the religious and moral values of most Americans.”

The national poll, “American Attitudes on Religion, Moral Values and Hollywood,” was released Nov. 14 during the League’s 2008 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. Conducted by The Marttila Communications Group, it surveyed 1,000 American adults in October.

Other findings of the ADL survey, included:

• Forty-three percent hold the view that Hollywood and the national media are waging an organized campaign to “weaken the influence of religious values in this country.”

• Significantly fewer Americans believe today that Jews control the TV and film industries. The survey showed that 63 percent disagree with the notion that “the movie and television industries are pretty much run by Jews,” while only 22 percent agree. When ADL conducted its first survey on anti-Semitic attitudes in 1964, nearly half of all Americans believed that the television and film industries were run by Jews.

• There is surprising support for censorship. Nearly 40 percent of the American people support the notion that “dangerous ideas should be banned from public school libraries,” and nearly the same number of Americans disagree with the statement that “censoring books is an old-fashioned idea.”

• Nearly half of those surveyed—49 percent—believe that the United States is becoming “too tolerant in its acceptance of different ideas and lifestyles;” 47 percent disagreed with that statement.

“It is troubling that so many Americans feel as if the output of Hollywood is part of an organized campaign to undermine religious values in this country and believe that censorship is acceptable,” Foxman said.

The survey was conducted by the Marttila Communications Group, a Boston-based public opinion research firm that has conducted numerous national surveys for ADL, measuring American attitudes on a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

Published, January 2009

Labels: America, Anti-Defamation League, censorship, Hollywood, Marttila Communications Group, religious values

Permalink | Link to External Source Article

Friday, July 11, 2008

Religous survey looks at prayer, heaven, hell, hollywood, etc

Posted on July 8th, 2008 by Tracy Simmons

On USA Today’s web site there is an interactive in-depth look at Pew’s recent religious survey. Check it out here. Here are some highlights:

Question 1: Do Hollywood and the entertainment industry threaten your values? Mormons, yes, 67 percent.

Question 2: Which statement comes closer to your own views? The choices: a) society should accept homosexuality b) society should discourage homosexuality c) other. Other faiths, a, 84 percent.

Question 3: What factors most influence your thinking about government and public affairs? Sixty percent of Jehovah’s Witnesses said religious beliefs.

Question 4: Do you believe there are clear and absolute standards for what is right and wrong? Jehovah Witness, completely agree, 55 percent.

Question 5: When it comes to questions of right and wrong, which do you most look to for guidance? Jehovah Witness, religion, 73 percent.

Question 6: Aside from weddings and funerals, how often do you attend religious services? Unaffiliated, seldom or never, 72 percent.

Question 7: Do you believe there is a heaven, where people have led good lives are eternally rewarded? Mormons, yes, 95 percent.

Question 8: Do you think there is a hell, where people who have led bad lives and die without being sorry are eternally punished? Jehovah Witness, no, 88 percent.

Question 9: Only one religion, or many religions lead to eternal life? Hindu, many religions lead to eternal life, 89 percent.

Question 10: Is there only one true way to interpret the teachings of your religion? Buddhist, no, 90 percent.

Question 11: Should your church preserve traditional beliefs, adapt them, or adopt modern ones? Mormon, preserve traditional beliefs, 68 percent.

Question 12: Outside of attending a religious service, how often do you pray? Jehovah Witness, every day, 89 percent.

Question 13: How often do you receive a definite answer to a specific prayer request? Jehovah Witness, at least once a week, 37 percent.

What religion are you and how would you answer these questions?

Labels: church, eternal life, heaven, hell, Hollywood, prayer, Tracy Simmons

Permalink | Link to External Source Article

Monday, March 12, 2007

Hollywood choosing more themes of redemption

Sunday, March 11, 2007
By Tory Anderson Los Angeles Daily News

LOS ANGELES— Long considered the modern-day equivalent of Sodom and Gomorrah, Hollywood is increasingly showing its family-friendly side, churning out an unprecedented number of films and television shows with uplifting, redemptive themes.

In the three years since Mel Gibson released “The Passion of the Christ,” hundreds of films with Judeo-Christian, spiritual and family-friendly themes have hit the screen — from “The Nativity Story” to “Amazing Grace.”

Last year alone, nearly 50 films featured positive Judeo-Christian content that producers hoped would appeal to the estimated 110 million Americans who attend church every week, according to Camarillo-based Movieguide.

The films raked in an average $39 million, according to Movieguide. All five of the major Hollywood studios have created marketing departments to target the growing demand for faith-based and family fare.

“People are gravitating to anything that gives them hope, inspiration, motivation or a sense of something light,” said Mark Clayman, executive producer of “The Pursuit of Happyness.”

“People want good stories. They want to be entertained, but they also want something they can bring their kids to and enjoy as a family. Look at our world. There is so much war and junk and disease. I think people are just hungry for the other side.”

To meet the demand, 20th Century Fox recently launched Fox Faith Movies, which plans to release a dozen faith-based films a year. Last fall, the Walt Disney Co. also announced it would focus more on family-oriented and faith-based movies.

Movieguide publisher Ted Baehr, who is also chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission, said Hollywood executives realize that the public wants more uplifting and spiritual fare.

“There is competition for the Christian audience now that there hasn’t been before,” Baehr said. “I thought at some point it would level off, but so far it’s getting bigger and bigger.

Stephen Kendrick, executive producer of “Facing the Giants” and an associate pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., said the film has received broad praise since its release last year.

The drama chronicles a Christian high school football coach who uses faith to battle overwhelming fear and failure.

Kendrick said he and his brother, Alex — also a pastor at the church and executive producer of the movie — got more than 5,000 e-mails from people who said the movie has changed their lives.

“We think more movies like this are going to be rising up,” Kendrick said. “I know there is a huge wave of people — thanks to the digitalization of media and the lowering of costs to be able to produce films — who are now beginning to study and learn how to make films. A feature film is one of the most influential things in our culture.”

The brothers decided to make movies after reading about a 2002 poll by The Barna Group that found church was not considered among the top 10 influences in American culture.

“Movies and music are in the top three,” Kendrick said. “So instead of cursing the darkness, we thought, ‘We have the best message in the world that is still transforming people’s lives and giving them hope, forgiveness and peace.’ And so we want to take that message to them, using the most influential means possible. And that’s why we chose to go into feature films.”

Last month, 57 teams of Christian filmmakers from around the world participated in the Burbank-based 168-Hour Film Project.

Part of a “speed filmmaking” phenomenon, teams were given a week to write a short script based on a randomly assigned Scripture verse, and another week to film and edit a five- to 10-minute movie.

The films will be screened March 23 at the Stars Art Theater and March 24 at the Alex Theatre, both in Glendale. Trinity Broadcast Network will air films chosen as the best.

“It’s our biggest year ever,” said John David Ware, founder and executive director of the project.

“We’ve had many people who are first-time filmmakers go on to produce many other films. The teams are expanding their short films into feature-length films and trying to sell them. Many of the films have won awards at other film festivals.”

Dean Batali, former executive producer of “That ’70s Show,” who now writes TV scripts with faith-based themes, said the move marks a significant shift.

“This is a diverse nation, and for the past decades, Christians have shunned Hollywood. All we are saying is: ‘Why shun Hollywood? Let’s go to Hollywood and take a seat at the table.’ ”

But Batali said it’s not always easy.

“I live in both worlds.” Batali said. “The people I go to church with tend not to understand the people I work with in Hollywood, and the people in Hollywood tend to be really fearful of the people I go to church with.”

Labels: Christian, entertainment, Hollywood, movies, Tory Anderson