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GUEST ARTICLE
Should A Christian Go to the Movies?
There is much controversy between brethren over this question.
Some say that a Christian may attend the movies; others say
they may not attend. The movies are evil, and they are made
by evil people. The people who make the movies would teach
us that evil is good, that there is no harm in doing evil
things, and that crime does pay. Let us notice some warnings
in God’s word. "Wash you, make ye clean; put away
the evil of your doing from before mine eyes; cease to do
evil; learn to do well; seek the judgment." (Isa 1:16,17)
Can we learn to do well if we participate in evil things?
Paul, when he was writing to the Corinthians, spoke of the
children of Israel who had followed God but later began to
seek after and participate in evil. They sought evil pleasures
and things that were sensually pleasing to them. Paul warned, "Neither
be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written,
the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." (1
Cor 10:7) The children of Israel had begun to lust after
evil things with their eyes and their minds.
Those who go to the movies, lust after them with their eyes
and minds. John said, concerning lust: "For all that
is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is
of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." (1
Jno 2:16,17 ) Now John said that the lust of the eyes was
not of the Father but was of the world and would pass away.
There are those who say that the moviegoer does not lust
with his eyes; but I would like to ask, how many blind people
do you see at the movies?
The only blind people who do go to the movies are those
who are blinded to God’s word. Paul said, "Now
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like;
of the which I tell you before, is I have also told you in
time past, that they which lo such things shall not inherit
the kingdom of God." (Gal 5:19-21 ) Now the church member
who attends the movies would not think of committing murder
or fornication, for he knows these are against God’s
will. But he refuses to heed Paul's "SUCH LIKE" as
a work of the flesh.
There is no doubt that each of the works mentioned in Gal
5:19-21 can be seen in practice on the silver screen by the
actors. It has been admitted by many who attend movies that
they live each scene as it is enacted; e.g., if the act is
one of fornication, adultery, murder, etc., as you move through
the acts you become guilty in your heart. Jesus said, "But
I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust
after her hath committed adultery with her already in his
heart." (Matt 5:28)
It would be difficult indeed for a man to sit in a movie
theater and behold the most beautiful woman the industry
can obtain, parade before his eyes hour after hour in a half
nude condition, flaunting her charms, and apparently throwing
all caution and morality to the wind, and not commit adultery
with her in his heart. If they should take away that part
of the movies that is classified under "extravaganza" then
they would lose their male customers. Paul wrote, "Abstain
from all appearance of evil." (1 Thess 5:22 )
The movies portray evil in abundance and mold the lives
and character of all who attend them. The general sex education
of the movies is evil, destroying modesty, corrupting the
imaginations of youth and developing sexual thoughts and
desires. Yes, evil, salacious and immoral pictures are shown
constantly in American movie theaters, so that one does,
not have much chance of escaping immorality and evil in attending
the movies any night. Either in the main feature picture
or in the comedy or in the trailers announcing coming films,
there will be lines and scenes unfit for the pure minded
to see and hear. Their influence is deadly and poison to
the morals of our young people.
Often even newsreels, I'm told, have scenes that are immoral.
This is the kind of education and schooling our young people
get in the movies. Do you like it? Do you think it is morally
safe to the character of young people, or even the older
ones? Brethren, let us take heed. Let us cease to do evil,
and learn to do well that God may receive glory and that
it might be well with us when we stand before God in judgment.
O.P.A. May, 1948
NOTE:
Brethren, this problem has become much worse hasn't it? The
movies of the 1940s which brother Winchester wrote about
then are considered tame and innocent today aren't they?
Today sex and violence are the real box office drawing
power. Those who still insist that movie going is dangerous
to ones spiritual health are growing fewer and fewer every
year. We are certainly in the minority. Should we continue
to be surprised, then, as immorality makes its inevitable
inroads upon Gods people? Why? Don't we believe we will
surely reap what we sow? Why be surprised when young church
members commit fornication when it has been glorified in
the movies (yes, and often on many television programs
now) for most of their lives?
I have heard members speak of not only attending the movies,
but of seeing things they surely must realize are wrong.
Yet this is becoming common among the members of the church
in many parts of the country. Preachers, why don't we do
our best to stem this tide? Start saying something about
this and other equally dangerous forms of worldliness wherever
you go. I find I am often greeted with incredulity when I
mention that I am still opposed to the movies. The reason
must be because church members never hear us say much about
it. It can’t be because the movies have improved can
it? Think about it. - Don L. King
--James L. Winchester
Published in Old Paths Advocate originally in May, 1948.
Republished in November, 1987.
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