"Soul Surfer: Beaches, Bikinis... and Bibles?"

We watched Soul Surfer a couple of weeks ago. It was pretty predictable as an overcoming-incredible-odds-to-become-a-champion sports movie, but it was well-done. I thought it was very good at honestly portraying the role that this family’s faith played in their lives. It’s rare to see a Hollywood movie show people that honest in their Christian faith. It’s not a faith I can identify with, being a nominal fundamentalist and being raised fundamentalist. I can imagine if this were shown in a youth group, there would be lots of snickers at all the teens in bathing suits and such.

One would think it would need to be Christ-like in its character portrayal.

Haven’t seen it; probably never will. My cynical nature looks on it like any number of “Christian lite” movies—marketed to a specific demographic ensuring their profitability. To reach the widest possible audience it will, of necessity, be light on the Gospel.

Movies, by and large, are a pathetic evangelistic tool. Among other reasons a major one has to be that Scripture never intended the Gospel to be communicated through imagery. I will toss movies a carrot, however: they can actually employ a Biblical method (“…call for Simon…who shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved…[Acts 11:13-14] ”), and some do more than others.

What we’ll see is a plethora of churches theming Soul Searcher this, that, or the other. And, thanks to a merciful, good God, there will be some that actually respond to the little bit of Gospel that will be included in some of these endeavors, and I will rejoice with the angels in Heaven for every one of them. But what we’ll have to suffer through is that there will be enough “success” stories that these feel good, Christian-lite movies, etc., will never go away. Nothing is harder to get rid of than a bad idea that enjoys a modicum of success.

[Lee] Movies, by and large, are a pathetic evangelistic tool.

Agreed!

[Lee] And, thanks to a merciful, good God, there will be some that actually respond to the little bit of Gospel that will be included in some of these endeavors, and I will rejoice with the angels in Heaven for every one of them. But what we’ll have to suffer through is that there will be enough “success” stories that these feel good, Christian-lite movies, etc., will never go away. Nothing is harder to get rid of than a bad idea that enjoys a modicum of success.

I mostly agree with you, though I don’t think I would fight to have less of them any more than I would to have more of them. I can just be thankful (like Paul was for the preachers who preached Christ of contention) that God can use them. I agree they are not a great tool, but their existence can be of at least some benefit. At the time the “Passion of the Christ” came out, I was able to speak to two of my unsaved friends who had seen it about things like Christ’s sacrifice, why he came, etc., that had not been open to that discussion before. Neither of them accepted Christ as a result, but it gave me an opportunity I would not have otherwise had, because they listened rather than turning the conversation to something else, because they were now interested in the topic.

I haven’t seen “Soul Surfer,” and I wouldn’t organize a viewing with a bunch of unsaved people hoping that movie would turn them to Christ, but if some see it and ended up asking me more about my faith because of what they saw, I can still both be thankful for that and use the opportunity. I can’t honestly say I would want *less* of that to happen.

[dcbii]…I mostly agree with you, though I don’t think I would fight to have less of them any more than I would to have more of them. I can just be thankful (like Paul was for the preachers who preached Christ of contention) that God can use them. I agree they are not a great tool…

Interesting perspective. Would a consistent application of that outlook be that Paul would not “fight to have less” contention since the Gospel can be preached out of contention?

[dcbii] I haven’t seen “Soul Surfer,” and I wouldn’t organize a viewing with a bunch of unsaved people hoping that movie would turn them to Christ, but if some see it and ended up asking me more about my faith because of what they saw, I can still both be thankful for that and use the opportunity. I can’t honestly say I would want *less* of that to happen.

If I got my information correct, this is a movie from a traditional Hollywood studio and not from a source such as made Fireproof, Facing the Giants, etc. It doesn’t take much convincing to establish that the Hollywood film industry is at the core of the pagan practices of modern American society. Certainly they have been leaders in the ever-expanding immorality, the celebrity idolatry, the growing acceptance of all kinds of perversion, the callousness towards things holy, the growing antagonism towards Christ and His Gospel, and the promotion of the paranormal spirit world in our culture. Before I would agree with you I would have to seriously contemplate the implications of passages like Mark 1:21 FF; Mark 5:7 FF; and Acts 16:16 FF, where the true statements about Christ and His servants from the mouths of demons or those controlled by demons was completely unacceptable, as they relate to the apparent influences that drive Hollywood film-making.