I saw this tweet yesterday from @cinexcellence: “WORLD magazine movie reviews: ______ didn’t have people living Christian lives. Therefore, ______ stinks. Also, there is swearing.”
I’ve been on the receiving end of good and bad reviews for my film work. In some cases, Christian reviews do seem to take this rubber-stamp, reactionary approach. In other cases, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by reviews – from very conservative audiences – that let me know that they understood the film, what we were trying to accomplish, and why it contained ‘objectionable’ elements. [“The Enemy God” has nudity, violence, drug use, occult practices – the whole deal – within the context of a highly redemptive and God-honoring story.]
My favorite is when we get something like a ‘highly recommended’ but a 2 out of 5 rating. The ratings are based on content elements that may offend people. But the film is excellently done and compelling! I think that’s an OK place to be.
MindSoulStory 
Reminds me of how controversial the Bible is. Many “objectionable” elements weave together a picture of God: tender, mighty, forgiving, merciful, just, holy and good. But think about all the death, lies, murder and surprising behavior in the stories of the Bible. Consider King David – the giant Goliath, the affair with Bathsheba, the murder of her husband, the many wives, the rape of Tamar, the uprising of Absalom. Hmm…Not exactly the stuff of bedtime stories. And this is only one man in Scripture.
Even Jesus was surprisingly controversial.
I loved this section I read on a blog recently. Probably because I love Rich Mullins and Mark Buchanan.
“He (Jesus) went around upsetting people, calling them names (like ‘whitewashed tombs’ and ‘dogs’ or ‘rocky’ or ‘boanerges’), and throwing people into mass hysteria (‘Hosanna!’ one day; ‘Crucify!’ the next). He didn’t seem to care too much about the sanctity of holy days (like Sabbath) or the holiness of sanctified places (like the temple).
He wrecked the pig-economy of the people in the Decapolis in order to save one man who had been written off as dead by the entire community. He slept during a storm while his followers worked at the oars. He made a whole bunch of wine at the very outset of his ministry (!). He even went so far as to defy Roman law by resurrecting from the dead. He hung around with ruffians and hookers. “The whores all seem to love him, and the drunks propose a toast” (Rich Mullins). And what’s worse than all this? Well, read the Sermon on the Mount. This Kingdom we are called to is one that will not survive apart from God. At the same time, we are not free to create a Kingdom in the image of any other God than the one who created it. Jesus is not for wimps. Mark Buchanan wrote the book: Your God is too Safe. He’s right.” From Relevant Christian Blog.