What are your thoughts on christian media?

[SarahUmbreon]

So, for me, I really care about movies and want to see good movies being made, rather than stuff that panders to groups to make money (Looking at you Disney, with those "live-action remakes", incredibly lazy stuff Disney, not gonna lie)

But anyway, I said that because I want to say I do like Christian media, grew up on Veggietales and will always say that it is some of the best christian media out there. I saw "The shack" and thought it was a really great movie...what I have problem with is the "Pure Flix" company. Something about their movies just rub me the wrong way, like how if you don't believe in God, bad stuff will happen to you. Like I want people to believe in God and I know everything happens for the glory of God, but seeing bad stuff happen to people that don't believe, from the film's perspective that said bad stuff happened because of the fact they don't believe in God, I just think gives Christians a bad image. Also, I am aware of the existence of "Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas" and I just don't like it, the way to tries to describe every single Christmas tradition, I think is missing the point of Christmas. Like yes we do use Christmas trees, have a big dinner, etc. But that is just for celebration reasons, the only thing that actually matters on Christmas is that Jesus was born, and we should celebrate his birth.

Also while I haven't played any, I am aware of christian videogames overall. But yeah just post what you think about Christian media ^_^

 

[shittim]

Thank you for being discerning in what you take in from the media, and sharing for the kingdom.

 

[BlueTheComposer]

I dislike most "Christian" movies and shows, actually, lol. It all feels so cheesy and terrible, like B movies but unintentionally. I wish Christian media would be more artistic and less in-your-face and preachy. For example although it wasn't exactly a Christian movie, Signs by M. Night Shyamalan felt so inspirational and matter-of-fact about God's existence despite the main character struggling with this fact, and it wasn't preachy or trying to be mystical and felt very relatable. I wish more Christian media was like that and presented more as a piece of art than trying to pander to Christians. Another example I'd say would be the TV show Early Edition about a man who mysteriously gets delivered the next day's newspaper from some higher entity. The show isn't "Christian" per se, but every time I watch it, it just gives me more faith in God. Really wish more Christian movies and shows were like these and stop trying to box God up in an embarrassing presentation. Christian video games are even worse I'd say, lol

 

[SarahUmbreon]

I dislike most "Christian" movies and shows, actually, lol. It all feels so cheesy and terrible, like B movies but unintentionally. I wish Christian media would be more artistic and less in-your-face and preachy. For example although it wasn't exactly a Christian movie, Signs by M. Night Shyamalan felt so inspirational and matter-of-fact about God's existence despite the main character struggling with this fact, and it wasn't preachy or trying to be mystical and felt very relatable. I wish more Christian media was like that and presented more as a piece of art than trying to pander to Christians. Another example I'd say would be the TV show Early Edition about a man who mysteriously gets delivered the next day's newspaper from some higher entity. The show isn't "Christian" per se, but every time I watch it, it just gives me more faith in God. Really wish more Christian movies and shows were like these and stop trying to box God up in an embarrassing presentation. Christian video games are even worse I'd say, lol

I agree so much! Like I know the shack has flaws and whatnot, but it just seemed like the best Christian media could get for me because all I knew before I saw “The shack” was Pure Flix movies and Kirk Cameron movies. I always worry about Christian who are like: “If you watch stuff that it is not from Christian companies, then you are bad.”...but there needs to be balance, like watching stuff that it isn’t necessarily Christian, but if there a show you know about or come across online, and feel God would not approve of you watching it, then don’t watch it. That’s what I’m trying right now, that TV show you mentioned, Early Edition, I might try to find it online, cause that setup sounds really interesting for a TV show...compared to most modern TV shows, last thing I remember liking a lot on TV was Big Bang Theory, and that was it, lol. Yeah, Bible videogames are bad, everything from Wisdom Tree, The zoo race, Captain Bible...lol I know too many random Christian videogames 😅

 

[BlueTheComposer]

Oh, Wisdom Tree was bad on so many levels, lol. They produced their "Christian" games illegally by manufacturing and selling them without Nintendo's permission. In order to sell a game for Nintendo they'd have to purchase a license from Nintendo, but they never did, and they'd even sell their games in Christian bookstores. I have a friend who's parents actually bought one or two of them too, lol. Then when the Super Nintendo came out, Nintendo incorporated a lockout chip in the system that would prevent people from illegally producing and selling games without a special chip in the cartridge that'd tell the system it was legally made. So how did Wisdom Tree get around it? They used a game cartridge that looked like a Game Genie where in order to play the game you had to plug an officially licensed Nintendo game into theirs, thus they'd hijack the licensed game's chip to bypass the lockout chip on the system! Lol, but yeah, Christian video games are just a laughing stock.

But yeah, I definitely recommend Early Edition. Just saw on Amazon that they sell the complete 4 seasons on DVD for just $50. I'm going to need to grab that. As for legitimate Christian movies, the highest production quality one I've seen is The Passion of the Christ, but it's not really a movie I can say I've ever wanted to sit down and watch again. It's by no means a bad movie, but it's just hard to watch. The only other two I liked was Ben Hur, and The Robe, although I haven't seen them in forever and have heard that they actually aren't very popular as Christian movies for some reason, so maybe I just have fuzzy memories of them. Again, although good movies, they are also hard picks when sitting down and trying to decide on a movie to watch. Much would rather watch Signs or Early Edition, lol.

 

[mar09]

Why i love Veggietales too, and wish the children could have watched more!

 

[Lanolin]

never seen pureflix, I dont even have netflix...but some christian media I think is purely there for the christian dollar.
Like CCM.
and I dont see the profits they make from all that music being sold translate into anything charitable except lining the music executives own pockets.

christian media as I see it, needs to spread the gospel, not just fluff to make churchgoers feel good about themselves.

 

[Socreta93]

Why are Christian movies so bad? Like legit bad? Yes the message is important but if you're going to make a movie have good acting, good dialogue, good directing, good scripts, don't make it too cheesy. Be you know realistic. Sometimes these movies just preach to the choir and makes us feel good about ourselves (I'm looking at you God's Not Dead) while not having a good story or compelling character. Let them have a story, a journey. I know people view Hollywood as evil but many secular filmmakers have produced far better christian content than people like pureflix and Kirk Cameron.

 

[BlueTheComposer]

I totally forgot, The Prince of Egypt by Dreamworks! Definitely the best Christian movie, imo, although in a way it's not exactly Christian since it's OT. Still, the animation, music, and direction was amazing. It'd be great to see more Christian movies/animations follow character development, plots, and narratives like this without being dumbed down.

 

[SarahUmbreon]

I totally forgot, The Prince of Egypt by Dreamworks! Definitely the best Christian movie, imo, although in a way it's not exactly Christian since it's OT. Still, the animation, music, and direction was amazing. It'd be great to see more Christian movies/animations follow character development, plots, and narratives like this without being dumbed down.

As I was typing, I was gonna ask what OT meant, but I realized it means Old Testament...I think? lol, but yeah I do like that movie, but I never actually grew up watching it as a kid, just saw it here and there on TV and church programs (I want to say Church programs but my memory is fogging up). No I grew up with Winnie the Pooh, Cartoon Network, Veggietales, and Pokemon videogames. The best entertainment choices for me ...lol

 

[BlueTheComposer]

Yeah, Old Testament, so it could've equally have been a Judaic movie. Thinking about it, maybe even Islam... hmm, lol. Not sure how many differences there are between Moses of the Quran and Moses of the Bible though. I haven't seen it in over 10 years now, but if memory serves correct I'd expect it still to be as good of a movie now as it was then.

 

[Lanolin]

I read Kirk Camerons bio, actually his sister Candace has written one too, about being christians on tv.
I think its sometimes difficult to portray faith in a movie for christians because so many 'christian' movies are all about church based faith i.e showing faith as always connected to church going.


thats not realistic or even real for most people, as many find faith outside of a church setting, in the everyday things of life. There isnt any need for people to dream up stories about christians when theres so many real life stories and testimonies of Jesus that need to be told.