Reflecting Christ in What I Watch: Part Deux

Maximus: [after swiftly dispatching another gladiator] Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?
Crowd: Spaniard, Spaniard, Spaniard...

The above quote (from Gladiator) kind of reflects a little of what I was talking about in my last post. The scene is an arena where the captive gladiator Marcus Aurelius has just slain several gladiators for the entertainment of the crowd. He angrily addresses the onlookers (who are cheering him) and asks them if they are satisfied with his performance. To me, this is the most memorable quote in the movie. The Romans had the "games," are the movies the same thing for us? Do we substitute fiction/fantasy for the reality and convince ourselves it is completely different?

Imagine the shock we would feel if during a particularly violent movie, the guy doing the butchering turned to the camera/audience and angrily said "Are you entertained yet?" Or a woman being ravished by her lover turned to the camera and asked the same thing? I'm not suggesting a ban on any movie that has R rated elements (I'm sure if the Bible was made into a movie it would be rated above R). When it comes to movies I kind of think of a continuum somewhere between two polar opposites; legalistic purity and anything-goes debauchery. Somewhere in the middle is something I call "Spirit sensitive discernment." I'm just wondering if those of us who are Christ followers have the courage to step back and honestly look at what we watch and consider its effects on us.

I've noticed that nobody responded to my last post. I'm sure many of you as fellow bloggers have experienced this before; you write what you think is an engaging, thought provoking post and then nobody comments on it! Most of the time I don't care (much), but this time I was a tad disappointed. Why didn't people comment, I wonder? Here are my theories:

1. Nobody is reading this blog. This might be possible, however sitemeter doesn't lie . . . there are at least few people stopping by (thanks Mom!).
2. Nobody cares about this subject. Also possible.
3. I'm a really poor writer and the post was boring, mixed up, difficult to read, or just plain unengaging.
4. People are really lazy (yes, this must be it!)
5. I was too open about a personal subject. Sometimes I read other people's blogs and shocked at their authenticity but just have no idea how to respond to it.
6. The post hit too close to home.
7. People have no consciences or mine is waaay too sensitive.
8. I am so out to lunch that my post doesn't even warrant a response!

Whatever the reason(s) might be, I have to admit that I've enjoyed the process of wrestling with the topic. Blogging is as much a conversation with the self as it is with others.

May Light increase!