Dont Watch

That Movie
Without Thinking
About It!

Part I
By Dr. Mark Menga

Outline for Parts I - V

Part I

Think about our purpose we must worship, work and relax

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Part II

Think about the world around us we must engage culture

Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7

Part III

What is Culture?
What is Art?
The Questions of Engaging Culture how to be in the world but
not of it
How can I Know What is Sin? the need for a foundational
biblical hermeneutic

Think about arguments for and against watching movies we must determine our
own boundaries
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16

Part IV

Worship
Work
Relax

The Source of Movies

Content of Movies (including sacrilegious)
The Message(s) of Movies and Their Influence
The Nature of the Medium (can distort reality)
Our Stewardship of Time (mere amusement)
Our Stewardship of Money
The Nature of our Mind (input = output) desensitization
Our Personal Testimony (weaker other, bad by association, need to
boycott)
Our Tendency Towards Idolatry

Think about how movies/filmmakers communicate

Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26

The Camera
Lighting and Color
Sound and music
Production, props, set design
Mise en Scene
Editing
Acting
Special Effects
Role of the Director
Manipulating time in a film

Part V

Think about the messages movies/filmmakers communicate

Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30

Subtext Analysis
Hermeneutics
Genres
Worldviews

Optional Reading (starts on page 75 of Part V)

Appendix A

Film Research Resources

Appendix B

Sample Movie Analyses (These are NOT examples for you to specifically follow
for paper #2 for HUM 210. Look at the assignment instructions for HUM 210
paper #2.)

Appendix C

Glossary of Film Terms

Marks Media Meaning A Note of Caution

When I use examples from the media (from culture, the world) or quote from other
authors/sources, this is not to be understood as either my personal endorsement or LBCs
endorsement.
Even if I quote from another Christian, it does not necessarily mean I agree with that individual,
either in what Im quoting, or especially in other things that individual may have said/done that
Im not quoting.
If you have concerns about either something I say or something someone else says, good.
Engage your minds! Be critical thinkers. I dont want to indoctrinate. I want to educate.
When I mention a movie, or a song, or a book, this does not mean you should consume it.
Dont go out seeking to watch, read, or listen to something just because I use a piece of it as an
example. For instance, I will reference Pink Floyd in Chapter 1. You should not interpret this
to mean I think it is good/beneficial to purchase/listen to Pink Floyd music. What Im doing is
referencing a cultural example.

Part I
Think about our purpose we must worship, work and relax
Movies explore potential answers to the questions of life to looking at why life is the way it is,
and how the world/society functions. All of us want to know the purpose/meaning of life. Why
are we here? Where did we come from?

Chapter 1 Worship
Learning About:
A.
B.
C.
D.

King Solomon His Quest

King David His Heart
Our Relationship with God
We Must Worship God
A. King Solomon His Quest

As Ive been going through my life, Ive been asking: My life would be meaningful if ______?
Or essentially, What is the meaning and purpose of life?
Of course, this question is not just new to me. King Solomon was asking this question, and
began to explore it in Ecclesiastes 1:2-22.
Meaningless! Meaningless! says the teacher. Utterly meaningless! Everything is
meaningless.
What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever
returning on its course.
All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come
from, there they return again.
All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new
under the sun.
Is there anything of which one can say, Look! This is something new? It was here
already, long ago: it was here before our time.

There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be
remembered by those who follow.
The first thing King Solomon reflects on in Ecclesiastes is the recycling of nature. He found this
depressing, which kind of makes me feel better when I dont enjoy constantly mowing grass that
keeps growing back. Why do I keep doing what is essentially meaningless? That has no long
lasting result? What could I do in life to find true meaning?
All this reminds me of two songs. One is the cry of U2, the other, the scream of Pink Floyd. It
is the U2 song I Still Havent Found What Im Looking For that speaks about the quest and
search for meaning in life.
Pink Floyd, The Wall, is the story of a guy who dreams of becoming a rock star and eventually
makes his dream come true. In the end, though, he discovers that his fame, fortune, and art cant
make him happy. None of it gives him any meaning in life. He concludes that everything is just
another brick in the wall.

IF
I would be happy if
I would be satisfied if
I could get past this emptiness and depression if

Nothing satisfies. Not in the long run, at least. Not in a way that matters.
I would be happy if .
I could be free from my parents
I could have a close and loving family
I could get married and have kids
I could get my parents to love me
I could get my parents to love each other
My spouse would love me
I had enough money to get everything I want
I were smarter
I didnt care so much about what other people think
I could do something really important with my life
I could help people in a meaningful way
I could make a difference in the world
I could just relax and party all the time
I didnt have to worry about anything
I could be with the people I love the most
Solomon conducted his experiment on everything under heaven. He used his great wealth and
wisdom to test every experience in life.
If you could do an experiment to find just one truth in the universe, what would it be? Why?
What would it be worth to you to discover that truth?
Who do you trust to answer lifes biggest questions? What about Solomons ethos (his
credibility to answer this question for us)?
Whether we realize it or not, we test ideas and approaches to life all the time. Look around at the
people at your work, church, (school), and family. Do you notice anyone who seems to be
testing something?
Perhaps some are trying to discover what impact new clothes or a new hairstyle will have on
themselves or others. Perhaps some are testing people in authority to find the limits of what they
can get away with. Perhaps others are experimenting with how little work they need to do in
their job and still keep it, or how little studying they can do and still get a passing grade. What
do you notice?
Think about the movies you watch. What are people testing in/through those movies? Movies
are recorded life experiments in a controlled environment for our consideration.
Solomon tried it all the good, the bad, and the ugly: I denied myself nothing my eyes desired
(Ecc. 2:10).

Here is a condensed summary of the experiments of Solomon in Ecclesiastes:

partying live for pleasure
laughter
wine
music
Solomon also explored: romance and sex, money and things, and status and power. Solomon
discovered that living for pleasure leads to slavery.
Watch your friends. How much pleasure or happiness do they get from music? How much
pleasure do they get from laughing?
Observe your own heart. What pleasures (healthy or not) do you tend to lean on too much for
escape, relief, or some kind of satisfaction? Do those things really satisfy you in a lasting way?
What is good under the sun? Solomon advised that we enjoy the moment, have friends, and
seek wisdom. Those things are good to do, even though there isnt ultimate meaning in them.
But what is the ultimate meaning and purpose of life? Ecc. 12:1 = God
1. Remember Creator (Ecc. 12:1)
2. Fear God (Ecc. 12:13)
3. Keep His commandments (Ecc. 12:13-14)
This helps us to understand that we feel empty for a reason. Were searching for meaning for a
reason. Jesus is the only way for us to be with God. Even Christians still groan, and part of us
still feels empty, because were not with God yet. For our hope is in heaven
Some things we can do now, before heaven are:
Talk to God in prayer.
Relax
Take comfort in the fact that you dont have to be perfect
Be fearless and confident
Live with joy
Share the Secret
So, if Solomon concluded that having a heart after God is the utmost importance, who is an
example of doing so?

B. King David
Chuck Swindoll says the following in his book King David:
What does it mean to be a person after God's own heart? Seems to me, it means that you
are a person whose life is in harmony with the Lord. What is important to Him is
important to you. What burdens Him burdens you. When He says, "Go to the right," you
go to the right.
When He says, "Stop that in your life," you stop it. When He says, "This is wrong and I
want you to change," you come to terms with it because you have a heart for God. That's
bottom-line biblical Christianity.
When you are deeply spiritual, you have a heart that is sensitive to the things of
God. ... What is God looking for? He is looking for men and women whose hearts are
completely His - completely. That means there are no locked closets. Nothing's been
swept under the rugs. That means that when you do wrong, you admit it and immediately
come to terms with it.
You're grieved over wrong. You're concerned about those things that displease
Him. You long to please Him in your actions. You care about the motivations behind
your actions. That's true spirituality, and that's the first quality David had.
Wow. David wasnt perfect. Ok, Im not perfect either. But I want to seek after God the way
David did. I want to be in relationship with God.

C. Our Relationship with God

But how does one have a personal relationship with God?
If you are able to, I highly recommend watching the video: NoomaRelationship with God.
Transcript of Nooma Rhythm (http://www.takebackcanada.com/rhythm.html transcribed by
S. E. Poulin)
I recently heard somebody saying that they were pulling into a parking lot and the space
closest to the building opened up and they said it was a sign that God was with them. And
then probably about two weeks ago I heard somebody talking about two people who'd
been sick and the one of them had been healed, and they were talking enthusiastically
about how God had intervened to heal the one person; and the whole time I'm thinking,
Yeah, but, what about the other person? I mean, they didn't get healed. Where was God,
why didn't God intervene with them? And then it was last night, just last night I heard
somebody say that they had been in a store and they'd seen something they'd really
wanted and it was on sale, and they said, This just shows how good God is. If God can

help people find things on sale, then why doesn't God spend time doing things that seem
more important like earthquakes or famines or sickness?
When you think about God, when you hear the word "God," what images come to mind?
Like this old man with a long white beard and he's behind a curtain and he's working
these levers, he's healing some and then hes find parking spaces for others? See, for
many people their concept of God is built around a God who's outside of everything, a
God who essentially is somewhere else; a God who made the world, but then stands back;
and like watches it from this other vantage point. A God who's there and then from
time to time comes here. The problem with this concept of God is you end up having to
even prove that this God even exists. And so what happens is we start with real life, we
start with existence, this, what we all agree actually exists, and then people end up
arguing and debating and discussing whether theres a God somewhere else who has
something to do with this.
But the writers of the bible seem far less interested in proving whether God exists, and far
more interested in talking about what God is like. Like in the book of Exodus, a man
named Moses wants to know Gods name, and God responds, I AM. And then later
God reminds Moses that when Moses heard Gods voice he saw no shape or form. God is
beyond anything our minds can comprehend. What's it mean to have a personal
relationship with this kind of God? I mean that's like... that's like hard... hard to get your
mind around. You know, I believe that God listens and God cares and Gods involved,
but I find the whole relationship idea hard to comprehend; and then loving this kind of
God. What does that look like? What does it mean and how do you do it?
When I think of God, I hear a song. It's a song that moves me, and it has a melody and it
has a groove. It has a certain rhythm. And people have heard this song for thousands and
thousands of years across continents and cultures and time periods. People have heard
this song and they found it captivating; and they've wanted to hear more. Now there have
always been people who say there is no song and who deny the music, but the song keeps
playing. And so, Jesus came to show us how to live in tune with the song. Like that he's
the way and the truth and the life
This isnt a statement about one religion being better than all the other religions; I mean
the last thing Jesus came to do was start a new religion. He came to show us reality at its
most raw. He came to show us how things are. I mean Jesus is like God and taking on
flesh and blood and so in his generosity and in his compassion, thats what Gods like. In
his telling of the truth thats what Gods like. In his love and forgiveness and sacrifice
thats what Gods like. Thats who God is. Thats how the song thats how the song
goes.
This song is playing all around us all the time. This song is playing everywhere. Its
written on our hearts. And everybody is playing the song. See the question the question
isnt whether or not youre playing a song. The question is: are you in tune? Like its
written in the book of Acts; it says that God gives us life and breath and everything else.
God is generous. So when Im like selfish and stingy and I refuse to give, Im essentially

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out of tune with the song. Later, in one of Johns letters, he says that God is love;
unrestrained, unconditional love. So when you see somebody sacrifice themselves for
another, for the well-being of somebody else, its like theyre playing in the right key.
Thats why its so inspiring and powerful; theyre in tune with the song.
Now some people know all sorts of stuff about music. They know stuff about pitch and
modes and keys and instruments, and so they can hear things that maybe other people
dont. They hear subtlety and nuance in the song that other people might miss. They
appreciate things others might miss, but its also possible to be so caught up in the
technical aspects in the song that you miss the simple, pure, enjoyment of the song.
I mean there are people who talk as if they know everything about being a Christian, and
yet they can seem way out of tune. And then there are others who would say they dont
know much at all about the Christian faith and yet they can seem very in tune with the
song. I met lots of people who struggle with what it means to have a relationship with
God, but they havent lost faith and love and hope and truth and compassion and justice
and generosity. And maybe you have this sense like you have no sort relationship with
God because all these things these ideas you have about what that means. All these
things that youve been told about what it is or what it isnt. And an infinite massive kind
of invisible God thats hard to get our minds around; but truth, love, grace, mercy,
justice, compassion the way that Jesus lived I can see that. I can understand that. I
can relate to that. I can play that song.
So may you come to see that the song is written on your heart, and as you live in tune
with the song, in tune with the creator of universe. May you realize that you are in
relationship with the living God.
Some thoughts to ponder regarding the above quotation:

What do you believe about Gods involvement in our daily lives?

Where is God?
What does it mean for you to be in or out of the tune with the song?
Are you in tune?
What is more important to Jesus: what we believe or what we do?
Do you believe that if you live the way Jesus taught us to live, being in tune with the
song, that you will have life in the fullest?
I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest, John 10:10.

I want to be in a relationship with God. I want to love God through my obedience to Him.

D. We Must Worship God

So what? The foundation for the Christian to have wisdom and discernment about movies is to
understand what the meaning and purpose is of life.

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Glorify and enjoy the living God by striving for worship that is pleasing to Him.
Dick Staub in About You explores three major themes:
One theme answers the question: What can humans do to please God?
St. Irenaeus answers saying, The glory of God is man fully alive.
The second theme answers the question: What was the mission of Jesus?
Hans Rookmaaker answers saying, Jesus didnt come to make us Christian; Jesus came
to make us fully human.
Jesus is seen here as a humanizer not religionizer.
The third theme answers the question: What does fully human look like?
The answer comes from an understanding that regardless of nationality, ethnic origin,
religion or creed, each and every person on earth is a bearer of Gods image creatively,
spiritually, intelligently, morally and relationally in ways unique to them.
I know I can worship God in song, praise, dance, etc. I know I can worship God by sacrificing
my life for others. I know I can worship God by praying to Him. But what else is worship?
Should I separate my daily life tasks and duties from true worship of God?
Do we worship God through our career? Through our work? Through mowing the grass?

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Chapter 2 Work
We must work
If it were desired to reduce a man to nothing, it would be necessary only to give his
work a character of uselessness Fyodor Dostoevski.
Leisure and I have parted company. I am resolved to be busy till I die John Wesley.
Why do we work?
Providing lifes necessities
Maintaining a standard of living
Satisfying psychological needs
Promising future benefits
Supplying moral satisfaction
Work in the Old Testament: Gods pattern is 6 days of work then REST.
Cultural mandate before the Fall subdue the earth (the Fall brought the curse of toil and
hardship). In the Old Testament, work was in the purpose of God for humans. Work is an
essential expression of our nature, made in the image of God the Creator.
Work in the early New Testament church:
1 Cor 9:6-12
2 Thes 3:8, 10
1 Thes 4:11
The church viewed work as a necessity of life. In the 6th century, St. Benedict prescribed work
as a spiritual discipline. The Benedictine motto, To labor is to pray.
Middle Ages and Work
Thomas Aquinas and his influence on the work ethic he differentiated people into classes and
occupations and rated work in terms of the value of goods produced. The special calling of the
monks and the spiritual activities of monastic life were regarded as superior to all secular forms
of work. There came to be a strong sacred-secular work dichotomy. In the Thomist view a
persons life was divided into two spheres, devoted either to spiritual ends or to economic
pursuits.
Reformation all work is sacred. Vocation (Gods calling) applied to the ordinary jobs and
employments of life.
Luther vs. Calvin: According to Luther, one expressed vocation (religious calling) in work
(station or office). Calvin believed that ones vocation was expressed through work.

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Protestant work ethic leisure was delegated in practice to a position outside the church.
Puritan work ethic work was legitimized as a means of glorifying God and was held up as a
defense against idleness and waste of time.
I think Scripture helps us understand that work is not evil, and that work can be done as worship
to God. But is that it? Do we just have two options? Worship God through church and work?
What about our use of our leisure time?

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Chapter 3 Relax
We must rest (leisure), but can rest be worship?
We have leisure and yet it evades us. Throughout history our waking hours have been occupied
with work. Leisure historically was the privilege of a small upper class, but it has now become
the possession of nearly everyone.
How do you define leisure?
Leisure is the best of all possessions Socrates.
A society is what it does in its free time August Heckscher.
Say that beginning tomorrow morning you are given a full year, fully financed, with your family
cared for, to do something you have always wanted to do. What do you choose? Most indicate
an activity which is already one of their interests/hobbies. A year off would simply give more
time to pursue the activity to a fuller extent.
Leisure interests are usually acquired at an early age. We do have time to pursue our interests.
But beware the downfall of the Greeks and Romans, who misused their leisure, corrupting their
societies through excesses in spectator sports and sensual debauchery.
How is leisure to be used? Can leisure yield constructive benefits to the glory of God or does it
condemn us to emptiness, hedonism, and self-indulgence? Is leisure, in fact, a blessing or a
curse?
Gods people and leisure: In biblical times the concept of leisure as we know it today did not
exist. The possibility of full economic production with time left over was an unheard-of dream.
In the absence of leisure the Bible says little about how free time should be used. It is clear that
both work and rest were to be woven into the life of His people.

Rest principle Sabbath

Cycle of other special religious days (holy days and holidays)

So can we use our leisure for God?

Real leisure is a divine time for celebration, commemorated at its best in feast and holy days.
God calls His followers to leisure alongside His call to work.
1. Leisure as Gods gift, bound up in the creation model. God created, not for His work, but
for His leisure. Originally humans had been placed in the garden to dress and keep it.
2. Leisure as an expression of the lordship of Christ over all of life since Christ is Lord
over all of a Christians life, we dare not dichotomize life, as though it is necessary to
honor God with our work but when leisure time comes we have somehow earned the
freedom to make our own choices as if God doesnt matter.

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3. Leisure as the sharing and participating in the use of Gods gift of time. Work and leisure
a rhythm of life to be lived. Redeem the time, Eph 5:16, Col. 4:5. How to use time?
Col. 3:17.
4. Leisure as the sphere of self-definition.
5. Leisure as an expression of Christian vocation. It is to the credit of Christian people that
as they developed surplus resources in money and leisure time, these resources are
frequently used in missionary and service activities.
6. Leisure as a realm of responsible decision making.
7. Leisure as an accruement of true wealth. Genuine leisure is only possible for the person
of faith in God. A person of idolatrous faith cannot know true leisure because he or she
is possessed by his/her idols, be they work, electronics, or even leisure pursuits. Faith in
God frees us to enjoy and to participate. Our security in God is not bound by any
activity, toy, or material thing.
8. Leisure as the soul of celebration. The fundamental justification for leisure is celebration.
This theological basis for leisure is drawn from a very concrete idea in biblical history
the day of rest. To rest from work meant that time was reserved for divine worship.
Ultimate leisure, therefore, is a divine time, a mental and spiritual attitude of inward calm
and silence, a capacity for steeping oneself in the whole of creation, and climaxed in the
celebration on holy days and feast days.
9. Leisure as internship for the eternal. Human activity is play. It is serious, but is not of
ultimate seriousness. That is reserved for God. It is not our activity but Gods activity
that is of supreme importance.
The ultimate goal of humans as described by the write of Hebrews is rest: Heb. 4:8-11a.

Where should our Sabbath be?

Jesus pulled away from the crowds to rest was this away from God? His Sabbath, as with ours,
is always to be "in the Lord." Christians should always be engaged eyes open, mind on, onmission, intentional. Christians should engage life with discernment, and this means both the
people they talk to as well as the media they consume. To allow movies and video games and
other things to serve as diversion seems at odds with what we profess about joy and hope and
satisfaction in this life though Jesus Christ.
Turning to entertainment as your comfort (or escape), apart from relationship with Christ, is
idolatrous. Though many Christians will give this lip service, it rarely manifests in lifestyle.
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (I Cor 10:31).

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How was Jesus entertained?

Was Jesus "entertained" when he hung out around hookers and tax collectors? Was he
"entertained" when he engaged the Pharisees? As he was enjoying each conversation, sifting the
right thinking from the detritus, pointing out sin or recognizing the Father's hand moving through
someone's life, was he entertained? I think the answer is yes. Was Paul "entertained" reading
Athenian poets or navigating their landscape of idols? I think he was. Recognizing hints of the
Father - a glimpse of the Savior - amidst all their truly blasphemous crap was surely a joy.
You'll note that I didn't say Jesus was entertained BY the things mentioned; he was entertained
BY the engagement - by the experience which was His work for the Father in working WITH
them in conversation.
Whether or not we're entertained, and how it entertains us, really hinges first and foremost on our
initial goal in engaging, whether it's people (directly) or culture (indirectly). When was Jesus
ever off-mission? When was he "taking a break" from seeking God? Even his breaks for rest and
solitude were focused on God for prayer and refreshment. Sabbath is not about mindless
relaxation - it's about taking a break to focus on our Lord. Entertainment is meant for one of two
things - diversion or engagement. A Christian should never allow it to "divert" them. They
should always be engaging.
If we're taking a "break" from seeking God's face to dally with aspects of culture, we're offmission. The world dictates that there are appropriate times to use cultural tools (movies, videogames) to distract us from the burden of our lives... but this thinking is not biblical. Relaxing in
front of the television because you had a hard day at work is one thing - that can be fine.
However, if your walk with Christ is a burden you need a secular, "mindless" break from...
something is horribly amiss.
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons
of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy
arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought
captive to obey Christ (2 Cor 10:3-5).
So what does all this mean for our lives? We must have a balance of work and life. Bill
Butterworth, in Chapter 7 of Balancing Work and Life shows us: Life is more like a
marathon than a sprint. Here's how to stay well conditioned.
Bill Butterworth will make you laugh and learn while you're doing it! In the opening chapter of
this powerful little book, Bill shares with us how, while running his rotund body in a nightmarish
440-yard dash, he learned a great lesson: Life is much more like a marathon than a sprint. The
attitudes and actions that result in steady success over the long haul are what make for long-term
satisfaction and achievement. To experience this for yourself, you need to understand how to
deal with life's inevitable challenges:

The Hazies losing sight of long-term goals

The Lazies lacking the self-discipline to bring life back into focus
The Crazies allowing life to run out of control

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Each of these can be conquered by three clarifying triangles: setting clear priorities, learning
the discipline of endurance, and reaching the finish line through skillful pacing. It all adds up to
a succinct and inspiring guide to balancing excellence at work with fulfillment in all of life.
The Pacing Triangle:

Learning

Labor

Leisure
All this to get us to the point where we can ask, how can watching movies fit into my life as
a Christian?
1. We must have significance (the search for purpose see Solomon)
2. We must love and worship God (see King David)
3. We must learn, labor and have leisure in balance
Even with this understanding, I still think we are left with the question: Is entertainment a right
use of our leisure time?