--------------------------------------------------------
By Jason Janz
January 12th, 2006
SharperIron.org
This past weekend marked the fiftieth anniversary of the death of five missionaries in Ecuador-Ed McCully, Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, Nate Saint, and Roger Youderian. They died after being speared by natives on a sandy beach along the Curaray River. The story rocketed around the globe and landed on the front cover of Life magazine which included a ten-page article. If you talk to someone who was a believer at the time, it had the same effect as other events such as Kennedy’s assassination – people remember where they were when they heard the story. I heard someone at a missions conference say that the greatest flood of American missionaries to land on foreign soil did so after the deaths of these young men.
The story is perhaps the most endearing, convicting, and popular missions story of American missions overseas over the last one hundred years. Who hasn’t heard Elliot’s motto, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose?” The story is near and dear to evangelical Christians the world over. As a young boy, I read Through Gates of Splendor and as a youth pastor, I led a group of teens in performing Bridge of Blood, a play about the lives of these five missionaries and their wives. So, you can imagine the anticipation I felt as I heard that a theatrical movie was coming out in 2006 to mark the 50th anniversary of the deaths of these heroes.
I was given free tickets to a pastor’s preview a week ago and so on Thursday night my wife and I attended the showing. I was struggling in my spirit because my wife and I have battled thoughts of the mission field ever since our college days. We are still open to God’s leading in our lives in this regard. So, just like before missions conference, I was anxious. I knew that watching the sacrifice of these men would challenge my comfortable, American Christianity.
Well, I must say that I was severely disappointed. As the movie was concluding, I moved from disappointment to being upset. I was so upset at what I saw (or didn’t see) that I went up and shared some “devotional thoughts” with one of the heads of the promotional department for the film. He was a former Youth For Christ guy and now he’s working on promoting this film to the Christian community. I’ve had a few days to process my thoughts, research the film, and think about what to do. I have narrowed down my concerns to two main areas. The first area is the content of the film – the average believer should be embarrassed at the dumbing down of the Gospel or anything Christian for that matter. My second area of concern is the cast of the film – Every Tribe Entertainment chose Chad Allen, a gay activist, to play Nate Saint (Most people will remember Chad if they watched Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman. Chad played Matthew Cooper, the oldest of the adopted children). I will write on these two issues. My first article will focus on the choice of Chad Allen as one of the leading stars in the show.
I have divided my article into five points:
1. The facts about Every Tribe Entertainment’s choice of Chad Allen.
2. How the gay community views the choice of a gay man playing a Christian missionary.
3. The response of Every Tribe Entertainment when confronted about this choice.
4. Why Christians should be concerned.
5. What Christians should do.
1. The facts about Every Tribe Entertainment’s choice of Chad Allen.
Every Tribe Entertainment chose a gay actor to play Nate Saint in the movie.
In an interview, he was asked if he had ever been in love. He said, “Yes, absolutely. I’ve loved deeply, in the romantic sense. I’m very proud of that.” The interviewer asked, “Not so long ago you had a big reputation around drugs and parties. Were you a circuit boy?” Allen responded, “No, I was a guy who loved to push everything to its limits. That included the use of drugs and alcohol to expand and heighten every emotion to its absolute extreme. I’ve experienced the rave scene, the underground New York and L.A. scenes, the circuit party scene among gay men—all of it. It’s a nice little label to give somebody, but what does it really tell you about them? Nothing. I’ve had beautiful, intense romantic relationships with women in my life. And in this period in my life I have beautiful, intense romantic relationships with men.” 1I’ve been around evangelicalism enough to know that many will not be a bit concerned about this. After all, is homosexuality the worst sin in the world? Chad is not only gay, he flaunts his sexuality on the big screen. In an interview with InLA Magazine, he was asked about his first gay love scene in a movie. He responded, “I want beautiful, positive representations of gay male sexuality out there. So it was very important to the director, Ron Oliver, and me to make a really good sex scene that wasn't gratuitous or gross but was healthy, sexy, and beautiful.” 2
Every Tribe Entertainment chose a producer of gay films.
Chad Allen is co-producing a film called The Way Out, starring David Duchovny, about two old men who fall in love in an old folk’s home.3 He also started a company called Mythgarden. In August of 2005, he gave an interview to Scene magazine in which he expanded on Mythgarden’s plans. He said, “For television, we have a biography series of gay and lesbian heroes throughout history. We also have a wonderful series that takes classic fairy tales both familiar and lesser known and makes them gay. There's a fantastic book we optioned called Fairy Tales for Gay Men.”4 He further elaborated on his goals when he said, "There are so many good stories that want to be told, and we just want to make good movies with and for gay people," says Allen, who is going back into production with a new Donald Strachey mystery for Here TV in which he plays a gay detective. "We want to tell stories that highlight historical events and also illustrate what it really means to be gay." His agenda comes across pretty clear when he states in an interview with Out magazine that he hopes to use Mythgarden to show gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans-gendered people in a positive light.5
Every Tribe Entertainment chose a gay activist.
Not only is Allen a gay movie actor who also produces gay films, he is an activist for gay causes. According to Out magazine’s January 2006 article, Chad tours the country with gay outreach programs.6 In an April 23 interview, he was asked if he had been to many gay pride celebrations around the country. He replied, “I love it. Everyone gets so uptight about people marching down the street…I mean who cares, these people have been doing this before we could even talk about being openly gay and stuff. These people have pushed the community so (expletive) far forward, excuse my language that who cares about the shock.” 7 According to Advocate magazine in November of 2003, “He began pouring his energy and time into myriad causes, including the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which helps elect openly gay candidates nationwide, and the Trevor Project, which sponsors a toll-free, round-the-clock suicide hotline for GLBT teens.” 8
Every Tribe Entertainment chose a star who has appeared in plays that have degraded Christ and Christianity.
In 2001, Allen starred in a play, set in 1950’s Corpus Christi, Texas. The play is said to parallel the New Testament story of Jesus. The play features a hard-drinking gay man gay named Joshua. Joshua is the Christ-figure who is different because he is gay. He grows up in isolation and becomes an object of ridicule. He runs from the environment of the city and while traveling gathers about him a group of twelve disciples who cling to him because of his message of love and tolerance. Most of the twelve disciples bear the names of Christ's apostles.According to a Gay Wired article in 2001, when asked how he became involved in the play, Allen said, “I had heard of the show and knew of its reputation before I read it. So I took it home and read it and when I read it, I found it to be an incredible play. It single-handedly seemed to give me back a concept of Christ and a concept of human divinity that I had long since lost.” 9Here are excerpts from another interview:DW: Corpus Christi is not a play without its share of detractors. What do you say to those who claim that the play is an attack on Christianity?CA: “I view [Corpus Christi] as a deeply Christian play. I constantly find myself reminding people that Jesus Christ is not a character in this play. This is not written as a historical account or meant to be a historical account of Jesus Christ. What it does is it asks us all, ‘Can we see ourselves as Christ? Are we all capable of that same kind of relationship with God?'”DW: What do you think is the single most important message of the play?CA: “It’s one line in the play. It’s early on when God is talking to his son before Joshua comes to realize himself as the son of God and [God] whispers to him, ‘All men are divine.’ And he [Joshua] says, ‘What? I can’t hear you?’ And he [God] says, ‘All men are divine. That is the secret that you will teach them.’ [Then] Joshua says, ‘What if I don’t want to teach them?’ and God says, ‘You won’t be able to keep the secret.’ That’s the message of the piece as I see it. That we are all capable of the same kind of divine relationship with God that Joshua comes to find.” 10However, Corpus Christi is not the only anti-Christian production that Allen has been involved in. He starred in a production entitled “Save Me” which is about a young man who goes to an organization designed to help gays come out of the gay lifestyle. While at the treatment center, he falls in love with a male reporter. In explaining the production to The Advocate magazine on November 25, 2003, Chad said, “[It's] about the "ex-gay" movement. I read the script and at the end I was crying, because I thought it was the best love story between two guys that I'd ever read. Simultaneously, it explores this ex-gay movement from a place where it doesn't need to make the Christian right out to be the bad guys. I play a [gay] boy who's bottomed out in his life. His family takes him to [an ex-gay ministry], and he genuinely wants to give it a try. In the meantime, Robert Gant is this reporter who goes undercover [into the same ex-gay ministry] to get the scoop, and he and I fall in love. It's a beautiful, beautiful story.” 11
Every Tribe Entertainment chose an actor who has argued publicly (with an evangelical pastor) for the rights to same-sex marriage and gay adoption.
Below is the exchange between Chad Allen and John MacArthur on Larry King Live on February 24, 2004.
Quote:
(Introductory statement of Allen in the context of the question of same-sex marriages)
Chad Allen: You know, I'll be honest with you. If you'd asked me this question a year ago, I wouldn't have cared. I would have said, Why would I want to get involved with that institution? Why would I want to have -- ultimately, wind up having my things decided by a court and where they go. And then I fell in love a year ago. And he's on the road right now, and when I wake up in the morning, I miss him a lot. I miss him right in my belly. And for the first time in my life, I started thinking about this institution of marriage and what my parents talked about, about building a life with somebody else. And when I woke up today, the president told me that I couldn't have that. The president said he would -- they turned the Constitution around and make it a document of exclusion and tell me that I'm a second-class citizen. That's not OK.(Large part of interview skipped here between various people)
KING: John, what do you say to those who say, What about Chad and the love of his life being together? Isn't that better than, say, the heterosexual marriage where one of the partners cheats? Who is contributing more to the moral decay of the society, the adulterous husband with the female wife or the loving gay couple who don't do that?
MACARTHUR: Yes, well, you're asking me to do something I really can't do, and make a judgment on which sin is better or worse than the other. We've suffered in this country from adultery, divorce, the abuse of children, pedophilia, you name it. I'm not going to classify those in rank. They're sins, and they destroy the family.
KING: And homosexuality is...
MACARTHUR: And homosexuality...
KING: ... a sin to you.
MACARTHUR: Yes. And...
KING: Therefore, it's a choice.
MACARTHUR: It's a choice you make. It's a sinful choice.
KING: Did you make a choice to be heterosexual?
MACARTHUR: I don't think I had to make a choice to be heterosexual. I think that's a natural thing.
KING: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. In other words, one is a choice and one is not?
MACARTHUR: Yes.
KING: So he was unlucky and you're...
MACARTHUR: Because -- because you're not talking about -- because it's natural to be heterosexual. That's built...
KING: What do you mean by natural?
MACARTHUR: Well, I mean, that's the way God made us. That's the normal...
KING: But if he doesn't feel that way, what is he, then? He's not a sinner. It wasn't his decision.
MACARTHUR: Yes, I think it was his decision.
ALLEN: I would love, absolutely love for the pastor to point out for me when in my life I made that decision because I have to tell you, it caused a lot of pain in my family. It caused a lot of pain to me. It's a very, very tough thing that I had to go through. I don't remember making that decision. If I did, maybe can you point it out, but that wasn't the case for me. It's who I am. You also said that it was in the fabric of the human being that -- to understand that marriage was between a man and a woman and that's what family was. It must not be because it's not in the fabric of what who I am. It's not the way I see it. I think families come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
MACARTHUR: Well, let me respond this way, Chad, and say it had to be in the fabric of humanity or you wouldn't be here.
ALLEN: I believe that reproduction is. I'll give you that. I absolutely believe that reproduction is. However, I think family, the definition of family and the definition of reproduction are very, very different things.
KING: All right...
MACARTHUR: Well, what I said earlier is the DNA, the genetic structure of humanity, of civilization, of society is family. Everybody knows that. That's in the heart. That's how it works. You're coming along with others who are homosexual in their perspective and overturning what is natural to everyone.
MACARTHUR: Let me respond to Chad, too, just on a personal basis, Chad, by saying, I don't think at some point you said, OK, I'm going to be a homosexual. I got two alternatives. You know, I'm going to go be a homosexual. But I do think whatever sin patterns show up in our lives -- and it may be different for us -- we can choose to continue down those paths of sin, whether it's adultery or whatever it is, or we can say, Look, this is sin, and I need to deal with this in my heart. If this is the way I'm being led, it's not right. It doesn't honor God. It's not according to his Word. It's not going to ultimately bring blessing on life. I make the choice at that -- I can't make a choice to be a sinner, OK? I am. We all are. But once you start down the path of sin, if you recognize that it is that, then you look to the Lord for the remedy to that.
ALLEN: And I respect you beyond anything for your belief on that. I really do. And let me tell you where the sin was in my life, as I see it. When I was in high school and kids were getting picked on and I was one of those kids picking on other kids, the ones that couldn't help but show that they were gay, the effeminate boys, and I picked on them and I beat them up. That was a sin for me. The sin for me was hiding who I was, when I was -- when it was dark inside my life and I was hiding who I was and trying to be something else, that was the sin for me. I believe that it's God who's called me to open up and start talking.
(King breaks off this part to talk with another panelist)
(Allen now argues for the right to adopt)
KING: John, how about -- here are two people that want to -- they want a family. They want to be a gay couple. They want what you have, you have with your wife. They're asking for that. They want to promise fidelity. They want to promise to love, honor and obey. Why not let them do that?
MACARTHUR: Well, they may want a family, but they can't have one.
KING: No, but -- yes, they can. They can adopt.
MACARTHUR: Well, that -- they can't have one in the way that God designed it. They can't have one.
KING: Well, I'm talking about...
MACARTHUR: I mean, they can borrow somebody else's children.
KING: The state and God are not the same. The state -- what does the state care?
MACARTHUR: Well, I think because the state has a responsibility to uphold the right. Even the Bible says that the government exists to protect the people...
KING: What does the Bible...
MACARTHUR: ... from what is evil. Well, I'm just saying...
KING: OK.
MACARTHUR: What does a state do? It protects us, right? It protects us from what destroys. We enter into the abortion debate. The state makes laws about abortion. Why? Because it wants to protect what is valuable to our society and that is the reproduction process. This goes upstream in some sense, Larry, past the point of conception to a point where there can't even be conception.
KING: But don't you feel compassion for the fact that Chad wants only one thing, the same thing you have.
MACARTHUR: You know, I...
KING: What's wrong with that?
MACARTHUR: Because it's a wrong relationship. It's a sinful relationship. It's an unnatural relationship. It's a relationship that, obviously, common sense tells you can't produce children and care for children in the way that humanity's...
KING: And that's the only reason for marriage, then?
MACARTHUR: Well, there's more...
KING: Reproduction?
MACARTHUR: ... to say than that. You got to look beyond them. You got to look to the future. You have to look to the kids, the children. Law establishes values. Values are taught to children. They determine how children think in the future.
KING: Chad...
ALLEN: I have four friends, married couples, gay couples raising children, doing a very, very good job of teaching their children and raising their children in beautiful, loving families.
KING: Chad, why do you want what the society doesn't want to give you?
ALLEN: That's a good question. I'll tell you why. Because my parents showed me what love was like. They showed me what marriage was like. They showed me what two people could build together, grow old together, be happy together, take care of each other, plan for their future, plan for their deaths, plan to take care of each other if they're in the hospital. I've seen friends do the same thing. I stood up next to my brother when he got married and in front of the church, in front of our family, told -- said how much he loved his wife and wanted to be together.And for the first time in my life, again, I'm in love. And I started thinking, I want that, too. I can do it, too. And the bottom line is whether or not, ultimately, I or any my of my buddies want to get married is besides the point. There exists this institution which we've attached legal ramifications to, special rights to, that you're telling me that I can't have. That's not fair. That's not right. It's not what our country stands for.
(skipping another large part of interview)
CALLER: Hello. I'm -- this is a question for Congresswoman Musgrave and Pastor MacArthur. I'm a father of a gay son, and a grandfather. My son and his partner have been in a committed relationship for eight years. They have adopted two biracial high risk unwanted babies in the District of Colombia. They are a wonderful family. What in the world is wrong with this family that should prevent the parents from being married? Shouldn't they receive all the support that society can provide?
MACARTHUR: I'm not denying that on purely a social level those children will be better off being cared by somebody than being left in some foster situation or even worse. I would never deny that. Than I'm back to the bottom line which is that kind of union is sinful before God.
KING: But the acts they're doing are not sinful. They're raising two children who people didn't want. That's a wonderful thing.
MACARTHUR: That's the good part but the context in which that happens say context that advocates and flaunts the sin of homosexuality which is defined...
ALLEN: Even if that is the case, and listen, we'll all find out at the end of the day, can't we let God decide that?
MACARTHUR: It's in the word of God, it's unmistakably clear in the bible.
ALLEN: What are we so worried about? What are we so scared about? Why all this trouble to prevent me from accepting these privileges while I'm here if God will ultimately take care of it?
MACARTHUR: Let me answer that personally because the bible says in no uncertain terms that no hoe know [sic] sexual or adulterer will ever inherit the kingdom of God. The question is not open. It's a closed question.
KING: Suppose Chad doesn't want into the kingdom of heaven. His right.
MACARTHUR: I think he does. Don't you?
KING: What if he doesn't.
MACARTHUR: Absolutely and if that's the case, great, but however, will may be people that don't. And I don't want this country governed by the word of the bible, I don't want it. I want this country to be open to people who believe in all kinds of things.
MACARTHUR: The bible says that no sinner this is more than just we homosexuals, and then it says this, but such were some of you but you've been washed. You've been sanctified through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the great message of Christianity. We're all sinner, not just this but there is forgiveness and the kingdom of God is open to us. 12
2. How the gay community views the choice of a gay man playing a Christian missionary.
First of all, Chad Allen believes that this film will help bring the gay community and Christians together.
An interview with InLA magazine perhaps shows Allen’s true heart when it comes to his acting in a movie about evangelical missionaries. I provide the quote exactly as it appears in the interview. “Allen also stars in the upcoming film End of the Spears, based on the true story of a group of Christian missionaries that make contact with the Waodani, a notoriously violent Ecuadorian tribe. Having grown up in a Roman Catholic family, Allen saw this project as a challenge he wanted to undertake. "There were a lot of people on both sides that weren't particularly interested in me doing this movie. I am from a Christian background, but I have a personal spirituality that spans the distance from Buddhism to Hindu philosophy to Native American beliefs. That aside, this movie is about the power of love. I knew it was an opportunity to bridge these two disparate communities that are believed to be enemies- the gay and the Christian communities."13 I would be the first to say that I do not consider those who live in the gay community as enemies. I work with several such individuals in helping them to put that lifestyle behind them. However, when it comes to the gay agenda and gay activism, there is no doubt that they stand in complete opposition to the message of the Bible. So, discerning pastors must ask themselves the question, “If Chad Allen believes in the power of this film to bring the gay and Christian communities together, should we not be concerned about recommending the film to those in our congregations?” Are we not responsible to not just stay silent about it, but rather to warn people of the dangers of the film? Don’t get me wrong. I think there is much to recommend in the story, however, I think our church members need to be aware of the issues behind the film.
Second, even the gay media seems surprised at the choice.
Out Magazine published an article this month and the subtitle read, “Chad Allen: teen heartthrob, actor, producer, gay activist ...missionary man?”14 Evidently, they see the discrepancy between the lifestyle of a gay actor and a missionary.
Third, Allen is convinced that he landed the role because of an interview read by End of the Spear representatives in a gay magazine.
I quote the Advocate 2005 issue, “And then there are Allen's recent-and, he says, profound-experiences in Panama making the film End of the Spear and in the Ecuadoran Amazon after shooting wrapped. Scheduled for a January release, Spear is a $20 million indie based on the true story of a Christian missionary played by the gay Allen, a role that he confides he landed in part thanks to The Advocate.” 15Does anybody else wonder why a Christian movie company representative is reading gay magazines? Did the movie reps actually know about Allen’s homosexuality before he was hired? Sadly, the answer to the second question is yes.
3. The response of Every Tribe Entertaiment when confronted about this choice.
Every Tribe Entertainment chose Chad Allen even though they were aware of his lifestyle. It’s sad to even report this but the Advocate wrote an article entitled, “Missionary man: How being on the cover of The Advocate got Chad Allen a role as a real-life evangelical Christian killed in the Amazon.” Here is an excerpt from that article.
Quote:
“When Chad Allen was first told by his agent that he was being offered a pivotal role in an independent film called End of the Spear, Allen asked point-blank, "’Do they know who I am?'”Allen went into his first meeting with the film's producers and director with real trepidation that they and the Saint family-for whom, he stresses, he had great respect would not want a gay man representing their legacy. After he aired his concern, however, the filmmakers produced, of all things, the November 25, 2003, issue of The Advocate with Allen on the cover, in which the actor spoke of his faith and the importance of doing good works for the holidays. They had showed that issue to Steve Saint, the filmmakers told Allen. "And this man Steve Saint said that the same things that I talked about in The Advocate are the same things he fought his whole life for," Allen beams, "and it would wrong for them not to ask me to do it. That's an amazing story, right?"
No kidding. Allen's casting as Saints father, Nate-and, later in the film, as Steve himself-did not pass without further controversy, especially after a contentious Larry King Live appearance with minister John MacArthur the day President Bush announced his support for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. But by the end of production Allen was invited along with Saint and a select group of actors and producers from the film to live with the Waodani for several weeks, three days' journey from any working telephone. "When it was over," Allen says quietly, "both [Steve Saint] and I were in tears, hugging each other saying goodbye, because so much love had developed between us. It was an amazing experience:" 16
So, Allen even had sensitivities about portraying an evangelical missionary. He did not want to offend or cause problems because of his homosexuality. However, he was assured by Every Tribe Entertainment that his lifestyle would have no impact on starring in a film portraying one of America’s most loved missionaries. Also, the filmmakers produced the magazine and showed it to Allen and said that Steve Saint agreed that the things he talked about in the article were things that Nate Saint had fought for his whole life. Now, one must read the article to which they are referring. You can find the whole thing here. I read through it twice and found a brief mention of Allen doing charity work for struggling teens, but other than that, the article is filled with facts about his homosexual lifestyle. Then, they actually tell Allen that it would be “wrong” for them not to ask him to star in the film. So, we actually get to peer into the true belief system of Every Tribe Entertainment. Keep in mind that the e-newsletter from the Advocate goes to 40,000 subscribers. They have received a clear message from this branch of evangelicals.
Every Tribe Entertainment refuses to admit that the choice of Chad Allen was a mistake.
Every Tribe Entertainment is a new movie company that has as it’s mission, “To create quality entertainment for a broad audience that inspires hope through truth.” It was founded by Mart Green, founder of the Mardel Christian and Educational Supply chain. When confronted about the issue of Allen being in the film in a leading role, he told Christian Retailing Magazine that he did not believe that Allen being in the movie will “present a problem for Christian viewers.” He said, "After someone told me that Chad appeared on the cover of the gay and lesbian magazine The Advocate, we just felt, 'Hey, he's still the best actor.' If anything, he was more concerned when he found that we found out -- not that he has been hiding his sexuality.” He’s “available to tell our story of faith and forgiveness in the best way possible…Our position is we’re making quality films that tell faith-based stories, so we hire the best.” 17
4. Why Christians should be concerned.
First, we must be careful about who we allow to have a platform of influence in the Christian community.
Chad Allen already has a substantial fan base due to his successful acting career. However, this movie will by far be one of his biggest splashes on the screen. No doubt, his fan base will explode, especially among Christian kids. Every email that is sent from evangelical teens will go through his hands. You cannot go to Chad’s website and spend any time there without seeing his homosexuality on display. At several points, kids can learn about gay publications, online magazines, and support groups for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans-gendered teens. To demonstrate his fan appeal, I will quote a response from a magazine interview regarding people contacting him. Interviewer: “Have you experienced more people reaching out to you since your coming-out? Chad Allen: “Absolutely. There's a fan Web site, and that's become the epicenter for people, especially gay kids, who want to communicate and know about my story. Every E-mail that gets sent there eventually gets passed on to me. I spend a lot of time, more time than ever, working with young people, especially in the arena of drug abuse and dependency, people in chemical recovery programs-those issues and sexuality, and the way that those two go hand in hand so often, especially in our community.” 18
Second, we are going to get the level of society that we are willing to tolerate. I have no great visions that we will ever transform this decadent society. However, I am not a pessimist who simply thinks the world is already going to hell in a hand basket and thus will sit and watch it burn. I care about people. I care about my kids. I care about my church. I care about the Gospel. I care about upholding the Word of God. Therefore, I cannot sit by and watch the evangelical left take one more bite out of Christian conviction.
Third, we must realize that the Christian message and the messenger are intricately related.
In the New Testament, when a believer’s life did not match up to the Christian message, there was serious censure and discipline. Now, Chad Allen makes no claim to be a believer, but he portrayed one – a Gospel-proclaiming one. And his lifestyle is not hidden. In fact, he’s one of the foremost voices in Hollywood for the gay agenda. Every Tribe Productions seems to believe that there would never be a case where someone’s public and known behavior would ever disqualify him from playing a Christian missionary in a film. Does anyone really believe that Chad Allen was the best possible actor for Nate Saint? This would be like Madonna playing the virgin Mary. I propose that the Christian film-making community come up with a code of ethics that will show the difference between a Christian film company and a secular film company. If you are going to ask for our loyalty and support, you need to be willing to hear our concerns and let us know that you will protect our beliefs, not muddy the waters. Some will bring up the fact that I am making a big deal out of this just because of the gay issue. However, it’s not just his homosexuality. It’s what he does and has done with it. If someone’s sin problem was drunkenness instead, I would have just as big of an issue with it. If he promoted drunkenness, created movies promoting drunkenness, starred in a play as a drunk Jesus character, went on television and debated the rights of drunks, and then saw this movie as a chance to bring agreement between Christians and drunks, I’d be just as mad.
Fourth, we must be careful that we continue to hold to the Biblical position that homosexual practices are a sin.
This year, several denominations are having key votes regarding their stance on homosexuality. With compromise on every side, it is important to continue to state the position of the Word of God clearly on the issue. According to Romans 1, God said that homosexuality is a sin.
Fifth, we must reach gay people with the Gospel, but this is not the way. When the people starring in the film do not understand the message of the film, this should cause us to pause. I personally believe that more churches should reach out to the gay community with the Gospel. It’s going to be difficult. You will be misunderstood by believers and unbelievers alike. However, whatever we do, they must understand that we love them, care for them, and desire for them to come to a knowledge of the truth.
5. What Christians should do?
1. Communicate with Every Tribe Entertainment and let them know of your disappointment with their decision. Whatever you say, do it with meekness (Galatians 6:1).
2. Explain to your congregation the dangers of this choice so that they are aware of the issue regardless of whether or not they attend the movie or rent it later on.
3. Forward this article to as many people as possible so that they are made aware of the issue.
4. Have your pastor email me at jasonjanz@sharperiron.org to sign his name to the following letter I am sending to Mart Green and Every Tribe Entertainment. If your church has assistant pastors, I will add them to the list as well.
Dear Mart Green and Every Tribe Entertainment,
We are writing to you to express our deep disappointment in your selection of a gay activist to play the role of Nate Saint in the movie, The End of the Spear. We believe it is our biblical responsibility to confront a fellow believer when he makes a mistake. We have been asked over the last several months to aggressively promote this film to our congregations, however, we cannot do so because of this issue.We look forward to hearing how you plan to rectify this unfortunate situation.
In Him, (pastors)
Should we discourage anyone from seeing the film?
Personally, I have conflicting feelings about the viewing of the film. On the one hand, I do not want to send the message to Every Tribe Entertainment and the rest of the Christian film-making community that this is acceptable. This would make me lean towards discouraging anyone to view it in the theatre or to rent it on video. On the other hand, for those familiar with the story, the movie is powerful and could be edifying to the believer. (Don’t worry about it being a tool of evangelism. The Gospel is so hidden in the film that the chances of people getting saved are slim to none. But, that’ll be talked about in a post next week.) So, I think I will do my best to let people know of the problems with the movie and it’s production. Second, if they desire to view it, wait until it comes out on video and have lots of people over to see it in their home. That way, Every Tribe Entertainment doesn’t get as much income.
Disclaimer #1
I’m aware of similar issues in Lord of the Rings, Chariots of Fire, and the Passion of the Christ. However, none were as bold and blatant as this one.
Disclaimer #2
I have no more of an ax to grind with the gay community than I do with any other group that is organized against Bible principles.
Disclaimer #3
I do not think every actor in every Christian film needs to be a Christian.
Disclaimer #4
I don’t think this is the end of the world. Just the end of my support for Every Tribe Entertainment unless an apology is made. If you desire to communicate with me on this, please email me at jasonjanz@sharperiron.org. If you desire to talk by phone, I will be checking my email at regular intervals and will call you back on my cell.
Reference Notes:
1 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/advocate.htm
2 http://inlamag.com/816/features/816_chad.html
3 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/advocate2003.htm
4 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/scene.htm
5 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/out_mag06.htm
6 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/out_mag06.htm
7 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/oia.htm
8 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/advocate2003.htm
9 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/gaywired.htm1
0 http://www.geocities.com/chadallenwebsite/interview4
11 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/advocate2003.htm
12 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/larrykinglive.htm
13 http://inlamag.com/816/features/816_chad.html
14 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/out_mag06.htm
15 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/advocate2005.htm
16 http://www.chadallenonline.com/pres...-missionary.htm
17 Christian Retailing, Tuesday, October 18, 2005
18 http://www.chadallenonline.com/press/advocate2003.htm
______________________________________________
Copyright © 2000 - 2006, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment