Christian Filmmakers Forums

Doctrine Divides?

2012-05-10T16:37:21Z

Now before you draw conclusions, I want to say that it is a shame if we stop fellowship with other saints (if indeed they are saints) due to doctrinal differences other than the inerrancy of the Bible and verses like “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Et cetera.

I believe saints should have firm convictions on every life issue which can only be changed in light of Scripture. Doctrine is by no means unimportant that we might keep quiet about it. I know discussions here have encouraged me to research alternatives to what I believe, and I have either changed my convictions or have had them strengthened.

Make no mistake, on every Biblical issue, someone is right; someone is wrong. The Bible does not speak specifically to everything, but it does in general principles. Our attitude of love towards our Savior Who saved us from sin should be to forsake that which caused Him to suffer the wrath of God. And if we must make a judgment call, the right path is to be overcautious with sin. However, a haughty spirit in doing so isn’t really being overcautious, is it? Being “too righteous” has never been my “problem,” though I wish it were. (Problem isn’t the right word, but I hope you catch my meaning.)

Movies are like food. Those who are born again are like athletes. Is it wrong for a runner to eat junk food? If he wants to win a race, that’s the wrong question. “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify”(1 Corinthians 10:23a). Shouldn’t we ask what’s the best thing we can eat? “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…”(Hebrews 12:1).

Our attitude as saints toward movies should not be, “What’s the worst movie I can see and be okay? Or, “How close can I get to the edge of the cliff without falling?” It should be, “Sin is serious, and if movies have the potential to cause me to sin, what precautions can I take to ensure that I do not sin?” Or “Let’s stay away from the edge of the cliff altogether.” (Proverbs 5:8)

As believers we don’t get to splurge or take a break; the race is our life. I don’t live this consistently in any area (even movies), but it’s my goal. The area of entertainment is just my first step to thinking like this in every area of life. Therefore, if I think it would be wrong to see a movie because I have a righteous hatred of the blasphemy, immodesty, sympathy drawn to evil, et cetera, and someone tells me I’m too stringent, isn’t that like telling a runner he’s too disciplined? I don’t want to be a better runner for the sake of being better than others (legalism); it’s because God has saved me from His own judgment, and He asks it of me.

In conclusion, this isn’t just my personal conviction. I believe this is biblical and that every believer should have similar convictions. However, like I said, I am open to being corrected by Scripture. You are personally invited to challenge me in a kind response. My rule on the forum is that I don’t respond to non-peacemaking posts. If we must disagree, it must be with grace and in love.

Of Calix and Paul

2009-02-24T15:14:43Z

I believe in these forums that Calix and Paul have different strengths and I think folks on both sides of the argument side with one or the other on here. However there’s something important to note that in discussing things on this thread, both of them, while human speak much truth at different times.

There’s definitely a balance in the perspectives that we hold here. If we’re to be like Jesus, love is going to be a balance of justice and mercy. He is both and we must let the Spirit lead us in that.

So when you read posts by someone like Paul speaking in anger about folks in Hollywood promoting certain ungodly messages, he’s really upset about its influence over people at large. He’s longing for justice. And it’s not a false justice. He knows that while the movies are art—it’s well proven that movies and culture have a great power to control and influence society for good or bad. And he sees it going from bad to worse. He longs for justice from the righteousness of God through the Scriptures and He is a lot like the Scripture talks about “Being vexed” about the openly accepted sin around him. The Bible talks about Lot being vexed in his heart when he was surrounded by the evils of Sodom. I’ve met Paul in person and he is the real deal. He’s not a judgmental thug. He loves folks. He loves the LORD. But he also longs for God’s justice And while he’s not perfect, he will not speak anything or argue anything contrary to the Scriptures. In my opinion, his strength is in justice.

Now I also understand when I read something by Calix, he also loves the LORD and he seems to long for God’s mercy all around. He tries to find God at work all around him. He seeks to love people and not condemn folks. He tries to find that which is good and seeks to empower that rather than condemning that which is destructive. He also knows the power of cinema, but wants to come along side and engage in the conversation rather than seeing it as a threat. He seems to come across as someone who wants to repair the world rather than fight against the system. I’ve never met Calix in person, but I believe he’s the real deal also. In my opinion, his strength is in mercy.

So both sides are relevant to the conversation here because both have strengths in this conversation. But both brothers also have weaknesses and they need each other to make us strong.

This is how I see things here and please correct me if I’m wrong.

The Trouble With Redbox….

2012-05-04T17:28:08Z

The Trouble with Redbox is even when you know the filmmaker who made a movie playing in there, you still can’t rent it because it’s been taken out LOL!

Good news for Kyle, the Walmart by me in Florida has two Redboxes - one in both entrances - and both Redboxes are out of Standing Firm.

Bad news for me who wants to see it, though - Smile

How to Get more Feedback on your films here

2012-05-10T06:47:57Z

Well… that’s something to discuss so member shorts get more views and feedback here.

But feedback should be sensitive, obviously, to the needs of the artist, but not untruthful. Praise the good and point out ways to improve it.

Robert Bresson

2012-04-25T11:06:30Z

Thanks to Netflix, I"m able to start studying the films of Robert Bresson, a french minimalist who often used non professionals to act in his movies. Many of his films deal with evil and redemption, but without the gratuitousness of today’s’ movies.

I’m starting with “Mouchette”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouchette

Any one here with experience viewing his films?

Netflix doesn’t appear to have Diary of a Country Priest.

praise report regarding A Night at the Silent Movie Theater!

2012-05-05T22:21:15Z

My last, best hope for a significant release - AMC Independent - has declined to pick up the film, meaning I’ve run out of options for effectively bringing it to market!

Cheers,
Calix

Contemplating a CF.org Animated Short Film

2012-02-13T10:04:22Z

Inspired by this thread, I’m thinking about what jobs I’d need to do a CF.org animated short. Here’s what I have so far:

- Director
- Screenwriter
- Storyboard Artist
- Composer
- Animators
- Voice Talent (if it’s not silent)
- Sound Editor/Designer
- Video Editor

So let’s be most basic here to start with… Am I missing anything?

And then secondly, I know at the very least that this would start with a great script. Any screenwriters out there have something that would be a good animated short? I should be most interested in reading it.

Anybody want to jump on my bandwagon and help out on a theoretical no-budget animated short?

—
Jordan

navigating YouTube

2012-04-13T15:34:38Z

I’m trying out a new idea for a web series, and I need some guidance.

Creating I know how to do; it’s navigating YouTube that’s unknown to me.

What I want:

A single identity for the series - that’s called a “channel”, I presume? - where I can work in relative anonymity on this project (since it’s likely to be controversial.)

I want to upload a new 60-second video each week (probably on Friday or Saturday) so the entire collection stays on-line in this single URL/identity/channel/whatever.

I want anyone and everyone to be able to comment/post/interact.

But I don’t really want anyone to know it’s CLR who’s doing all this…

So, what are the steps I need to take when I get home from work to make it so?

And obviously I’ll be looking next to how to propel this nonsense viral… and from there, how to monetize it… but first things first, as they say!

Thanks!

Cheers,
Calix

(...please use small words and very detailed steps if you can, because I’m a little out-of-my-element on this one…)

Why the law/torah must be defended on CF.org

2009-08-03T16:55:06Z

If you’re new to CF.org, just go to some of the debates on here in the last year and a half and you will see a common argument that leads on a certain rabbit trail :

Someone like Paul Munger argues that something is sinful and shows a Scripture (many times he might use the Torah (Genesis to Deuternomy) or the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures to defend it.

Then someone like Calix then brings up other laws or commandments in the same First 5 b ooks of Moses that seem to be archaic and harsh by others on the forum to cancel out the argument.

Then usually I’ll come on and defend the Torah and write a 2 page thesis defending it which would probably be TLDR (Too long don’t read) to some of you.

That’s been the normal discussions on here. When I first heard Calix arguing these points to showcase the potential hypocrisy in many Christians who hold up one law and reject another we quickly became friends. I knew he understood one of the underlying problems that causes many folks to reject Christ because the church of Jesus Christ seems to love what Jonathan Cahn’s finer points of “Fast Food Christianity” “Hold the pickles” (or something like that) - picking and choosing what laws are relevant and what ones aren’t and then holding everyone to that particular standard that they have decided.

So if a thread was actually not closed :? due to arguing theology and doctrine on here about filmmaking and it played out to its fullness— usually when the law is defended it comes down to the final scapegoat (no pun intended ) of the discussion “Come on… you’re not suggesting that we need to go back to sacrificing animals, right?” And I’ve learned from experience if you are in a Christian online community and begin to defend the temple it might leave you with fewer friends for sure. But if it even goes that far that’s usually when the final card comes in: - It’s what I will refer to as “The Galatians card”—- :o This is usually what’s quoted when I have discussions and debates with other Christian brothers and sisters about the Torah.

Galatians 4:21

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law

The book of Galatians is really about rebuking those who think they are saved by following a law (which happened to be circumcision) or all of the law not about obeying the law once you are saved. And by the way, Paul Munger never argues that we are saved when we observe the laws that he finds relevant, he’s arguing for repentance toward good works because we’re saved, not salvation by works to be saved. There’s a big difference. I also do not believed we are saved by works, but by grace. I just believe in observing the law out of love for God because I’m saved. What person who doesn’t love their King wouldn’t want to observe their king’s laws.

So in the end the law becomes a scapegoat for some folks to cancel out an argument to justify some practice that they want to justify or at least to bring a stop to the argument.

If you’ve ever seen the famous email “Dear Doctor Laura”—you’ll see this is exactly the tactic used to defend all kinds of practices like homosexuality and fornication (yes such an archaic word), for example. It’s a famous bait and switch tactic actually used by those who want to remove all boundaries and standards among conservative Christians.

So here’s the deal in the nutshell:

For those in Paul Munger’s camp who want to argue anything utilizing Scripture to defend or condemn some sort of practice in movies: You will never get through to folks in Calix’s camp, because they will always see you as a hypocrite since you pick and choose which of God’s law applies.

For those in Calix’s camp, by using any of Paul’s Epistles or quoting the Torah to justify violations of God’s law, you are actually canceling things out but ultimately you are promoting anomia (which is the Greek word for lawlessness). There is no standard of righteousness anymore. Anything then goes. Secondly, all of Paul’s Epistles must be held up to the standard of the H ebrew Scriptures. The Bereans did not review the book of Galatians or Romans in Acts 17 when Paul spoke to them about Messiah and faith in Messiah. Paul’s writings were not yet cannonized. The Bereans studied the Hebrew Scriptures: the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings to see if what Paul was saying lined up with what was written there. That was and is the foundation of our faith - Christ being the chief cornerstone. Paul’s Epistles also must be held up to this very important Scripture and warning from Simon Peter in 2 Peter 3:15b-16a

even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood

The church fathers (after the Apostles died and long before Constantine came along) foundationally deJudaized the faith of Jesus because of misunderstanding Paul’s writings. This further put a wall up between Christians and Jews who have so much more in common than they ever realized.

So without God’s law/instruction (Torah), we have no tutor. Without God’s law we have no standard to define what is sin and what isn’t. Without God’s law we have no target with which to send people when they are told to “repent” We end up lukewarm and ineffective in our walk… and ultimately with the messages of our films.

And listen to this very important truth: Christians who want to evangelize their audience through making movies and ever desire to reach the Jewish people will waste their time and resources if in the end they tell the Jewish people that the law is done away thorugh Messiah with and matters not today. They will not listen and they should not listen. If they know the Hebrew Scriptures they will know that this is a violation of what they know to be true. They know that when Messiah comes, the Torah will go forth from Jerusalem as the prophets teach… not become abolished. They were called as a priestly nation to teach us in the nations what was right and good—representing the righteous attributes of God (which includes the ten co mmandments but so much more). They have been the keepers of the Torah for thousands of years.

And finally, By rejecting God’s law we end up making our own laws based on our standards and we reject the very thing that which our Messiah told us He was all about when he gave the sermon on the mount:

Matthew 5:17-19

17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

That word fulfill means to live to the fullest not to abolish and Jesus just said he didn’t come to abolish it. Notice he’s talking about the Law and the prophets, not just the ten commandments here also.

18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

And this is my absolute favorite that hammers the point home:

19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

I love you all here and I’m not here to condemn any of you. I am thankful to share and to discuss these matters cordially as we’ve done in the past. I believe this is all about filmmaking, because it is the heart of those who want to defend the actions or condemn the actions of various filmmakers and within various scripts and how it’s portrayed on the big screens at the movie theater. It is the heart of the matter that I believe must be addressed.

In Christ’s love,
Tom Swift

What The Bible Teaches About Film

2012-04-22T20:56:53Z

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