the basic message #E256

3/28/04

I just finished watching the movie "Jesus" on CBS and I walk away with mixed feelings.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised that CBS couldn't tell the greatest story ever told in 2 hours (less commercials).  What I really find humorous is that at the end of the movie they offered the "Jesus" movie on home video and called it a "miniseries".  Gee, I always thought a miniseries had to be a ............series.  Now a miniseries can be one episode, I suppose.  I have little doubt that CBS saw a great opportunity to cash in on Mel Gibson's "The Passion" movie which is setting box office records.  I read a quote from a "Hollywood insider" that said, "The religion in Hollywood is making money", and I'm very sure that we will see the floodgates open over the next year or so with dozens of Jesus movies and docudramas.  So what's so bad about a trend that showcases Jesus?  Not a thing, as long as it's accurate.

In the CBS movie, several things were either jazzed up or out of the correct sequence of events.  I can deal with that, but what I can't deal with is added material that has no scriptural foundation.  Like what?  Like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane moments prior to Judas' betrayal.  CBS chose to have a mysterious figure appear in the shadows and emerge to have a conversation with Jesus.  The man was dressed in contemporary clothing- black turdleneck, black sport-coat and trousers.  Obviously the well-dressed character was Satan, which was fine, except that Satan's scene took place in the beginning of the Gospels, not at the end.  Even the topic of conversation was all wrong, with Satan trying to cajole Jesus into calling out to God to spare him from the crucifixion.  Satan even showed Jesus all sorts of sights including World War battle scenes, all the while trying to convince Jesus that his sacrifice would be for nothing. 

Why does this sort of stuff bother me?  Because someone out there saw this movie and believes that Satan really did talk with Jesus in the Garden.  They'll probably be at the water cooler Monday morning talking about the movie and tell other people who seldom, if ever, pick up a Bible about what Satan was up to.  Can you see how misinformation can be spread quite easily?  I choose to worship in the Catholic Church, and one of my biggest struggles is that the only Bible in the whole place is on the altar.  Can I bring mine?  Sure, but quite frankly, most of the passages used in our church are some of the most recognizable around, so I don't really need to check out the reading of the Word, rather I just need to pay attention to how it's being disseminated. 

This sudden wave of "Jesus mania" has me excited and concerned at the same time.  I'm excited that the Gospel can be spread much more easily today than it could only months ago.  I'm concerned because companies like CBS will rush to make a buck on the whole phenomenon. 

Hosea 4
⁵ You stumble day and night,
and the prophets stumble with you.
So I will destroy your mother-
⁶ my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

Nothing much changes over time, does it?