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Stupid Question..But I'm gonna Ask it Anyway!

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:31 pm
by CAAOutkast
I'm curious which do you prefer: Christian Entertainment or Secular Entertainment with Christian Values?

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:35 pm
by Radical Dreamer
Secular, by far. Christian entertainment just hasn't been that good (rather, it's been horrible). There have been a few Christian movies that are "okay," but for the most part, they have awful production quality, terrible acting, and bad writing.

I mostly enjoy any movie with a solid plot, interesting characters, good acting, and good writing.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:35 pm
by Mr. SmartyPants
I enjoy Secular Entertainment.

But to answer your question, I pick the latter

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:40 pm
by LadyRushia
I'm still waiting for the day when a Christian movie blows a secular one out of the water.

That said, I haven't seen that many Christian movies or read any Christians books (though I want to), so most of my tastes are secular. But just because something is secular doesn't mean God isn't in it.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:42 pm
by CAAOutkast
Like most of you I too prefer Christian Valued Secular Entertainment. Due to our culture,this kind of Entertainment is tough to find,but they're out there. Ya just gotta look hard.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:50 pm
by Roy Mustang
I like Secular Entertainment.

So, I would go for Secular Entertainment with Christian Values for an answer.


[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:59 pm
by rocklobster
I like Secular Christian entertainment. Oh and there is a successful outlet: Walden Media, anyone?

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:30 pm
by Shao Feng-Li
Secular with good morals.

Only because there really haven't been any good Christian movies. Only books.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:39 pm
by ChristianKitsune
I wonder if back in the old days... like the late 80s if Christian and Secular were once close to each other...

I was flipping through channels today and I stopped on TBN, (Trinity Broadcasting Network) and I saw a show from the late 80s called "McGee and Me" I've never seen it before, but it was like animated with a live action and a cartoon character...and I wonder if back in the late 80s if that was really on par with the technology back then... It wouldn't hold a candle now, of course, but I was just wondering.

Also the NEST animated Bible cartoons were ones I really enjoyed growing up... Nest eventually went on to animate "The Swan Princess." The first one being one of my favorites as a little girl (the sequals were a bit much XD)

but yeah... Currently, I tend to cringe with some Christian media out there, I enjoyed Facing the Giants, but I know that it wouldn't win an academy award or anything... it was good for A Christian Movie with a very low budget, but yeah...compared to LOTR, and other movies, it just wasn't up there.

I look forward to the day where Christian Media will be stronger, will it ever surpass the secular side? I dunno, but I know the things I create, the drawings, the comics, etc...I create for a broad audience, my webcomic SMC, for example isn't black and white Christian media. However, it's positive and clean... and I think that sort of media is what our world needs...not necassarily an "IN YOUR FACE" attitude...

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:38 pm
by MomoAdachi
Secular entertainment with Christian values.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:08 pm
by Lilac#18
I prefer secular entertainment with moral values,but I will watch christian entertainment.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:14 pm
by GrubbTheFragger
Shao Feng-Li (post: 1216585) wrote:Secular with good morals.

Only because there really haven't been any good Christian movies. Only books.


qouted because its bascially my answer XD.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:43 pm
by EricTheFred
I watch Anime. That's probably an answer right there...

More seriously, though, I have very much enjoyed a number of excellent Christian entertainment offerings, but these seem to be few and far between. So, I prefer high quality Christian entertainment... when I can find it. Sadly, the majority is of very low quality to my mind, so I don't tend to see much.

Even more sadly, in the world of Secular entertainment, I tend to find a better moral basis in a foreign product from a non-Christian country (i.e., Anime) than I do in most of the offerings from the West. So my favorite entertainment tends to be Secular with a good moral basis (not saying that Anime is such by definition, I'm really saying that my favorite Anime tends to be the shows with a good moral basis, and I will watch these before the vast majority of the offerings from the West, Secular or Christian.)

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:53 pm
by Tarnish
Image

"You have to stop the movie! That man and woman almost came close to HOLDING HANDS!"

I prefer secular entertainment, but I'm open to the idea of there one day being a decent Christian film. And the bad ones at least have the unintentional humor factor.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:54 pm
by Nate
I think the reason I'm saying secular entertainment, rather than Christian entertainment, is because of the limit of what Christian shows do not (and cannot) do.

Example: Kamen Rider is one of my favorite series, but I would probably be disgusted if there was a Christian show with guys transforming and fighting demons or something.

So there you go.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:05 pm
by ShiroiHikari
Right now, I don't bother with 99% of Christian entertainment because...what's the point? If I'm gonna spend my time and money on something, I want it to be good. >_>

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:35 pm
by ich1990
What facet of entertainment are we talking about here?

Books:
I have found plenty of excellent christian writers (C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, J.R.R. Tolkein, Bill Myers, Stephen R. Lawhead, etc.) so I don't really have a reason to wade through the trash that most modern secular books have. If, however, there is a secular book that is clean (by my standards) and good, I will read it. The best christian book is one that presents christian morals without being preachy ("Thr3e" and "Adam" by Ted Dekker or "Monster" by Frank Peretti for example).

Music:
From Skillet to August Burns Red to Stereo Motion to Audio Adrenaline to Emery to As Cities Burn... Pretty much any genre you can think of has at least one good christian artist. I really haven't found any reason to tolerate trashy lyrics for the sake of having good music. Once again, if there is a good quality secular band that doesn't have bad lyrics, I will listen to it.

Television:
Um, yeah, Touched by an Angel just doesn't cut it for me. I am still waiting for a decent christian based show. For now, I like to watch non-offensive secular tv, like Monk and Stargate.

Movies:
Secular, but edited. There are very few decent christian movies out there, the new Narnia movie and The Passion of the Christ are two of them. For a long time, I could barely communicate with my friends, cause they were always quoting movies that I chose not to watch due to content. Thankfully, I got a clearplay dvd player. It is nice, it bleeps swear words and cuts out nudity and violence depending on what filters you enable. Because no two people have the same standards for movies, you set the sensitivity for each filter individually. Also, it uses a seperate program for each movie, so it doesn't "miss" swear words or inappropriate scenes. I have been able to watch quite a few movies, even some 'R' rated ones, with a clear conscience. Get the player, pop in any old dvd, set the filters, and you are good to go.

Video Games:
Christian? Yeah right. If they have made even one good christian game I have yet to see it.

Anime/Manga:
I have read a little christian manga, and most of it didn't interest me. I haven't seen any christian anime. One christian comic book that I liked was "Archangels".

So that is two votes for Christian Entertainment, and four votes for Secular Entertainment with Christian morals. Us Christians have our work cut out for us!

EDIT: Post 111! Woohoo!

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:58 pm
by MomoAdachi
There has been some Christian books I enjoyed: the Ashley Stockingdale trilogy by Kristin Billerbeck(girls of CAA, I highly reccomend this Christian "chick lit" series...she's like a Christian Carrie Bradshaw trying to balance her strong Christian faith with her modern woman's world:thumb:) and the A Life Of Faith series of YA historical fiction. Also, I've really listened to actual CCM, but there are some secular pop music artists who have songs I like with Christian themes, one that always comes to mind is "Ravine" by Ace Of Base.
And let's not forget good secular films which portray biblical stories, like the classic Ten Commandments starring the late Charlton Heston and the beautifully animated The Prince Of Egypt.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:40 pm
by Radical Dreamer
ich1990 (post: 1216685) wrote:What facet of entertainment are we talking about here?


I assumed it was geared more towards movies and television as it was in Gen. Entertainment rather than the Jam Session or the Book Corner, but if music is included, then either Christian or secular is fine. I've found countless Christian bands/musicians who are very talented and write clever songs with a fantastic sound. The same goes for many Christian books I've read.

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:41 pm
by Slytherine
LadyRushia (post: 1216564) wrote:I'm still waiting for the day when a Christian movie blows a secular one out of the water.


*nods* I think we all are.

~Slytherine

PostPosted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:02 am
by Danderson
If we're talking movies and TV then it does seem to lean towards the secular with Christian morals....But know that there are alot of Christians who work in the industry, even if they don't make the movies.....most of them are usually the producers and writers, so......

I really don't like trying to label movies as either....why does it have to be labeled as Christian or secular? Why can't it be just....a (insert genre) movie?....

If u speak of music, there are so many amazing Christian artists out there in almost any genre you can think of that it reaches out to both the Christian and the non-Christian....So, yeah....

PostPosted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:32 am
by ich1990
LadyRushia (post: 1216564) wrote:I'm still waiting for the day when a Christian movie blows a secular one out of the water.


You mean like the Lord of the Rings? Ok, so maybe that wasn't a "christian movie" but it certainly was a christian themed movie, and it sure did blow the competition out of the water. <-- Run on sentence

Radical Dreamer (post: 1216729) wrote:I assumed it was geared more towards movies and television as it was in Gen. Entertainment rather than the Jam Session or the Book Corner


Good point, although entertainment is a rather broad label.

PostPosted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:21 pm
by Raiden no Kishi
I prefer entertainment where Christian principles/morals are an element rather than the premise. Ergo, I eschew 99% of Christian-produced "entertainment". Call me when you have something good, guys.

DISCLAIMER: Rai knows that there are good Christian artists and entertainers that fit his criteria - he's generalizing to display disgust with the state of the industry. No drama plz. I'm Raiden no Kishi, and I approved this message. Void where prohibited, YMMV, drama sold separately, batteries not included, all rights reserved, dear sweet chocolate why are you still reading this?

.rai//

PostPosted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:05 pm
by LadyRushia
ich1990 wrote:You mean like the Lord of the Rings? Ok, so maybe that wasn't a "christian movie" but it certainly was a christian themed movie, and it sure did blow the competition out of the water. <-- Run on sentence

True, but I'm talking about something where the Christianity aspect is more obvious. It would be hard to not cross that line of preachiness, though.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:39 pm
by Maledicte
Secular w/ morals.

Though, just recently I read a good book by a Christian author--Chop Shop by Tim Downs. Witty thriller that holds up very well next to its secular counterparts. I was impressed.

Lady Rushia wrote:But just because something is secular doesn't mean God isn't in it.

Very true.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:15 pm
by Danderson
Forgot to mention something: If ur counting BOOKS as entertainment, there are lots and lots of amazingly awesome Christian authors who have written amazingly awesome books that appeal to both Believers and Unbelievers alike......

J.R.R. Tolkien (LOTR Trilogy), C.S.Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia books), Frank Peretti (This Present Darkness), Ted Dekker (The Circle Trilogy), Robin Parish (The Dominion Trilogy)......to name a few.....each of these books would make (or already has made) amazingly awesome films......

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:37 pm
by Mave
What Christian entertainment?

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Seriously, this is non-existent or very limited in some places on this planet.

Anyway....

Music: Christian entertainment
Comics/Books: Both
Tv/Movies: Secular entertainment with moral values

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:47 pm
by Ingemar
Slytherine (post: 1216766) wrote:*nods* I think we all are.

~Slytherine

Ben-Hur.

There, I said it.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:55 pm
by Shao Feng-Li
Tarnish (post: 1216651) wrote:Image

"You have to stop the movie! That man and woman almost came close to HOLDING HANDS!"

I prefer secular entertainment, but I'm open to the idea of there one day being a decent Christian film. And the bad ones at least have the unintentional humor factor.


That movie did have a point, and I get it... but... I don't think they were that up tight in the... whatever time period that dude was from.

>________________<;;;

PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:04 pm
by Scarecrow
You know... I thought I would throw this out there. I also prefer Secular entertainment with Christian morals (I've seen a lot of stuff that could have been almost Christian or have a good Christian message if it wasn't for the ending or something).

Anyway, for anyone looking for a REALLY good Christian short film, I'd like to point you over to the little short film called MOST. This short film was nominated for an Oscar in like 2003 or something for best Short Film. It was made by two Christians from LA but it is such a powerful and sad movie... and its only 30minutes.

http://www.mostthemovie.com/

I stumbled on it by accident once. While its not explicitly Christian, anyone who is one will get the message easily and anyone who isn't will still go wow.