Beyond the Secular Entertainment Issue
What is “Christian” and “secular” in entertainment anyway?
Some Christians shun secular entertainment in order to grow closer to God and, while this issue is often discussed in Christian circles, the line between what constitutes “Christian” or “secular” entertainment is not always clear.
The term “Christian entertainment” carries a certain connotation that goes beyond entertainment heavily laced with Christian themes or entertainment that happens to be primarily produced by Christians. This term revolves around sermons being shoehorned into various formats such as film, music, and television. However, not many “Christian” materials of this nature actually talk about faith. Instead, they try to conflate evangelical conservative culture with Christianity at large by making “faith” about denouncing atheism and liberal social attitudes.
As one of the most successful Christian films, the God’s Not Dead franchise makes Christians seem like hapless victims and portrays all atheists as unsympathetic and/or mad at God. Moreover, the film loses many opportunities to explore the nuances of Christianity and religion in general, such as when a young woman is physically abused and kicked out of her Muslim home for listening to a Billy Graham sermon. Following her story would have allowed viewers to ask questions about why they are quick to condemn spiritual abuse from the “other”, but not from within their own group. However, if this were the case, the film would fail. Such a message would not be popular with the audience that the creators of these materials cater to.
On the other hand, Bare is not marketed towards a traditionally Christian audience. However, this pop opera revolves around deconstructing what it means to be a Christian. Peter’s sincere faith contrasts his boyfriend Jason’s performance in the midst of other teens learning their respective roles in a restrictive religious environment. Nadia struggles with her body image while Ivy struggles with her soul image as a sexually active girl in a culture that sends mixed signals about female sexuality and what it means to be pure. This nuanced take on Christianity and Christian culture allows people to see the differences between the two for themselves.
The gay Christian anthem “God Don’t Make No Trash” explores the idea of God intentionally creating sexual variation within mankind. It even suggests that that the real sin is condemning what God made in His image. Though Bare falls into the category of “secular” entertainment, it is driven by some explicitly Christian themes that go unrecognized or even outright erased by the “Christian” entertainment industry. Even without the “Christian entertainment” stamp, Bare can easily become a staple for many Christians, especially for LGBTQ Christians and their allies.
Even Carrie, a novel with Christian themes written by a (nontraditional) Christian, isn’t considered “Christian” entertainment due to its gory nature and exploration of sexual themes. However, behind the gore lies an illustration of what happens when the Bible is distorted beyond recognition and used to shun sexuality as a whole. It results in the resentment, confusion, and ultimately destruction that are shown through the titular character Carrie. Even so, Carrie still tried to win her mother’s approval in the same way that some people struggle with recognizing their church’s practices as abusive while simultaneously wanting and seeking approval from that church.
On the other side of the coin, the film Prince of Egypt retold the story of the freeing of the Jews from Egyptian slavery. This film was produced by DreamWorks, a secular studio that many people know and love. However, Prince of Egypt stayed true to the original text (or at least more true than some other Bible-based films). As an animated musical, Prince of Egypt shows its’ characters thoughts and emotions through movement and song. Given that the Bible is full of songs and encouragement to make music, this genre lent itself to the creation of something that ultimately captured the spirit of these Israelites. After all, that is the purpose of art: to stir emotion and to capture energy.
Entertainment forms of various types can explore Christian themes, retell Christian stories, offer perspective on Christianity, and be made by Christians without the “Christian” stamp. The Christian entertainment industry exists because people forget that these nuances in the entertainment choice issue exist. Ultimately, it is up to viewers to label content as “Christian" or “secular" or to do away with such labels and enjoy entertainment for what it is.
Correction: Prince of Egypt was made by DreamWorks, not Disney. (4/6/23)
