Christians have a responsibility when they see Hollywood films and TV programs to discern them and stand firm in the faith, and show their faithfulness to God and His Word rather than having a fascination with Hollywood’s latest enticement. This is an evangelistic book, to those who are a part of Hollywood, as well as to those who idolize the Actors and anyone who is a movie lover.
This book is not light-weigh reading. The Author puts the fear of God into his writing and carries the gospel message through to the reader. Those things that are taken in with the eyes and ears do very much effect our own conscious and morals, (Matt 6:22-23) and do have a spiritual consequence whether we may believe it or not. The Author asks “Why are so many who claim to be Christians watching R-rated movies? And “What do you do when you hear the Lord’s name and God Blasphemed? Blasphemy of God and Jesus Christ is heard in many movies these days and in other forms of entertainment. It has become more and more prevalent and unrestrained. Where is Hollywood’s responsibility in what it produces?
Ray Comfort writes how there was a rating code enacted in the 1930’s called “The Hay’s Code” due to an outcry from the public because of movies containing sex and violence, and actors personal lives were giving Hollywood a bad image. In the chapter titled: Charlie Chaplin and underage girls, the Author writes:
“Hollywood was getting a bad image, so some studio heads hired a Presbyterian senator, William Hays, to try to clean up Hollywood and convince the nation that it wasn’t all bad. Hays persuaded the studios that abiding by a set of moral standards was the safest and cheapest answer to their troubles. If the movie industry policed itself, government censorship wouldn’t have to step in. Plus, the new “Hay’s Code” was a big money-saving measure. Instead of paying to fix moral content after the film was done, the studios could simply follow the code before making their movies, and everyone would be happy. So it was adapted in 1930.
The Author writes that in 1934 the code was enforced, and by it, it had the authority to review all movies and have script changes, and says if a theater ran a film without the proper seal of approval it was fined $25,000, and the code successfully forced the studios to toe-the-line. During that time period good family movies and Biblical epics were being produced. But in the 1950’s some found a way around the “Hay’s Code” through the free-speech clause and first Amendment, studios started pushing the moral standard back. “Then in 1968 Hollywood officially abandoned the filmmaker’s code and shifted the moral responsibility to parents with what we now know as the Rating System.”
Ray Comfort effectively proves how Hollywood has it’s own concept of God, and it’s own moral agenda. The Author shows what that is, and then writes what the Bible has to say about it. The Author cites that 79% of the total domestic box office sales were from church-going Christians in 2005 - per Barna group survey. This 79% shows that Christians are compromising their convictions. In this book Ray Comfort offers an evangelistic message that is sure to make you think about what influence Hollywood is having on your life, conscience and rather you believe what you say you do. Ray Comfort writes about what the Christian should be looking for, how and what we see and hear effects our conscience and what we as Christians can do to make a difference by Standing Firm in the Faith.
Publisher Bridge-logos Publishing
ISBN 0882703943
Reading / Review Date: October 2009