synonymous with the values, lifestyles, and hedonistic philosophies of
movie stars, celebrities and wannabes. In the Bible, the cities Sodom
and Gomorrah had the same stigma (Genesis 18:20; Jude 1:7). They had
become defined by their extreme values and lifestyle. To this day,
when we hear of Sodom and Gomorrah, we think of sexual perversion
great enough to bring God's judgment (Genesis 19:24–25).
We often use the term Hollywood to refer to anything pertaining to the
entertainment industry, even though other cities such as New York and
Nashville contribute to it also. Although there are many Christians
and ordinary people living in Hollywood, the city is known for its
lavish materialism, adultery, sensuality, self-worship, idolatry, and
anti-God bias. The overwhelming majority of movies and television
shows Hollywood produces are filled with profanity, graphic or implied
sex, and blatant promotion of all types of sin. Children are seduced
by the "glamor" of Hollywood from their preschool years and grow up
longing to be movie stars. Parents who recall their own star-struck
childhood race to buy the latest product endorsed by the current
heartthrob, regardless of the morals or lifestyle that idol embraces.
Unfortunately, we are reaping the disastrous results of another
generation raised by Hollywood's standards.
There are several questions to consider in forming a response to Hollywood.
1. What, exactly, so attracts us to Hollywood? Part of Hollywood's
appeal is the covetousness it champions. From every newsstand and
television set, we are told that we want what the celebrities have.
Headlines such as "America Wants to Know!" or "The Life Every Woman
Dreams Of" scream at us from checkout lines, planting the message that
we cannot possibly be content if we are not following celebrities.
Millions gobble it up and, in their attempt to live like their idols,
become indebted, anorexic, or promiscuous. Hollywood is in the
business of creating idols and foisting them upon us whether we want
them or not.
God has strong words for the sin of covetousness. He included it in
His Top Ten List (Exodus 20:17). Jesus said, "Watch out! Be on your
guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an
abundance of possessions" (Luke 12:15). Covetousness is a thief that
steals joy, peace, and contentment—qualities God wants His children to
have in abundance (Galatians 5:22; 1 Timothy 6:6). So, for a Christian
to become enamored with the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous
is to break God's tenth commandment and forfeit the contentment He
wants us to develop.
2. Why is Hollywood so influential? Aside from the materialism it
wallows in, Hollywood has come to represent the great American
fascination with entertainment. Entertainment is an idol that has
crept quietly through the back door of Western Christianity. It goes
mostly unnoticed as a threat because it does not wear the mask of
evil. Entertainment itself is neutral. We use it to distract crying
babies, quiet restless children, and relax weary workers.
Entertainment can help unify a family on vacation, give teenagers
something healthy to do, and bring enjoyment in stressful times.
But in prosperous cultures, entertainment has become an addiction.
Entertainment for its own sake steals time, money, and mental energy
that could be spent on more worthwhile pursuits. The world's appetite
for entertainment is Hollywood's lifeblood. Hollywood could not
sustain itself without the public's hunger for more. As with any
addiction, the craving for greater thrills increases, and that's why
the public demands spectacles that are bigger, louder, more exciting,
more beautiful, and more sensual. The lust for entertainment replaces
the joy of the Lord until time with God is seen as an interruption in
the pursuit of pleasure. At that point, entertainment has replaced God
as our supreme delight and has become an idol (Exodus 20:3; 34:14;
Jeremiah 2:13).
Entertainment is also wrong when we allow ourselves to be captivated
by things that displease the Lord (Romans 1:32). When we excuse a
movie's sex scenes with "It had a good message" or become fans of
openly immoral entertainers, we are crossing a line. We are allowing
Hollywood rather than God's Word to define our values. When making
entertainment choices, one good question to ask is: "If Jesus was
coming to spend the weekend with me, would I be happy to share this
with Him?" Would He approve of the movie? reality show? new CD? Would
He buy a People magazine and feast on the stories of mate-swapping and
infidelity? Would He applaud the sensual dancers on the stage? If He
would not, then why do we?
3. Do we excuse language and behavior in movies and television shows
that we would never endorse if it was done in our homes? If we
willingly sit through acts of violence, immorality, profanity, and
anti-Christian themes without it bothering us, then perhaps we have
allowed the values of Hollywood to invade our lives. When we can fill
our minds with vulgarities on Saturday night, yet show up for worship
on Sunday morning with no awareness of the inconsistency, we have
fallen victim to the lure of the Hollywood god.
Philippians 4:8 instructs us about our thought life: "Finally,
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think
about these things" (ESV). Jesus said, "For out of the heart come evil
thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony,
slander" (Matthew 15:19). When our minds have entertained that which
God calls evil, our thought life and eventually our actions will be
affected. Proverbs 13:20 says, "Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm."
How we spend our time eventually defines us. If Hollywood is not
reflecting the values we claim to cherish, then we must be careful how
much time we spend with it. To honor God, we must compare the values
coming out of Hollywood to the unchanging standard of Scripture. Then
we must "hate what is evil; cling to what is good" (Romans 12:9).
Hollywood flaunts what God despises. Why do we suppose God is
indifferent when a culture clamors for depictions of sin? As
Christians, we are to seek after God and His righteousness (Matthew
6:33). If any form of entertainment does not support that goal, our
response must be to reject it.
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