1998-03-16 - DiCapritated

For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you keep away from sexual immorality. 1 Thessalonians 4:3

One of the stars of the film Titanic is Leonardo DiCaprio. He has over 300 web sites dedicated to him. One of them has almost 9 million hits … “if I had a penny for every hit”, must be his (and Mike Tyson’s) favorite song. Totally DeCapitated is an online magazine that has essays, artwork, and prose that is devoted to this heartthrob dude. Nine of the 22 online books on the NYTimes best sellers list are Leo-related.

I have yet to see the movie, but I know some folks who have seen it. One was a preacher at a church I visited and he wanted everyone who had seen the movie to raise their hand at one point in his sermon. Another was someone I work with who commented after seeing the movie that there was a scene in the film that showed almost full frontal nudity of one of the woman stars.

I have thought about this for some time. It seems that most who go to see this film are paying to see it, and I bet she was paid to participate in the film. So while there is a storyline in the film, there is no way to escape the fact that those who go to the film pay to see her naked. Maybe exposing yourself has become common place in our society, but this does not make it right. I know many Christians who have told me that I have got to see this great film, I know none who have said this film is inappropriate for a Christian.

What would Jesus do? Would Jesus recommend a film with nudity? Sure these questions might be cop-outs, but they win my point. Christ would not be seen watching a woman expose herself to anyone who would watch, would He? I wonder why I hear Christians seeming to be so excited about this flick. It seems unChristlike, but I suppose many here will accuse me of being a prude. So I issue a challenge, you show me more places in the Bible where exposing yourself is to be commended and recommended than those where it is condemned (which I will supply), and I will go see the movie.

As Christians our standards are not the worlds standards. As Christians our calling is to be above the worldly confines of this dying age. As Christians we are to re-set the mark of what is acceptable, and that mark is to be nothing less than the standard that our Lord Jesus Christ sets in His Holy Word.

“Holiness is the everyday business of every Christian.” Charles Colson

Soli Deo Gloria,
Tim

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