Walden Media specializes in making children's books into movies. I see a lot of trashy movies for MOVIEGUIDE?. Knowing that I was headed for a screening of a Walden Media movie, I had high hopes for something good. I had seen the preview for "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" and was impressed with the bright colors and exciting visuals of a magical toy store. Even after seeing the movie, I was delighted that Walden Media had made something quite entertaining with no sex, violence or bad language, period. As with all Walden Media Productions, the movie was well made.
The problem is that not all children's books are equal. I have two children that are about to provide me with two grandchildren. When they were young, I loved to read to them. We had some rather silly favorite books like "Go, Dog, Go" and "Picked It Up and Put It In a Cage." As they got older, they attended public schools. My daughter used to be thrilled when her dad would come to school and paint murals in the library. I painted scenes from "The Secret Garden," "The Polar Express" and others. As I painted, classes would enter and the librarian would read some of the most appalling trash I had ever heard. It was not that the books contained foul language, sex or violence; they just contained messages that opposed my core beliefs as a Christian.
Before anyone says, "Where is your sense of tolerance?" let me explain what it means to me to be a Christian. I truly believe God created all mankind, not just those who choose to believe in Him. I believe He knows what's best for the beings He created. Do I tolerate other's beliefs? Of course. You can believe anything you wish, and I will NOT harm or decapitate you. Neither will I sentence you to some gulag. But, I believe truth does exist and many people are blind to it. I readily admit I believe many ideas are DEAD WRONG. I believe messages promoting Islamic jihad, communism and survival of the fittest are more than just wrong – they are dangerous.
Obviously, if I am passionate about my beliefs – and I am – I want to pass those beliefs on to my children and grandchildren. I am not anxious for my children to be "exposed" to evil ideas (unless it is to explain why they are evil). I would not permit my child to visit a Nazi youth camp. I would not allow my child to attend an Islamic terrorist rally. My children never asked to do so, but if they had, I would have told them they cannot go to a teenage beer party. Sadly, neither would I have let my child see "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium."
The movie is more than just entertainment. It contains lessons. It features Dustin Hoffman as a sort of Pied Piper who attracts children with his magic and his character. He is held up as a model to be emulated. The movie tells the story of three disciples learning to emulate their hero. So, what do they learn?
They learn that Mr. Magorium is planning to leave earth, travel the various heavenly tourist traps of multiple religions and possibly return as a bumblebee. To replace him as shopkeeper, they must learn to believe and follow the magic within themselves. While this nonsense is preferable to learning Islamic jihad, it is not something parents should want their children to learn.
Are children born with talents and abilities that can be drawn out, polished and perfected? YES! God made us all different. By all means, work with children to bring out their gifts, but don't teach them they are gods. Don't teach them they are one with the universe. Don't pretend Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, atheism and other beliefs are equal. They are not. Should the United States truly become an atheist nation or an Islamic nation, our culture would be very different. Beliefs make a huge difference.
I don't expect Walden Media to make the same kind of movies as the Sherwood Baptist Church, but my hope is they will make movies that someone attending the Sherwood Baptist Church would be glad to send their children to see. You can make a children's movie where the message is be kind to others. It doesn't have to be as openly Christian as a movie I would make, but it should not promote beliefs most parents consider misguided or dangerous.
The Christian Film & Television Commission is modeled after the Protestant Film Office. The Protestant Film Office advised studios about scripts before movies were made. It wasn't a matter of censorship. It was friendly advice. If someone wants to attract millions of Christian children and parents, it would be wise to let a media-wise Christian read a script and point out what might be offensive. There are many movies that could have made $100 million more at the box office with the removal or rewording of just a few lines.
Granted, some movies are made just to present those lines. Hollywood has an ample supply of writers, producers, directors and actors with some godless message they want to present, but if your goal is to make lots of money entertaining as many people as possible, it is wise to leave out offensive material and focus on the positive moral values God makes clear in creation itself. You don't have to preach to inspire. A story that promotes the Golden Rule can inspire without including a lead character shouting from a pulpit.
We wish our friends at Walden Media well. We have loved several of their movies and given them awards, but when they stray into morally and theologically misguided messages, we must have the nerve to say so.
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MOVIEGUIDE? is dedicated to redeeming the values of Hollywood by informing parents about today's movies and entertainment and by showing media executives and artists that family-friendly and even Christian-friendly movies do best at the box office year in and year out.
David Outten is managing editor of "MOVIEGUIDE?: The Family Guide to Movies & Entertainment."