This is a wonderful post, and as it happens I have some deep knowledge about the topic. My parents were all out communists, and I learned all about the "blacklist" and the McCarthy period that tried to get communists out of public life, mostly successfully. At the time I was on the side of the commies. And the important point to make is that the Marxists of the 30s and 40s were very different from those of today. They were truly on the side of the underdog, including workers and people who were struggling. They were kept ignorant of the horrors of Stalin's Russia and the dark side of communism. The writers of the greatest film ever Cassablanca, were communists, as were the whole crew of the Italian film The Bicycle thief and many more.
The Marxists of today are a whole different breed. They care nothing for the working people but only for those groups who are identified as "oppressed". These now include Blacks (of course) women, gays, transgenders, Palestinians, American Indians, some Asians (but not all) . Its all about identify politics, and poor white people just don't count. Straight Christian (or Jewish) white men (like me) are the enemy,. I find it disgusting, and nothing at all like the Christian view of all people being members of one family under Jesus. In fact the old communists were actually much closer to the ideals of Christianity than the modern "woke" idiots.
To be honest, I am even considering writing a book about this, although I am reluctant to get out of my lane on science and faith. Speaking of which I cant wait to start promoting your book. How is progress?
I appreciate your perspective, Sy. My parents were old school socialists, and were very much motivated by their concern for the people you mentioned – the underdog, the common person, the truly oppressed. I got an appreciation of where they were coming from reading about the abuses of some of the studio heads, who sounded like real SOBs. Alas, the wickedness of man.
I think you should go ahead and write that book, even though it's out of your lane. You have a unique perspective.
My book is coming along, but I'm starting to appreciate the plight of the suffering author, lol. It's a lot of work, and sometimes the words just aren't there.
Now that they dominate the entertainment industry, it seems the Leftists/Marxists/Globalists aren't against blacklisting and censorship, just want to be the ones doing it.
Also posting your Substack to FB: Great article esp: in that my wife & I raised a family of Movie kids; collecting shelves of both VCR and DVD movies: we had followed the model of my physicist II / Korea vet dad: who by the time I was about 8, decided the four of us glued to the black & white 3-channel TV all evening & all morning Saturdays was unnatural - and didn’t fix the tube-style Motorola, as he often did, bringing home an oscilloscope from work etc… This lasted FOUR YEARS until an aunt sadly “rescued” us, with a B&W portable. During the time I, and especially my younger brother read everything in the house including the childrens’ science encyclopedias- multiple times, knowing then that there was an element ytterbium, etc, plus less obscure things! I will look for the Oscars Wars book! Wonder if the Shuleman theaters (such as in Georgetown) are related familialy with the author?
Your Substack brings to mind a talk by someone I never knew of until he spoke at UT Austin just post-911: (Catholic)theologian Peter Kreeft, speaking both on the existence of evil & also promoting fairy tales, CS Lewis, Token’s stories etc not (as the atheist slanders us believers) something we willingly fool ourselves with, (our Bible also being just a fairy tale), —but the Bible being the SOURCE of any good story; one anyone wants to read or see… and his contention that any truly popular work HAS TO borrow Biblical themes. I took my daughter to hear him speak, and bought tapes… His line that 911 made [Norman Vincent] Peal appalling, and [Apostle] Paul, appealing,” I’ll never forget!
This necessity of authoring likable material must make it hard for Satan I’m sure, that the chosen are pre-programmed, almost, to appreciate the Biblical underdog, redemption, honorable action, challenges, calamity, rebirth narratives! At any time someone reads the BEST BOOK EVER, entertainment / fiction / biographies (that Satan has not been able to suppress in culture,) it can all can blow up in his face: by reminding folks of an ancient book he hates, should they consult a Bible… I heard of a native unbeliever when hearing the Gospel, saying “I KNEW someone like that must exist!”
Even nursery rhymes are explosive for Satan today, in a time when men are beating up women at the Olympics: “Georgie Porgie Pudding & Pie, kissed [or beat up] the girls and made them cry… when the boys came out to play, Georgie Porgie ran away.” (Re: men who break the 10th commandment & covet the physical bodies & or societal roles of women. (& sadly even vice-versa as Paul points to “even their women” in Romans 1, in apparent disbelief.)
"To be fair, I've noticed the same lack of art with a lot of so-called Christian entertainment, some of which is downright awful. When overt messaging is the focus instead of storytelling and moviemaking, it's going to stink."
Agree 100%. Cringeworthy. Can't name one I'd enjoy. Suggestions?
The Passion of the Christ is a great movie – great in the sense that it's a masterful piece of filmmaking – but I don't know that it could be called enjoyable.
Some other good Christian movies:
Sergeant York
It's a Wonderful Life
The Ten Commandments
Ben Hur
Chariots of Fire
The Prince of Egypt (animated)
Believe it or not, the original Tron is a sort of stealth Christian movie, though anyone who knows Christian theology can see the Christian elements immediately.
Yes, the classics are great, but was looking for something recently produced. I suppose we should include Lord of the Rings, too. And Narnia. THE ROBE managed to tell His story without direct characterization, which I prefer. (My wife enjoyed THE CHOSEN, but I think it's impossible to guess how Jesus interacted with his disciples other than quoting scripture, which becomes preachy.) But that movie too is a classic, not recent.
Also lacking: Great (Modern & Spiritual)) Christmas movies. The recent secular fare has been appalling—a direct reflection of our modern "culture." We can hold off on that until Fall.
Angel Stidios, & crowd-funded Christian movies; (just saw Cabrini, btw)—I worked 5 years at a Christian bookstore chain now gone, (as are shopping malls). Great experience caught me up on Contemporary Christianity after I was saved yet the cartoon videos were terrible… My manager finally got so excited as did I about Veggie Tales —in the 1990 - 1996 period that I worked there- actually fun for adults ! EG: King David, with a closet full of rubber duckies, yet still wanting to take the single ducky, of another man, etc !
If by any chance you were Trekkie (sp?) like I was: I know nothing of the beliefs of the writers, though actually I heard the red colored “Klingons” were an UNFLATTERING picture of (by the 60’s, FEARED) Soviets.
My Dad as related elsewhere discontinued TV for 4 years as I grew up: but the Aunt who “rescued us” with a TV did allow me to run down from the school bus in Junior High each day to catch daily Star Trek episodes in reruns in the early 70’s.
Only AFTER I was saved & began to understand the Gospel did I realize the episode “The Changeling” [from the original Desilu series, which “kicked butt where butt had never been kicked before!”] —described my own life: in that I, like the interstellar probe “costarring” that episode, had to decide logically, upon suicide —after learning it was itself not perfect…
I’ve tried to relate this to our need for salvation due to our imperfection: when speaking to Trekkies who are non-believers—as when one finds one doesn’t even live up to one’s down programming or mission, there being only two alternatives, neither good: murder the imperfect around you in your ignorance of your own sin, or murder yourself in shame or to (Darwinistically?) improve the race: or like Jimmy Stewart around Christmas, hopefully or pridefully —at least those around you, (& seemingly honorably), —by eliminating oneself …
Tell me if you watch it & think it would be a good evangelistic tool!
I'm a huge Trekkie. I especially like the episode "The Changeling," because it inspired the plot for the first Star Trek movie. Though maybe not intended by the writers, I find that movie very spiritual.
I’ll go back to the original & watch it—also Have “saving Spock” next to me on the seat in the truck: we needed to help a lady clear out her cluttered apartment!
This is a wonderful post, and as it happens I have some deep knowledge about the topic. My parents were all out communists, and I learned all about the "blacklist" and the McCarthy period that tried to get communists out of public life, mostly successfully. At the time I was on the side of the commies. And the important point to make is that the Marxists of the 30s and 40s were very different from those of today. They were truly on the side of the underdog, including workers and people who were struggling. They were kept ignorant of the horrors of Stalin's Russia and the dark side of communism. The writers of the greatest film ever Cassablanca, were communists, as were the whole crew of the Italian film The Bicycle thief and many more.
The Marxists of today are a whole different breed. They care nothing for the working people but only for those groups who are identified as "oppressed". These now include Blacks (of course) women, gays, transgenders, Palestinians, American Indians, some Asians (but not all) . Its all about identify politics, and poor white people just don't count. Straight Christian (or Jewish) white men (like me) are the enemy,. I find it disgusting, and nothing at all like the Christian view of all people being members of one family under Jesus. In fact the old communists were actually much closer to the ideals of Christianity than the modern "woke" idiots.
To be honest, I am even considering writing a book about this, although I am reluctant to get out of my lane on science and faith. Speaking of which I cant wait to start promoting your book. How is progress?
I appreciate your perspective, Sy. My parents were old school socialists, and were very much motivated by their concern for the people you mentioned – the underdog, the common person, the truly oppressed. I got an appreciation of where they were coming from reading about the abuses of some of the studio heads, who sounded like real SOBs. Alas, the wickedness of man.
I think you should go ahead and write that book, even though it's out of your lane. You have a unique perspective.
My book is coming along, but I'm starting to appreciate the plight of the suffering author, lol. It's a lot of work, and sometimes the words just aren't there.
Now that they dominate the entertainment industry, it seems the Leftists/Marxists/Globalists aren't against blacklisting and censorship, just want to be the ones doing it.
That's human nature. Most any group that objects to certain abuses will do them once they're in a dominant position.
Being racist is also part of this phenomenon.
Unfortunately, yes
Also posting your Substack to FB: Great article esp: in that my wife & I raised a family of Movie kids; collecting shelves of both VCR and DVD movies: we had followed the model of my physicist II / Korea vet dad: who by the time I was about 8, decided the four of us glued to the black & white 3-channel TV all evening & all morning Saturdays was unnatural - and didn’t fix the tube-style Motorola, as he often did, bringing home an oscilloscope from work etc… This lasted FOUR YEARS until an aunt sadly “rescued” us, with a B&W portable. During the time I, and especially my younger brother read everything in the house including the childrens’ science encyclopedias- multiple times, knowing then that there was an element ytterbium, etc, plus less obscure things! I will look for the Oscars Wars book! Wonder if the Shuleman theaters (such as in Georgetown) are related familialy with the author?
Your Substack brings to mind a talk by someone I never knew of until he spoke at UT Austin just post-911: (Catholic)theologian Peter Kreeft, speaking both on the existence of evil & also promoting fairy tales, CS Lewis, Token’s stories etc not (as the atheist slanders us believers) something we willingly fool ourselves with, (our Bible also being just a fairy tale), —but the Bible being the SOURCE of any good story; one anyone wants to read or see… and his contention that any truly popular work HAS TO borrow Biblical themes. I took my daughter to hear him speak, and bought tapes… His line that 911 made [Norman Vincent] Peal appalling, and [Apostle] Paul, appealing,” I’ll never forget!
This necessity of authoring likable material must make it hard for Satan I’m sure, that the chosen are pre-programmed, almost, to appreciate the Biblical underdog, redemption, honorable action, challenges, calamity, rebirth narratives! At any time someone reads the BEST BOOK EVER, entertainment / fiction / biographies (that Satan has not been able to suppress in culture,) it can all can blow up in his face: by reminding folks of an ancient book he hates, should they consult a Bible… I heard of a native unbeliever when hearing the Gospel, saying “I KNEW someone like that must exist!”
Even nursery rhymes are explosive for Satan today, in a time when men are beating up women at the Olympics: “Georgie Porgie Pudding & Pie, kissed [or beat up] the girls and made them cry… when the boys came out to play, Georgie Porgie ran away.” (Re: men who break the 10th commandment & covet the physical bodies & or societal roles of women. (& sadly even vice-versa as Paul points to “even their women” in Romans 1, in apparent disbelief.)
"To be fair, I've noticed the same lack of art with a lot of so-called Christian entertainment, some of which is downright awful. When overt messaging is the focus instead of storytelling and moviemaking, it's going to stink."
Agree 100%. Cringeworthy. Can't name one I'd enjoy. Suggestions?
The Passion of the Christ is a great movie – great in the sense that it's a masterful piece of filmmaking – but I don't know that it could be called enjoyable.
Some other good Christian movies:
Sergeant York
It's a Wonderful Life
The Ten Commandments
Ben Hur
Chariots of Fire
The Prince of Egypt (animated)
Believe it or not, the original Tron is a sort of stealth Christian movie, though anyone who knows Christian theology can see the Christian elements immediately.
Yes, the classics are great, but was looking for something recently produced. I suppose we should include Lord of the Rings, too. And Narnia. THE ROBE managed to tell His story without direct characterization, which I prefer. (My wife enjoyed THE CHOSEN, but I think it's impossible to guess how Jesus interacted with his disciples other than quoting scripture, which becomes preachy.) But that movie too is a classic, not recent.
Also lacking: Great (Modern & Spiritual)) Christmas movies. The recent secular fare has been appalling—a direct reflection of our modern "culture." We can hold off on that until Fall.
Angel Stidios, & crowd-funded Christian movies; (just saw Cabrini, btw)—I worked 5 years at a Christian bookstore chain now gone, (as are shopping malls). Great experience caught me up on Contemporary Christianity after I was saved yet the cartoon videos were terrible… My manager finally got so excited as did I about Veggie Tales —in the 1990 - 1996 period that I worked there- actually fun for adults ! EG: King David, with a closet full of rubber duckies, yet still wanting to take the single ducky, of another man, etc !
If by any chance you were Trekkie (sp?) like I was: I know nothing of the beliefs of the writers, though actually I heard the red colored “Klingons” were an UNFLATTERING picture of (by the 60’s, FEARED) Soviets.
My Dad as related elsewhere discontinued TV for 4 years as I grew up: but the Aunt who “rescued us” with a TV did allow me to run down from the school bus in Junior High each day to catch daily Star Trek episodes in reruns in the early 70’s.
Only AFTER I was saved & began to understand the Gospel did I realize the episode “The Changeling” [from the original Desilu series, which “kicked butt where butt had never been kicked before!”] —described my own life: in that I, like the interstellar probe “costarring” that episode, had to decide logically, upon suicide —after learning it was itself not perfect…
I’ve tried to relate this to our need for salvation due to our imperfection: when speaking to Trekkies who are non-believers—as when one finds one doesn’t even live up to one’s down programming or mission, there being only two alternatives, neither good: murder the imperfect around you in your ignorance of your own sin, or murder yourself in shame or to (Darwinistically?) improve the race: or like Jimmy Stewart around Christmas, hopefully or pridefully —at least those around you, (& seemingly honorably), —by eliminating oneself …
Tell me if you watch it & think it would be a good evangelistic tool!
I'm a huge Trekkie. I especially like the episode "The Changeling," because it inspired the plot for the first Star Trek movie. Though maybe not intended by the writers, I find that movie very spiritual.
I’ll go back to the original & watch it—also Have “saving Spock” next to me on the seat in the truck: we needed to help a lady clear out her cluttered apartment!