[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][text_output]Back Up: At the time I wrote this article – the big news story is that Sony Entertainment’s computer systems have been jacked and we might be, as you are reading this, involved in all out cyber war. Many suspect that the North Korean government was responsible for the hack because they wanted to prevent Sony, from releasing a movie they did not approve of. As a result of their attack, Sony’s internal information has been leaked to news agencies and onto the internet. After one week of pressure, Sony acquiesced to the hackers’ demands not to show the movie, “The Interview”. A stunning victory by those opposing our nation’s constitutional rights but that is an entirely different story.
Actors and others are upset with Sony for giving into the threats of the hacker/terrorists (as some have called them) and ridiculed their decision to shelve the movie. This is a teachable moment. As an observer, I find it extremely hypocritical that people in the movie industry would condemn Sony’s actions when the industry, as a whole, promotes a general malaise and backing away from terrorist threats on an international level Many in the movie industry promote, support and applaud US troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan believing that backing-out of the war against terrorism in the right thing to do.
Now, when one of their own is faced with a terrorist threat and backs down, they condemn them for not standing up to them. My question is: What did they expect? Sony is following the same policy and practice that Hollywood constantly advocates: Back-away, back-out and back down.
I am not advocating what actions is appropriate for Sony or the US to take in this situation, that isn’t the purpose of this article but I am interested in what changed Hollywood’s perspective toward terrorists. On the surface issues like freedom of expression and rights are bandied about, but I suspect another reason: greed. For many people money is the deciding facrot in life. Therefor, I will apply a classic solution that Hollywood screen writers’ use to solve problems on screen: “follow the money.”
Work with me. Some movie stars (and others) are compensated y a percentage of a movie’s gross profits. This nets them a larger paycheck if the movie is a blockbuster. If a distributor doesn’t release a film, some of the people won;t make money. Remember, “the love of money is the root of all evil,” (1 Timothy 6:10).
A number of prominent people in the entertainment field have helped promote the idea that the greed of “Big Oil” pushed America to enter Iraq for their oil and thereby jeopardizing American lives for the sake of profit. However, one could make a valid argument that the actors’ and film industry’s motivations for condemning Sony is to pressure them to release its movie are similarly related. Do they not see that if they push Son and the movie theaters to show this movie, that they too, are knowingly jeopardizing American lives for the sake of profit?
Here’s the moral: Often times we advocate an attitude for others to adhere to, that we ourselves are unwilling to embrace or practice; and that is the definition of “hypocrisy.”
This year I would hope that each of us would stop and take a hard look at ourselves before rushing to judge others. Hollywood embodies all of humanity’s flaws,it loves to judge (ie. award shows), but we must be careful and back-away from what comes natural and choose to act more like Christ.
Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck on your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from you own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Mathew 7:1-5).
May you back into blessings as you back-away from sin this New Year. Your Pastor. Dave Rowser[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][text_output]
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