This is the website I go to for movie reviews and this is their review on Brave:

http://www.christiananswers.net/spotlig ... e2012.html

The main review lists the good and the bad and below that are reviews from other movie goers. It looks like this movie has more neutral and negative reviews, than positive.

I was completely ignorant about Magic Mike and 50 Shades of Grey, too, until I was educated by my Sunday School class. When we were talking about Magic Mike, one lady was like "I wouldn't want to pay to see that" and I was like "I wouldn't want to see that for free!" I think movies have officially hit rock bottom. I remember when that "Hangover" movie came out (gee, can you guess what that's about?) and EVERYONE was telling me to see it. Friends, co-workers, family, etc. They were almost offended that I didn't want to see it (just like they're offended that I won't watch the abomination called Family Guy) and kept saying "No, you will love it! Trust me, it's hilarious!" I never saw it, but saw the preview and was disgusted. I miss the old comedy's! When they knew how to create humor without resorting to raunchiness and vileness. *sigh*

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).

Oh, I also had to share a quote I read online that I thought was really great. When it comes down to it, we need to be spending more time reading our Bible so that we'll be more discerning and not be out there reading or watching every evil things that's being put out there. The quote went something like "We're either in the Word, or we're in the world". Who/what should be influencing us? God's Word. My pastor said we don't have to take his word for it, we should take God's word for it. God is the one telling us what we should and shouldn't do because He understands more than we do what effect these things have on us. When I say a certain thing is wrong, it's not really me saying it. God's word says it, but people these days want to ignore that. I am guilty of that myself.

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).

Jenileigh,

I can't really respond to your posts because they are really confusing to me. It seems like you are talking about a completely different subject than what this thread is about, with salvation and heaven and all that. I'm not sure where all that is coming from and I'm just confused, I guess.

But I do think it definitely sounds like you would NOT like my church, lol! My pastor doesn't always say what people want to hear, but he definitely says what they need to hear. I have been convicted many times by my pastor and other Christians, even people on this board, saying that something is wrong and I didn't even realize it was wrong and sometimes it takes me a while to realize that they were right. But I am so thankful for that. Sometimes I need to be set straight by Godly people and then when I read my Bible, I see that it's all right there in the Bible, too.

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).

I have only just recently heard about this movie and book. I am pretty sure I live in a cave! I hardly EVER go to a movie - I just watch the same Andy Griffith dvd over and over and over! Ok, well, I mostly SLEEP through the same AG dvd over and over and over!

It sounds like the kind of thing from which I will refrain. I don't need more "junk" in my life as I have enough all by my little self...don't need any help!

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I can do ALL things through Christ, who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)

Lol, you're hilarious! And as you can see, you're not missing much! I'm thinking a cave is not a bad place to be living these days!

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).

Lisa, thanks for sharing a great link.

Jenileigh, Let's assume that I am the worst sinner in history (as I sometimes feel I am) - that doesn't change that the Bible commands repentance, and commands that we should spur each other on to good works. (Heb 10:24). And, it doesn't change the fact that Lisa's Pastor was preaching the Truth. My sin, however great, does not make you or anyone else closer to God by comparison. Only repentance and the Grace of God will do that. I truly believe that it would be a great sin for me to endorse someone else's sin and call that Christian "love" (Romans 1:32)

I firmly believe that if the Thief on the Cross had been given another decade to live, he would not have spent that decade toying with his previous life of crime- instead I think he would have honored & loved God with every minute he was granted.

Indeed, St. Lazarus *was* granted a much longer life, and according to eyewitness accounts, once he had seen the realities of Eternity, he never spent another minute in worldly levity.

It is very true that I don't live up to the standards of such a great Saint.

Please read this blog entry, as the author says it so much better than I can:
http://blog.myocn.com/culture/pop-cultu ... stion.html

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http://stuffedveggies.blogspot.com/

Jenileigh,

I read your last post again and I *think* I understand it a little more. Are you saying that we are saying we're without sin? If you read my OP, I said that even though I haven't watched this particular movie or read that particular book, I still felt convicted about other things I read/watch. Like Paul, I sometimes feel like the chief of sinners. So, my point is not to single out people watching/reading these things but to say that EVERYONE (myself included) should be more discerning about what we let into our lives. These are just the current popular things that everyone is talking about right now. That's the only reason I even know about them. Pretty soon people will move on to other stuff.

But we still can't call evil good and good evil. One of the links I posted has some Bible verses that address this. It also has some very good points on why we should refrain from these things, one of which includes loving others.

I'm not sure your point by asking what someone else reads or watches. There are people on here who don't watch anything but Christian movies or read anything but the Bible and maybe a few Christian books. Not everyone reads or watches what today's culture is reading or watching, so I'm not sure your point in asking that. And there are some movies and even more books out there with redeeming qualities to them.

I'm still confused about the salvation, heaven and casting stones part. What does that all have to do with Christians avoiding ungodly movies/books?

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).

I am sorry if I have caused you confusion Lisa. I certainly haven't meant to.

I guess in my own humble opinion I just feel that your pastor should have addressed the issue without singling out the movie Magic Mike or the book 50 Shades of Grey, not because I am defending them or trying to say Christians should read them but because in my eyes the subject is way more broad than just those two.

My comments did a stray a bit from the topic at hand because I'm tired of hearing about Magic Mike this and Shades of Grey while people continue to feed on things just as bad.

I completely agree with you on reading the bible and focusing on God's word. I also agree that it is good if the Lord uses us in love to help other people. Certainly, learning from other Christians is a great thing.

There is just so much hate going on. Churches in general preaching that smokers are going to hell because they have sin in their life. Or gay hate. People often forget to hate the sin but love the sinner and right now I am in such a place that I am loving people just how they are to Christ. (which is different than the topic here so I apologize for merging the two.)

I have often heard Christians tells someone they must clean up to come to God and I am a firm believer that we come to God exactly how we are and He does the cleaning.

My husband is a biker and we have lots of tattoos. We are not your typical Christian. My husband plays in a gospel blue grass band and has been turned away at the door of churches because of his ear rings and tattoos. So many people are turned away from truly knowing Christ because of this type of judgement.

Of course God doesn't want us to remain the same once we know Him, but it takes some people longer than others and progress is progress. It doesn't happen over night.

The other thing I deal with is that I believe church is to worship the Lord and that evangelizing for the lost should be occurring outside the 4 walls of the church bdlg. I believe when you enter the church, the Holy Sanctuary communion, praise, honor, glory and pure worship should take place. Not fellow-shipping/business ect....the fellowship should come after the service. I know its sort of hard to grasp. The traditional set up of services is what I have been to for years and years and in hindsight I don't agree with it. My family has stepped out of the box. We are seeking God to lead us to what He wants us to do. We aren't even sure where that will be yet.

We are the church not the building and the times I've seen God move the biggest are in the moments that we set ourselves aside and love people at their lowest points. I just don't believe we have enough humbleness and love of Christ and that is why there are so many not being reached. People believe we must have common sense and be ever so cautious. I believe we should do as the bible teaches and stop and help that person on the side of road walking. Love our neighbor. Feed the hungry, clothe the poor, volunteer our time, teach our children to work outside of the walls of a church building.

I know....I'm way off subject here again. I just can't seem to get across my point in a way that isn't drug out.

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“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.”
― Mother Teresa

I couldn't disagree with your first paragraph more, but I guess that is obvious. I do agree that the subject is more broad and can be applied to many other areas, but since these are things that are big in the world today, he felt he needed to warn us of the dangers of them. I don't see anything wrong with calling out specific things that are deceiving many Christians. What is a concerned pastor supposed to do when he sees his flock heading down a dangerous path, but warn them? He is in tune with his congregation and the culture, which I think is a good thing.



Hate coming from where and directed toward who? Christians, for the most part, do not hate. It is the non-Christian's who do the hating. Churches like Westboro Baptist, that preach hatred toward certain people are not Christian. There is a big difference between Christians standing up for Biblical truth and morals by not participating in sinful things, and non-Christians yelling that gay people or smokers are going to hell.



I couldn't agree with you more! The thing is, I wasn't addressing non-Christian's at all in my post. I was talking about Christians that are going to see this movie and read this book. I would expect non-Christians to, I wouldn't expect Christians to. That is who my pastor was speaking to and that is who I was speaking to. We are concerned by the number of *Christian* women going, not the unsaved. We are to set a different example and model Jesus and not blend in with the rest of the world (something I have failed at over and over) or else why would they even be interested in Christianity if it's just more of the same. Regardless of how non-Christian's act toward us, I think most of them really want us to set the example and be different because it gives them hope. They get confused, angry, and resent God, Christians, the church, etc. when we just do the same things they're doing because even THEY know that we're not living our faith.



I have tattoos, too! And your family definitely would NOT be turned away from our church. They are so friendly and welcoming that I knew on my first visit that this church was something special. Even our Sunday school class has a mixture of old, young, gentle, rough, quiet, and loud people. If your dh was turned away because of his piercings and tattoos, that is unbiblical and you're right, that kind of judgement is wrong. That is different than Christians using Biblical judgement in what they allow into their hearts and lives.

On the subject of reaching lost people, I do not believe in watering down or sugar coating the Bible to try to trick them into coming to Christ. Yes, they should come as they are. Repentant, but realizing that they don't have to be perfect to come to Christ and that he will begin the process of changing their hearts. But they have to have a knowledge that they are sinful and that they can't just keep living the same sinful life with no change, or else there is no genuine repentance. But imo, that doesn't mean I should try to be just like them, watching what they watch and reading what they read. That doesn't mean that I say something is right when it isn't. I still need to live by Biblical principles and when they ask why I'm not doing all those things, I can use that opportunity to share the gospel with them. In my life, the times people have opened up and asked me about my faith are the times when they could tell there was a difference in me and I wasn't living like the world. When I was living like the world, they didn't see anything different about me to question me about and there were no witnessing opportunities, because I was just like them.

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).

Same here, Laurajean. I am happy living here in my little cave watching Golden Girl reruns now that my a/c is fixed.