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American Family Association
Dr. Donald E. Wildmon, President
Tim Wildmon, Vice President
P.O. Drawer 2440
Tupelo, Mississippi 38803
Telephone (662) 844-5036
Fax (662) 842-7798
URL's http://www.afa.net
http://www.afr.net
http://www.afajournal.org
http://www.afo.net
AFA Action Alert 5/12/2000
AFA Is Unable To Recommend CBS Miniseries
'Jesus'
"TV Guide
said many viewers might be surprised by the movie's "reexamination of scripture
and other historical accounts of biblical times." The same article
quoted producer Lorenzo Minoli as saying, "This is a new Christ, a very
human Christ, for the new millennium."
The CBS two-part
miniseries entitled "Jesus" deserves, at best, mixed reviews. Some
have sung its praises, but AFA reviewers cite several objectionable elements
observed in the advance copy of the four-hour feature scheduled for airing
May 14 and 17. Included
in the film were these things: 1)
About six minutes into the movie, there is partial female nudity when Mary
Magdalene rises from her prostitute's bed where she has just entertained
a client. Dialogue includes sexual subjects. 2)
Later in the movie, there is another sex scene featuring Mary Magdalene. 3)
Jesus is angry at God for the death of Joseph. When Mary refers to God
as Jesus' father, he declares, "Joseph is my father!" 4)
John agrees to baptize Jesus if he has repented of his sins. 5)
Jesus often appears to be confused and uncertain about his ministry. Because
of these and other similar scenes and/or attitudes, AFA is unable to recommend
the movie. TV
Guide said many viewers might be surprised by the movie's "reexamination
of scripture and other historical accounts of biblical times."
The same article quoted producer Lorenzo Minoli as saying, "This is
a new Christ, a very human Christ, for the new millennium." See
Related Stories: 'Jesus':
A life more ordinary - USA Today (May 12, 2000) CBS
miniseries leaves some questions - Religion Today CBS
Rejects Christian Internet Site From Advertising On 'Jesus' Miniseries
- Baptist Press
Prayer
Focus: According to Religion
Today, "The four-hour, two-part miniseries will take the Gospel to people
who aren't going to read the Bible, its proponents say. The movie 'renders
an important service in presenting the life, death, and resurrection of
Jesus Christ' to a large audience, said A. L. Barry, president of the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod.
...Certain
'liberties and embellishments' are taken in the film for the sake of
developing the plot that 'although not biblical, [are] not necessarily
overtly offensive,' Barry said.
...But two
important misimpressions of Jesus are given, he said. The first is
that Jesus, after the death of his earthly father Joseph, didn't know what
to do with Himself, and later is unclear about His mission. 'Jesus Christ
was never for a moment unsure of His work,' Barry said. He understood 'full
well' what He would one day have to do, 'go to the cross as the willing,
obedient Lamb of God to take the sin of the world.'
...The movie
also leaves a faulty impression about the purpose of the crucifixion,
Barry said. Sisto, as Jesus, says in the movie, 'I am in the hearts of
men. I will die for the everlasting kindness of the human heart, created
by the Father, so that men will make His image shine once again, and those
who will want to will find in me the strength to love until the end.'
...This is
'exactly the opposite reason why Jesus died on the cross,' Barry said.
'God did not sacrifice His Son for the everlasting kindness of the human
heart. He sacrificed Him because the human heart, since the fall of
Adam and Eve, has been darkened with evil and plagued by sin.'
=========================
"Spreading Truth on the Information
Superhighway"
AFA ACTION
ALERT <><
Buddy Smith, Editor
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