-Gospel Message is Scarier Than World War Z?
by Dr. D ~ September 10th, 2013
(MPAA: Wikipedia)
A faith-based film produced by a Southern Baptist church featuring a Gospel message is scarier than World War Z? According to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) board who gave it an ‘R’ rating it is. Here’s the story from Todd Starnes of Fox News:
The zombies don’t even come close to being as scary as the Baptists if you believe the Motion Picture Association of America.
The MPAA slapped an R rating on “My Son,” a small-budget film made by the congregation of Retta Baptist Church in Burleson, Tex.
“They told us it was because of violence and drug use portrayed in the film,” Pastor Chuck Kitchens told Fox News. “I was very shocked. It makes me sick at my stomach.”
The pastor said the church’s film does not include foul language, sex scenes or nudity. He did confirm there was violence surrounding a hostage standoff in the church as well as some drug usage.
Response: Does anyone really believe that a faith based film produced by a church for families and youth groups could possibly be more violent than WWZ? If so than you haven’t seen the zombie movie which was just about the most violent I have ever seen under any rating and the MPAA gave it a PG-13.
The only conclusion that can be drawn from this situation is that the movie board must find the Christian message in the film to be far scarier and more offensive than one of the most bloody and violent films ever to receive a PG-13 rating.
Meanwhile the ‘R’ rating leaves the Baptist film as almost unusable for it’s target church family audience. When the church asked what they could do to get a better rating they received no response from the board. Meanwhile major Hollywood studio films like WWZ constantly receive guidance and help from the MPAA in order to get the target rating for their films. Does seem like the MPAA board is demonstrating a different kind of treatment for the Baptist Gospel based film. One that is biased and discriminatory? *Top
September 10th, 2013 at 9:05 am
This is not the first time this has happened. “Facing The Giants”, a film by a Georgia Baptist church, was given a “PG” rating, although it is about as wholesome as wholesome can get.
After considerable controversy and allegations that conservative (evangelical) religious themes motivated the PG rating, the MPAA announced that it was “mature themes” in “Facing the Giants” which caused the PG rating:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive//ldn/2006/jun/06062001
I invite you to watch the movie “Facing The Giants” yourself, and consider whether the PG rating was given for these alleged “mature themes”.
Brian