When I worked for the City of Seattle’s Department of Construction and Land Use, one of the directors hung pictures of Buddhist temples and Buddha statues all over her office and even outside her office for passers-by to enjoy.
I found this strange, since I was told that I couldn’t have a little desk-top Christmas tree in my work space during the holidays because it was a “religious symbol” and could offend my coworkers.
Then, when I put up a Christmas card with a picture of Santa on it, I was told to remove that as well, because Santa is considered “a religious figure related to a religious holiday.”
I thought of that today when I read this. Apparently, you can’t have an advertisement for The Nativity Story at a Chicago Christmas festival. It might offend someone.
(Thanks to Timothy Grant for the link.)
I live in Chicago and when I saw this I couldn’t believe it. I sent a (polite) e-mail to both the market and the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. We’ll see if I get any response.
I was surprised…I saw an add on TV where the announcer stated “Putting the Christ back into Christmas”… Not sure how I should react.
Unrelatedly, it’s strangely comforting to me that you worked in such a mundane-sounding job. Someday, I too can do what I’m interested in for a living. 🙂
“Organizers of the German Christkindlmarket have ditched New Line as a sponsor due to concerns that ads for ‘The Nativity Story’ may offend non-Christians.”
Ya know . . . I’m offended by quite a number of movie posters, frankly.
I wonder if the Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events would object to Borat posters displayed at the event? Would that “be contrary to acceptable advertising standards suggested to the many festivals holding events on Daley Plaza,” as well? Is it all movie posters or just those that might “insensitive” to non-Christian sensibilities?
Yeah, especially you can’t display The Nativity Story ads at a German Christmas market called Christkindl, which is German for ‘Christ Child.’ Does this ruling kindle visions of sugarplums or of the novel ‘1984’?
Thanks for doing a great job with the column, Jeffrey. It’s been a privilege to have my reviews appear there, alongside such eloquent summaries from you, and other viewpoints on the same film from those who share my underlying view of life and culture.
I didn’t realize the column was “yours” to take with you. Just as you assumed it from Steve L., I would have guessed that you might step down and leave it a successor. But it sounds like you want to take the concept and develop it. To that end, here’s what I’d be interested in seeing in a future “Film Forum”:
1. More excerpts from secular film critics. That might defeat the purpose of the forum, but I find myself itching to know what mainstream reviewers are thinking about a film after I’ve read so much feedback from Christians about those same films. CT’s “Film Forum” often ends with “other critics are saying…” and a link, presumably to Rotten Tomatoes are Metacritic (I don’t know that I’ve ever followed those links, to be honest).
I’d like to see excerpts from some of the more thoughtful mainstream reviews. Just as we can glean God’s power and meaning in films that aren’t overtly Christian, perhaps we can gain deeper insight into mainstream films from those who don’t share our faith perspective. In fact, I’m sure we’ve all had that experience, learning about a film’s meaning from pieces of mainstream reviews, even if we might disagree with the overall assessment of those reviews.
I’m just thinking out loud here.
I’m glad Film Forum will continue. It’s a great service, the best place to pick up on films that have some element that’s particularly interesting to Christians.
I like Christian’s idea about tossing in quotes from other film writers as well, though maybe limit that to films (or elements of films) that have a specific spiritual or Christian interest. Not that those are the only films, or elements of films, that matter: obviously not. But we don’t need a general survey about what general critics are saying about general films: there are lots of sources already for that. Stay focused – especially since you’ve also got books to write!
I’m sorry that Film Forum is leaving CT Moves: it has always seemed to me that it broadened the focus of CTM, keeping an eye on all kinds of films that there simply aren’t enough resources to review in full. But good that it will still exist!
This just occurred to me. I hate the idea of you bogging down in this when you’ve got other writing (and who know, maybe even some non-writing, non-movie things!) to do. Do you enlist the aid of some other film writers, who can email you the bits and pieces they turn up in their reading? Though I suspect you’ve got the whole procedure down to a science. Just a thought.
Gratitude for all you’ve done. Film Forum has been a central element in the emergence of online film writing by Christians. Congrats!
Ron
http://www.soulfoodmovies.blogspot.com
Wow.
So you’re still gonna do it, even though you won’t get paid? And (echoing Ron) with all the work on your table already?
Wow.
Well, just make sure there’s an RSS feed for it!
And that is why the Forum will continue elsewhere.
Oh, man — now I can start breathing again. It took me a little while to get to this part in my reading.
To add to Ron’s idea, you could have a section after each movie where readers contributed review quotes they found interesting. That would be so Web 2.0, man. Hopefully it wouldn’t cannibalize Arts & Faith too much by branching into movie discussion, although I admit there is that risk since you can’t control how readers will use this feature.
Wow. That’s big news indeed, and kind of a bummer.
Only “kind of,” because it will continue, and you can continue to shape it.
Our only suggestion would be: broaden the scope to include news about what one or two of the more conservative, less art-focused, voices are saying. In the marketplace of ideas, people are fully capable of comparison shopping and deciding what’s right for their needs. And by including links to those sites, you may be drawing in new readers who could learn a thing or two.
It also might neuter some pointless yet harsh criticism of what Film Forum and CT Movies came to represent for many (though not, obviously, for us).
Thanks for the Buechner quote (I love him). That is so beautiful and true.