Lets BOYCOTT....!

I don't know who is and isnt watching the oscars and I am only suggesting that whoever in this crowd might intend to watch the awards should consider other wise for good reasons.
.........</font>[/QUOTE]Several on the thread sound kind of defensive, and I'm not sure why.
I don't watch the Oscars, but millions of Christians obviously do. I think there can be good reasons to watch the Oscars. Such as being aware of societal trends.
But thanks, Fishnbread, for the reminder to examine all that we do. I think it is fine to exhort one another. However, we each still have individual decision-making and responsibility.

Karen

 

Another movie to boycott is Syriana.

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/krauthammer030306.asp

And unknown to Craig, the Oscars is of the world (1 John 2:15), and yes Craig, you do sin. 1 John 1:8-10.

In 1 John 2:16 it states:

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

The Oscars speaks to all three of these basic sin sources. Especially the pride of life. That's why I cringe when Christians have award shows themselves. Like in the music awards such as the Dove Award.

What ever happened to giving God all the glory? 1 Cor. 1:31

 

Can someone show me one time Jesus boycotted something in the Gospels?

 

I think that He wanted us to boycott sin. What do you think?

I would give Scripture referrences, but it would take up most of the Gospels.

 

Jack, ok let me rephrase it somewhat. If Jesus were physically on the earth right now, would He be calling His followers to boycott the Oscars, movies, etc?

I find interesting that there was a lot of cultural issues and governmental issues in Jesus time on this earth, but yet you never once find Him calling His followers to boycott any of them.

I think boycotts are just one more thing that Christians can get caught up in and miss the reason why they are put here on this earth.

 

Well I boycotted the oscars again last night,that should be for about 30 years in a row now and I will do it again.
Ed, I join you in your boycott of L. Ron Hubbard and florida orage juice.

 

I have dinner at the Kodak Theatre's Hollywood and Highland complex about 6 times a year. And a few years ago, the Mrs (though she was not yet my Mrs) and I attended an Oscar party. I even got to meet Peter Jackson that night. Mr Jackson even let me feel his statuette. I never knew how heavy the Oscar statue was until that night (about 8lbs).

Oh, I'll be having dinner at the CPK at Hollywood & Highland next month.

Not that this post contributes at all to the thread. I was just wondering how unrighteous, y'all think I am, that's all.

 

Let's see. How unrighteous are you John?

By the way I seldom go to movies maybe one every 10 years or so, hence my intense interest in the oscar thingymabob.

 

Johnv,
I'm not saying you're unrighteous.
I'm merely advocating the general principle that as Christians, we can properly let each other know of concerns we have.
No one can keep track of everything all by himself.
We all have the duty to be good stewards and to make wise decisions. And it often pays to listen to fellow believers as we make our decisions.
Doesn't mean we do what they say.

Letting people know of concerns does not automatically equal ordering them to refrain from certain actions.

Karen

 

I can't quote quick prooftexts. But I think there are a lot of general principles in the Gospels and Epistles that apply. A boycott COULD be a method of implementing various principles about just behaviour.
Just as Sunday School CAN be a method of implementing various principles about the duty to instruct.

Re: boycotts. I do personally choose to pay attention to where a product comes from. I try not to buy things made from slave labor overseas, for example. (Slave labor does not necessarily occur just because the worker is paid less than in the U.S.)
Christ is the Lord of all of life, and His Lordship impacts all we do. Not just in our Sunday huddle.
Sure, Christians can get too caught up in just about anything. Doesn't mean that I shouldn't try to do some things prudently, according to my convictions, just because some other Christian gets carried away.

Karen

 

I think these verses are applicable to this discussion:

I know people who, because of the country they live in, will not buy pork because it usually has been sacfriced to idols, and they will also not buy something with dragons on it because of what they represent in that culture. I was visiting them once, and they were looking at some purses for gifts and they told the merchant "I don't want anything with dragons on it" and the merchant replied "Are you a Christian?"

Would they be sinning if they bought the pork or something with dragons on it? No. Would they be hurting their witness to the people of that culture, yes. I think this sort of situation is what those verses are talking about.

If you feel the Lord is leading you to boycott a product or company, then do it. If not, then don't.

I go back and forth on this issue, but I think where it says "Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience' sake;" is applicable to us today. It would drive a person mad if they tried to make sure that nothing they bought was benefitting "sinners". But at the same time I think we do need to exercise judgement in how and where we spend our money. Btw, can you imagine trying to follow kosher eating laws today? But I digress..

As far as Jesus and boycotts, I supposed you could call Jesus overturning the tables of the money changers and those selling doves in the temple an extreme boycott

 

Karen, I have no problem with you having personal convictions that you feel the need to live by. If you feel the need to personally boycott the Oscars, then by all means do so.

However, my issue with boycotts is when other Christians call for others to boycott with them based on their own personal convictions. This leads to people getting wrapped up in something that is not our ultimate purpose on this earth.

We are not going to change the world by boycotting the Oscars, or anything else. We will only change the world by introducing people to Jesus Christ and allowing Him to change people and the world.

 

AMEN Pastor!

 

First of all, I don't know how I would boycott something I don't watch.

I don't believe in awards shows because I believe that they're no longer about celebrating atistry, but about exploiting the celebrity worship we have in this society.

In all fairness, I do watch the Americana and IBMA awards, because these people are much more sincere about their craft and the stories behind the awards are much more compelling.

As for boycotting them because I don't like the movies they chose, that's not a good idea.

If you remember, I took a lot of heat here a few weeks ago from some who were outraged at the show "Book of Daniel". They wanted to boycott, complain to their congressman, burn down the mission, all of that stuff.

I said that these things run their course and that we were better off just ignoring it, rather than giving it any free publicity.

I was called every name in the book and you'd think I said we should go score a dime bag and a couple of teenaged strippers and fly to the Keys for a couple of days of wild sex.

No, I simply pointed out that it is much more effective to light a candle than curse the darkness and that all we were doing by protesting the show was giving it free publicity when, if we would just shut up about it, everyone would get over it pretty quickly.

What happened? After the very next show, "Book of Daniel" was cancelled because nobody cared.

In the same way ask any ten people on the street and I doubt you'll find two who have ever heard of "Transamerica". It wasn't released in most markets and nobody saw it. If you're against it, then why would you give it free publicity and encourage people to see it to see what all the fuss is about?

There are two much better ways to handle this.

One, ignore it and let it die.

Two, go see the movie and use it as an opportunity to discuss the issues at it's core and use those discussions as an opportunity to share the Gospel.

The world already knows what we're against. Now, let's show them what we're for.

 

The only part of these awards that I am even remotely interested in would be the wild getups that would be worn. I enjoy laughing (in private) at the stupidity that is called good fashion today. Otherwise, I won't even care who won what.

 

Plain Old Bill: //Well I boycotted the oscars again last night,
that should be for about 30 years in a row now and I will do it again.

//Ed, I join you in your boycott of L. Ron Hubbard and florida orage juice. //

Yes, that is right.

oops, that changes you from 'Plain Old Bill' to SUPER BILL!.

 

All these silly boycotts only draw attention to what is being boycotted. As anyone in Marketing can tell you, there is no such thing as bad publicity.

 

I'm not sure I agree, Magnetic Poles.
In some situations, and Christians will differ on what those situations are, it is worth letting non-Christians know that something is seen as wrong. Saying nothing can imply approval.

Now, on a practical basis, Christians will disagree. But that doesn't mean that an individual Christian prayerfully being a good steward of all resources is always counterproductive. The U.S., for example, is a market economy, in which Christians have significant economic resources. There is nothing wrong with letting suppliers of goods and services know what kinds of goods and services you want.

Once again, I am trying to speak in a broader context here than just "boycott the Oscars". That is merely a specific example and one particular way of deciding how to be a good steward. (In case anyone is wondering, I do go to the movies, in theaters. LOL Not movies I consider poor, but you may consider them poor. I went to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe more than once.)

Mike, I'm sorry for that thread. I had no part in attacking you. Let's discuss issues, not people.
Sometimes threads on the BB are a weariness to me, because we act like the discussion is just among those posting and a few others. Apparently people read from all over the world. And Christians disagree on many things. This is a topic worth discussing.

Karen

 

Set no evil thing before your eyes.

 

The Oscars are more meaningless in the scheme of things than the corn on my little toe. Lets see, Godless, self indulgent people with no real redeeming talent dressing up and handing out each other meaningless awards. Turns me on.