The Chosen - Godly Truth or Dangerous Fiction?

[Matthias]

A non-fictionalized Jesus vs. a fictionalized Jesus.

No one in scripture thought it necessary to present a fictionalized Jesus to their audience. Why is that?

 

[Matthias]

I doubt this is true as the characters and setting is accurate. I'm not saying they dont take license; they do, but its in very good taste.

I’m still trying to track down the Jenkins quote. It may or may not be accurate.

Have you read any of the objections Christians have raised against program?

 

[face2face]

A non-fictionalized Jesus vs. a fictionalized Jesus.

No one in scripture thought it necessary to present a fictionalized Jesus to their audience. Why is that?

I love your enthusiasm Mattias! Maybe we should start burning the books/movies like they did at Ephesus?
I'd have a few I could throw on the fire.
F2F

 

[face2face]

I’m still trying to track down the Jenkins quote. It may or may not be accurate.

Have you read any of the objections Christians have raised against program?

Well, if it has a Unitarian emphasis I would start donating funds to it

 

[Matthias]

In part I understand where you are coming from...to this day I have never watched "The Passion of the Christ" for many valid reasons, most of which are rather personal.

I watched The Passion of Christ and found myself in a rather uncomfortable conversation with Catholic relatives on my wife’s side of the family.

However, the chosen though creative in parts has applied some very good connections and portrayed events which get you thinking! That in itself cannot be wholly deemed unworthy.

F2F

The non-fictionalized Jesus is sufficient to get me thinking.

Why put things in our minds which we know aren’t true?

Why put things in the minds of others which we know aren’t true?

As a pastor I’ve spent a fair amount of time engaged in helping people rid their minds of things which they believed to be true as a result of seeing it in a movie, or a television program, or in a book, or heard from a friend or relative.

 

[Matthias]

I love your enthusiasm Mattias!

Thank you.

Maybe we should start burning the books/movies like they did at Ephesus?
I'd have a few I could throw on the fire.
F2F

I don’t advocate or endorse book burning. My meager claim to fame in the classroom was encouraging my students to read widely, deeply, thoughtfully and critically.

There is a Jewish saying which I shared with my students. You’ve probably heard it yourself somewhere along the way - “Swallow the meat and spit out the bones.”

 

[Matthias]

Well, if it has a Unitarian emphasis I would start donating funds to it

Christian criticism of The Chosen covers a lot of ground. Some complain that the program presents Jesus as only a man who has a God - Jesus being fictionalized as a unitarian. *gasp*

 

[Matthias]

A non-fictionalized Jesus vs. a fictionalized Jesus.

No one in scripture thought it necessary to present a fictionalized Jesus to their audience. Why is that?

For starters, they weren’t proclaiming Jesus for the purpose of entertainment.

What might they think about Christians 2000 years later offering people a fictionalized Jesus as entertainment?

I guess we’ll find out when we meet them.

 

[Matthias]

Elmer Gantry. That’s the fictional character I’m thinking of right now.

 

[face2face]

Christian criticism of The Chosen covers a lot of ground. Some complain that the program presents Jesus as only a man who has a God - Jesus being fictionalized as a unitarian. *gasp*

If so, it would not be fiction then. Like you Jesus had a God & Heavenly Father

 

[face2face]

For starters, they weren’t proclaiming Jesus for the purpose of entertainment.

What might they think about Christians 2000 years later offering people a fictionalized Jesus as entertainment?

I guess we’ll find out when we meet them.

Would you agree without some creative license it would be difficult to do such a series?

 

[Matthias]

Would you agree without some creative license it would be difficult to do such a series?

Yes.

Would you agree that there is no creative license involved in the presentation of Jesus in scripture?

 

[face2face]

Yes.

Would you agree that there is no creative license involved in the presentation of Jesus in scripture?

No problem agreeing with that. It's the inspired Word! But I still liked watching my fav cartoon "The Prince of Egypt".

F2F

 

[Matthias]

Should the apostles have used creative license to proclaim a fictionalized Jesus?

Maybe “should” isn’t the right word.

Would the apostles have used creative license to proclaim a fictionalized Jesus?

Objection. Calls for speculation.

Question withdrawn.

 

[face2face]

Should the apostles have used creative license to proclaim a fictionalized Jesus?

Maybe “should” isn’t the right word.

Would the apostles have used creative license to proclaim a fictionalized Jesus?

Objection. Calls for speculation.

Question withdrawn.

Should Paul have quoted two Greek writers / poets as support for his case that God does not need temples or temple services from humans?

 

[Matthias]

Should Paul have quoted two Greek writers / poets as support for his case that God does not need temples or temple services from humans?

As we’ve agreed that Paul was acting under the inspiration of God, yes.

[Using the concessions of their pagan philosophers was also a common practice among the later Greek Apologists.]

Are the writers and producers - who acknowledge that they are presenting a fictionalized Jesus for the purpose of providing entertainment for their viewers - doing so under the inspiration of God?

Was Paul speaking with the purpose of providing his audience entertainment?

 

[ButterflyJones]

I watched a bit of an episode. For me it is more of a fictional drama than anything even remotely biblical.

Not a fan.

 

[quietthinker]

I watched The Passion of Christ and found myself in a rather uncomfortable conversation with Catholic relatives on my wife’s side of the family.



The non-fictionalized Jesus is sufficient to get me thinking.

Why put things in our minds which we know aren’t true?

Why put things in the minds of others which we know aren’t true?

As a pastor I’ve spent a fair amount of time engaged in helping people rid their minds of things which they believed to be true as a result of seeing it in a movie, or a television program, or in a book, or heard from a friend or relative.

Do you think your take on the life of Jesus (seeing we have such little recorded information) would produce something better so far?
....or would you have it cryptic, staccato like, to be technically true to the text?

 

[Matthias]

Do you think your take on the life of Jesus (see we have such little recorded information) would produce something better?

I wouldn’t make such an attempt.

Why fictionalize Jesus to entertain ourselves and others?

 

[quietthinker]

I wouldn’t make such an attempt.

Why fictionalize Jesus to entertain ourselves and others?

Fiction is when the intent is violated. Do you really think the intent is /has been violated?