Some, Not all, but Some to the entertainment industry's acting technique are in real conflict with the Christian lifestyle

[bartmac123]

Sorry, if I sound like I'm ranting and/or complaining but I really find the fashion & entertainment industry (i.e. Hollywood, Bollywood, etc.) really in conflict with the Christian lifestyle. 

Apart from all the fame & fortune that could easily lead Christians astray, I came across acting techniques used by the entertainment industry to be totally harmful & vulgar to the Christian lifestyle.

Let me explain.  Some, Not all, but Some of the following techniques "drawing personal connections from your feelings and experiences to the character. This creates a lifelike and realistic portrayal of the character using sensory memory." ( quote from  Credit Reference:  https://ifilmthings.com/acting-techniques-actors-must-know/    ) :

Credit Reference:  https://ifilmthings.com/acting-techniques-actors-must-know/

1. Classical acting – Stanislavski’s acting technique
2. Uta Hagen’s realism technique
3. Meisner technique
4. Lee Strasberg’s technique
5. Michael Chekhov technique
6. Method acting
7. Stella Adler
8. Practical Aesthetics technique
9. Viola Spolin’s – “theatre games”

Basically some of the aforementioned acting techniques are in direct conflict with  the Philippians 4:8 bible verse:

 

Quote

 

Philippians 4:8
 

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is ^[a]lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, ^[b]dwell on these things.

 

Again, sorry if I sound like I'm ranting and/or complaining

 

[missmuffet]

7 hours ago, bartmac123 said:

Sorry, if I sound like I'm ranting and/or complaining but I really find the fashion & entertainment industry (i.e. Hollywood, Bollywood, etc.) really in conflict with the Christian lifestyle. 

Apart from all the fame & fortune that could easily lead Christians astray, I came across acting techniques used by the entertainment industry to be totally harmful & vulgar to the Christian lifestyle.

Let me explain.  Some, Not all, but Some of the following techniques "drawing personal connections from your feelings and experiences to the character. This creates a lifelike and realistic portrayal of the character using sensory memory." ( quote from  Credit Reference:  https://ifilmthings.com/acting-techniques-actors-must-know/    ) :

Credit Reference:  https://ifilmthings.com/acting-techniques-actors-must-know/

1. Classical acting – Stanislavski’s acting technique
2. Uta Hagen’s realism technique
3. Meisner technique
4. Lee Strasberg’s technique
5. Michael Chekhov technique
6. Method acting
7. Stella Adler
8. Practical Aesthetics technique
9. Viola Spolin’s – “theatre games”

Basically some of the aforementioned acting techniques are in direct conflict with  the Philippians 4:8 bible verse:

 

Again, sorry if I sound like I'm ranting and/or complaining

 

You are right. As a Christian whatever you do do it for the glory for God. Is what you are doing Glorify God?

[LearningToLetGo]

I don't understand. Could you give an example why e.g. method acting is in conflict with Scripture?

[bartmac123]

53 minutes ago, LearningToLetGo said:

I don't understand. Could you give an example why e.g. method acting is in conflict with Scripture?

@LearningToLetGo

Sorry, I should have provided more details when it comes to my arguments.

 

 

 

( Let's start off with some Quotes from Credited Reference:  https://ifilmthings.com/acting-techniques-actors-must-know/    )

"4. Lee Strasberg’s technique

 

Lee Strasberg’s method is all-around actors intensifying their connection to their character within their day to day lives, slowly adding little parts as they go on, submerging their character. By doing this the actor will have a greater understanding of their character, how they think, what they like, what they don’t like, and how they interact."

 

"Method acting is all about drawing personal connections from your feelings and experiences to the character. This creates a lifelike and realistic portrayal of the character using sensory memory.

The method acting technique will force actors to imagine themselves as the character and develop the thoughts and actions of the character in intricate detail for their performance."

 

"Stella Adler’s acting method of teaching is linked to the above (Method acting) as she was a student of Strasberg. However, her method does differ. Stella’s was focused on imagination, creating a world within the actor’s mind. The emotional recall is included but imagination overcomes that.

It’s about using personal experiences and actions but then adding to them, exaggerating and growing what has happened to you to create a heightened performance."

 

If you reading some of the aforementioned quotes from the credited website's page, you will notice that a lot of emphasis is on making actors "imagine themselves as the character and develop the thoughts and actions of the character in intricate detail for their performance."

 

Just to mention a few of the many Bible scripture verses that could certainly come into conflict with the aforementioned acting techniques:

 

Quote

 

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

 

 

Quote

 

Proverbs 4:23

Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

 

 

 

Quote

Colossians 3:5
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

Let me elaborate even further.  

Lets say some actors needed to play the role of Adolf Hitler, and various members of Germany's Nazi regime for a World War 2 film.  The aforementioned techniques would suggest that the actors should immerse themselves in their characters.  Specifically, for said World War 2 film, it would be immersing themselves in the racist and antisemitic thoughts & feelings of Adolf Hitler and other Nazi officials which really contradicts with the bible verses of Philippians 4:8 , Proverbs 4:23, Colossians 3:5, and many other verses.

 

Also, furthermore, if you read about Stella Adler’s acting method, it emphasizes the following:

 

(Quotes from Credit Reference:  https://ifilmthings.com/acting-techniques-actors-must-know/    ) from "It’s about using personal experiences and actions but then adding to them, exaggerating and growing what has happened to you to create a heightened performance."

 

Stella Adler’s acting method states that an actor/actress should draw in their personal experience and actions which is really shocking.  The reason being is that if an actress had some unpleasant experience in real life as a sexual assault victim, and she gets a role to play a sexually raped victim then Stella Adler’s acting method seems to suggest that said actress should recall the memories of whatever unpleasant experience she herself had as a sexual assault victim.  This is scary. 

 

Furthermore, a charismatic/pentecostal Christian like me would even point out that the aforementioned actors who adopt said acting techniques would be opening a door for demonic spirits to enter into their lives.  It's really scary, and disgusting if you think about it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LearningToLetGo]

Thanks for clarifying. Would this also apply to any other creative pursuit such as dancing, singing or writing?

[bartmac123]

12 hours ago, LearningToLetGo said:

Thanks for clarifying. Would this also apply to any other creative pursuit such as dancing, singing or writing?

@LearningToLetGo

(By the way, I'm Not saying said acting techniques are bad by and in themselves.  To elaborate, method acting is alright if you are planning to act as Stephen's speech in Acts 7 of the Bible Or David's mourning over the death of his son, Absalom in 2 Samuel 18:33 of the bible.  Context matters.  )

For acting, singing, and also writing, I suppose the following Ephesians 4:29 verse is quite relevant:

Quote

 

Ephesians 4:29

Let No unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

 

 

 

If you think about it then there is obviously dancing that is really sexually suggestive like pole dancing at a strip bar, therefore I believe the following  Ephesians 5:3-5 verses warn against said types of dancing:

 

Quote

Ephesians 5:3-5
3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by bartmac123

[bartmac123]

@LearningToLetGo I know this is kind of straying away from the main message of this posting's main topic, however, it is kind of incidentally relevant information. 

Furthermore, I hope that I do Not sound overly preachy, overly sanctimonious, overly holier-than-art-thou but here goes.

A lot of entertainment industry stars (especially Music industry stars) started off in Christian churches:

-The music band called the Jonas Brothers were pastor's kids.  It's really kind of strange because when they went into the secular music industry, it was their church's congregation members who told their father who was a pastor that they should Not be singing inappropriate secular songs about women, etc.    LOL, essentially, it was the Reverse of the Nehemiah's bible narrative. 

-Katy Perry's parents were both Christian pastors, but if you hear her music, it's definitely Not appropriate for Christian audience.

-Whitney Houston was part of her church's gospel choir when she was a kid

-Miley Cyrus was raised as a Christian, and was baptized in a Southern Baptist Church.

-...I'm sure the list goes on.....

Again, forgive me if I sound overly preachy, overly sanctimonious, overly holier-than-art-thou

Edited December 29, 2021 by bartmac123

[LearningToLetGo]

59 minutes ago, bartmac123 said:

forgive me if I sound overly preachy

Don't worry about it. This is a Christian forum, after all. Preachy kinda comes with the territory. ;-)