The Chosen [tv show]

[Jayne]

I know that there is a thread now with members discussing how much that they enjoy the show.  And I am NOT intending in bashing the show or telling folks not to watch it.  It's probably very entertaining.

I just want to let you know some things that you may not be aware of.  And if you do watch the show, you may feel led to pray for some things.

[1]  The show is, in part, funded by the Mormon church, The Latter Day Saints.  At the end of the credits each episode, this acknowledgement is made.  The creator of the show has stated that he sees no difference between Mormons and Christians.

[2]  At least one line from the character who plays Jesus is from the book of Mormon and not found in the Bible.  When asked about it, the producer said, "It was a cool line."

[3] It is "based" on the life of Christ, but not all the actors in the show are Christians.  Represented in the show are at least one atheist, Jews, Hindi, Catholics, evangelicals, and some just "don't know".  The makers of the show said they just wanted the best actors for the job.  I get that.  You want to make a good show.

[4] They keep a Pride Flag on set.  The creator defended it by saying that they are willing to work with anyone who will help make the show a great show.

[5] The music?  It's done by two men.  One of them is Dan Haseltine of the Christian band, Jars of Clay.  Very popular in the Christian music field.  He believes that homosexuality is not a sin.  He has publicly stated that it doesn't matter what the Bible says - all that matters is how you feel.

My point is NOT to tell you not to watch.  My point is just to be on guard with ANY film or tv show that professes to be teaching you about Christ.

My point is that God gave us the messages and stories of Jesus in the Bible.  He could have sent Jesus to Earth very early on when there were just stone carvings.  He could have sent Jesus when people were using cell phones and computers.

God sent Christ at a time when books were being written.

THE book, the Bible, is where we should get our understanding of Jesus Christ.  All I'm saying is READ THE BOOK FIRST and then you will have enough discernment to know if something is truthful or not.

I used to tell my students - "Never EVER take your history, science, or Bible from a movie or TV show.  Facts have been altered to entertain."

Watch the show in peace, but watch it based your knowledge of what is actually in the Bible.

 

 

 

[Neighbor]

Thanks for sharing all of that information.

[PATrobas]

5 minutes ago, Jayne said:

I know that there is a thread now with members discussing how much that they enjoy the show.  And I am NOT intending in bashing the show or telling folks not to watch it.  It's probably very entertaining.

I just want to let you know some things that you may not be aware of.  And if you do watch the show, you may feel led to pray for some things.

[1]  The show is, in part, funded by the Mormon church, The Latter Day Saints.  At the end of the credits each episode, this acknowledgement is made.  The creator of the show has stated that he sees no difference between Mormons and Christians.

[2]  At least one line from the character who plays Jesus is from the book of Mormon and not found in the Bible.  When asked about it, the producer said, "It was a cool line."

[3] It is "based" on the life of Christ, but not all the actors in the show are Christians.  Represented in the show are at least one atheist, Jews, Hindi, Catholics, evangelicals, and some just "don't know".  The makers of the show said they just wanted the best actors for the job.  I get that.  You want to make a good show.

[4] They keep a Pride Flag on set.  The creator defended it by saying that they are willing to work with anyone who will help make the show a great show.

[5] The music?  It's done by two men.  One of them is Dan Haseltine of the Christian band, Jars of Clay.  Very popular in the Christian music field.  He believes that homosexuality is not a sin.  He has publicly stated that it doesn't matter what the Bible says - all that matters is how you feel.

My point is NOT to tell you not to watch.  My point is just to be on guard with ANY film or tv show that professes to be teaching you about Christ.

My point is that God gave us the messages and stories of Jesus in the Bible.  He could have sent Jesus to Earth very early on when there were just stone carvings.  He could have sent Jesus when people were using cell phones and computers.

God sent Christ at a time when books were being written.

THE book, the Bible, is where we should get our understanding of Jesus Christ.  All I'm saying is READ THE BOOK FIRST and then you will have enough discernment to know if something is truthful or not.

I used to tell my students - "Never EVER take your history, science, or Bible from a movie or TV show.  Facts have been altered to entertain."

Watch the show in peace, but watch it based your knowledge of what is actually in the Bible.

 

 

 

I would caution anyone NOT to watch. It is a disregard of Revelation 22:15-18. Why fill your mind with man-made words and images that are mere speculation at best and deceptive narratives of the enemy as is? Read the Bible and let the Holy Spirit fill in the gaps.

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

[Deborah_]

Some of these things don't bother me, personally. So what if some of the actors are not Christian, or if the man who wrote the music is doctrinally unsound? God uses unbelievers to further His purposes, doesn't He? And if we restricted our entertainment to stuff produced by "sound" Christians, we'd never watch or listen to anything.

4 minutes ago, PATrobas said:

I would caution anyone NOT to watch. It is a disregard of Revelation 22:15-18.

I think that's overblowing it. The series makes no claim to be "the truth" in and of itself. It directs viewers to the Bible, it's not a substitute for or an addition to the Bible. 

Anyone who watches this kind of show needs to make a distinction between what is drawn from Scripture and what has been added to make the show realistic. So it helps to be familiar with the Gospels. But with that caveat, it's OK.

[Jayne]

8 minutes ago, Deborah_ said:

Some of these things don't bother me, personally. So what if some of the actors are not Christian, or if the man who wrote the music is doctrinally unsound? God uses unbelievers to further His purposes, doesn't He? And if we restricted our entertainment to stuff produced by "sound" Christians, we'd never watch or listen to anything.

I meant no offense.  As I said to begin with, watch or don't watch.  I said knowing these things, watchers may want to pray for some of these.

[other one]

That is good information to have, Jayne.   About the only movie I've ever seen that is purely biblical is the Jesus Film that Campus Crusade has used for decades.  It was produced to spread the Gospel and nothing but the Gospel, so to speak.

It is good to occasionally remind others and ourselves to be careful what we watch to learn deeper insights to the Bible.

While I do think Chosen can interest people in Christianity, I would hope people don't use such things to teach with.

I personally have only watched the first two series.

[Sparks]

4 hours ago, Jayne said:

[2]  At least one line from the character who plays Jesus is from the book of Mormon and not found in the Bible.  When asked about it, the producer said, "It was a cool line."

What was the line?  Just curious.

I think the producer used Angel Studios for distributing and streaming, and that studio was founded by two Mormon brothers.  Angel studios raised millions with crowd funding, and the show has been partly filmed a their studio lot in Utah.  However, Dallas Jenkins, who is the creator, writer, director and executive producer is an evangelical Christian.

I have watched the show and it is pretty good, but I don't care much for the fake 'ancient' accents.  The show does take certain creative liberties when showing the lives of characters, or the character's parents, or whatever.  The dialog between a tax collector and a Roman might not appear in the Bible, for example, but I don't find that intrusive to the Biblical stories told.

[Jayne]

59 minutes ago, Sparks said:

What was the line?  Just curious.

I think the producer used Angel Studios for distributing and streaming, and that studio was founded by two Mormon brothers.  Angel studios raised millions with crowd funding, and the show has partly filmed a their studio lot in Utah.  However, Dallas Jenkins, who is the creator, writer, director and executive producer is an evangelical Christian.

I have watched the show and it is pretty good, but I don't care much for the fake 'ancient' accents.  The show does take certain creative liberties when showing the lives of characters, or the character's parents, or whatever.  The dialog between a tax collector and a Roman might not appear in the Bible, for example, but I don't find that intrusive to the Biblical stories told.

3 Nephi 15:9 - Jesus says, "I am the law and the light".  They changed it to him saying, "I am the law of Moses".

There are things that are added to the story that are not intrusive.   Mel Gibson's "The Passion" had LOTS of things added and I did not find the movie offensive.

I just wanted people to know what's in the background here.  I know people that watch it and take it all as scripture.

[NConly]

Im sort of a stickler for movies sticking to what is written in the Bible. Every movie I watched showed the crook staff only carried by some and no staff by most. The crook staff was only used by sheep herders most everyone else carried a different type staff but was not called a staff it had a different name.  imo that is skewing the true picture of how life was. 

[BibleStudent100]

3 hours ago, Jayne said:

Watch the show in peace, but watch it based your knowledge of what is actually in the Bible.

In viewing some episodes on Youtube, I would say that the series is much more realistic and authentic than the typical Hollywood Jesus movies.  Sometimes, dialogue needs to be created to fill in the "blanks" of an event in the Bible as the Bible gives just a brief summary of an event.  For example, Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well lasts for only 24 verses.  To portray that important "encounter" in a movie, a script writer would need to add dialogue (Jesus' encounter with the man with the withered hand lasts only 5 verses, etc.).  

To include ONLY the Bible included dialogue would mean that some gospel events would feel like "truncated and incomplete" events in the history of Jesus' 3.5 years on the earth.  I hear the Jehovah Witnesses are filming a complete movie (17 hours in length) of the life and times of Jesus.  I wonder how they will address the "limited" dialogue of some of the happenings in the life of Jesus.