The Real Enemy in Hollywood
By Dr. Tom Snyder
A manifesto is a published verbal declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer. The term “manifesto” is most commonly associated with the Communist Manifesto. The Communist Manifesto was written by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels and was first published in 1848. That’s before the American Civil War. It was written long before the existence of a motion picture industry, but it has an effect on products that come out of Hollywood to this very day. From it’s inception Movieguide® was created to redeem the media. The definition of redeem is “to exchange something for something better or more acceptable.” Put in simple terms the intention of Movieguide® is to encourage the production and distribution of entertainment that exhibits moral standards in keeping with the teachings of Jesus Christ. This includes greater kindness, generosity, honesty, integrity, fidelity and courtesy. It encourages faith in God and in the pursuit of God’s will for mankind. Dr. Ted Baehr’s father, Bob Allen, was a movie star and Broadway actor. After his Hollywood star mother died when he was a young teenager, Ted grew up in a hedonistic, immoral lifestyle filled with sex and drugs. At NYU School of Law, Ted worked with the overtly Communist National Lawyers Guild that represented the Chicago 7. Ted was challenged by a friend to refute the wisdom of the Bible. Upon reading it, he was redeemed by God’s prevailing Grace. He renounced his immoral lifestyle, and sought to share his new found faith in Jesus with others. He was led to pursue the redemption of the media. Ted rejected the goals of the Communist Manifesto and pursued an opposite set of goals. From personal experience, Ted Baehr understands the solipsistic mindset of many in Hollywood and seeks to minister on both a personal and societal level. Ted has led many people in Hollywood to a personal relationship with Jesus. He also gives lectures and publishes articles that make the case for media redemption. In the 1950s, America was very concerned about the spread of Communism. We had just fought World War II to defeat Facism (National Socialism). Communism (International Socialism) appeared to be the next great military danger to America. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics had acquired nuclear weapons. A highly publicized Congressional hearing was held looking into Communists in Hollywood. This episode in history has been portrayed in a number of movies as a shameful witch-hunt and a dark blot on American history. The problem is that the focus was on who was a member of the Communist Party. You didn’t have to be a member of the party to promoting the goals of the Communist Manifesto. By the 1960s, Hollywood was hard at work promoting key goals of the Communist Manifesto. Ted Baehr himself helped raise money for some immoral movies before he was transformed. In the 1840s, Karl Marx saw life as a struggle between the property owners, “the bourgeois,” and the lowly workers, “the proletariat.” He saw the wealthy as evil oppressors of the poor. His goal was a worldwide revolt of the workers against the property owners. He favored a “people’s government” where the state owned all property and “wise” government officials organized all economic activity for the benefit of the people. In the 1840s, Marx saw factories and mines filled with mistreated workers. The wealthy lived in splendor. By the 1950s, America did not fit this model. America had a huge middle class. The hope of an oppressed “proletariat” taking up arms to overthrow the “bourgeois” was dashed. Most Americans were, or hoped to become, bourgeois. Communists saw this. Originally they thought that economic oppression would drive their revolution, but they had to revise their tactics and press on with their other goals first. Back in 1848 the Communist Manifesto promoted: Abolition of property Abolition of the family and the individual as autonomous and free Abolition of countries and nationalities Abolition of “eternal truths,” “religion,” and “morality” Nationalism, patriotism, family, property, and morality opposed Socialism. The Socialist realized that their revolution that could not be achieved through a worker revolt, but could be achieved by moral decline and growing dependence on government. At its base, the American model of freedom and free enterprise is built on individuals of high character who see themselves as accountable to God. They don’t need police, courts and prisons to be motivated to do what’s right. They work hard, pay their bills and behave as responsible employees, business owners, family members and citizens. On top of this is the family. This God-given model includes faithful marriage, responsible parenthood and obedient children. This unit, working properly, provides not only for its immediate members, but also for grandparents and extended family with special needs. On top of the family is the community. This includes businesses, churches, schools and local government. Each of these entities has vital responsibilities. Moving up, you have state government. At this level, you have legislators that make and enforce laws that protect the public from fraud and other behavior detrimental to a civil society. Courts and prisons exist to punish violators. The hope is that there will be very few violators because of the high moral standards of the citizens. Finally, you have the Federal government, largely responsible for the protection of the nation from external attack. The Communist Manifesto turns this completely upside down. The ultimate power is the state. It drafts “armies” for farming, industry and defense. It owns all property. It sets entitlements for the cooperative and denies entitlements to the rebellious. It establishes schools and denies the value of family. It denies the existence of eternal moral values and assigns the power to define morality to the elite ruling class. Human life itself is considered useful only to the extent that it serves the purposes of the Socialist managers. Hollywood is not filled with people wanting to give up their own private property. It’s absolutely not filled with people wanting government bureaucrats telling them what movies and programs to make. Even so, it includes many Entertainment Industry people who reject Christian concepts of morality. It has profoundly undermined America’s commitment to faithful marriage and healthy families. One does not have to be a member of the Communist Party to help Socialists advance their agenda. Socialists refer to those who unintentionally help them reach their goals as “useful idiots.” The sexual revolution has been very helpful to Socialists. The breakdown of the family results in the vast expansion of government. The secularization of society increases selfishness and decreases the sense of personal responsibility. The destruction of the nation, by invasion and illegal immigration, promotes tyranny. The tabloids at every grocery store checkout are an absolute running account of Hollywood’s irresponsible behavior. It’s not an account of Communist Party members seeking to abolish private property. It’s an account of rejection of morality that leads to Socialism. One of the messages Ted Baehr shares is that the true mastermind of all this horror is not some conspirator that needs to be brought before a congressional committee, but Satan himself. It was Satan who inspired the Communist Manifesto. Marx actually wrote a poem about having sold his soul to the devil. It is Satan who inspires much of the worst of what we see coming out of Hollywood. It is Satan who drives the Hollywood pedophilia we only hear hints about. Satan enjoys getting programs like BLACK JESUS and IMPASTOR made. Ted Baehr knows the real struggle in Hollywood is spiritual. He experienced the struggle himself. He went from hedonist rebel against the Truth, to freedom in Jesus. The people so often seen on the covers of grocery store tabloids are being tormented and used by Satan. They need prayer. They need to be set free. Hollywood is not evil. Satan is. Hollywood is a mission field filled with people who need to be rescued. What’s really exciting is that Hollywood is filled with people God has gifted with talent that can be used to minister to others. Some of those who Ted Baehr has ministered to are now making movies that share God’s truth, rather than Satan’s lies. If you want to see Hollywood redeemed, pray. Ted and his staff work diligently toward the goal of redeeming the media, but the real work is God’s. The battle is spiritual. When you see some horrible story on the cover of a tabloid, pray for those involved. Pray that they’ll be set free like Ted Baehr was. Pray that Ted and his staff will be even more effective.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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