Netflix Demeans the True Meaning of Christmas
By Jessilyn Lancaster, Managing Editor
At a time when millions of Christians are celebrating the birth of Jesus, Netflix released a comedy special that portrayed Jesus as a homosexual man.
THE FIRST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, created by Brazilian comedy group Portos dos Fundos, is about Jesus celebrating his 30th birthday and bringing his boyfriend home to meet his family.
The special outraged millions of Christians, who signed a change.org petition to have the streaming giant remove the special from their offerings.
More than 1.8 million people signed the petition, calling for the “Removal of the film from the NETFLIX catalog and for the ‘Porta dos Fundos’ to be held responsible for the crime of villainous faith.
“We also want public retraction, as they have seriously offended Christians,” it continues.
While the concept of the special is absolutely vile, it also highlights the disparity between the way society treats Christianity and other religions. Filmmakers would never mock Islam’s prophet Mohammad or the Buddha or other major religious figures in other faiths. Yet, much of the culture accepts—even encourages—mocking Christianity.
Furthermore, the reaction to THE FIRST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST fuels a culture of outrage, even among Christians. Yes, we absolutely have a right to indignation when our Savior is treated so disgustingly. Yes, we absolutely should demand higher quality, moral content from the entertainment industry. However, we must be careful so that we do not sin in our anger.
Christmas is a time for us to reflect on Who Jesus was, why He came to earth, how He chose a humble life. It’s a time for us to examine how we let Him rule in our lives on a daily basis.
The Netflix special is an assault on our Christian values, as it promotes and celebrates a false narrative about Jesus. Yet, how many verbal assaults did the pharisees launch at Jesus? How did He respond? Christ used His divine wisdom to rebuke the pharisees while He continued to minister to those around Him.
In this Christmas season, how can we do the same?
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.
