Netflix, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

As of this writing, Netflix is under attack, again. There are calls of boycotting the network and thousands have done just that, cancelling their services.  I decided to look at the current controversy and come to my own conclusions. In doing so, I came to some areas of thought I was not expecting. If you are looking for answers in this article, you likely won't get them. What I hope you do get is something that provokes thought, that sometimes, things are not as simple as we like to paint them.

 First The Good

 There is no doubt that over the years Netflix has done some good things, especially so for many in the time of covid. While many are social distancing due to either covid or other health concerns such as cancer as I had to do for over a year prior to covid, Netflix has provided entertainment, education, information and something to do within the walls of ones homes. While there are many who will have their own solutions, the reality is those solutions do not always work for everyone.

Let me give as an example, the #1 viewed show on Netflix at the moment of this writing, The Social Dilemma. I became aware of the documentary after reading a post on Facebook by Matt Lowe. After reading his comments I decided to watch the program. Unfortunately, due to the massive boycotts and cancellations at Netflix many will not see this must view program which explores how people are being manipulated via social media formats. This is an issue that runs far deeper and much more seriously than people realize. The bottom line, we are all being manipulated in all kinds of ways via computer and media algorithms that are based primarily on the profit margin, not the truth. In this, everything you do on either Pintrest, Twitter, Facebook or other social platforms of the sort are impacting society.

 That impact is based on profit, not truth. The interesting thing about all of this is that this information is presented by the creators of those social media formats on this program. They go so far as to tell people, to get off of social media, and that a part of the dilemma, is that if we continue down the path we can expect a civil war in America and the end of civilization as we know it. They go so far as to say they have gotten off of it and don't allow their children access to it. Think about it, these ideals are being presented by people who are the creators of things like Facebook, Twitter, etc.  This is a must view in my opinion. For those who think they can not be suckered into this manipulation, you are sadly mistaken, watch the program and see what these creators are saying and what those algorithms have already done.   

 As a person of faith, I also see another benefit or positive about Netflix, that is there massive amount of movies that for me as a Christian, are important because they carry a spiritual and Christian theme. The reality is that for every bad movie on Netflix there are also movies with a positive message. I know that for me, while my wife was fighting her pancreatic cancer there was a benefit to being able to do some research specific as to that particular disease. I was able to go to a place where I was able to gather information that provided me knowledge and the ability to better care for my wife.

 Next, The Bad

 I started hearing a few weeks ago about the extremely controversial French Film getting ready to be broadcast on Netflix that exploited the sexuality of young girls. The movie is Cuties. Unlike many, I do reviews and realize that a lot of false information is often given about a movie, mostly by people who have never seen the movie. Hollywood as an example was getting blasted about this movie. The first thing I realized is it is movie made in France, not Hollywood.

 In short, Cuties is about a young girl who lives in a strict Muslim home. She rebels against her mother who is going through the conflict of her husband who is not living at home and getting ready to marry another bride. The little girl rebels and starts doing some offensive things and hanging around rebellious children at her new school. The decide to enter a dance competition and choose a style of dance that is sexually provocative.

 The criticisms of this movie in my opinion are spot on. This movie sexualizes small female children and in my opinion, Netflix is showing that their concerns are more about profit than they are appropriateness. This is especially so since this movie comes on the heals of another Netflix series, Jeffery Epstein; Filthy Rich. That series is an excellent expose about how Epstein and others took advantage of and involved young women in the sex trafficking world. Why would Netflix on one hand speak out against something of this nature, and then turn around and air and support a movie that sets up 11 year old young girls as sex objects. For me, this shows the extreme hypocrisy of what people often do, especially when profits are the driving force of that company. 

 I don't like boycotts most of the time, yet I will say, I understand as a former child who was abused sexually, I understand the deep hurt that many will feel from this type of thing being normalized. Children should not be performing dance acts that mirror things like masturbation, having sex and so forth. The sexualizing of children of this nature does nothing but encourage pedophiles and others. It also makes it seem natural for children to behave in this manner. While the movie has an epiphany moment, the damage is still done. In this instance, again, I understand why many would take the actions they have. 

 Finally, The Ugly

 Here is the reality, Netflix is ran as a for profit company which on the surface seems to be a good thing, yet, one has to question, should there be limits on things that are aired?  I am frankly disappointed in the governing body of Netflix for allowing such things as Cuties to be shown, but just as the Bible states, "the love of money is the root of all evil."  I believe that. Could Netflix make programming without sexualizing children that still shows family conflict while at the same time leaving out the need to have children engaged in mimicking sexual activities? I would hope so, if not then they are not nearly as intelligent as I would give some of them credit for.

 I have to wonder though if the executives at Netflix didn't know that Cuties would be controversial and for that reason aired it. There is something I don't like about boycotts, and it has been proven. Boycotts of things like movies only drives up the audience numbers. I will guarantee you, more people have watched Cuties because of the controversy than who would have watched it otherwise. The bottom line is, movie executives know this and it is a reason they thrive at times on controversy.

 Conclusion

 What is the answer? I would say that for those who decide to cancel their Netflix subscription, that is their prerogative, but don't say on the same hand that all of Netflix is bad, it's not. There are many things on Netflix that present good moral messages. There are things like The Social Dilemma that everyone really should see that shows extensively how those driven by money are manipulating our society, be they conservative or liberal, religious or not. Yet there are also those who will advocate that there is nothing wrong with the sexualizing of young girls such as in the movie Cuties. I would strongly disagree as a former victim of sexual abuse. Frankly, any mindset that allows or supports this behavior or encourages it, is to me, sickening and I say that not only as a Christian, I say that as one trained in psychology and who has had to also study child development. Children should be protected, and for those active in pedophilia, they should not be encouraged. Yes I understand there are limits and so forth, but I am reminded of the words of Phil Keaggy in one of his songs, "Who will stand up for the little ones?"  We as a society must take steps to protect our children from all potential areas of harm, including sexualizing them.

For me, I am doing my part, I haven't, won't cancel my subscription yet because I choose the good over the bad. I will say though, Shame on you Netflix! I don't blame people for canceling their subscriptions. If this becomes the new norm, you can count me in on cancelling my services in the future. Until then, I will say thank you for the great movies and specials you do make, but, can you please make it more about content than profits? If it is about content, plenty of profits will come and in that direction, there will also be others who will see benefit. Sometimes in life, the benefits isn't as much about profit as they are about improving the lives of others. Right now, one of the shows mentioned here, does that, the other hurts more than helps.

What will you do? Think about it. 

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Lord Save Us From Your Followers

I am approaching 50 years of age, I was once a tough guy, at least some think so. Many when looking at me now with the goatee, long hair, seem to think I still am, yet, the older I get, the more I search for an understanding of God, Spirituality, and discovering the place I need to be according to my understanding of that search, the more emotional I find myself being when I find either new answers that will take me in a new direction, or in obtaining reassurance that I am on the right path to where I need to be going. One of the beautiful things about this journey is that sometimes, in fact, more often than I really deserve, I get to see movies, read books, hear music that I believe God has touched to help me in that understanding. It isn’t always something super spiritual; in fact, one of the first instances of this in my life that had a dramatic impact was the movie The Prince of Tides which I write about in my book, The Keystone Kid. There are other times though, times God uses something with spiritual intent to point me to spiritual conclusions. Sometimes when this happens, that formerly big tough guy gets emotional; such was the case this morning after finishing my viewing of the new, sure to be controversial documentary, “Lord Save Us From Your Followers, The Movement Edition, Why Is The Gospel Of Love Dividing America?” I was so moved by knowing that I am on the right journey, have come to some of the right conclusions, that I found myself weeping. It wasn’t so much for me, I would say it was for the hurt I feel for the Church that has forgotten about the mission of Jesus, and especially those who have been hurt. There was also tears for those that get it and are being Jesus to a hurting world.

This film by Dan Merchant should be required viewing and discussion for any church. The good thing is that some churches will take up this task; the sad thing is, most churches, will ignore the challenge. It is a shame; it is why the Church as perceived by many has become more like the whore of Hosea than a beautiful bride that loves her husband, Jesus Christ.

Lord Save Us From Your Followers, (LSUFYF), is a documentary exploration that explores the Church, specifically in America. In the exploration we see not only the perception of the church from various segments of society, but also how many within the Church, and the political influence outside of the Church views themselves. It is a road journey of sorts where discussion takes place not only on the streets of various cities, but with certain public individuals who have offered public perspectives. From Al Frankin, to Ann Coulter, and from Bono of U2 to Anthony Campolo, and numerous other views are presented and challenged. The movie while quoting and using the Bible at various points depends largely on common sense. The majority of the documentary actually takes on the exploration of ideas of how the Church and Christianity would be viewed if they did one simple thing, act like Jesus. The effects, the challenges that come about are not only eye opening; they are concepts that are effective. We see the effectiveness of this approach in various places it seems the Church has been at war with, from the media to gay community and from the public sector to the homeless and poor. We see this by practical applications of trial and error by the makers of the film, and we see it from the reality of the impact of Para church organizations like World Vision in their work with the poor in Ethiopia. One of the amazing points in showing the power of being like Jesus comes not at the mouths of the religious, but those who are outside of the institutional Church, or mainstream Christianity. It is here, that if those individual people who make up the Church, choose to listen, and learn, a great deal of effective work can be done. Now don’t get me wrong, one of the reasons I loved this movie is it isn’t that we do these things to make projects out of people, we do it because we love them, just as Jesus loved them.

One of the things I think some within Christianity and the Church will become critical of is that the movie doesn’t address the “salvation” concepts required by some within Christian circles. On this point I would simply state, I don’t believe that is the purpose of the film. In the Bible Jesus tells the story about one who is planting or sowing seeds. Some fall on good ground, some bad ground, there are some that come and help some along to grow and be effective and some, well some seeds die. It all starts with the concept of planting seeds or sowing seeds, it is a concept that I believe the Church, and many with Christianity have forgotten about. It is an approach that drives the work I am involved in, it is an approach that many find fault in. I love this movie though because it addresses the idea that the building of relationship, the showing of unconditional love, of universal acceptance of the person, compassion for their hurts, is a starting point of showing a person the very love that Jesus showed them. It is in taking on the characteristics of Jesus that we genuinely learn to love others to the point that this love ultimately becomes a natural part of our persona. Jesus loved and hurt all people, so should we, including the child dying of aids, the hurting in a hurricane devastated city, the homeless on the street, even those we may disagree with, the Democrat, the Republican, the Homosexual, and the Ultra Conservative. Love is patient, love is kind, love is…, well love is many things, but it is seldom confrontational, angry, hateful, and disrespecting.

One of the challenges presented in LSUFYF is the need for open, respectful dialog with persons we may disagree with. The need to get to know and understand each other is one of the things the documentary helps illustrate many Christians do a poor job of. For those of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus or Christian, we think we have all of the answers, yet we don’t understand those we are communicating with. In theological terms, getting to know people, showing people you love them where they are at is a concept we know Jesus illustrated, it is a concept called incarnation. Despite what some contemporary, popular Churches, Doctrines, Street Preachers, Bible Thumpers, may tell you, Jesus illustrated by how he led his life the methods we should use. Followers of Jesus understand what it means to love even those they may hate, what does this say about our ability to love those we simply disagree with on various points? While there is certainly the need for talking about the specifics of what Jesus said, that discussion has to start with an area of respect and understanding. Unfortunately, many who call themselves Christian, represent in name all of us who say we follow Jesus. The consequences of that has been devastating and in many ways, it is likely those individuals who are so dogmatic in their need to “confront sin,” have damaged the possibility of some people rejecting Jesus based solely on the behaviors and actions of those most outspoken who have proclaimed their actions was because of Jesus. When religious leaders call for the assassination of political leaders, or political leaders say we should kill all of the godless in a nation and make that nation a Christian nation, is it any wonder people are confused? When Jesus says to love your enemy, to pray for those that would do you harm, where does his followers get off saying and doing the exact opposite? When we do, is it any wonder people are confused? When taking these questions, our methods, and our results seriously, is it any wonder that real followers of Jesus would say about many in Christianity, Lord Save Us From Your Followers?

The following is a 10 minute sample of the film, double click on the video to watch, if the video don't appear, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbPnWPOhL04


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