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Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry)
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Entertainment Media Analysis Report
A service to His little ones (which includes at-home teens) through you, their parents and grandparents, in His name by His Word

MAR24012
(2003), PG-13

Analysis Date
CAP Final Score
CAP Influence Density
MinMax
January 30, 2004
40 out of 100
1.82
-100


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ALERT: To fully understand this report you should first visit the topics suggested by the CAP Site Map (Table of Contents). Further, if you do not want the plot, ending, or "secrets" of a movie spoiled for you, skip the Summary/Commentary. In any case, be sure to visit the Findings/Scoring section -- it is completely objective to His Word and is the heart of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model applied to this movie.





SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:


If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary likely using a mix of KJV and NIV.



(2003), PG-13 -- ...and drove them all out of the church ... with a whip.



Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): Touchstone Pictures
Distribution (US): Buena Vista Pictures
Director(s): Nigel Cole
Producer(s): Nick Barton, Steve Clark-Hall, Suzanne Mackie
Written by: Tim Firth, Juliette Towhidi
Cinematography/Camera: Oliver Curtis, Ashley Rowe
Music: Patrick Doyle
Film Editing: Michael Parker
Casting: Gail Stevens
Production Design: Martin Childs
Art Direction: Grant Armstrong, Mark Raggett
Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6


There are many "religious" paintings of nudity. With the approval of the church. But God did not put them there. Nor did Jesus. Man did. Even the History Channel calls the Bible pornographic because of man's paintings exaggerating events and descriptions in the Bible. Even God's descriptions of sex in the Song of Solomon are for husband and wife. God even warned the priests, who wore robes which may open in the wind, to not climb the steps of the alter lest they expose their nudity to those congregated. [Ex. 20:26] There certainly were artists when the Bible was written but God did not inspire display of nudity into the Bible. Man, in serving himself, put it there.

God speaks of nakedness (display of nudity) darkly and with disapproval 47 times in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. [**] That there are nudes in "holy art" put there by man does not change God's Word. If God condemns the display of nudity, how can it be excused in "art?" Answer: It can't. Art is not sin and sin is not art, but art becomes sin when art uses sin. As in Calendar Girls. Yes, I would call the display of David's nudity in the Galleria dell'Accademia sinful since God declares the display of nudity as sinful. Speaking of what people say about the sculpture of David, note the following quoted from a quick random selection from a simple search: "And even though every female (and surely some males) that enter the room to stare (and drool) over him know that he is, in fact, just a sculpture, they could be excused from reaching out a tentative finger, defying the heavy and angry Italian guards, just to make sure." [Source: coralcoast.com] Causing sexual lust is a typical result of the display of nudity for whatever reason.

In the top portion of the poster art is a woman who, behind the calendar, is nude. I have done what I can to reduce the allusions and implications of nudity such as how much of the model's breasts were revealed in the original without compromising the creativity and talents of the photographer. But she, in the upper portion of the poster, is a nameless, faceless nobody, forcing the observer to focus all attention on the fact that she is nude. That she is shown again in the lower portion center full-faced, identifiable in the upper portion only by the hat she wears in both portions, does not detract from the "statement" made by the upper portion regarding the "true value" of the woman. The photography is high quality and clever regarding its compatibility with the theme of the show, but the statement it makes is immoral. As are all the other dozens of like images, some much more brazen, in Calendar Girls.

In the hospital waiting room (the "Relatives Room" in England), Chris Harper (Helen Mirren) sits with Annie Clarke (Julie Walters) waiting for information from the doctor about her husband, John Clarke (John Alderton) who is dying of leukemia. John is a well-liked poet and friend to many. But as the two women squirm restlessly on the sofa with anticipation, they are impolitely poked by the well-worn sofa. Helen then makes a commitment for their WI (Women's Institutes), an organization established for the education and empowerment of women, to raise funds to buy the hospital a new sofa ... in John's name.

After a number of brain-storming bombers by members of WI, Helen notes a calendar in a repair shop with nude women in the top page of each month's two-page spread. A light bulb illuminates in Helen's conniving head and decides to initiate movement to make a calendar of their own. A nude calendar. Eventually, eleven of the WI women, all eleven over 50 years old, agree to pose nude. For John, of course. Helen is January. All eleven of them together for December. After all is said and done ... and photographed ... they not only buy the hospital a new sofa, they buy the hospital a new wing. Total sales on the calendar was claimed toward the end of the show to have been £587,000. Is that not the people calling evil (sin) good? [Isa. 5:20] Is that not a matter of a generation who think they are pure in using sin for good? [Prov. 30:12] Isn't this whole thing a matter of sinning in matters they do not understand? [2Pet. 2:12] Is this not submitting to sin because enough people embrace it? [Ps. 12:8]

Apparently this is a true story. Whether true or not, it is true that it is sinful to use evil (the sin of displaying nudity) to provide unjust gain. [Hab. 2:9] This film is replete with excuses to try to make the display of nudity for money, even if for a good cause, acceptable and even desirable. [Jude 4]. It is calling evil good and dark light. [Isa. 5:20 again]

"They dropped everything for a good cause." They committed sin for a "good cause." What is wrong with this picture? And they used a church for the picture taking, just like the money changers used the temple for evil doing. [John 2:13 - 15] I wonder if Jesus had walked in the church while the photo sessions were happening whether He would have approved ... or whether He would have overturned the cameras and props and drove them all out of the church ... with a whip. What do you think He would have done?

In addition to all the sexually immoral issues (including those other than nudity for display), this film presented a lot of drinking including teen drinking and drunkenness. While drinking in and of itself is not sinful, getting drunk is. And emboldening youth to try it because of the influence of drinking and drunkenness in films is sinful as well. [Eph. 5:18]

I did not write the "Rules", folks. I just share them with you. If you have a problem with the Rules, talk to the Author. He will give you a much better answer than I ever could. And if you decide you cannot embrace Christianity because of the Rules, you are walking away from Christianity rather than me driving you away by telling you of the Rules I didn't write.

SPECIAL NOTE: We will be reducing the volume of coverage in the Summary/Commentary section of our reports and the number of reports generated in an effort to reduce costs until full funding can be achieved. The Findings/Scoring section of each report, the heart of the analysis model, will NOT be reduced in any way.

Thank you for your patience as we diligently search for funding. Anyone who wishes to volunteer to help us locate 501(c)(3) nonprofit funding and sponsors is encouraged to notify me.



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SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S)
If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ]. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page.

  • Ex. 20:26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. ** "Nakedness" (display of nudity) is spoken of as dark, restricted, undesirable, shameful, etc. 47 times in the KJV from Genesis to Revelation. How many more times must God call the display of nudity sinful for us to accept it is?
  • Isa. 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
  • Prov. 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
  • 2Pet. 2:12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand....
  • Hab. 2:9 Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin!
  • John 2:13 - 15 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge [a whip] of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
  • Eph. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. ["Wine" can be any intoxicating substance. Though it is not a sin to drink, it is a sin to get drunk. A recent study has found an undeniable link between the presentation of alcoholic beverages and tobacco in and as entertainment and abuse of them by adolescents. And teaching/causing youth to abuse alcohol/tobacco by emboldening youth with them in and as entertainment invokes Luke 17:2]

    ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry***
  • Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about [e.g., create progressively vile/offensive entertainment with impunity and no consequences and present it to younger and younger audiences every year] when what is vile is honored among men [when enough people continue to defend it, embrace it, pay for it, enjoy it, want it, submit to it. I call attention to Ps. 12:8 to warn of the creeping desensitizing power of "entertainment."]
  • Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man [by his influence] spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • 1 Cor. 15:33 (KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (NIV) Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.
  • Rom. 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
  • Jude 4 For certain men* whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change [warp, distort, falsely represent, situationally redefine, counterfeit, conditionally apply] the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. [*men: anthropos {anth'-ro-pos}, generic, a human being, whether male or female]
  • Matt. 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto [or for] one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto [or for] me.
  • Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. [cause by teaching or example]
  • Ps. 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
  • John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
  • 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.


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    As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie.
  • FINDINGS / SCORING:


    Calendar Girls (2003) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W)
  • contest winning by fraud and deceit

    Impudence/Hate (I)
  • mother's approval of teen son having a porn magazine
  • son seeing mother's nudity because of her flaunting it
  • lie
  • the mother having no consideration of her son or husband by the impact of her being on a nude calendar
  • request to lie
  • mother mean-mouthing son for his acting out about her inconsideration of him
  • massive tattoos

    Sexual Immorality (S)
  • porn mag nudity, repeatedly
  • sex comments, repeatedly
  • calendar model nudity
  • long sex talk by teens
  • picture nudity
  • teens with porn mag
  • brief upper female nudity, repeatedly
  • adult in underwear, repeatedly
  • nudity hidden only by convenience objects, repeatedly, frequently, of individuals and of group
  • nude drawing
  • side female nudity, repeatedly
  • side.rear nudity
  • revealing swim wear

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
  • drinking, repeatedly
  • smoking
  • teen drinking, repeatedly
  • teen smoking, repeatedly
  • teen drunkenness, repeatedly
  • attempted drug use by teens
  • illegal drug use

    Offense to God (O)
  • excusing nudity by calling it "art" and with other many vain rationale, repeatedly, frequently
  • "Don't think of it as naked. Think of it as nude."
  • many excuses for posing nude
  • glorification of display of nudity throughout
  • general approval of stripping
  • using a church for the doing of evil
  • adultery

    Murder/Suicide (M)
  • none noted




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    There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our more than eight years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings.



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