Looking at Secular Media through a Christian Lens

Often as a Christian I find myself watching films specifically tailored to Christians and end up disliking them. Either due to bad acting, lack of interest in the story, or even just annoyance from being pandered to, I tend not to like modern Christian films. While there are some exceptions (e.g. Martin Scorsese’s “Silence”), I am personally often put off by them. Consequently, I watch a lot of films – the vast majority of which are secular – and I oftentimes find myself moved by these films. So why is that?

Well the truth is many secular films have themes and allegory in them that can relate to Christianity. Sam Raimi’s 2004 hit “Spider-Man 2” has themes of denying one’s self for the greater good of humanity. “The Book of Eli” is a more obvious example as its main character is a devout Christian. “Robocop,” as well as many other hero movies, includes a clear allegory of Jesus rising again after being struck down, and even controversial secular films like “Bad Lieutenant” have heavy themes of redemption through God.

However, symbolism is still not the only factor that plays an important role here. In fact, films do not need to have any strong connection to God to still glorify him. As humans, many of us create. Whether we make music, illustrations, films, shows, theatre, writings, or even food, most of us create. Not everyone is called to do so, and that’s fine, but many of us feel the calling to make art in some form. We are God’s creations, and everything we create is done in part because of him, and this is part of why I feel God appreciates all forms of art and expression, even if it doesn’t directly tie into him.

Art is meant to be interpreted, and no matter what the intended purpose there isn’t a single right or wrong answer to what something means or how it can be interpreted. Art is something that is inherently designed to be inspected and understood in your own way, and I truly believe that someone can get something out of any art. I for one got a lot of peace and a message of goodness from David Lynch’s 1986 film “Blue Velvet.” It calmed and comforted me in some ways, while other things horrified me. That being said, my mother – after watching it based on my recommendation – absolutely hated it, and called it one of the worst movies she has ever seen. Is she wrong? No, I don’t think so. I think her feelings of disgust and horror are as valid as they are genuine, just as my feelings of love and hope are. I found a lot of symbolism in the film, and I felt a strong sense of spirit, which was a sentiment my mom frankly didn’t understand. This is only one example of this phenomena, but it can be found in any person’s interpretation of any art.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with avoiding secular media. If you don’t want to seek it out, you absolutely don’t have to, but there’s also nothing wrong with consuming it. Art is important to human perspective, and it’s often important to broaden your horizons and see the greater picture of the human race. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find something you never expected.