Anonymous asked: Why are SDA's so against going to the movies? Did Ellen G White say something about that because it's obviously not in the bible. What's the position and why?
Hello Anon,
Ellen G. White lived before the time of movies, as we know, but she did live in the time of theaters. She has commented on theaters in several of her writings, but I think that the one that sums up her complete views on it is found in Adventist Home:
Among the most dangerous resorts for pleasure is the theater. Instead of being a school for morality and virtue, as is so often claimed, it is the very hotbed of immorality. Vicious habits and sinful propensities are strengthened and confirmed by these entertainments. Low songs, lewd gestures, expressions, and attitudes deprave the imagination and debase the morals. Every youth who habitually attends such exhibitions will be corrupted in principle. There is no influence in our land more powerful to poison the imagination, to destroy religious impressions, and to blunt the relish for the tranquil pleasures and sober realities of life than theatrical amusements. The love for these scenes increases with every indulgence as the desire for intoxicating drink strengthens with its use. The only safe course is to shun the theater, the circus, and every other questionable place of amusement. {AH 516.2}
Her analysis of the theater in her time and age is quite right. From the 18th to the mid-19th century, American theater was quite unwholesome. The popular performances of the time were minstrel shows and Victorian burlesque performances. Even later into the century, stuff such as vaudeville became popular. Another form of theater in the late 19th century were cabarets, which were held in nightclubs that doubled as brothels (think Moulin Rogue). As said by Jesse Bond, an English singer and actress of the late 19th century, ”The stage was at a low ebb, Elizabethan glories and Georgian artificialities had alike faded into the past, stilted tragedy and vulgar farce were all the would-be playgoer had to choose from, and the theatre had become a place of evil repute.” These popular shows glorified sex, racism, and all kinds of vulgarity that shouldn’t be pleasing to Christians at all.
Even though that kind of theater has fallen out of favor, the same manner of thinking has carried over to how some Adventists view movie theaters. Keep in mind that not all Adventists feel this way, but apparently it’s prevalent enough to be an overarching idea or else you wouldn’t be writing me about it. Things are not the same as Ellen G. White’s time, but her words are still something to pay attention to. Of course, movie theaters nowadays don’t double as brothels, but what is the entertainment industry really glorifying? Movies such as the American Pie series, Friends with Benefits, and The Hangover Part II, what message are they portraying? In the theater or out, we should keep in mind that it’s what we are choosing to fill our minds with. In this way, EGW’s writings fall with Paul’s when he says “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8)
Hope this helps!,
~Yvonne
Sources:
https://egwwritings.org/ Search:Theater
http://content.lib.washington.edu/19thcenturyactorsweb/essay.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theater_of_the_United_States#The_19th_century
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Bond
http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/books/bond/intro.html
