THE CHAIRMAN MEETS ACTORS AND ACTRESSES

THE CHAIRMAN MEETS ACTORS
AND ACTRESSES

The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyinah has
ushered in the month of February with a maiden meeting with the actors and
actresses of the film industry in Ghana. The meeting served as a medium of
interacting with the actors and actresses and praying for and with them for
their contributions to national development. This special meeting took place at
the Headquarters of the Church of Pentecost, La in Accra on Wednesday February
1, 2012.

The Chairman addressed them on the theme, the Christian Actor or Actress based on Mark 9:42 and said that
their acting should by no means cause people to stumble or sin. In his
introduction, Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyinah reminisced, “Pentecostals did not
initially attend cinema, film shows and watch TV. Initially Christians condemned films. As late
as 1990, I went to the home of one Pentecostal couple; they did not have the
TV.” He said that the trend has changed and as such the importance of TV and
movies in the modern world cannot be underestimated since almost every home has
a television set. To the Chairman, the actor or actress is a prominent
personality who brings the message on the TV. Using the account of Rebecca and
Jacob scheming to take the blessings of Esau found at Genesis 27:11-33, he gave
a graphical explanation and biblical example of who an actor or actress is – someone
who pretends to be someone else while performing in a film, theatrical
performance, or television or radio programme. Below is the highlight of the
full speech of the Chairman delivered at the meeting.

TV/VIDEO/DVD/MOVIES HAVE BECOME
PART OF LIFE
In recent times, TV/VIDEO/DVD/MOVIES have virtually become part of
life. They are used for news, entertainment, sports, films, music, rock music,
at home, on buses, airplanes, shops, stores, offices, etc. Movies and TV have
more influence on society than any preacher has now. Many believe and act on
what they see. Example is an adult asking whether the people of Israel wear the
same clothing as they see in films. Many people will not visit places to watch movies
as many Christians will not do this but when it comes to TV, many Christians
watch same TV as unbelievers. One thing which glares all of us in the face is
that the moral fabric of society eroding, because more sex, violence and bad
language found on TV. In fact, we cannot run away from it. Movies and TV are
tools of communication, used for either good or bad.

THE POWER OF MOVIES AND TV:
EXAMPLES OF BAD EFFECTS
In early 1970, a group of youth in Boston poured petrol on a derelict
and set him on fire, re-enactment of a scene in the movie "Fuzz". In
1973, a young woman was killed by a 17-year -old boy in Atlanta; he mimicked
the action of a suspect in TV movie, "The Marcus-Nelson Murders". In
1978, 4 teenage girls assaulted a 9-year-old girl, in imitation of a scene in a
two-hour drama called "Born Innocent". In the drama female reformatory inmates
appeared to assault a teenage girl with a wooden rod. The imitators used an
empty beverage bottle. In the 1990, two boys kidnapped a child who was being
pushed by her mother in a trolley and killed him; they were mimicking a film
they had watched. An attempt to capture President Ragan by John Hinckley was
attributed to the movie, "Taxi Driver". Why all this? It portrays the
power of sight that has direct bearing on our psyche. Everybody is affected by
movies and TV in one way or the other, be it positive or negative.

THE POWER OF THE TV: PREACHING
AND CHRISTIAN FILMS
Modern preaching on TV especially most popular ones is influencing
viewer’s lifestyle. Recently, someone watched the movie entitled “The Passion
of Jesus” and died in Brazil.


THE CHALLENGE OF THE CHRISTIAN
ACTOR/ACTRESS
Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah enumerated the following as some of the
challenges of the Christian actor or actress. Many people delight in sexual
acts, and that sells and gives money to individuals. Sexual acts features in most of the things on
the TV/Drama/Radio. There are very few Christian films and dramas in the market
due to the view that they may not sell and that very few Christians are in the
film and TV business. Being an actor or actress attract many people, because of
popularity making them face lots of temptations. The actor or actress is beset
with the tendency to live what they act.

WHAT A CHRISTIAN ACTOR/ACTRESS
CAN DO
Accept your work as a call and act as a
Christian.
Make good choice or be more discerning
before participation: what is good or evil.
Find out the premises: good triumph over
evil; ruthless ambition destroys itself; love triumph over selfishness;
forgiveness brings reconciliation. Try to find the premise, before acting.
Does the premise agree with or conflict with biblical truth? Does it give
impure thoughts or healthy one? How is the premise solved?
Find out the moral statements
Find out who the hero is
Find out who the villain is
Find out how Christians, pastors, and
religious people are portrayed
Find out how the world is portrayed
Find out how reality is portrayed
Find out how evil is portrayed
Find out how the government is portrayed
Find out how love is portrayed
Find out how the family is portrayed
Find out the interest of the key people
(e.g. producers and distributors) in the film.
Find out if you would be embarrassed
seeing yourself watched by others, or watch the film with friends,
pastors, or Jesus
Tell your church leaders about your
challenges

FIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
BEFORE TAKING PART IN ANY MOVIE/DRAMA
Does this bring glory to God?
Will this help my Christian life?
Will it enslave me?
Will it strengthen me against temptation
or lead me to it?
Is this the characteristic of God or the
world?

WHAT THE CHURCH CAN DO TO HELP
THE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES
Accept actors and actresses; encourage them and pray with them. Get
them involved in church activities and use their talents. Christians should refuse
to sell, buy or watch bad films; people who make films want money; they will
stop if people are not buying it. This is what the Roman Catholic Church did in
1933, and later sought the support of other Christians. Instead, they are to
patronise Christian films.
Christians who are called into this film/TV business should get into
it and change the trend.
Form a Christian Actors and Producer Association that will come out
with only Christian movies.