Movies and Morals - Even LDS movies need serious refining

I think almost everyone would oppose something in some movie made by someone somewhere. However what does it have to be for us to reject it, is the question to ask ourselves?

Often I hear such statements as, "what would Christ do?" But how seriously do we apply such thinking when faced with what to watch, considering there is probably almost (if not) nothing he would watch. We make excuses to accept watching things. I know myself that I can tend to think, "well that is life", "its entertaining anyway", "I'll just get through this bit and it might improve", "that may be the only part like that", "its a good examination of reality", "I payed to hire it so I'll try to persist", "if I get too fussy I'll never watch anything", etc.

The point is to remember that Christ just doesn't make excuses. He doesn't turn (even slightly) to the right hand or to the left of straight down the line. He makes Nephi look flexible. There seems to be some in Hollywood who have taken on board the idea that people may not all wish for lust, inappropriate violence, theft, adultery, anger, swearing and vengeance. And this number seems to be expanding (albeit very little), which is encouraging. On the other hand there are so many who just seem to get worse.

But many things come through in a subtle way, even by those who may mean well. I have watched a few LDS movies (made by members, not the church) which left me feeling disappointed. I suppose I always tend to expect the best from those who have dedicated their lives to such. Therefore I always hope for perfection, or something close to it, in those professing a serious desire to be a God or Goddess.

I have watched "The Singles Ward", its sequel and "the dance". I guess I had high expectations from LDS movies. They left me feeling that I had just watched an acceptable Gentile (Israel being church members and Gentiles being non-members) movie with LDS themes. These movies portray absurd ideas relative to dating. Concepts of dating non-members as if they will just join the church because you are a member are absolutely ridiculous. Dating inactives is also as crazy. While they do portray a change of heart by people, in some cases, the chance of this just happening to one specific chosen individual (assuming about half the members were brought up in the church - six and a half million converts, six and a half billion world population [a bit simplistic, in calculation, I know, but it can't be too far off the mark]) is about one in a million.

"the dance" portrays dating a female with very low moral dress standards. Also, again, a Gentile.

Is this what we are to come up with as a people set aside by God? Must our standards try to copy the world's? What this comes down to are serious turns to the right hand and to the left. No excuses make it right. I expect it from Gentiles. But let's try to get Israel to live and do as God would have us. Push for better LDS productions than that.