Yahoo News posted an interesting story: Hollywood Marketing Films Through Churches. The article examines the recent phenomenon of previewing films with christian audiences. This paragraph sums a lot of it up.

The approach reflects the next step in Hollywood's attempt to capitalize on the business lessons of ''The Passion of the Christ," a surprising blockbuster last year thanks to unprecedented marketing and mobilization in churches. With Congress cracking down on indecency in television, video games and films, there's a political dimension as well.

The article links to Fox Films Family and Christian Films Section of their web site. They even have a church resources sections where you can download clips from a couple of films.

I'm conflicted in my feelings about this. In one sense they movie industry seems to be taking the US christian audience seriously and looking for input for their secular films. I am very much for dialogue between faith communities and popular film, so in that sense, hooray.

On the other hand, any time the entertainment industry with its massive resources, power, and influence, gets involved with faith communities, I get nervous. The film and television industry has massive power in shaping the US cultural consciousness. If they are going to start making "christian" films, what is their central christian message? I am guessing that it may have a lot to do with the "buddy christ will bring you a happier, healthier, more moral you" viewpoint that already seems rampant in mass media today. An idea of a suffering God who calls God's followers into the sufferings of the world just doesn't seem to have the same box office draw that the former might.