"I really believe (that), they really believe it" - what is the sense of watching 'drama'? (emulating?)

[Gottservant]

Hi there,

So I have struggled for a long time, with the mystery of television. It has always seemed to me very strange, that people acting in a scene are thought to be doing it best, when they believe it themselves. It is a mystery is it not? Ought we not think 'oh! that's how they wanted to portray that character" or "that was a good amount of emotion for that performance"? Instead we think "he looks possessed" or "is it really safe to act like that?". And of course behind the scenes they laugh it off "oh yes! that was really believable" or "that act put the fear of God in them, surely!" Jesus said pharisees were like the blind leading the blind; I daresay actors are very much like the blind leading the blind.

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this: I have seen good come of television, when it is used in a thought provoking way - I wonder if that really was God's intention when He inspired Man to make television. What do you think?

God bless.

 

[Bob]

Thank you for the question.

Not sure why you singled out television. Dramatic acting has been around for, what, millennia? Long before television, stories were acted out around campfires. Television is just a technology for reaching large audiences around the world.

The craft of acting is something I know little about, but yes, the best actors talk about “getting into character.” As to the purposes of drama/comedy, they can be to entertain, or persuade, or give new insights into human character, or . . . .

Someone giving the Gospel Message surely tries to be persuasive, and might employ acting techniques to that end. A devilish person with a seductive message might also.

Peace.

 

[Kabone]

I agree to the extent that some people are fans of actors and want to know what they wear, what they eat, where they go, etc.
the main difference I see is actors don’t view themselves as an ordained authority on how people should live their lives.
TV, movies, music, sports are just entertainment. I’m at a loss for any scripture dealing with entertainment.