To Our Readers

William E. Moody

Star Wars. Titanic. You've Got Mail. Elizabeth. Saving Private Ryan. From intergalactic sagas to ocean liners lost at sea, romantic comedies, historical drema, and the world at war, movies can take us to places we may never have dreamed of. They can make us laugh and cry or keep us the edge of our seat in sespense. They can even teach us significant lessons about life and carry a healing message that uplifts the human spirit.

Yet, there's a downside as well. Too often movies are made simply to shock, titillate, or frighten, with little regard for how their images might affect a viewer's mental well-being. Films that are degrading, that are filled with gratuitous violence or mindless graphic sexual content, can have a corrosive effect on society.

In this week's Sentinel, contributing editor Channing Walker deals specifically with the issue of gratuitous violence in films and how the influence of such movies can be countered through prayer. Mr. Walker realizes that these vivid images of violence and fear can be addictive for many viewers, and he shows how prayer can actually bring "a change in our mental appetites," make us more discerning, lead us in making better choices, and provide a purifying influence that goes beyond our own thought and life.

Also this week, you can read how not only viewers but those working directly in the movie industry can make a difference. In an exclusive interview, actor Alfre Woodard tells the Sentinel how a film set can be "a wonderful laboratory in which to watch divine Love at work." Ms. Woodard has done just that. She's seen God's love in action.

Even if you have't been to a movie this year, films clearly have become an important part of popular culture. And that's something that needs to be watched.

William E. Moody
Editor

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