A new spotlight is up – on author Tamera Alexander! Tammy’s debut novel Rekindled is in stores this month and it is getting great reviews! I hope you will click on “Spotlight” and read Tammy’s answers to my questions.

Speaking of spotlighting people, I watched much of the Academy Awards last night. Since two of my sons have an interest in film directing and script writing, these awards always hold a certain fascination for our family. I’ll admit I’d only seen a handful of the movies that were nominated, my favorite of the year being Pride and Prejudice. It wasn’t nominated for best picture, but in my opinion, it should have been. :)

In any case, I found the Academy Awards interesting and some of the comments enlightening. The MC mentioned that some people think that Hollywood is out of touch with the rest of society. Later George Clooney noted how Hollywood had drawn attention to many injustices in the world and that he was proud to be part of that out of touch crowd.

It is true that Hollywood has produced films that have brought many wrongs in this world to light. Through the avenue of film, we have seen the horrors of war and the plight of the oppressed. We watched the injustice of racism and the prejudice of the class system. They’ve allowed us to live in other eras and imagine the lives of historic people in a vicarious way. For these things I commend them.

As a matter of fact, I love a well done movie. The power of story to touch a life is clear when seen on the big silver screen, or even on DVD for that matter. Some of my favorites I can watch again and again and marvel at how they continue to stir emotion or evoke laughter. Hollywood deserves our thanks in this.

But it is also true that Hollywood is out of touch with certain issues. Some of what they would portray as “realism” in their movies, looks more like they are pushing their own agenda on the rest of the population. Before TV and film became so pervasive in our culture, the language of most people was not so vulgar. Sex was not so cheap. Women were not so exploited. Voilence was not so graphic. And things once considered sinful and perverted were not so easily accepted.

So on the one hand, I would agree with George Clooney in his pride of what this industry has done to show the world its hidden evils. But on the other hand, I would be ashamed of how that same industry has brought other evils to light in an accepting sort of way. It would be nice if we could have the one without the other, the good that Hollywood has done, without the tendency to push what many in this country still consider evil on people that don’t want it.

Something to pray about…