How should a Christian respond to Hollywood?

You can't go far in the entertainment industry without bumping into Hollywood. Between movies, celebrity news, awards shows, and more, Hollywood is just screaming for our attention. This part of the entertainment industry has a huge influence on American culture—and even reaches a lot of the rest of the world. As Christians, how should we respond to the glitz and glam of celebrity and the messages being sent through films, news, and other media?

What is Hollywood?

Hollywood is a district in the city of Los Angeles, California, on the west coast of the United States of America. This area is home to many major film studios, including Disney, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Columbia Pictures, and Universal Studios¹. Because Hollywood is the birthplace of countless films, shows, music, and other entertainment, and Los Angeles is the residential and business hub for many actors, composers, artists, and celebrities, it has been called the "Entertainment Capital of the World."

Unfortunately, a good portion of what comes out of Hollywood promotes and glorifies fame and fortune, lavish materialism, adultery, sexual immorality, idolatry, addictive behaviors and drug use, selfishness, deception, covetousness, and other anti-biblical messages (Exodus 20; Luke 12:15). The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) abound in Hollywood movies. Hollywood, largely, does not reflect principles that honor God.

Does all this mean we ought to boycott Hollywood? Are all movies evil? Should just we stop overthinking and watch whatever we want? Well, let's take a step back and look at some basic biblical principles...

The Media We Consume

Movies, shows, and any other media we consume are not inherently evil or sinful. Sin happens in the human heart through actions that rebel against God. Content we consume could be the cause of a temptation to sin, but a movie or show isn't necessarily "sinful" in and of itself.

Evaluating if we should watch a movie or show isn't just about critiquing the content or worldview. That's a part of it, yes. Every bit of media we consume has a message of some kind, and we should evaluate it based on God's Word (Psalm 119:105). If a film glorifies sexual immorality, disrespecting God, occult practices, etc., those things should give us pause (Matthew 7:13-14).

There are also a lot of films that contain those things, but rather than glorifying, they present them as evil—giving an opportunity for the story to show that goodness and/or morality prevails. That's a distinction that many Christians fail to consider. So we do need to be aware of the full context of the media going out into the world.

But if we haven't given thought to how that content affects us (or those watching with us), then we've missed a vital part of the evaluation. This is called spiritual discernment. It's the process of evaluating various aspects of our lives and learning what God's Word says about the thing or situation, how it affects us personally, and choosing the healthiest and most beneficial way to respond.

Using Discernment & Knowing Yourself

In the Bible, we find David making a covenant with God about what he will do to remain a godly man: "I will ponder the way that is blameless... I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me" (Psalm 101:2-3). Perhaps David knew he tended to take a second glance at temptation, so he chose an outright refusal to entertain those sights and thoughts. David knew himself and what he needed to do to protect his heart.

Philippians 4:8 says that followers of God should dwell on things that are right, lovely, honorable, pure, and worthy of praise, and this includes our entertainment choices. One reason God says to "dwell" these things is because what we take in will ultimately affect our thoughts, attitudes, and actions (Matthew 15:19; Hebrews 5:14). If we're taking in content that hurts us spiritually, emotionally, or even physically, then we're setting ourselves up for negative thought patterns, destructive attitudes, and harmful actions (Proverbs 15:14, 21; Proverbs 13:20).

As you consume content from different sources, notice the positive or negative effect they have on you. Start to develop boundaries and personal convictions about what you allow into your mind. Content that tempts you with sinful thoughts, excessive profanity, or other negative behavior patterns are easy to recognize and avoid. For things that are "iffy," try discussing with friends, family, or coworkers to gain perspective on what messages might be coming through. You may even be able to use the topic to spark spiritual conversations!

Entertainment Escapism

"Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." —1 Corinthians 10:31

Entertainment can also be used as a means of escape. While relaxing with movies isn't inherently bad for us, it's wise to be mindful about whether we're using that time in a beneficial way or as an excuse to avoid responsibilities. When content consumption begins to take priority over family, school/work, mental and physical health, relationships, or our spiritual growth, then we need to take a closer look at what's really going on. Consider how you can honor God with your decisions.

Following our favorite Hollywood celebrities on social media is way too easy. Again, while it's not inherently wrong to follow them, we should be aware of how we're affected by the posts we see. Hollywood is the in the business of creating idols and feeding a discontented attitude. If we find ourselves coveting a lavish lifestyle, sexy relationship, wealth and fame, or perceived happiness and beauty, then we need to check out for a while (Exodus 20:17). Taking breaks from social media ought to be a regular practice to reconnect with true joy from the Lord and the reality of the goodness in our lives (Psalm 1).

On a positive note, Christian actors and musicians do exist, and they often use their presence in Hollywood as a witness for Christ. They want to show fans and studios that following Jesus and working in the entertainment industry is possible. They strive to demonstrate that God has called them to be a light in a dark place by glorifying Him through their words and actions.

As we consider the content that Hollywood creates, we can show the world that it's possible to follow Jesus AND still engage with entertainment in a wise and godly way (John 1:5). We don't have to fall victim to the allure and wiles of Hollywood; we can exercise wisdom, discernment, and self-control so we can fully benefit from and take joy in our entertainment choices.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." —Romans 12:2

RESOURCES: 1. "Hollywood History in 5 Minutes: Why Do They Call It Hollywood?" YouTube, 4 Mar. 2019, youtu.be/gBe4HpNY_Z8?si=-x0gsfTH7q2Od5uf. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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