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| Pt.1 the Chosen TV show, accepted as the truth The idea for the Chosen series was birthed in 2017 when three Mormon businessmen approached Jenkins with the idea for the series and using crowdfunding. Angel Studios raised millions to fund the multi-season series about the life of Jesus Christ. The app (thechosen.tv/app) is available in more than 180 countries, subtitles are translated into 50 plus languages. This is not a small project but worldwide presentation distributed by partner Angel Studios , a streaming video company that was co-founded by brothers Neal and Jeffrey Harmon , (who are Latter-day Saints- Mormons). In this TV show ‘the Chosen’ concepts and stories of the Bible are acted out in a movie. What it reveals overall is the writer’s insufficiency of understanding the written word. Our relation to God is sustained by reading His Word directly and allowing the truth to be understood and worked out in our lives. The actors visually express to the viewer what God has said and done, but you do not get the accuracy of the Scripture in the Chosen. Because it is admittedly not based on the Scripture. If you are learning your theology from this series, you are subtly being deceived. In fact, You may not know how far adrift you are or where they will end up unless you start measuring what you are seeing and hearing from the Word. Are you willing to put aside essential doctrines for feelings, to be emotionally moved by the entertainment of a biblical story that is purposely being changed? A Question for everyone who intently watches this each week, do you spend equal time or more time in the bible or are you depending on watching this show for your knowledge of Jesus? The Chosen" was going to be different than other shows on Jesus. Jenkins has said, by looking at Jesus through the eyes of those he chose and changed, and to imagine what their lives and personalities were like and why they made the choices they did.” The emphasis being on imagination, which he must pursue because the Bible does not have the information he is adding into the show that is presented by the actors. Jenkins told reporters, "I do want people, when they are done watching the show, to feel like they know and love Jesus more or at least want to know and love him more." At the same time Jenkins says people should explore the series with " an open spirit and a very mature Christian point of view in order to understand that this is not the Word of God" and nothing can substitute the Word of God. Unfortunately more than some watch this program as if it is the Word of God as the writers and actors take artistic license in their representation of Jesus, they put extra oomph by their own ‘words’ and view over God, who says my word is truth and exalted above my name. Jenkins admits, “ most of the content of the show is not from Scripture, I know that’s sounds horrible but its true.” So then if it’s not from the book of Gods truth where is it coming from? It comes from him and the other producers/ writers imagination. The show may be considered wholesome viewing compared to what Hollywood produces but the Chosen is not based on the true stories of the gospels of Jesus Christ.’ The Jesus in this series and movie is not a biblical narrative whether or not Mormons are involved in any of its influence. Jesus’ words spoken in the Chosen TV series are not always “God’s word,” or from his Word. Why? Because of dramatization which is baked into the intent to reach your emotions, they need to change the words and history so that it becomes more like today, for people to accept the message. The Chosen which is made for TV series which does not keep to the Word, nor is it their intention to do so their movie script is divorced from actual Scripture having the screenwriters rewrite Biblical history that has come to us from nearly 2000 years. Furthermore, the executive producer of the Chosen states, “the mission of ‘The Chosen’ is not to be Scripture… it’s not to pretend that we know exactly what Jesus was like or what his friends were like. It was simply to present him in the language, really, of a modern generation.” Does this help to get to know the true Jesus of the bible better? Or, another Jesus? Stop and consider that if you are defending their attitude that is clearly presented by the producer, it shows that you are ungrounded in the Word and not serious about truth. Their creative license used by imagination of what THEY think Jesus would say or do is an addition to the gospel record that is not truthful. As Scripture tells us grace and truth appeared to mankind by Jesus Christ. The question we all need to ask is why change what is written, how is that advantageous to the story or does this show us something else is operating, not of pure intent! As with anything on TV, They are walking away with a lot of $, and because of a lack of integrity in the body of Christ, it continues. What do I mean by this? While we can at least rejoice that Jesus’ name is made known (as Paul did), is it spread in truth? If one fiddles with Biblical stories about him, this can’t be put in the category of being for Him. Who then is in control, is it God or man? Why would anyone add to the scripture account in a program about Jesus? The answer is simple and obvious. The producers care about bible accuracy is minimal, and they are making merchandise of the story selling to you their version of Christ. A question to all, is this counterfeiting the real Jesus, by adding events and words never spoken? (Prov.30:6) What is shameful to our own fault is that this program has grown among professing Christians, some of who are endorsing it without considering the consequences. Which has brought us to the point of open rebuke of the producer and the program that is making merchandise of Christ to the public. However, at the same time certain cults are enjoying the benefits, approving it, using it. So let me ask you, does this prepare the world for ‘Jesus’ or someone like a Jesus? I fell in deception by hearing of a different Jesus before I learned of the true one. Once I had the truth set me free, it kept me free, because I intended on following the Jesus of the Bible not the one of the many opinions of people who do not believe the Scripture. We find those ungrounded in the word of truth, are attracted to and embrace this series with no equivocations. They have unwittingly entered a world of counterfeits that you find in the cults. In the place of the biblical Jesus who was a sinless man, he has Jesus who says things that are strange and seemingly sinful.’ Yes, at times the show's acting may be closer to scripture, but what of the other times it is not. How far away is it? Sometimes their attempt to give Jesus, who is God in human flesh more to his humanity, they take away from the actual person portrayed in Scripture. They portray Jesus as fun, a few examples: After healing a leper, Jesus asks one of the disciples for a tunic to give to him he puts the tunic on the man he healed and Jesus says to the man: “Green is definitely your color. Not too shabby.” The healed man and Jesus laugh and hug. Jesus’ meeting with Nicodemus at night, He invites Nicodemus to follow Him (to travel with Him, which did not happen). They add what is not in the Scripture, which the bible says three times specifically not to do. The old saying once adhered to, fits. Where the bible is silent we should be silent. He says “You are not going to agree with what I decide in my portrayal of christ or the followers of Jesus.”But, it’s not just about our agreement with him but does God agree with what he has done? And more importantly does he agree with God’s Word! The answer is obvious. Jenkins says,“Youshould read the scriptures, 100 percent, no question about it. But when that's all you do, sometimes you can miss out on the perspective of the cultural and historical surroundings of who Jesus was and what He was doing. And then you kind of miss out on the identification with those who knew Him. You can't fully identify with Jesus …” He is saying that ‘they’ will fill in the cultural background, and what the people were thinking. Christ cannot be fully known from reading the Bible? What this implies is that without his TV series we lacking, after nearly 2000 years we can finally not miss out, thanks to his TV show, because we need acting to communicate the emotional feelings you are to have for a fuller understanding. He fully believes he is presenting the authentic Jesus, when he is NOT! Is the Divine revelation of the Word that is inspired by the Holy Spirit is not sufficient? He seems to have convinced himself this is a mission given to him by God. God supposedly spoke to him (contrary to His Word) saying the show would be the definitive portrayal of his people. Has Jenkins built a type of golden calf of his Jesus, from his (and others') imagination of what he thinks Jesus is? It seems to be a familiar flaw repeated in history, much like the Israelites built a calf of God and said this is the one who led us out of Egypt. Do the producers check the filming by the Bible? He says, that they are, “trying to avoid religious tradition and just focus on Jesus...that's the closest we'll come to getting it right." The Bible is not traditions but the actual truth and it is right, he is making his own traditions by his human interpretation. And what of the justification of Jenkins believing that ‘The Chosen’ is breaking down “religious walls,” people of different backgrounds, Catholic, LDS, evangelical who all agreeing, all uniting around the fact that they love Jesus and want to see the Jesus of the Gospels known. Does not the word say no one comes to Jesus unless the Father draws him? Jesus mission to the church is about having people be spiritually born and brought into the body of Christ, not uniting everyone who claims to be Christian. What would be an over the line moment to you in the series? Would it be Jesus rehearsing for his sermon on the mount? In fact Matthew helps Jesus orchestrate the sermon on the mount! He finds it too negative (completely overturning (John 12:49;17:8,14) Nathaniel is found passed out from drinking by Philip. Simon’s (Peter’s) wife who is not named in the Bible; we learn her name is Eden, a name no one has in the whole Bible. Jesus is seen arguing with John the Baptist? A woman brings the paralytic, not four men lowering him into the house. The allowance for change has no boundaries (Mk.9:2). If you can change this, than nothing is off the table (consider what the crucifixion will be like.) Well the observations on this are endless. Man’s vain imagination tinkering with Gods word. When you find so many inaccuracies, embellishments, continually spoken or acted on, the only conclusion one can come to is they are not for Jesus, but against him. Why? Jenkins admits in his making of the show that 95% of the content isn’t from the bible. And yet he is disturbed of those who say you should not add to the Bible! Wow! That should be a show-stopper for all. One must ask, why are people more excited about the TV show than the Word? Being moved by acting is not the same as being nourished in your spirit by the Word that is truth. You can’t be accurate in understanding the Word if you do not have this as your intentional goal. People need to read the Word and compare what they see and hear to it. If they have a guard that is relaxed, they will let others opinions and interpretations influence. One can only know the truth of God, by the story of the gospels by the Scripture, there is no substitute for this. |
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