21 September 2006

Get writing boys & girls!

There's 50 grand US at stake.

I present you with John Templeton Foundation Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays. But be warned the "competition is not for the nominalist, occult, new age, or other non-Judeo-Christian spirituality". I guess that eliminates most Californians.

The criteria (PDF) are rather specific so you should study them in their entirety but the second of these is worth citing in toto:

"the judges consider whether the script is primarily spiritual rather than merely humanitarian, and whether it resulted in a dramatic increase in either man's love or understanding of God. Considering this, the judges will decide whether the script communicates God's wisdom and infinite love in new, effective and creative ways, thereby helping understand the relationship of the one true Creator God."

The guidelines also ask "is it OK to have a spiritually uplifting dramatic script which hints that the person becomes a criminal or prostitute but repented by finding Christ?" The answer is an unqualified "of course"!

The competition will accept scripts suitable for either G or PG rating but after reading the MPAA criteria I think that PG is just a bit too risqué for a truly Christian film. After a PG film may be "some profanity in these films. There may be some violence or brief nudity" but no "drug use content". (Hmm - does enacting communion entail drug use content??) They go on to say "in our pluralistic society it is not easy to make judgments without incurring some disagreement". I don't understand this. Are they encouraging multi-culturalism, even the acceptance of religions other than Christianity? I think that goes too far! I think the competition should drop the MPAA scheme altogether and develop their own rating system. I suggest:

TC - "Truly Christian" - films such as the The Passion of Christ or The Ten Commandments

PH - "Potential Heresy" - films such as The Love Bug or We're No Angels

MS - "Mortal Sin" - films such as Fatal Attraction or Basic Instinct

SH- "Straight to Hell" - films such as The Last Temptation of Christ or The Da Vinci Code

Well? What are you waiting for? Get writing!

(If you're really lucky your script may be optioned by FauxFaith!)

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