In light of Harvey Weinstein surrendering himself to authorities this morning, I want to repost this article from November 9, 2017. I feel even more strongly about Hollywood’s hypocrisy now than I did when I originally wrote this piece.
For a few weeks now, America has been scandalized by allegations that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and actor Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted people. The entertainment elite didn’t mind such accusations against conservatives like Bill Cosby and Bill O’Reilly, mind you. Those allegations fit so wonderfully into their narrative of conservative hypocrisy.
The interesting aspect of the scandal generated by Weinstein and Spacey is that the hypocrisy lies in the moral outrage of a community (or industry) that openly and persistently promotes unbridled sex. For over a century, Hollywood has pushed an agenda of sexual freedom, openly mocking Biblical standards of morality. They’ve done so slowly and carefully, to be sure, but they’ve always led the way in desensitizing moviegoers to illicit affairs.
Who didn’t want Humphrey Bogart to get on that plane with Ingrid Bergman?
How many Christian women love The Notebook, undisturbed that Ryan Gosling a) has premarital sex with Rachel McAdams and b) resumes the relationship when she’s about to marry someone else?
These films, along with many others too numerous to mention, lure us into softening our hatred of sexual sin. In fact, they portray adultery and fornication as almost innocent acts that we should applaud rather than condemn. In essence, Hollywood sells the idea that we should feed our sexual appetites, even if we do so outside the marriage covenant.
Once we realize Hollywood’s agenda, we must admit that Weinstein and Spacey have merely taken that agenda to its logical conclusion. Given their rejection of Biblical morality, why should it matter whether sex was consensual or not? Does Hollywood have a right to set any standard for sexual behavior? If so, why does it?
To be clear, I in no way condone sexual assault. Kevin Spacey, to his credit, has acknowledged at least some of his assaults against underaged boys (although he partially excuses himself because he was supposedly under the influence of alcohol). Nevertheless, both men have completely thumbed their privileged noses at God’s Law, and I cannot be sympathetic towards either of them.
But neither can I accept so-called righteous indignation from an entertainment industry that systematically and relentlessly celebrates sexual perversion while it simultaneously vilifies Christians for proclaiming that sexual expression belongs exclusively within monogamous, heterosexual marriage. Weinstein and Spacey have merely practiced what Hollywood has preached since Mae West delighted audiences with her suggestive lines. All of Hollywood should join Weinstein and Spacey in repentance.
The Outspoken TULIP 