In Brief... World News Review: Revisiting the American Image Abroad
The United States is the most religiously committed, church-going country in the West.
Sometimes perception can be as important as reality. This is especially so in the way Americans regularly portray themselves to other nations. In this regard the entertainment industry has a major responsibility. Regrettably restraint and common sense have not generally prevailed.
Wrote noted film critic Michael Medved: "Unfortunately this obsessive Hollywood fascination with the dark side of human nature has played a major role in shaping America's ugly image in much of the world. In recent weeks it has become fashionable to ask, 'Why do so many people in other countries hate us?' Part of any honest response involves the movies, TV shows and popular music we export around the globe. It certainly didn't come as a complete surprise when anti-American rioters in Quetta, Pakistan, targeted five movie theaters showing U.S. imports."
Especially in developing nations, most foreigners will come no closer to visiting the United States than the onscreen images they see. Of course, Americans understand that film fantasies emphasizing excessive violence, illicit sex and various antisocial attitudes don't really represent everyday life for most citizens (although there has been parallel growth in the intensity of these evils in society a few steps behind the films). But those living abroad don't necessarily know this.
Clearly films like Hannibal (1 & 2), Desperado and Natural-Born Killers portray America, in Michael Medved's words, as "a cruel, godless, brutal and vulgar society." Yet, at least on the surface, the United States is the most religiously committed, church-going country in the West. However, many Hollywood movies consistently downplay or deny the best parts of American national life. Instead, decadence, deviance and dysfunction dominate many, if not most, American films aggressively marketed around the world.
In the wake of the tragic events of September 11, many instances of kindness, decency, patriotism and generosity emerged in many parts of America. Will Hollywood pick up this banner and begin to make many more decent movies?
Source: USA Today.
An Article from:
World News and Prophecy: November 2001
Course Content
Jim Tuck
Jim has been in the ministry over 40 years serving fifteen congregations. He and his wife, Joan, started their service to God's church in Pennsylvania in 1974. Both are graduates of Ambassador University. Over the years they served other churches in Alabama, Idaho, Oregon, Arizona, California, and currently serve the Phoenix congregations in Arizona, as well as the Hawaii Islands. He has had the opportunity to speak in a number of congregations in international areas of the world. They have traveled to Zambia and Malawi to conduct leadership seminars In addition, they enjoy working with the youth of the church and have served in youth camps for many years.
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
