I like historical, mythological, and biblical literature and movies. I realize that some are better than others, and I hope that excessive profits are donated to charitable organizations.

I'm not sure where the profits from "Son of God", or "Noah" will go. Do you know Arm? There will be more coming out this year too.

The Gideons give out Bibles (and some churches) for free don't they? Then of course there are Christian bookstores that sell them. Also many books based on biblical interpretations.

Does the Bible say anything about this to us?

Hollywood has been making Bible story based movies at least since the 1920's! 

Corporate profits usually go into the pockets of shareholders.

I hope that those shareholders donate any profits surplus to their basic needs to charity—especially when the profits come from biblical movies!

I know I've enjoyed most of them. :)

But the question is, should they? In your opinion? Is the gospel for sale? Is profiting from God's word in this form biblical?

My wife, mom, and I saw "Son of God" together and really enjoyed it. I noticed some differeces between the tale depicted in the movie, and actual biblical accounts, but I still feel okay about recommending the film to friends.

We're probably going to go see "Noah" this coming Tuesday. I'm not looking forward to this one as much, because I've read on the Internet that the movie severely twists the story away from the biblical truth.

I like the trailers and commercials I have seen for "God's (not) Dead" and would like to see the film, but from what I can figure out, it isn't being theatrically released in Canada.

In my opinion, the gospel is not for sale. However, works based on the gospel can be.

The Bible is one more book of stories, ripe for adaptation to whatever other medium someone wants. No reason for it to be otherwise. Sure, I would love to see Biblical movies that actually reflect the history/mythology and values of the original stories and follow them to some degree. At the same time, I love seeing how different writers and directors put different spins on the stories or find new life in stories (like the Gospels) that have been done multiple times. However, I also feel that way about movies based on Shakespeare, Dickens, Chandler, Asimov or any other work of cultural or literary significance.

Mendalla

Mendalla says the Bible is a book of stories. 

These stories have been told and retold in various ways since the beginning,  In books, in movies.   I remember "The Robe" by Lloyd C. Douglas.  And then Ben Hur and The Ten Commandments. 

Stories are told and retold.  'The Red Tent' (a retelling of the story of Jacob's family) became a well read book - I don't know if it made it to the movies or TV.   With well written stories, either in print or as movies, the life and times come alive.  We learn to appreciate what life may have been like as a desert nomad living in tents, or as an overlooked daughter in a family of sons, or as a peasant in Palestine under Roman rule. 

Just last week I finished a first draft of a novel I've been working on about King David's wives, especially Michel.  There is not much about her in the Bible, she didn't even have the honor or prestige of bearing sons, but I've always seen her as a tragic figure.  Following the Biblical stories as closely as possible and filling in with research about clothing, foods, animals, plants, birds, and consulting maps of the area, I've tried to recreat Michel's life - as well as that of her mother and sister, and David's six other wives and offspring. 

Good stories to begin with, well written literature, well made movies can bring the Bible to life.  Poorly interpreted stories, poorly written, poorly made movies - movies that depend upon the spectacular, movies that have an agenda, can ruin a story.  Some Biblical movies come across as farce.  

I think the stories in the Bible are meant to be re-read and re-told over and over again - in whatever context or format speaks to our time - especially if we can profit spiritually from them

And some that are intentionally so (e.g. Monty Python's The Life of Brian) actually hit on deep truths better than the serious ones.

Mendalla

 ..... when I consider this I think back to the old Moses movie with Charlton Heston.

I imagine him in that parting the red sea scene with a rifle in his hand instead of a wooden staff.....

I wonder how he would have remade this story if he had been able to have his trusty assault rifle with him.... 

A combination of the gun rights movement and the religious right movement could inspire some interesting remakes of classic bible epics! 

Rita

Actually, when you talk about Heston parting the Red Sea with his gun instead of a staff, my mind immediately has him saying "Take your paws off me you damn dirty Egyptian apes!".

Mendalla