"End of the Spear": homosexual activist plays Christian martyr in movie

Boy, have I been around and around on this. I was deeply moved by Steve Saint's presentation at Desiring God's 2005 conference, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. I'd never heard of Steve Saint before, though I'd certainly heard of Nate Saint. And in hearing of Steve Saint, I hear of the forthcoming movie "End of the Spear" enthusiastically promoted.

Later, I go to the movie's very slick web site. It certainly looks as if it is going to be an emotionally moving film. I then read about the cast, of whom I'd never heard. Then I notice that the man who plays two lead roles (Nate and Steve Saint) was involved in producing a play called "Corpus Christi." I raise an eyebrow, as my memory starts twitching. Wasn't that a play representing Jesus Christ and His disciples as homosexuals?

So I research further, and find that this actor, Chad Allen, is indeed an activist homosexual. I read some lame rationalizations the production company made about selecting him for this role. And then I start debating whether or not I want to blog about it.

I'm glad I didn't, because Jason Janz at SharperIron has done an excellent essay on the subject, better than what I had going. Lots of documentation, good suggestions on how to proceed, and some good following interaction from Steve Camp and others.

The foolishness of Every Tribe Entertainment has put the Christian community in a bind.

1. If we go and support the movie, the pro-homosexual-agenda-driven MSM will report this as our "reluctantly growing" in our acceptance of homosexuality. It will be used to marginalize the concerns we express about this destructive sin, and decaffeinate our call to repentance and regeneration. Particularly (if reported accurately), Steve Saint's gushy acceptance and embrace of Allen will be messaged as acceptance of his homosexuality.
2. If we protest and stay away, we'll be shown up as knuckle-dragging haters, and once again Steve Saint's own embrace of Allen will be used against us. Why can't we be more enlightened, like Steve? After all, it's him and his dear dad that Allen is portraying. If it's okay with Steve, and Steve embraced Chad just as he is (as reported), why don't we? Our protests will be used to highlight the film. And here's the really nasty, biting irony: the "martyr" will be seen as Chad Allen... not Nate Saint.
3. If we do not support the movie, a message taken will be, "See? Christians don't even support Christian productions. Better get back to putting out filth."
4. If we do support it, expect to see Chad Allen preaching all over the place. Hint: he won't be preaching the Christ who Nate Saint died proclaiming.

Now previous Christian reaction has been characteristically mushy. "What -- do you ask your plumber if he's cheated on his wife? How many actors are living holy lives? Who is without sin?" This kind of shallow thinking is always disheartening. As a matter of fact, if my plumber presented himself as Bud Adulterer, and told me that my use of his services would be leveraged to display Christian embrace of adultery -- then yes, I would take my business elsewhere.

And so here is a Christian (?) company that knowingly and deliberately hires a homosexual to portray a man who literally gave his life to preach Christ to the lost. Not a repentant, born-again homosexual; an unrepentant, practicing, activist, advocate homosexual who sees this movie as an opportunity to lower Christian objections to his sin of preference.

They say he's just the best. Evidently there simply is no practicing Christian actor of any quality these days. Not one! (Now, there's a topic for an essay, all by itself.)

As I say, we're in a bind. Like Colson's embrace of Roman Catholicism, like Mouw's/Eerdmans' embrace of Mormonism, the tens of thousands of Biblically-committed voices may be about to be drowned out once again by one loud mouth.

UPDATE: Jason Janz gives a heads up that Chad Allen will be discussing (what else?) homosexuality on Larry King tonight, with Al Mohler, Janet Parshall, and a homosexual mayor. See whether any or all of my predictions start to come to dreary realization. Pray for Mohler to speak the truth in love, and neither buckle nor cave.

UPDATE II: Tim Challies has a great discussion developing the concern expressed above, that this movie will provide an effective platform for Chad Allen to preach the"badspel" of homosexual libertinism.

UPDATE III: see how my predictions, above, are doing, HERE. Is Allen already using the platform this movie company gave him to spread the bad news that there is no hope for deliverance from homosexual desires -- or the corrollary Badspel of denial (i.e. immorality is moral)? Check it out.