Campus ministries shows controversial movie

Two weeks ago in Northlawn's Great Lounge, Campus Ministries showed Amélie, a French film rated R for "brief nudity and sexual scenes," extending a campus-wide email invitation to all students.

Pastoral Assistants Christie Benner and Dave Landis, the two students who led a discussion forum on the film afterwards, said that the purpose in showing Amélie was to give us "a glimpse at storytelling," and challenged us to "let stories be stories. Listen to them, watch them, become them, discuss them."

The discussion aspect was not optional, as EMU's policy demands that some sort of forum must follow a school-sponsored showing of an R-rated movie. However, if the idea jumps to mind that any R-rated film would be permissible within these guidelines, the answer would be a predictable "no." Just as it is in a government, there are checks and balances in a collegiate system-concerned student groups, the administration, etc.-that provide boundaries for rules that may otherwise be in danger of being misconstrued.

Such was the case with Amélie since, according to Dave Landis, Campus Ministries had to deal with considerable opposition from seminary students and others who were concerned about the showing of such a movie. However, Campus Ministries was able to make a case for the validity of their motives and showed the movie despite the opposition.

In the words of Byron Peachey, Associate Campus Pastor, "in a film that has so many positive, artistic, even grace-filled messages about human relations, I'd be disappointed and frustrated if all that was highlighted was the brief nudity/sexual parts, and the focus on whatever 'controversy' that might create." Rather, he emphasized the "story-telling" aspect of the movie, stating that "the point here isn't to be just entertained by a film (which is often the main purpose in mainstream films) but to be reflective about what it is we're watching, and how there might be important truths found there."

These ideas as well as many others were echoed in the discussion after Amélie; the majority of the students present at the movie seemed to agree on the film's artistic value.

Sophomore Josiah Garber, who had seen the movie before and wouldn't choose to see it again, said, "There were a lot of sexually explicit parts that I don't think are appropriate for Campus Ministries to show. I don't care if there's a discussion afterwards; I don't agree with its presentation."

Some praised Amélie's "humor," "beauty," and overall pleasing quality. Peachey, along with many in the audience, said that Amélie treated sex as a natural, beautiful part of our world that deserves as much attention-no more, no less-as the rest of life.

However, Andrew Millette, a ministry assistant in Roselawn, said, "I have not seen it because I do not believe that it is OK to say that it is art or just a movie to show nudity. I think that our culture is too quick to rationalize that 'the end justifiies the means.' Unfortunately, this is not true. What is done in the means can affect the perception, or even modify the end, in the minds of those watching. Even if the means doesn't detract from the end result, we need to think about what we are putting into our heads, because that is what is going to come out later. I have made mistakes in the past in what I have watched, and I have regretted them every time."

Some would agree, though, that the showing of the movie fulfilled the goal Peachey had envisioned by providing more than simply two hours of entertainment.