Christian Filmmakers Probe Disney's Anti-Family Trend

By Elena Garcia, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, October 25, 2007

Christian filmmakers ended Wednesday a three-day training event at which they discussed their belief that Walt Disney Co. has strayed from its founder's family-friendly legacy.

On the first day, speakers from the Christian Filmmakers Academy told a group of aspiring Christian filmmakers gathered in San Antonio, Texas, how Disney's "lack of discernment" has fashioned the media conglomerate into "an engine of cultural decline after Walt's death."

"What we really see is a decline in the ethics and standards of where [Walt] Disney was coming from," said academy founder Doug Phillips, according to Reuters.

"We are making the case that there is a departure toward politically correct filmmaking that has a negative effect on family," he added.

In the past, Phillips acknowledged that while Disney has communicated the cultural elements of "historical Christendom," it has also contributed to the "'cute-ification' evil through his clever portrayal and glorification of witchcraft and necromancy."

Over the past decade, Disney has come under increased scrutiny by Christians for its anti-family media.

Back in 1996, Evangelicals and conservative Christians were concerned over a Disney policy extending employment benefits to homosexuals, "Gay Days" at the company's theme parks, and anti-religious movies released through its subsidiary Miramax.

According to Reuters, the groups objected to films like "Priest," "Dogma," and "Pulp Fiction."

The American Family Association, a pro-family group, called for a boycott on Disney that did not end until 2005.

The Southern Baptist Convention followed suit in 1997 and adopted a resolution to boycott Disney for not reversing its "anti-Christian and anti-family trend." The Convention ended the boycott in 2005, but passed a resolution calling on the entertainment giant to offer films and other products that support "traditional family values."

Last week, Radio Disney came under fire after it asked Christian movie producers to remove the phrase "Chosen by God" from radio ads for the recently released movie The Ten Commandments.

"Young filmmakers need to understand that they carry heavy responsibilities," academy faculty member Geoffrey Botkin had expressed in a released statement.

"Their productions will influence and even change cultures," he continued. "They must be far more careful than the young Disney to manage their gifts, talents, resources, and content. There are lessons from his legacy they must know."