A Sinking Ship

by Steve Hale

"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain" (Ex. 20:7, NKJV).

Back in January of this year, I took my daughter to Houston to see a Rockets game. One of my goals is a special two day trip like this with each of our three children before they go off to college.

When we landed at the Hobby airport south of Houston, we were near an enormous cinema, housing 30 simultaneous showings. On this special trip, Beth asked that I take her to see the movie Titanic. One rule at our house is that we do not go to R-rated movies. Period. Seeing it was rated PG-13, I hesitated, but gave-in. I regret that I did.

What? This is the biggest blockbuster of all time, making well over a billion dollars! It also must be the filthiest PG-13 movie of all time. Consider the following:

1. Language -- I detest foul language in a movie, but absolutely abhor hearing my Lord's name taken in vain. For the first 35 minutes, God's name
was taken in vain as casually as you and I inhale and exhale. Leonardo DeCaprio said it. The captain and other members of the salvage crew said it. Even the 100+ year old Rose said it!

2. Sexually Explicit -- There was a completely nude scene, when DeCaprio's character (Jack) makes a charcoal drawing of a completely nude Rose
(actress Kate Winslett). The only thing she's wearing is a fictious diamond draped around her neck. During this surprisingly long scene, I closed my eyes. I should have left!

Furthermore, there is a very explicit scene just before the disaster sequence. How in the world this movie wasn't rated at least R is beyond me!

The movie's power comes neither from its filthy language nor sexual explicitness. The last 45 minutes or so are worth seeing. The special effects are terrific. The sinking is very realistic, and the band playing "Nearer My God To Thee" will bring a tear to your eye. The rowing through the dead in the water, and scene of a dead mother (hypothermia) holding her dead baby in the crook of her frozen arm made even the most callous watcher weep.

Even though the closing is so powerful and moving, the price paid by the language and sexual explicitness makes this moving "A Sinking Ship." As we truly try to be "Nearer My God To Thee," the costly impact of immorality and worldliness will trample our sensitivity to right and wrong.

I love my daughter, and wouldn't trade our trip together for anything. I just wished I had used better judgement. Our society is "a sinking ship." We must build our house on the rock, our Lord Jesus Christ ( Matthew 7:21-29).

October 4, 1998

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A Sinking Ship by Steve Hale "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain" (Ex. 20:7, NKJV). Back in January of this year, I took my daughter to Houston to see a Rockets game. One of my goals is a special two day trip like this with each of our three children before they go off to college. When we landed at the Hobby airport south of Houston, we were near an enormous cinema, housing 30 simultaneous showings. On this special trip, Beth asked that I take her to see the movie Titanic. One rule at our house is that we do not go to R-rated movies. Period. Seeing it was rated PG-13, I hesitated, but gave-in. I regret that I did. What? This is the biggest blockbuster of all time, making well over a billion dollars! It also must be the filthiest PG-13 movie of all time. Consider the following: 1. Language -- I detest foul language in a movie, but absolutely abhor hearing my Lord's name taken in vain. For the first 35 minutes, God's name was taken in vain as casually as you and I inhale and exhale. Leonardo DeCaprio said it. The captain and other members of the salvage crew said it. Even the 100+ year old Rose said it! 2. Sexually Explicit -- There was a completely nude scene, when DeCaprio's character (Jack) makes a charcoal drawing of a completely nude Rose (actress Kate Winslett). The only thing she's wearing is a fictious diamond draped around her neck. During this surprisingly long scene, I closed my eyes. I should have left! Furthermore, there is a very explicit scene just before the disaster sequence. How in the world this movie wasn't rated at least R is beyond me! The movie's power comes neither from its filthy language nor sexual explicitness. The last 45 minutes or so are worth seeing. The special effects are terrific. The sinking is very realistic, and the band playing "Nearer My God To Thee" will bring a tear to your eye. The rowing through the dead in the water, and scene of a dead mother (hypothermia) holding her dead baby in the crook of her frozen arm made even the most callous watcher weep. Even though the closing is so powerful and moving, the price paid by the language and sexual explicitness makes this moving "A Sinking Ship." As we truly try to be "Nearer My God To Thee," the costly impact of immorality and worldliness will trample our sensitivity to right and wrong. I love my daughter, and wouldn't trade our trip together for anything. I just wished I had used better judgement. Our society is "a sinking ship." We must build our house on the rock, our Lord Jesus Christ ( Matthew 7:21-29). October 4, 1998 Related Articles: Print this Article Discuss this Article Back to the Sermon Page	Mt. Juliet Church of Christ 1940 N. Mt. Juliet Road P.O.Box 248 Mt.Juliet, TN 37122-0248 (615)758-2274 Fax:615-754-2351 Email Worship Services: Sunday Early Worship: 8AM Sunday Bible Study: 9:15AM Sunday Late Worship: 10:15AM Night Worship: 6PM Wednesday Bible Study: 7PM