Is Watching Brokeback A Sin?

[dairygirl4u2c]

well what's an example of someone watching it for a legit purrpose? i didn't describe an "objective" purpose very well, but any good reason i can think of would be "objective" and so not legit. (it does get odd my question cause objective can't mean legit, cause then i'd basically be asking if you can watch for an illegit purpose which i don't mean to ask and couldn't really. i guess you have to ask if there are good ways to be curious besides doing to to help out the gays by knowing your enemy etc but that's all i can think of and am open to other good reasons)

also, by watching it you're supporting it either finanically, or by simply giving their movie credence enough to watch.

plus at a certain point with polls, trying to find specific nuanced caveats is just being a technicalist and defeating the whole appearent point of the poll. "he didn't pay for it" etc. if you have an argument about his motive for watching, you don't need excuses as far as paying for it or not goes anyway.

[Justin86]

Brokeback is one of the many Academy Award winning films that about two people saw.

As for me ever seeing it, well first since I'm military I'm not sure if they regard that as having gay porn in your possession. I also don't feel like asking anyone if they do.

Secondly, even if I knew the military would let me watch it, why on earth would I want to? I mean, how old is the concept of a gay cowboy? Didn't the Village People do this?

Edited October 21, 2007 by Justin86

[photosynthesis]

I saw it with my mom, so I didn't really pay for the admission. I checked the box marked "no" but I think it really depends on the person.

I know exactly what people mean about empathizing with the characters. The movie really does try to get you to feel sorry for the two men, who eventually leave their wives to have this gay 'love' affair. Honestly, I felt more empathy towards the wives in the film, because their husbands committed adultery. That's because I think my conscience & intellect were well-formed enough for me to react to the movie in an authentically Catholic way. It was definitely a 'heavy' movie to watch with some adult themes and most people shouldn't see it.

I also have a degree in Media Studies and have taken a lot of classes on film analysis and criticism. The college I went to was very secular, and I have can't tell you how many 'morally offensive' films I had to watch for school that were even worse than Brokeback Mountain.

Many of my secular friends are gay, and a disproportionate amount of my relatives are plagued with homosexuality. When the film came out, a lot of them were anxious to hear my perspective. Movies can be a great vehicle for honest discussion and I'm glad I was able to explain why I could not empathize with those two men, and the differences between love & lust.

One of my greatest pet peeves is when people comment on books they have not read and films they have not seen. It's one thing to say, "I did not see the film. From what I heard about it, I thought it would be bad for my soul." It's good to guard your heart against worldly evil. I wish I did that more early on. But you can't really make comments on something you haven't seen. I always hated sitting in class with a student who didn't read the book but had no problem making baseless, uneducated comments about its contents.

Most people lack the necessary critical and moral formation to see movies like "Brokeback Mountain." Although I think I have those qualities, still I'd rather watch something Catholic. I remember when we went to the theater, there were two choices: Brokeback, and some mindless piece of Hollywood detritus with the aesthetic value of "dude, where's my car?" I happen to think Ang Lee is a brilliant filmmaker, and the asthetic quality, great acting and problematic morality of "Brokeback Mountain" is what makes it dangerous for some peoples' souls.

[Mercy me]

I don't know that it is sinfull to watch it. I think that depnds on the disposition of the view. It is not good to fund it or support it. Is it a sin? Again, I am not sure.

[dairygirl4u2c]

watching it to be able to help your friends is an "objective" reason. it's legit.

i was trying to make clear you'd be watching it "just cause you're curious". i guess this isn't super clear, but i think it is, and if you're trying to split hairs, you're just being technicalist. maybe i should add "just cause you're curious, just cause"

saying things like... "if they didn't know it was a sin" "if they didn't pay for it" etc etc is just splitting hairs and ignoring the obvious intent of the polls, just being difficult.

i suppose if you are questioning whether they are good, the gays, you are discerning, and that can't be taht bad. you'd be just curious too. so maybe this is a good reason after all.

so i guess i'd have to make a better poll. one tat says, you aren't in a discerning stage either. to get to the real intent of my poll. "just cause curious, just cause"

[friendofJPII]

I think if you are truely living a holy life you woudn't want to watch such movies. If a soul is untited to Christ, watching immorality on the silver screen should cause them deep interior pain. If it does not, one must question their devotion to Our Lord. [b]We should not be entertained by watching other people sin.[/b]

That being said, the context is important. If one is watching a biography of someone's life who was not a natural born saint, then there may be some "PG-13" moments that are necessary for the story line, as there was in the movie "Entertainging Angels" which depicted the life Dorothy Day, who lived a somewhat wild life before her conversion. But even in cases such as that, the images need not be excessively graphic. There are ways to allude to things.

Edited October 22, 2007 by friendofJPII

[hyperdulia again]

To reduce what is an achingly heartbreaking story to "sin" is so Protestant I don't even know what to say. If it makes anyone feel better one of them is dead by the end.

[Justin86]

[quote name='hyperdulia again' post='1407025' date='Oct 22 2007, 02:57 PM']To reduce what is an achingly heartbreaking story to "sin" is so Protestant I don't even know what to say. If it makes anyone feel better one of them is dead by the end.[/quote]
Cold. Very cold.

[hyperdulia again]

How have I made my little mamzer cry?

[Jesus_lol]

Thanks for ruining it for me!!!




no worrys , i probably wasnt going to see it anyways, though i was and still am curious about it

Edited October 28, 2007 by Jesus_lol

[Magisterium]

I have never considered watching Brokeback Mountain. I have seen enough real life and cinematic cases of infidelity to know that the outcome is always heartbreaking. Having said that, merely watching a film is not a sin, so I voted no in the poll.

[Justin86]

[quote name='hyperdulia again' post='1407244' date='Oct 23 2007, 03:49 AM']How have I made my little mamzer cry? [/quote]
Death doesn't make me feel good.

Edited October 28, 2007 by Justin86

[Jutty1224]

I haven't read all the replies. I haven't seen the movie completely but the parts I've watch, I watched while visiting a priest-friend of mine. He was my pastor in my home parish during my childhood.

[friendofJPII]

[quote name='Magisterium' post='1410561' date='Oct 28 2007, 04:33 AM']I have never considered watching Brokeback Mountain. I have seen enough real life and cinematic cases of infidelity to know that the outcome is always heartbreaking. Having said that, merely watching a film is not a sin, so I voted no in the poll.[/quote]


Watching immoral movies can be sinful, it depends on the movie and your disposition to it. Certainly watching pornographic films is sinful, but these days many R or even PG 13 rated films come dangerously close to pornography. Of course, we can't just go by the rating, The Passion was rated R because it was violent....but of course the violence was necessary because it was a true depiction of the suffering of Our Lord. But I think, if you are really seeking holiness you wouldn't want to watch immoral films, because it should pain your soul to see Christ mocked, and whenever sin is glorified, (Just watching the commercial for the Season premiere of DH made me sick) Christ is mocked......he shed his blood on the Cross to pay for our sins. It is not something to be taken lightly. I can't really comment on Brokeback because I haven't seen it, and don't want to (seeing homosexual PDA's really gross me out), however I think it is safe to say it is a movie most Catholics should avioid, unless they have a really well-formed conscience and know they can handle it. Overall, tho, I think we should be more selective about what we watch and listen to and I am surprised this isn't addressed more often in Catholic circles. I think we have a responsibility to ourselves and to our souls to screen movies before we decide to watch them (and I don't like the Bishops rating system, I think it s too liberal...I use http:// www.christiananswers.net )Besides, our world is too "wired" anyway....I think it is betteer to experience life rather than watch it...one of my biggest pet peeves is TVs in the dining room/and or restaurant (unless it is a sports bar!), but that's another topic for another day....

Edited November 6, 2007 by friendofJPII

[dairygirl4u2c]

i'm surprised this had such support for calling watching the movie, a sin.