Unions. Bad For Christian filmakers

[debrand]

saicff.org/news/blog/2010/11/a_theory_of_leadership_on_chri/

First, the three of us explained both the theological and practical problem of union labor, and the damage it has caused to the film industry

I was searching the SAICFF blog for photos and came across the above quote. I wonder what problems labor unions have caused Doug Philips,Stephen Kendrick and Geoff Botkin?

SAICFF stands for San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

I wonder what damage unions have caused the film industry?

saicff.org/news/blog/2010/11/radioactive_why_the_pantheists/

I thought that this was interesting.

Doug Phillips’ keynote address “Radioactive†critiques Food, Inc., Avatar, The Cove, 2012, the Al Gore documentary, and more as he surveys two issues—first, the effectiveness of Hollywood pantheists and environmentalists to subvert culture through media, and, second, the absence of a thoughtful response in film from the Christian community because we have abandoned the dominion mandate, and failed to mount an army to take the field. Watch the clip

I haven't seen Food, Inc. so I don't konw why Phillips would feel that Christians need to defeat it's message. The fact that he hates it makes me lean toward putting it on my BlockBuster que

[Joykins]

Damage to the industry? Why yes, because if your "Christian leader" independint film director/producer doesn't pay you, you can't get SAG to help you sue for your pay. So that's better for the director/producer, because it's less expensive to produce the film!

...and yes, I know several people this happened to.

[GeoBQn]

He probably thinks unions are damaging because their insistence on collective bargaining rights, health insurance, fair wages, and safe working conditions is an affront to the idea that "G-d will provide." Also, unions are a plot of teh ebil Marxists.

It's the same thing with all those movies mentioned. They consider any type of environmentalism to be idol worship, because it implies that G-d won't always provide everything that humans need, or save the day before an environmental catastrophe happens. Anybody here used to watch the show "Dinosaurs?" This attitude reminds me of an episode where teenage son Robbie writes a report about conserving resources. Otherwise if everybody, for example, eats all the grapes in the world, then there won't be any left ever again. The teacher gives him an F, saying "There will always be more grapes. Thats what 'more' means."

[JesusFightClub]

The practical implication of a union is that if you are a member your boss can no longer screw you over whenever they feel the urge. I'm at a loss to know what the theological implication might be though...

[liltwinstar]

Well, given that Reconstructionists take their beliefs on employers and employees from the slave/master verses in the bible, it's not hard to see why they wouldn't like unions. Basically, they think that if you work for someone, you're supposed to obey him 100%...which is why they don't like women working. You're not supposed to question the boss, and if said boss asks you to do something that violates your conscience (say, going to lunch with a female sales rep, for instance), you're supposed to quit. That's also why men are supposed to have their own home businesses - so they don't have to answer to anyone except God.

A union gets in the way of the master/slave relationship, so it's bad.

[debrand]

Well, given that Reconstructionists take their beliefs on employers and employees from the slave/master verses in the bible, it's not hard to see why they wouldn't like unions. Basically, they think that if you work for someone, you're supposed to obey him 100%...which is why they don't like women working. You're not supposed to question the boss, and if said boss asks you to do something that violates your conscience (say, going to lunch with a female sales rep, for instance), you're supposed to quit. That's also why men are supposed to have their own home businesses - so they don't have to answer to anyone except God.

A union gets in the way of the master/slave relationship, so it's bad.

I'm not a Christian any longer but its surprising how often fundies offend me for Christianity. How you describe Reconstructionist views on employment is the opposite of what Jesus would have advocated.

I've read similar reasoning online. The writers didn't use the phrase master/slave but they believed that employer treatment of workers would naturally improve if workers quit whenever they were being treated unfairly. No unions necessary. I really wonder if some of these people function in the real world or if they leave in an ideological bubble. Such reasoning gives the employer tremendous power over his workers. After all, most of us can't afford to just up and leave a job.

I'd love to know of any concrete way that unions have hurt the film industry beyond demanding to be fairly compensated for their work.

[JesusFightClub]

Well, given that Reconstructionists take their beliefs on employers and employees from the slave/master verses in the bible, it's not hard to see why they wouldn't like unions. Basically, they think that if you work for someone, you're supposed to obey him 100%...which is why they don't like women working. You're not supposed to question the boss, and if said boss asks you to do something that violates your conscience (say, going to lunch with a female sales rep, for instance), you're supposed to quit. That's also why men are supposed to have their own home businesses - so they don't have to answer to anyone except God.

A union gets in the way of the master/slave relationship, so it's bad.

Bloody hell, I've heard some stupid excuses for not joining the union in my time but "I believe it's Biblical that I should be treated like a slave" would be a new one on me. I guess he is really talking to employers, not workers.

Is the female sales rep the appearance of evil thingy again?

[Guest Anonymous]

Well, given that Reconstructionists take their beliefs on employers and employees from the slave/master verses in the bible, it's not hard to see why they wouldn't like unions. Basically, they think that if you work for someone, you're supposed to obey him 100%...which is why they don't like women working. You're not supposed to question the boss, and if said boss asks you to do something that violates your conscience (say, going to lunch with a female sales rep, for instance), you're supposed to quit. That's also why men are supposed to have their own home businesses - so they don't have to answer to anyone except God.

A union gets in the way of the master/slave relationship, so it's bad.

A union:

Obstructs them from imposing any conditions they please, no matter how unreasonable,

Lmits the number of hours of labor they can demand,

Prohibits them from discriminating on the basis of race, gender, age or disability

Requires minimum safety standards.

In other words, what's not to dislike.

[liltwinstar]

Yeah, but see, an union is an evil, ungodly 3rd party interfering with the employer's god-given right to treat its employees like dirt.

Patriarchy extends to the workplace. You take women out of it completely, and then you follow a rigid hierarchy in terms of pay, duties, etc. Under that kind of employment system, fundie men would be treated as serfs and/or slaves to those who employ them. As much as most employers like to think they're "benevolent" most of them do squeeze and stretch the margins in terms of acceptable treatment of employees, so it's a really good thing we have the employment laws we do.

Basically, all Reconstructionist/Dominionist/Fundie relationships are about power - establishing who has it (alpha men) and who needs to submit to it (women in all cases, less aggressive men sometimes, children always). There really isn't a concept of teamwork or even what we would call family - it's really just all about following the rules.

[cjsmom]

I haven't seen Food, Inc. so I don't konw why Phillips would feel that Christians need to defeat it's message. The fact that he hates it makes me lean toward putting it on my BlockBuster que

I have seen it, and I'm not sure why they have a hard time with it.

*The independent farmers tend to be portrayed in a very positive light, which should be good for fundies, seeing a man support his family through his own hard work - and his children helping out!

*The US government isn't portrayed very positively at all - lack of E.Coli legislation etc., and again, the fundies should be all over government corruption and getting 'Godly' men in power to purify it...

*The way big business controls our food choices... again, fundies should be happy to see this being exposed. Look at the vomit Szuszu spews about what's in mainstream food...

Silly Fundies.

I enjoyed Food Inc. It definitely affirmed my decisions on how I eat.

[notsocommon]

food inc is on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGN9J1-s ... re=related

[Hane]

cjsmom, I think I know why they hate "Food, Inc." People of Doug's ilk are closely linked to dominionism, an unholy marriage of Christian fundamentalism/patriarchy and the political far-right wing--so of course they're VERY pro-big-business. They may give lip service to people like the independent family farmer, but, when push comes to shove, they'll always align with big business, which has the big bucks they need to advance their agenda.

[Guest Anonymous]

I thank unions, IATSE, and SEIU for the retirement incomes/union pensions provide for my husband and myself. Its unfortunate that unorganized labor without these benefits will be struggling when it comes to providing for themselves post retirement.