Style verses Substance

Over the holidays I read Frank Abagnale's autobiography, Catch Me If You Can

A very interesting read. Amazing what he got away with and how brilliant and broken he was. That's another story.

At the end of the book there were some Q&As, particularly about the recent film. I found some of the answers very revealing.

Let's contrast some of Abagnale's answers:

I spent a great deal of time with Leonardo. I visited with him at his home, and we went over in great detail my past, my habits, my likes and dislikes, even my mannerisms. He truly studied who I was and who I am. He was fun to be with and a great host.

Hollywood takes its craft seriously, there's a professionalism and realism that Hollywood works very hard to achieve. "I want to be Frank Abagnale"

But look at these answers taken from a few different questions:

From the first time I met Steven Spielberg, he explained to me that it is
impossible to take five years of one's life and put it into a two-hour film
without taking out some details. When the filming was completed in May 2002, I
felt that it was approximately eighty-percent accurate. They changed my family
structure, took out some of the impersonations, omitted prison time I served in
Sweden and my escape from federal custody, as well as changed the times and
locations of certain events.

I don't want to knock the movie, because, after all, it is just a movie. The character of my father, played by the great actor Christopher Walken, is not really much like my real father. My father was honest as the day is long, didn't have much of an ego, and was a hard worker. My parents' divorce was extremely difficult for my father, but he was always a great dad to me. My mother did remarry some twenty years after the divorce; however, she had no children from that marriage.

The atmosphere, the feel, the character is important, must be just right. But the facts are changeable. A director can change dates, times and events. The screenplay can change motivations, shaping forces, relationships, even the character of the father- if it makes a better story.

That's the flaw of Hollywood. Getting 'the feel' right is fundamental but the facts are flexible. Atmosphere trumps accuracy.

So with conscious changes made, with the motivations and relationships adjusted for a better story the film is still marketed as, "The true story of a real fake" How far below 80% accurate do we have to go before we say, "Based on a true story." I wonder what relationship between the facts and the film is designated by "inspired by..."

Because of the professionalism in the actors portrayal, the expertise of the setmakers and wardrobe, the cleverness of directors and all involved, because of the admirable Hollywood professionalism in craft the viewer walks away thinking/feeling, "I know that Frank Abagnale." But they don't. They are misled about what motivated him. They are misled about this being a "true story". They have watched a very plausible reinvention.

We need to remember that whenever we watch TV, movies, or even read a book. That ain't the real story.

But as Christians we need to be aware that Hollywood is not alone in this.

The whole world does it.

Have you noticed that in politics Style is more important than substance. (Bill Clinton vs George Bush is a good example). The research suggests it's true in the law courts as well. Good looking people get less convictions and lighter sentences. Why do you think every defendant appears in a suit?

And so the applicable warning to the church is that we need to be careful of this effect too.

So often in "religious" circles charisma seems to be how we judge people rather than content. "He's a nice guy." "He's a very gentle and humble man." etc etc. Never mind that what he teaches leads people astray and Jesus would have put a millstone around his neck and chucked him in the ocean for it. (Mark 9:42)

Pastors, teachers, Christians: You have the truth. Make sure you put the best clothes on it. Be a nice guy, humble, godly, caring, get the "atmosphere" right.

Christians, search committees, followers: Make sure you look past the new suit and find what the truth within is. Does this pastor teach the Bible? Does he believe it? Does he believe the gospel will save this wicked generation or is his hope in marketing or strategies or methods?

A good Christian needs both good character and good doctrine, but the error of our age is to overlook doctrine and be fooled by charisma.