Diocese of Ely - Home - The Church of England in Cambridgeshire & West Norfolk
 

Education & Training

Supporting Schools & Parishes

 
 

Youth

 
 

DVD RESOURCES

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion questions....

Which famous person do you admire the most, and why?

Have you ever dreamt about appearing on programmes like Fame Academy or The X Factor? Would you ever turn up to one of the auditions, and if you did, what songs would you sing?

As a Christian, what advice would you give to someone who’s just won Big Brother or a TV talent show?

 

A youth group meeting based on the theme 'The Search for Fame' by using the movie, 'American Dreamz'

Youth Group Bible Reading: (Ecclesiastes 4 v 14-16).

“Fame. I'm gonna make it to heaven. Light up the sky like a flame. I'm gonna live for ever. Baby remember my name.”

These are lyrics from the theme song of the movie, 'Fame'. But let's look at those words a little closer.

They seem to imply that fame is everything – it’ll get you to heaven and make you live for ever. Maybe that’s why wannabes flock in their thousands to auditions for programmes like The X Factor.

There are a number of reasons why people might want to become famous. Maybe it’s to do with having financial security or freedom to express oneself artistically, be it through acting, music, or whatever their skill might be. Or maybe it is to escape that feeling of insignifance; that “I am worth nothing, a nobody, but maybe if I get my face on television with everyone loving me, I can be a somebody.”

On American Dreamz we see this in action. Sally Kendoo (Mandy Moore) will do anything to get herself to the top. She is a small town girl with a devoted boyfriend who truly loves her, but as soon as she hears she has been accepted as a contestant on the latest series of American Dreamz she dumps him.

But what happens when you get to the top and still don’t feel any different? The insecurities are still there, only magnified because of greater pressure to perform. The desire to be loved doesn’t go away, but now you have more money to spend on makeovers, plastic surgery, teeth jobs and even implants!

As a character in a recent episode of 'Monk' said, 'A model's life is sweet... and short!'

How does it feel when thousands of critics are commenting on the clothes you wear when you turn up to film premieres or go out with a friend for an evening?

Why is it that so many famous people turn to drink or drugs – is it because they realise that fame hasn’t helped them and in some cases has made them feel worse? And what happens when the good looks fade, the latest album fails to chart, or your sporting skills disappear because of aging? What do you do then? You tasted fame, but now it’s gone, and you still have the rest of your life to live.

We read a similar story in the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. An unknown with no money and a criminal record somehow achieved temporary fame and became king. He was popular for a while (which was great!), but then there was a backlash, as there almost always is. He lost his fame, power and popularity and probably ended up back where he started.

Fame is only fleeting – a temporary fix. There are many famous people I admire and I often dream about becoming a famous writer – but in the end we need to aim for things that are more meaningful and permanent. Our relationships with God, our friends and and our family, and our attitudes to injustice, poverty and ecological issues – these are what really count. And as the old saying goes: “Be careful how you treat people on the way up because they might kick you when you’re on the way down!”

More Christian DVD Resources