Chinese Censorship, Hollywood, and the Love of Money – Opinion

I was recently impacted by two events that occurred both nationally and locally, which led me to consider the Bible’s most commonly misquoted verse. This verse is a misquoted one. 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”

It is sometimes incorrectly translated as “Money is the root of all evil.” It is possible to be good with money. Money donated for research to a children’s cancer hospital or donated to a family that has lost everything in a house fire is certainly not evil. 

Both wealth and money can serve both good and bad purposes. Money’s purpose is dependent on the person possessing it and their motives for acquiring it and giving it away.

If someone’s moral compass is skewed with motives of greed, they will easily sell out their integrity and dignity for financial gain. Last week, three St. Louis Board of Alderman officials were charged with corruption and bribery. 

The current president of the board is one of the indicted Aldermen, who held the position for 15 years. Other indicted aldermen have been elected first in 2005, and again in 2017. They both resigned in disgrace, but the president of the board has taken leave.

This is what I found most remarkable about it. We are sorryThese men, in addition to the fact that voters trusted them by electing them again election after election as honorable citizens, were also willing to accept small amounts of money. 

The scheme claimed that each participant made less than $10,000, which they were allotted by the FBI in $2,000 and $2,500 increments for a period of two years. The lesson here seems to be that avarice has no floor when one’s heart has been darkened by greed. “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”

This is the national event that has made me reflect upon it “love of money” This was the sequel of the blockbuster 1986 movie Top Gun. Prior to the opening of the much-anticipated sequel, controversy erupted when the flags of Taiwan and Japan were removed in previews from Tom Cruise’s iconic bomber jacket. To Top Gun’s credit, they did ultimately put the flags back on Cruise’s jacket but they are only there for a split second before the scene changes. To appease China’s government which regards Taiwan as a separate country from mainland China, the flags were taken down.

China has been the biggest movie market for the past two years, beating the United States. 7.4 billion in box-office revenues. Hollywood has been very careful over the years not to offend the Chinese communist government with overly American themes or with themes the government may find objectionable — like legitimizing the Taiwanese government. John Cena, an actor, apologized in Mandarin last year when he stated that Taiwan was the country he had been watching. “Fast and Furious 9.”

After some digging, I found out that the 2012 remake is the same film as the one from 1984. “Red Dawn” China had been originally listed as the invasion force. But, movie executives were concerned about a possible backlash by the Chinese government and changed it to North Korea. 

Not only is Hollywood fearful of movie censorship but they’re also fearful of their movies being outright banned in China. Chinese investors could also be a concern. Top Gun Maverick Originally, there was a Chinese investor. But they pulled out after seeing the movie. “pro-U.S. messages.”   “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”

Another example of American businesses bowing to Beijing is the pursuit of the almighty dollars. Disney, for example, self-censors their films because they want to build a China theme park one day.  

The NBA general manager, who took responsibility for the tweeting scandal in 2019, also: “Fight for Freedom, stand with Hong Kong.”  NBA stars Lebron James and James Hardy incredibly apologized to China for the tweet with Harden tweeting, “We love China.” 

Lebron claimed in 2014 GQ that being a billionaire is what he loves. “biggest milestone.” Lebron certainly won’t let a little thing like China’s human rights abuses get in the way of selling overpriced shoes — made in sweatshops mind you — to the largest consumer market in the world! “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”

I find it deeply saddened to see American leaders and American businesses selling their integrity in order to make a living off their love for money. That love of money is propping up an immoral regime that is also America’s economic and military enemy. Because of the capitalist system’s inability to match its rigid economic system, the Soviet Union was certain to fail.

We have spent over thirty years trying to make China free and open society. American corporations and greedy Americans are selling out American institutions and values. Sad. “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”