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Christians respond to '50 Shades of Grey' trailer with 'Old Fashioned' film
Old Fashion Film
'Old fashioned' poster. - photo by Skoche Films
Kelsey Dallas
Deseret News National
Updated: Aug 17, 2014, 5:00 PM
Published: Aug 14, 2014, 6:29 PM

Valentine's Day celebrations boost business for flower shops, candy stores and romantic, candlelit restaurants. In 2015, the box office is also expected to enjoy increased sales on Feb. 14 as couples choose between the controversial "50 Shades of Grey" and the recently announced, faith-based "Old Fashioned."

Announced four days after the first trailer for "50 Shades" was released on YouTube, "Old Fashioned" will be a "love story that takes the idea of Godly romance seriously," the film's writer-director and lead actor, Rik Swartzwelder, told Variety. The film's studio, Freestyle Releasing, is known for the 2014 hit "God's Not Dead."

Swartzwelder portrays a reformed frat boy engaged in an old-fashioned courtship with actress Elizabeth Ann Roberts. His character "makes a commitment to not be alone with his intended until after marriage," Time magazine reported.

Although the "Old Fashioned" announcement was timed to take advantage of the buzz around "50 Shades," Swartzwelder said he's been working with the concept of faith-based relationships for years. He told Time that he wrote the screenplay for "Old Fashioned" a decade ago.

"(Although) the idea of an upstart response to mass interest in BDSM relationships makes for a fun meta-narrative, 'Old Fashioned' isn't actually a reaction to '50 Shades of Grey,'" Time reported. "It was a response to what its creators see as a culture that celebrates ideas like those in '50 Shades' but doesn't seem to create stable, romantic relationships."

"Old Fashioned" isn't expected to make much of a dent in the earnings of the higher-profile film, but Swartzwelder said his focus is on serving religious communities who don't agree with the "50 Shades" hype.

"There's definitely a David v. Goliath comparison. … They will have more screens, more money, more hype … but we're hopeful that we are not alone in our belief that there are others out there who desire more from love — and the movies — than objectification or domination," he told Variety.

Several articles have already addressed the need for Christians to think critically about the huge popularity of a film like "50 Shades of Grey." Christianity Today noted, "Less than a week after the clip went up on YouTube, [the trailer) became the most-viewed movie trailer of the year."

Christianity Today's article discussed the depiction of sex in "50 Shades": "While movies and books like '50 Shades' suggest that sex is power, we know a different truth: Love is power," wrote Kim Gaines Eckert, a psychologist and guest contributor.
The problem is that churches still aren't comfortable addressing sexuality, explained Laura Turner for Religion News Service.
"What I think churches and other faith communities need are places to safely and privately talk about sex," Turner wrote. "You don't have to see or read '50 Shades' to understand how the Christian conversation has fallen short, and you don't have to imitate it to have a good sex life."

Email: kdallas@deseretnews.com Twitter: @kelsey_dallas
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.