A recent Kelton Research survey showed that a representative sample of the US population is more familiar with the TV sitcom "The Brady Bunch" and the ingredients of a McDonald's(R) hamburger than with the Ten Commandments: out of the 1,000 respondents, almost two in five (35%) can recall all six Brady kids, a quarter (25%) could name all seven ingredients of the Big Mac(R), but only just over one in ten (14%) can accurately list all Ten Commandments.
With public knowledge of the Ten Commandments on the ebb, Academy Award(TM)-nominated actor Elliott Gould, who voices God in the upcoming film, "The Ten Commandments," agrees with producers that something needs to be done. Produced and distributed by Promenade Pictures, the movie opens in theatres nationwide Oct. 19, in conjunction with an online campaign to heighten awareness of the historical basis for our nation's legal and moral code.
"I'm a father and a grandfather, and I'm older now and recognize my own mortality. I have acquired some degree of perspective and focus in my existence," Gould said. "I am concerned about the situation in the Middle East and different perspectives, and I would hope that to renew, restore and strengthen our resolve in relation to ethics and morals can help to pave the way to make for peace and harmony in the world amongst all of us."
"It is very disconcerting that more people know the contents of a Big Mac(R) than know the contents of our moral standards," said Cindy Bond, the film's producer. "I came to Hollywood because, as a mother and a person with Christian values, I wanted to use the most powerful medium in the world to be a seed planter. The Ten Commandments are the backbone of our society. They are God's missive to mankind and God's blueprint for how we are to live our lives."
In connection with the film, individuals can visit http://www.10commandmentschallenge.org/ to test their own knowledge and find resources to help educate themselves, their families or groups.
Promenade Pictures is releasing "The Ten Commandments" in theaters nationwide Oct. 19 as the first in its "Epic Stories of the Bible" 12-film series. features the voice talent of Academy Award(TM) winner Ben Kingsley as narrator, Christian Slater (Moses), Alfred Molina (Ramses) and Academy Award(TM) nominee Elliott Gould (voice of God). See http://www.10commandmentsmovie.com/ for more information.
