Monday, March 31, 2014
385 - At the Movies - 'Nothing' to See?
Spirituality Column #385
April 1, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville-Fishers-Zionsville
Several religious movies currently are being marketed to Christian audiences and I haven’t seen any of them. Yet.
Noah is a blockbuster mega-movie open everywhere, evidently trading-in God, morality and biblical accuracy for a morally modernistic, enviro-fascist, “man is bad–save the earth” secular romp. Its trailers and reviews suggest a heavy “moral” message but its script never actually mentions God. The film opens with the words, “In the beginning, there was nothing.”
“Nothing?” Really? Oops.
Open any Bible to Genesis 1:1 and you’ll read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Removing God from the beginning of a Bible story is a cataclysmic theological fumble and a reliable “tell” that this movie isn’t about God’s truth, it’s about man’s philosophy and politics. The Pope graciously received and blessed star Russell Crowe recently, but didn’t bless the movie. Another “tell.” I’ll pass.
Son of God is a feature-length Jesus-centered re-cut of 2013’s TV miniseries, “The Bible,” which overall was very well done. But I have to tell you … I never watched the last of the six installments. That would be the Jesus trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection episode. Ever since Passion of the Christ (2004), I simply ask Jesus for His graceful forgiveness that I don’t ever want to see anything like that again.
Son of God catches grief in some Christian quarters for taking doctrinal liberties with the biblical story, but that’s not why I’ll avoid seeing it. I already know what happened and reliving the visual violence will not buttress, increase or intensify my faith.
The movie I definitely plan to see is “God’s Not Dead.” I admire the pluckiness of a college student who refuses to comply when a professor instructs his class to write the words “God is Dead.” The trailer samples the climactic debate scene where the student challenges the professor with, “Why do you hate God?”
The film promises thought-provoking entertainment.
“Heaven is for Real” was a charming “what if” book about a little boy visiting heaven. I’m sure it will be a charming movie. It’s outside most biblical purview, but the sentiment that heaven is a real place, well, I’m all for that. It’s out at Easter.
Two smaller films with local flavor will be available soon, I hope. “Ragamuffin” is about deceased Indiana Christian musician Rich Mullins who wrote the song “Awesome God.” Rich’s brother Dave was a local staff minister, and Rich’s close friend Sam Howard pastors The Gathering in Carmel. “The War Within” was written by Indy Star cartoonist Gary Varvel and produced by Brownsburg’s House of Grace Films.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), who rarely goes to movies, will report back on “God's Not Dead.” Also, for information on a local screening of “Ragamuffin” April 12, see www.east91st.org.
April 1, 2014
Current in Carmel-Westfield-Noblesville-Fishers-Zionsville
At the Movies – ‘Nothing’
to See?
By Bob WaltersSeveral religious movies currently are being marketed to Christian audiences and I haven’t seen any of them. Yet.
Noah is a blockbuster mega-movie open everywhere, evidently trading-in God, morality and biblical accuracy for a morally modernistic, enviro-fascist, “man is bad–save the earth” secular romp. Its trailers and reviews suggest a heavy “moral” message but its script never actually mentions God. The film opens with the words, “In the beginning, there was nothing.”
“Nothing?” Really? Oops.
Open any Bible to Genesis 1:1 and you’ll read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Removing God from the beginning of a Bible story is a cataclysmic theological fumble and a reliable “tell” that this movie isn’t about God’s truth, it’s about man’s philosophy and politics. The Pope graciously received and blessed star Russell Crowe recently, but didn’t bless the movie. Another “tell.” I’ll pass.
Son of God is a feature-length Jesus-centered re-cut of 2013’s TV miniseries, “The Bible,” which overall was very well done. But I have to tell you … I never watched the last of the six installments. That would be the Jesus trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection episode. Ever since Passion of the Christ (2004), I simply ask Jesus for His graceful forgiveness that I don’t ever want to see anything like that again.
Son of God catches grief in some Christian quarters for taking doctrinal liberties with the biblical story, but that’s not why I’ll avoid seeing it. I already know what happened and reliving the visual violence will not buttress, increase or intensify my faith.
The movie I definitely plan to see is “God’s Not Dead.” I admire the pluckiness of a college student who refuses to comply when a professor instructs his class to write the words “God is Dead.” The trailer samples the climactic debate scene where the student challenges the professor with, “Why do you hate God?”
The film promises thought-provoking entertainment.
“Heaven is for Real” was a charming “what if” book about a little boy visiting heaven. I’m sure it will be a charming movie. It’s outside most biblical purview, but the sentiment that heaven is a real place, well, I’m all for that. It’s out at Easter.
Two smaller films with local flavor will be available soon, I hope. “Ragamuffin” is about deceased Indiana Christian musician Rich Mullins who wrote the song “Awesome God.” Rich’s brother Dave was a local staff minister, and Rich’s close friend Sam Howard pastors The Gathering in Carmel. “The War Within” was written by Indy Star cartoonist Gary Varvel and produced by Brownsburg’s House of Grace Films.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), who rarely goes to movies, will report back on “God's Not Dead.” Also, for information on a local screening of “Ragamuffin” April 12, see www.east91st.org.
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