Ministry, Feminism, Carrie Prejean Fired, U.S. Politics, and more!

Greetings C2 readers... as you have seen I have not been able to post anything in a couple days. With summer beginning and school letting out and an impending mission trip with my church my time has been quite limited. This blog is a passion of mine, but right now I've got to take a couple days or so to get things in order ministerially. Please pray for me and my church and our upcoming mission trip to New Mexico, for our youth ministry (summer is out and things are picking up speed; pray that we God do some amazing things in the lives of our youth and their families) and my family (we've had much go on in the last couple weeks).

There is much going on in the world and culture that I'd love to write about, but the time is not there for me to write full posts. So here are some snippets of things happening that have my attention:

• The U.S. government looking to pass hate crime laws that will most likely be a stepping stone to hindering the speech of religion (all religions).
• Carrie Prejean is fired for "dereliction of duties". Obviously I don't have a clue as to whether or not Carrie is doing her Ms. USA job or not, but it seems rather convenient. I'm curious if her firing now is what Donald Trump and the organization wanted to do before, but because of the intense media attention (and heated conversation about her marriage stance) they opted to retain her until later. Again, I have no idea, but this seems rather convenient.
  
• lemondrop.com has released a list of TV's "Least Feminist" characters with Friends' Rachel Green (played by Jennifer Aniston) taking the top position, followed by Married with Children's Kelly Bundy (played by Christina Applegate). My brief take: Feminism is a sad movement, especially in our present day. It exists because of the failure of men to see and value women as God created them: valuable, honorable, cherishable, respectable and equal in worth. Unfortunately, many men do not hold them in such a high regard and the result is feminist groups attacking any sort of tradition. This list is somewhat comical, but the values and ideas behind the feminist opinion of what defines a woman ought to be examined seriously in light of the Creator's idea as to who women really are (men too, for that matter, because many of them aren't living up to their God-given role).
  
• President Obama insulted Israel in a picture of him talking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with his feet on the desk (revealing the soles of his shoes). I completely understand the perception of the photo and the apparent insult, though I highly doubt President Obama intentionally set out to insult their nation or its leadership. What's funny to me is aol.com took a poll asking mostly American voters if the pic offended them. In the famous words of Gomer Pyle, "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise": 75% were not personally offended (of 321,000 or so votes). Of course they aren't offended, America is not offended by much (except Christianity - but that's another conversation). Silly poll question.
  
• My wife and I watched the movie "He's Just NOT That Into You" last night. I plan to write a blog entry on this movie in the next couple days (I hope) and its worldview.
  
• There are a slew of movie and television show franchises either being resurrected or rebooted in the next couple of years. I have some input as to why Hollywood is smart for going this way (after all, all they want to do is make money) and why movie goers are most likely gonna buy in... more on this when I post this.
  

That's all for now... I've got to get back to work. :-) More in the next couple days. Hopefully I will then get back to my regular daily posts. Until then...

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Everyone Loves a Hero

Batman. Iron Man. Spiderman. Edward Cullen. Autobots. Harry Potter. James T. Kirk.

I am a sucker for good Super Hero movies (or movies with a definite hero, period). My wife tolerates them (though I think she secretly enjoys them more than she lets on), but I love them. One movie we both have a common love for is The Dark Knight (she even says it might be her favorite film of all time). Why do we love that movie? Why do I love (super) hero movies? Why do most people love hero stories?

• As children (especially boys) we all secretly want to be the hero that saves the world from impending doom and is the twinkle in every citizen’s eye, as they lavish us with praise: “Thank you Super Christian, you are my hero!” “Super Christian – here is the key to the city… we are eternally gratefully for your service to us.” *No… don’t be silly. I don’t still think like that… don’t mind my red cape*

• They reflect the truth of Creation: there is good and evil. This truth resonates within each one of us.

• They show people (some ordinary, some juiced up on radioactive material, some in weird but cool costumes and some as vampires or wizards or whatever) in morally compromising and ethically challenging situations… it’s how they struggle with being/doing good and ultimately emerge victorious that draws us in and inspires hope (to a certain degree… after all, they are only movies).

• Seeing good prevail in film inspires us to want to see it in real life, too.

• We want to see justice prevail, good win and innocents protected. All of these are Biblical qualities that God has built within each of us.

To prove my point a little further, the most anticipated films of the summer are all hero stories: Star Trek (a reboot to the semi-stale franchise), Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen, G.I. Joe, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Terminator Salvation and New Moon (sequel to Twighlight… due out in November).

Parents of Children: Watch some of these movies (in particular, the age appropriate ones) and ask your kids the question: "other than beating the bad guy, what are some other things that made so-and-so a true hero?" Or say/ask: "it's not always easy doing the right thing, is it? How did so-and-so struggle to do the right thing? Did they make the right choices? If not, how did it hurt them or others? If yes, how did it pay off in the end?" A good movie to start with is Disney's The Incredibles. GREAT family film!

Parents of Teens: Use films like The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Twighlight, etc. to discuss the moral dilemmas present within the film. Talk about the sacrifices it took for the characters to be/do good. Or the consequences associated with their poor choices (both for themselves as well as others who were affected by them). Film is a great tool for teaching and discussing worldview with teens!


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Image borrowed from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pink_finger_prints/2128808897/
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Why Christians Ought to See "The Dark Knight"

I AM BACK... the trip was amazing! I have seen some things that have truly broken my heart and redefined prayer in my life. Thank you for your patience in my absence. I am now back on schedule (1-2 posts/week). HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

To begin: I am NOT a comic book junkie. I don't know what happened to Iron Man in issue #354 or Superman in issue #417… I do not know Captain America’s or Green Lantern's alter-egos’ names… I do not know which comics are actually still in circulation; however, I do like many comic book movies. I love GOOD movies with amazing stories and that are solid technically (directing, cinematography, effects, music, etc.), and recently many of the comic books-turned-movies have been enjoyable.

"The Dark Knight" is no ordinary, “enjoyable” comic book movie. It is a masterfully done piece of art that is probably the BEST good vs. evil movie I've ever seen. Politics aside (as many have alluded to the potential political message seen throughout the film), Christopher Nolan has directed a true masterpiece of a movie that I believe all Christians ought to see.

Superb acting aside (yes, Ledger’s Joker is worthy of all the hype), here's my rundown of why this film is one of the best (newly added to "my favorites" list) and why Christians ought to see it:

• Evil is portrayed as it truly is – pure evil. No real motive or reason for its cause – just the absolute lack of good. (Matter of fact, seeing it this way helps the viewer see how easy it is for good to blur the line of evil for its own sake… I digress.)
  


• I have not, in recent memory, seen evil portrayed in such a manner that the resulting anarchy/chaos actually become their own character(s). As the story and city seemingly come unglued, the audience is masterfully put in a shaky position of choosing its side (and for many, the good side is not as easy to identify as originally thought).
  


• The middle characters (supporting cast) do an amazing job of painting a grey line right down the middle of good and evil. If doing evil allows for good, is it really evil? Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhal), Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), Alfred (Michael Caine) and even the citizens of Gotham each come face-to-face with this question. How would you respond in such an event?

As a Christian this movie is even more enjoyable (though I am not a big fan of violence) because of how it wrestles with good and evil. It does not paint an easy to follow, cliché line of good. Instead it grabs the audience and puts them in a position where they are forced to see (maybe even test) their own ethical/moral values.

While the Bible does not paint an ambiguous line of what is good, many times Christians repaint the line for God according to their own definition of "good." That is what this movie shows, but (as Nolan beautifully illustrates) if good is ever going to conquer evil, there can be no compromise.

EDITORIAL NOTE: Just to be clear (though I know this is obvious to most), The Dark Knight is rated PG-13 for scenes of violence.

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Spider-Man the Family Man

A solid example of real life fatherhood came from the most unlikely of places… Hollywood! In the midst of the land of make believe and false beliefs one man stood against the “machine” and won. Tobey Maguire (the 33 yr old actor known for his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man) signed an unprecedented deal this week to return as the comic book hero Spider-Man in the fourth and fifth installments of the franchised movie. As a part of his insanely lucrative payment ($50 million) for his acting services (I know actors, athletes, musicians, etc. work hard, but it still amazes me that they make MILLIONS to do what they do) he demanded time off every morning and evening to “play with his daughter.” AWESOME!

What a stellar standard to set. Sony at first was reluctant to meet that demand for fear of setting a precedent (showing, again, Hollywood’s true colors – money over family and what really matters), but they backed down when they realized Toby wouldn’t. So props to you, Spider-Man, for being "the Man" in your daughter’s life and demonstrating to her what ought to be more valuable than any thing (money included): family.

See the article here: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4749016.ece

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MOVIE REVIEWS: "Definitely, Maybe" and "John Adams"

First, a note on my movie reviews. Since my wife and I rarely make it out to movies (kids, $$ - $10 per person adds up quick!, etc.), many of my reviews are of movies on DVD. My primary concern is first with its message (what worldview is being offered?) and then with its technical and creative elements (was it good? well written? creatively done? how's the cinematography? did the medium properly portray the message, or did it hinder it? etc.). On to the reviews (which will pop up here and there in my blog)...

DEFINETELY, MAYBE

(definitely, well, maybe 3 stars)

sticking with the cliche star-rating system

I am quite conflicted... I have 2 ratings for this movie. First, the positive: 4 stars for acting and creative story line. Make no mistake about it, this IS a typical Romantic Comedy, but with a creative approach (can't say much without spoiling it - no it's not THAT big of a twist, but an interesting one).
Now for the not-so-positive feedback: 2 stars. There are several issues with this movie. First, its utter lack of understanding of what love is. Second, its reliance on the child to be the redemptive hero (with not so wise advice - "dad, trust me, you're not happy"). Third, all the characters' consistent lack of moral direction is ASTOUNDING (and why would the dad talk at length about such a lifestyle with his CHILD?!?!). Fourth, as it is with most Hollywood movies now, there is very little consequence for such poor morals. I did, however, appreciate the film at least making an attempt at pointing out the dad's moral flaws on occasion - even better was that it was his daughter busting him ("you did THAT?"), then forgiving him ("I still love you"). How often we forget our decisions not only affect us, but those around us (and some times not even until years and years later). So as you can see, I am conflicted, so I split the difference and gave it 3 stars.

JOHN ADAMS

(5 Patriotic Stars)

PHENOMENAL! I thoroughly enjoyed the first and second discs of this series and look forward to watching the remaining two episodes. To be honest, I was quite nervous watching another HBO series (the others have been unwatchable due to the ridiculous amounts of nudity, sex, language, etc.), but this one has set a new standard! Episode 2 is particularly powerful - especially the scene where the forefathers declare independence... not at all how I pictured that scene taking place (what a powerful scene!). Paul Giamatti is a gem of an actor - every time I see him he's better and better. The cast assembled for this mini-series was brilliant - Tom Wilkinson (as Ben Franklin? Who knew?!?! Good pick!), David Morse (would have NEVER pegged him as George Washington, but WOW! Great performance), Laura Linney... really good cast. Even better is the amazing view of God they had (my fav. line to date in a movie is in this; Abigail Adams to her son as he was leaving: "Remember, you are accountable to our Maker for every decision you make."). The forefathers, though not perfect (or played as perfect), had an amazing sense of their place in this world and their accountability to God. Both my wife and I are loving this (and that says a lot because my wife does not typically enjoy historical pieces)... on to Disc 3!!!

My Take on "Juno"

Over the last several weeks I've had several conversations with teens and adults alike about the movie "Juno" (starring Ellen Page). As one would expect, opinions about the movie have varied greatly. So I figured, why not one more. Here's my take on the movie (originally posted on netflix.com as a part of my movie community reviews):

**SPOILER** First off, I'm a sucker for wit and sarcasm - both of which are packaged very well in the tiny character of Juno. Wit and sarcasm aside, however, this movie is nothing more than a film celebrating a teen's search for self-identity, only to find it through a consequence-free pregnancy. Sure, she's not like the "other" high school kids and mom and dad are disappointed, but it's amazing that a film that attempted to pride itself on some emotionally-charged sequences somehow manages to conclude with very little emotional baggage for Juno (considering what she had been through and the choice(s) she made). Matter of fact, it's the opposite - she is now able to go on about life happy and in love with the boy that was always there but she didn't really notice (or at least notice her true feelings for). So note for my daughter: pregnant is cute and a good path for self discovery. Check.

Ok, so this may be jumping the shark a wee-bit, but not an all-together illogical conclusion: Teen has sex with a convenient friend to cure boredom - teen unexpectantly gets pregnant – decides to have the baby (very good choice) – gives the baby up for adoption to a woman (Jennifer Garner) who is made out to be a hero for wanting a baby, but is actually self-absorbed and newly single (that’s a wholly different conversation) – teen falls “in love” with the baby’s teen daddy and they live on happily ever after playing their music.
It’s a bummer because I really wanted to enjoy this movie. Until next time… that’s what Juno is all about Charlie Brown…