movie

[Gerioke]

I saw the movie and remember liking it. I don't believe it's meant to be a replacement for scripture, just christian entertainment.

[irishcowboy]

The books were, as usual, much better than the movie.  The movie was great though.  Don't hesitate to rent/buy it!  I was fortunate enough to get to meet the author, Joseph Girzone, when he came to town to do a book signing during the release of one of the books.

The first book, Joshua, is the most amazing one.  Don't let the fact that he's a retired RCC disuade you from reading the book or watching/buying the movie.  In the book, to my recollection, he doesn't kneel at the Pope's feet.  In the movie he didn't really either.  The Pope was sitting in a chair and Joshua knelt down by the Pope.  It comes from the Catholic standpoint that Paul was given the keys to the church and those keys have been handed down to the Popes. 

The books are NOT written from just the Catholic viewpoint though and are not blatantly Catholic.  The books involve other denominations and are treated respectfully.  I highly, highly recommend this book!!!!!!!!  Here is a synopsis of the movie...

Joshua (2002)

[Gerioke]

The books were, as usual, much better than the movie.

[Keith]

Mike, I think you are overreacting to a book that you haven't even picked-up.

First, the author never says that Joshua is Christ. Some people may interpret may interpret that the Joshua character is Jesus, but the book leaves his true identity a mystery in order to get them thinking more about the book's message of loving one another the way Jesus did.

Second, in the book, Joshua does not kneel at the Pope's (or anyones) feet. Even in the movie he doesn't. The person who relayed that was incorrect. As the Pope is sitting in a chair, Joshua knelt down beside him to talk to him. The Pope is but a mere mention in the book and is only in the movie for a couple minutes.

Third, Paul was supposed to be the beginning of the RCC was my error. I'm not Catholic and I got Peter and Paul mixed-up. That doesn't take away from the book, which does NOT espouse Catholocism at all. He just happens to be a retired RCC priest.

a person can call it poetic license or anything else they want, but if they are portraying Christ as being something other then the Son of God, crucified and risen, and assended, then they are teaching falsely...... if they are teaching anything but the Word they are not worth watching......

You must very rarely watch TV or see any movies then. There is absolutely nothing wrong with writing a story like "Joshua." I would really like to hear what you think about the book once you read it. I believe your opinion would be different.

The movie description of it being a "Second Coming" isn't true. They obviously don't know the meaning of that phrase. Movies always take license. The movie was ok, but the book is great. It's just a book about someone who lives like Jesus did... in love. Even a book written about Jesus arriving to live among us today, encouraging us to walk in love would not be against the Word.

[irishcowboy]

not over reacting. and if I am, then maybe we all need to over react about some of the movies that are going on today, and the tolerance that we are providing towards them.... the problem with some of these movies, is that they are teaching falsely, and people that do not know the word of God tend to take these movies as gospel......

we might even try to justify them by saying that this may be as close to the Bible as they will ever get...... that is a cop out..... people are just lazy.... they want some one else to do the work for them and them collect the paycheck at the end..

the reality is..... at the end of the harvest, those that have not done their own work will not receive their paycheck.... and those that are teaching falsely will receive their due rewards too.....

I know what God has waiting for those that teach falsely...... I was shown what could have been mine when i was not telling it like it was.....

as far as reading or not reading a book, I have seen several that are in the "Bible" Book Stores that i will not promote, partially due to the covers and also from the write up on the cover and also from reading a couple sections from them.... one series is on review now at one of our local book stores for portraying junk that is not of God.

if I want to pollute my mind with false teachings, i can do that on the street, or allow other false teachers into my house. we have cleansed our home, and we keep it clean of spiritual junk.

if you want to promote the movie and the book then do so. from what i have heard of it, and read of it, i can not. the Joshua books may be fine and dandy,

but like the movie Noah's Ark, talk about a bunch of lies...... we do not need to be twisting God Word like satan got Eve to do. just a small little twist turned the Truth into a lie.

mike

[Artemus Prime]

Again, as has been stated before...as Christians, we're not called to embrace culture, but neither are we called to a judgmental refusal to partake in the culture.

We're simply called to transform the culture, just as Christ did when He walked this earth...

Now, of course it's one thing if ya'll are refusing to see this movie, say, because you've struggled with entertainment temptations (as it were) in the past. But it's quite another if the reason you're coming down so hard on this movie/books (in this case) because you believe that "in the world, not of the world" means that we should only look out for other believers, and let the lost burn...

It comes to my mind then, wondering what you think of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ? That film alone within the past year has led an untold count to the saving grace of Jesus, by faithfully portraying, violence and all, what He had to suffer for us...

It's quite a sad state when we've seemingly transformed "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" into "Come into my church and hear the sermon"...

AP

[ann2]

As i said ,i have read all the Joshua books and they are not i repeat,are not teaching a false doctrine.Joshua is a good man who helps all he comes in contact with and teaches them to love one another.He does not say he is God nor does the book.How people can jump on a book they have not even read is beyond me.

[Keith]

Mike,

First, I want to apologize for my use of the word "overreacting." It was not the appropriate word to use. I've thought a lot about my post since I logged off last. Your words were not an overreaction by any means and I really do apologize for it. I didn't mean to come across meaning that your post has no merit. Because it actually does. A better word to have used would have been "unfair." Your comments were based on what you heard about the book.

As far as the Joshua movie... I could take it or leave it. As is usual with movies, it didn't do the book justice. What you said about entertainment is right on. It's blunt, but true, to say that many people have become lazy when it comes to what they accept as entertainment. I've been saying this for a long time.

Frankly, you and I are on the same page with this. Whether it's with books, music, tv, movies, etc., it's vital that people use wisdom and discernment in deciding what "entertainment" is going to be to them. Information and images going into our minds, through our eyes and ears, has to be dealt with. When people say it doesn't affect them, they are dead wrong and fall prey to false teachings.

My whole point with the Joshua book, is that it's not a wrong book to read. If you want to read it and talk about it with me regarding what you think might be false about it, I would be very happy to do that. Very willing to listen! I don't mean get together and debate the book either. I mean I would then like to hear what you think is wrong with it. You said what you heard about this book was enough to make you not want to read it. What did you hear? If it's what was posted on this board only, remember that people tend to read posts and then respond quickly. I don't agree with a lot of what others have said about this book.

It really is a wonderful example of how to live by Jesus' example. Did I need this book to show me how to do that? No, of course not. But there isn't anything sinful about fiction books that have good messages.

In a separate post, I'm going to type out what's on the dustcover of the book. I hope you'll at least read that.

[Keith]

Joshua

by Joseph Girzone

Inside the dustcover:

When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are at first mystified then confused by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua lives his life in perfect harmony with the world, above all the petty concerns that often afflict others. He appears entirely at peace with his life, seeking nothing for himself beyond what he requires to meet his basic needs. He supports himself solely through his carpentry, and he charges very little for his services -- this despite the fact that his sculptures are exquisite, and word of his artistic genius has quickly spread far and wide. Nonetheless, Joshua seems unfazed by the attention his workmanship has brought him. More important to him are his individual relationships with everyone in the town -- even more beautiful than his woodworking is the extraordinary effect he has on each of these people. All who come in contact with him cannot help but be transformed by his incredible warmth. The acceptance and love in his words, and in every one of his actions, amazes the townspeople.

Who is Joshua and what is he up to? The answer to that question surprises them almost as much as the discovery of the same transforming power of love within each of their own hearts.

The Back Cover

Joseph Girzone wrote his parable Joshua in 1983 and published it himself with neither accompanying fanfare nor expectation of the extraordinary effect it would have on people around the world. With only word-of-mouth for advertising, and by virtue of its simple message of love, Joshua became an international force of spiritual strength. A decade after its modest beginnings, Joshua and its sequels have millions of readers around the world and continue to bring hope and peace to all who seek spiritual nourishment.

People of various faiths and cultures have embraced this unassuming work, including the allied commander of Operation Desert Storm, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf. General Schwarzkopf found comfort in Joshua on the grim nights just before the commencement of the ground war, and wrote to the author words that echo many people's feelings about the story:

"I read your book entirely in two days late at night when I was deeply in need of spiritual strength. Joshua brought that strength to me and has given me great peace of mind." -- General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

[sheya joie]

I read the book in question a lot of years ago, so I don't remember very well what happened in it. I do recall finding it disturbing, at least to my Baptist-raised soul. I don't remember exactly what about the einding disturbed me, as I don't remember the ending anymore. What I do remember clearly is the part towards the beginning where 'Joshua' made a statue of Moses for a church (or synagogue?). It disturbed me, in that I found that to be rather close to breaking the 2nd Commandment.

In the book, 'Joshua' is never explicitly identified as the LORD Jesus Christ - but that identity is implied all through the book.

That's my take on it, from having read it quite a while back.

*edit - why do I never catch all my typos till after I hit the post button???*

Edited August 4, 2005 by sheya joie