Is It Just Me?

[nebula]

I am feeling at odds about this whole subject. I am even wondering if it is worth getting all up in arms about.

Remember that horrible movie The Last Temptation of Christ? We Christians raised a mighty roar against that film, for good reason! Some of us even picketted theaters that were showing it, signed boycott petitions and the whole works.

Some time later, I heard news from an inside source stating that the producers of that film were actually the ones behind provoking the Christians to rise up against the film as we did as a means of gaining free publicity (you know how people tend to flock to controversy, and seriously, would anyone have known about the film had not the Christian organizations made such a big stink over the film? I sure would never have heard of it).

After hearing that report, I felt quite humbled. And I wondered - OK, exactly what battle am I fighting right now?

Am I to be a like a bird high on a perch looking down on the world being the world (whether it be living in sin, promoting sin, or misrepresenting the Name of the Lord in very bad ways) and cry out to the birds next to me, "They are such filthy rotten heathens!! Look at them there..."?

Does that accomplish anything?

Or am I to cry out to the world below me, "You are such filthy rotten heathens...!"?

Personal experience: you only drive people away from God with that.

There's an expression: It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

I've done a lot of "cursing the darkness" in my day. Look at where it's gotten me. NOWHERE!

So, how do I "light a candle?" I am still learning this. But one thing I can think of is that if I can find a way to glorify God through something - anything - why not take the opportunity and use it to its full advantage?

When I read soemthing like this:

As the film progresses, we see that God was right to deny Bruce's selfish requests--an experience that ultimately leads Bruce to fall to his knees in the middle of the highway, crying out, "I want You to decide what's right for me. I surrender to Your will!"

Hello! Never in my wildest dreams did I picture something like this ever coming out of Hollywood! Yes, it falls short of the Cross, but it's a step in the right direction. And, sometimes it takes little steps like that to get to the final destination. Little steps took this country down the path of immoratlity; why cannot little steps bring sinners to God?

Mind you, I don't like the negative aspects of the film, nor do I condone them. But given the choice between "cursing the darkness" and "lighting a candle," I'd rather light the candle and use it to light other candles if at all possible. I can pray that sinners walking into that movie would HEAR this message of repentance, that this small seed would fall onto fertile soil in their hearts, that they too will eventually be driven to their knees and in seeking "God" will find come to find Jesus!

That is all I am saying.

I am not pushing anyone to see the film, nor am I asking you to throw away your convictions, nor am I looking to this film for "entertainment" and nor would I go see this film for the sake of mere entertainment. That just goes against my grain.

But having read this review, I do not believe it is the outlandish mockery of God it at first seemed from the previews. That's not to say there isn't room for improvement....

As per the language, I don't know what you meant by "You cannot go and expose the Holy Spirit within you to vile language" in terms of how I read it. My first thought was, "I think the Holy Spirit is tough enough to handle some foul words!" Actually, He can probably handle it better than I can! My second thought was, "Golly, I can't even go down to the neighborhood convenience store without the risk of exposing myself to vile language." I don't know how things are where you live, but around here I can hardly go anywhere, even to work, without hearing such words. If holiness means not exposing myself to vile language, I'd have to live as a hermit! I am being serious. It is e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e.

Now, if Morgan Freeman uses such words in the film - yeah, I'd have major problems with that.

************************************

But my point is not, really, about advocating or defending this film. It's really not worth getting into a battle over.

My point is about "sitting in the seat of judgement" and using this as an example. Do I really belong there? I'm not talking about discussing with believers about what is right and what is wrong practice. But I am talking about discussing with fellow believers, "Can you believe just how far our society will go to show their mockery of God?!" Is there life in this kind of discussion, really?

Blessings!

[tsth]

Dear nebula,

I am through as well. I guess my point is......I didn't "know" the Truth, until someone spoke it. That's what light IS......it's very, very different in behavior and speech, than the world. It(HE) is bold and caring about the generation to come.....so much so, that it(HE) can be very set apart, and yet still care enough to withstand the reactions from the world, for being "different" than the rest.....but enduring resentment, for telling the Truth of the matter, because He loves us so very much. That is all. I just don't want to see another generation, who knew not the majesty and sovereignty of the Lord.

Our children in this generation have such a mixed up image of who God the Father is.....they do not view Him as the Sovereign King, if we keep portraying Him as a mere man, black or white.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Bill]

Our children in this generation have such a mixed up image of who God the Father is.....they do not view Him as the Sovereign King, if we keep portraying Him as a mere man, black or white.

Can I add one more reply to this...this was in our morning sermon and it was sooo good and sooo relevant, at least I think.

We were talking about memorials...illustrating a part of this sermon was a father and his daughter, who came up front and said (mic'd so the whole church could hear) about the story of Joshua and the 12 stones by the river as a monument, etc...the daughter asking what the stones were for and the father explaining to her the story of how they came to the river and when the priests put their feet in the water the waters parted, etc. The point of the illustration was father teaching daughter, preserving the memories and passing on the truths about God revealed in scripture, etc. (This is all paraphrased and may not make a whole lot of sense...hopefully you get the point) and how we need to do this...passing on truths to future generations.

My one final point on the matter, and please, no one take offense to this because this is a hard question I've had to ask myself too: Who is to blame if our children have a mixed up view of God? Is it Hollywood for producing "Bruce Almighty", or have we failed to represent God properly in our homes and churches?

I guess my own answer to that question is this: we probably will not prevent another "Bruce Almighty"-type movie from being made, but if I do my job right as a husband and father and train up my children in the scriptures and so forth and reinforce the holiness, sovereignty, and majesty of God, that He's not just "the man upstairs", it gives them the proper view of God and I help them to not get mixed up by how the world misrepresents Him.

[tsth]

My one final point on the matter, and please, no one take offense to this because this is a hard question I've had to ask myself too: Who is to blame if our children have a mixed up view of God? Is it Hollywood for producing "Bruce Almighty", or have we failed to represent God properly in our homes and churches?

We are most certainly in agreement on this Bill. I just feel we also have a responsibility and an obligation to others as well, not just our own. There are many children who do not get the opportunity to hear the Truth about God the Father, and they are getting a deceptive message all the way around, through all the "entertainment" they are engulfed in. But again, that is where the church should come in somehow? That is where our voice is important, "before" they go in, not after they come out.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Work in Progress]

Suzanne, it is not just you, and .......even if it is "just us".......TOO BAD, lol. I won't compromise just because my stance is not politically correct, or because it is "uncool" or because it is too "fuddy-duddy", "over the top", or "paranoid" or whatever else the apologists for it might claim. I won't "lighten up" on serious issues such as this. There have been excuses made for sin since Adam and Eve. If we look hard enough, we will find "good" things in this movie. If we look hard enough, we'll find "good" things in anything.

I've seen the commercials numerous times, and I've read the reviews. IMO, this is blasphemy, plain and simple. This is taking something sacred and MOCKING it - something expressly forbidden in Scripture.

I am very dissappointed in my 17 year old son who is at this movie as we speak. We discussed it, and he rationalized it - "It isn't God who is using the power that way", "Well, I am saved and I know the truth" and other rationalizations. I didn't think to bring up the "God will be mocked" verse, but I will put it forth to him tomorrow.

I would like to ask any Christian who desires to see this movie one simple question - WHY do you want to see it? (not meant towards people here - I would like to ask that of any Christian who wants to) The Scriptures clearly say that all things should be for EDIFICATION. Please, somebody, tell me ONE thing edifying in this movie.

Thank you for posting this topic and shedding light onto darkness. I fear you are so right - God will NOT be mocked, and His anger will not be held back forever. I shudder for all those who find this "entertainment". I just heard on the news this evening that it is NUMBER ONE at the box office. What a sad commentary.

[boblandis]

They should of called the movie "Blasphemy Almighty".

[wordsower]

Suzanne,

When you started this thead I typed out a very long post about how terrible the movie was and offensive and I went on and on.

Tell me why the post never posted? Coincidence? I don't think so. I posted it! It's not here!

My husband works out of town all of the time and we don't get along well. He supposedly got saved and baptized 2 years ago but lately you couldn't tell.

Yesterday he called and said he went to see this movie. For the moment it has changed his life. We never talk about anything and we talked for an hour on the phone last night. He said it is time he woke up and served God! He was a different person on the phone, I'm not kidding.

I haven't seen the movie, but if God can use it to His glory, then Praise His Holy Name!

I found the following description of the movie from CBN and it is very interesting.

I find more and more that God is not up there sitting uninvolved with these lost people on His world. He is searching after us all and reaching us anyway He can. Even if it's through our corrupted Hollywood attempt to understand Him. I could cry.

CBN movie Review

Suppose for a moment that God is not omnipresent, but an anthropomorphic deity who looked down from heaven and saw that many of His beloved created ones were not attending church, but rather getting their inspiration from the movies. Suppose that this deity decided to use the silver screen to relay some important aspects of his character. How might he choose to do it? Through a comedy with big-name worldly actors? Might he possibly choose to use a movie with some of the rough elements to which the world can relate? The movie Bruce Almighty appears to have such a perspective.

Starring Jim Carrey, Jennifer Anniston and Morgan Freeman, Bruce Almighty is the story of a young man, Bruce, who is frustrated with life and angry with God for not fixing things. He is living with his girlfriend, Grace (Jennifer Anniston), and working as a second-rate anchorman for a television network. He covers the local events that no one else wants while he watches his co-worker continue to get promoted. Though TV audiences love him and look forward to the zany humor he puts into every story, Bruce lives his life in constant frustration. He not only hates his job and rival co-worker, he hates the traffic, his car and the silly little projects his girlfriend wants him to do, like scrapbooks.

Bruce curses and fumes that he just has no luck and no good breaks in life. He tells Grace that God is ignoring him, that God is like a mean kid holding a magnifying glass over an ant, burning off his tentacles and laughing.

[tsth]

Terrified at first, Bruce quickly becomes delighted. He proceeds to perform such miracles as the parting of his tomato soup, the rustling up of a mighty wind that causes a woman

[nebula]

Has anyone heard the reports of how in the movie, Bruce is given a phone number to call God with - a non-555 number - and people areactually calling this number to reach God!

The problem is, this phone number is a number to actual places in several areas of the country - gas stations, restaurants, etc. People are calling this number and asking for God. Some are joking, but many are actually serious!

My goodness, are people hungry for God or what?

Lord, send laborers into the harvest field, for the fields are ripe unto harvest!