Well here it is 2:27 AM (Monday, October 4, 2010). I went to bed at 8 PM and for whatever reason I awoke at 1 AM. After seeing a “Christian” review on the film The Social Network I decided to look up a review on Inception. Sadly the review was well terrible and I naturally don’t agree with it considering I loved the Christopher Nolan film that came out this summer.
Not sure if this movie review thing will be a common thing with me or not. At any rate I’m just going to give my thoughts on the film called Inception. Don’t expect it to be an in-depth review but just take it for what it is.
There are two passions in my life right now: Christianity and movies. Might seem like a rather strange thing or perhaps not. Now when I say “Christianity” I am not really talking about the “Religion.” The “Religion” of Christianity has had its good moments and its very bad moments…which range from the Protestant Reformation to the Crusades and various Inquisitions.
I’m a Southern Baptist Christian myself, in fact I might even call myself Reformed/Calvinist theology speaking. In truth my knowledge on the subject of Calvinism and Arminianism is quite limited. This is due in large part to me becoming jaded to the “popular” debate between Arminianism and Calvinism. I’m slowly learning more and more about the debate and which each side “believes.”
At any rate this particular note is not about my religious/spiritual/theological journey as a believer in Jesus Christ…it is a movie review. Of course now that I am writing this it is becoming less and less a movie review but instead some sort of reflection on things.
So what do I think of the film Inception. In a word I have to say “master piece.” I have seen written reviews and videos on YouTube of this film and some people get the film while others simply don’t.
A common website destination for me is the website known as CARM (Christian Apologetic Resource Ministries. (website link: http://carm.org/, and the forum link is: http://forums.carm.org , and I go under the screen name NPX on the forum)
I mostly post on the forums and chat in the chat room for Christian fellowship and witnessing/ministry opportunities. Well I mention the website because the owner and founder Matt Slick wrote a review on the film…he pretty much thought it was boring and unoriginal. As you might have guessed I disagree with him greatly. In truth he is not that good at reviewing movies…his day job and true passion is Christian apologetics…he should stick with that lol. At any rate he is entitled to his opinion and it is after all only his subjective opinion on a film…So I’m not going to hold it against him for giving what I believe is a bad review.
For those who don’t know Christopher Nolan is the famed director of The Dark Knight and he and his brother Jonathan Nolan often collaborate on films. One of my favorite previous Christopher Nolan films has to be Memento (2000). Like Inception this particular film deals with the mind…but in a totally different way and different aspect.
Inception deals with the dream world and takes place in a world where people can enter others dreams and steal ideas. In the case of Inception the main protagonist is hired to implant an idea…which he calls “Inception.” For some the film is hard to follow considering the film goes all over the place…in three increasingly deeper dream states that present even more challenges and dangers. Since I’m one who analyzes pretty much everything I watch I had no problem following the film.
Like I often do before going to see a film in theaters, I did my research on Inception. It just so happens that one day I came across a Facebook update that pointed me to a website called “Cinemagogue.” The owner of the website/blog is a Christian pastor named James Harleman who pastors a church in Lake City Seattle. For more extensive information on this person and his website just visit the link given here:
http://cinemagogue.com/
And click on the helpful links at the top part of the website.
Considering I know that movies and TV pretty much push the world view of the director and/or writers of the screen play such a website as Mr. Harleman’s greatly appeals to me. This rather educated individual not only reviews movies but looks at them from a biblical stand point. In other words he marries Christian theology and film. In this day and age such a marriage is a good thing. As Mr. Harleman points out the movie theater is the modern “place of worship” for many. It is a place where modern culture is often explored. Well since Christians need to engage the culture, not hide away from it, I believe it is great that a pastor has a website devoted to exploring movies from a Christian perspective.
Going back to Inception the only other thing I can say is please check this movie out…and pay attention. You may or may not agree it is a “master piece” let alone “the best film of 2010” but I am pretty sure it will say something to you…get you thinking.
One reviewer on YouTube said Inception is better then The Dark Knight, not sure if I agree with that. Though I am starting to think that. The bottom line is I loved Inception and will definitely get me a DVD copy of the film. Christopher Nolan is quickly becoming one of my favorite current directors and considering his track record it is easy for some to see why.
Friday, October 8, 2010
So I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 the other day.
So I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 the other day, as part of my daily time with God, and I found a new appreciation for the verses that are contained within this passage of Scripture. The “Love” section of 1 Corinthians 13 is something one might often see at weddings but it seems to me that the “Love” passage actually can apply to life in general…not just at the wedding of two people.
In a New American Standard Bible one will see the heading “The Excellence of Love,” well that for sure is a rather appropriate heading. Verse 13, the last verse in 1 Corinthians 13, puts it perfectly, “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Love truly is the greatest and something that everyone seeks. God of course has the most perfect love. In Greek the word used to describe God’s love is agape, as a matter of fact the word used in 1 Corinthians 13 for love is agape.
According to Wikipedia agape means:
Agápe (αγάπη agápē) means "love" in modern day Greek, such as in the term s'agapo (Σ'αγαπώ), which means "I love you". In Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of "true love" rather than the attraction suggested by "eros". Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the "love chapter", 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial love. Agape is also used in ancient texts to denote feelings for a good meal, one's children, and the feelings for a spouse. It can be described as the feeling of being content or holding one in high regard (1).
God’s love is perfect and is in fact a love that a Christian should strive for, in fact all people should strive to have this kind of love. One should strive to have a love that is:
...patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away (2).
I will admit that I fail pretty much daily to give perfect love. I also admit I fail to always put others before myself. Even though I fail I still pray to God and ask the Holy Spirit to help me and empower me to love the way the Bible talks about loving.
I’m currently single and truth be told I hope to love a woman in marriage in a biblical way. I hope to love her like Christ loves the church. I hope to love her so much that I put her needs above myself. However, if it is God’s will for my life to be single for the rest of it then so be it. At any rate I hope and pray to love others the way 1 Corinthians 13 says to love.
I am so thankful for the love God has for me and for what Jesus Christ did for me. I do, however; realize that that love is not reserved only for me. I hope and pray for all of my non-believing friends that they come to know and love Jesus Christ, who is fully man and fully God, like I do. Every thing that I am and everything that I have I give all thanks to God for it is He who has given it to me.
“Thank you so much Father God for your Son Jesus Christ! Thank you for becoming a man and living a perfect life, and for dying on the cross to save a terrible sinner such as myself. I know and thank you that you saved me even though I deserve eternal separation from you. I know that it is you that has saved me and not anything I have done. I also know that even my saving faith is a gift from you.
Thank you so much for indwelling me oh Lord. I am so thankful for the help and guidance that the Holy Spirit has provided me and will continue to provide me. I am so thankful that years ago when I thought of ending my life by taking it you said to me that better days were coming.
I am also thankful Lord that my mother raised, showed me, and taught me about your perfect love God. I am also thankful that you took her home to be with you in heaven. I am so glad and thankful that when I die I will not only be in your presence but I will see my mother again and I can hug her again.
You God are so wonderful. Please forgive me of my sins and help me to continue to confess and repent of my sins each day. I so desire to be more like Christ. I also desire to show Christ’s love to others.”
When doing research to write this refection I came across the following link:
http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/sg1863.htm
Please give it a look as it is an article by John MacArthur. If anyone reading this is not a believer and would like me to tell them about Jesus Christ, and how great He is please feel free to send me a message and I will get back to you. Also, I want everyone to know that is my friend…I love and care about you. If there is ever anything I can do for you please let me know. At the very least I can pray for you and just be a kind ear to hear your concerns.
Sources:
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_words_for_love
(2) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013:%204-8&version=NASB
In a New American Standard Bible one will see the heading “The Excellence of Love,” well that for sure is a rather appropriate heading. Verse 13, the last verse in 1 Corinthians 13, puts it perfectly, “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Love truly is the greatest and something that everyone seeks. God of course has the most perfect love. In Greek the word used to describe God’s love is agape, as a matter of fact the word used in 1 Corinthians 13 for love is agape.
According to Wikipedia agape means:
Agápe (αγάπη agápē) means "love" in modern day Greek, such as in the term s'agapo (Σ'αγαπώ), which means "I love you". In Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of "true love" rather than the attraction suggested by "eros". Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the "love chapter", 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial love. Agape is also used in ancient texts to denote feelings for a good meal, one's children, and the feelings for a spouse. It can be described as the feeling of being content or holding one in high regard (1).
God’s love is perfect and is in fact a love that a Christian should strive for, in fact all people should strive to have this kind of love. One should strive to have a love that is:
...patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away (2).
I will admit that I fail pretty much daily to give perfect love. I also admit I fail to always put others before myself. Even though I fail I still pray to God and ask the Holy Spirit to help me and empower me to love the way the Bible talks about loving.
I’m currently single and truth be told I hope to love a woman in marriage in a biblical way. I hope to love her like Christ loves the church. I hope to love her so much that I put her needs above myself. However, if it is God’s will for my life to be single for the rest of it then so be it. At any rate I hope and pray to love others the way 1 Corinthians 13 says to love.
I am so thankful for the love God has for me and for what Jesus Christ did for me. I do, however; realize that that love is not reserved only for me. I hope and pray for all of my non-believing friends that they come to know and love Jesus Christ, who is fully man and fully God, like I do. Every thing that I am and everything that I have I give all thanks to God for it is He who has given it to me.
“Thank you so much Father God for your Son Jesus Christ! Thank you for becoming a man and living a perfect life, and for dying on the cross to save a terrible sinner such as myself. I know and thank you that you saved me even though I deserve eternal separation from you. I know that it is you that has saved me and not anything I have done. I also know that even my saving faith is a gift from you.
Thank you so much for indwelling me oh Lord. I am so thankful for the help and guidance that the Holy Spirit has provided me and will continue to provide me. I am so thankful that years ago when I thought of ending my life by taking it you said to me that better days were coming.
I am also thankful Lord that my mother raised, showed me, and taught me about your perfect love God. I am also thankful that you took her home to be with you in heaven. I am so glad and thankful that when I die I will not only be in your presence but I will see my mother again and I can hug her again.
You God are so wonderful. Please forgive me of my sins and help me to continue to confess and repent of my sins each day. I so desire to be more like Christ. I also desire to show Christ’s love to others.”
When doing research to write this refection I came across the following link:
http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/sg1863.htm
Please give it a look as it is an article by John MacArthur. If anyone reading this is not a believer and would like me to tell them about Jesus Christ, and how great He is please feel free to send me a message and I will get back to you. Also, I want everyone to know that is my friend…I love and care about you. If there is ever anything I can do for you please let me know. At the very least I can pray for you and just be a kind ear to hear your concerns.
Sources:
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_words_for_love
(2) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013:%204-8&version=NASB
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