Unstoppable by Kirk Cameron: A movie review

Unstoppable - Kirk Cameron from hisgraceamazesme on GodTube.

Earlier this month I took the kids out of school in order to see Kirk Cameron’s documentary, “Unstoppable”, at a theater not-so-near to us.  My sister and niece joined us to make the three-hour round trip because we had seen the trailer (watch it above) and thought it would be worth the time and expense.  It was.

Kirk Cameron has said of this film, “this is the most personal project I have ever made regarding my faith”.  It was prompted by the death of a close family friend and in it, he seeks to tackle the monumental questions, ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ and ‘Why does God allow evil in this world?’  The kind of questions all people of conscience ask at some point in their lives.  Kudos to Kirk for his integrity, inspiration and strength in creating a documentary that rips across the current of feel-good, shallow secular humanist films that are typical of Hollywood.  

The film wasn’t exactly what I expected, but yet I wasn’t disappointed either.  I had expected more interviews and insights from others, but this is very much Kirk Cameron’s take on Holy Scripture, beginning with a recreation of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden.  This was well done, discreet and thought provoking;  I was given pause to consider how Adam may have viewed the earth in those first days.  The depiction was even more beautiful as Eve beheld Adam for the first time.  As a side note, I thought how this imagery is missing from modern films -- the notion of subtlety vs. explicit images, of male, female and agape love.  

The youngest of our crew is in 6th grade and, although this film is unrated, it does contain some graphic scenes relating to Eve’s creation and the murder of Abel that may be disturbing for a young audience.    In fact, the brutality of Cain is my only criticism of the whole documentary.   I thought the scene of Abel’s death was too long and gruesome... but then again, perhaps the idea was to emphasize the life force in the blood. 

Cameron isn’t seeking to answer these tough questions in a simple, concise manner.  Rather, he utilizes story telling from modern experiences in view of God’s Word to prompt the audience to consider God’s response to evil since the creation of the world.  It worked for us;  we’re still talking about it four weeks later.  The soundtrack is stirring, too.  I was introduced to Warren Barfield’s, “The Time is Now” and my daughter has added several of the songs from Unstoppable to her ipod.  

The highlight for me was being allowed a glimpse into the humanity of Kirk Cameron.  It takes an enormous amount of strength to live our Christian life in this world-- maybe even more so for those who command a spotlight based on American pop/entertainment culture.  The insight I gained  into his humility leads me to believe that he is a genuine Christian man with a fierce love for God. 

If you’re just hearing about Unstoppable for the first time, it’s too late to see it at the theater.  It showed only twice (and grossed $2 million on 700 American screens ~ wow!) and will be made available in January 2014 on DVD for home use.  I’ll be purchasing this as well, as it really is a very thought provoking, useful way to share our Christian faith and promote discussion about the tough questions of life and death.

Contrast

The icon above left depicts Rachel, mourning for the babies murdered as a result of Herod’s rage (St. Matthew 2). I was given an icon such as this at the Icon Festival I attended back in the fall. A prayer is written on the back: (emphasis mine)

“O Lord Jesus Christ, Who - at the 6th hour of the day -- didst shed Thy precious Blood upon the Cross for the salvation of all mankind; receive the souls of all the innocent pre-born babies, who have been, are being, or will be slaughtered today in the hospitals and abortion chambers throughout our nation. And as their untimely deaths have prevented them from receiving the grace of Holy Baptism, I entreat Thee to accept their innocent blood as their baptism (as Thou didst with the early Martyrs); so that they can share eternity with Thee.

To the doctors, nurses, parents and hosts of accomplices responsible for this infanticide, grant tears of repentance; so that they can run to Thee for forgiveness and healing, and thus avoid the eternal death of their souls. I believe that all things are possible with Thee, O Lord. Therefore, I entreat Thee on this day -- through divine grace - to convince at least one mother in every state to cancel her abortion and bring her child to full term; and to convince one doctor in every state to repent of his actions, and never again kill a child in the womb.

Receive my prayer, O Lord, even though it is offered to Three from such a sinful and unworthy servant; and unite my entreaty with those of all the other brothers and sisters that are crying out today on behalf of all Thy little ones, who are now being formed in the wombs of their mothers. Deliver us and our nation, O Lord, from this shedding of innocent blood! Forgive us! Heal us! Save us! Amen.”

What a contrast, a complete opposing view calling abortion a blessing, espoused by Katherine Hancock Ragsdale (pictured above right) , the dean and president of the Episocopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA:

"Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done."

“I want to thank all of you who protect this blessing – who do this work every day: the health care providers, doctors, nurses, technicians, receptionists, who put your lives on the line to care for others (you are heroes — in my eyes, you are saints); the escorts and the activists; the lobbyists and the clinic defenders; all of you. You’re engaged in holy work.”

“When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.

And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing.”

View the complete sermon here.

One who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ and worships the Triune God would never praise those who murder babies. The “church” Katherine Hancock Ragsdale represents is not christian, it’s secular humanism that has yet to come out of the closet.

Real Beauty

For two years I’ve had an outline of a program in my head titled, “Real Beauty”, which gives insight to inner beauty and worth as granted by God.  It’s a burden to me that so many young girls have such a poor self image and are daily inundated by the media on how they “should look”.  

On Friday, I realized a goal and presented my program to young women at the Juvenile Center in Mt. Hope, WV.  It is thanks to God and to the women at Fayetteville Baptist Church, in giving me the opportunity to speak that helped me to achieve this goal.  Having a deadline transformed my mental outline into a workable keynote presentation.

I was really nervous about this...as I am NOT a professional speaker.  I’m not even a good speaker.  I stumble, I stray on tangents, forgetting my points...I say “um” way too much.  But when God lays something on your heart, you’d best do it.  I prayed that God would  put the words in my mouth, that He would make my path straight...and He did.  The words flowed on Friday when I stood in front of those beautiful girls and I am thankful.  I pray their hearts & minds were touched by Christ.

The purpose of this program was to educate young girls on their worth in God’s sight.  Also I stressed how the media exploits the body to sell products and that what you see is not what you get when it comes to cover girls.   It’s a message I think every girl needs to hear.  

I really don’t know how well the girls received the message as they were very quiet, but then I remember that God only wants us to plant seeds.  He asks us to spread the Gospel of Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest.  I am learning to be content with that...I tend to want to dig up the seed to see how it’s doing.

Praise God for His love and mercy.  Thanks to all my dear friends who helped me to pray about this presentation; I could not have done it apart from the strength of Jesus Christ.  Now I hope to have more opportunities to share this message.

The painting above is one from my program  illustrating the Greek word, Kalos, which is interpreted as “good" or  "beauty”.  Jesus Christ himself gives us the definition of “beauty” when he uses this word to describe the actions of the woman who anointed Him with fragrant oil in St. Matthew 26:10, “She has done a beautiful [kalos] thing to me.”   Her actions were praiseworthy and pleasing to God.  What more do we strive for?

I think it’s fascinating too that this same word is used in the Genesis account of creation when God saw what he had created and deemed it “good”.    God is the source of our life and beauty and also our goal.   My prayer is that more and more young girls will become aware of their worth in God’s sight so that they may live for Him.

Christ is Controversial

Just recently my friend, Effie, brought two interviews with Jim Caviezel to my attention that I am posting below.  I can’t say that I’m a fan of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” because I’ve never seen it.  I think that may have to change after watching the interviews with Jim, who portayed Jesus Christ in the film.

As with most media sensations,  whether book or film, I tend to shy away until the dust settles and I can clearly see what is before me.  With  church groups going to see this film en masse, the reviews and chatter about “The Passion” were something that I could not avoid in my crowd.  At one point, I had agreed to see it in order to participate in a subsequent discussion.  But when it came down to the night, I backed out and here’s why:  fear.    

I fear that the brutal images of Christ’s crucifixion will haunt my thoughts...  I know of His sacrifice for me, do I need to watch it portrayed in film to have that message  bonded to my soul?

As I was talking to another friend about this only a few days ago, I wonder....if I had lived in Christ’s time, when He walked upon the earth, would I have stayed to be with Him in those dark hours or would I run away?    I believe I would run....  as fast as my feet could carry me to some distant hill where I could not hear the cries, the taunts, the brutality, the mockery.  I think I would cry alone, sheltered from the terror of Golgotha.  How can we who love Him bear to witness such violence against Him?

After listening to Jim’s words and how this film affected his life, I am rethinking my earlier decision.  Jim says in the first interview, “...yes, the film is controversial, yes Jesus Christ is controversial and they killed him for it...”  He speaks with such conviction that I do not doubt the transformation he describes during the making of “The Passion”.  And this excerpt in particular held my attention because of its sincerity and clarity.  When I speak with people about religion or doctrine, how the church is changing... it always comes down to this:  Christ said, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.”  St. John 14:6   It’s an exclusive statement that challenges the notion of inclusiveness and tolerance that represents the emerging “christianity” of our modern society.

Kudos to Jim Caviezel for speaking so honestly and with humility and to Mel Gibson for creating a work that was a labor of love and deep conviction.  I’ll have to blog again IF I have the courage to watch the movie.  Thanks, Penny, for your thoughts and insights on this!

Eucatastrophe: Perfect Hope

I’m reading Thomas Merton’s No Man Is an Island, a collection of spiritual reflections for the Christian believer.  His chapter titled “Mercy” is singly worth the price of the book.  I could scarcely read past the first paragraph as it kept drawing me back, prompting a closer look, a longer consideration.  A few sentences there with nuggets of wisdom  prompted memories of something I’d learned about my hero,  J.R.R. Tolkien.

Merton wrote:

“We learn to know Him, now, not in the “presence” that is found in abstract consideration -- a presence in which we dress Him in our own finery -- but in the emptiness of a hope that may come close to despair.  For perfect hope is achieved on the brink of despair when, instead of falling over the edge, we find ourselves walking on the air.     ...So we learn to expect His mercy  most calmly when all is most dangerous, to seek Him quietly in the face of peril, certain that He cannot fail us though we may be upbraided by the just and rejected by those who claim to hold the evidence of His love”

That’s it.  “ we learn to expect His mercy most calmly when all is most dangerous...”  According to those closest to Tolkien, his friends and biographers, this idea was central to his writings.  He believed our English language was missing a word, which he coined “eucatastrophe”,  defined as the unexpected turn from bad to good.    When we teeter on the brink of despair, perfect hope is what enables us to go forward with our eyes fixed on Christ.

Maybe the fact that Tolkien had to coin the term speaks to our weak human condition.  How easy it is to fall prey to pessimism, doubt and despair, the downward spiral that shrouds our spirit in darkness.  And then to justify and define that outlook as ‘realism’ is the seal of Satan; how he enjoys manipulating mankind to believe his falsehoods.  Tolkien believed despair was not so much a weakness of man, a theological problem, as it was a mistake, for no one knows the future, no one can see all ends.  Eucatastrophes happen.

Perfect hope walks through the mists knowing the Creator provides the footing.  It’s the seed of all courage, ...the rock of Christian martyrs.

And so it is to Professor Tolkien that I owe my gratitude for growing my understanding of this spiritual truth through the weaving of his tales, the sharing of his heart.   As I take notice of all the mismatched threads and knots of my journey, my canvas,  God has used Tolkien to give me a glimpse of the tapestry on the other side.  

Here is a snippet of video (you can find anything on YouTube!) with thoughts from Brian Sibley, Tom Shippey and John Garth on the meaning of "eucatastrophe": 

Pascha

Christ is Risen!

Tá Criosd ar éirigh!

A Blessed Pascha (Orthodox Easter) to all Orthodox Christians and Christians everywhere.  This marks the first year I have been able to attend the Resurrection Liturgy & Rush Service and what a privilege to share this joy with my 6 year old daughter!

The night began for us @ 10:30 pm, as we wanted to be sure and find a seat near the front of the church.  By 11:00 pm, the church was full as the faithful came out to worship in celebration the high-point and cornerstone of our Christian faith, the blessed Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Before leaving home, I prayed to God to help Josie & I endure the fatigue of the night...to renew our energy and bless us through the liturgy.  Praise Him for his tender mercies;   our hearts and minds were blessed and it was my little girl who led us onward through the night.

For her sake, I was willing to go for only the Rush Service, to commemorate Christ’s death, His descent to Hell to free the captives there, and His glorious Resurrection.  But it was Josie who, although very tired, asked to stay to receive Communion during the Liturgy which followed.    

The atmosphere in God’s house was mostly sombre with a joyful anticipation quietly palpable.   We brought our candles from home, which the kids had made on Lazarus Saturday and at the appointed time, followed the faithful out of a darkened church - symbolizing the death and darkness of the earth when Christ said, “It is finished” - into a procession outdoors in front of the church.

The sweetness of loving, reverent voices on the night air as we sang the Trisagion Hymn and Troparion was otherworldly...angels must have hovered near to sing amongst us.  Truly, the human voice, that first instrument of praise to God,  shines like diamonds when united with the chants and hymnography of the ancient faith. 

After the procession we came round to the front door and watched as the service continued with the Bishop holding the long candlesticks while singing the liturgy and the priest knocking on the door of the church shouting, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates, yea lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall  come in!”  As we enter again into the sanctuary, all is lit and the atmosphere is charged with exultation and triumph!  The Bishop repeatedly says, “Christ is risen” and we joyfully reply, “Truly He is risen!”

The Resurrection Liturgy follows and soon Josie & I are in line to be received at the Lord’s Table.  What gifts He gives, what blessings flow from the King of Heaven, the Creator of all!  He has defeated death by death and we are welcome at the Court of Christ.  I might have stayed in that blessed and peaceful place for a very long time...

But, too soon it is over and we are invited to break the fast together.  I look at Josie, thinking she is all-too-ready to call it a night, but I’m wrong.  She wants to attend the church breakfast; it’s especially appealing since one of her friends is there, too.  What a feast!  We had scrambled eggs, thick slices of ham, fresh fruit and biscuits, cereal and Lebanese cookies.   We ate and visited with our church family for close to an hour and arrived back home some minutes after 3 a.m.    Josie was sound asleep by then, but I felt renewed, overjoyed ...at peace.  We serve an awesome God; Praise Him for all things!

Truly He is Risen!

go deimhin tá sé éirithe!

*photograph shows our candles made on Lazarus Saturday during the Rush Service

*Check here to read and listen to Pascal greetings from around the world.