God's Not Dead Review

Six months plus after the release of God's Not Dead and I have finally had the chance to see it.  I have to say that I did not have high hopes for liking the film.  I heard much the same as I heard before I saw Fireproof or Courageous.  You know things such as, "For a christian film, it's really good."  Whenever I hear that qualifying statement that the encapsulation of story, characterization, acting, and production quality is good for a Christian movie, I just cringe.  I translate it as, well, it's still not going to be good, but it's not as bad as most of the ones you have seen already.

Great then! Let's watch it! So I did.  I wrote the following notes on my phone: Merger(pronunciation), Mina and the old lady are not believable as family, the premise itself would never happen - at least not without protest, reporter is cliche', parked in front of a handicap space, church scene in time of trial/hardship - cliche', pastor looks shady, forced the scene of the kid going into the sister's room(poltergeistesque), breakup scene is insane, car scene, glad they showed the Muslim father in sorrow also, sister is not believable and the relationship with the professor is forced, Dean Cane is one dimensional, what man says "freshen up".

I never thought God was dead, but I do believe that the integrity of Christian based story telling is.  To be fair, maybe not dead, but definitely in critical condition.  This film just isn't good.  I didn't want to have to come to that conclusion, but it is the only one I have.  The premise itself is not believable.  The purpose of a philosophy class is to discuss the questions such as the purpose of life, how we got here, the nature of the universe, etc.  While there are some really jerky, condescending, intellectually snobbish professors, part of their job is to discuss with students the questions they have about this world.  No chemistry professor would ban the periodic table from discussion.  This question of intelligent design, metaphysical vs. physical, etc. are the elements that make up the periodic table of philosophy.  The premise is forced.  If the character of the professor were a real person, he wouldn't be teaching in any institution of higher learning worthy of charging a dollar for tuition.

Throughout the entire film the characterization is weak and one dimensional.  The main character is good, the girlfriend is selfish, the pastor is struggling to find purpose, the reporter is jaded, the businessman is a jerk, the professor is condescending and angry.  We get it! But what of the character arc for each actor.  Evey scene, forced relationship, plot twist, and piece of dialogue was only there to get us to the end of the movie, which surprise, ends in the "put that in your pipe and smoke it" ending where every question ever raised against the Christian belief is somehow answered, and everyone's eyes are opened.  Praise be! The blind will see.  All this done while a montage, complete with a very long and unnecessary music video that justifies the presence of the Newsboys as headliners, plays out to wrap things up. Perhaps what can best summarize the characterization failings is that I only found the car rental guy to be believable as  person I would meet in real life.  He is in two or three scenes and was a refreshing presence.   In the breakup scene in which the reporter tells the jerky businessman she has cancer, he gets mad because he just told her he made partner, and breaks up with her at the table.  All the people I was watching the movie with laughed because even though there are people that are selfish, and would break up with someone when they are sick, it most often would not be done that quickly.  No, beat, no inward struggle, no dialogue to pull it out, just well this is great, sorry you are sick, but I'm awesome and you are killing my mojo! For the sake of moving the story along, the writers chose to condense this to one scene and make it awkward to the point of being funny.  Whenever you laugh at horrible news you know there is a massive disconnect. 

This brings me to the execution of the characterization.  Acting with an agenda in mind is most often, if not always, detrimental to the art of acting.  Even people who play evil characters need to find some sort of reason to make them say their lines and do what they do.  The actor needs to understand the character.  When you can tell the characters who are meant to be evil are still being played by actors that want to help prove the point of the entire film instead of portray a character honestly, the whole thing will crumble like Milli Vanilli in a power outage.  Even in Christian films the women's characters are given to beautiful women with less than stellar acting chops.  Stop this! Watch British films, real actors, some gorgeous, some not, play characters that are believable.  Hire good actors! And more that that, give the good actors, good lines and storylines.

The writers, producers, directors, actors, anyone who read the screenplay, saw the dailies, delivered food to the set, there are so many places this film could have been salvaged.  Why are you wasting time with the Newsboys when you have characters to develop?  Stop the save the world with one movie mentality.  Make a really great movie about good characterization, acted out in a believable manner.  Real everyday struggles and how we deal with them.  Difficulties that don't always go away even when you believe in Jesus, these are the types of things that will get people to pay attention.  And the reason is because we can believe that kind of story.  We don't need to see the world's problems solved and wrapped up in a bow by the end of the film.  When we want that, we'll go watch Full House. 

People are by nature and design very complicated. If we want Christians and non Christians alike to relate to the movies we want them to see, we need to be real!
So, put that in your pipe and smoke it, or don't.  But for the love of all, if you do, please portray it honestly and with integrity of storytelling. 

Delayed Response

While I understand that fundamentalist Christians can sometimes speak truth with all the grace of an atomic bomb, I do not understand the anger at a belief founded in centuries old traditions, whose tenants are well known.  It is understood that most Christians will interpret the bible certain ways.  To say these are all right is not the issue.  Right is right outside of anyone who believes it or disagrees with it.  Truth is truth, whether treated like a lie or not and conversely, lies do not become true just because you believe it. 

The issue is that if we are to have freedom to believe something is wrong and another has the freedom to believe something is right, can’t we understand that the context, settings, and audience of the conversations will evoke a certain response. 

Being angry that many Christians believe a certain way about biblical principles is like serving lobster bisque and pork chops at a Jewish wedding and wondering why the guests might be upset.  Though a few may not have an issue with it, most would.     

To be angry that a historically bible based service organization strayed from the common understandings of biblical interpretations is a natural response founded in logic.  People sign up to support an organization that aligns with their beliefs.  When the organization makes changes to a policy and no longer agrees with the original understanding, they have broken trust, and changed the agreement.   

Now, to those who thought this decision was a good one, and were excited and encouraged about it, I feel sorry that you were yanked around a bit this week.  I would like to say, that the people on the opposite side, feel the same way.  The biggest tragedy of World Vision’s statements this last week is that no one can trust the organization now.  If you believe in something, stand for it and own it. 

Praying, Obeying, Seeing

Today I watched a young man with a heavy heart wait for his tax meeting. Moments before, my boss told me his mother was battling cancer and taking a turn for the worse. While he told me of that, he showed me a post it note with the names of about six people he prays for, all who have cancer. The list would be longer, but some have passed away.

Tonight I went to a prayer meeting and the list of requests had many battling cancer. One woman with small children, some with oral cancers, some with bone cancers, everywhere I looked I saw the word cancer. There were other requests, but each one was important to the person going through the issue and each person praying for a favorable outcome.

And why can't it be a good outcome? Why can't we pray for people to be healed of cancer, or for that program to be a success, the baby to be a boy, the dream job to be realized, etc. and know that whatever we ask will be given?

I know enough to know that anything I think is a disagreement in the Bible has to do with my understanding of it, and not the Bible itself. Some point to verses saying that whatever you ask in my name will be done, and so we say "in Jesus name amen"so as to ensure we get our request. Not just once, by using His name, but twice, by saying amen, or so be it. I have done this countless times and yet many things I have asked for have not been granted, or things I wish were different were not taken away. I reduce the creator of the universe to a politician that can be lobbied and bought with flattery or to a fairy to be appeased by saying a magic phrase, and then I get my prize or my wish.

Some put the burden of answered prayer to the amount of faith of the one doing the praying.  Isn't that misplaced hope.  Isn't our hope to be in the One to whom we pray and not in the words we use, the amount of time we take, or in how "good" we've been leading up to the prayer.  Don't we often act like children quickly cleaning up the room, doing the dishes, studying a little longer so that the request we give our Father can only be answered with yes.  Stacking the deck doesn't work with God and yet we can sometimes get this notion from our spiritual leaders, if not expressly said, than in all other ways implied.  Your sin is keeping you from your answered prayer, your inaction is keeping you from your answered prayer.  So, we get right, we take action, and our prayer is still unanswered.

Or is it?  No, is an answer.  I know people say, God answers with a yes, a no, and a maybe, or wait.  In the moment though, don't we really just need a yes or no.  And when no happens, we shake the magic 8 ball again and ask again, knowing that the odds are that eventually, you hit jackpot.  But each time before the payout, the answer was no.

God is not a machine to be watched, a game of chance to be wagered, or someone who can be annoyed into giving us something just so we shut up.  But the story of the the unjust judge, he came to the door so the woman would leave.  Right, he did.  And God is always at the door hoping we come by to spend time with Him.  The table is set, the drink is poured, and the fire is roaring, just waiting for us to visit with Him.  We can ask for soda, but maybe He is only serving wine.  We will be fed and given drink, and that need will be met, but not always how we want it to be done.  And that is where my expectation can fly in the face of His provision.  I say you didn't answer my prayer.  He says, yes I did, you just didn't want the answer I had to give you.  

It is easy to think, why am I praying if nothing is happening, my answer is no, there is not a difference in my life.  Pray because we are commanded to.  Pray because it is more about communicating with the Creator of all life than it is about what I /you want.  Pray because in the most gut wrenching moments of anger, and tears, and disappointment, the sweet, unexplainable peace of God can fill every gaping wound.  Tears will still flow, your heart will still ache, but He holds it all and you begin to realize, some of those tears are His.  He enters it with us.  There is no distance between what is happening to me, and what He is feeling.  What an amazing God, I wish I could see Him in the no's more often.  Regardless of my ability to see Him in those times,  He is always the God who sees me. 

Equator Bound

In September I will be a part of a team going to Kenya to live life for a few days with the workers and children at an orphanage there.  I am sure there are things that I will experience that no picture or story from another person could prepare me enough not to be completely overwhelmed by the experience.  I am very much looking forward to it.  God has worked to bring about the opportunity, and I am loving watching Him work already.

The other day I went to the globe in the front office and spun it around to Kenya, I wanted to look at it, think about it, take it in.  I was annoyed because the line of the equator on this globe is so big it covers names of countries and cities.  Then it hit me.  This country is on the equator! How did I miss that, why did I sign up for this, and who can I commission to make air conditioned clothing happen?

Clearly hyperbole rises again, but I didn't know it was an equatorial nation.  I am amazed again at the change only the Spirit of God can bring about in a person.  Never have I ever wanted to go near the equator...until now.  God has been preparing me not just since I've decided to go, but before then.  Whether it is having VBS be on the hottest days of the year or getting healthy so that I am able to handle heat better, all of it is working together.  He is the champion tetris player.  I am one piece, and He is making my piece fit with what He is doing over there, and that is so unbelievably awesome.  Not way cool awesome, awe inspiring - awesome. 

God will provide

I have the privilege to be the contact person for my church's ministry with the Salvation Army donations.  We don't always have things to drop off every week, and I have to admit, I use to be annoyed that we couldn't have something every week to give people in need.  To be honest, I am a slow learner and I will probably be annoyed again, but God is at work and he is teaching me, He allows me to be blessed through this ministry, and I am learning that He always accomplishes His will through those who are willing to do His work.

Sunday I started to leave church and realized I hadn't picked up the donations.  I went back in and was handed a bag of travel sized deodorants.  I took them, thinking what a great idea that was and was hoping they would be needed.  I wished there was some kind of food that we could have given thinking that was the biggest need for them.  But, you get what you get, so I took them, put them in my car and left them there for Monday after work delivery.

Monday was gorgeous and I was hoping to go outside for a walk, but I had to leave work early due to an appointment and then thought I'd continue down to the Salvation Army and drop off the donations.  I rang the doorbell, it was the beginning of the Star Spangled Banner, to which I had to sing the rest of it while waiting in the entryway for someone to come and answer the door.  They are not always quick to answer the door, mostly because they are busy, but sometimes I think they don't hear it.  I opened the door to the outside to get some air, thought about coming back next week...thought to myself (the Spirit directing) there is no reason to be in a rush, you have all night, and things you planned can start anytime.  So I pushed the doorbell again, sang again and one of the residents said they would get a worker to open the door.

The door opens and I am greeted by one of the calmest, kindest persons I have ever met.  I handed her the bag of deodorants and without the slightest hint of surprise she told me that she was so thankful because they had just stocked the shelves and deodorant was the one thing they needed.  It was a bit strange to see someone explain such a God thing with such normal tone and expression.  My guess is she has seen it many times over, and I have a hunch that if I were truly looking for it, I'd see it much more often too.

She asked what church I was from and told her, and she was so thankful for the ministry our church has given to the people who find themselves in need of help for housing, food, and clothing.  Once a month the women's group makes dinner and serves it for them.  It has become a bit of a local buzz, that you don't want to miss that meal.  Amy and Friends is what they have come to be known as and I would say that is a very accurate description.  Sitting with people you may not otherwise run into during the course of your day, making them feel special with a meal you would eat yourself, asking questions, and listening, who doesn't want that?

I left there again, humbled to have been a small part of the blessings God is pouring out to these people. They may not know Him, but I am not called to minister to Christians only.  A neighbor is a neighbor and I am to show them the love of Christ through my obedience to Him.  It doesn't matter what I wish I could do, you give what you have, you do what you can, and God takes it and multiplies it, and He provides what He provides in His timing, and in His way, even when you can't see how in blazes it will work out.

Oh if I could learn this and cross it off the life lesson list and really get it.  Being human I will learn this again, and again, and again.  The experience from Monday is an ebenezer of  sorts, so I will have to revisit it when I see no way of the provision happening in my life.  I need to remember His faithfulness, and trust Him, not my ability to play tetris with my life.  He can see all the shapes, so why not let Him fit them together?

Genesis 22
¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Traps That Have Beset Me.

I hear from time to time people describing something happening to them that is beneficial to them, and then say that God is good.  This makes me think about the reasoning to that statement.  Doesn't that make the deciding factor as to if God is good, our perception of the situation?  If what is beneficial to you is detrimental to me, is God good for one of us and not the other?

God is good outside of anything that does or does not happen in our lives.  I believe most people believe this in theory, yet the practice is a far cry from doctrinally sound theology.  God is the I am, if he is good, He is good all the time.  Goodness is not happiness, it is godliness.  I am not looking to mince words, I assure you I am far less concerned with the words as I am with what can happen when we correlate our benefit with God's goodness. 

I am not implying that people cannot say that God is good when something good happens to them.  Of course He is, but He is every bit as good when the dog has died, the tires are flat, the money is gone, and sickness sets in.  Perhaps we should train ourselves to say this regardless of our circumstances and to show the discipline in realizing His goodness amidst disappointment as well as rejoicing. 

Iron Pigs, Take Two

Eleven is the new social awareness. I took my eleven year old niece to the Iron Pigs game a few weeks ago. We had tickets to a batting practice viewing, but since her younger brother decided not come along with us, the allure was far less compelling for two chic chicks. Instead we found ourselves driving around town looking for sunglasses and flip flops.

I remember being little and having a thousand questions and asking about things people didn’t think I could know. Television can be a great educator if we allow it to be. It is for this reason I am surprised when I am surprised by her questions and comments.

With all the inflection of shock and horror of someone three times her age, she recounted to me that she saw Lady Gaga on the Grammys wearing a meat dress. “Her dress was made out of meat.” She said. To which I internally cried that she knew who Lady Gaga is and that she is now inundated with crazytown, the world in which she lives. I tried to move the conversation to things more wholesome with little skill. I got out my ipod and played some songs I thought she would like. She likes Pink, so seemingly innocuous after Gaga. While listening to Pink I found some others I thought she would like. I played a Beatles song she didn’t know, but she correctly guessed the band, and then told me her favorite song of theirs was Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. She knows it doesn’t mean anything; she just likes it, along with Sgt. Pepper, Eleanor Rigby, and Hey Jude. I’ve never been so proud!

The night was full of fun at a baseball game, meeting up with Aunt Jen, food that is overpriced, almost missing the fireworks because of getting the best corn on the cob in the world, getting trinkets at the stand, and soda again being spilled.

Before the night was over I was told her first date would be at Friendly’s, asked when disco died and even more alarmingly asked what she would be like if she was a gangster, made her eat a hotdog given to us by one of Molinari Oswald’s clients, and educated on the proper etiquette at a baseball game waiting to go to our seats.

When the game was over we sat in the car until the lines were gone. While we waited, I got out the ipod again and she found the Veggie Tales album and we started singing along to the Second Chances song. It was fun to sing and be crazy with our water bottle microphones and the freedom to pretend to be gospel singers. She told me I should go on America’s Got Talent for Opera. I thanked her, but assured her I haven’t got the talent for that. It is nice to know that though she is eleven and knows who Lady Gaga is, is learning the Beatles masterpieces, and questions how she would be as a gangster; she still likes hanging out with me singing into impromptu sound amplification systems in front of imagined crowds of fans. I always knew we would get along just fine, but there is nothing like looking over and wondering if she is having fun and knowing by the look in her eye she is. And more than that, knowing I had something to do with it!