Lazy Cultural Engagement

This is an intriguing article from Christianity Today's critic Alissa Wilkinson which challenges my conception cultural engagement. Sometimes I feel I do a good job in this area and other times not so much. 

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/october-web-only/lazy-cultural-engagement.html?start=2n 

John Piper and Citizen Kane

Recently after just finishing Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper I had a thought. Not a life changing epiphany, but an idea I thought was worth talking about.

One of the reasons Citizen Kane is such a talked about and memorable film stems from its major tragedy. It is a tragedy of futility and purposelessness. Kane had all the riches, media clout and political power to move the masses. He strove for success, one might say the American Dream, but he also yearned for love and acceptance. Instead of being a world shaker and a culture changer for good, he slowly encircled himself in his treasure filled dungeon. Riches carried more value than people, or at least Kane assumed riches could buy him friendships and love. He was wrong and he died with a feeble phrase on his lips. In other words we cannot carry all our mountains of worldly goods with us into the next lifetime. Not even our favorite childhood sled. They are utterly useless. They cannot save our souls. They have no bearing on our infinitesimal lives when put in context of an eternal perspective.

Now what does any of this rambling have to do with John Piper's book? It has a great deal because Kane is just the type of person and just the type of life Piper seems to be calling for us to avoid at all costs. Especially as Christians our lives should not simply be reliant on human love and interaction (which are important), but more paramount than that is fellowship with our Father, the Creator of the Universe. We are told to magnify the Lord in how we live and with what we are given.

Kane was blessed with much, but with those who are given much, much is also expected. Thus, it makes sense why the kingdom heaven is said to be a difficult goal for a rich man. None of us can get there alone, but Christ simply illustrates that we are expected to bless others with our treasures on earth.

My hope is that I do not end up as a Citizen Kane, my last words being my favorite sled, my prized piece of hardware or my favorite film. I hope I might leave knowing that I did not waste my life and then I will hear the Lord say, despite all my shortcomings, well done good and faithful servant!

Bible Flicks Not Just B-List

Here is an interesting article on Christian themed films in the modern film industry. Take a look and see what you think!

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/03/bible-flicks-move-beyond-the-b-list.html 

Modern Romance Films

Could it be that modern movie romances are finally trying to portray love and romantic relationships as they really are? You can never be completely positive, but this article seems to suggest that movies are depicting them in a more realistic light. The reality is, as humans we are messy people and that often spills into our relationships.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/april/theres-more-to-love-than-true-love.html

Marilyn Monroe: Not a Bombshell just a Shell

Recently I watched the Howard Hawks musical "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," starring Jane Russell and of course Marilyn Monroe. After watching this film, which I can only imagine helped to solidify Monroe's image, I was reminded of an article that I saw once online.

It related the story of ballplayer turned pastor Albie Pearson who played for Gene Autry's Angels back in the 1960s. One evening that would leave a mark on his life occurred in the summer of 1962, a month before Monroe would be found dead. Pearson saw something that many of the tabloids failed to acknowledge. Out of the glare of the spotlight he saw in Monroe a lonely, broken person. He wanted more than anything to share the Gospel with her but it just did not seem like the right situation for it. Pearson would be deeply saddened when he heard of Monroe's death, but he devoted his life thereafter to shepherding others and caring for them spiritually and physically.

This is just one story that reflects the brokenness that is in mainstream Hollywood. It is not a reason to show more contempt for the industry but to show them love so that the lost have a chance to be found.

http://articles.latimes.com/1997/dec/14/sports/sp-64080/2

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

In one of his best performances, Jimmy Stewart is an idealistic, naive boy's troop leader named Jefferson Smith. The starry eyed Smith, trusts that our nation is founded on some very noble principles that should be fought for tirelessly in government and in society. Above all he is a likable fellow who earnestly believes in the merits of this country and he is beloved by boys all across the state. Now this all sounds fine and dandy, but it would never have come across on the screen if it had not been for Stewart. He emanates this awkward and innocent energy that puts life into the idealistic creation of Jefferson Smith. 

When the film opens, everything is in turmoil when a senator suddenly dies and a replacement is needed fast. Believing Smith will be a pawn, a powerful man named Taylor (Ed Arnold) gets Smith a seat in the nation's Senate. There he joins the respected Senator and old family acquaintance, Joe Paine (Claude Reins), who is also a cog in Taylor's machine. However, although he is out of place in Washington, the patriotic Smith does his best to be worthy of his position. He realizes that the press will not give him a break and the other Senators do not take him seriously. So on the urging of Paine he decides to come up with a bill for a boys camp back in his home state. He requires the help of the world weary secretary Saunders (Jean Arthur) to get his bill done. Initially she is disgusted by his naivete, but as she grows to know him she realizes he is only going to get himself hurt. His action to propose a bill soon find him face to face with the political machine that elected him. Taylor also has stakes on the piece of land where the boy's camp would be and he wants it for a dam. 

Smith finds himself being accused of using his position for his personal gain and he finds himself before a committee with false evidence piling up against him. With all odds and seemingly everyone  against him as well, Smith makes one last monumental effort. With the help and guidance of Saunders, Smith fights to plead his case through a filibuster. Fatigued by many hours of giving impassioned speeches and reciting the Constitution, Smith finally collapses but not before effectively succeeding at his task. I doubt this would every happen in real life, but in the film it is fantastic watching the Senate break out into complete and utter mayhem. Ultimately, a young man with "a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella," was able to win. True, it may be overly sentimental, but it is a wonderful piece of sentiment all the same.

5/5 Stars

Honestly, I had never really noticed it before, but while he filibusters in the senate, Jefferson Smith's impassioned entreaty is backed by scripture several times. He looks at the many men around him seemingly much greater than himself and he recites the "simple rule: Love thy neighbor" which was part of the great commandment that Christ gave his disciples in the Gospels. Smith goes up to the one man who is in a sense his Judas, the man who betrayed his trust and he says,

"a man who knows that one rule has a great trust. You know that rule, Mr. Paine, and I loved you for it, just as my father did. And you know that you fight for the lost causes harder than for any others. Yes, you even die for them, like a man we both knew, Mr. Paine."

Now right here Smith is obviously talking about his father from the film, but still this is a wonderful picture  of what Christ did. He fought for the lost cause which was you and me and he died for that cause so it could be won over.

Between reading historic documents such as the Constitution, Smith can also be heard reading a short passage from the King James version of 1 Corinthians 13:13 which reads, "charity wanteth not itself. Is not propped up and now, abideth faith. Hope, charity, these three, the greatest of these is charity."

In the more modern NIV the translation is, "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." This is the passage where Paul talks about love and so the charity that is mentioned in the film is love. More exactly it is loving thy neighbor which is a form of charity.

So despite the obvious themes of Mr. Smith, patriotic and otherwise, there is also a less obvious theme that is biblically based. Yet another reason to enjoy this film.

Amazing Grace (2007)

Based on the life of Christian activist and British parliament member William Wilberforce, Amazing Grace is a very important and powerful film. Wilberforce is a unique and extraordinary man to say the least. The story opens as a dreadfully sick Wilbeforce takes a holiday at the home of some close friends. They introduce him to his future wife Barbara Spooner, however to begin with they resist any romantic involvement and remain friends. He relates his story to her about how he became an Evangelical Christian while also a popular member of the British Parliament. He had considered leaving politics for theological studies, however he is persuaded by friends including William Pitt to continue in parliament. He is asked to tackle the highly unpopular issue of slavery and after a visit to his aging mentor John Newton (Albert Finney), Wilbeforces’ fervor increases. Due to his own regrets about formerly being a slave trader, Newton is hounded by guilt and urges Wilbeforce to end the trade. Soon William Pitt becomes prime minister and Wilbeforce gets ready to bring a bill outlawing slavery to the house. He gets some unexpected support, but his popularity dwindles and he is strongly opposed by a coalition with a large stake in the trade. His bill is ultimately beaten outright but William continues the cause for numerous years to no avail. Now back in the present, Wilberforce is sickly and dejected, but Barbara encourages him to push on. They get married soon after and the fight continues without much progress. However, finally William devises a clever plan to cripple the slave trade and he gains some new allies. His colleague and friend Pitt is slowly dying but he supports Wilbeforce. After many years of tireless struggle a bill is passed in parliament that effectively ends the slave trade in 1807. Wilbeforce is one of those often unsung Christian heroes who truly did something extraordinary. With the release of Lincoln more recently, there were definite connections that could be made between the films. Like Lincoln, Wilbeforce worked for more than political clout, because he knew what was good and right and so he struggled for those principles. That is the sign of a truly great man. Much like Wilbeforce himself, this film is less heralded than Lincoln, but I would wager that it is no less  important. 

4/5 Stars

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see."
~ excerpt from Amazing Grace by John Newton