exvigilare

How do you get to Lost?

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I meant to write about this today, but that was before some idiot in Manilla wasted most of my morning. She's fired. Since I didn't get to throw anything on the pith, read this instead. Kevin has some nice observations, and good comments, too. What is it with good comments today? The planets must be aligned just so, or some nonsense like that.

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This is a very powerful piece by Sgt. Stryker. Read it all, including the comments.

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Wow, that's a lot of dough. Even more impressively, that a lot of people that saw The Passion of the Christ. Not surprisingly, it's the highest grossing Christian-themed movie in recent memory, and (outside of Summer and Holiday season releases) it's the biggest opening day for a movie.

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Congrats, and thanks, to my fellow members of the Alliance who have taken issue with this sign in front of the Lovingway United Pentecostal Church on Colorado Boulevard and Mississippi Avenue here in Denver. This is unacceptable behavior by any church. The rally last night in front of the church got quite a response, according to Joshua. This church is somewhat infamous for its sign messages in recent years. Obviously the pastor, Maurice Gordon, is a fool but he's not alone. The Anti-Defamation League has been clamoring madly over Mel Gibson's movie and how anti-Semitic it is - but they are nowhere to be found at the rally. Hmm, do you think that hurts their credibility? And if it does do they realize it?

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I mentioned yesterday that Tuesday we went to see the Passion of Jesus Christ. I suspect you've seen all of the controversy surrounding the film - let me address the two primary arguments against. First, critics of the movie say it's too violent. My response? They're absolutely correct. It's an incredibly violent movie, even before we see the crucifixion. The scourging scene is stomach turning, the march to Golgotha seems interminable. But - and there's always a 'but,' isn't there? - I don't think that it was exaggerated in the least. I believe this is what Christ went through in the hours leading up to his death. We have been spoonfed a sanitized version of the death of Jesus for so long that we are unwilling to think about, or especially see portrayed so vividly on the big screen, what actually happened. The torture, the cruelty - we want to avoid thinking about this because it forces us to consider our own roles in His death.

Secondly, the film's opponents say that it's anti-Semitic, or will cause anti-Semitic feelings. Let me see if I can find a way to describe that opinion.....they're full of shit. I didn't walk out of the theatre thinking about how horrible the Jews were, or even the Romans (which would probably have been easier). I walked out of the theatre thinking about how horrible I am. Anyone who has not seen the movie and is feeding you this line of b.s. - please tell them what you think. They have some other agenda, I think.

As a film, it is beautiful. The music is astounding in its simplicity and fury. The visuals are amazing. Even the subtitles seem appropriate, and they do not distract at all. The depictions of the characters are absolutely believable - every one of them. Mother Mary communicates so much with her eyes that she doesn't have to speak. The devotion of the disciples is evident and beautiful.

This is a movie that you should see. This is a movie that you will both love and hate. This is a movie you will never forget.

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I'm still here, just ridiculously busy. I had jury duty yesterday, then we went out to see a special screening of the Passion of the Christ. Well, just us and about a thousand other people. Very moving, very powerful, very graphic. Mel Gibson certainly didn't pull any punches, and you walk out of the theatre exhausted.

So today I have to write an essay about how good I am. Hmm. After that movie, who could? Instead I wrote about why I'm not good. It will be interesting to see what kind of effect it has on the committee.

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