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Hello, Mr. Brooks
A lot of movies make it fun to root for the villain. An example is Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: Even though we know he’s a pirate, he’s a likable character. Besides, at least he’s not as evil as those other pirates, right?
The new movie Mr. Brooks follows another anti-hero, but this guy has more in common with Hannibal Lecter than Jack Sparrow. Outwardly all seems well (good family, successful business) but inwardly he hides a secret: he’s a serial killer. Though his acts are morally wicked, the movie audience is made to empathize with Brooks because he is likable and has a conscience: he knows his behavior is wrong. He wants to change, but is tantalized by “Marshall”, the proverbial devil on his shoulder who whispers temptations in his ear.
What can we say about Mr. Brooks’ predicament? In some ways of thinking, the notion of “karma” would mean that his life is so far gone to the dark side that there’s no hope of redemption. But in others, there may yet be hope for a person like him. Is there hope for him? For that matter, is there hope for any of us?
He’s Back
Our ornery, green, ogre friend is back for a third time and has definitely created quite the buzz. Shrek the Third, the movie anxiously anticipated since its predecessors, Shrek and Shrek 2, was released in theatres last week. Critics tout the sequel as underdeveloped and lackluster, but numbers at the box office tell a different story—the public seems to adore the story about this grouchy green creature. The movie brought in more than $121 million at the box office over the weekend. So what’s the big deal about Shrek? Why are people willing to spend money at the theatre to see Shrek the Third despite poor reviews?
Read the review of Shrek the Third here.
Survivor – just a game?
Being the reality tv junkie that I am, I have seen all 14 installments of Survivor. Out of all 14, I don’t think I’ve ever been as incensed by the action of one of the participants as in the latest finale. Yes, Survivor is a game, where the people Outwit, Outplay and Outlast the rest for the million dollar prize. And yes, one should expect to be manipulated, cheated, and lied to as part of the game. But how does one separate integrity and honor between a game and real life? Isn’t how one plays a game reflective of how one lives life?
For those who don’t follow Survivor: Fiji, here’s a quick recap. Yau-Man had previously made a deal with Dreamz – Yau-Man would give Dreamz a brand new truck he had just won in a challenge if Dreamz would give Yau-Man immunity once they get to the final four. Deamz agreed whole heartedly, greedy for the new truck. When the time came for him to fulfill his end of the deal, he reneged, saying that it was all part of the game. What bothered me most was not Dreamz going back on his word, but his reason for doing so. He said that he went back on his promise to Yau-Man to give himself a better chance at winning the prize money, which would enable him to help out underprivileged kids. Yet previously, he had said that he wanted his son to be proud of him by seeing how he honors his word.
When it came down to it, everyone saw through Dreamz’ deception and he ended up receiving zero votes to win. His excuse to the end was that he was playing a game, and that he wanted to be a good role model for his kid and others. To me that is just twisted thinking. Does he think that lying and openly deceiving someone would make him a good role model? Yes, this is just a game, but so is monopoly or chess or hockey. Does that mean it would be ok for anyone to cheat or lie to someone because “it’s just a game”?
The issue of integrity is one that I struggle with constantly. It’s difficult enough these days to live a life that I can be proud of, to walk a straight path, even when no one is watching. To watch Dreamz so blatantly disregard honor and integrity in the face of Yau-Man’s generosity and trust angers me. In the end, I think Yau-Man said it best, “He has to live with what he did”.
How do you feel about the issue of integrity and being a person of your word? Do you think it depends on the circumstances? Or should we try to live the same way regardless of the situations we’re in?
Does God Exist?
While channel surfing last night, I came across something interesting. ABC Nightline was featuring a debate between Christians Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort, and atheists Brian Sapient and Kelly, who call themselves “the Rational Response Squad”. What ensued was 90 minutes of heated debate, where topics like Creation vs evolution and origin of morality and evil were discussed, all in an effort to prove/disprove the existence of God. The mixed audience in attendance at Calvary Baptist Church in midtown Manhattan also took part in the debate by posing tough questions to the panel. In an interview post debate, Kirk Cameron noted that while the evening had not gone as well as they had hoped, they were encourage by the fact that they were able to hold such a public debate with a vast audience. See clips of the debate here.
The debate over whether God exists or not will continue despite our best efforts for or against. While the nature of a debate necessitates the participants to be diametrically opposed in their opinions, I believe debates of this kind are helpful to those who are somewhere in the middle, undecided and needing more information. What I am most encouraged about is that this debate was broadcast on mainstream television, where serious discussion of God seems to be taboo. Do you think these types of debates are healthy and helpful? I’d like to think so.
What is “The Secret”?
Currently atop the New York Times ‘Best Seller’ list in the “Hardcover Advice” category, The Secret makes some big promises. If you only know The Secret, money, health, relationships, and happiness can all be yours. What is The Secret?
“What you think about the most or focus on the most, is what will appear in your life.??? (p.17) One example explains how a man is having trouble at work. He is being abused, and dwells on negative thoughts. However, after thinking more positively, all of the people that were hassling him moved to another department, quit their job, or just left him alone. This is the ‘Law of Attraction’: Like attracts like. You get whatever you focus on; if you think about how you’re being mistreated, you’ll get more mistreatment. There’s no question about it: “The law of attraction is a law of nature. It is impersonal and does not see good things or bad things.” (p. 13)
The Secret is not really new; it expands upon the popular idea of the Power of Positive Thinking, as popularized by the 1952 book of that name. And positive thinking is quite beneficial. Dwelling on negative thoughts can result in a cycle of negative, defeatist thinking. Certainly a pattern of negative thoughts can lead us to make to negative actions which will lead to adverse effects.
But the idea that we can change the physical world around us using the mental energy of our thoughts seems much more dangerous. Take the example of the man above who, by using his thoughts, made other people around him quit their jobs. This is quite a scary idea: That our actions are, in at least in part, being controlled by other people. After all, his thoughts made them quit their jobs. But wait, The Secret is supposed to be that our own thoughts cause our own situations? How can someone else’s thoughts impact me? Do you believe your friends and family can control your actions with their minds?
Another example given in the film is a guy who worries about his bike being stolen, so he double-locks it … and of course it gets stolen. The Secret implies it was his own negative thoughts that caused it to be stolen. But the bike didn’t steal itself. Someone else had to steal it. So the implication is that his thoughts caused someone else to steal his bike. According to the ‘Law of Attraction’, the person who stole the bike had no choice!
What do you think of The Secret? Do you find it convincing? Why or why not? Is the popularity of The Secret as a means to achieve wealth and happiness more of a reflection of our North American society than anything else?
Facing the Giants
Although this film has been out for sometime, I felt compelled to write about it. When first thinking about watching another sports flick, the inevitable images of the poor team gets their act together and wins it all scenario didn’t feel too appealing to me. But after watching only half of this movie I already knew I now longer wanted to rent it, but own it.
Firstly, one surely does Not have to be a football fan to enjoy this movie. And what stuck me most about it, was the all important life questions it brings up, and how they are dealt with. This movie comes at football from a totally different perspective, which is why am writing this post. This story of an emotional roller coaster of faith is refreshingly new, from the long list of sports films, which alone makes it worth the watch.
I have come away from the movie asking myself, “How will I respond to this in my life????
And an aching question lingers in the back of my mind, “How would this world change if some people would live like the Couch Grant Taylor and his wife Brooke did????
What do you think?
Little Miss Sunshine Shines
If you haven’t already watched the indie flick starring Toni Collette, Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin and–who can forget the 40 year-old virgin–Steve Carell, you need to go rent this blockbuster. It’s funny, entertaining and will have you cheering for the dysfunctional family every step of the way.
The family goes on a road trip together on a yellow van (that doesn’t really work properly) to take little daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. Many mishaps and adventures happen along the way but they manage to pull it together in the end as a family. They support Olive even though she clearly isn’t beauty pageant material (Abigail wore a fat suit to fit the role of a somewhat chubby girl who shouldn’t win a pageant). (Which, by the way, is a whole other topic when it comes to being pretty for pageants)
At first, I wasn’t too sure what the theme of the movie was. I thought it had to do with beauty or something. After thinking about it, I realized it was about family. The family coming together even after many disputes. The family of so-called “losers” of this world that we can’t help but root for. The family who forgives each other, knowing they aren’t perfect.
The family that knows it’s ok to lose as long as they have each other.
Then I started thinking about my own family. Are there things I don’t forgive them for? And is it ok if I lose? I’ve always felt the pressures from my family to be successful and make money. I must say, I know for certain that sometime along the way, I will fail at that. I will fail my family and their expectations. But I think that’s the beauty of it–it’s when you fail but your family is still beside you.
What about you? Have you ever been a “loser”?
Jesus Tomb Found… Again?
The news that Jesus’ family tomb was discovered in Talpiot, Israel sent Titanic producer James Cameron and a film crew rushing to the scene.
Well sort of.
A tomb was discovered in 1980 containing 10 ossuaries (think caskets). According to DNA evidence, ones labelled Mary and Joseph… get this… DID NOT HAVE MATCHING DNA! Note: they only found DNA on those two ossuaries they were able to use.
This proves what, exactly? Mary and Joseph were married, not blood-related, so their DNA shouldn’t match.
OK, let’s start over. Mary and Joseph have a son named Jeshua (Jesus) who supposedly married Mary Magdalene (if you believe The Da Vinci Code) and they have a son named Judah. Oh, and Matthew the tax collector is also related to Jesus somehow. I think distant cousins or something. Clear as mud?
Yes, you too can be blown away by The Lost Tomb of Jesus coming to the Discovery Channel this Sunday at 9pm Eastern.
Just in case you were wondering, The Discovery Channel doesn’t think this will cause any issues with theology.
Belief in the resurrection is based not on which tomb he was buried in, but on alleged sightings of Jesus that occurred after his burial and documented in the Gospels.
And…
If Jesus’ mortal remains have been found, this would contradict the idea of a physical ascension but not the idea of a spiritual ascension. The latter is consistent with Christian theology.
From “Theological Considerations“
As a Christian, I am thankful that Discovery was able to put my mind to rest. Here, I thought that the key theological implication might be that if Jesus had a son he might be sinless.
A quick question before I go. If this is the tomb holding Jesus’ body, who’s tomb is this?
Can you keep The Secret?
Have you heard about the movie The Secret? Rhonda Byrne wrote a companion book of the same title that was recently featured on Oprah. According to this book the secret is the law of attraction, the idea that you can control what happens to you by putting out into the universe what you want to come back to you. Sounds a bit like kharma.
Oprah did a follow-up show a week later with guests James Arthur Ray and the Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith. On her site it says, “The Secret is defined as the law of attraction, which states that like attracts like. The concept says that the energy you put into the world—both good and bad—is exactly what comes back to you. This means you create the circumstances of your life with the choices you make every day.???
Her guest, James Arthur Ray claims science backs up the secret. He says, “Science tells us that everything is energy, and so your thoughts are energy. Your body, your cash, your car—everything you think is solid . . . it’s just a field of energy and a rate of vibration.”
It is an interesting idea to think that a person has total control over their own destiny, I guess you wouldn’t need God in a world like that. But what about people that have had horrible things happen to them? Is this book suggesting that they brought it on themselves? A world where I am completely in control might sound safe, but I’m not convinced. If it’s all up to me, what happens when I am not enough? It doesn’t leave any room for grace. Between grace and power, I’ll take grace. I’m not sure I’m up to the task of running the world.
Does The Secret offer hope for change as the author suggests?
Revenge or Forgiveness
I’m sure we’ve all been there…someone has hurt us, and we want to do something, anything, to get back at them. But to what extent would we go to exact revenge? On the newsmagazine show 20/20 last week, there was a two hour special on people who went to the ultimate extreme for revenge. Profiled were several people who plotted and in most cases succeeded in murdering those who wronged them. Most often, it’s jilted lovers but in one case, a business rival. “The more we care, the more we hurt???…so does that mean we should not care as much so we won’t be hurt as much?
On the flip side, there is forgiveness. One Dr. Phil guest recently wished to be reunited with her father after his release from jail. His crime? The murder of her mother. How many of us can say that we could forgive someone who has committed such a crime against us?
Revenge or forgiveness? Plotting or taking revenge might be more immediately satisfying, but the consequences far reaching. Forgiveness may seem impossible at first, but is ultimately freeing. Some might say the sweetest revenge is forgiving, forgetting and moving on. What would you say?
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