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Showing posts from June, 2014

The Fault in the Story: The Fault in Our Stars Review

  WARNING SPOILERS! The Fault in Our Stars is a film about a cancer patient named Hazel Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) who is trying to cope with her inevitable demise. She has two wonderful and loving parents, one played by Laura Dern. Hazel aside from reading a book over and over, spends her time attending a Church Help Group for cancer patients. When this group is introduced, the leader, a Christian, is made to look like a fool who says as he rolls down a carpet with Jesus displaying an open heart,  "we are stepping literally into the heart of Jesus." This Christian leader is the stereotypical Hollywood Christian stand in. He acts superficial and silly, he seems out of touch with reality and does not illicit any signs of an intellect like Martin Luther or C.S. Lewis. In another film called Easy A , the Christians are depicted this way, only more judgmental. After stepping into the literal heart of Jesus, Hazel listens with a dazed look in her eyes to the leader play

Yoga: The Truth

Yoga has taken the world by storm. From the wives of Duck Dynasty to women in the Church, Yoga has become the major means to find inner peace. Unfortunately, this form of exercise is steeped in Buddhism, Hinduism, and other eastern religions. The very act of participating in it will invite the fallen angelic beings behind these religions into your life via the poses and meditations you do. From Ananta's pose (which was beast that transported the Hindu god Vishnu) to Crescent pose (alluding to Allah and Islamic war symbolism) to Lotus, all the poses pay homage to Hindu gods, Buddhist Beliefs, and other eastern religions. The basic mediating pose (featured in the picture above) is what Buddhist Monks and Hindu Brahams do when they try to mediate and connect to their gods. What is more alarming than Yoga's ties to Eastern Religions, is that it is now becoming a force to destroys marriages. In the Church there are many wives who after practicing Yoga are now becoming contentio

The Two Most Important Things

We live in a world of diversions and distractions. Ambition takes hold of us and many gods seek our attention. Quickly we become self focused as we seek to achieve our own dreams. The problem is not that we should have a vision, but that so often as Christians we abandon the two most important things in life. Jesus said, "the most important commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul." (Mark 12:30). This is the first and greatest commandment; to love Christ with all your being and put Him first above all things. In Italy, people define themselves first and foremost as Catholics, as Christians. Their nationality and race are secondary to their relationship with Jesus. The second commandment is like the first, "love your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27). Many people will not fulfill these two commissions. They will not love the Creator of the Universe or their fellow human beings. Some will excel in one or the other. They will

Edge of Transformation: Edge of Tomorrow Review

  WARNING! SPOILERS! Jesus spoke in parables. He used imagery and symbols that the common person could understand. Film makers are doing the same. There are many stories on the silver screen that scream salvation. One of those stories is the Edge of Tomorrow. Science Fiction seems to be were the prophets and preachers now set up their pulpit. It is as if Gene Roddenberry, Steven Spielberg, and many others have found in their imagination the very blue print for what is about to happen and a method in which to help us understand what has already happened. The technology alone in many science fiction stories is now becoming available. The device in Star Trek to heal the injured is now available. Pre-crime, the ability to predict future crime like in Spielberg's Minority Report now exists. When the Sci-Fi tellers are not giving us a glimpse into the future, they remind us of the story that continues to rivet us and transform us. J.R.R. Tolkien once said, "there is only o

Who is your God?

                                       I have written frequently about serving God and knowing if you are in idolatry. There are several posts where I have pontificated about the dangers of Mammon (god of money). However, there are subjects and issues that deserve a more extensive look and require greater rumination.  It is not a secret to those who see that there are many idols and gods seeking to draw us. The most predominate is the allure of riches. Money in of itself is not evil, but the "love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Timothy 6:10). There is a god of money whose name is Mammon. This money god is behind greed and avarice. He in addition drives people to trust in money. Instead of relying on Christ, people turn to their Coin. There are whole markets set up to assure investors that their wealth will last and be their provider for the future. However, God reserves the name of provider, Jehovah Jiri. So many Christians are caught in Mammon's mines, s

Romantic Ruse and Romantic Reality

  From the cradle we are told a fairytale. It is always the same, a gallant prince rescues a princess in distress. At the end of the story the two royals seal their love in matrimony and it all ends "happily ever after." Thus begins the expectation that shall dominate most people's lives. The belief that if you find your princess or meet your prince, all shall be right. We are sold from fable to film the lie that romantic love will fill our souls with complete purpose and happiness. The reality is in stark contrast to the fantasy. People are not perfect princes or princesses. No one is capable of pleasing indefinitely. The truth is that we have been beguiled by a ruse. This ruse is the ruin of man. We cannot find our real God given purpose in people. There is only one prince who can rescue us from the dragon known as the Liar (Satan); there is only one prince who can awaken us from the sorcerous slumber. That prince is the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Only in hi

Creation Cries Out

I am not an environmentalist. Going Green to me seems more like getting green ($) for upstart companies. However, I do take seriously what God says in Genesis, "Be fruitful and subdue the Earth." (Genesis 1:28). To subdue is to put to order and take care of. In Eden man and nature were connected. We were to caretakers and protectors of God's other creations. Animals did not fear us, nay Adam was free to name them all, so picture him holding birds in his hands, following ants to their hills, and swimming with sharks. Once there was peace between all of God's creation. Animals were harmless and did not need to be domesticated to be friendly towards mankind. Then on that fateful day, everything changed. Adam and Eve made decision that not only effected every generation of men, it effected all creation. One bite of the forbidden destroyed the harmony of all living things. Now in the fallen world, man and nature are at war. We erect our steel and wood structure, while

Body Snatchers

It is starling how many people are changing in the blink of an eye. I am not referring to when Jesus said we "shall be changed in a blink of an eye," into our new bodies. Nay, instead I refer to a phenomenon that is more closely associated with Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Many Christians I have known have changed drastically. They have gone from being virteous disciples, to vice filled disciples. This altering of character and personality is not over a long duration or period, it happens as if instantaneously. One day they are good and loving, the next bent on evil and unloving. This devilish transformation alarms me. People you once trusted, become the architects of your trials and tribulations. Those whom you called family and closest friends become foes seeking your fall. What causes this sudden change? How can someone you've known for a decade or two decades or longer be someone else? There body is the same, they have the same eyes, hair, and skin tone, but s