Last weekend contained my son’s big day, his third birthday, so as part of his celebration we took him to a movie.  There aren’t a lot of kid movies out right now, but he’d been captured by the images of The Tale of Despereaux he’d seen, so we thought we’d check it out.

I thought it was an absolutely wonderful movie.  I was pulled in by the story which wound through some twists and turns.  It’s not simple kids fare, but has a story and characters that I think parents can find fascinating as well.

I was a little surprised when I went out on the net afterward and found that a lot of parents were really down on the movie.  They thought it was too dark and complicated for kids.  There certainly were elements of the ratworld that were dark and the adventure sequences of people chasing mice or a cat attack could be scary, but our son, who has a sensitive heart, was fine throughout (Yeah, he was looking pretty intense a couple of times, but with a little parental reassurance he was fine).

I appreciate a kid movie that tells a story about important themes like courage and selflessness.  It also tells a story of characters who have to move past loss, forgive, and find joy in new and changed circumstances.  Some people said they thought it was too dark and some people said the themes were familiar.  I don’t think this movie was either.  I think it appealed to kids with the nature of the story, the fun charactes, and the animation, but also told a story that has themes many adults should pay attention to as well.  My vote is that Jesus would digg it.

So what do you think about the girls’ basketball game where Covenant beat Dallas Academy 100-0?

Is this another example of a society that is too obsessed with sports and competition and has little understanding for humility or a fair spirit?

Or is this simply a team playing hard against another team, using the athletic gifts God’s given them, and playing as the sport was meant to be played?

While different reports are coming in as far as how things actually occurred, I think this is one of those cases where there are some clear lessons to be learned.  I’m pretty sure Jesus would not digg a team continuing to go for the jugular when the other team was down and out of it.  A full court press in the 4th quarter when you’re up by 88? Taking 3s for the whole game?  Fans and coaches yelling to keep going so you can hit the benchmark of winning by 100? 

I’m all for competition and playing hard, but that goes a little too far.  By all accounts, the Dallas Academy team took things pretty well, but even I would be a little upset if a team was going after me hard when they weren’t just winning comfortably, but in fact killing my team.  It starts to feel like they’re trying to embarrass you at some point.  That’s not acceptable.

What I don’t like, however, is the blowback that’s demonizing the Covenant team.  Yes they were wrong.  Yes they should have known better, and yes they deserve some admonishment, but it’s not acceptable to embarrass them either, especially when overall the tone has been apologetic.  Should the coach be fired for saying he wasn’t sorry for the win?  That’s a little murkier, but please don’t go after them so hard because they were getting caught up in the moment.   Let them move on too.

Remember, basketball is a competition and sometimes victories are a little lopsided and I don’t think teams should quit playing- work in some subs, don’t press so hard, but they should keep playing the game.   I think Jesus would digg competition in the right spirit.  I remember the seminary had a logo up in the Pederson Fieldhouse saying something like, “Gracious in Victory, Noble in Defeat”.  I think this was the right spirit and this is what I hope people would take out of stories like this and apply to all levels of athlectics.

I recently ran across a couple of intersting music videos by Christian artists.  In this video, Reliant K, sings the popular Christmas song, Sleigh Ride.  It’s kind of a fun video, but what’s your reaction?  What do you think of Christian artists recording such songs?  Should they stick to Christian stuff?  On a sidenote, there’s a Christian station down here that proudly proclaims, “we’re keeping the Christ in Christmas” and then always promptly plays something like Chipmunk Christmas.  I’m not sure where to go with that.

Anyway. . . here’s another video.  This is a different tilt.  Here we have Jars of Clay singing an overtly Christian Christmas song, but as you watch it, well. . . how would you describe it?  Funky?  Weird?  Certainly some interesting imagery.  I like the words.  I think I like the visual appeal.  I guess the word that seems to capture things for me is “magical”.  While God doesn’t deal in magic and I hestitate to use the word, there is a certain connotation to it where God does something amazing on Christmas.  He capture our imagination with a narrative full of miracles and incredible provision so that he can begin the greatest story, the greatest event in the history of earth.  Love did come down on Christmas as the song proclaims.  And in the sense of being awed at something utterly different than our experience, it is magical.

One of the things I love so much about Christmas this year is that my children can really enjoy it.  Christmas with Reuel last year was fun, but this year it’s great.  He loves it all.  The decorations, presents, advent devotions and worship (yeah for that!), and also the classic Christmas movies.  One of our traditions as a family is to get a new Christmas video every year and so this year we bought a collection of kid’s movies (Rudolph the claymation version, Frosty, etc).

As I’ve been watching these videos and thinking about others I’ve been struck by the themes that run throughout some of them.  The love of “misfits” in Rudolph, faith in Miracle on 34th Street, redemption in the Grinch.  It’s interesting to note that even in secular videos these themes which are such a part of the Christian and Christmas story are clear.

So here’s my question and assignment for you.  Our DCE and I are working on a Youth Christmas worship that will be drawing on the classic Christmas movies and finding motifs in them that are part of the Christmas story.  Think on your favorite Christmas movies and tell me, what parts of them would Jesus Digg.  What scenes stand out to you and what Christian themes do you see in these?  Do you see a Christmas character represented- Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, angels, even Jesus?

That’s a hard call for me.  Probably Han Solo since I’m such a Star Wars nut.  Recently Premiere.com ranked the 100 Greatest Hollywood Characters of All Time.  It was interesting to look through the list.  There were some that definitely surprised me as we go to the top (I love Lord of the Rings too, but is Gollum really the 10th best character of all time?  I thought Frodo and Sam were actually better).  And there were some that were obviously quite fitting- Scarlett O’Hara, James Bond, etc.

As you look through the list, what kind of a feel do you get for Hollywood and cinema.  What do you think Jesus’ reaction would be to the list.  Certainly many of the characters listed are full of psychological and social complexities which accurately portray and make us think about our world.  And there are some who are just plain fun (Mary Poppins #45).  There are some characters I’m not so sure about, and especially the way they almost seem to have become glamourized (e.g. #51 Freddie Krueger, #15 Hannibal Lecter, or even #1, check it out for yourself) despite the fact that their characters are supposed to display sad, pathetic, or even scary characteristics.

Also, I’m a little saddened that Moses from The 10 Commandments didn’t make the cut.  That’s got to be one of the greatest roles and performances doesn’t it?  Or maybe the makers of the list thought it would be belittling to call Moses a character.  Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt since most of the other characters are fictitious.

Share your thoughts on the list, movies, and who your favorite character would be.

One we recently watched was called, “Snow Angels“.  It’s one of those you watch and you’re not quite sure how to react when it’s done.  It was definitely on the darker side of things.  It’s about characters caught in turmoil of disintegrating relationships.  There’s also one burgeoning teenage relationship portrayed.  The movie ends basically in tragedy.

So how do we react to movies like these?  Would Jesus digg them?  It’s hard for me to say.  I do watch some of these movies because I believe they accurately portray elements of our world.  I think they give me insights into the human psyche.  At the same time, some of these movies seem so dark, I wonder if they’re simply a negative influence, if they drag a person down.  And some dark movies seem dedicated to doing so with little real social commentary.  These are ones I don’t think Jesus would digg. (I’ve had debates with people about such movies, e.g. the recent Academy Award Winner, “No Country for Old Men”)  For me to want to watch a movie on this darker side of the spectrum, I want something in the movie to make me think harder, to help me learn something.  Some dark movies may be captivating, but if it doesn’t offer hope or insight, I’m not sure it’s helpful.

I think Snow Angels gave me some new insights.  It certainly says some interesting things about relationships, especially the effects of broken marriages and how the consequences can cause things to spin out of control affecting many different people, even beyond the immediate family (E.g. when one person’s marriage breaks, are they then tempted to hurt someone else’s marriage as in this movie).  Of course there are some elements I don’t like in this movie too (e.g. how teen sexuality is oftentimes portrayed as such a wonderful thing without real social and emotional consequences).

Where do you come out on such movies? Do they help you understand our culture better?  Do you want to do so even?  Is it worth it?

So video games are kind of hard for me because they have continued to progress so far beyond a simple entertainment choice.  Some people now spend most of their day glued to games.  Some of the games involve people on levels where they develop friends and relationships with others across the world.  Some of the games look so real, it’s almost video level quality.

And there are many arguments on the positive side for video games.  Studies have shown the games do stimulate problem solving.  Some of the relationships built online are positive.  The games can be used for learning purposes (do you remember Number Munchers and Oregon Trail!) 

But there are many negative elements too.  You can look at the time that can be wrapped up in these games.  Or maybe the subject matter distresses you.  I’ll be honest, I played some shoot-em ups when I was younger.  I’m not sure the thrill associated with the slaughter was a good thing.  And some of the games really push the line, not even bothering to put a semblance of nobility around the subject, but instead casting you as a criminal.  Would Jesus digg these things?  I doubt it.

Even the games that are more neutral in character can be questioned.  Wii gets a little movement, but wouldn’t it be nice for our kids to be spending a little more time outside.  Or inventing their own games and play activities, using creativity and imagination.  Or maybe even reading books.  Some have tried to use video games to spur reading or have even wondered if video games themselves can be called reading, but I find this a little strained.  Maybe there are characters and plot, but few really push people to explore new ideas in the way we hope reading would.

But I don’t want to appear out-of-touch.  Video games aren’t going away, but I think the Church may have to think about these pretty radically if we’re truly going to leverage the medium for good.  Do you have any suggestions.  If there are any gamers out there, what’s your experience?

Some people now spend most of their day glued to games. Some of the games involve people on levels where they develop friends and relationships with others across the world. Some of the games look so real, it’s almost video level quality.

And there are many arguments on the positive side for video games. Studies have shown the games do stimulate problem solving. Some of the relationships built online are positive. The games can be used for learning purposes (do you remember Number Munchers and Oregon Trail!)

But there are many negative elements too. You can look at the time that can be wrapped up in these games. Or maybe the subject matter distresses you. I’ll be honest, I played some shoot-em ups when I was younger. I’m not sure the thrill associated with the slaughter was a good thing. And some of the games really push the line, not even bothering to put a semblance of nobility around the subject, but instead casting you as a criminal. Would Jesus digg these things? I doubt it.

Even the games that are more neutral in character can be questioned. Wii gets a little movement, but wouldn’t it be nice for our kids to be spending a little more time outside. Or inventing their own games and play activities, using creativity and imagination. Or maybe even reading books. Some have tried to use video games to spur reading or have even wondered if video games themselves can be called reading, but I find this a little strained. Maybe there are characters and plot, but few really push people to explore new ideas in the way we hope reading would.

But I don’t want to appear out-of-touch. Video games aren’t going away, but I think the church may have to think about these pretty radically if we’re truly going to leverage this medium for good. Do you have suggestions? If there are any true gamers out there, what’s your experience?<><>< -->

Yes my child can view tons of great stuff for school reports online, but they may also stumble upon (or actively search for) pornography.  Yes they can now chat with friends without tying up the family phone, but they can also be approached by child predators in chat rooms.  Yes, I can now text my teen when they’re hanging out with friends, but they may also be bullied on that same device.  What’s a parent to do?

Many parents have increasingly been using technology to fight technology. But how far is too far? There are a variety of programs that allow parents to monitor and control web access.  Cell phone companies are installing software that allows parents to view their childrens’ incoming text messages and calls, control where and when their children can use their phones, and even monitor location via GPS.  And now Ford has introduced the SmartKey, which allows parents to control some elements of their teen’s driving (how fast they can go, how loud the music is, seat belt use, etc)

The question is- how far should this all go?  Yes we live in a scary world and parents need to be aware of and monitor a child’s use of technology.  Most of the technologies listed above seem relatively respectable.  Most of them are about monitoring things that parents should probably know.  Once upon a time, Mom and Dad knew who was calling because there was only one line in the house.  Now with cell phones, it’s not all bad to have some awareness of this.  I think it’s clear that Jesus would digg parents living up to their responsibility to parent, not just release children into all the technologies and hope they figure it out on their own.

But what becomes too intrusive and when does monitoring become “helicopter parenting”, a constant and crippling style of parenting where parents control everything and really cease to be true parents.  Instead of raising godly children who make wise decisions, they simply try to keep kids safe.  God has bigger dreams for us than this.

So what have you seen out there that you think is good use of technology and what’s a bad use?

What’s interesting though is seeing the two combined.  “Jon and Kate Plus Eight” is a popular series on TLC and apparently it was popular enough that they decided to add another to the lineup.  The newest series is based on the Duggar family and will be entitled, “17 Kids and Counting“.  I haven’t seen any of that series yet, but I have seen Jon and Kate.  It’s intriguing.  Mostly I think as a parent you watch it and thank God you don’t have to deal with it yourself.

While big families certainly aren’t as popular as they were a couple generations back, they by no means have gone away.  In fact, there’s a movement called Quiverfull that is focused on bringing the big family back.  Obviously this is kind of a personal thing, but what do you think of family size?  Jess and I have gone back and forth on it.

Certainly big families are kind of interesting to observe.  While the article above about the new show says these ones are kind of boring, people continue to watch.  Why?  Maybe it’s not just the family size, but our fascination with any type of reality programming.  Why are we so fascinated with series probing the depths of just about anything.  Jess and I just got done watching the first season of Ice Road Truckers.  While some elements are intriguing- the risk associated with the work, some of the interpersonal conflicts, etc, a lot of it is really pretty normal and almost boring.  Guys on trucks, tying down loads, worried about getting from point A to point B.  Even the risky elements and facts are repeated so often that my wife and I started to make jokes about it.

So what is it?  Why do we continue to be fascinated by reality tv shows about every available topic?  Would Jesus like it?  I think he’d be intrigued, interested to be able to learn about people close up.  It’s a great chance to see different personalities at work, learn about interpersonal relationships, and even learn about different ways of life.  For that I like it.  At the same time, much like some of the social networking elements, I wonder about how much we want to reveal of ourselves to the world, and whether it sometimes panders to or encourages a certain narcicissm.

Jess once asked me what I’d say if someone wanted to do a reality series detailing my life as a pastor.  I said no.  I don’t trust the editing and I’m not sure I want to reveal that level of myself to the world.  There are some things not meant for those who don’t know me.  What do you think?  Would you want to star in a reality show?  Would it be good for a pastor to take such a risk?

Again, I haven’t seen Fireproof yet, but I viewed the trailer and what I’ve heard so far sounds pretty good.  I’ll try to check it out and actually tell you what I thought of the movie itself, but what I can say is that I like the trend within Christians circles where we are doing a better job of communicating in our world through media.  Just look at how much time people spend watching tv, going to movies, checking out clips on Youtube, etc.  For a long time, the Christian world didn’t produce much of quality. While some of the movies I’ve seen still aren’t completely up to par in terms of acting, script, etc, it’s getting much better.  Just watching movies like Facing the Giants, you can see a new professionalism. In fact, some are really good.  Have you seen The End of the Spear?  I thought tha was a great movie all around.  Of course, most of us have seen The Passion of the Christ, and that’s a movie that was truly moving, with excellence in all areas- acting, cinematography, scripting, innovation. (It’s almost amazing that despite the huge crowds it drews, the innovation and incredible acting involved that it didn’t get any Oscar buzz- sad, huh)

And it goes beyond just the big movies.  In churches, we’re seeing more media getting used, and a lot of it is increasingly high quality clips being produced by companies that bring faith and excellence to the table.  Even the rise of Godtube and Christian clips on Youtube is giving us a presence out there.

So what would Jesus think?  Well, he certainly knew how to communicate in the metaphors of his age, in teaching and in parables.  I’m positive he would want to leverage media and cinema today.  These are the things that help people today remember the message (even if it’s silly clips like this, the Christian message is made much more memorable).  And that’s a real key.  If we want to help people make changes in their daily lives, we need to communicate in ways that they remember during the rest of the week.  We need to speak in words and images that will impact them as they make decisions, have conversations with friends, etc.

Are there any concerns associated with this movement?  Well, there’s always some risk involved that as we move to keep up we’ll always be a step behind.  There’s also the risk that we’ll focus so much on this means of communication that we’ll leave behind some of the traditions of the past that still have value, even if they’re harder for people today to absorb (memory work, catechesis, actually reading the Bible, etc). Any other reactions?