The fun thing about a blog is that you get to share your own opinion and get things off your chest. I highly recommend blogging for anyone with convictions and something to proclaim. That having been said, although I love sharing my perspective and opinions with the world, I try to keep in mind that they are just that... MY perspective and opinions. Just because they're mine, it doesn't mean they are right. They are just my view of life, as I see it.
This weekend, I went to see a couple of new movies. One was "The Great Wall" with Matt Damon (from Bourne Identity). The other was "The Shack" with Tim McGraw (Country singer) and Sam Worthington (from Avatar). I posted, on social media, about both and was surprised at the reactions that arose.
The Great Wall was a fantasy movie. It depicted a legend involving the Great Wall of China. When I posted about it I received the typical questions, "Did you like it?" "Can you give a review?" People wanted a general idea if it was entertaining enough to warrant spending their hard earned money on this kind of relaxation.
The Shack was a fictional movie about one person's idea of what an encounter with The Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God The Holy Spirit) would be like to a person who had been severely injured by life's experiences. I would have thought that people looking for a hopeful movie, leaving one feeling good, would really enjoy this movie. I know I did. What I found, instead, was a very strange backlash from particular sects of the Christian community. The very community that criticizes Hollywood for leaving God out of everything. This activity is really bothering me. Mostly because it sends out mixed messages about Christians in general. Now, back to my rant.
The Shack won the 2009 Dove Award from The Evangelical Christian Publisher's Association. The proclamations of some Christians calling it heresy is confusing to me. The author, himself, says it's a book about, "the house you build out of your own pain". He never says it's a replacement to the Bible or for people's own theology. He's just sharing his own perspective of the road leading from tragedy to hope.
I think the main issue some Christians have with the movie is that God is portrayed as a sweet black lady (played by Oscar Nominee Octavia Spencer). God is also portrayed as a male "Father" later in the film (by Canadian Indian Graham Greene). To say that God is either male or female could be an issue, because He is neither. He is God. To say He has neither characteristic would be inaccurate too since He made us both male and female, "In His Image". To focus on this point and say the book is heresy makes me think some have missed the forest because of all the trees. They totally missed the point of the book and the author's illustration of a Father's love. The role is depicted this way because the main character has "father issues" (both with his dad and with himself) and would not be able to accept anything coming from a typical father. This is further explained in the movie.
There are other issues sited in the infamous "heresy" controversies, but they all boil down to the same thing. People want a movie about God to be portrayed through their own personal viewpoint and perspective. They want it to line up with their own interpretation of the Bible and to be consistent with their current theology. If they are walking close with The Trinity, they want movies to ecco their most recent revelations. This movie is not meant to be a replacement for The Bible or a Theological depiction. It's entertainment. It's one man's story to tell and who has the right to judge or criticize his heart and feelings?
My husband and I laughed, we cried and we left the theater feeling loved and good. Isn't that what we've been begging Hollywood to do for quite some time? Therefore, it is my PERSONAL OPINION that Hollywood is doing a good job and that I have been thoroughly entertained this weekend!
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