Here is a review of the movie Saved by Christianity Today. I remember last summer when there was quite a hulabaloo about this film in the Christian community (Hint: they didn’t like it). I believe that many of the stereotypes of Christianity, Christians and the church are deserved. We are far too often arrogant, morally superior, petty, uptight, humorless, vindictive, stupid and, yes, worldy. And then we try to coat our worldliness with the thinnest veneer of piety and we call it “God’s blessing”. I’ll let you in on a secret, they have our number. They can see through it like a window.

I also, admittedly, frequently get a kick out of the entertainment industries portrayal of Christians. I have known a few Reverend Lovejoy’s and Ned Flander’s. In fact, I do a wicked funny televangelist impression. So with that in mind, I approached the viewing of Saved with an open mind despite the reservations of many of my Christian brethren.

In the final analysis, there is almost nothing redeeming about this movie. It pulls no punches which might be okay except that all the punches are below the belt. It abounds with indefensible cheap shots. With one weak exception, the Christians are portrayed as hopelessly clueless, arrogant, insincere, hypocritical and morally superior. The only grace shown in the movie is extended by the reprobates. In fact, this movie goes to great pains to not allow any character appear to be three dimensional until it is shown that they are either irredeemably “lost” or they have fallen from grace. Pastor Skip, the primary adult Christian leader of the film, is an unrepentant adulterer who, nonetheless, continually passes judgement on the behaviors of those who have not submitted to the bibles standards. He, at one point, expresses regrets over his sin, but he is never portrayed as repenting from them. All these faults might be overlooked if the Christians in the film were remotely believable. But they are not. They are merely cardboard cutouts using the worst characteristics of Christianity as understood by the MSM. I have never known Christians like these. They may exist, but I haven’t met them. For a movie that has an astonishlingly realistic Christian character I would recommend, The Big Kahuna with Keven Spacey, Danny Devito and Peter Facinelli as the Christian character.

Steve

Great post by David Wayne over at the Jolly Blogger.

Steve

UPDATE: The Benedict domain now points to a charity called Modest Needs. Apparently, Roger Cadenhead has agreed to let them “hijack” the site until he figures out what to do with it.

This blog by the guy that fortuitously purchased the www.benedictXVI.com domain is hilarious. The domain redirects you to his blog.

Steve

My friend Neil sent me this link to an article on why we need not worry about running out of oil. The author attempts to debunk the common concern about oil shortages by asserting a theory about the non-organic, or abiotic, origins of oil. I do not know what leading oil geologists think about these theories. I share the author’s indifference to concerns over running out of oil. And my reasons are contained in the second to last sentence: “Of course, higher prices also make known deposits of oil that were previously too costly to exploit viable economically, as well as reducing demand.” Basic economics would dictate that as supplies of oil diminish, prices will rise. Increased prices will have the effect of increasing exploration because formerly known but unprofitable oil reserves would then be profitable. It would also drive down demand. Lastly, it would increase research for viable alternatives to “fossil fuels” (which I assume Mr. Bartlett would say is a misnomer). If the day ever arrives that we run out of oil, alternative energy sources will have relatively painlessly replaced the need for them. Oil scarcity armageddon theories makes for interesting movie vehicles starring Mel Gibson and (more…)

Here is a great article by a Christian Arts Pastor (I wonder what an Arts Pastor does?) response to the Horror genre in movies. Another essay on the matter can be found here written by Stephen Graydanus, my favorite Christian movie Critic.

Steve

Once again this post will have to be short and sweet.

Also, you should all know that I cannot get mailblocks email to work from the ship so I have no email.

Since my last post (sorry it has been so long) here are the cool things we have done:

On Monday, we went snorkeling with rays. Manna Rays that is. They eat squid right out of your hand. They suck it out of your hand like a vacuum cleaner. Holding a squid can make you very popular with the rays which can be rather creepy. We LOVED snorkeling thought. We will do it again tomorrow in Cozumel.

Yesterday, we went to Costa Maya. The water was SO BLUE. It was beautiful. We just laid out and swam and shopped some.

Today we went to Belize. We had a real adventure. We say Mayan ruins. Mommy even went to the top of the High Temple with me. It is called that for a reason. 114 feet straight up.

The real adventure was getting back to the ship. We had to get to the ruins by boat and the boat we were in lost both engines. We had to switch boats mid-river. We just got back to the Belize City in time to make it onto the last tender boat back to the ship. (SCOTT, because of that we were not able to contact your friends while there.)

Tomorrow, Cozumel.

We are having fun but missing you lots.

Love DAD.

Coyote Blog has a great post on Wal-mart becoming the new “great satan” of the progressive left as well as other astute observations. I am not sure if his statistics regarding return on sale are correct, but his analogies are very perceptive.

Steve

Interesting discussion going on over at the Boars Head Tavern regarding the relationship between the Republican Pary and the Evangelical Right. I have been making an inexorable shift towards libertarianism over the last several years and months. I intend to post soon on the influences that have brought about that shift. This discussion touches on some of those issues. I also hope to publish a blog that I am working on that takes on the question: Are we a Christian nation? The answers may surprise you.

Steve

One big disappointment is to learn that I will not be able to hook up my computer to or upload content. So this will have to be short and sweet.

Sunday -
Explored the ship.
Ate dinner at the King and I dining room. VEry nice. We have a philippino waiter named Rolley.
I sang a karaoke song to Katie in the top hat lounge. (I actually got up the nerve to do it).
Played 3 or 7 hands of Shanghai Rummy with the Whites.

Today-
2 Mile walk on the 1/4 mile track.
A delicious breakfast at the King and I.
Sunning, swimming and relaxing.

Tonight will be the highlight of the evening. Formal Dinner at the King and I. Duck L’Orange is on the menu.

Love you girls.

Dad

“Much of the social history of the Western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good.”

Thomas Sowell

The first Medal of Honor winner from Operation Iraqi Freedom was awarded Posthumously to Sargent 1st Class Paul Ray Smith today at the White House. The details can be found here. Here is an MSNBC story.

Steve