Two Songs, Three Movies and Some TV
The flight from Atlanta to Honolulu is fairly long. In fact there is time to watch three movies and a couple of hours of TV.
I had just a few days before, turned off the radio. We (I and two co-workers) were sitting in our rental car, waiting for a time. The radio was tuned to a local "classic rock" station. First, there was a song about a man trying to convince a woman that their adulterous affair was okay, and that they should continue without regard to the consequences. Next there came a song about the remembered joys of teenage fornication. I wasn't able to make it through the second song. My heart broke. I'd lived enough of those things and I don't want them anymore. Sure, there were times of fun and joy, but there were times of deep misery (which the songs refuse to mention) as well. I have too many of these songs in my head, I want to replace them with music about my new life.
Anyway, normally, while on a flight I like to take the opportunity to read the Bible and pray. (I've got nothing but positive comments from people who see me read the Bible!) Of course, this being most likely the longest flight I will take this year... except that I forgot my Bible (sort of). I was pretty down on "secular" entertainment, but now, stuck on the plane without my Bible, I decided to give the movies a try.
The first movie was "Walk the Line". This is the story of Johnny Cash. And while the writers seemed to want to minimize the role Christianity played, it seemed to me that they just couldn't do it. Johnny Cash went from being a social Christian, through his greatest worldly success (which ultimately cost him everything worth having and brought him nothing but pain) to a true relationship with God. Even in the movie, though they try to gloss it over, the change is abrupt and obvious. Praise God! I'm glad I saw this movie.
The second movie was "Cinderella Man". In this, the most touching part to me, is the love he shows his family by sacrificing himself for them. He had promised that he wouldn't send away his children, but when he couldn't keep the electricity on, his wife finally did. The only way he could keep his family together was to sell his pride. He chose to go on "public assistance" and even visited the rich people he knew (the same ones who had taken his career) and begged them for help. This self-sacrifice due to love is just a hollow picture of what Jesus Christ has done for us! And oh, how convicting when I dare not open my mouth for fear of what people might think! How can I claim to love God, yet not stand up for him when someone uses His name to curse? Or worse, not tell them about the wonderful gift of salvation? Father forgive me! Help me really know, understand, and express your love!
The final movie was "Wallace and Grommet: Curse of the Wererabbit". This was simply mindless entertainment. I'm sure I could find some way to "moralize" it, but I didn't really get anything useful out of it, other than a few chuckles. On the plus side, it was also relatively benign. It didn't seem to "teach" the twisted morals that is so pervasive in "entertainment".
After the movies, the recorded TV programming began. There was some "news magazine" thing that I barely paid attention too. That was followed by a current sitcom. The second word out of the mouth of the lead character was a swear word. Where, if I remember correctly, he was cursing his own daughter. I pulled the sound at that point, but still it was on the screen. I noticed how the teenaged daughter was dressed. There certainly was no one on the plane that was dressed in a similar manner. Then followed a science show about origins. A topic I enjoy. It was entertaining.
When I got to the hotel, I found my Bible. It was where I could have dug it out on the plane, if I had realized it. Ah well, I guess I needed to find some balance concerning modern media. Certainly I am glad that I got to watch "Walk the Line" and "Cinderella Man". Praise God!
Tag(s): entertainment, movies, music, TV
I had just a few days before, turned off the radio. We (I and two co-workers) were sitting in our rental car, waiting for a time. The radio was tuned to a local "classic rock" station. First, there was a song about a man trying to convince a woman that their adulterous affair was okay, and that they should continue without regard to the consequences. Next there came a song about the remembered joys of teenage fornication. I wasn't able to make it through the second song. My heart broke. I'd lived enough of those things and I don't want them anymore. Sure, there were times of fun and joy, but there were times of deep misery (which the songs refuse to mention) as well. I have too many of these songs in my head, I want to replace them with music about my new life.
Anyway, normally, while on a flight I like to take the opportunity to read the Bible and pray. (I've got nothing but positive comments from people who see me read the Bible!) Of course, this being most likely the longest flight I will take this year... except that I forgot my Bible (sort of). I was pretty down on "secular" entertainment, but now, stuck on the plane without my Bible, I decided to give the movies a try.
The first movie was "Walk the Line". This is the story of Johnny Cash. And while the writers seemed to want to minimize the role Christianity played, it seemed to me that they just couldn't do it. Johnny Cash went from being a social Christian, through his greatest worldly success (which ultimately cost him everything worth having and brought him nothing but pain) to a true relationship with God. Even in the movie, though they try to gloss it over, the change is abrupt and obvious. Praise God! I'm glad I saw this movie.
The second movie was "Cinderella Man". In this, the most touching part to me, is the love he shows his family by sacrificing himself for them. He had promised that he wouldn't send away his children, but when he couldn't keep the electricity on, his wife finally did. The only way he could keep his family together was to sell his pride. He chose to go on "public assistance" and even visited the rich people he knew (the same ones who had taken his career) and begged them for help. This self-sacrifice due to love is just a hollow picture of what Jesus Christ has done for us! And oh, how convicting when I dare not open my mouth for fear of what people might think! How can I claim to love God, yet not stand up for him when someone uses His name to curse? Or worse, not tell them about the wonderful gift of salvation? Father forgive me! Help me really know, understand, and express your love!
The final movie was "Wallace and Grommet: Curse of the Wererabbit". This was simply mindless entertainment. I'm sure I could find some way to "moralize" it, but I didn't really get anything useful out of it, other than a few chuckles. On the plus side, it was also relatively benign. It didn't seem to "teach" the twisted morals that is so pervasive in "entertainment".
After the movies, the recorded TV programming began. There was some "news magazine" thing that I barely paid attention too. That was followed by a current sitcom. The second word out of the mouth of the lead character was a swear word. Where, if I remember correctly, he was cursing his own daughter. I pulled the sound at that point, but still it was on the screen. I noticed how the teenaged daughter was dressed. There certainly was no one on the plane that was dressed in a similar manner. Then followed a science show about origins. A topic I enjoy. It was entertaining.
When I got to the hotel, I found my Bible. It was where I could have dug it out on the plane, if I had realized it. Ah well, I guess I needed to find some balance concerning modern media. Certainly I am glad that I got to watch "Walk the Line" and "Cinderella Man". Praise God!
Tag(s): entertainment, movies, music, TV
posted by Bryan at 10:34 AM
3 Comments:
Nice. I haven't seen either "Walk the Line" or "Cinderella Man" yet, but you are one in a growing line of positive endorsements I've heard for both movies. Reckon I'll check 'em out.
Hey, Bryan!
Having a personal relationship with our Lord certainly changes the way we see things, doesn't it? I see very few movies, and try to be selective about the ones I do see. I did see Cinderella Man and was very touched by it. I highly recommend it!
I used to like country music and some pop music, but now ... nope. I find my brain works much better when I feed it with healthy things.
God is sooooo good!!!!
You know, the old adage "you are what you eat" comes to mind. Perhaps it is even more true spiritually than physically?
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