There’s a bit of the “call of the wild” in each of us, that part that feels at home in nature, free from the confines of city or even suburban life, and ultimately, free from human conventions, finding solace more among animals than people. Timothy Treadwell chose to follow that life more fully than most will ever even dream of. The problem is that there is an innate separation between man and animal, ultimately made life-threatening by the continuing effects of the Fall.

Timothy saw himself as self-appointed protector of wildlife and for thirteen summers, lived unarmed among the wild grizzly bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Reserve. During the winter months, Treadwell mounted his crusade in civilization, travelling across the country spreading his message of environmental stewardship. He would speak in schools at no charge and before his death, Treadwell has appeared on Late Night With David Letterman, Rosie O’Donnell, Dateline NBC and the Discovery Channel. Treadwell and girlfriend were killed and partially eaten by a bear in October of 2003. The guilty bear was killed with human remains still inside.

What makes someone so consciously blur the boundaries between man and animal? Noted filmmaker Werner Herzog expores this question in his award winning documentary Grizzly Man. The film makes extensive use of footage shot by Treadwell himself during his last five summers living in the wil as well as interviews with friends and family.

A former aspiring actor, Treadwell battled many personal demons. It is speculated that it was Treadwell’s addictive personality that repeatedly drew him to the beauty and the danger of living unarmed among wild bears. But Treadwell also saw himself as a crusader, protecting the animals from the human world he increasingly withdrew from. He increasingly crashes into the pride of thinking that he is the only one who can save the animals.

At one point in the film, Treadwell violently exclaims “Animals rule!” From a Christian view, Treadwell’s story raises several issues. He was disgusted by the harsh treatment of animals by many people, but he also seemed to believe that animals were equal, if not superior to humans, ultimately causing him to cross the boundary between man and animal one too many times. He also obviously suffered from pride and a contempt for his fellow man.
As Christians we must admit that many of Treadwell’s concern have validity. We have generally proven to be very poor stewards of wildlife and nature in general. Scripture presents humans as the pinnacle of God’s creation. It is only after the creation of man that God says “it is very good” (Genesis 1:31) and mankind is charged with the task of being God’s “gardeners,” His stewards. We must accept the admonition that we must do more to protect the environment.

However, it is exactly the fact that man alone is created in God’s image that separates us from the animals. Yes, they deserve our protection and care, but they are not equal to mankind and we must oppose any worldview with places animals above man. We have been given dominion over them, not a co-regency. Treadwell and others like him rightly see the depravity of the human heart, but they wrongly assume that the rest of nature is a stylized Eden where there is nothing but love and understanding.

Ultimately, Timothy’s delusions led to his demise, but the issues that he raised will live on, even if he didn’t realize the true issues he was raising.

• Visit the official Grizzly Man website and watch the trailer.
• Buy Grizzly Man from Amazon.
• Visit Wikipedia’s entry on Timothy Treadwell.
• Visit Wikipedia’s entry on Werner Herzog.
• Download the Richard Thompson soundtrack from eMusic.

Some time ago I wrote a piece entitled Who Says What�s Christian Music? in which I briefly examined the sad fact that the actual content of music has little to nothing to do with what is actually classified as “Christian” and “secular” music. Artists like Sufjan Stevens openly express their faith with artistic excellence but won�t be purchased in your local Christian bookstore because they don�t play the marketing game. Meanwhile, Phillips, Craig and Dean, who openly deny the orthodox view of the Trinity are in every “Christian” bookstore because they do play the marketing game. Marketing rather than content determines what you can buy and where you can buy it.

Yet, even while marketing is the determining factor, many often implement Misplaced Boundaries, arguing that they will not listen to anything that is not “Christian.” More often than not, they mean that they bought it in a “Christian” bookstore, not the actual content of the material. The place of purchase determines the purchase rather than the content. The label tagged to the product becomes their discernment rather than applied Scripture.

The result is tremendous confusion. On one hand, we have “Christian” businesses determining what will and will not be sold in bookstores based on pure marketing rather than content. On the other hand, these stores are filled consumer who implicitly trust the fact that they purchased the item in a “Christian” store and they are determined to listen to nothing other than “Christian” music. The problem is larger than anyone seems to notice.

There is a tremendous disconnect in which a segment of population has lost all discernment, trusting marketers who don�t care about discernment, much less orthodoxy. As the marketers chase the dollar, their boundaries widen. As those boundaries expand, the consumer�s Scriptural discernment by necessity lowers because they are trusting people who care more about money than Scriptural fidelity.

The creation of a “Christian” sub-market has been devastating to the Church in America. Surrounded by a market-driven economy, we�ve never stopped to consider its devastating effects on the typical Christian life. By necessity, marketing appeals to the lowest common denominator. Marketers don�t want to alienate their consumers by making them feel dumb, so the bar is drastically lowered to a level where everyone can get it. Products are not longer actually comparing themselves, they are simply trying to evoke better emotions in advertising.

But what are the effects of such a culture on a segment of the marketing in which the content of a product is actually a matter of life and death (eternally)? What if the wrong content could actually lead people to hell rather than heaven, or vice versa? We might hope that in such a scenario, the marketers would be the most Scripturally discerning gate-keepers of us all, realizing their role in eternal perspectives, trying to protect their customers rather than milk them, striving for Scriptural integrity lest they should be found guilty. We might hope that, but that is certainly not what we find.

By creating a Christian sub-culture, marketers have positioned themselves exactly as the sort of gate-keepers just pictured. But the reality is that they simply ask for the magic marketing password rather than anything remotely Scriptural. They don�t care what you bring through the gate as long as you use some of the right words and line their pockets.

All the while, they have convinced many otherwise well-intentioned people into believing that since a book or an album was purchased in one of these stores that it must be safe. As the gate-keepers allow more and more travelers through, the consumers have lost sight of the fact that there is actually a difference between orthodoxy and heresy. While Benny Hinn and John MacArthur may be purchased in the same store, there is little else that would otherwise unite the two. But we�re increasingly finding consumers who not only don�t know the doctrinal differences between the two, they�re being told that those differences don�t matter; the two authors are just writing to different demographics.

While we certainly cannot blame the poor state of most of the American church on “Christian” marketers, most are certainly not helping the situation. Many are caught in the vicious circle of attending dead churches and being taken advantage of by money-hungry marketers. The marketers suck the discernment out of them and the churches do nothing to counter the attack, and everyone drifts farther from the Gospel, floating along on the dollar.

Those Christians who still care must take a stand. Churches must reclaim the Gospel, we must equip our people to spot error. Marketers sell tripe exactly because it sells and it sells because many don�t know the Bible well enough to refute it. At least many are having their ears tickled while the piper leads them to their doom.

I’ve been looking forward to this post for quite some time. I always love to see what has affected others throughout the year. Participation was slim this year, so I would like to thank the people who took the time to share their thoughts, it is greatly appreciated.

One of the things that I hope to encourage you in is understanding the true scope of the Gospel. There is no aspect of life that is outside the transforming work of Christ, this includes our media intake and our reactions to it. I occasionaly ask for your feedback as to what you’ve been listening to or watching in hopes that you might be spurred to think of your “entertainment” in light of the Gospel.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the year in review:

Gary Brumley, Glen Rose, TX
Album(s) of the Year: Are You A Dreamer by Denison Witmer

Music “Find(s) of the Year”: Holiday At The Sea by Anathallo

Song of the Year: Now that�s just too difficult!

Back Catalogue(s) of the Year: Ida
I owned their CD Will You Find Me but never got around to listening to it. I finally “discovered” it while painting my office during some late evenings this year. Now I own several of their CDs.

Artist/Performer of the Year: Bono
No other pop culture artist/performer this year has expressed his faith in Christ to such a wide audience.

Book “Find(s) of the Year: The Attributes of God by A.W. Tozer.

Misc. reading thoughts for 2005:
Though I�ve read Desiring God by John Piper previously, I got the most out if it reading
through it again this year and working through the Study guide in small group.

Person of the Year: Bono
While being no angel himself, there simply is no other pop culture figure this year that managed to get an apparently orthodox description of the gospel printed in Rolling Stone magazine this year.

Theological Truth(s):
That God�s purpose from conception to consummation includes all the nations (Gen 1:28, Gen 12:1-3, Rev 7:9).

What have you been meditating on throughout the year?
“Blessed are the poor in spirit in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (ESV)

Misc. faith thoughts for 2005: God bless America AND the nations!

Jeremy Creed, Peoria, AZ
Album(s) of the Year: Plans by Death Cab For Cutie

Music “Find(s) of the Year”: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips

Song of the Year: For Real, by Okkervil River

Back Catalogue(s) of the Year: Okkervil River

Artist/Performer of the Year: Beck

Misc. music thoughts for 2005: Illinois by Sufjan Steves, very nice!

Movie(s) of the Year: Only saw Chicken Little!

Movie “Find(s) of the Year”: Nothing very good this year.

Book(s) of the Year: I don’t know how to read!

What theological Truth(s) has particularly “hit home” for you this past year?
God IS love, not “is like” love or “can be” love, He IS love!

What have you been meditating on throughout the year?
How do I “guide” others spiritually?

Misc: Hottest Pastor: Brent Thomas

Adam Groza, Rhome, TX
Album(s) of the Year: Get Behind Me Satan by the White Stripes

Music “Find(s) of the Year”: Oh Inverted World by The Shins

Song of the Year: Beautiful, by the Sojourners

Back Catalogue(s) of the Year: Fleetwood Mac

Artist/Performer of the Year: The Killers

Misc. music thoughts for 2005:
Someone please stop Rob Thomas.

Movie(s) of the Year: United States of Leland

Movie “Find(s) of the Year”: Touching the Void

Actor/Actress of the Year: Don Cheadle

Book(s) of the Year:
Deconstructing Evangelicalism by D.G. Hart
Nicene Christianity by Christopher R. Seitz

Book “Find(s) of the Year”:
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Author of the Year:
Neil Postman (Amusing Ourselves to Death). This book confronts common assumptions modes (not content) of entertainment.

Person of the Year: Bono.

Pop Culture Moment(s) Or Trend of the Year:
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Desperate Housewives, Howard Stern goes extra-terrestrial, sequins, Napoleon Dynamite, Brent Thomas, and (God help us) Green Day.

Misc. cultural thoughts for 2005:
Someone please stop Rob Thomas.

What theological Truth(s) has particularly “hit home” for you this past year?
Christians are not to be retributive (1 Thess. 5:15) but proactive in faith, hope, and love.

What have you been meditating on throughout the year?
Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to Your name be glory, because of your love and faithfulness. (Psalm 115:1).

Lara Hoefelmann, Willow Park, Texas
Music “Finds” Of The Year: Red Revolution by Shaded Red
I LOVED Shaded Red’s sound, so unrefined, and they of course broke up a while back after an accident and different things. I kept hearing a few of their old hits on the radio and was SO excited when I found a used and very rare copy of Red Revolution. It was a great cd and they made very little of them. It’s been my most frequently played CD this year, I’d have to say!

Misc. Music Thoughts For 2005: A lot of “Christian” music does NOT
glorify God. God has opened my eyes or ears I guess I should say this year to
really listen to Christian lyrics. I have discovered that very few Christian artists have truthful, or God glorifying songs. I think a lot of them are more focused on making their music appealing to secular crowds.

Movie Of The Year: Batman Begins
This was a really fun movie. And thinking back over this whole year, it is the one I would have to say I enjoyed the most. It was way better than all the other Batman movies in my opinion. It also offended me the least (compared to other movies I watched).

Actor Of The Year: Tom Cruise in War of the Worlds
Even though he is a Scientologist, I have to say that Tom Cruises acting in War of the Worlds was top notch. He definitely impressed me this year.

Misc. Movie Thoughts For 2005:
Is it just me, or are they running out of ideas??

Book “Finds” Of The Year: Desiring God by John Piper
This book really challenged me and got me thinking on many deeper levels.

Author Of The Year: John Piper
Piper was pretty much introduced to me this year. His theological studies and thoughts have impacted me greatly. I believe God has opened my eyes to many more truths this year through theologists such as John Piper.

Misc. Reading Thoughts For 2005: I just pray that God will continue to give me a greater desire to read things in the coming year that will glorify Him.

Pop Culture Tread of the Year: Sequins!
(For girls anyway!) When I think of trends this year, I think of all the clothes, purses, accessories everyone’s wearing that are covered with major sequins. It’s all the rage, man!

Misc. Culture Thoughts For 2005: Money, money, money!
Not that much has changed, but when I think of American culture this year, I can’t help but say it’s all about the fame and fortune. When you have a Christian radio station on listening to some praise music and all of a sudden a commercial for Christian people who want to become millionaires pops up, you know that’s what America is all about.

Theological Truth: “The cheif end of God is to glorify God.” (John Piper)
This really hit home with me this year. I actually have a tee-shirt that says “it’s not about, us”, and on the back, “the cheif end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever” Isaiah 43: 6-7. I had been moved by that in previous years, realizing more and more God’s ultimate power and sovereignty. This year more truth was revealed to me and God became even more awesome, in my perceptions anyway. I learned a lot about true and lasting joy and even more about just how temporal I , and all my “things” are.
To God be the glory for all He has done this year!!!

Robert Hummer, Glendale, AZ
Album of the Year: X&Y by Coldplay
This album is complete to me. Not since U2’s last release did I have an album that I would seriously listen to day after day. It didn’t get the ratings but for the period in my life that I went through, the album meant something to me and it brought me closer to God.

Music Find of the Year: Matisyahu
I have always liked reggae, but this is the new hybrid version of reggae that I absolutely love. I thought Jewish reggae would be a joke but it is not. His rhymes are amazing and the emotion in his voice carries me throughout the album. He brings his own style to reggae and it is wonderful.

Song of the Year: Fix You by Coldplay
The song of the year must come from the album of the year and this is the song that lingers in my head for days. I can never listen to it enough. The power of the cresendo toward the end has literally moved me to tears at a time when tears were all I had to offer the world.

Back Catalog of the Year: Stevie Wonder
I knew Stevie Wonder songs, but have never really known who they were sung by. He truly is a wonder-boy and his voice is amazing. His songs inspire such a great mood for me and I really read a bunch on him this year.

Artist/Performer of the Year: Beck
He is just amazing. I thought that he couldn’t possibly release another amazing record and yet, he did.

Movie of the Year: Batman Begins
I haven’t been out to many movies this year, but this movie blew me away. As a lifelong batman fan, this movie met and exceeded my expectations. Good acting, good story and an especially good incorporation of the comic stories into the movie.

Movie Find of the Year: Sometimes in April
A moving story focused in on the genocide in Rwanda of 1994. I can’t remember watching a movie that stirred such emotion in me. I have been studying this event largely in order to have a background on that region in Africa which continues to boil over with violence, and I thought that this movie provided the most accurate picture. Accurate with my reading that is.

Actor/Actress of the year: Joaquin Phoenix
Just taking on the role of Johnny Cash takes guts, but to actually sing his songs? He is amazing and hopefully through the movie Walk The Line he will finally get his due.

Misc Movie thoughts for 2005:
I have a feeling the best is still to come. There are two epic giants coming out in December in the Chronicles of Narnia flick and the King Kong remake by amazing director Peter Jackson. I think my movie of the year might change after one of those.

Book Find of the Year: Shake Hands With the Devil by Romeo Dallaire
This book re-ignited the rage that I knew I could feel as a human. Rage in a sense that I know my country has let others down. Rage that inspires me to be a voice for the thousands who died as a result of the 1994 genocide. Rage that will not let me sit idly by without writing protest letters to politicians. I never realized how bad it could be but in this book Dallaire, the UN Force Commander during the genocide, tells how he and about 500 UN troops (from minor African nations and some from Bangladesh) were abandoned to UN rhetoric and inaction. The US could have intervened but chose to drag their feet while 8,000 people were killed a day. This book hurt to read but it was brilliant.

Pop-Culture Person of the Year: Angelina Jolie
She has generated so much buzz about her supposed coupling with Brad Pitt. But out of the spotlight, she continues to visit remote places in Africa and has been part of many humanitarian visits and missions all year in between making dumb movies. She also adopted a second child. She is busy but it is too bad that she doesn’t get recognized for what she does best, care for people.

Trend of the Year: Rubber Wristbands.
At the beginning of the year there were livestrong yellow wristbands. Every kid who was anyone was wearing one. Then, there were wristbands for everything. 2004 was when they were started, but 2005 was when they peaked. I still see so many people with rubber wristbands. It is an amazing trend. It’ll be gone by 2007.

Thoughts for 2005:
I think that Steven Spielberg deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for the research that he founded in 1995 and continues to fund today. The research of the Holocaust is so vitally important and to throw so much effort in videorecording so many testimonies, he is really preserving oral history, which has never been done so acurately.

Theological Truth: I can’t earn my way into heaven.
I have learned that all my good works mean nothing without God. My relationship with God needs to be the most important thing, no matter how many other things I do.

Meditation: Hesed
The Hebrew word that has a real lacking English translation. Lonvingkindness is as close as we get but I just have been focusing on and trying to grasp (though I never will) God’s lovingkindness.

Left out: Sports event of the year:
White Sox Win World Series. It had been so long for the neglected but more successful Chicago franchise. Congrats to them. 2nd place: retirement of the greatest wide reciever of all-time Jerry Rice. Now we are stuck with w.r.’s like Terrell Owens. Boo.

Sam Richard, Phoenix, AZ
Music:Album(s) of the Year: Z by My Morning Jacket
Music “Find(s) of the Year”: Okkervil River
Song of the Year: Fix You by Coldplay
Back Catalogue(s) of the Year: Rogue Wave
Movie(s) of the Year: Crash, Walk The Line, The Weatherman
Actor/Actress of the Year: Paul Giamatti

Brent Thomas, Glen Rose, TX
Album(s) of the Year:
Congotronics by Konono No. 1
- Simply amazing. Like nothing else you’ve ever heard and for once, that statement rings true.Those little thumb-plunking things run through car-battery amplifiers and car speakers.

Takk by Sigur Ros
- Sigur Ros has finally mastered their formula. Yes, all the same elements are here, waves of distortion mixed with Amina’s beautiful strings, all building from quiet to loud with unintelligible Icelandic/gibberish vocals, but they’ve learned to condense it all, packing that much more power.

Under An Hour by Menomena
- Three extended instrumental pieces for modern dance incorporating elements of minimalism, jazz, post- and indie rock.

A Beautiful Collision by David Crowder Band
- The most difficult albums often prove to also be the most rewarding.

Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
- Three years, three albums and three consecutive appearances in my favorites of the year. The second installment of his 50 States project (only 48 more to go!) proves that, though ambitious and slightly pretentious, this will be one project worth following.

Recording A Tape The Colour of Light by Bell Orchestre
- Post-rock instrumental album featuring members of the Arcade Fire. Traverses similar terrain as Menomena’s release, only on a much grander scale, after all, isn’t this “orchestre” music?

Solo Piano by Gonzales
- A surprising solo piano piece with quiet interludes rather than larger, more melodic pieces.

Woods Of Chaos by Rob Costlow
- These are the larger pieces to Gonzales’ interludes.

Honorable Mentions:
Self-Titled by John Davis
Redemption Songs by Jars of Clay
Self-Titled EP by Amina

Music “Finds” Of The Year:
Anathallo - It’s far too rare to find a band that’s both Christ-centered and truly creative. This band has one of the most unique sounds in a long time. Incorporating polyrythms and multiple percussionists into a mix that falls somewhere between progressive rock, marching band antics and post-rock. With a jaw-dropping live show, I’m thoroughly impressed.

Song Of The Year: Reflections by Rob Costlow
A solo pieano piece that just moves me every single time.

Back Catalogue(s) Of The Year:
…As The Poets Affirm
Dirty Three

Artist/Performer Of The Year: Anathallo

Movie Of The Year: Hotel Rwanda
Detailing the 1994 Rwandan genocide, one of the most powerfully moving films I’ve seen.

Movie “Find” Of The Year: To End All Wars
Another difficult film to watch, but also one which openly explores the implications of redemption and forgiveness in the face of human depravity.

Actor Of The Year: Don Cheadle

Book “Finds” Of The Year:
Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving

Misc. Reading Thoughts: Fiction and Poetry
Fiction challenges us with the Gospel applied, exploring its implications on life from a variety of perspectives. Good fiction challenges us to use words more efficiently and more powerfully.

Person Of The Year: Begrudgingly Bono
Admittedly, no one has expressed their faith in Christ at such a high level of media exposure.

Cultural Trends of 2005: Blogging

Theological Truth: The true scope of the Gospel is greater than we might ever truly grasp.

Meditation: Understanding all of life under the Lordship of Christ and the Gospel as a “filter,” both for creating and receiving art; the implications of the “cultural mandate” for the New Creation.

Patrick Vaughan, Glen Rose, TX
Album of the year: Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
Though this is the one ive listened to least, I am fascinated with this group….though not explicitly, they are saturated with scripture and songs that get the heart of the gospel message… musical style is awsome as well.

Music find of the year: Anathallo
Has become my favorite band…music, lyrics, live performance….. mind blowing and Christ exhalting

Song of the Year: Wedding Dress by Derek Webb
Though offensive to some and probably not suitable fo Sunday morning worship, the message of the song hits hard…

Back catalogue: probably a tie between Anathallo and Sufjan (for reasons mentioned above)

Artist of year: Derek Webb
The message of the House Show is one that the Church in the west should examine closely

Musical thoughts-
This year God has flooded my life with God centered artist who have stepped out of the conventional style, and have sought to display the creativity of the Creator….

Movie of the year: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
I looked past the flaws in Lewis’s doctrine and the “Disneyification” of the tale and see the glory of our great God and Savior in the face of Aslan….pray they make all them into movies

Movie find of the year: To End All Wars

Actor of the year: The penguin that falls on his butt in March of the Penguins

Movie thoughts: a few good ones, but Hollywood knows what fallen man wants…drugs, sex, and violence

Book of the year: didn’t read any released this year

Book finds: Ezra
I’ve been a Christian for almost six years, just now reading Ezra…pact full of God’s justice, mercy, and protection and man’s responsibility.

When People are Big and God is Small
I put of reading this for so long because it sounded like a title out of the self-help section, but it put me on my face to know how much I live in the fear of man and how little I fear(reverent, awe, obedience) God

Author of the year: John Piper
Some people agree and love him, some find him detrimental to the denomination…I love him and have never seen him do or write anything that he didn�t believe to be to the glory of God.

Book Thoughts:
Each year my shelf and reading list gets longer and longer….

Theological truth of the year:
Christ’s redemptive acts for all of creation and not individualistic as the modern “gospel” proclaims. The primary evangelical question is “do you have a personal relationship with Jesus” and while I wouldn’t want to downplay how important that question is, the gospel is proclaimed corporately and even cosmically in the new testament…probably not saying any of this correctly as I’m still wrapping my futile mind around it.

Meditation:
How a redeemed soul could still be so persistent in rebellion…the question of personal holiness has plagued me and the answers are humbling…we (I) are (am) not in love with God more than the world in several aspects of our (my) life. Sanctification is a process and yes even Paul struggled with sin, but that is no excuse for continued, known sin. After this depressing meditation was chewd on I began to contemplate how this and the above “truth” of communal redemption were so intimately tied together…personal holines is to reflect to beauty of the body thereby magnifying God, and vise versa, sin stains the entire body and thus God is mocked…..”woe is me, I am undone…a man of unclean lips..amongst a people of unclean lips” Is 6

Theological thoughts for the year:
I step into 2006 with the hope and prayer that my actions and life conform to what i say i believe…so much talk about right doctrine and yet is any doctrine ever right that is not live out? Dont get me wrong, things need to be worked and figured out in the mind before it hits the heart, but too often i (we) don�t make it to the heart…

Mark Whiten, Peoria, AZ
Thought I am a complete goof at getting my list — The questions were way too important this year, and my thoughts are meaningless at best. But here’s my music picks so I can toss the paper setting on my desk.
Not much comment, but thought out.

Silent Alarm by Bloc Party– Nice political pronouncements without that I want right wing America (or in this case the Prime minister) the greatest drumming I heard on a album in along time.

Takk by Sigur Ros — No explanation needed.

Menomena — beauty

Some Cities by Doves — they feel through the cracks in the flood of Coldplay-ers. But I love this album (lyrics are a little too empty, but so what).

Apologies To The Queen by Wolf Parade — I keep putting this in the player. Modest mouse that makes more sense. Reaching the odd and making it work.

Howl by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club — picking up a little 16 HP southern gothic
religion influence. And though this is is more genre-pouncing that actual change-of-life reflected in music, I am moved by this CD.

Collisions by Calla– Mooooooooooooooody. Makes me wish I was in a bad relationship so I could suffer with this CD.

Wolf At The Door by Sounds like Fall — Approachable freak folk. Give this guy some time to grow on you.

The Myriad — You can’t trust a ladder. Loved this advance right of the bat. Though I missed them at RAGE I hear that they were one of the best things out there… After ESR.

DraculaZombie USA — electronica of the future with a longer shelf-life

Clap your hands say yeah — This year’s Arcade Fire, but I love them.

Go! Team — at first I saw gimmiick, then I kept playing it. And it filled that empty place in my soul for Dance squad music without the skimpy outfits.

Collisions by DCB — took me while to really catch, but I am a soldier for it now.

Other considerations:
Twin Cinema by The New P—-ers
The Exquisite Death Of� by Saxon Shore
Clogs
Nickel Creek
Rogue Wave
Mars Volta

Bands/Music to watch out for–
Sleeping at last

Sleeptalker (the super group of Airline, Cool Hand Luke, Imaginary Baseball team)

Mutemath — they are amazing live. They are touring and releasing there new
CD only on the road so far. Check out: http://www.myspace.com/mutemath

Watshi Wa — the new CD is gonna change them. Pretty outstanding advance stuff I heard.

The Rosebuds - a Couple band from Texas with great songs.

Back catalog:
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Embrace

I’ve been wrestling with how to fully and faithfully implement a “Christian” approach to popular culture. If you’ve watched my “What I’m Reading” section at all, you’ve probably noticed several books dealing with Christianity and Culture. One book in particular, Eyes Wide Open: Looking For God in Popular Culture by William Romanowski has presented several items for “thinking out blog” and has appeared here several times. It’s sad, but I know that as I set out to right this, I have to state that that’s exactly what I’m doing; “thinking out loud”. I’m not arguing a position as much as looking for feedback.

Cultivating a Christian approach to popular culture can be a very difficult thing. As we’ve discussed, many simply place an entire segment of popular culture “off limits“. Others simply try to argue that anything done by a Christian must have an explicit Gospel message and turn all forms of artistic expression into propaganda. I’m not sure that either approach is the answer, or that either approach is actually helpful. Neither approach takes positive steps towards wrestling with the deeper issues surrounding just what it means for a Believer to be “in the world but not of the world”.

The sad truth is that many Christians simply offer knee-jerk reactions to popular culture. That is to say, many times, we don’t actually think through all of the implications, we simply react to society. Rather than thinking through what might be some helpful criteria for the music that we listen to, it’s much easier simply to ban entire segments. Christians (particularly in America, which is all I can speak for) are very reactionary. We wait until presented with a problem and then we fly into action. This simply won’t do when the question at hand deals with our interaction with popular culture, particularly our intake of the popular arts (music, television, movie, print media, etc.).

Another issue is that many Christians fail to recognize the inter-connectedness of our ideas regarding life and how to live it. For example, Christianity rightly places a heavy emphasis on the family; it’s structure, its function and its role in life. But, we often fail to recognize how this emphasis on family (particularly children) might impact other areas of our life, namely media intake.

Christians often strive to intake only “family friendly” forms of entertainment. Without questioning the validity of this, I must point out that the result is often unintentional and probably unrecognized. For many, the criteria for “family friendliness” is whether or not the material in question is appropriate to view, listen to or what have you, with our children. While this is a good question to ask, we must be reminded that it is not the only question to ask.

The unintended result of this approach is that many well-intentioned Christians have lowered the level of all intellectual stimulation from the popular arts to that of a child. Thus, many are rarely if ever actually challenged by the popular arts, because everything the intake is set at the intellectual (and spiritual) level of a child.

Having made that argument, I can just hear someone snidely questioning then that an increase in spiritual maturity also brings with it an increase of influence from the world? Well no, but it should increase the level at which you are able to interact with the world. Romanowski gives the example of a “Christian” response that he read to two movies dealing with the Holocaust. Schindler’s List was deemed unacceptable to Christians because of portrayals of violence and brief nudity while Life Is Beautiful was recommended because it skirts these visual representations. However, as Romanowski points out, Life is Beautiful also minimizes the brutality of the truth by using an extreme juxtaposition of genres to the point that the viewer is left not knowing how to respond. Romanowski notes that “One could easily conclude from these reviews that a Christian critical approach is one that supports obscuring the harsh and painful realities of the past in order to make movies that are appropriate for today’s family market”.

Many Christians have limited their critique of popular art to simply examine gratuitous profanity, sex and violence. While I am not defending these elements, I must point out that there are deeper philosophical issues that we miss by limiting our examination and only asking whether or not material is appropriate for children. Of course some material is not going to be appropriate for children and is not meant to be, but does that mean it’s also automatically banned from adult intake?

I discussed the movie To End All Wars here some time ago and more recently the movie Hotel Rwanda. I would call neither movie “family friendly” but I would say that Christians could be rightly challenged by each movie, not only for the artistic merits of each, but also for the content, which is exactly what prohibits them from being suitable for young children. Adults ought to be challenged in ways that children are not. Therefore, the criteria of family friendliness ought not to be the only criteria Christians use to judge their media intake.

Read Eyes Wide Open: Looking For God in Popular Culture by William Romanowski.
Read excerpts from a PBS interview with William Romanowski.

Some time ago I wrote a piece called Misplaced Boundaries? in which I wrestled with questions regarding how many Christians set their “boundaries” for their media intake. It seems that many Christians place an all-out ban on any music that is not “explicitly Christian” while using discernment and Scriptural wisdom to set boundaries elsewhere, with movies, television and other popular culture. Despite Tim’s insinuation, I was not arguing that we must take in more “secular” in order to better relate to the world around us (which brings up the question regarding the validity of the “sacred vs. secular” distinction that many have adopted in the first place). Rather, I was pushing for a more consistent application of the discernment that we elsewhere use everyday; a total ban may not be the answer for everyone, but discernment is.

Much of the thought behind that post was the result of reading William Romanowski’s Eyes Wide Open: Looking For God in Popular Culture. Romanowski advances a fundamental concept that many Christians are simply not comfortable with: there can be a healthy involvement with and intake of modern popular culture that does not require a steady diet of Touched By An Angel. No, it is not easy, yes, it requires constant vigilance and discernment. In the pursuit of a comprehensive view of the Gospel over all of life, it seems that at some point, we must all wrestle with the questions of media, art and culture as they relate to the Gospel.

Though Romanowski’s book is “filled to the brim” with conversation pieces, I want to briefly touch upon two areas where he feels that many Christians have misplaced their boundaries (notice how I pushed the following position onto him? Did you like that?). Lord willing, we will cover one aspect today and another tomorrow.

I’ve already alluded to this, but many Christians limit their media intake (at least the music they listen to) to only ‘explicitly’ Christian material; it must contain an overt Gospel message. It must name God (either as Jesus or God, Lord, Spirit, or some other direct address), it must explicitly present the Gospel (despite the fact that it’s marketed to people who already claim to have accepted it, which presents a great inconsistency) or it must voice some direct praise. The assumption is (and I know because its one that up until recently I too held) that if someone is a Christian, then at some point during the course of an album, it must be explicitly stated. What’s interesting about this approach is that, if taken to the extreme, the book of Esther may not have made it into Scripture! After all, God is not mentioned once in the entire book, but we certainly don’t question that it is about God. How inconsistent we’ve become to require things of our modern music that Scripture does not require of itself.

Rarely is there a question regarding artistic excellence, because it’s the message that counts, not the medium. The result is that, as Romanowski notes, “some Christians want to make faith the issue by making popular art into religious propaganda.” Sadly, this is exactly what much Christian music is (I will limit this discussion to music, though most of the comments apply to art in general). It is marketed to people who already claim to be Christians and it simply reassures them of their claim. It is, for all practical purposes simply propaganda. Much Christian music simply mimics what was popular in the mainstream market a few months ago simply replacing the content rather than actually pushing the bounds of creativity for themselves. Much of what is sold in the Christian market is not about artistic expression at all, but simply about pushing an image; an image that is all too often doctrinally questionable at best.

As we’ve discussed, content actually has very little to do with what’s sold in “Christian” bookstores, and much “Christian” popular art is actually subpar compared to the artistic quality of most “secular” popular art. Would anyone really say that The Omega Code is quality film or that the Left Behind series is good literature? Both would fall squarely into the propaganda section. Many Christian artists focus on the message to the point that the medium suffers, but it doesn’t matter because they have a guaranteed market with no need to differentiate themselves “from the pack” because they’re simply imitating as it is.

But even deeper, Romanowski points out that “Believing that the only reason to create popular art is for evangelism, Christians portray religion as a narrow aspect of life, instead of as a life orientation”. I would add worship to Romanowski’s stated criteria of evangelism. Most Christian music portrays an extremely narrow view of life and as such, is not even true to the Gospel which has influence over all of life, from worship to romance to suffering and everything in between. We connect with art because it speaks to our lives, and for many, “Christian” music has little to say, while many Christians are trying to limit it even more.

So, the question remains; must music (or art in general) produced by Christians automatically include an explicit reference to God, the Gospel or worship? I’m beginning to think not. There are, of course, natural boundaries, a Christian artist should not produce music riddled with expletives or gratuitous sex and violence. Certain things are by nature off-limits and rightly so. I would also say that the art in question must put forward a Christian worldview, even if in implicit terms as does the book of Esther. It must align itself with the thoughts and patterns of Scripture, be guided by it and continually point back to it.

Think about the role of music in many of our lives. We turn to music that we are able to identify with. Many have experienced loss of some kind and found solace in music. Many have struggled with hard issues and found comfort in the words of a song that deals with that particular issue. Much, if not most of this is entirely missing in Christian music because of the unnecessary limitations that we place upon the artists. Romanowski clarifies: “Christian artists should not just be singing that Jesus is a light unto our paths; they also need to create popular artwork that show how God’s Word is a light and direction for our journey in life”. The Gospel must influence all of the lyrics, but it is not necessary that it explicitly appear in all of the lyrics; in fact, arguing otherwise might actually hinder the creativity.

If it’s true that the Gospel is for all of life, then shouldn’t our art reflect that? I’m looking forward to your feedback, because this is certainly an issue that I wrestle with and one where Romanowski puts forward some interesting ideas.

Read Eyes Wide Open: Looking For God in Popular Culture by William Romanowski.
Read excerpts from a PBS interview with Romanowski.
Read Creation Regained: Biblical Basics For A Reformational Worldview by Albert Wolters.

The end of the year is quickly approaching. If you’ve read here at all, I hope that one of the things you’ll see is that I’m very openly wresting with (and encouraging you to do the same) the scope of the Gospel’s impact on our entire lives. There is no area of life which we may say is outside the authority of Christ. As such, our media intake is something that it is vital for us to examine. While many blogs, websites and print media outlets simply publish lists of their favorites, I hope that we do so from a Christ-centered perspective. I’d love to provide an outlet for you to share your thoughts on 2005, so please tell me your thoughts on the past year and I’d love to pass them on as we strive together for an honest and complete Christ-centered approach to life.

The guidelines are simple:

1. Please follow the guidelines.
2. Please submit responses only for the listed categories (though there are opportunities for you to simply speak out).
3. Please try to include a short paragraph (at least a sentence or two) on why you made each selection, particularly its relationship to your faith. This makes for a much more interesting read than just your list, as interesting as that may be.
4. Please have all submissions returned to me (by e-mail) no later than: Friday, December 23, 2005.
5. Please include a small JPEG photo of yourself if possible, or a link to one if online.
6. Please include your name, city and state of residence.
7. Please e-mail your list to me at kpita@yahoo.com.
8. Please pass this on and get as many people as you can to participate!

And now, on to the categories! Please submit responses for as many or as few categories as you’d like. For example, if you really don’t watch many movies, then don’t feel pressed to include selections for that category. Again, please try to include a short descriptive bit as to why you made the selection you did; give us some insight as to why you think this is the year’s best and above all, use this as a chance to evaluate your media intake in light of the re-creating Gospel of Christ our Lord.

The Categories (In no particular order):

Hearing:

• Album(s) of the Year - Must have been released in 2005, may be from any genre.
• Music “Find(s) of the Year” - Something that you “discovered” during 2005, may have been released any time, but you first heard it this year.
• Song of the Year - Again, must have been released during 2005.
• Back Catalogue(s) of the Year - What artist did you discover this year and investigated further?
• Artist/Performer of the Year - What artist has impressed you the most during 2005?
• Misc. music thoughts for 2005.

Seeing:

• Movie(s) of the Year - Must have been released in 2005.
• Movie “Find(s) of the Year” - Released any time, but you first saw it in 2005.
• Actor/Actress of the Year - Who has particularly impressed you this year?
• Misc. movie thoughts for 2005.

Reading:

• Book(s) of the Year - Must have been released in 2005 in any genre.
• Book “Find(s) of the Year” - released any time, but you first read it in 2005.
• Author of the Year - What author has made a particular impression on you or just made a huge impact in 2005 and why?
• Misc. reading thoughts for 2005.

Pop Culture:

• Person of the Year - You decide the criteria (most influence, etc.)
• Pop Culture Moment(s) Or Trend of the Year - What will 2005 be remembered for?
• Misc. cultural thoughts for 2005?

Faith:

• What theological Truth(s) has particularly “hit home” for you this past year?
• What have you been meditating on throughout the year?
• Misc. faith thoughts for 2005?

Misc.:

• This is where you can include anything you think I should have.

Please e-mail submissions to me at kpita@yahoo.com by no later than Friday, December 23, 2005.

Late last week, my wife and I watched the movie Hotel Rwanda. By no means is this an easy movie to watch; all the more because it details historical events and the lack of response shown by much of the world.

In 1994, it is estimated that some 800,000, nearly 1 million people were slaughtered in the short span of 100 days. The majority of those murdered were Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Those responsible for the genocide were primarily Hutu extremists known as Interahamwe. As Wikipedia notes that “For many, the Rwandan Genocide stands out as historically significant not only because of the sheer number of people that were murdered in such a short period of time, but also because of the way many Western countries responded to the atrocities.”

What makes this story all the more condemning (as if it were not already condemning enough) is the fact that these distinctions: Tutsi and Hutu are not “natural” ethnic or societal distinctions. In other words, there is a natural distinction between a person of the Chinese Hani and a Caucasian from Southern California. One is able to physically discern differences (not that these differences are allowed to separate; the Gospel breaks these barriers down). However, the distinction between the Tutsi and the Hutu is simply manmade and would otherwise not exist. The Belgium forces that had previously occupied the country simply decided who belonged to which group; “thinner noses and lighter skin over here”, etc. What began as an arbitrary distinction resulted in untold bloodshed.

It seems that despite intelligence regarding the unfolding events, virtually all first-world countries declined to intervene. UN forces were forbidden to engage in combat, or to even discharge their weapons. As for the U.S., Wikipedia claims that President “Clinton was kept informed on a daily basis by his closest advisors and by the U.S. Embassy of Rwanda” and yet he was “stay out of Rwanda” because of the possible political backlash.”

During one particularly moving scene, a news camera man played by Joaquin Phoenix discusses footage of a massacre with Don Cheadle, who plays the main character, Paul Rusesabagina. Ruseasabagina thanks the camera man for shooting the footage, because once the world sees it, they will surely help. Phoenix’s character responds, “When they see this footage, they’ll say ‘O that’s horrible’ and they’ll go back to eating their dinners.” While this seems overly harsh, it also seems that this is what happened with much of the free world.

I’m not trying to guilt anyone over this, but we must realize that this is exactly the way that much of the world views the “first-world,” particularly the United States. If there’s any doubt as to whether or not this was the film-makers intention, the tag line for the movie itself reads: When the world closed its eyes, he opened his arms. While blame cannot truly be laid at the feet of many Americans, (I can honestly say that in 1994 while this was happening, I didn’t know.) the larger issue for Christians is that we are included in that vision of the “first world;” introspective, isolationalist and complacent.

In reality, there is little that most of could had done had we known. Call or write government officials, contact media outlets, sign petitions, possibly volunteer as an aid worker, but few if any of us actually could have put a stop to the genocide. But the question still ought to loom large over all us (particularly Believers) as to how accurate the charge of complacency is. If we admit that more should have been done at the international level, are we also asking what we can do within our local spheres of influence? Indeed, Al Mohler, commenting on the horrors of slavery that still exist asks: As for the church, where is the spirit of William Wilberforce for this generation?

There is a fine line between judging others and lamenting the truth. It’s often the case that if we point out failures, we are accused of being judgmental. But, I speak to myself as well as any who might care to listen. The awful reality is that many Christians in America are indeed complacent; not only regarding any level of engaged activism, but also sadly regarding the daily practice of our faith.

The message of Christianity is indeed a radical claim that ought to be followed by (what the world considers to be) radical lives. We claim nothing less than the Messiah, God Himself has entered humanity to reverse the effects of the Fall, that those found in Him are given a new birth (John 3:1-21) and are now new creation(s) (2 Corinthians 5:17), freed from slavery to sin (Romans 6), and that the man-made boundaries of division and hatred have been smashed by Christ (Galatians 3:28). God’s people are to be marked by God’s love (1 John 4:19) and James tells us that if our faith is not put into practice, then it is dead (James 2:14-26). Jesus warns that it is those who feed the hungry and clothe the naked that will prove to be His at the final judgment (Matthew 25:31-46) and the religion that James describes as “pure and undefiled” is faith put into practice (James 1:27) by “doers” rather than simply “hearers” of the Word (James 1:19-27). Christianity is not only for the heart, but for the feet, it must be practiced.

While the Rwandan genocide was certainly beyond the reach of most Believers, we must seek out those opportunities to reverse the effects of the Fall wherever possible. We must first pray that God would break our hearts with His compassion for the lost, then we must pray that He would make us sensitive to the opportunities that surround us everyday.

Some practical things that we can do include first and foremost, sharing the Gospel. When the Gospel “takes root” (Colossians 1:3-8) in the hearts of men, hatred is replaced by love; enmity by compassion, division by unity. Next, we must put these things into practice ourselves. Too many churches are marked by the same patterns of division that scar the rest of the world, we must put into practice God’s standard; we must love one another (1 Thessalonians 4:9, 1 Peter 1:22). From that point, we must seek out opportunities to put this love into practice, we must seek out opportunities to serve.

Volunteer at a homeless shelter this holiday season, open a clothes-closet at your church, invest resources in church-planting, give time and money to ministries such as Voice of the Martyrs, Abort 73 and Promiseland Ministries. Though we may not be able to end genocide in other countries, we can make intentional efforts to see that the charge of complacency no longer applies as it has.

Watch Hotel Rwanda.
Watch the movie trailer.
Learn more about the movie at the Internet Movie Database.
Visit the official Hotel Rwanda website.
Read Wikipedia’s entry detailing the Rwandan genocide.
Read Slavery: Alive and Well In Our Time by Al Mohler.
Read Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience: Why Are Christians Living Just Like the Rest of the World? by Ronald Sider.

Driving the other night over to Southwestern Seminary for their Armageddon Now? round-table discussion on eschatology, I had an interesting talk with a friend regarding the idea of where we place our Christian boundaries. He works in the music industry and of course, has a vested interest in music and the thought that surrounds it. He asked a stimulating question: have we misplaced our “boundaries” when it comes to the entertainment “filters” that we use?

Let me elaborate: it is very common to meet well-intentioned believers who only listen to “Christian” music. The common argument is that they don’t want to fill their heads with “secular” thoughts, which is all fine and good. However, these same people often watch “secular” television, attend movies, read “non-Christian” media, read non-Christian fiction, and the list goes on. The common line of reasoning thus goes something like: well, I’m very careful about the movies that I see, I check the ratings and make sure there’s nothing offensive there before I go, I read what Dobson has to say before I do anything. Again, fine and good, but terribly inconsistent.

On one hand we have a total ban of anything “secular” while on the other we use our “filters” to avoid anything objectionable. If we were truly consistent, wouldn’t we avoid the mainstream media, which is anything but objective? Why is music typically the only art form/entertainment where we set the bar so high? Again, the typical argument is: there’s just something special about music that connects with you on a different level. I won’t argue, but I will say again; terribly inconsistent.

For some, the answer might be a “total abstinence,” but I’m not sure that this is either realistic or helpful (it is certainly not realistic or helpful to place your conscience upon me if you’ve become convinced that “total abstinence” is the answer). Would it not be better to actually put into process a life of taking “every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:15), not being conformed to this world, but rather, being transformed by the renewal of our minds, that by testing we may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

The sad truth is that we are a generation that no longer thinks critically. We “clear the deck” in one area of our lives and think that we’re on our way to holiness when we’ve yet to remove the log of inconsistency from our eye. We must do the hard work of discerning and thinking critically. There is certainly a level at which we must be informed, but not only that, the monastic view of withdrawing from culture completely is neither biblical nor edifying. We must strive to live up to the high calling of being salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16) in a world of darkness (John 3:19).

Read Redeeming Pop Culture by T.M. Moore.
Read The Calvinistic Concept of Culture by Henry Van Til.
Read Creation Regained: Biblical Basics For A Reformational Worldview by Albert Wolters.
Read Eyes Wide Open: Looking For God in Popular Culture by William Romanowski.

Yesterday I watched the documentary Beyond the Gates of Splendor. The film relates the tale of what led five missionaries; Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, and Pete Fleming to be murdered by the Waodani tribe (they were also known as the “Auca,” which means ‘naked savages’) in the jungles of Ecuador.

The Waodani were a savage tribe, filled with paranoia, revenge and murder. They killed foreigners on sight and killed one another. Their only means of “conflict resolution” was murder. The five missionaries had pledged to make contact with these people, with the hopes of sharing the Gospel. All five had guns yet chose not to use them, because in their words, “we’re ready for heaven and they’re not.”

I have heard Steve Saint tell the story of his father’s murder three times now. In this film, in a live Steven Curtis Chapman DVD, and at the end of a cartoon version of the story put out by Voice of the Martyrs. I’ve had the same concern each time, which was recently voiced by Mark Redfern at his blog Evil Babies and Thinking Men.

Saint often speaks of the “creator god” that the Waodani believed in and that this god had “marked a trail” for them to follow with his “carvings”. One of the carvings on this trail said that they should not kill each other. If they follow this “trail” while they are alive, then they will find their god’s home when they die.

The only problem with this is that it is not the Gospel. It is a works-based message with no substitution and certainly no atonement. I have waited until hearing Saint present this message three times now in different contexts each time, and each time it is the same. I have heard comments from Saint elsewhere that leads me to believe that he does indeed have a grasp of the true gospel and from what I’ve read of Jim Elliot, I have no doubts that he understood the Gospel as well.

We are faced with the difficult question of contextualizing the Gospel. Joel Green and Mark Baker argue in their book Recovering the Scandal of the Cross that the substitutionary atonement message is not essential to the Gospel. For example, in a shame-based culture such as Japan, the message would be tailored to say that “Jesus takes away our shame.” Saint has chosen to “contextualize” the Gospel into a message of “marked trails” that the people must follow.

Yet the question remains: is that a sufficient presentation of the Gospel? Is substitutionary atonement a necessary element of the Gospel? It seems to me that it is, especially in a culture such as the Waodani that understood death as such a prevalent part of daily life.

I don’t mean to diminish the work that has been done among the Waodani by any means. God has turned a potential tragedy to His glory. I do want us to pause and consider the weight of the task that has been given to us. We have been entrusted with the very power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). It’s not up to us, it’s up to God, but we must strive to communicate clearly and correctly.

Visit the Beyond the Gates of Splendor website.
Read Recovering the Scandal of the Cross by Green and Baker.
Read Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot.
Watch Steven Curtis Chapman: Live.
Watch The Jim Elliot Story.

At what price mercy? This question lies at the heart of the movie To End All Wars based on the book by Ernest Gordon. A true story about Allied POWs enduring harsh treatment in a Japanese prison camp while being forced to build a railroad through the Burmese jungle. The story serves as the vehicle for a brief but penetrating look into some of the larger questions life has to offer:

At what price mercy?
What is the final destination of hatred?
What does it look like to witness the power of forgiveness?

What is perhaps most shocking about the movie is that it was made at all. Hollywood is not known for its redeeming qualities, much less for promoting explicitly Christian messages. Yet here it is: an exposition of the Christian Gospel of mercy and forgiveness that many raised on the pop spirituality of feel-good self-helpers such as Joel Osteen will likely be repulsed. The power of forgiveness at work is a beautiful thing, yet we must be willing to wade through the mud and the blood before we are able to understand the beauty.

The movie forces us to examine ourselves as well. How would I respond if given the chance for vengeance after being mercilessly starved, beaten, forced to hard labor, and having witnessed friends and commanders brutally murdered? While I pay lip-service to the ideal of turning the other cheek, how far am I able to walk in the footsteps of my Savior who endured all this and more for the sake of sinners such as myself?

More practically, do I understand the power of forgiveness and the high price of mercy in my own life and heart? Does it really sink in that God made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)?

We are also forced with issues closer to home (or at least closer to the home television). The movie does use explicit language and violent and graphic imagery. As such, many well-intentioned parents will shield both themselves and their children from it. Yet these same parents often turn to the entertainment industry for G-rated entertainment filled with subversive messages. We must honestly ask ourselves which is more profitable for the soul: to watch men struggle to live out the brutal reality of forgiving as they have been forgiven or to listen to a lion subtly sing the siren-song of the new age to catchy beats?

While it is not an easy film to watch, we must admit that it is a forceful reminder that our salvation was not easily won.

Learn more about World War 2.
Learn more about the Death Railway.
Read the book.
Watch the trailer.
Buy the DVD.
Read Ernest Gordon’s obituary in the Daily Princetonian.
Read an interesting review in World magazine.