Where do I stand?

Is this the image that Christ had in mind for Christianity? Where do you stand in the fight for Same Sex Marriage?



A topic that has been on everyone's minds lately is that of same sex marriage. I have realized that there is a great divide in the Christian church on this topic, and as a Christian I have found it very hard to take a side-- until now.
Before, this would be a topic I would not dare touch with a ten foot pole. It is perhaps the most sensitive issue at the present moment. But as I have thought long and hard about this, there are many different thoughts and opinions that I cannot help but share. To start off, let me clarify; I am a supporter of Same Sex Marriage.
It has taken me a long time to arrive at this conclusion, but when it comes down to it, I do not see how I can call myself a follower of Christ and support a law that strips my brothers and sisters of their rights to marry one another. Now before you call me a heretic, let me share with you the reasons for my supporting homosexual marriage.
I constantly hear from both conservatives and liberals that in order to resolve this issue, we must first define what love is. If that is the case, then there are plenty of straight couples who should not be allowed to marry. And this is a dangerous route to take anyways. Who can define love? Is it an emotion? A state of mind? No one knows. This is not an issue of love. It is an issue of discrimination.
I am a huge fan of films, and one of the most tragic time periods in American history that has paved the way for countless movies is the Civil Rights Movement.
Most of these films are very similar in structure. You have the persecuted black person who is being denied some sort of dream of theirs. After a multitude of trials they come out on top. Now, what is always interesting to me about these films are the white people. Most of them are portrayed as racist chauvinists. But there is always the one white character in every movie who befriends the black character and helps them make a stand for their civil rights.
The movie producers do this for a reason; so that us white folks don't feel shitty when we are watching these movies. So that there is a character for us to relate with. So that we can watch this white character and say to ourselves, "If I was alive back then, this is exactly how I would treat black people."
Sometimes I even want another civil rights movement to occur so that I can prove that I would stand up for the rights of the oppressed. And that is when it hit me.
We watch these movies thinking that we are the one white guy that makes a difference in that black guy's life. But in reality we are just like the rest of the racist scumbags. Racism and Sexism are still alive, though they are not as strong as they once were. No, nowadays the real battle does not exist based on what color your skin is or what genitalia you have. It is based on who you choose to love.
I myself am ashamed of the careless jokes I have made in the past about this topic. And from what I have seen, most of the Christians I know have taken on the role of the ignorant, racist bastard who spits on the oppressed 'in the name of the lord'. As artist Macklemore puts it, "We paraphrase a book written two thousand years ago" just to prove our point.
Don't you see that if Jesus were alive today, he wouldn't hate gay people any more than he hates any of his other children. If Jesus really loves Porn Stars, then he definitely loves homosexuals.
You might say, "Adam, we are not claiming that Jesus hates homosexuals, we are saying that he doesn't support what they are doing."
Then I have two things to say in response; Firstly, you may not be saying that Jesus hates homosexuals, but it sure as hell sounds like it. When you refuse to allow them to take part in one of the most sacred vows spoken under the love of our God, it sounds like you hate them. And as representatives of Jesus Christ, when you hate homosexuals, they have every right to assume that Jesus hates them too.
Secondly, how dare anyone judge another human being for their sins. Whether or not Homosexuality is a sin, all of God's children are equal in His eyes. Would you treat a man addicted to pornography with the same harsh bitterness?
When we strip away the rights of homosexuals, we are forgetting the second greatest commandment of Christ; "Love your neighbor as yourself."
I don't care how many Bible verses you throw at me which support the ban on Gay Marriage, this is the verse I will keep closest to my heart.

Preemptive Faith

Sin. A touchy subject, yes? But perhaps the easiest thing to talk about. One of the many paradoxes that bewilder the human race. What is right, and what is wrong? This question has plagued philosopher's minds for the past thousands of years. The answers will vary depending upon the background of the individual. As most of you know, I am a Christian. The things I write on this blog will primarily edify Christians, however any non-christian who stumbles upon my website might find it equally as intriguing.
Sin is the separation of our very beings from God. When we choose to fulfill our Earthly desires over the desires of our Father in Heaven, we are sinning. But it is so confusing sometimes. Often times, it is hard to distinguish between what is sin and what isn't. For any person who finds themselves in such a situation, the best advice I can give is that they delve into scripture, as well as communicate with the Father as often as possible. If you do not do these things, I would expect the only way to discover if something is sinful in nature is to experience it. Become separated from Christ.
Becoming separated from Christ is perhaps the hardest thing than anyone can experience. And I would definitely advise that one would take whatever measures necessary to refrain from becoming separated from Him.
But what I wish to talk about in this Blog is not the difference between right and wrong, but what to do once you have made that distinction. If you know that something is wrong, is it okay to just experience it anyway? That way we can learn from the experience and embrace our youth at the same time.
Recently I have encountered a situation in which a young teenager, who wishes to expand their faith and strengthen their walk with God, found themselves desiring certain aspects of the World over their Heavenly Father. As I talked with this student, they brought up several questions that I would like to address.

1. In my discussion with this student, they stated that they wanted to postpone their spiritual growth until later in order to have more fun over summer. They thought that going to parties and consuming alcohol just over summer would be okay, because they will not continue to live this way after summer ends. I told the student that it is not okay to drink, especially at such a young age. They responded by saying, "It's not that bad."

Now, in rebuttal to the student's claim, I would like to break down their response. When they say it is not that bad, what am I to make of that? This would first of all show that the student understands that what they are doing is wrong, and sinful by nature. Now, if what they are doing is sinful by nature, then it is safe to say that it is a sin, yes?
Yes. Okay, in James 2:10 it says, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
What I see in this verse is that it doesn't matter how small the sin may seem, it is equally as evil as all other sins. No sin is greater than another. They all separate you from God. Do not make the mistake of assuming that your sin is special, or that it is better than any other.
Now, if all sins are equal, then there is nothing for this student to compare their sin to. So, it would be permissible for us to remove the "that" from the sentence. What do we get? "It is not bad."
In Romans 13:1-2 it says, "Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves"
Right here it tells us that obeying the laws of the land is a command from God. Now, what is the legal age to drink alcohol in America? That's right, 21. Not 16. Wait 5 more years, then knock yourself out. It is bad to drink before you are 21, because it is illegal.

2. As I continued to talk with this student, they asked me the question, "Why do you want me to change who I am?"
All things were created BY God, FOR God, which means, He desperately wants us to live lives that seek His face, and bring Honor and Glory to His name. Our identity should be found in Christ alone, and nothing else. Then Christ would become Who we are. If anyone finds their identity in anything other than Christ, that is Idolatry, which is also a sin. Look it up, it's in the Ten Commandments. So to answer your question, why do I want you to change who you are; Because a life devoid of Christ is a life that is not worth living.

I wrote a small metaphor or parable... Whatever you want to call it, which I believe fits right in to this particular subject.
There were once two flowers who lived in the woods. They were planted firmly in soil. The soil was fertile, and the flowers were pure. But one flower grew envious as it watched the tall trees reach up to the sky. It too wanted to reach such heights, but the flower thought it impossible for as long as it was planted in the ground, it was stuck. So the flower uprooted itself and the wind blew it away. The wind carried it high above the trees, and it soared above the entirety of the woods. But the wind died down, and the flower came crashing to the ground. Since the flower was no longer planted in the soil, its petals withered, and its color faded to grey. Meanwhile, the other flower which remained firmly planted in the ground, watched the sky day and night, and was determined to one day reach those heights. But it waited patiently. The rain brought water and fed the flower, and the soil allowed the flower to grow taller and taller until eventually it reached higher than the highest tree in the woods. Its petals flourished in the Sun, and its color shone bright for all to see. And the flower was filled with Joy.

God does not hold us back. He is here for us to help us grow. He wants us to reach those heights, He just wants us to do it His way. And as far as I am concerned, He deserves our obedience. Because the last time I checked, He died on the cross for our sins.

He loves us so much, and He wants us to seek Him. If we put Him first in our lives, and if we make Him the foundation of all that we hold dear, then we will succeed in all our endeavors.

Is it okay for us to partake in a sin that we know is wrong just to gain experience? No. It is not okay to partake in any sin under any circumstance.
If you are about to touch a hot stove and your Mother tells you not to touch it, and that it is too hot, you'd have to be an idiot to touch the stove.
Experience may be the greatest teacher, but it is the most brutal one also.

The Black and White Car: The Temptress

A Short Story by Adam Sill

Shaun sat at his desk in his room staring at his computer. The door was locked and his ipod played music through loud speakers that made everything in the room inaudible. His mouse hovered over the browser button. He’d been in this position before. So many times had he fallen to the temptation of the subtle, momentary pleasures that sat beyond that small “click” of the mouse.

His face was vacant and his body frozen.

He sat for a few minutes without moving, then his hands began to shake… Then his head… His knees. He let go of the mouse and sat back in his chair. He glared at the bright glowing screen. His mouth sneered but his eyes were laden with lust. He lifted both hands to his head and began to scruff up his hair. “ohhh….” He moaned, “Come on! Come on!” He slammed his open hand against the top of his desk. “Godammit, come on!”

He attempted to stand up but he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see a tall woman. She had dark orange hair, and brown eyes that pierced into his. She wore a tight red dress and makeup. A lot of makeup. Red lipstick, and gray eyeliner. She stared at Shaun. Her eyes ran him up and down. In that moment, Shaun felt totally exposed. He tried to turn away from her but she pulled him back. “No!” he yelled, “Not any more!”

“Shaun.” She said in a soft but firm voice.

“No. I can’t!” Shaun said, but he felt her grasping his heart, and though he did not want her there, he could not let her leave.

“Shaun.” She repeated, “It’s okay.”

“No it’s not.” He replied

“Yes… It is. You are sixteen years old. You are old enough to do this.”

Shaun began to shake his head violently. “No! It’s wrong!”

“Why?” she asked, “Why is it wrong?”

“It’s lust!” he retorted, “It’s – it’s…” He drooped his head and stared at his feet.

She reached out and gently touched his chin, pushing his face upwards. She stared down deep into his eyes and he could feel her entering an deep empty pit in the middle of his stomach.

“It’s what you want.” She said, “It’s what you need.”

Shaun closed his eyes. She grabbed his hand and began to guide it to the mouse. Though she was guiding his hand, he was the one moving it. He grasped the mouse and double clicked. The search engine opened, and he clicked on the white blank bar. The blinking black line sat on the white bar. Shaun let out a subtle groan. “Please.” He turned his head away from the screen, and closed his eyes.

She gently pushed his head back towards the screen and whispered in his ear, “Yes, you can.”

He opened his eyes and reached out to the keyboard. He typed in one letter; “P”

Immediately, a list of possible searches popped up under his “P”

He stopped and read each one; “Puggles for sale” “Pirates of the Caribbean” “Pictures of sunsets” “Pythagorean Theorum” until he reached the very bottom; “Passion of the Christ”

“Oh no…” Shaun said, “This is not-“

“Ignore it.” she whispered in his ear.

“I- I can’t.” he said as he glanced out the window. His jaw dropped as he stared into the street outside where he saw an old black and white car.

“No!” she said, “Close the window!”

“But – It’s Him.”

“No it is not! Don’t look outside!”

“Why not?”

“He is not the way! He is false. And he is selfish! He doesn’t care about you! If he did, then where has he been this whole time. I’ve made you feel better about yourself! I’ve given you something to live for!”

“No,” Shaun said, “You haven’t. You’ve left me broken. Cold. Homeless.”

“Where has he led you?” She asked, “He does not know what is best for you! I do!”

“I’m going outside.” Shaun said

“No!”

Shaun stood up and walked toward the door. “Stop” She yelled as she followed him outside.

As he began to approach the car, She grabbed onto his arm and pulled him around. “Shaun,” she said, “I know it hurts. I know that you feel alone and you feel like there is nothing out there for you. But you’re wrong. I’m here. I’ve always been here and I am the way.”

“You don’t get it.” Shaun said. He turned around and continued walking toward the car. She ran around in front of him and stood between he and the car, stopping him in his path.

“Wait, Shaun!”

“Shut up!” Shaun yelled, “You did this to me! You made me feel alone! You have screwed up everything I had going for me, and I am not going to take it any more! Now get out of my way, you bitch!” He pushed past her and walked toward the car.

“No!” she yelled, “Shaun, come back!”

Shaun walked around to the passenger’s side of the car and grabbed the handle. “No!” She continued to scream. He pulled the door open and got in the car. Immediately she shattered into small pieces of glass and burned away on the ground leaving a mound of sand that blew away into the wind.

Shaun looked over at the man sitting in the driver’s seat. He looked young and strong. The Driver turned and looked at Shaun. The Driver had soft eyes. But they were strong. Not strong like the Temptress. But powerfully deep.

“She’ll be back.” Driver said.

“She will?” Shaun asked

“Yes. But don’t worry, I’ll be here with you. As long as you stay with me, she can’t steal your heart.”

Shaun took in a deep breath of relief, sank back into his seat, and buckled his seatbelt.

F = Frequency

Frequency
Directed By: Gregory Hoblit
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel, Andre Braugher, Elizabeth Mitchell, Noah Emmerich, and a very young Michael Cera
Rated PG-13 for intense violence and disturbing images

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert... If you have not seen this film, I suggest you watch the movie before reading this blog. Otherwise, Enjoy!

36 year old cop, John Sullivan (Caviezel) stumbles upon his deceased Firefighter father's old Ham Radio. Thinking nothing of it, he plugs it in and begins to broadcast. He soon discovers that, through this radio, he is able to speak to his father, Frank Sullivan (Quaid), from thirty years in the past. John warns his father about his untimely death in a fire, which is then prevented, causing a chain of events to unfold as a series of murders begin to occur, ending the lives of many nurses, including John's mother and Frank's wife. Together, the father and son work to find the killer and stop him from killing the rest of the women, using their only connection-- an old ham radio.


As I prepared to watch this film, I prayed to God that He would expose Himself to me through this film. And His message became clear when in one of the first scenes, Frank is teaching 6 year-old John to ride a bike. When John falls, he runs inside. Frank calls out, "C'mon Chief, don't quit on me now!"
John's mother walks outside and says, "Don't be so hard on him, Frank. He just needs to know you're behind him, that's all."
That line stuck with me throughout the rest of the film, and I walked away with a new perception on what this story truly means.
This story is truly phenomenal. It is simply the representation of the battle between good and evil. A Firefighter and Cop striving to vanquish a Murderer. The fact that Frank is a Firefighter and that John is a Cop is very interesting to me. 


Frank is a Firefighter. When we think of Firemen, we think of a savior. His job is to put out fires and save people. Someone who we rejoice to see
John is a Cop. When we think of police officers, we think of a man arresting a criminal. We have a natural fear of cops. When we see them, we slow down to five mph under the speed limit, and we walk all the way to the crosswalk instead of just bolting across the street. But at the same time, we are happy that they are there.
We think of Firemen as people who have come to save us. And we think of Policemen as people who have come to punish us.
These are also two of the many things we think of in terms of our relationship with God. He is here to save us. But He is also here to bring justice. 

There is a relationship between the father and son that can be closely related to our relationship with God. However, what is so bizarre about this story is that they both play a Christ-like role in each others lives.
In the film, John is trying to discover who the murderer is, and Frank is trying to protect the women from the murderer. But neither of them could achieve this without the help of one another. It is confusing, I know. However, these two characters portray our relationship with God. 

How do they communicate? Through the radio. All they have to do is sit down and talk with one another. They can't see each other, but they can communicate... Prayer... Duh. So, as they begin to talk, they can work together to stop these murders.

I am reminded of the story in the Joshua 10, when Joshua is leading the Israelite army against the Southern Forces. In their battle, Joshua prays to the Lord in verse12;
"Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon."
The Lord answered Joshua's prayer and the sun stood still over Gibeon, and the moon stood still over Aijalon.


Joshua and his army go on to defeat the southern armies with God's help. He sent Joshua and the Israelites into that land to vanquish the kings that reigned there. God chose to use Joshua. But Joshua needed God.
So, as Joshua carried out God's commands, God gave him the power to do so.


In Frequency we can learn the exact same lesson that we learn in Joshua 10. We need God. And He will move through us as we do His good work. In Frequency, Frank and John needed each other. Frank needed the cop and John needed the fireman. But the fireman and the cop didn't need John or Frank, but they used the father and son to vanquish evil.


No prayer is too big for God. And He is behind us, teaching us how to ride that bike. Guiding us out of the fiery building. Once we've learned how to walk with Him, He will teach us something else. Something greater; How to work for Him. We are God's tools... Are we sharp enough?

"We can do it. Me and you together. Spirit and Guts."

E = The Edge

The Edge
Directed By: Lee Tamahori
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Elle Macpherson, and Harold Perrineau
Rated R for language and some adventure gore/violence

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert... If you have not seen this film, I suggest you watch the movie before reading this blog. Otherwise, Enjoy!

The film, The Edge is about three men who are trapped in the wilderness after surviving a plane crash. As they struggle to survive and find rescue, they are also being hunted by a grizzly Bear.

While there are many aspects of this film that could be connected to the Bible and our walk with the Lord, I am only going to focus on one- The Bear.

In the film, the three men, Charles, Robert, and Stephan, had sustained many injuries from the plane crash. And while trying to start a fire, Stephan accidentally stabs himself in the leg. After a while, the great bear smells his blood in the air and attacks. He kills Stephan and feeds on his body. Though Charles and Robert escape, the Bear continues to hunt them down.

A little while back I had given my testimony. I spoke about pornography, and how it was my greatest temptation in life. However, I think this film works as a good analogy for all temptations.

In 1 Peter 5:8 it says, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."

The Devil is a hunter. A master hunter at that, and this film draws the perfect picture of us when we are faced with the devil and the temptations he presents.

In my testimony I talked about how people always throw around the expression "Flee from Temptation". And although I do agree that we should Flee from temptation, I have a problem with the "wording" of the expression. We cannot run away from temptation. Especially when it has already made an influence on our lives.

In the film, Stephan is stabbed in the leg, and he begins to bleed. Once that blood has hit the air, the bear can smell it. (It's like the shark of the land). Stephan can try to run, he can try to hide, but he will fail. No matter how hard he tries he can't escape the bear, because it can already sense his weakness.

The same goes for our situation with the Devil. When our sins take a hold on us, we cannot just flee from them. The enemy will follow you wherever you go, and when you are at your weakest, he will attack.

In the film, Charles finally comes to the conclusion that the only way he and Robert can survive, is if they fight the bear. So, they sharpen up wooden spears, and fight off the bear.

What made it possible for these characters to fight off the bear?... The Spears. 

1 Peter 1:9 says, "Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. remember that your Christian brothers and sisters are going through the same kind of suffering you are."

Right here in the Bible it tells us to FIGHT BACK. "Stand firm against him"; so we are not to hide. We are not to run. We are to stand up to him like a bully trying to steal our lunch money.

"be strong in your faith"; We can't fight off a bear with our bare hands. We need spears. When we fight Satan, we NEED God. We cannot do it on our own. 

J.P. Charfauros created a marvelous analogy of our faith being represented as a sword and shield. He said, "If we have strong faith in God, our sword and shield shall be strong. But if our faith is lacking, it's like fighting with a plastic knife and a paper plate." 

We find our strength in God, so if you are in a situation where you feel trapped, turn to God. He is the only one with all the right answers. 

"all your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are."; If you feel like you are in a rut in which there is no escape, do not be discouraged. There are literally thousands of people going through the exact same thing as you. Have faith in this. It shows that there is a way out. And it's God. He is the way, the truth, and the light. Turn to Him.

"What one man can do, another can do."

D = The Departed

The Departed
Directed By: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, and Alec Baldwin
Rated R for Strong Brutal Violence, Pervasive Language, Some Strong Sexual Content and Drug Material

 WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert... If you have not seen this film, I suggest you watch the movie before reading this blog. Otherwise, Enjoy!

This film represents more than just all of the violence and deception in the world. It also represents all of the violence and deception within every Christian on Earth. A lot of the characters represent the different types of people in the world.

There are four characters in this film that really stand out to me. Colin Sullivan (Damon) is a police Sergeant in the BPD Special Investigations Unit. He is also a "rat" for the Irish Mob Boss, Frank Costello (Nicholson). Costello is the most wanted criminal in Boston. He recently recruited a man named Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) whose family has always been heavily involved in the Irish Mafia. Billy is an undercover Police Officer under the command of Captain Queenan (Sheen) and Sergeant Dignam (Wahlberg).

Colin Sullivan represents most people. He is the "Two-Faced Christian". He cares more about his appearance than he does about appeasing God and serving Him wholeheartedly. He'd even sacrifice those closest to him if it means he can escape justice. In the film he murders Costello, fearing that he might be caught by the FBI. In the end he murders Billy and just when he feels as if he might be free, Sgt. Dignam kills him.

Billy Costigan represents the fully Devoted follower. The Christian that will sacrifice everything he has to glorify God and to reach out to Non-Christians.  He is the Christian that we all must strive to be like. Throughout the film he always strives to obey the law and bring justice to Costello and Colin.

Frank Costello represents the Non-Christian. Someone whose life is blanketed by sin. A person who needs a fully devoted follower of Christ to bring them to the Lord. He is an insane man who will murder just about anyone and lives his life to be the "Alpha-Dog"

Captain Queenan and Sergeant Dignam are the Christ Figures in this film. Throughout the film they are constantly quarreling with Colin Sullivan. Eventually, Queenan sacrifices himself to protect Billy. Dignam becomes Billy's only friend, and in the end, the vengeance belongs to Dignam when he shoots Colin in the head.





The question you are faced with now is which character are you? Billy, Colin, or Costello? I believe that everyone should strive to be like Billy. He had sacrificed everything he had to Glorify God. We must reach out to non-believers and watch out for our fellow believers.

If you find that you are most like Colin, be afraid. Let's remember who killed who. Colin (The Two-Faced Christian) kills both Billy (The Fully-Devoted Follower) and Costello (The Non-Believer). However, it was Dignam (God) who killed Colin. So if you find yourself in Colin's shoes, beware.

This film also indicates that everyone dies. Everyone except God. Just look at the Title; "The Departed" No matter which of these characters you are, you will depart from this world. But where will you be departing to?

"I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me."

C = Cast Away

Cast Away
Directed By: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Tom Hanks and Helen Hunt
Rated PG-13 for Some Intense Images and Action Sequences

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert... If you have not seen this film, I suggest you watch the movie before reading this blog. Otherwise, Enjoy!

Cast Away is the story of a FedEx Executive named Chuck Noland (Hanks)who survived a plane crash and is stranded on an island with nothing but a few FedEx boxes that contain different objects that he uses for survival. He lives on the island for 4 years with no company except for a Volleyball with a painted face named Wilson before he is finally able to build a raft and escape

I am very excited about writing this blog because I feel that of all the characters I have written about so far in this blog series, I can relate to Chuck Noland the most. Over the past few years I have turned away from the Lord and from my friends and family. I had pushed people away for so long that before I realized it, I was stranded on a beach, all by myself. We become so prideful and so self reliant that we sometimes push others away and eventually we are completely isolated.

I had pushed people away and eventually I felt as if I was completely alone. I didn't have any friends that I felt that I could talk to about my problems. I mean, I had freinds, I just did not feel that close to them because I was pushing them away. I felt like I was so useless and that it would be more of a benefit to God's kingdom to remove me from this Earth. I've caused so much pain and anxiety in my family. How can I call myself a servant of God, when I refuse to serve him? Nothing I do glorifies God. So maybe everyone would be better off if I just ceased to exist.

I know that this is somewhat melodramatic to you, but when in my shoes where nothing you do is right, this is a rational thought. So, please don't roll your eyes when you read this blog.

I literally prayed to God to just remove me from all existence. No Heaven, No Hell. Nothing. My mind, and soul would never exist. Maybe I was already in that position. Think about it. I had removed God, and everyone who is dear to me from my life. So what is left to define me? I was sitting on a beach talking to a volleyball. But then, God gave me a chance. A "sail" if you will. I was able to escape that island and start new. However, when I returned, everything was different.

I also believe that this film shows us that we must use the gifts that God has given us for our own survival and for God's Kingdom. This is represented by  the FedEx boxes that Chuck possesses on the island.

To me, my favorite scene in Cast Away is the very end when Chuck Noland is standing at a crossroads uncertain which direction he should choose. Regardless of what path he took, his life would be completely different. But he was meant to travel down one road. God chose one road. There were four possibilities, but only one was from God. How did he know which one it was? A symbol. The same symbol he had been looking at the entire time he was on the island. This symbol-

The Wings of Angels. God makes it so obvious where he wants us to go... We just don't listen. Sometimes when things get tough, we just want to give up and die. But it's not what God has planned for us. In the brilliant words of Jeremiah Mullins; "There's an Angel. There's a way out."

God's hidden message behind the film Cast Away is simple; When you feel trapped and alone. When you feel like giving up. Turn to God. He will provide you with the necessary tools to survive. Keep pushing forward, and never give up.

"I gotta keep breathing. Because who knows what the tide will bring in tomorrow."

The Christian Church Vs. The World

During the past few weeks I have felt so... Sad. I'd been in and out of the word. Praying every other day when the world delivered me a platter of dog crap. Something was missing. Eventually I realized that it was the lack of studying God's word, so I forced myself to read more. I started reading through Psalms, which is a great book, however, it seems that the words seem so redundant. In no way am I saying that it is worthless. I  believe that the book of Psalms draws a beautiful picture of God's mastery and His glory. However, I needed something that didn't sound exactly like the same three songs that we sing at church on sundays and wednesdays. I found myself merely skimming over the words until and not processing them correctly.

Recently, I had been living with the false mindset that I have to give up all hopes and dreams in order to become a follower of God. The reason for this is because I had just finished reading a book called Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller. The book deals with idols and the dangers that they impose. The book made me wary of all possible idols. I was afraid to watch TV or be too focused on writing. I was afraid to spur on any romantic relationships with any girls (Not that I didn't flirt with the really pretty ones). I thought that I was living my life for God when in reality I wasn't really living my life at all.

One day after returning from the movies after watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 I felt the need to be... More. Life suddenly felt so dull. I wanted to create something because it had been so long since I had let myself sit down and create characters and put them into exciting situations. I felt so worthless.

As I sat in my room staring at a blank computer screen I felt this "pull". It was like some supernatural being had grabbed by shoulder and pulled me away from my desk and out of my room. I found myself walking down the hall and entering my parents' bedroom when I suddenly stopped. I looked around the room, searching for a reason to enter this room when I spotted it. A sticker above my parents' window that reads, "'We are such stuff as dreams are made of.' -William Shakespeare"

I sat and tried to process the words in my head, and this is what I came up with;

1. We have the ability to be whatever we can dream of. It is in our nature. All we need is the willpower to do it.

2. Dreams = Our greatest Desires. So if we are such stuff as dreams are made of then wouldn't that mean that our creator desires us? In fact, it would mean that we are his Greatest desire. He desires to have a relationship with us.

It was shocking to me. This quote basically was telling me that I could have the things in this world that I want and still be a fully devoted follower of God. No way! Immediately all of my dreams of my future, including occupation, possession and romance, became possibilities.

We can have the things of this world and still worship God. In fact, we can use the things of this world to glorify God. I am always hearing the phrase, "Don't be of the world"... Why not? There is nothing wrong with this world. You know what is wrong? When We take the things of this world and when We turn them into idols. It's not the world that is wrong... It's us. In the very wise words of Louise Armstrong; "Maybe it's not the world that's so bad, but what we are doing to it."

In fact, the very thing that drew my attention back to God was not the Bible, but a quote from William Shakespeare's The Tempest. God uses things in this world to help us grow in our walk.

Don't say you are not of this world. This is a world that God created. Then we came along and kicked him out. So let's let him back in.

The Black and White Car: Broken Isolation

 A Short Story by Adam Sill

Jennifer Hart- fifteen years old. Her friends called her Jenny. But he called her worthless. She stood in the bathroom staring into her light blue eyes that reflected off of the old, rusty mirror. She examined the many bruises that decorated her face and the endless scars that stained her arms and legs. Her eyes were bloodshot and filled with tears as she mumbled to herself softly. "I can't..." she said.
She rushed out of the bathroom and found her old Cinderella backpack. She quickly grabbed all the clothes and supplies that she could find and threw them into her backpack. She approached the front door of her house where she found him laying, passed out and smelling of booze and urine. She looked down on him and felt empty. As if all of her emotions had simply drained out of her. She knelt down and stuck her face just a few inches away from his. She ran her eyes up and down his unclean, unshaven, wrinkled face. She then stood up, flipped him over so he was laying on his stomach, took out his wallet from his back pocket and took all of the cash that was in it; Eighty-three dollars. She turned away from him and opened the front door and paused. She turned and gave him one last look. "Go to hell." she yelled and ran out of the house slamming the door behind her.
As she walked she felt a great deal of stress and anxiety which caused her to trip over herself several times. She tried to imagine her new life on her own but it was impossible. In every fantasy that she dreamed up he always intruded and she could visualize him standing over her preparing to strike. She had left her neighborhood and was walking on a main street when she felt it. It burned like a flaming sword being stabbed into her belly. It was a new feeling, yet she recognized it almost immediately as 'isolation'.
Jenny fell to her knees and began to cry when an old black and white car pulled up next to her and the passenger's door window rolled down. She was ashamed to be seen crying so she turned her head away from the car. She dried her tears and tried to act like she was not crying. "I'm fine!" she yelled to whoever was in the car yet she dared not look up to see who she was addressing. 'What if they didn't even stop for me?' she thought, 'what if they just stopped because they ran out of gas or needed to answer their phone?' she was humiliated so she stood up and, without facing the car, turned to walk away.
"Jenny," came a strong, masculine, tender voice from the car
Jenny turned to face the car and found a dark-haired man who looked to be in his mid-thirties sitting in the driver's seat. He was handsome and he had a warmth about his appearance that brought about a great calmness. Jenny approached the car and looked in through the window. "Who-" she began
"I Am." he interrupted
"Why?-" she began again
"Because we need to talk," he said, "now get in."
Jenny looked at him and then turned to look at the road. "Okay," she said as she opened the passenger door and climbed into the car.
The car immediately sped off. It drove straight for a few yards then miraculously lifted off the ground and began to fly into the sky. Jenny sat upright in her seat and lost her breath. She was terrified as she looked out the window to see that she was now flying thousands of feet in the air. "What's happening?" she yelled.
"I'm taking you somewhere." the man said
"Where?"
"Somewhere you have never been before."
They continued to soar higher and higher into the sky. Jenny noticed that they were now soaring high above the clouds... Then above Earth... Then above the Milky Way... And before she new it she was flying in what appeared to be nothing. She felt the car touch back on the ground and when she looked out the window all she saw was White. As if she was staring into a flashlight. She turned to face the man who was staring at her. He put the car in 'park' and turned his upper body so he was facing Jenny. "So, Jenny," he said, "I've been watching you."
"Are you-" Jenny said, "Are you- Him?"
"What do you think?"
"I- I don't know."
"I Am" the man said again
"What does that mean?" Jenny asked
"It means... Everything."
"What does that mean?"
The man laughed and said, "It means you will never understand."
"I'm confused." Jenny said as she lowered her head
"I'd be impressed if you weren't... Or disappointed."
"What are you doing to me?" Jenny asked
"I'm  introducing myself to you. Hello, I Am." he said as he held out his hand.
Jenny warily shook it and said, "What do you want with me?"
The man frowned, "What do you mean? Aren't you in awe of everything that is around you?"
"What?" Jenny asked, "There's nothing around us."
"Really? Is that what you think?"
"Well... Is this... Heaven?" Jenny asked
"Yes," the man answered, "and no."
"What does that mean?"
"It means, this is your soul. Empty and barren. It makes you feel uncomfortable, does it not?"
Jenny nodded her head.
"You have gone through you life living to remain pure and humble. You have striven to be a good human being and loving friend. Beaten by your father and abandoned by your mother you have tried to mask your emotions by being the 'funny girl' and now everyone loves you. You are a kind, and loving person. But you are naive. You know that there is nothing out there for you so what is the point in staying in the same dull situation that has brought you nothing but grief and despair?"
"I-" Jenny began but was cut off by the man
"You have tried so hard to make sense of the world around you and you can't find any answers. You have walked alone for many years and now I am calling you out. This... Whiteness that you see... It is all that you are. Pure, light, and yes, somewhat beautiful. But it is empty."
"What are you saying?" Jenny asked
"I'm saying you don't have to live your life on your own. I'm saying you don't have to run away from home."
"No," Jenny said, "You don't know what it's like."
"I don't?" the man asked, "Hold out your arm."
"What?"
"Hold out your arm and roll up your sleeve."
Jenny obeyed. She held out her left arm and rolled up her sleeve displaying the many cuts and bruises that have scarred her arm.
"You have your scars..." the man said as he held up his right arm and pulled up his sleeve, "I have mine."
She saw it. The very thing she had heard about since she was a girl. And suddenly she understood just how powerful this man was.
"Okay," she said, "But I thought you said my life was wrong. What is to change if I go back to the same routine?"
"I'll be with you." he answered
"Oh," she said, "I see."
"You have a friend very dear to you named Katherine, don't you?"
"Yes."
"And she has told you about me?"
"Yes."
"Maybe it's time you start following Katherine's example."
Jenny sat and thought. This all seemed so strange yet so normal. It felt right.
"I am going to give you a choice." the man said, "You can choose to stay here in this 'Whiteness' and forever be an empty soul, or you can return home... With me. What will it be?"
Jenny looked from the man to the whiteness outside her window. She grabbed the door handle and pushed the door open. She threw her Cinderella backpack out of the car and closed the door. "Okay," she said, "Let's go home."

The Black and White Car: Discovering Shame

 A Short Story by Adam Sill

Devin  sat down on the cold green lawn. He stared at the square stone laying in front of him that read, "Mary Wells 1994-2011" He remembered holding her hand. How even though their hands got sweaty and dirty, he refused to release his grasp. He could still feel her soft lips on his. And it seemed that everywhere he went he could hear her laughing or crying. He couldn't explain it but she haunted his mind and he did not want her to cease. He stood and left the grave of Mary Wells. He walked through the graveyard seeking the exit as he tried to make sense of things in his mind. However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not find any answers. When he reached the exit of the cemetery he saw a sign that stood high among the gravestones. It read; "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or morning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. -Revelation 21:4"
Devin read the sign and turned away in disgust and cursed it. He exited the cemetery and began to walk toward his car. As he was walking an old black and white car pulled up next to him. The passenger's side window rolled down revealing a dark haired man who looked to be in his thirties. "You?" Devin said, recognizing the man instantly.
"Get in." the man said, "We need to talk."
Devin obeyed and slowly entered the grey car. Right when he closed the door the car sped off. They were moving so fast that Devin could not make out the objects outside of the car. He glanced over at the speedometer which displayed "0 MPH"
"Am I dead?" Devin asked
"You tell me." The man answered
They continued driving in silence for a few more minutes before Devin worked up the courage to speak. "Who are you?" Devin asked
"Maybe you should ask yourself that question." the man answered
"Enough!" Devin yelled, "No more riddles! No more games! Just give me a straight answer!"
"I Am." the man answered
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
"That's it, I can't take it any more." Devin said as he reached for the door handle.
"Do you honestly think if you jumped out of the car right now you would survive?" the man asked
"You are a master of cheap, cruel tricks." Devin said, "How do I know the car is actually moving?"
"I am not a master of cheap tricks." the man responded, "Do you believe the car is moving?"
Devin sighed, "Yes."
"Then it is moving."
"So you are saying that if I believed that the car wasn't moving, then it wouldn't be moving?"
"I did not say that."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I am saying that everything is the way it is because I made it that way and because it is that way for a reason. Though you will never fully understand that reason, you must have faith in the fact that I know what I am doing and that my way is the right way. That is why the car is moving."
"And if I don't have faith?"
"There's the door."
Devin turned and glanced at the door then back at the man. "Okay," he said, "What do you want?"
"What do you think I want?" the man replied
"I don't know! I- uh-" Devin stuttered trying to find an answer.
"Sure you know." The man said, "Think. Think of all the things you've ever learned about me. Think of all the things I've done."
"Okay." Devin said
"What do I want?" the man asked
"Me." Devin answered
The man grinned a little. "Is that what you think?"
"Yes."
"That's a shame." the man said
"What?" Devin said, "You don't want me?"
"No, I do." the man answered, "I was just hoping for an answer that you hadn't known since you were a six-year-old boy."
"I don't know what you want me to say." Devin said
"Yes you do. Just look deep within yourself." the man replied
"I can't! Why can't you just tell me what you want me to do?"
"I have." the man answered
"That's bull shit! You haven't told me anything!"
"'It comes to pass oft that a terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharply twanged off, gives manhood poor approbation than ever proof itself would have earned him.'" the man said
"Who said that?" Devin asked
"Shakespeare." the man answered
"What does that mean?"
"It means don't swear in my car."
Devin sunk down in his seat, embarrassed. "I'm sorry." he said
"I forgive you." the man said
They both sat in silence for a while before Devin finally spoke again. "Why are you doing this to me?"
"What am I doing to you?" the man asked
"You are torturing me." Devin answered
"How so?"
"'How so?'" Devin was filled with rage, "What do you mean 'How so'? You have taken everything from me! I'm failing in school! My family is a mess! And my girlfriend just killed herself!"
"Oh, did I do all that?" the man asked sarcastically
"You could have saved her!"  Devin yelled, "You could have saved her! But no, you just sat back and watched as she drove a knife into her stomach!"
The man was infuriated. "You think I didn't try to save her? You think I didn't love her with all of my heart. I loved her in a way you never could understand! I could have created more peace in her life than you could have hoped to create!"
"Then why didn't you?" Devin asked
"I tried."
"You tried? I thought that when you want something it automatically happens." Devin mocked
"You couldn't be more wrong." the man said
"Oh well then please, tell me how you tried to save Mary's life?"
"I sent her you."
Devin was taken off guard. He immediately saw what the man meant. He felt so overwhelmed that he burst into tears.
"It's okay." the man said as he patted Devin on the shoulder. "It's okay. You are not perfect."
"No," Devin said, "But you are! So why are you letting all of this happen to me? Why didn't you tell me that all I had to do was bring her to you? Why didn't you tell me anything?"
"I did tell you. I had been telling you for years."
"Then how come she's dead?"
"Because you wouldn't listen!"
"Oh, don't give me that crap! You don't care about me! You don't care about anyone! All you do is sit up there on your stupid cloud and laugh as you watch me suffer!"
"That's not true, Devin. I love you. I love you with all my heart. I gave my life for you."
"Yeah, okay." Devin said as he rolled his eyes.
The car came to a stop. They were back at the grave yard.
"Okay, Devin," the man said, "You have reached a choice. We can continue driving and talking and hopefully get all of this trouble worked out or you can quit now and get out of the car. The choice is yours. But let me warn you, if you get out of the car that is your destination." He pointed to the graveyard.
Devin sat and thought, he looked at the man then at the graveyard. "Okay," Devin said, "I'm done." He grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.
"Devin, I am not trying to mislead you. Mary may have no more hope. But you do. I'll be right here... Waiting for you."
Devin climbed out of the car and slammed the door and the man shed a tear.

B = Batman Begins

Batman Begins
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Tom Wilkinson, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, and Morgan Freeman
Rated PG-13 for Intense Action Violence, Disturbing Images and Some Thematic Elements

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert... If you have not seen this film, I suggest you watch the movie before reading this blog. Otherwise, Enjoy!

Batman Begins is the well-known story of the billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne (Bale). A man who had inherited his father's company, mansion, and billions of dollars after his parents were shot down by a mugger in a dark alley when he was just a young boy. Angered by crime, he locks himself in prisons so that he may fight criminals off one by one- or six by six- until he is discovered by Ra's Al Ghul (Played by Liam Neeson), a man greatly feared by the criminal underworld. Ra's Al Ghul teaches Bruce that he must embrace his fears so that he may become the criminals' greatest fear; The Batman.
If you know me, you know that I absolutely love superheroes. I used to think that they were the greatest way of escaping reality and entering a new world of endless possibilities. But after watching Batman Begins and truly studying it, trying to discover any hidden messages, I now realize that superheroes and superhero movies can be very inspirational. They can teach us how to battle Satan and how to become fully-devoted followers of Christ.
There are so many incredible quotes in this movie, and I am going to break down Six of my favorite.

Quote Number One:"As a man I am flesh and blood. I can be ignored, I can be destroyed. But as a symbol I can be incorruptible. I can be everlasting."-Bruce Wayne
This quote is outstanding. If we dedicate ourselves to God, and if we swear to represent and serve Him, if we swear to be a symbol of God, then nothing can stop us.

Quote Number Two: "Training is nothing. Will is everything... The will to act." -R'as Al Ghul
We cannot accept God into our lives and just expect to be rewarded and protected. We have to take up the responsibilities of a Christian. We have to reach out to non-believers, we have to shine God's light, we have to be completely dedicated to him by growing in his Word and obeying his every command.

Quote Number Three:"You haven't beaten me. You've sacrificed your footing for a killing stroke."-R'as Al Ghul
So, we have accepted Christ. We have begun to live our lives for Him. Now part of becoming a follower of Christ is being attacked by the Devil. And how do we fight back? God. Nothing else. Read your Bible, study it, worship God, pray to him daily, and you will find the strength to conquer the enemy. But we cannot simply dance upon our victory and take our focus off God. Because the Devil is still there, and as soon as you let your guard down, he will strike harder than ever.

Quote Number Four: "What chance does Gotham have if the good people do nothing?"-Rachel Dawes
How will the world survive if all of the Christians are too focused on themselves? When we fail to act, we are not only disobeying God's orders, but we are letting all of the non-believers simply go to Hell. What right do we have to sit around and do nothing? And a lot of you are probably nodding your head as you read this thinking that you already knew this, and that you have a ton of non-christian friends. Well, let me ask you this question; If you were to ask them to describe you in just a few words would they say "Man/Woman of God"?

Quote Number Five: "It's not who I am underneath. It's what I do that defines me." -Batman
I feel so convicted every time I hear this quote. We can't just accept Christ, love Him and act in the ways of the world. Because if you are doing that, then you are NOT a follower of God. There's two different ways to love God. There's Respect... And there's Fear. Your love of God cannot be supported by respect. But fear... Fear is something so much more powerful. To fear God is to be humble. To be humble is to be like God. To be like God is to be a Follower of God. So stop being a hypocrite! Stop saying your a Christian and acting like a non-christian. When we do this we are destroying and tarnishing the image of God. We are spitting in his face.


Quote Number Six: Lieutenant Gordon had just received help from Batman to enforce Gotham. He looks at Batman as the Dark Knight begins to walk away and says, "I never thanked you."
Batman turns and replies, "And you'll never have to."
What a great attitude. This is the type of person we need to strive to be like. We deserve no thanks for bringing people to church so that they may find God. It is our job. The way that Batman words this is also very interesting. Instead of saying, "You don't have to." he says, "You'll never have to.". This implies that Batman is planning on helping Lieutenant Gordon in the future. When we bring someone to the Lord, we can't just assume that they will live happily ever after. Satan will strike again, and we need to be there by their side to help them.

There's one quick scene that I wanted to talk about and it is when Batman is cornered by the police and trapped in a building. He clicks a remote and we hear a high pitched noise. Suddenly thousands of bats swarm in from all over the place providing Batman cover and protection. Batman refers to the bats as "Back-up". What symbol does Batman choose to represent? A Bat. We represent God. Remember, we can go to Him whenever we need Him. He is our Back-up against the enemy.

The Bat Signal
Perhaps one of Batman's most important weapons. Batman uses it to show the people and criminals of Gotham that he's out there and that he's watching over all of them. We need to let our lights shine bright. We all need to have our own Bat Signal. Let all of the people in your life know that you love the Lord and that you are carrying his Light.

Batman Begins is a phenomenal movie that has inspired me to try and become the best example of God that I can be. And I hope that after reading this post, it has done the same for you. God calls us to be His servants. His followers. His disciples. His superheroes.

"I'll be standing where I belong. Between you and the people of Gotham."

A = American History X

American History X
Directed by: Tony Kaye
Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, and Beverly D'Angelo
Rated R for Graphic Brutal Violence Including Rape, Pervasive Language, Strong Sexuality and Nudity

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert... If you have not seen this film, I suggest you watch the movie before reading this blog. Otherwise, Enjoy!

American History X is a tale about a man named Derek Vinyard (Norton), the leader of a group of white supremacists,  goes to prison for murdering two African American men in cold blood. During his stay in prison, Derek goes through many life changing experiences that lead him to become an honest and sincere man. However, after his release, he discovers that his younger brother, Danny (Furlong), is heading down the same path that he had just endeavored. Derek must take action immediately to make sure that his brother doesn't land in any serious trouble.
When I first thought about taking on the challenge of trying to find God behind the writing of movies I never would have thought that I would choose to write about American History X. The reason is because it is not a very "Family-Friendly" film. Just look at the rating on the back cover of the DVD; "Rated R for Graphic Brutal Violence including Rape, Pervasive Language, Strong Sexuality and Nudity" So why? Why choose a film with so much garbage? Because it is a challenge. And the whole point of this blog series is to challenge myself. I was very stressed and worried that I would find nothing to write about for this movie. But I remained faithful that God placed this film in my head for a reason. So I sat down and took some notes as I watched one of the most disturbing, and intensely depressing movies I have ever seen. And this is what I got:
In the first five minutes of this movie it is not hard to identify that Derek Vinyard is a very bad man. We see him shoot down and "curb stomp" two black men and then turn to his younger brother with a wide grin on his face as he is being arrested. Derek is about as bad as any man can turn out. He is a racist, prejudiced young man who has lost all sense of what is right and wrong.

But I seem to recall a quote by Mr. Walt Whitman; "I may be as bad as the worse. But thank God I am as good as the best." think about those words, "as bad as the worse". You are no better than this character Derek. Your life is completely consumed with sin. You are no better than Adolf Hitler himself. He was a sinner and so are you. In God's eyes, you are equal. Let that sink in a little bit.
Derek represents us in this story. He is a man, not a monster. A man who has endeavored into the darkness and is now consumed by sin. Just like the rest of us. Now, the concept I am going to be talking about in this post is Leadership. There are many different types of leaders in this story. There is The Leader of Light, The Misleader, and The Follower-Leader.
The first type of leader we will talk about is The Leader of Light. The Leader of Light is represented in this story by a teacher named Dr. Sweeney. Dr. Sweeney was Derek's teacher in High School and is now Danny's teacher. Sweeney had taken Danny aside from the other students at the school and is teaching Danny about current events (Problems America is facing right now.) This course is entitled American History X. Sweeney also takes the liberty of visiting Derek in prison and becoming somewhat of a counselor to the convict. He helps to bring about the changes in Derek's life. This is the type of leader we should all try to be like. Someone who takes care of his followers and tries to bring peace.
Now there is the Misleader, represented by a man named Cameron Alexander, the leader of a large group of White Supremacists who had highly influenced Derek's life from the time he was just a teenager. Cameron had lead Derek down a dark and painful road and was now doing the same for Danny. The Bible warns us about people like this in 1 Timothy 4:1-2; "Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead."
Now the third leader I want to talk about is you (Who is represented by Derek). The Follower-Leader. You are a leader, however you do not have all of the answers and sometimes you are unsure which path to choose. So you need another leader to help you find your way. But be wary. If you follow the wrong leader, you will find destruction. Derek chose to follow Cameron- at first- and where did that lead him? Prison! However, when Derek went to prison, he had no idea how much it affected the rest of his family. His brother was so inspired by him, that he started to do everything exactly as Derek would. He started meeting with the white supremacist members and he was on his way to becoming a "skinhead" or "neo-nazi". There is a quote I love that is delivered by Derek's mother while she is visiting him in prison. She says, "You think you're the only one doing time, Derek? You think you're in here all alone? You think I'm not in here with you?" when we choose the path of sin, it not only destroys our lives, but the lives of those around us. There is so much responsibility that comes with being a leader. You can't fall into sin. You can't start partying all the time. You can't start having pre-marital sex. You can't start slacking off in school. You have to be the perfect example of Christ. And say you do start doing that stuff, and your followers start doing it to, and you realize that you have lead them astray, you can't just leave them and hope they find a better leader that will guide them towards God. As Sweeney says, "Running just ain't good enough"

Derek got out of prison and immediately began to try and restore his family's life. He leaves the white supremacist group and tries to help his brother. But Derek realizes the only way to lead his brother back on the right track is to tell him the consequences of his actions. He tells his brother how he was raped in prison by several white supremacists because he was conversing with a black man. How eventually the only way he survived prison was because the only friend he had, a black man named Lamont, keeps the rest of the black convicts from killing Derek. Danny listens to his brother and turns away from the gang of neo nazis.
There is a scene in the movie where Derek and Danny begin to strip their bedroom wall of all the white supremacist posters and giant Swastika flag; I believe this scene represents repentance. In order to turn back to Christ we must strip ourselves clean of all sins until we are completely pure and can be filled by Christ. But that doesn't mean we will not remember our sins. There is another scene in the film when Derek get's out of his shower at home and looks at himself in the mirror, examining the large swastika tattoo'd on his chest. He tries to cover it with his hand but he still knows it is there. The sins of our past shall stain us like scars. And eventually they will come back to haunt you. We know what is right. And we know what is wrong. We just have to make the right decisions. And if you don't know what is right and wrong, that's why God gave us the Bible. You are kidding yourself if you think that you can live your life without God's word! Because without it, you will find death.

In the very end of the film Danny is gunned down by a young black teenager that he had discriminated against. His sins and his brother's sins had lead to his death. Derek holds his younger brother's body in his arms and he forever must face the fact that his decisions caused his brother's death because he lead his brother astray. If you don't want to see the people you love get hurt, then don't veer off into the darkness, because they will follow you in. A good Shepherd doesn't guide his sheep off a cliff. Don't Dig yourself a hole, because you might not be the one to be buried in it.

"Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it." 

# = 127 Hours

127 Hours
Directed by: Danny Boyle
Starring: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara
Rated R for Language and Some Disturbing Violent Content/Bloody Images

WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert... If you have not seen this film, I suggest you watch the movie before reading this blog. Otherwise, Enjoy!

127 Hours is a true story about a young man named Aron Ralston (Franco)  who while hiking along a crevasse in the middle of nowhere get's his arm jammed between a large boulder and the crevasse wall. Trapped, Aron must try to find a way to escape the sinister rock. However he remains stuck for 127 Hours before he decides to make the ultimate sacrifice.
When I was thinking through the many movies to write about for my blog, this was an obvious choice. Along with it's outstanding acting by James Franco, and the intriguing writing there is a tremendous message of vanity and faith.

In the beginning of the film we see our protagonist, Aron is getting ready to go on the hike in which he will become trapped underneath a rock. Aron is packing up his hiking supplies and food when his mother calls. He ignores the phone call and we hear his mother leave him a message on the voicemail. We also see later on in the movie, when Aron's coworker asks him where he is hiking, Aron lies and says he hadn't decided yet (when he had already made up his mind on where he was going). This becomes the first window into Aron's life that the viewers glance through. We see how his pride has shut him away from the contact of the people who love him. To me, Aron is a very relatable character. How often, when my parents try to talk to me, do I mask my emotions and retreat to my bedroom to be alone. I feel that this movie was made for teenagers and young adults for this very reason; We are prideful. We are completely consumed with ourselves and we don't care about anyone else. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we don't love the people around us. I love my friends and family to death. But do my actions show it? Because we are so consumed with ourselves, we forget that every other person in the world is facing a challenge just like we are. As Aron is packing up his supplies, he fails to pack up his Swiss Army Knife (Which would come in handy later in the movie) and is forced to bring a dull pocket knife that came free with a cheap flashlight. I feel like there is some spectacular imagery here as well. As I have said before, (and you can read about it in my poem, "Sword and Shield") our faith in God can be measured by the size and quality of our armory. I feel that it was put the best way by my youth pastor, J. P. Charfauros when he said, "When we are lacking in faith, we must battle off the lion (the Devil) with a plastic knife and paper plate. When our faith is strong we battle him off with a Longsword and a Steel Shield." The dull knife in the movie symbolizes Aron's dull faith.
Now, while Aron is hiking he comes across two young women, lost on their hike. With James Franco's dashing good looks and charming personality he is easily able to persuade the two young women to allow him to guide them to their destination. However, to do this, he had to lie and say that he was a tour guide (which he indeed was not). I feel as if this is a very common thing (at least in my life) among people. Especially leaders. We crave leadership so much and we want to lead people in the right direction so badly that we will lie in order to get followers. I will be the first to admit that I have mislead people countless times in my life. So, even though Aron lead the two young women to their destination, he must now face the fact that he lied to them. And why? Because he was insecure. He dreams of being a guide, but he has not accomplished those goals, so he is ashamed. So, he leaves the women and continues his trek on his own.
Now, we have reached the boulder. When he sees the boulder for the first time, Aron kicks it to see if it is stable. Now I am guessing, since the boulder ends up falling) that Aron must have felt that it was a little unstable. But as we have already noted, Aron is very prideful, so he probably assumes that he can handle everything on his own. In fact, not "probably" but "definitely". Later in the movie Aron will say to himself, "I'm somewhat of a big f***ing hard hero. and I can do everything by myself." as he realizes how prideful he has been. So, the expression "Pride comes before the fall" could not have fit more beautifully into this story seeing as how it was his pride that actually caused him to fall and become trapped under the rock.
At first after Aron becomes jammed between the rock and the wall, he tries with all of his might to move the rock. But however strong he might be, he cannot find the strength to move the rock on his own. He then tries to yell for help. However, he has isolated himself, so no one can hear him. Aron knows that eventually he will have to make a sacrifice. And to make this sacrifice he will have to use his knife (God). But it takes some time before he turns to his blade. In the meantime he continues to try and push the rock. And as he is trapped he recollects memories from his past. He realizes that he is now in the same situation that he has been in for years. He realizes how prideful he has been and he realizes how important the people in his life are to him. There are several moments in the film that brought tears to my eyes. The first is when he is talking to his sister in his mind and he apologizes to her. He apologizes for the fact that he will not make it to her wedding. It made me think of my sister and how I have distanced myself from her and how our relationship had almost diminished into nothingness. The second moment was when He tells his mother that it is not her fault that he is trapped under the rock. If there is anything in a movie that can be more relatable to me in any way, I have not seen it. This is my life. Countless times I find myself "trapped under a rock" whether it be with deceiving those around me, lusting to the point that I am looking at pornography every single day, or slacking off and not doing my school work. Or what about things like drug or alcohol abuse. (These are not things I have ever partaken in) These things destroy not only our lives, but the lives of the people around us. So, Mom, I know I have said it before, but I am saying it again, this is not your fault. I made this mess for myself, and I am the only one who can be held responsible for my actions. You can try to help me push away the rock, Mom, but it won't budge. I have to make a sacrifice. I have to turn to the Knife.
As Aron first turns to the knife, he uses it wrong. He tries to make a sacrifice, but he is not sacrificing anything that is important to him. He starts to jab away at the rock hoping that he can break enough of the stone away so that he may slide his arm out. This fails. How often do we, as Christians, sacrifice things that mean nothing to us? If there is one thing that you can walk away with after reading this blog, it is this; To escape the rock, you have to sacrifice what is most precious to you.

Now we have reached the most crucial point in the story. Aron now knows what is to be done. He must break his vanity and cut off his pride. So, Aron breaks his arm and the audience quivers when they hear the loud crack of his bone. And he takes his dull knife and begins to cut away at his arm. After a long and gruesome scene of Aron cutting through his flesh, he finally escapes the rock. Aron falls backwards and stares at his arm. He wraps up his "Stump" in his backpack, which he slings over his shoulder, gathers his things and begins to walk away when he turns around and looks at the rock one last time. He utters the words, "Thank you." Aron escapes the crevasse and slowly stumbles away trying to find his way back. I feel that the moment in the film when we see a complete change in Aron's life is when he is walking, he sees three hikers up ahead. He then falls to his knees and shouts, "Help!" He has finally dropped his pride. So, Aron has escaped the rock and he returns to his life as a changed man. He meets the love of his life, and has a son. He is now a humble, responsible man. And all I can think of after watching this film is this; God will do anything to get our attention. And there is nothing on this Earth that we can do without Him.

"This rock has been waiting for me my entire life... I have been moving towards it my whole life."

Return Tomorrow to read "A = American History X"