Sunday, May 21, 2006


Another weekend in Sheboygan!

I'm realizing even more how lucky I am to have found the friends here that I did. Tracy and I hung out all day yesterday, filled with things that make me happy - what a friend! First, we went and got pedicures! Hot pink toes, with diamondish rhinestones - how much more fun can ya get?! The new massage chairs at "Nails World" (gotta love the names of the cheap nail salons) made it that much better too. The day was supposed to get better with a movie on it's opening weekend. Yes, I went to see The DaVinci Code. Let me first say I was a big proponent of the book. I read it about four years ago, and was fairly pushy in trying to get other people to read it. Even though I don't buy into the theories on Christianity and the bloodline of Jesus Christ, it was a page-turner - the suspense, puzzles, and code cracking were great.

Made a great book. Makes a terrible movie. Even with Tom Hanks. (And the adorable Audrey Tautou.) Two and a half hours is too long. Too many climaxes make none of them truely a climax. And albino monks are creepy. Enough said about the movie. I wouldn't recommend it.

Aside from how crappy the movie is, I'm not sure I buy into all the hype Christians (among which I count myself) are giving the movie. As bad as it is, without the controversy surrounding it, box office returns would be misearble. Also, I would put myself in the camp that says "I'm going to find out as much as possible about this, in order to better support my claims about my faith." There will be people who are drawn to the ideas presented in the book and movie, but it doesn't help me, in a conversation with them, to say I don't know anything about it and be unable to have an informed discussion with them. I don't think there is anything at all unhealthy with questioning, exploring, and coming to my own conclusions about my faith. I'm confident in where I am with my faith, and I don't think it's dangerous to look into the claims the movie makes. In my walk as a Christian, and before, I have never been scared to ask questions about my faith (*I'm not advocating a faith that tests God, but one that seeks Him for the answers to those questions we have - He's very willing to reveal Himself when we are committed to relationship with Him), and have been turned off my churches that pushed my questions aside. These are the churches that make Christianity look like it has something to hide, and thus, look more and more like those portrayed in Dan Brown's book. Let's have a faith that is open to discussion, but be sure we are prayerfully seeking God for the answers to these questions. He is a good God, all the time - even in the face of questions and trying to figure this "God Thing" out.

Off my soapbox, but still on the movie theme, my top 5 list of well-loved movies I haven't seen (nor have much of a desire to):

5. It's a Wonderful Life (I'll probably have to see this one sometime)
4. The Godfather
3. Any of the Star Wars series
2. Any of The Lord of the Rings (or LOTR for the insider cult following it has) series
1. Wizard of Oz (sadly though, I have seen part of The Wiz)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

All your "Will-never-see" movies just happen to be my "Seen-a-million-times" movies. I recommend every one, and the corresponding novels where applicable. And if you don't watch them, you're in danger of me never speaking to you again.