Movie Review: Flight 93

My aunt and I went and saw the Universal Pictures film United 93 last night. I was very impressed at how the film was made. There was no typical Hollywood sensationalizing (that'll come with Oliver Stone's World Trade Center in August). This was very straight-forward storytelling. They do a good job at the beginning (after showing the Islamist terrorists praying & preparing in their hotel rooms) at showing just how a normal day can turn into an extraordinary one. The main scenes took place in air traffic control and within the plane itself. It was like you were in the rooms watching the people respond. It's a frigthening perspective. It's obvious we weren't prepared for something like this, but who would have thought it was possible?

The film is rated 'R' as it should be. The subject matter is intense. The slayings of the crew are gut-wrenching but not overly gory. The language is appropriately heavy, but not as rampant as I thought it would be.

I'm sure we will learn more and more about that day as the years go by. There will be things we never know. Hopefully we can learn how to respond to these kind of threats in a world that is so fallen and in desperate need of a Savior...no, not Kal-El. I'll leave that for another post in late June.

United 93: 4 out of 5 stars.

Good Resources for Current Issues

JC sends in the following links from our church's website that may be helpful in dialogue with believers and non-believers on these current issues...

Breaking The Da Vinci Code
http://www.eastsidecommunity.org/resources/Articles/Breaking%20The%20Da%20Vinci%20Code%2008.28.05.htm

The Canon
http://www.eastsidecommunity.org/resources/Articles/CANON%2008.28.05.htm

Translations & The KJV Controversy
http://www.eastsidecommunity.org/resources/Articles/KJV%20and%20Translations%2008.28.05.htm

Are "we" really winning?

I just got done reading this article about a new Film "Jesus Camp" focuses on US evangelical youth.

If Evangelicals win the culture war and "take back America", do we really win?

Is that the goal?

Thoughts about "Forgiveness"

I am thinking through some issues regarding forgiveness.

Does forgiveness mean that whenever we are wronged or wrong someone that all the involved parties should just "forgive" and move on?

Is there not a time when, in order to forgive, issues need to be addressed?

For example, if I treat my wife wrong in some way, or better yet, she feels that I have treated her wrong in some way (even if I feel I've done nothing wrong), is it appropriate for me just to instruct her to forgive and let's go forward?

There's no way! We have to talk about what's ailing her. We have to discuss the issues. We have to come to a mutual understanding. Otherwise our marriage would suffer. There would be a barrier.

But perhaps that's reconciliation, and I guess there is a difference. We can forgive people who don't even know they've been forgiven (i.e. dead or distance), but that doesn't mean we are reconciled with them.

It can be really difficult to know when to pursue reconcilation with someone and to what extent to pursue it. You can't make someone reconcile. It has to be a mutual thing.

Yo Quiero!?!

Oh No!

What will we do?