Weekly Web Roundup (8/20/16)

Photo Credit: afunkydamsel

Here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during this past week:

4 Types of People Leaders Must Not Listen To by Eric Geiger

"Wise leaders listen to wise people. Because the people we listen to impact our decisions, our attitudes, and our perceptions, it is critical that we listen to the right people. A leader who listens to the wrong people is just as foolish as a leader who doesn’t listen at all."

Helping College-Bound Native Americans Beat The Odds by Claudio Sanchez

"A test score, the GPA, the ranking, are things that an admissions officer doesn't remember. l'm not just looking for a diamond in the rough or the hard-knock life. They're not always in crisis. They're doing beautiful, amazing things. And I want colleges to recognize that."

What the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life Miss About Simone Biles by Aarol Earls

"As Simone Biles was clinching yet another gold medal in Rio, people on both sides of the abortion debate were pointing to her achievements and background as a justification for their position. 

But both miss out on a very important fact: Simone Biles has value not because she is a young woman inspiring the world or because she is a world champion gymnast who was adopted as a child. Simone has value simply because she is Simone."

The Fine Line Between Safe Space and Segregation by Emily Deruy

"Where most universities were designed around the needs and lives of white students, she said, and most white students can—and do—still avoid having uncomfortable conversations about race, black students “are never at a shortage” for uncomfortable racial conversations. In other words, white students can often elect not to engage in such conversations, where black students cannot escape them."

When Glorifying God Means Coming in Last Place by Stacie Fletcher

One of the most compelling stories of the Rio 2016 is when U.S. 5000m runner Abbey D’Agostino stopped to help fellow runner Nikki Hamblin to her feet after they both fell during the race. Cru staff member and friend Stacie Fletcher writes about how Abbey's faith influenced her decision.

Toddler Imitates Rocky

Watch along as a baby in this video mimics the movements of Rocky Balboa during a well-known training sequence from Rocky II.

26 Films To Help You Understand Race & Culture

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Due to my experiences ministering in cross-cultural environments, I'm often asked about resources that can aid others in their own understanding of cultures different than their own. Several years ago, I provided a list of books that I've found particularly helpful in my own journey of learning about the experiences and background of different ethnic groups within the United States.

In a similar vein, I'd like to provide a list here of 26 films that I've personally watched or have had recommended to me that can assist us in entering into the stories of those from a variety of ethnic and cultural experiences.

These are not necessarily "Christian" movies so they may contain elements that some will find objectionable so I encourage you to check the "Parents Guide" on IMDB.com for each of these films before watching them.

One of the challenges of compiling a list like this is that one is bound to leave out a number of worthwhile selections. So instead of seeking to be exhaustive here, I've limited the number of movies. As well, I've attempted to avoid recommending films that are told from the vantage point of someone from majority culture or where the story of ethnic minorities is minimized and the "white savior" takes center stage.

I've listed movies to grow in your understanding of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and Native Americans. In addition, I'm recommending several films I've seen that address the realities of marginalized groups in other parts of the world, as well as dealing with race in general.

African Americans/Blacks

• The Color Purple (1985) - A black Southern woman struggles to find her identity after suffering years of abuse from her father and others over 40 years.

• Fruitvale Station (2013) - The story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident killed by police, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.

• Hoop Dreams (1994) - A documentary following the lives of two inner-city Chicago teenagers who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.

• Malcolm X (1992) - Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam.

• Selma (2014) - A chronicle of Martin Luther King's campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.

Asians/Asian Americans

• Bend it Like Beckham (2002) - The daughter of orthodox Sikh rebels against her parents' traditionalism and joins a soccer team.

• Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) - A group of over-achieving Asian-American high school seniors enjoy a power trip when they dip into extra-curricular criminal activities.

• Gran Torino (2008) - Disgruntled Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a Hmong teenager who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: a 1972 Gran Torino.

• The Joy Luck Club (1993) - The life histories of four Asian women and their daughters reflect and guide each other.

• The Namesake (2006) - American-born Gogol, the son of Indian immigrants, wants to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers, despite his family's unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways.

Hispanics/Latinos

• Cesar Chavez (2014) - A biography of the civil-rights activist and labor organizer Cesar Chavez.

• The Lost City (2005) - In Havana, Cuba in the late 1950s, a wealthy family is caught in the violent transition from the oppressive regime of Batista to the government of Fidel Castro.

• My Family (1995) - This epic film traces over three generations of a Mexican American immigrant family's trials, tribulations, tragedies and triumphs.

• Selena (1997) - The true story of Selena Quintanilla-Perez, a Texas-born Tejano singer who rose from cult status to performing at the Astrodome, as well as having chart topping albums on the Latin music charts.

• Stand and Deliver (1988) - The story of Jaime Escalante, a high school teacher who successfully inspired his dropout prone students to learn calculus.

Native Americans/First Nations

• Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) - A chronicle of how American Indians were displaced as the U.S. expanded west. Based on the book by Dee Brown.

• On the Ice (2011) - In Barrow, Alaska, teenagers Qalli and Aivaaq find their bond tested when a seal-hunting trip goes wrong, resulting in the death of their friend.

• Powwow Highway (1989) - A member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe of Lame Deer battles greedy developers as he tries to persuade the council to vote against a strip-mining contract.

• Reel Injun (2009) - A documentary film that traces the history of the depiction of Native Americans in Hollywood films.

• Smoke Signals (1998) - Two friends from the Coeur D'Alene Indian Reservation go on a road trip to retrieve the remains of a recently deceased family member.

Other

• Crash (2004) - Los Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption.

• Do the Right Thing (1989) - On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.

• Invictus (2009) - Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

• The Kite Runner (2007) - After spending years in California, Amir returns to his homeland in Afghanistan to help his old friend Hassan, whose son is in trouble.

• Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002) - In 1931, three aboriginal girls in Australia escape after being plucked from their homes to be trained as domestic staff and set off on a trek across the Outback.

• Schindler’s List (1993) - In Poland during World War II, Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.

I hope that you'll take the time to view a few of these movies as we grow in understanding, empathy and compassion towards one another. As always, personal friendships are the best way to learn about other cultures but watching films like those listed here can help us in the process.

An Important Life Lesson From Inigo Montoya

You may be familiar with the 1987 cult classic film, "The Princess Bride." Loved as the charming tale of the romantic journey of Westley and Princess Buttercup, the movie is also known for its cast of interesting characters and number of one-liners.

One of the film's most memorable characters, Inigo Montoya (played by actor Mandy Patinkin), delivers perhaps the movie's most famous line: "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

Patinkin was recently asked about his favorite line of the movie and although he shares the well-known "prepare to die" line, he also offers another more obscure quote that provides insight to an important life lesson. You can watch the clip here.

There you have it from Inigo Montoya himself. Seeking revenge is not what life is all about.

The Hunger Games, Race & Disappointed Readers

Photo Credit: k-ideas

The Hunger Games, the young adult novel by Suzanne Collins, has not only taken bestseller lists by storm the past several years, but its film adaptation has been the leader at the box office the past few weeks. Released less than three weeks ago, it had the third highest grossing opening weekend in cinematic history and has already generated over $400 million worldwide.

In spite of the immense popularity of the film, some fans of the book have taken to social media to demonstrate their displeasure with what they witnessed on screen.

CNN.com tells the story:

"In "The Hunger Games," wealthy Capitol citizens of all races and ethnicities come together to watch the 74th annual bloodbath of the same name. It seems some present-day moviegoers, however, are a bit less "post-racial." 

Earlier this week, some "Hunger Games" fans tweeted their discontent because the characters of Cinna, Thresh and Rue are played by black actors in the big screen adaptation. This, despite the fact that both Thresh (Dayo Okeniyi) and Rue (Amandla Stenberg) are described as having "dark skin" in Suzanne Collins' novel, while Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) is simply described as having short brown hair. 

Whether fans' remarks -- such as, "Awkward moment when Rue is some black girl and not the little innocent blonde girl you picture" -- stem from poor reading comprehension or intolerance, they're indicative of a larger issue in Hollywood, said Harry M. Benshoff, an associate professor of radio, TV and film at the University of North Texas who co-wrote "America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality at the Movies." 

"Hollywood has never been on the forefront of the civil rights movement," said Benshoff, who hasn't read or watched "The Hunger Games." 

Despite certain character descriptions being spelled out in the book, Benshoff said, people typically project themselves onto a character in order to empathize with that person. 

"For a white person reading a book, they're very rarely going to go, 'I'm just assuming this is a black character' if he or she isn't marked as such," he said. "A nonwhite person might project their own identity onto the character."

Even when characters are described by the author as having "dark skin," some readers still assumed that the characters were white. This is just one demonstration of how our own racial prejudices and biases can cause us to not see what is quite apparent to others. All too often Hollywood has represented characters of color with white actors. In this case, Hollywood got it right... but some fans of The Hunger Games didn't.

One fan, whose Twitter handle is not included in order to protect the guilty, tweeted this:

"Call me racist but when I found out Rue was black her death wasn’t as sad.”

Sadly, there is probably more of this sentiment out there than we realize.

To read the complete CNN.com story please click here.

Why Hollywood Is Not The Place To Learn About Native Americans

Photo Credit: Paco Lyptic

Whenever I talk with others about doing cross-cultural ministry, one of the points that I emphasize time and time again is that building deep friendships with those from different cultural backgrounds than our own is the most effective way to learn about another culture.

As a missionary that has served in cross-cultural environments for most of my adult life, I view myself as a lifelong learner of people. In addition to building solid friendships with those from ethnic backgrounds different than my own, I am also intentional about pursuing resources that can help me learn from the experiences and the stories of members of the ethnic communities that I am learning about.

The types of resources that I often pursue are books, subscribing to blogs, digesting any newspaper or online articles that I can that speak to race and culture, watching films & documentaries and being exposed to music that is popular to specific ethnic communities. Even though many of these resources can be helpful, they can, at times, miss the mark. So is the case with the traditional portrayals of Native Americans in Hollywood movies.

Reel Injun, a riveting documentary that examines how First Nations peoples have been depicted throughout the history of Hollywood, sheds light on the failure of filmmakers to offer an accurate picture of those the movies commonly refer to as "Indians." Documentarian Neil Diamond (no, not the singer...this one, a member of the Cree tribe) interviews such notables as Clint Eastwood, Adam Beach and Russell Means in order to uncover the unfair stereotypes that have typically accompanied the over 4,000 Hollywood produced films that have attempted to tell the Native American story.  Most movies featuring a Native storyline have been written by non-Native people, often featuring white actors who wore makeup and outfits to appear as Indians. It might be funny if it wasn't so sad.

What is sad is that for many Americans, the primary source for information about Native Americans is Hollywood films. So when the bulk of these movies lean towards negative stereotypical portrayals and inaccurate historical re-enactments, most Americans simply do not have a fair view of First Nations peoples. It is why personal friendships are so important. If all I knew about Native Americans is what I saw in the movies, I would have no other option than to subscribe to cliched stereotypes and outdated depictions.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

One of the most telling stories that Reel Injun tells is of Iron Eyes Cody, an American actor that was featured in a number of films throughout the 20th Century. If you're of my generation or older, however, you'll most likely remember Cody as the Native American who sheds a single tear over the increase in littering during the "Keep America Beautiful" ad campaign that ran during the 1970's. I remember this iconic image years later even though I was just a young boy when these commercials aired.

But in recent years, it was discovered that Cody, who passed away in 1999, was not even Native American. Though he had claimed to be of Cherokee-Cree descent, Cody was actually of Italian heritage. Cody lived nearly his whole life pretending to be someone he was not. It does not mean that his efforts to help the causes of indigenous people were insincere or unappreciated. It just means that the image that he gave of himself was not truthful. Sadly, the picture we have been given of Native Americans by Hollywood has also not been truthful.

Unfortunately, this has often been the case not only with Native Americans, but also with those of other ethnic minorities communities when it comes to how these people groups have been represented by Hollywood.  Often relying on caricatures and majority culture perceptions, we simply can't trust most Hollywood films to give complete and fair representations of traditionally marginalized ethnic groups.

If you want to utilize film to learn about a particular ethnic group, please seek to watch movies that were made by and star actors that are actually from that community. But even better than that is to seek to build friendships with members of that group. I've found that it is fundamentally impossible to subscribe to sweeping generalizations about a group of people when I've actually gotten to know people from that community. When you've sat with people, spent time with their families in their homes and listened to their stories, you can't help but grow in your appreciation and love for them.

All people, no matter what their ethnicity, are made in the image of God and are, therefore, image bearers of God. We get a small glimpse into what God is like when we look into the soul of another human being and appreciate them as another image bearer of our Creator. This is a simple reminder of the words of Jesus that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

If you would like to view the documentary Reel Injun and you are a Netflix member, the movie is currently available for live streaming here.

Chevy Chase on the Downside of Fame

Photo Credit: Alan Light

I am currently reading Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller's book, Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, a book of interviews with those associated with the show during its nearly forty years of existence.

I came across the following quote from Chevy Chase, a breakout star from SNL's inaugural season who went onto become one of the biggest comedic movie stars of the 1980's. Having personally gone from obscurity to fame seemingly overnight when SNL became a breakout hit in 1975, Chase says this about fame:

"I think if there is one perception that the public feels about people who become famous, it's that it is a great, wonderful, marvelous, magical thing. And that's true up to a point. But in fact it's also a very, very frightening thing, because it's one of the most stressful things. There's a certain amount of post-traumatic stress involved in being regular guy and then suddenly an extremely famous one.

By and large, people who are looking for some sort of immediate gratification to being with, some validation of what their identity is, who they are, some acceptability. They're not novelists who are waiting after ten years to see how they did. They want it right away. They're children, basically. And in all children there's this reservoir of self-doubt and guilt and sense of low self-esteem, I think. And so one lives with this kind of dualism, this disparity between the marvelous magic of becoming accepted by so many so fast and, at the same time, a lingering sense that one doesn't deserve it and sooner or later will be found out."

Fame is fleeting for most who find it and most people will never achieve the kind of recognition that television and film stars find. But true satisfaction and meaning is not found in the applause we get simply for making people laugh or by being really good at pretending to be someone we're not.  We can take comfort in knowing that there is a God who knows everything about us and still offers a love to us that is not based on our performance. To find out more about this God, please click here.

Have You Heard About Global Short Film Network?

Photo Credit: Andrei Z

I remember taking a seminary class several years ago in which we examined the various worldviews held by adherents of the world's major religions and philosophies.  The professor, Alan Scholes, frequently used a wide variety of movie clips to demonstrate these perspectives on life and the world.

In order to prove the significance that film plays within our culture, he asked a simple question.  He queried the class on how many of us had seen the television show 24, the most popular show on T.V. at the time.  Approximately a quarter of the class indicated that they had seen at least one episode of the Kiefer Sutherland drama.

He then asked how many of us had seen the movie Titanic, the highest grossing movie of all-time.  Even though Titanic had been released a handful of years before, all but one of us in the class had seen it.  This was a small demonstration of the role that cinema plays in our society.

Recognizing the power of film to tell stories, Campus Crusade for Christ has developed a ministry called the Global Short Film Network. Global Short Film Network, or GSFN, produces short-films that deal with everyday topics that can easily lead into spiritual conversations about things like life, death, forgiveness, love and redemption.

The films, now being used in over 70 countries around the world, are well-done and easy to access at the GSFN website located here. If you have a friend that you'd like to talk about the deeper issues of life with but have found it difficult to bring up spiritual matters, perhaps a movie from GSFN might be the springboard you need.

To learn more about how to utilize Global Short Film Network, check out the video below. 

Little Known Facts About Star Wars

From Asylum.com:


[Via: Online PhD]

(h/t to Jeff Frank for the link)

Figuring Out Your Favorite Movies

Would you be able to share your all-time favorite movie if someone asked you to? What about your top 20? When you've seen hundreds, if not thousands of movies over the course of a lifetime, it can be challenging to to come up with a list of favorites when put on the spot. Flickchart.com, a website that I got introduced to by Whitney over at Pop Candy, helps you rank your top movies through a simple match-up formula.

It goes like this... Flickchart offers two movies and you choose which one you like better. If you haven't seen one or both of the movies, you click through to the next option. The matchups go quickly and, after going through a number of selections, you'll likely find that the list that has been generated for you is pretty close to what you would have chosen yourself. If a movie that is one of your favorites doesn't come up as a option, just search for it and you can then begin to rank it against those you've already selected.

This was a fun diversion for me during a holiday break. You can try it out here. According to Flickchart, here is my top 20:

1. Jerry Maguire
2. Memento
3. Rocky
4. The Godfather
5. Hoosiers
6. The Shawshank Redemption
7. Spider-Man 2
8. Notting Hill
9. Do the Right Thing
10. Forrest Gump
11. The Dark Knight
12. The Truman Show
13. Return of the Jedi
14. A Few Good Men
15. The Green Mile
16. Coming to America
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
18. Saving Private Ryan
19. Shrek
20. The Butterfly Effect

Roman Polanski, Hollywood & Morality

The curious case of film director Roman Polanski has been drawing quite a bit of attention recently as a result of his arrest in Switzerland on charges stemming from something that happened over thirty years ago. In case you're not aware, Polanski, who is an Oscar winner and a highly regarded filmmaker in Hollywood circles, was arrested in 1977 for having sex with a thirteen year old girl after providing drugs and alcohol for her.

After entering into a plea agreement at the time, Polanski spent six weeks in jail for evaluation and was released. Upon learning that he might be sent to jail, he left the United States and has never returned. Polanski has avoided any country that has an extradition treaty with the U.S. and, therefore, has never been fully prosecuted for his crime.

His case has stirred up a lot of controversy as many in the Hollywood establishment have come to his defense and called for his release. But the general public doesn't view Polanski primarily as an Oscar winner. What most of us see is someone that raped a barely teenage girl and has escaped judgment. Paul Harris frames it well:

"The Polanski backlash has spread far and wide. He was never popular at all on the right wing of America's culture, but now middle America is firmly in favour of seeing him in a Californian courtroom. Talk show hosts, radio commentators and newspaper editorials from coast to coast have all insisted that the arrest was long overdue and that Polanski needs to be brought to the US.

"Hollywood people really don't see the world in the same way as average people... that is why there is a backlash," said Mike Levine, a Hollywood PR expert.

But it is perhaps no surprise that the gap between Hollywood and the rest of America has grown so large on this particular case. Because of his long and illustrious career, Polanski is a friend and colleague of nearly all the main players in the film world. They are his confidantes and his peers. His movies have made them stars and helped them to earn millions. They live in the same rarefied world of global fame. "Elite Hollywood culture is protecting one of its own," said Alexander Riley, a professor of sociology at Bucknell University.

It is also speaks to a certain type of Hollywood culture which appears to insist that its top stars are in some ways elevated above the law and should be treated differently to ordinary members of the public.

If Polanski was just an ordinary man instead of a world-famous film director, the bare facts of his case would be likely to elicit little sympathy – especially from the world famous. Hollywood stars seem to be arguing, in some ways, that Polanski's talent should allow him some sort of free pass for his past behaviour. "Hollywood... looks at the Polanski case and says, 'You have to make allowances for genius'," said Gallagher.

Hollywood's elite also functions as a kind of club and Polanski, seen by the elite as a great European auteur director, is a firm member. That requires a certain degree of success but also a great deal of ideological conformity. It is a cliche that Hollywood is uniformly liberal in its politics, but one with more than a dash of truth in it. It is certainly interesting to see the reaction to Polanski's case and compare it with the reaction to Mel Gibson, when he was caught mouthing drunken anti-Semitic abuse.

Gibson, a rare conservative in Hollywood, was brutally condemned by his fellow stars and sent into virtual career exile. Polanski, whose crime is far more serious, has seen a vast outpouring of sympathy. Being a member of the Hollywood club certainly seems to have its privileges.

"The difference between the reaction to Gibson and the reaction to Polanski has been just huge. Huge!" said celebrity interviewer Gayl Murphy. "That says a lot about what Hollywood thinks is important to them."

In some respects, Polanski is a sympathetic figure. A diminutive man who survived the Holocaust and had his second wife, actress Sharon Tate, killed by the Charles Manson gang in 1969, he has certainly gone through his fair share of suffering in life. But his suffering does not give him a free pass to perform criminal acts on young girls. Perhaps those in Hollywood will eventually see this.

Phil Vischer, Veggie Tales & the Movies

If you're a Christian parent of young children then you no doubt are familiar with the popular kid's video series, VeggieTales. The programs star Larry the Cucumber and Bob the Tomato and tell Bible stories using examples and language that kids can understand. My kids have enjoyed them in their younger years and I appreciate the quality with which they are done.

The man behind VeggieTales, Phil Vischer, saw his dream begin to crumble several years ago when financial challenges forced his company, Big Idea Productions, into bankruptcy. Although still involved with the production of VeggieTales, he no longer owns the company.

Since VeggieTales has experienced widespread success in the Christian market and some exposure in the mainstream (through movies like Jonah and being part of NBC's Saturday morning lineup), Vischer has an interesting and informed perspective on how Christians involved in the arts can make a positive difference in the world.

In an interview that Vischer did with Todd Hertz in Books & Culture, he gives some insight into how Christians can make films that influence our culture. In commenting on the recent success of movies like The Passion of the Christ, the Narnia films and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, he had this to say:

"I've learned the hard way that movies are not a great teaching medium. If you want to engage people emotionally, great—but you can't ever turn to the camera and say, "Now I have three points I want to make about parenting." You can do that on TV. Sesame Street does that. Dora the Explorer does that every day and nobody says, "That's not film making! That's didactic!" The difference is that people do not go to the movies to be preached at. That's the bottom line. The more you preach, the fewer you reach. What frustrates me with the film business is how much time, energy, and money you have to spend to have the opportunity for two sentences of real transparent meaning.

The Passion was such an anomaly; you really can't use it to learn much of anything about the nature of film. You had the most popular film actor in the world making a deeply personal work of art about a religious story. What are the odds of that happening again?

The movies inspired by the Narnia stories and the Lord of the Rings are also tough test cases. How many Narnias are there? How easy is it to come up with another Lord of the Rings? It's not. There's [J.R.R.] Tolkien and [C.S.] Lewis and then everybody else. Besides, Narnia had a 50-year history of engagement with fans—and a grandfather-clause evangelical exception for the use of fantasy and magic. You can't get away with that today. Now, if we go to another fantasy world, we need to find Jesus there—literally.

That is why for some evangelicals, the Harry Potter books are seen as being straight from the pit. Even if Rowling says she's employing Christian themes, forget it. How do you write a Christian fantasy today? I have no idea. I don't know that you can. I think we've killed it. I think we are so concerned with how oppressed our worldview is and so defensive that we've painted ourselves into a corner. And thus, we can't tell the kind of stories that Lewis or [G.K.] Chesterton would have told to share the gospel. It's kind of depressing, frankly."

You can read the complete interview here.

How Should Christians Respond to Harry Potter?

If preliminary reports are any indication, the new Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, may very well go on to become the highest grossing movie in the series. The movie, which opened Wednesday of this week, is once again stirring the debate of what Christians are to do with this literary and cinematic success. As one who has read all of the Potter books and seen each of the movies (although I haven’t seen “Half-Blood” yet), I'd like to offer a perspective on it.

There are a few roads that we can take when it comes to choices about secular literature, films and music. One extreme is to make the choice to have nothing to do with these artistic expressions and engage in activities like book burnings, picket lines outside theatres, and steamrolling CD's. Another option is to simply ignore secular art and instead create explicitly Christian music, books and films.

From my perspective, though, burning books has never seemed to attract the non-Christian to consider Christ and oftentimes our Christian movies have not produced the quality product that people have come to expect. Just because it says Jesus a lot doesn't necessarily make it good. If dialogue is cheesy, the acting is bad and the plot stinks, people are not going to see it.

Another extreme is to do whatever the culture says is okay and listen to anything that is played on the radio, go to every popular movie and read whatever Oprah is selling this month. Unfortunately this is what many Christians choose to do and it dilutes or even nullifies their witness since what they choose for forms of entertainment is no different than those that aren't followers of Christ.

An approach that I think is more appropriate is to seek to redeem the culture by being salt & light (see Matthew 5:14-16). Instead of letting the world create quality books, movies and music and then boycotting those that produce them after they've become popular, why don't we create books and movies and music that are better than what the world offers? One example would be C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, a wonderful series of books (and later, movies) that have been enjoyed by millions. It is considered great literature by Christians and non-Christian the world over because it is well-written and engaging, yet it is told as a Christian allegory.

So how might Christians respond to J.K. Rowling's mega-popular Harry Potter series? First, we probably need to at least become familiar with the books if we’re going to form an opinion about them. I've heard too many folks speak with absolute certainty about whether the Potter books would be good to read when they don't even know a Muggle from a Mudblood or can't tell you the difference between Quidditch and Dumbledore.

Second, we need to realize that the fact is many kids have found a new interest in reading as a result of these books. And this is a good thing. The Potter books contain themes of good vs. evil, love over hate, sacrifice, bravery, etc. that are strewn throughout. We can take these Christian themes and discuss them with our children. However, when there are things that we don't want our kids to think is acceptable (e.g. lying to get ourselves out of jams) we can discuss these things with them and share why it's wrong.

When it comes to the movie versions of the Potter books, we must remember that films are often the expression for our culture’s storytelling. Cinematic art has the power to affect how we see life and understand the deeper questions of our existence. Instead of just producing movies with overtly Christian themes and dialogue (which does have its place), we should also encourage godly Christians who write, produce, direct and act to take their talent to Hollywood and make a difference. At the very minimum, we can look within popular films for themes of love, forgiveness, sin and redemption as a starting point for discussions with non-Christian friends.

Lastly, we can vote with our wallets to support quality movies that are family friendly and contain biblical themes (whether the filmmaker realizes it or not). Being aware of what is being discussed in popular culture will help us in relating to others and help us in learning how to connect their story to God’s bigger story. However, this does not mean that we need to see every popular movie that is being offered. We still need to use our best judgment as to whether seeing a particular film is going to be worth the money we are going to pay for it. But by supporting good movies and not forking over money for the bad ones, we will encourage Hollywood to produce products that are done with excellence AND with quality themes. We can then see more and more popular forms of entertainment that have redeeming quality.

John Piper on Television & the Movies

As an avid movie watcher and an occasional television viewer, I found John Piper's recent comments on these forms of media both challenging and uncomfortable. Dr. Piper, a pastor out of Minneapolis, was on a panel at a conference and was asked to speak to his aversion for television, which was assumed to be in direct opposition to that of Mark Driscoll, another well-known pastor and fellow panel participant.

By his own admission, Piper offered a curt response at the conference and failed to adequately address the question. You can watch the interaction in question here. He then wrote a well thought-out viewpoint on his blog in which he explains why he doesn't own a television.

Like many other forms of technology, television and, by extension, movies have the ability to draw people both away from God and closer to Him. They also have the capacity to help families bond or lead them into isolation from one another. It all depends on how we choose to utilize them. So although I'm not one that feels all Christians should not own a television, I do think Piper's onto something.

As a minister of the gospel, I believe it's important for me to understand what is going on in popular culture in order to be relevant to those I'm seeking to minister to. However, it doesn't mean I have to immerse myself in the stuff. I knew who Lady GaGa was for months before I finally heard one of her songs this past week (and for what it's worth, I don't really get it). But even in the desire for relevance, we can easily get caught in the snare of temptation without even intending to. Look at what Piper has to say on the matter:

"I think relevance in preaching hangs very little on watching movies, and I think that much exposure to sensuality, banality, and God-absent entertainment does more to deaden our capacities for joy in Jesus than it does to make us spiritually powerful in the lives of the living dead. Sources of spiritual power—which are what we desperately need—are not in the cinema. You will not want your biographer to write: Prick him and he bleeds movies.

If you want to be relevant, say, for prostitutes, don’t watch a movie with a lot of tumbles in a brothel. Immerse yourself in the gospel, which is tailor-made for prostitutes; then watch Jesus deal with them in the Bible; then go find a prostitute and talk to her. Listen to her, not the movie. Being entertained by sin does not increase compassion for sinners.

There are, perhaps, a few extraordinary men who can watch action-packed, suspenseful, sexually explicit films and come away more godly. But there are not many. And I am certainly not one of them.

I have a high tolerance for violence, high tolerance for bad language, and zero tolerance for nudity. There is a reason for these differences. The violence is make-believe. They don’t really mean those bad words. But that lady is really naked, and I am really watching. And somewhere she has a brokenhearted father."

Lori and I have made the choice to not have cable television in our house. We have TVs and utilize over-the-air broadcast but we don't spend a lot of time flipping through channels looking for what is on. If there is a network program on that we want to watch, we watch it. But we don't feel compelled to always have the television on. We find other things to do (like board games, video games, sports, etc.) in order to spend time together. But we also watch TV shows and movies together as a family.

The questions we have to ask ourselves are:

1. Does this movie or television show draw me closer to God and the ones I love?
2. Does it lead me into temptation or into sin?
3. Is there a better way that I can be spending my time right now?

There is no cut and dried answer about whether Christians should watch TV or go to the movies. But, for most of us, we probably need to examine how we spend our time and consider if we're wasting hours away on things that won't last for eternity. When we look towards the end of our lives I doubt any of us will wish we would have watched more TV. But many of us will have regrets concerning our failure to invest our time in the eternal.

The Top Sports Movies of All-Time

It is supposed to be the dog days of summer, but in Michigan, where we're visiting for the summer, it feels more like autumn. And for sports fans, this is a fairly hum-drum time of year. It's almost two months until the football season. The NBA season is complete. Hockey's done. The baseball season isn't even to the All-Star game yet. We do have the Olympics to look forward to, but that's not until a number of weeks.

It's during these times that I enjoy kicking back and enjoying a good movie when there are not too many games to choose from. If you're like me and you're a fan of both movies and sports, then you might like this list I've created of my favorite sports movies of all-time. To offer a disclaimer, these are movies that are not only good, but that I've seen a number of times. So there are some great sports-themed movies (Breaking Away, Raging Bull and Seabiscuit come to mind) that didn't make the list simply because I've only seen them once.

So without any further adieu, here's the list...

10. Miracle (2004) - A great film that chronicles the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that upset the vaunted Russians and went onto win the gold medal. An inspiring story with a real-life Hollywood movie ending, the cast is led by a stellar acting performance by Kurt Russell, who plays coach Herb Brooks. Those that remember the real hockey game can't help but relish this movie.

Favorite Scene - When Coach Brooks quietly celebrates by himself in a back hallway after his team has done the unthinkable and actually beat the Soviet Union.

9. The Karate Kid (1984) - What kid from the 80's has not stood on a post and done the iconic "crane kick" from this movie? The Karate Kid tells the story of young Daniel who is bullied by new classmates and gets mentored by the wise Mr. Miyagi, marvelously played by Pat Morita. The film culminates with a classic fight scene where Daniel must overcome an injury to defeat the despised Johnny from the Cobras.

Favorite Scene - When Mr. Miyagi finally demonstrates to Daniel-san that all that "wax on, wax off" stuff has a purpose behind it and Daniel "gets it."

8. The Rookie (2002) - Dennis Quaid does a marvelous job portraying small town Texas high school teacher and coach Jimmy Morris. Morris's dream of becoming a pitcher in the major leagues never panned out and years later accepts a challenge from the varsity team he coaches to try out for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Remarkably, he makes it to "The Show" is this movie from Disney based on a true story. A great family film.

Favorite Scene - When Morris calls his young son from a pay phone to let him know that he has finally made it to the majors.

7. Caddyshack (1980) - This is one of the funniest movies ever made. Caddyshack follows the antics of the members, groundskeepers and caddies of an-upscale country club. It showcases Bill Murray and Chevy Chase at their finest and Ted Knight is hilarious as well. There are just too many classic lines in this movie to list here.

Favorite Scene - When Ty (Chase) visits Carl (Murray) in his "dwelling" while taking in a late nine at Bushwood. Every line of this scene is memorable.

6. Field of Dreams (1989) - Though some accuse this film of being a bit schmaltzy, the story of a man longing for the carefree love of baseball from his youth and the regrets of his relationship with his father hit home for many people. Though one of the many baseball-themed movies starring Kevin Costner, I think this is one of his best performances. Plus, any movie with Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) is good in my book.

Favorite Scene - When Ray (Costner) gets to play catch one more time with his deceased father.

5. Hoop Dreams (1994) - The only documentary on this list, Hoop Dreams tells the story of two kids, William Gates and Arthur Agee, with dreams of playing in the NBA. The film follows them throughout high school and the challenges they and their families face growing up in the inner-city of Chicago. You can't help but pull for both William and Arthur as the movie moves along and see the many obstacles they face along the way.

Favorite Scene - When Arthur and his father engage in a battle of one-on-one on the court that brings out a little more than his dad expected.

4. Rocky (1976) - This is the movie that put Sylvester Stallone on the map. Though I doubt that there are many that haven't seen this film, it follows Rocky Balboa, a small-time Philadelphia fighter who gets a shot at the heavyweight title. Rocky's budding relationship with Adrian is what makes this movie so endearing and his accomplishment of going the distance with the champ is what makes this film a winner. I doubt there is a more beloved figure in American cinematic history than Rocky Balboa.

Favorite Scene - The ending, of course. After the conclusion of Rocky's fight with Apollo, his embrace with Adrian at center ring can't help but make you feel good.

3. Rudy (1993) - Sean Astin delivers an inspiring performance as Rudy Ruettiger, an undersized and underskilled man who wants to live out his childhood dream of playing for the Notre Dame football team. A true story, Rudy could have been so much better if only the producers do as they do with so many true stories and changed its setting from South Bend to Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan. Could you imagine Rudy in the winged helmet at the Big House with "The Victors" playing? Couldn't get any better than that!

Favorite Scene - When Fortune (Charles S. Dutton), Rudy's friend and mentor, sees Rudy get the chance to play for the Fighting Irish. His clap and fist pump and quiet celebration after Rudy's play as he leaves the stadium always gives me goose bumps.

2. Hoosiers (1986) - I have possibly seen this movie more than any other in my lifetime. The trials and rise of the Hickory Huskers, led by coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman), is as good of a feel-good story as there is. During basketball season when I was in high school, I must have watched this film at least a dozen times each season. And for those that knew me back then, you'll know that my nickname was Jimmy Chitwood, after the sharpshooting guard for the Huskers. This movie was based on the story of the 1954 Milan team that won the Indiana high school championship.

Favorite Scene - When Jimmy gets up to speak at the townhall meeting being held to decide whether Coach Dale will continue on as the Hickory coach.

1. Jerry Maguire (1996) - Even beyond sports flicks, I think this might be my favorite movie ever. Jerry Maguire stars Tom Cruise as a sports agent that suddenly gets a conscience and learns about what is truly important in life. In addition to Cruise's Oscar nominated performance, Cuba Gooding, Jr. won an Oscar for his turn as NFL receiver Rod Tidwell and this is Renee' Zellweger's breakout role. There are so many things to love about this film. It's a drama and comedy. It deals with romance and sports. It focuses on friendship, marriage and parenthood. And it addresses race and greed. One of the aspects that I enjoy most is that it features an African American male as a devoted and loving husband and father.

Favorite Scene - When Rod and Jerry share an emotional hug after Rod's huge Monday night game.

So those are my favorite sports flicks. Any that you think should have made the list?

JESUS Film for Women

Three decades ago a low-budget movie based on the life of Christ was produced by Campus Crusade for Christ and few could have expected that it would go onto to become the most viewed film of all-time. JESUS, a two hour picture based on the gospel of Luke, has been viewed by over six billion people with over 220 million people indicating decisions to place their faith in Christ as a result of viewing the movie.

And now, a new version of the film has been made with a special emphasis on reaching out to women, especially those from Middle Eastern and Eastern cultures. Carolyn Arends recently wrote a review of Magdalena: Released from Shame which can be found here. As Arends says,

"The filmmakers also appear to have been intentional in reaching out specifically to cultures in which women are abused, oppressed, or made to feel ashamed. An article on InterVarsity's International Student Ministries website notes "internationals from honor/shame cultures may especially be able to relate with [Magdalena's] message." Although Western understandings of the gospel tend to center around guilt and innocence paradigms, many Middle Eastern, Indian and Asian cultures relate more strongly to concepts of honor and shame. For example, in his 1994 EMQ article "The Gospel for Shame Cultures," missionary Bruce Thomas details the breakthrough he had in evangelizing Muslim friends when he moved from legal-model understandings of the gospel to explaining that Christ dealt with the defilement and shame of human flesh by becoming flesh himself."

A website has been developed to help in providing resources in conjunction with the release of Magdalena. Hopefully this movie will be widely used in helping to share the Christian message with women that are often neglected in missionary efforts.

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My Top Seven Favorite Christmas Movies

I recently posted on my favorite Christmas albums and now it's time to share my favorite Christmas movies. So without further adieu, here are my top seven favorite Christmas movies:

7. Elf (2003, starring Will Ferrell and James Caan) Though I've only seen this movie twice, it is arguably Will Ferrell at his finest while playing a human raised by elves. The child-like innocence of his character, Buddy, can't help but make you laugh.

Favorite Line: "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

6. Family Man (2000, starring Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni) Family Man tells the story of a multi-millionaire who gets the chance to see how his life might have turned out had he married and started a family with his college girlfriend. A great story that demonstrates that success in life is not found in financial success but in the love of family.

Favorite Line: "You see, you're a better person than I am. And it made me a better person to be around you. I don't know, maybe it was just all a dream. Maybe I went to bed one lonely night in December and I imagined it all. But I swear, nothing has ever felt more real. And if you get on that plane right now, it'll disappear forever. I know we could both go on with our lives and we'd both be fine, but I've seen what we could be like together. And I choose us."

5. Home Alone (1990, starring Macauley Culkin and Joe Pesci) What could be funnier than an eight year old getting left all by himself while his family vacations in France? This movie made Culkin a star and his interactions with dimwitted burglars Pesci and Daniel Stern are hilarious.

Favorite Line: "Not for a guy in the second grade. You can get beat up for wearing something like that. Yeah, I had a friend who got nailed because there was a rumor he wore dinosaur pajamas."

4. The Santa Clause (1994, starring Tim Allen and Judge Reinhold) This was Tim Allen's first starring role in a movie and was filmed during the peak of his Home Improvement days. His acceptance of becoming Santa Clause is fun to watch and the adults in his life acceptance of him is even better.

Favorite Line: "We shared a bowl of sugar, did some shots of brown liqour, played with my shot guns, field-dressed a cat, looked for women..."

3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989, starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo) Another adventure in the lives of the wacky Griswold family, this movie was made back when Chevy Chase was still funny. There probably isn't a funnier character in a Christmas movie than Randy Quaid's Cousin Eddie and nearly twenty years later a home that overdoes their Christmas lights is still referred to as a "Griswold house."

Favorite Line: "He's cute ain't he? Only problem is, he's got a little bit a Mississippi Leg Hound in him. If the mood catches him right, he'll grab your leg and just go to town. You don't want him around if you're wearing short pants, if you know what I mean. Word of warning though, if he does lay into ya, it's best to just let him finish."

2. A Christmas Story (1983, starring Peter Billingsley and Darren McGavin) My wife introduced me to this Christmas classic and I'm glad she did. All little Ralphie wants for Christmas is an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model BB rifle with a compass in the stock. With adult narration in the background (ala The Wonder Years) , the viewer gets a humorous insight into the mind of a child looking forward to Christmas. In addition, an important lesson is conveyed to young and old alike -- do not touch your tongue to an icy flagpole in the winter!

Favorite Line: "Getting ready to go to school [in the winter] was like getting ready for extended deep-sea diving."

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed) Since its copyright license had run out at one point and was aired like non-stop for years around the holidays, It's a Wonderful Life is probably the most beloved and cherished of all American holiday films. Though blessed with a wonderful wife and children and a lifetime of helping others, a desperate and disillusioned George Bailey is given the gift of seeing what the world would be like had he never been born. The ending to this Frank Capra classic will tug at your heartstrings every time. And if you ever visit my parent's home around Christmas, you'll have to check out my dad's Bedford Falls village that he sets up. It's a classic as well!

Favorite Line: "Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well, in my book he died a much richer man than you'll ever be."