I took my wife Angie to see the passion tonight. It was my 2nd time to see it and I enjoyed it much more. Why? Probably b/c there is so much expectation and hype, you just want to see it to see what its all about the first time. I can' t really explain it, but I was more moved by it this time.
Until the end. As soon as the credits start to roll, this guy 2 rows in front of us jumps up and yells "No one move. Jesus died for yours sins and you need to accept him now." It was awful. We were the first people to leave the theater. Then they tried to hand us some literature on the way out.
Another complaint: I don't know if I ever want to see another movie with a theater full of christians. We felt like outsiders. Everyone around us knew each other and were talking to each other, passing stuff back and forth over us. It was awful.
I am intrigued by the idea of a sub-set of believers being "ashamed" of the social clumsiness of other christians. Is it a noble sentiment in us that is embarrassed by the bumbling or un-refined behavior of "simple" christians? Or is could it be *gasp* a bit of snobbery? The way I see it is that believers are made up of all classes and "levels" of people, some will be refined and stoic, some will be exhuberant and "wild-eyed", some will embrace Christian jargon as a great replacement for the crap that they used to say, others will shun it as if by avoiding "churchisms" you accumulate street cred and God-kudos.
It makes me think of the ultimate in Christian embarrassment- the street corner preacher. You know him, he stands with his sandwich board of doom and glowers at the crowd, a demagogue of the gutter, a prophet of the homeless. He calls out, "repent for the kingdom of God is at hand" and preaches to the sea of hard faces commuters. Regardless of his oddness or his doctrine he might very well be a brother of mine, saved by grace and so full of the burning urge to tell others that he does the unthinkable, the un-emergently correct thing and is an "obnoxious Christian"!!! Lord save us! But truly, might not he be called to do this? Might not also we be called to soemthing else? Might not those uber churches with their "prayer of jabez" corporate-church simpleness have a place in God's world?
Here is a thought, the next time I am embarrassed by the "un-refined" or "clumsy" ways of my brothers in Christ I will think of the guy on the street corner and pray that, though he may sound and look like a nut, God will use him to preach and reach those that need God. God has a place for the wild-eyed fanatics, God has a place for the WWJD bracelets- no matter how kooky they are-, God has a place for the liturgical and traditional service, and God just might have a place for the emergent church...
Posted by: Mason | March 22, 2004 at 02:48 PM
Least we forget---it's not about us, it's
about JESUS!!!
as far Scott's remark, "I think part of the issue might be that this film is not for the person who does not know the stories?" I think that is incorrect. I believe Jesus died for ALL, so the movie should also be for "ALL", ESPECIALLY for the ones who DON'T know the stories.
Posted by: Haz | March 11, 2004 at 09:04 PM
I think part of the issue might be that this film is not for the person who does not know the stories? This movie is excellent and I beleive the Spirit will and can do whatever he wants there is need for context. As for Chris???????
Thanks for your insight on seeing the movie twice I have been reluctant.
Posted by: Scott | March 01, 2004 at 01:07 PM
Well Chris, I guess to each their own.
Lillylewin, great thoughts. My friend/co laborer and blogger Desertpastor has been saying all weekend that we need to get out of the way and let the Holy Spirit do His job. We try to do the spirit's work ourselves.
On a related note, I was talking to others who saw the film locally. Someone actually brought in a shofar and blew it before and after the movie!
Posted by: Benjy (groovythpstr) | March 01, 2004 at 10:43 AM
You poor persecuted people!
You should have died for our sins as it is obvious how perfect you are. No offense but you are not the "new leaders".What a tremendous proof of the arrogance of the ec. (Matt 7:1-5) Whether you like it or not these people are your brothers and sisters. It is not your job to fix the Church. The pomergent church accuses others of painting with a broad brush while they use a sprayer to do their "colorizing" I personally doubt that Mykel actually overheard the cliched conversations that were "quoted". What I am hearing is the parroting of the same tired "emergentese". For the record, I don't agree with the evangelistic methods employed by those in the above incident,but I don't agree with what is being presented as the Gospel by the ec. Matt. 5:11-12. Are you the persecuted or the persecutors? The more things change,the more they stay the same.Ecclesiastes 1:9-11
Posted by: Chris P. | March 01, 2004 at 09:40 AM
it makes me sad that folks just can't let a film speak for itself.
the christianese makes me sick too..
i am going on monday for my first viewing...think i could find a theater without embarrassing folks with fish on their cars?
Posted by: lillylewin | February 29, 2004 at 08:27 PM
Sorry to hear that.
Hope that it your experience can be redeemed.
Posted by: Josh C | February 29, 2004 at 03:09 PM
My wife and I felt the exact same way. It's sad. Here we are with other believers and I'm embarrassed to be with them because of the way they act. There were the clichés, fliers, "brother and sister" speech, and of course the all to embarrassing "So your a youth pastor...so am I...I have 150 kids in my youth group...how many do you have??"
I just came to watch a movie man...not sit here and be all churchy and religious...but that's what we have taught people in America what church is all about. Say the churchy words, etc.
I just hope as the "new leaders" within the church we can start to change some of that...
Posted by: Mykel | February 29, 2004 at 08:20 AM