Serenity the Movie

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Nov 8, 2005 in Culture | 1 comment

A review of the movie Serenity from Mike Gunn (Pastor @ Harambee in south Seattle and co-founder of Mars Hill) at our Kaleo site:

This big-screen version of the short-lived TV series Firefly is set 500 years in the future and focuses on space captain Malcolm Reynolds and his crew, who make a living with petty crime and transporting people throughout space. After they pick up their latest passengers ‚Äî a doctor and his mentally unstable, telepathic sister ‚Äî they realize that they’re now being hunted by the Alliance, an out-of-control government that’s out to bring the rogue sections of the galaxy under control.

MySpace Oversaturated

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Nov 2, 2005 in Culture | 2 comments

Anyone else tired of MySpace? It seems like it’s no longer ‘my’ space but 5,602,234 marketing opportunities to promote stuff to you.

The Gospel According to Anne Rice

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Oct 25, 2005 in Culture | 3 comments

Years ago I would enjoy a good Anne Rice book with her depiction of vampire life. Her take on vampires (while controversial) portrayed a thirst for blood like a drug addiction, immortality as a path towards isolation and loneliness and a burning desire for power. It was in her writing that I saw James 1: 14-15

…each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

But Anne Rice has left these writings as she returns to her Christian roots…

In two weeks, Anne Rice… will publish “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt,” a novel about the 7-year-old Jesus, narrated by Christ himself. “I promised,” she says, “that from now on I would write only for the Lord.” It’s the most startling public turnaround since Bob Dylan’s “Slow Train Coming” announced that he’d been born again. Source MSNBC News

Some interesting stances she takes:

-Christ’s birth date of 11 B.C.
-James, Jesus’ disciple, is the son of Joseph by a previous marriage.
-The young Jesus studies with the historian Philo of Alexandria,
-She’s used legends of the boy Messiah’s miracles from the noncanonical Apocrypha such as bringing clay birds to life, striking a bully dead and resurrecting him.
-The article states that “Rice’s most daring move, though, is to try to get inside the head of a 7-year-old kid who’s intermittently aware that he’s also God Almighty.”

This should be pretty fascinating and/or disturbing.

Domino

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Oct 19, 2005 in Culture | 0 comments

I went and saw Domino last night. It follows a long-line of Pulp Fiction/Guy Ritchie style knock-offs. The film was mildly entertaining (the first half dragged a bit) but all-in-all I’d give it a thumbs down. Just not enough there to make a good film. They incorporated a mild level of Christian Spirituality in the main character Domino (Keira Knightley). But, while her belief in God existed, in no way did it interfere with her decisions in life. God was a good-luck charm or talisman that protected her. (WARNING: It seemed like the producer or whoever convinced Keira Knightly that in order to get this lead role, she would have to go topless. So there are two scenes with nudity for those who would prefer to avoid these things. One of the scenes seemed guided by a contract with how much and in what context they could show Knightley’s body, so it felt forced and mechanical. I wish they would have left the scene out…)

Secular Psychology and Christians

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Oct 6, 2005 in Church Technology, Culture, Sheep&Goats | 0 comments

WARNING: This is a topic that is very offensive to many people. Often, Christians want God for their ‘soul’ but they think psychology is really the means to ‘feel better’ in life. Previous discussions around this topic have resulted in a lot of feelings coming to the surface. I’d ask that any posts be constructive to any conversation.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,” begins the Psalms. George C. Scipione, director of the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship (IBCD), is an advocate for this verse. “Jesus set up the principle that a disciple will look more and more like the person who disciples him. Counseling is discipleship,” said Scipione. “A non-Christian cannot point you to Christ. By definition, it’s impossible. Non-Christians don’t understand the gospel.” Scipione believes Christians should not participate in secular psychology and psychiatry. “Psychology is dangerous. The pupil [of a secular psychologist] will become an outright pagan, a New Ager. A lot of modern science is pagan philosophy plus proof text. The medical community has allowed more and more New Age principles into their practice. If you’re going to get advice, there are things that pagans can do. These are things that are ethically acceptable and within the bounds of common grace and scripture.” Scipione mentioned car mechanics and heart surgeons as types of professions from which Christians can seek non-Christian counsel. “But even financial advisors can offer advice that contradicts Biblical writings.”

Full Reader Article: Secular Psychology and Christians

Donald Miller | New Site

Posted by D. Goodmanson on Sep 28, 2005 in Culture | 0 comments

A friend of ‘the Donald’s’ created a new site for booking Mr. Miller to speak. I love the look! Go to Donald Miller’s New Website