Why I'm going to see the movie, "The Da Vinci Code"
I'm going to buy a ticket and I'm going in to see "The Da Vinci Code" and do you want to know why?
First, it is time for believers to engage culture and this movie gives us an opportunity to be informed and to answer the questions that are raised. My old friend Harold spoke to this issue in a recent message. I liked some of what he said, and I didn't like some of what he said. And the parts I didn't like were not Scriptural issues, really. I like the point he made that this upcoming movie based on the writings of Dan Brown, is fictional with enough truth to make it dangerous. He called the book Factional -some fact and alott of fiction. I read the book from cover to cover in a couple of days. I was glued to her pages and was challenged in my faith and my search for truth. The thing I didn't appreciate from Harold was his challenge for believers to stay home and not waste their money on the movie.
Why is it that when our faith is challenged or when Jesus is portrayed in bad light we run and hide and boycott? This is an opportunity for us to engage in talking points with our culture. So I encourage every believer to see the movie and read the book and be challenged. You will be shaken but you need to be shaken. Then read and re-read the Scriptures and then address the lies this book & movie present us. As this movie is talked about -let's engage our culture with the Truth of Scripture. We will never be prepared with Scriptural answers if we hide our heads in the sand.
When you do go to see the movie wait until the second week to see it. We don't really want to help the opening ratings. Someone suggested seeing another movie on opening day to boost someone elses open instead.
As believers we need to mingle with the unreached and meet them where they are. There are believers who do not mingle or associate with unbelievers because they think to do so is to be unequally yoked. Such nonsense in misunderstanding of Scriture is costly to the kingdom.
My neighbors and I are going to have a great time discussing "The Da Vinci Code", the movie and book. I'm getting prepared and informed and ready to Engage My Culture. How about you?
posted by Bob Carder @ 12:59 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
The volume of questions that I have been fielding about this movie and the gospel of Judas has been tremendous. Folks are hungry for the truth and are willing to hear all sides to decide for themselves.
Jim, keep up the good work. You know that pastoring a traditional American Church would never give you the opportunities you have today with the unreached.
I'm thankful for people like you who work in the secular world and who seize the moments every day to share the Good News message of Christ.
You model what every Christian in America needs to do and be.
I agree with you, let them hear all sides and then let them decide for themselves. The Holy Spirit will help them see Truth if we will do our part and not be threatened by the other parts.
Love ya Bro,
I am with Sam. But I am taking my whole family to another movie on opening weekend...we like to think of it as "other-cotting" instead of boycotting.
I think of it akin to pornography, and I don't want that in my mind either.
I read the book and my mind was not polluted. And, it was nothing like pornography. While I will support your decision not to see the movie, I also think you are missing a huge evangelistic opportunity.
How will you address the issues that will be raised in talking points without being informed first-handedly?
The Church is getting a bad wrap in our culture when it comes to things like this and our response.
Please be careful -if you have the truth in your hearts -being exposed to fiction and faction will not harm you. We need to be challenged with these critical thinking points and then we need to align it with the truth and then speak to it.
I'm sad, many in the Church will take the course several of you are taking which will move us further from reaching our culture.
I guess I do understand your position because it was my position a few years ago. But God has shaken me to my foundation and I refuse to go back to my limited view of the world.
You guys may write me off as losing it. But I will say this to you, when I is said and done how many will I influence with the truth? The acid test will be in the fruit of the harvest.
Tell me your stories with the unreached and the questions they will bring to the table. Also if you will, give me your responses and theirs.
Please let's agree to disagree on this one. But I feel you are making a huge mistake along with the majority of our "Americanized Christians".
Again, I read the book, I am informed, I know what to expect, I'm getting ready for the questions. My mind was not polluted and my position has only strengthened with Christ and His Word.
Of course I'm trying to stretch you out of the box, the boat and into the world of water with the hungry fish.
Aside from Dobson, there are many other leaders of very high caliber who are joining my ranks and me theirs and we are encouraging the viewing and seizing this opportunity for good and God.
It's also interesting that Lee Strobel doesn't want you to see the movie for yourself or even read Dan Browns book, but, instead he wants you to buy His book. And he makes the claim on Dobson's broadcast. Something's wrong with this picture.
Does anyone find that strange or am I the only odd ball.
Will we beleivers just ignore the deception that is going to be portrayed on the big screen? Will we have no prepared response? Where then will our lost world go for the Truth.
At least some will be able to say, I saw the movie and here's where it doesn't line up with the Truth and why.
Some of you are pulling a scorching sermon out of my bosom -not for the world but for the "American version of Christianity."
Not one single person has even mentioned The DaVinci Code to me -- movie or book. Except my Dad, who read it and loved it. I pointed out to him how badly written it was and he didn't care. Sigh.
I am avoiding DaVinci Code MOSTLY because I tend to avoid things that are saturation marketed. I put up walls against ANYthing that gets in my face that much, including Bruce Wilkinson's Prayer of Jabez and all of its cross-marketed paraphernalia, and the same with the Left Behind stuff. Ick.
But I am also avoiding it for the reason in my previous post. I do not have to experience something to know that it is not something I want in my mind. And I don't have to experience something to be able to speak intelligently about it.
That said, I know next to nothing about DVC THEOLOGICALLY, so I will not be engaging the throngs of people who, apparently, are heading my way other than to say something like, "That's not the Jesus I know. The Jesus I know, etc., etc., etc."
Hey Bob!
I'm with you...my wife and I are going to see it tomorrow night. I am daily in conversations with with atheists & agnostics and my approach is to continually learn all I can about the differing worldviews that are out there so that I can more effectively no how to reach them.
At the Aereopagus Paul knew that to reach Athenians he had to know what their poets were writing and what their philosophers were debating.
I think it's the same with us. We need to seek first to understand so that we can then speak truth in a way that will be understood.
Hey Sam!
I hope you didn't percieve from my post that you were somehow wrong for NOT seeing it. If so, please forgive me...that wasn't my intention.
Things like this really are things that we must decide as individuals through the Spirit's leading. The Spirit is obviously leading you not to see it and that's cool!
Personally, I feel the Spirit is leading me to see it so I will. Though this movie is very clearly heretical from our perspective, the truth is that most of our culture is totally Biblically illiterate. This movie will shape a lot of non-believers thinking about Jesus and a lot of people who don't know Christ will see this movie or read the book and take on the fiction as fact.
I feel like I need to know pretty clearly what's being said so I can address it with the people I interact with.
People will be talking and they will be looking for answers, I just pray we will all be able to give the correct answers to the questions when and where they are asked.
I care not about protecting my heart and brain from heresy if I can use the heresy to lead others to truth.
Bear with me if I seem overly zealous, I just think at this time and place not seeing the moving is a huge mistake. It will lead to ineffective preparation and since lost people are seeing the movie -we need to address the talking points that will follow.
You choose your own way and follow God's leading. I just think the world expects us to boycott this and when we speak to it they will also ask us if we saw it and I want to be able to say yes so that I will have the credibility to speak to the issues at hand and be heard.
You choose your own course as I will. We will all live with the eternal results if any.
I also thrive on a little contraversy so the post is well worth my time. At least we are thinking more deeply for a change.
Sam, I don't think the world is looking for a way to disprove Christ I think the world is searching for answers. Sadly in the Church of America we are not asking the right questions nor are we answering their questions. We are in a holy bubble and if we ar enot careful we will excuse away our ineffectiveness as their problem and not ours.
I'm not saying this response applies to you. I am saying that it applies to a strong majority of believers and churches in America.
The world is not grabbing at things like the DaVinci Code to prove their position, I just believe they are hungry for God.
I respect your decision to not go and see the movie. I feel God leading me to go so I am obeying just as you feel you are.
I wanted to challenge your thinking and feel satisfied I have. You are a brother and I love you and respect you.
If I offended you I am sorry - it's just that your response and others is predictable and I expected to get a rise somewhere.
Blessings,
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