The Last King of Scotland

Well with Oscar buzz around, i have finally got to see one of the buzz worthy movies. "The Last King of Scotland." It was amazing. At least the acting was. I didn't know how violent the film was going to be and was a bit taken aback. Just an FYI.
Anyways, Forest Witiker was amazing, and it was a compeling story. It reminded me of Goodfellas.
Anyways, the reason for the post was to link to an interview with the author of the book the film was based on. It was quite interesting. I often wonder how the world has forsaken the African continent so much.
Here is the link the the interview. Click here.

Back to non-intellectual posts that won't get referanced on other hip blogs

So i have been accused of being overly intelectual. Well this should prove I'm not, but I just talk a good game.

So I saw the best movie as of late. And really it is a suprise of how much i dug it. It was called "The Protector." It is a Thai Film... Could this be because I would like to live in Thailand someday? Maybe... but alas "The Protector" was great!

So do you remember the movie Comando with Arnold? Like from 1984? Yeah, the one where his daughter was kidnaped by drug sumuglers? Well, "The Protector" has the same plot, but instead of his daughter, it is his family Elephant! And the elephant was kidnaped by Australian exotic meat dealers....

Oh yeah, and the action was super fun. Like Jackie Chan Fun!

Best Movie ever! And yes he beats people up with elephant bones.... So Good

(Note: Read this blog while listening the "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me)

What then are we left with?

"What are we left with then?"
This was the question a church goer asked about a month ago when I was telling him (in jest) my idea for the new Para-Church ministry I had come up with. "Jazz Hands for Jesus." It would be street evangelism team that did interprative dance depicting the events of the "Left Behind" Books, set to the music of Carmen.
(Note: when I was about 10 yrs. My parents gave me a carmen tape for Christmas. There was a song about Demons. I cried. I no longer liked Carmen.)
Anyways, about three weeks later, I was at a rodeo and this same church goer was there. The rodeo ended with the song "I can only imagine." while a little colt was corraled in smoke and fog around the ring. As this was happening, announcers pontificated on "a purpose driven life" hermanutic of God and existentialism... (Ie: God wants you to be a astronaut if that's what you want to be).
I was a bit offended by this display because it was out of place (after seeing calves being clotheslined, Bulls spurred, and the like all for show.) I called it sacrine and trite, and this church goer attacked me. Basically saying that I hate all things Christian and I am Christians' worst enemy for being critical of things with a Christian label.
However, after about 2 weeks of deliberating and thinking about this, I have come to realize that being critical of things that are called "Christian" is actually more orthodox than passivly injesting alot of the crap that is produced and dilute the true meaning of the gospel.
I strive to be a Berean critic of our culture and espcially things that carry the lable of "Christian." Check out Acts 17:11 to find out more about the Bereans.

Thus, I have concluded that I am not an enemy of Christian interaction with Culture, I am just decerning and encourage others to be dercerning too. Thus, I am not a fan of the Left Behind Books, I don't listen to much of the music on K-Love, I laugh at South Park because it points out truthes and areas in which I can help the church be less hypocritical. Also, I don't fear people haveing a different view than me. If you love Left Behind, that's great, but don't tell me it is on par with apocolyptical literature that has been shaping western civilization for the last 2000 years, and then call me "Too Intellectual" because of this.
So the question is this: "What then are we left with?" My answer is alot. Here are just a few things that are Christian in base and high quality that honnors God through its creative process and is more powerful and life changing than pulp-fiction and pre-packaged love songs to the holy spirit.

Music:
U2, Damien Jurardo, Handel, Johnny Cash, Sufjan Stevens, Pedro the Lion, David Bazan, TJ Walsh, The Soft Drugs, Anything by the Worship Circle people, and on and on and on

Books:
Fydor Dostevesky, Brennan Manning, Madaline L'engle, Nikos Kazantzakis, John Updike, St. John of the Cross... and on and on and on

Dallas Williard left the pastorate to go teach in secular colleges because he knew that if he stayed the world outside Christendom would write him off. And really isn't that what we are called to do? Shouldn't we strive to go out and make disiples of all nations? Should this not be part of the media Christendom produces? No wonder the world laughs and skewers Christianity for this, it seems that we have created a market share of amusing ourselves, and forgot our mandate.

(Note: I know this sounds accusatory and I know there is a place for the WOW 2006 CD's, but I think we in Christendom has developed a tendency to entertaining ourselves in an ivory tower we have built. And the walls are covered with Kurt Cammeron posters, and we play the Joel Orsteen board game.)

The Whole One Punk Thing

So i am wicked sick at the moment, and thus I am writing at 11:30 when i should be asleep. But alas I am coughing like a mofo.
Anyways, it served as a good excuse to finish up with the last episode of the Sundance Channel's "One Punk under God" Series.
If you haven't seen it, check it out on Itunes or your on-demand thingie for those that have fancy pants cable.
It may be the fact I am hopped up on cold meds, but I got a little teary at the end. Nothing has been such a good example of God's grace and love as this show has demonstrated. I can only hope that I show such love and care to those around me as that i have seen in this series. Something about family drama and honesty. It was really amazing. Anyways, I will write a more synthzied tome on this later, but for those that are in lands far away, try to get this show off of itunes. It is amazing!

Strange things about my dog, and a nice warm article on the internet.

So my puppy (12 months is still a puppy right?) sleeps with his eyes open. Sometimes i worry that he is seizing, but i don't think he is because when i say his name he responds. but it is really odd. You can totally see his eyes move his eyes and they roll around as he snores on his ginormous bed. It is so odd.
Anyways, I ran across this article this evening and felt all warm and the like. It is a list of the best 25 songs that typify the 1990's. It was so entertaining, since i have seen most of these bands in concert and own at least one cd that has the songs on them. Oh how i love that i have reached the age that my teenage music is better than what i find now... at least for the most part. Here is the link.

I am so Indie

Tonight I realized that I am so Punk Rock... Interestingly enough, I was at a punk rock concert when i realized this (actually it was Ska, but I am punk rock in classifying it as Punk Rock). So here is the list of why I am so indie/punk rock.

1. I enjoyed the opening band while "the herd" hated them and raised their middle finger in defiance. They rocked! Pop-Punk is so out of the mainstream it is mainstream. Take that Pitchfork Media.

2. I enjoy bands that everyone has heard of. Yeah, those mindless clones love to find the most obscure, but I enjoy the mass produced and am totally digging the My Chemical Romance CD even though Jay-Z made referance to it in his new CD.

3. I wore a button down collard shirt today. Leather and Spikes and ironic throw-back shirts are such a part of the machine.

4. I enjoy life... Yeah be a part of "the Man" and fake being apathetic. You will never understand my joy.

5. Oh yeah, I dig books, and even sometimes curl up with a Grisham now and then... Again so punk rock.

So you all can deal with that and ban me to the edge of society, and I will go to my career and you will never understand because you bought into that corprate mentality that I must be different and wear ironic clothing, and hate the bands that you paid 20+ dollars for... yeah you go and be part of the heard...


Oh yeah, Punk Rock shows are funny. It reminded me of going to shows in Seattle. Man, the sun is so punk rock. Who knew vitimin E was so indie...

Ok enough with the sarcasm. Goodnight.