When my son was little he got picked on by bullies in the neighborhood, so the whole family signed up for self-defense classes.  Then it got so when we’d watch action movies, we started noticing things.  Like, “That’s not how you would do that. It’s totally unrealistic.”  And it always drives me crazy to see a woman in labor on the screen yelling her head off when she’s supposed to be pushing.  I mean, come one. Have any of these actresses ever had kids?

Well, now that I’m focused on learning how to share the good news of salvation on the streets, I’m noticing things I never noticed before at the movies and it drives me crazy.  For instance, I just got done watching an old 1956 classic film, THE ROBE, on Netflix.  It stars Richard Burton as Roman Tribute Marcellus Gallio who is tormented by his guilty conscience after crucifying Jesus Christ.  He won Jesus’ robe playing dice, but when he draped it over his shoulders he went crazy and started acting like Lady Macbeth, washing his hands, and saying to everyone, “Were you there?”  Then he decides the robe is bewitched and sets off to destroy it, and runs into some disciples, including St. Peter.

I loved this film when I was a kid, and it’s still well done albeit hokey by modern standards.  But I never noticed before, in the entire film nobody once said that Jesus rose from the dead.  The central part of the gospel, and nobody says it.  Not once.  There was a little ditty sung by the lame woman about the empty tomb.  But no resurrection.  Christianity was portrayed as a philosophy of love and generosity.  When Jesus is referred to as a dead wonder-worker, I was the only one saying, “He’s not dead, he’s alive!  Just say it.  He has defeated death!” in my living room.  St. Paul in 1st Corinthians chapter 15 says, “If Christ is not raised from the dead then your faith is in vain…If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all..But Christ has been raised from the dead…(and) he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet, and the last enemy is death.”

Even when Peter healed Demetrius, who had been tortured to the point of death, Peter said, “Demetrius, wake up”, not like when he healed the crippled beggar at the Beautiful Gate in Acts chapter 3 and he said, “In the name of Jesus the Nazarene, rise and walk.”  The old woman in the film “War Room” said, “Remember to say, In the name of Jesus. People always forget the name of Jesus”.  Why couldn’t he have said, “Demetrius, in Jesus’ name, wake up.”?  When the physician asked how he was healed, they all looked dumb like, “Gosh, I don’t know how to explain it.”  The doctor concludes sorcery is afoot, and nobody contradicts him.  And let’s face it.  If Jesus had healed Demetrius, they wouldn’t have needed to carry him to a carriage to sneak him out of town.  He would have jumped up and raced them to it.  Because our God is awesome.

Then when Marcellus was defending himself before Caligula, he missed (or Hollywood made sure he missed) a perfect opportunity to preach the gospel.  And he still never mentioned the resurrection.  Jesus was a king not of this world and Marcellus was in his army.  He did say Jesus was son of God.  But let’s face it.  That wouldn’t have impressed Caligula.  All the Caesars were considered divine.  The Romans had all kinds of gods running around.  So what?  Marcellus said the robe was going to change the world; and I’m thinking, “The Robe is going to change the world?!  Jesus is going to change the world, you fool, not a robe.  Jesus!   Caesar isn’t lord–Jesus is Lord!!”  But he didn’t listen.  He’s going to his death over some nice guy who was executed.  Please!  He had a perfect opportunity to do some evangelization (and his last opportunity) and he flubbed it. Or Hollywood flubbed it. Of course we know why they did it that way.  A nice tame Jesus is much easier to sell than a divine Jesus who says “pick up your cross and follow me”.  But it did win two Oscars.  And it’s two hours of entertainment you can forget afterward without pricking your conscience.

There have been some good films lately that make one think.  “War Room” was well made and gave me some needed reminders about prayer.  “God isn’t Dead” was inspiring, too, although when the boy addresses the problem of evil in his defense of God, there were way more convincing arguments he could have used than what he did.  But still good film.  My favorite spiritual movie this year has to be “Risen”.  Now there is a film what puts it in your face.  “Jesus is risen.  Now make a choice.  What are you gonna do about it?”

Joan

Jesus is Lord. Spread the word.