Random Theological thoughts from an Ecumenical Postmodern Radical Reformed Arminian Neo-Orthodox Barthian Moderate Progressive to Liberal Baptist perspective (oh and some poetry and lyrics,too)
Preteens use dance to share faith 'Worship dance' company performs at churches By MELISSA NANN BURKE Daily Record/Sunday News
Article Last Updated: 09/25/2008 12:24:53 PM EDT
Allison Smith, center front, dances last week with other members fo Believe, a worship dance company at the Greater York Center for Dance Education. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - BIL BOWDEN)
The preteen dancers look like others you'll find stretching in contortive positions on the hardwood floor of any American dance studio. Black leotards, pink tights, locks pinned into hair-netted buns.
But when these girls take the stage, they don't tendue and tour to Tchaikovsky. They sashay to Steven Curtis Chapman. Instead of jazz hands, they bring their palms together in prayer.
They stretch their arms heavenward, wishing to be closer to God. At other points, dancers bow their heads in submission, miming a plea for forgiveness.
Their dance company is called Believe, a 3-year-old troupe based at the Greater York Center for Dance Education and performing in a style that blends elements of ballet, modern and lyrical dance.
Marina Rosario, a dancer with Believe, rehearses with the worship dance group. The troupe performs at local Christian congregations. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - BIL BOWDEN)
"I thought this was a good way to connect the two things I love most -- my faith and my love for dance," said 13-year-old Rebecca Swartz, an eighth-grader at Central York Middle School.
"The music is spiritual. It pleases God, and it's not like hip-hop, where the words can be bad or mention drugs."
Eleven-year-old Sarah Hoffman said, "If God gave me the gift of dance, I should express it back to him by using the talent he gave me."
The girls said they love the freedom of creating their own routines -- something they aren't permitted to do in other classes.
"It's more heart-driven dancing," said Lori Pergament, GYCDE's artistic director.
"It's open. Spiritual. If they're feeling moved by something, they can contribute to the choreography."
Performing at church services and other congregational events, Believe is sharing its form of worship dance across the county, said teacher Breanna Rufle Gruver.
"We just try to get across a positive message," said Gruver, a Catholic who began dancing at age 5.
"I'm a teacher in a lot of classes but I feel a special connection to my girls on worship team. You just feel closer to somebody when you have that spiritual connection."
Gruver prays with the dancers before rehearsal. At performances -- usually two or three each spring -- they gather in a circle and ask God to bless their performance and communicate his love to their audience.
Believe charges nothing to congregations who ask them to perform. Their only requirement is space -- roughly 30 feet by 10 feet.
For the past 2 Weds. we've been watching the film---The Mission---which we will discuss next Wed. Vick Griffin's handout consisted of this information:
[edit] Historical basis---Wikipedia The Mission is based on events surrounding the Treaty of Madrid in 1750, in which Spain ceded part of Jesuit Paraguay to Portugal. The movie's narrator, "Altamirano", speaking in hindsight in 1758, corresponds to the actual Andalusian Jesuit Father Luis Altamirano, who had been sent by Jesuit Superior General Ignacio Visconti to Paraguay in 1752 to transfer territory from Spain to Portugal. He oversaw the transfer of seven missions south and east of the Río Uruguay, that had been settled by Guaranis and Jesuits in the 1600s. As compensation, Spain had promised each mission 4,000 pesos, or fewer than 1 peso for each of the circa 30,000 Guaranis of the seven missions, while the cultivated lands, livestock, and buildings were estimated to be worth 7-16 million pesos. The movie's climax is the Guarani War of 1754-1756, during which historical Guaranis defended their homes against Spanish-Portuguese forces implementing the Treaty of Madrid. For the movie, a re-creation was made of one of the seven missions, São Miguel das Missões.[1]
Father Gabriel's character is loosely based on the life of Paraguayan saint and Jesuit Roque González de Santa Cruz.
The waterfall setting of the movie suggests the combination of these events with the story of older missions, founded between 1610-1630 on the Río Paranapanemá above the Guaíra Falls, from which Paulista slave raids forced Guaranis and Jesuits to flee in 1631. The battle at the end of the movie evokes the 8-day battle of Mboboré in 1641, a battle fought on land as well as in boats on rivers, in which the Jesuit-organized, firearm-equipped Guarani forces stopped the Paulista raiders.[2] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Released in 1986, starring Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons; -#15 on Arts & Faith Top 100 Spiritually Significant Films list; -Nominated for 7 Oscars; won for Best Cinematography; -Directed by Roland Joffe [nominated previously for The Killing Fields] -Screenplay written by Robert Bolt, whose credits included Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and A Man for All Seasons; Bolt won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for both Doctor Zhivago and A Man for All Seasons; -The Guaranís were actually portrayed by a village of Colombian Indians [the Waunanas], who were transported 1,000 miles to the site of the production; -In the blockbuster animated film Madagascar, Alex the lion gets a cross-shaped cactus stuck to his back. He then falls down a waterfall referencing the opening scene of The Mission ; -Soundtrack composed by Ennio Morricone [nominated for 5 Oscars, Honorary Oscar in 2007]. Composed and scored music to over 500 film and television projects during his career.
Not Peace, but a Sword 34 ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. 37Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
1The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 3Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
The highly problematic, revisionist portrayal of South American history during the mid-eighteenth century in The Mission calls for even more scrutiny. Two Jesuit missionaries, played by high-profile Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro, participate in the resistance against the intermingled conflicts with Spain, Portugal, the Pope, and many a merchant whose monetary concerns dictate their actions. The end result is "calamitous . . . : the Battle of Caibale (1756), during which [the two Jesuit leaders], several other Jesuits, and some 1500 Indians die," according to Michael Dempsey. Speaking of the seemingly licensed fictionality of the two key Jesuit characters, Joffé refers to "liberation theology" in saying that "The film in that sense is intimately concerned with the struggle for liberation in liberation theology, and that's why the historical perspective is very important, because what it's actually saying is that these people haven't come out of nowhere" [emphasis mine]. It is then Joffé and his team's historical perspectives that enable them, as Dempsey aptly puts it, to "re-oppress the people with overbearing film technology and appropriate their story for a grandiose prestige spectacle." (For full context see: Roland JOFFÉ)
This is not to say that Fr. Gabriel is concerned only with his converts’ eternal state but not with their temporal condition. On the contrary, St. James’ exhortation to look after the bodily needs of the poor as well as their spiritual needs was the whole point of the ambitiously utopian Jesuit reduccion mission communities.
During Altamirano’s inspection of the Guaranís’ living conditions on their reducciones, a haughty Spanish official opposing the Jesuits’ resistance to the slave trade sniffs, "I see no difference between this plantation and my own." Whereupon Fr. Gabriel answers emphatically: "That is the difference: This plantation is theirs." It is precisely this for which Fr. Gabriel contends, and for which he is willing in the end to die — though not, as a priest, to kill.
In fact, concern for the temporal is so evidently a theme in The Mission that some Christian viewers have been concerned about possible "liberation theology" implications in the film. In its more extreme forms, liberation theology was a purely temporal ideology that merged into Marxism. Yet to me at least it seems clear that the admirable figure here is the gentle martyr Fr. Gabriel, not the armed warrior Mendoza; the film doesn’t seem to be an apologia for armed revolution. Nor is it possible to limit the scope of the film’s interest, like that of Marxism, to the merely temporal; clearly the spiritual matters here as well.
It’s probably a moot point anyway; liberation theology is effectively dead, at least in Catholic circles. To charge a particular film with promoting liberation theology is like saying that The Three Musketeers promotes dueling: That might have been an issue once, but not today.
The Mission is not a perfect film, but it is a rich, challenging one that explores the spiritual and the temporal, and the relationship between them, in a thought-provoking way. It contains moving images of despair, penance, and redemption that are among the most evocative ever filmed. It offers a positive depiction of Catholic missionaries as selfless champions and defenders of indigenous peoples and their ways of life rather than as oppressors or imperialists. It begins and ends in martyrdom — in bearing witness, signed in blood. It deserves attentive watching and thoughtful reflection.
The Serra beatification highlights the issue of what kind of message the Church wants to send today to the world, especially the Third World, where the church would like to strengthen its hand. One Southern California priest has referred to the Majorca-born Serra as an "affirmative action saint," offered to a church that, in the Sunbelt at least, is becoming increasingly Latino. In downtown Los Angeles and other urban centers THE MISSION was shown with Spanish subtitles.
And while the debate over evangelizing people in the Third World may be settled, the related matter of obedience is not. Father Daniel Berrigan, a rather rebellious Jesuit who has said "no" many times to the powers that be of this culture, and who plays a bit part in the film, suggested in American Film that there is a direct line between the Jesuit reducciones portrayed in THE MISSION, and the "Christian base communities" now being created among the poor by some priests in Latin America.
Others make the connection between priests who cast off the cloth and became revolutionary guerrillas in the 1960s, as well as the more moderate adherents of "liberation theology," which has been criticized by the Pope. Joffe recently told the Los Angeles Times that while filming the picture, "I became fascinated with liberation theology." Several members of the ruling Sandinista directorate in Nicaragua are former priests, and were publicly chided by the Pope during his 1986 visit to Managua.
Those clerics like Berrigan and his brother Phillip, a former Jesuit, who ally themselves with the poor and politically dispossessed and against the established order continue to run into trouble, as evidenced by last winter's meeting of U.S. bishops in Washington, which backed the Vatican in temporarily disciplining Seattle Bishop Raymond G. Hunthausen. Two American Jesuit priests have been forced from their order in the past year because of teachings and acts alleged to be at odds with dogma, especially in the area of sexuality. For a brief period, the Pope personally appointed the order's governing Superior General in Rome, an unprecedented break in the Jesuits' history of electing their own leader.
Addressing a crowd at Corrientes, Argentina, the Pope John Paul paid a kind of backhanded (and inaccurate) tribute to the Jesuits of THE MISSION, saying, "the missions and doctrines of the Jesuits constitute, without a doubt, one of the most worthwhile achievements that unified the Spanish, Portuguese and native worlds." In the audience were many Indians, who hold an annual procession for the Virgin Mary, whom they call "the Queen of the Guaranis."
There is evidence, apart from the Serra beatification, that that the commitment displayed by the Jesuits in THE MISSION does have a place in the sainthood process. Supporters of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was gunned down by a right-wing death squad in El Salvador because of his opposition to the authoritarian regime then in power — an incident roughly recreated in the filmSALVADOR — are now asking Rome to declare him "venerable," the first of the three steps to sainthood.
One other thing to note is the echoes between this film and the film version of Oscar Romero's life, which was produced in 1989. You can watch the whole film Romero in an earlier post of mine: TheoPoetic Musings: Romero-The Movie.
1:58-7:55 is similar to the last scene of The Mission part of which can be seen at 1:30 in The Mission's trailer: .
[edit] Themes---Wikipedia Spielberg drew the story of E.T. from the divorce of his own parents;[20] Gary Arnold of the Washington Post called the film "essentially a spiritual autobiography, a portrait of the filmmaker as a typical suburban kid set apart by an uncommonly fervent, mystical imagination".[21] Reflections of Steven Spielberg's childhood are seen throughout: Elliott feigns illness by holding his thermometer to a light bulb while covering his face with a heating pad, which was a trick frequently employed by the young Spielberg.[22] Michael's picking on Elliott echoes Spielberg's teasing of his younger sisters,[6] and Michael's evolution from tormentor to protector reflects how Spielberg had to take care of his sisters after their father left.[8]
Critics have focused on the parallels between the life of E.T. and Elliott, who is "alienated" by the loss of his father.[23][24] The New York Times film critic A.O. Scott wrote that while E.T. "is the more obvious and desperate foundling", Elliott "suffers in his own way from the want of a home".[25] (coincidentally, E.T. is the first and last letter of Eliott's name).[26] At the film's heart is the theme of growing up. Critic Henry Sheehan described the film as a retelling of Peter Pan from the perspective of a Lost Boy (Elliott).[27] E.T. cannot survive physically on Earth, as Pan could not survive emotionally in Neverland; Neverland’s pirates are replaced by government scientists.[27] Some critics have suggested that Spielberg's portrayal of suburbia is very dark, contrary to popular belief. A.O. Scott said, "The suburban milieu, with its unsupervised children and unhappy parents, its broken toys and brand-name junk food, could have come out of a Raymond Carver story,"[25] and Charles Taylor of Salon.com said, "Spielberg's movies, despite the way they're often characterized, are not Hollywood idealizations of families and the suburbs. The homes here bear what the cultural critic Karal Ann Marling called 'the marks of hard use'."[20]
Spielberg admitted this scene triggered speculation as to whether the film was a religious parable.
[28]Other critics found religious parallels between E.T. and Jesus.[29][30] Andrew Nigels described the story of E.T. as "crucifixion by military science" and "resurrection by love and faith".[31] According to Spielberg biographer Joseph McBride, Universal Studios appealed directly to the Christian market, with a poster reminiscent of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam and a logo reading "Peace".[12] Spielberg answered that he did not intend the film to be a religious parable, joking, "If I ever went to my mother and said, 'Mom, I've made this movie that's a Christian parable,' what do you think she'd say? She has a kosher restaurant on Pico and Doheny in Los Angeles."[28]
As a substantial body of film criticism has built up around E.T., numerous writers have analyzed the film in other ways as well. E.T. has been analyzed as a modern fairy tale[32] and in psychoanalytic terms.[32][24] Producer Kathleen Kennedy noted that an important theme of E.T. is tolerance, which would be central to future Spielberg films such as Schindler's List.[6] Having been a loner as a teenager, Spielberg described the film as "a minority story".[33] Spielberg's common theme of communication is partnered with the ideal of common understanding as represented in his depiction of humans and aliens: he asks that if an alien and a human can become friends, so too can many enemies who live close to one another on Earth.[34]
Theme of Persecution Theme of Family Critics and Supporters Theme of Innocence Theme of Healing Theme of Sacrificial Love Theme of Reserection
Also from the same website, check out this section:
Other Interesting Facts
-When E.T. died the doctor pronounced him dead at 15:36 (3:36 p.m.). It is especially significant to recall that the Gospels place the death of Jesus on the cross at some brief time after the 'ninth hour' Matthew 27:45). The Hebrew day began at 6 a.m. so the ninth hour would have been 3 p.m.
- “Both E.T. and Christ are 'extra-terrestrials,' coming into the world from the 'outside in.' Both begin their 'adventures on earth' in less-than-auspicious circumstances - E.T. in a shed behind the home where he takes up residence, Christ in an animal shelter behind the 'inn.'
- Jesus states: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3). Elliott (to Gertie): "Grownups can't see him. Only little kids can see him." And from Mark 9:37: "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me..."
- Matthew 27:51 mentions that after Jesus died, the "earth shook and the rocks split." In the 1982 E.T. novel: "They [the doctors] hardly noticed the momentary flicker in the lights, and in the equipment, nor did they fully perceive the trembling of the house, the valley. This was reserved for other men, other equipment, those that monitor disturbances deep in the Earth's core...".
- E.T. tells Elliott repeatedly: "E.T. phone home." What Bible verse is known as 'God's telephone number'? Jeremiah 33:3. ["Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."] In Rolling Stone magazine (Jan. 18/01) Bono confirmed that he changed the airport gate-sign on the cover of U2's latest album ["All That You Can't Leave Behind"] to J33-3. Bono told RS: "It was done like a piece of graffiti - It's known as 'God's telephone number'."
- Before His ascension, Jesus promises his disciples: "And surely I will be with you always..."(Matthew 28:20). Before E.T.'s ascension in the spaceship he says "I'll be right here," fingertip glowing over Elliott's chest. [E.T.'s own chest contains a glowing heart-light, analogous to the Sacred Heart portraits of Jesus.] He also said in his final moments on earth to Elliott, 'Come.' Matthew 14:29 reads, 'And he said, Come.'
Each of these examples came from (E.t. the Extra Terrestrial Savoir, 2006) and (Mann, 2005).
16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
How to Share Your Faith Using Hannah Montana Written by: Jane Dratz Position: Editorial Coordinator Posted: 11-05-2007 Culture Commission Archives Tweener phenom Hannah Montana's (aka Miley Cyrus') whirlwind tour is packing concert venues across the country. If she hasn't already descended on a city near you... trust me, when she does, you're going to hear about it before, during and after her entourage sweeps in and out of town! Like it or not the buzz is deafening. Scoring a ticket has become a notable event in and of itself, if not for the swoon effect exhibited by ultra-devoted Hannah Montana fans, then for its potential resale value. Hannah's buzz is so intense and intentional that ticket prices on the resale market start at $300 in most concert cities and have reached a reported $2565.00 for a single ticket to the Charlotte, NC show. Perhaps you are already more aware of this phenom than you want to be, but for the benefit of those who are still Hannah-oblivious, here's the crash course...Disney's Hannah Montana is a normal teen by day and a rock star by night - but this dual life is a secret from all but her family and her closest friends. Fanatical fans, world travel, shoes, hot clothes - did I mention shoes? - fill her world when she's inhabiting her rock star persona. But each morning a regular day-life awaits her as a typical teen with the normal teen joys and challenges - so what's not to love? As the song goes, it's "The Best of Both Worlds." Who wouldn't want to live their stardom dream AND keep their normal life? And maybe that's the appeal. Deep down we all want to live our dreams. But how do you figure out in the first place what your dream is? What will really satisfy you in life? And if you're a believer, where does God fit into your dreams for the future? (Read more: Here).
You... You need to discover Who can make you feel free And I, I need to uncover, The part of you that's reaching out for me Hey hey hey!
I know where I stand I know who I am I would never run away when life gets bad I'ts Everything I see, Every part of me I know I can change the world, yeah, yeah, yeah!
So do you know where you stand and who you are in Christ? Do you stand against the things that Christ stood against? (Predjudice, racism, classism, bigotry, judgementalism, literalism, self-righteousness, materialism, sexism, social and individual sins, etc.) And do you stand up for the ones Christ stood up for? (The poor, the oppressed, the enslaved, drunks, homosexuals, prostitutes, tax-collectors, the elderly, the disabled, etc.)
Last week, we finished Cool Hand Luke, so this week we discussed Christ-figures in film. After a brief sketch of ideas, we looked at two scenes from Superman---so here are some ideas of Superman as messianic archetype:
Divine Paternity
[5] David Bruce considered the infant Kal-El (Lee Quigley) to be the only begotten son of Jor-El (Marlon Brando), thus forming the second member of the Holy trinity (Matt. 28:19).12 Kal-El was the son of Jor-El just as Jesus was �the Son of God� (Mark 1:1; Heb. 10:29; 1 John 4:15). Indeed, in Superman II (hereafter S2), Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) described Superman (Christopher Reeve) as �the son of Jor El� thereby mimicking the biblical form. To further establish the paternity of the Jor-El/Kal-El, God/Jesus, Father/Son relationship, the holographic Jor-El in the newly constructed Fortress of Solitude specifically referred to Kal-El as �my son� and to himself as �your father.� Their indissoluble genetic link was further indicated by their respective hairstyles. The stately Jor-El, the teenage Clark Kent (Jeff East) and the adult Superman (but not the adult Clark Kent) had cute forelocks dangling upon their foreheads. This biological fact resonated with Jesus�s identity claim that: �if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also� (John 14:7).
First, Kal-El and Jor-El are plays on the generic Hebrew names for God: אל (El)-singular and אֱלוֹהִים (Elohim)-plural.
Secondly, A transliteration of Jesus’ Hebrew name, which means “Jesus the Messiah.”---also, spells the tetragrammaton out in initials, which is God’s revealed name. יהוה or Yahweh and Jesus is Yahshua or יהשוה.
Influences An influence on early Superman stories is the context of the Great Depression. The left-leaning perspective of creators Shuster and Siegel is reflected in early storylines. Superman took on the role of social activist, fighting crooked businessmen and politicians and demolishing run-down tenements.[33] This is seen by comics scholar Roger Sabin as a reflection of "the liberal idealism of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal", with Shuster and Siegel initially portraying Superman as champion to a variety of social causes.[34] In later Superman radio programs the character continued to take on such issues, tackling a version of the KKK in a 1946 broadcast.[35][36] Siegel and Shuster's staus as children of Jewish immigrants is also thought to have influenced their work. Timothy Aaron Pevey has argued that they crafted "an immigrant figure whose desire was to fit into American culture as an American", something which Pevey feels taps into an important aspect of American identity.[37]
Siegel himself noted that the many mythic heroes which exist in the traditions of many cultures bore an influence on the character, including Hercules and Samson.[6] The character has also been seen by Scott Bukatman to be "a worthy successor to Lindberg ... (and) also ... like Babe Ruth", and is also representative of the United States dedication to "progress and the 'new'" through his "invulnerable body ... on which history cannot be inscribed."[38] Further, given that Siegel and Shuster were noted fans of pulp science fiction,[14] it has been suggested that another influence may have been Hugo Danner. Danner was the main character of the 1930 novel Gladiator by Philip Wylie, and is possessed of same powers of the early Superman.[39]
Because Siegel and Shuster were both Jewish, some religious commentators and pop-culture scholars such as Rabbi Simcha Weinstein and British novelist Howard Jacobson suggest that Superman's creation was partly influenced by Moses,[40][41] and other Jewish elements. Superman's Kryptonian name, "Kal-El," resembles the Hebrew words קל-אל, which can be taken to mean "voice of God".[42] [43]. The suffix "el", meaning "(of) God"[44] is also found in the name of angels (e.g. Gabriel, Ariel), who are flying humanoid agents of good with superhuman powers. Jewish legends of the Golem have been cited as worthy of comparison,[45] a Golem being a mythical being created to protect and serve the persecuted Jews of 16th century Prague and later revived in popular culture in reference to their suffering at the hands of the Nazis in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Superman is often seen as being an analogy for Jesus, being a saviour of humanity.[41][45][34][46]
Whilst the term Superman was initially coined by Nietzsche, it is unclear how influential Nietzsche and his ideals were to Siegel and Shuster.[41] Les Daniels has speculated that "Siegel picked up the term from other science fiction writers who had casually employed it", further noting that "his concept is remembered by hundreds of millions who may barely know who Nietzsche is."[6] Others argue that Siegel and Shuster "could not have been unaware of an idea that would dominate Hitler's National Socialism. The concept was certainly well discussed."[47] Yet Jacobson and others point out that in many ways Superman and the Übermensch are polar opposites.[40] Nietzsche envisioned the Übermensch as a man who had transcended the limitations of society, religion, and conventional morality while still being fundamentally human. Superman, although an alien gifted with incredible powers, chooses to honor human moral codes and social mores. Nietzsche envisioned the perfect man as being beyond moral codes; Siegel and Shuster envisioned the perfect man as holding himself to a higher standard of adherence to them.[48]
Siegel and Shuster have themselves discussed a number of influences that impacted upon the character. Both were avid readers, and their mutual love of science fiction helped to drive their friendship. Siegel cited John Carter stories as an influence: "Carter was able to leap great distances because the planet Mars was smaller that the planet Earth; and he had great strength. I visualized the planet Krypton as a huge planet, much larger than Earth".[22] The pair were also avid collectors of comic strips in their youth, cutting them from the newspaper, with Winsor McKay's Little Nemo firing their imagination with its sense of fantasy.[49] Shuster has remarked on the artists which played an important part in the development of his own style, whilst also noting a larger influence: "Alex Raymond and Burne Hogarth were my idols — also Milt Caniff, Hal Foster, and Roy Crane. But the movies were the greatest influence on our imagination: especially the films of Douglas Fairbanks Senior."[50] Fairbanks' role as Robin Hood was certainly an inspiration, as Shuster admitted to basing Superman's stance upon scenes from the movie.[51] The movies also influenced the storytelling and page layouts,[52] whilst the city of Metropolis was named in honor of the Fritz Lang motion picture of the same title.[22]
little child dry your crying eyes how can I explain the fear you feel inside cause you were born into this evil world where man is killing man but no one knows just why what have we become just look what we have done all that we destroyed you must build again
when the children cry let them know we tried cause when the children sing then the new world begins
little child you must show the way to a better day for all the young cause you were born for all the world to see that we all can live with love and peace no more presidents and all the wars will end one united world under god
when the children cry let them know we tried cause when the children sing then the new world begins
what "have we" become just look what we have done all that we destroyed you must build again no more presidents and all the wars will end one united world under god
when the children cry let them know we tried when the children fight let them know it ain't right when the children pray let them know the way cause when the children sing then the new world begins
Unlike most bands of their genre, White Lion recorded occasional songs that addressed social or political issues such as apartheid ("Cry for Freedom") and the effect of divorce on children ("Broken Home"). The song "Little Fighter" was about the Rainbow Warrior, a ship owned by the environmental group Greenpeace that was illegally destroyed by operatives of the French intelligence service. This concern for political and social issues was also hinted at in the cover art to their album Big Game, which featured a lion's head hidden in tall grass with the White House in the background.
Read an interview with band member and co-founder of the group here.
On Wed. Nights, I am doing a study on Faith and Film led by Vick Griffin of our church. The first movie that we are watching is Cool Hand Luke. Reprinted below is a handout that Vick prepared, which I have hyperlinked relevant sections for further study:
-Nominated for 4 Oscars [Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Music, Original Music Score, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium]
-Supporting cast included Dennis Hopper, Harry Dean Stanton, Strother Martin, Jo Van Fleet, Ralph Waite, Wayne Rogers, Joe Don Baker and Anthony Zerbe, among others
Here is an excerpt from the book The Gospel According To Bruce:
Bruce's Ten Suggestions for Spiritual Living
1. The world has gone awry. The world according to Bruce is often portrayed as a gritty, conflicted, sometimes dark and sinister place. It differs for the particular characters involved in each song, of course, but the darkness is always there on the edge of things or not very far beneath the surface.
2. There is a power within the souls of men and women to transcend the world and to achieve real victories in spite of the world. For every homeless loser who has left his wife and kids high and dry back in Baltimore, there is that good man or good woman who works endlessly at a thankless job to meet his or her responsibilities. People have within them the power to choose to be true to themselves and what really matters.
3. The world is as it is. There is both great pain and great joy in life, Springsteen affirms. Once we have accepted that the pain is part of the deal, then we are free to experience genuine joy when it comes our way.
4. Life without connections is empty and dangerous. Springsteen sings of a stark array of misfits, criminals and losers. But there is always compassion in the portraits he presents, and we sense that the line between winners and losers is a narrow one and that what differentiates the former from the latter are the connections they have with other people.
5. Our stories symbolize something deeper. The great lie of our contemporary, celebrity-crazed culture is that only the rich and famous have stories worth telling. There are almost no celebrities featured in Springsteen's songs. His stories are our stories, and the wisdom (as well as the folly) they contain is ours, too.
6. Life is embodied. Sexuality is intrinsically neither good nor evil, Springsteen implies; here, as in all human ventures, only good soil will produce worthy fruit.
7. It's all about change. If we cling to the past, it withers and dies. If we let it go gracefully and move on to the next stage of our lives, the gifts of the past can continue to bless us.
8. There is no guarantee of success. Sometimes life teaches us lessons about humility and silence and emptiness and pain and unanswered prayers. At those times, we know that our true treasure is the power of our own integrity, and our reward lies in keeping faith with those other decent, down-to-earth, hardworking people everywhere.
9. Hope is resilient. The men and women in Springsteen's songs may win or they may lose, but they seldom abandon all hope. Despair is seldom, if ever, given the final word. It is hope that carries us human ones on the sacred vector toward life's divine possibilities.
10. There is always something more. If Bruce is luminous in his work — shining a light of perception on the horizontal dimension of this earthly life — so he is numinous as well — casting this life we lead in the brilliance of an almost mystic glow; shedding the radiance of discernment on that vertical beam which crashes through the linear plane of existence and points it toward that which is higher, deeper, somehow transcendent.
A Meaningful Knot
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During our time in Ireland last May, my co-leader Claire Davidson Frederick
guided our students through walking the prayer labyrinth at Glendalough.
Grow...
Why the World Feels Dead
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Here is an interesting video on the de-enchantment or de-sacralization that
has taken place in Western Civilization and how to re-enchant or
re-sacralize...
Science Corner: Matters of Representation
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With respect to the recently deceased Tom Lehrer, how you get the right
answer can also be important.
The post Science Corner: Matters of Representation ...
Can a Chatbot Reason?
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I had the opportunity to have a really interesting conversation on Reddit
about LLMs and reasoning. The person who wrote the original post expressed
surpri...
On the Fear of Becoming a Monster
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As a kid, I loved monster movies (think Godzilla) and old-time horror
(think Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee). They didn't scare me.
But then I watche...
Joseph Husband of Mary
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What about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. We know vere little about
him, but I think we know the most important thing. And that thing could
empower o...
S.M.A.R.T. Coach
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We created this S.M.A.R.T. system to make leading easier at the district
and building level. With S.M.A.R.T. we integrated coaching, monitoring and
account...
[VIDEO] Embedding Yourself in Open Community
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I have been sharing a lot with friends, colleagues, and clients recently,
the life giving importance I have found in being completely embedded in
open comm...
Common Issues For Commercial Laundry Machines
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When it comes to operating a commercial laundry, you have a lot of
responsibilities and that includes having a supply of commercial laundry
parts. You must...
Aquinas on emotion, pt. 1 (ST 2.22)
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The account of the emotions (or passions) serves an important role in the
anthropology of Thomas Aquinas' *Summa theologica*, being situated between
the ...
Review of Brandan Robertson's TRUE INCLUSION
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Review of “True Inclusion”
0
September 17, 2018
Written by DAVID GILLESPIE
How Much More Can Be Said? A review of True Inclusionby Brandan Robertson.
St. Lo...
Denah Rumah Type 36 Luas Tanah 72
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Ini adalah contoh koleksi gambar keren tetang *Denah Rumah Type 36 Luas
Tanah 72* yang dapat di download. kami mengumpulkan gambar cantk ini dari
interne...
US Men Miss 2018 World Cup
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US Misses Out on World Cup and Americans Experience Weeping, Wailing, and
Gnashing of Teeth
I have a different view.
Yes, it was an upset, but it wasn’t t...
7 years ago
Moments To Commit Full Time Freelancing
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The fast-paced occasions in can be quite a bit frustrating when attempting
to operate a successful freelancing career, we currently live. Being your
own ch...
I Got a Job!
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I’m glad to announce I will be returning to teaching in the Fall at St.
Anne-Pacelli Catholic School. It’s where I had to leave from when the
seizures sta...
Essential Pieces Of Furniture For Small Bedrooms
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If you have a small home, you are probably trying to work out which are the
important pieces of furniture you need to turn your tiny bedroom into a
conveni...
Exciting News & Upcoming Changes!
-
Hello friends and followers of the blog, I wanted to share some exciting
new developments in the life of my family and ministry. As many of you
know, my fa...
Planned Parenthood and El Roi (The God Who Sees)
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*By Aaron Weaver*
For two weeks in July, I traveled with a bunch of Baptists across South
Africa for a mission experience followed up with a global gathe...
Reflection on Luke 1:26-38 for Advent 4.
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Our reading about Mary visiting her relative Elizabeth follows straight on
after the angel announced to Mary about the miracle of her virgin pregnancy
and ...
Last Blog Post
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This will be my last blog post as Mainstream Baptist.
For an explanation why I am no longer willing to identify myself as a
Baptist, see the post below and/...
Scientists Examine the Power of Prayer
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Well this is interesting. A new paper in a forthcoming issue of the *Journal
of Experimental Social Psychology* presents evidence that prayer can
increase...
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Week 4 of the college football season didn't offer up much in the way of
big-time matchups. The only game featuring two ranked teams was No. 5
Stanford ...
Gun Reality
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I posted something about this a long time ago, but I guess I need to re-do
it (and add in some reality on some other vocabulary). I just get tired of
peopl...
The Right’s Abortion / Climate Change Dilemma
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It was Rick Perry who summed up the Right's position by saying that he
would always err on the side of life. But that, again, appears to be a very
selectiv...
How to Get to My Blog
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Some of you have been experiencing problems in getting to my new blog site.
You need to type into your browser the address and make absolutely sure
your br...
Trinity, Relational Wholeness, and Love
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The gents over at Prodigal Kiwi(s) have posted today on Trinitarian
theology and human relatedness. Worth a read: I’ve heard of Stephen
Seamands, but I’ve ...
A Great Pairing
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I recently got both of these for Christmas. (ok, well I used my Christmas
"splurge" $ and a gift card to get these for myself for Christmas. (Can I
just sa...
Moving Out
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Been listening to Billy Joel quite a bit lately and his song, "Moving Out"
has been stuck in my head, especially the following lyrics:
It seems such a wast...
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
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Okay, so I decided to transform this blog some time ago (January to be
exact) into a place where I could blog about all the “little” things in
life that br...
More Pictures
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My students as they prepare to sing the N.C. State Fight song!
Lucy, Me, and DeAnna showing off our "wolf hands"
Some of the girls waiting outside of the...
Allison Smith, center front, dances last week with other members fo Believe, a worship dance company at the Greater York Center for Dance Education. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - BIL BOWDEN)
Marina Rosario, a dancer with Believe, rehearses with the worship dance group. The troupe performs at local Christian congregations. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - BIL BOWDEN)
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