Third Way Faith: "The Efficient Gospel" - Response

“The Efficient Gospel”

The way technology works now means that the younger generations cannot work outside of this efficient and immediate needs. These values are completely contrary to what the Gospel teaches. These social “virtues” makes it harder to relate to God because God requires patience. With the technology progressing to rapidly into faster and faster ways of communicating.

Ironically, this rapidly progressing communications actually breaks down what we really need from these electronic means of communication. Most of the communications made face to face actually lasts. However, when communication came from e-mail, it broke down much quicker than the relationships that were made face to face.

This is very clear in the way that people talk and communicate today. Instead of calling someone, I can text or facebook them easier and when I do that I do not even need to spend the time waiting for an answer. I can go about my day, and if they message me back, that's great. But if they do not, it is not a big deal.

Technology can be completely ruining everything that we have worked so hard on. The main problem with technology is that it is a great resource. However, we cannot rely on technology to get us everywhere we need to go. When it comes down to it, it is the face to face communication that bring us closer to the ones around us and also helps us to follow the Gospel.

The Gospel of Society is that if it is easy and quick and makes you feel good, then it is good for you and you should continue living that way. However, nothing in the Gospel of Christ points to life being quick, easy, or even efficient. The Gospels teaches us that we must be patient in order to reach a more perfect goal than the ones we set for ourselves. The Gospels teaches us that love is more than just feeling, it's an expression of self-giving life that cares more about the person you love than of yourself.

In order to live out Christ's Gospel then is to understand that technology is great when used properly. Technology can be an amazing resource to have, when used properly. However, it is when technology is all we use that we lose what it means to be human and to have people around us actually be with us emotionally and not just physically sitting next to you and yet not having any interactions with each other. Texting and e-mails have given us a whole new way to communicate because it requires significantly less emotional involvement. I could easily text someone something and not expect for an opener or a closer or any depth other than the question they are asking. However, if you call or actually take the time to meet with someone face to face, then there are many social customs that you have to follow in order to not be rude.

Links to Podcast that I listened to that this post was written in response to:

http://thirdway.strangeidealabs.com/audio/Efficient%20Gospel.mp3

feed://thirdway.strangeidealabs.com/audio/podcast.xml Episode #17

Romantic Comedy Director: Ken Kwapis

Ken Kwapis is a director that started off directing in Television in 1983. However, recently he has started directing mainstream films. Ken Kwapis tends to direct romantic comedy movies such as License to Wed and He's Just Not That Into You. However, in his television career, he directed everything from “CBS Afternoon Playhouse” to “ER” to “The Office”. Through directing these television shows, he was able to establish both credibility and control and therefore made it easier for him to transition into making films as well. Ken Kwapis did direct a movie in 1991 called He Said, She Said. Similar to his more recent movies, this also was a romantic comedy. But for most of the beginning of his career, he directed television episodes.

Throughout these romantic comedies that he directs, there tends to be the same types of themes. One theme that seems to occur in his films is a flawed relationship needing perfection. In his movies, there always is a couple that needs to overcome something in order to find itself. For example, in License to Wed, the main couple needs to get through with the marriage prep course and understand each other better. Another movie that he directed was Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. In this movie, Lena and Kostas must overcome the differences in their families to be together. Because of these two movies, it is not a shock that after these two movies he made He's Just Not That Into You. In this movie there is anything and everything that is wrong with the couples and people and all of the characters have a comedic romantic problem to get over by the end of the movie.

Although Ken Kwapis started his career in Television, his transition into a film director seems to have gone very smoothly. He still directs episodes from current seasons of shows such as “The Office”. This ability to be able to transfer from television to film shows how he has become a well respected director in Hollywood. It also shows that as a director, you do not have to choose between television and film. Ken Kwapis is a great example of being able to work well in many environments.

Pants Bring Us Together

One of my favorite movies is The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Having read the book before the movie came out in June of 2005, Ken Kwapis definitely held true enough to the book's version of the story where I enjoyed the movie and felt like the differences were not crucial enough to bother me. This story is about four girls who have been inseparable, even since before they were born. It is a story about their struggle of leaving each other sides for a summer. Through their individual adventures and experiences, they must find how to be individuals and still an intimate part of this unique group at the same time.

This seemingly unsurpassable journey begins with immediately meeting the four girls and finding a pair of jeans. Now, even though each girl is definitely differently shaped, each of the girls looks stunning in this pair of jeans. Who would have though that it was going to take a pair of jeans to keep them together even though they are far away from each other.

Ken Kwapis takes us through this journey with excitement and tears. He even tells people that "Since [Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants] was released, I can't tell you how many conversations I've had about public displays of emotion in general, and crying at the movies in particular. I've received messages from male friends berating me for creating something that brought them to tears. I've received emails from girls who claim they'd never cried at the movies before Pants. And there are many rave reviews that are quite apologetic in tone. Many journalists have a hard time distinguishing between honest emotion and sentiment. I feel certain the audience knows the difference." Even though I enjoyed the film, to hear that many others felt the same way truly speaks to the way that Ken directed the movie.

This movie especially hits all the aspects that Ken Kwapis tends to lean towards in his movies, romantic comedies. He understands his story and the most effective way of telling it. He knows exactly what he is filming and why each scene is there. He has a romance in Greece which he portrays beautifully and a father and daughter being reunited and the struggles a daughter must go through when she finds how her dad has a new family. And just in case that did not hit the spot, he is able to portray a girl who has lost her mom and is yearning for love, and starts to look for it in all the wrong places. Still, there is one more story. The one girl who will be staying at home while everyone else goes on an adventure, goes on an adventure right in her own town. As she befriends a young girl that is dying from leukemia we are able to show a deep friendship that touched everyone's lives.

While keeping all four stories unique, he was able to fit them perfectly together into a wonderful work of art so that all the story transitions are blended together so well, the audience is easily able to follow the story. Because Ken Kwapis knew exactly what he was saying, instead of an audience feeling confused and lost throughout the movie, he had the exact opposite effect. People were so swept up into the movie, that they felt the emotions that each individual in the movie was feeling as well.

Luckily, Ken Kwapis was able to bring an amazing book to life through his creative decisions and over all well though out productino of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Less than Four Months!

We have less than Four Months before Joey and I are able to start Married Life!

This past weekend we went on an engagement encounter! It was really nice to be able to spend the weekend just focusing on our relationship without the craziness of day to day life!

As the day approaches, it gets even more exciting. The engagement encounter weekend felt so far away when we first registered for it! I guess that's how the rest of the time is going too! With each task checked off, and less tasks to do it becomes even more real!

117 days!

Praise God!

Television Episode - Arrested Development – “The Cabin Show”

Impacting Culture for Christ

Arrest Development

This show has a lot of interesting developments. In this show there are a lot of different characters. To me, the show seems to have to many characters intertwined. It was very difficult to figure out each of the characters. The character twists our very unusual in every type of way. 

Every part of this show feels like it is awkward. Each line, however, points forward to what is going to happen next. The show seems to thrive off of awkward developments in the story. For example, the two cousins who aren’t sure what to do about the “kiss” that they shared are trying to get over the awkwardness and they do not know what to do about it. 

The other social problem that I found in this show is the mother. It seems that the mother has a substance abuse problem as well. However, it seems that with this she is “better” or the same as when she is not on it. This worries me because it could be telling society that it’s better to be on medications that you don’t really need if it makes you emotionally feel better instead of telling society to get help when you need it. 

Another interesting character development is that the Dad that they thought was in prison really is the Uncle. This provides a character change that seems to be crucial to the story. The dilemma to choose business success over family was important for this episode. I thought it was really good that he choose to spend time with his son and to try and help get his uncle out of jail. However, it’s not until the next episode that they truly finish this particular development. The main character is trying to do his best to do the right thing in this episode. 

I think this series would do better as an hour long television show. This is because I felt like I was just figuring out who the characters were and getting into the story line and then the episode was over. 

Tv Episode - Glee - "Pilot"

Impacting Culture for Christ

Glee

This show deals with a lot of different things. From fitting in at school to having a baby, this show tries to include many different aspects of life. There are a few parts of this show that could seem controversial. First, the relationship between the main character and his co-worker (teacher) is questionable. It seems that she is trying to take him away from his wife. 

Another questionable part is the part where the football player is dating the cheerleader. When we flash to a previous event, the first thing we see is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is very offensive because it seems like they are making fun of Christians and Catholics. Especially because of the way the cheerleader acts when she is praying after that. 

However, even though I don’t like the way these people are being portrayed and it is against my morality, I think it is important that we understand that people do think of us like that. It does seem very out there however.  I find this show interesting because it portrays Christians in a specific way. The sad part about this, is that I know that this show does show how people actually portray Christians. So, if we don’t want to be portrayed like that, then we need to be more genuine.  

Although we should not care about what people think about us and we should show the world the love of Christ, I think that there is a better way of doing it then acting like everyone out side of our “Christian clique” first and foremost needs to be saved; and then on top of that pushing our faith onto them. People need to come to Christ willingly and through seeing that we are not fake superficial people who act one way and then go and do things that they know is not acceptable. 

Although there are many things that I find wrong with this show from my moral view point, it is also the “Pilot” episode of this show. Therefore, they might be able to prove that they can take these characters and situations and make them better. 

I think that the hardest thing for people to realize is that there needs to be bad situations and characters in order for there to be a character arc. How each of these situations are dealt with will most likely change my view of this show, however, they must start somewhere because every show cannot be perfect, if it was that way we wouldn’t have anything or anyone to root for to change. 

The Gospels and Impacting Culture

God is Love.

In the Gospels we learn from the best teacher, Jesus. He teaches us through His example of how we should live our lives. There are two things in particular that I learn from the Gospels. The first is a general comment that has its basis from reading the Gospels as a whole. The second comes directly from Christ’s mouth. First, Jesus goes out of His way and mingles with those whom other people have looked negatively down upon.  Second, in the Gospel of Luke Jesus tells a lawyer, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

I think it is very important to keep both of these in mind when we are talking about “Impacting Culture for Christ.” The world is longing for what Christ teaches. Notice that Christ says “Love”. How many songs and movies and television shows are about some form of love? It seems to me that love plays a crucial part in figuring out why society is what it is today. 

Everyone, everywhere is trying to find love. This is good, natural, and holy. However, where the problem comes is not by people trying to find love. Notice that God is defined as love. God is love. Notice that people do not say that God is like love. Jesus repeatedly talks about the importance of love. If love was not something to be sought after, than why would God be love? Where the problem comes from then is that people start to look for the easy way out. They look for the easy way that they can find “love”. This “love” that they find does not satisfy them and then therefore makes them loose their trust in love. When they do this, they step away from God, who is love, and start to look for an increasingly easier route to find love. 

Jesus shows us through His examples in the Gospels that we must love. He goes to those who seem to be the last person that any one of particular importance would be with for meals and gatherings. However, Jesus does not see it in that life. Jesus told people that “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” (Matthew 9:12) This verse shows that Christ comes to heal, not to look down upon, those who come to Him. When Jesus tells us that we need to “love our neighbor” He is not only telling us, but throughout the Gospels He shows us through His actions what he has called us to do. 

In impacting the culture for Christ, I think that these are the two main points that we should make. They are the actions to the words that Jesus speaks to us. Throughout our life we will meet people that will judge Christ’s principles based on our actions. Although we are not anywhere close to being able to act like Christ, people interpret our actions as though we are. They base their opinion of Christ’s teaching off of what the people who say they follow him do. Therefore, if we are to impact our culture for Christ, we must not simply tell people that we are Christians and that they need to go to Church or else. We have to live our lives, day in and day out, as an example to those who are around us and whose lives we will be a part of during the course of our life.