by Dean | Jun 1, 2012 | General
Universal salvation, or universal reconciliation–in which, in my review of A Woman of the Pharisees, I said I believe–is considered heresy by most Christians. I am one Christian who doesn’t consider it that.
It is widely argued that the Greek word aionios, rather than meaning “everlasting,” refers to limited time, while kolasis (“punishment” in the KJV) means chastisement meant to correct a person. If this is true, the wicked, the “goats,” in Matthew 25:46 undergo corrective chastisement which occurs for a limited time, not for an eternity. Indeed, it may occur in the form of a second death (Rev. 21).
I said “if this is true,” but it’s difficult to see why it wouldn’t be true in the face of many things the Bible tells us. Jesus declared, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). Will all people be drawn to Him after being corrected (as well as redeemed)? Does this not mean they will be drawn to Him for salvation?
In Jeremiah 3:17 we read, “At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts” (NIV). All nations? Sure, and why can’t this refer to all the people of all nations? All people drawn to Jesus, all people honoring the name of the Lord–and free from their evil hearts. Surely there is a nexus between the Jeremiah verse and what John points out in his first epistle: “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (4:14). Gee, I thought He was simply the Savior of the elect–and, yes, those who are born again at the present time were elected–but John uses the phrase “Savior of the world.” Something universal seems to be on the horizon.
Do I not believe in Hell, then? No, I believe in divine judgment and in the second death (whatever it is).
King James Bible (Photo credit: Joybot)
by Dean | May 29, 2012 | General
A confection of a costume drama by Alan Taylor, The Emperor’s New Clothes (2002) is about a make-believe scheme to get the imprisoned Napoleon Bonaparte off the island of St. Helena and back in Gallic power. Taylor’s moviemaking team–Andrea Crisanti on production design, Rachel Portman on music, etc.–quit themselves honorably, and the acting is a joy. Will there ever be a better Bonaparte than Ian Holm, the epitome of variety? And the Dutch actress Iben Hjejle, speaking English, is warmly true. How come I never see her anymore?
The Emperor's New Clothes (2001 film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
by Dean | May 22, 2012 | General
Krystal Meyers is a Christian rock (not pop) artist, and a number of her songs has convinced me she made a pretty good showing during the Aughts. Her 2006 CD, Dying for a Heart, is only half-impressive, but at least it’s that. Too often only about 10% of merit emerges on Christian, and secular, albums. The cut called “Together” has a wonderful, nuanced guitar and is excitingly tuneful. “The Beauty of Grace” starts like a ballad but speeds up with a very attractive chorus to bestow. . . Okay, “Elvis is dead / But my King is alive” is not much of a lyric; still, “Only You Make Me Happy” (the “You” is God) turns out to be an ingratiating rocker.
Meyers has a fine voice, now winningly tomboyish, now nicely feminine, as in 2008’s “Up to You”–the feminine, I mean–which is an effective relationship song. . . I’ve never heard her first, self-titled CD but one of its tracks, “The Way to Begin,” is melodically interesting, forceful, saucy.
Spiritually-themed rock seldom gets much better than these five songs. Go and ahead and purchase Dying for a Heart. Or, if not, I sincerely believe Meyers has a place on your iPod.
Cover of Dying for a Heart
by Dean | May 21, 2012 | General, Movies
The Avengers (2012 film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Joss Whedon’s The Avengers (2012) is consistently entertaining. Its action footage would be more entertaining, wholly exciting, if it contained greater suspense (like the car chase in The French Connection), but no matter. It’s still head-on fun and technically accomplished.
Certain Marvel comic-book movies, most of which I haven’t seen, anticipated this lengthy flick in which Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk and other superheroes band together to–you got it–save the world. (I wonder who’s going to save it from the economic policies of political leaders?) I enjoyed the movie’s humor and was certainly glad the talented, now likeable Robert Downey Jr. was on hand. I mean he’s now likeable as a human being, I think. Like the action, Downey makes us forget most of Whedon’s poor plotting.
by Dean | May 14, 2012 | General
Dumb as it is, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), starring Dwayne Johnson, is a fairly palatable family film. Or . . . at least it would be if beautiful Vanessa Hudgens (ah, that jet black hair!) in her tank top didn’t lend the movie too much sensuality. Luis Guzman plays her oafish father, and his affectionate attitude toward Hudgens’s character, Kailani, is thoroughly phony, unconvincing.
All the same, nifty CGI adventure scenes proliferate: a giant lizard, a tiny elephant, etc. It’s not as good a film as Sky High, but it has its moments. Kids will love it. Teenage boys, frankly, will love that tank top.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 15: Actors Vanessa Hudgens (R) and Josh Hutcherson arrive for the world premiere of 'Journey 2: The Mysterious Island' at Village Cinemas Jam Factory on January 15, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
by Dean | May 14, 2012 | General
Critic Ross Douthat has panned Damsels in Distress in National Review magazine (May 14, 2002). He writes, “If the world of Damsels . . . isn’t the real one to begin with, then how much can we care about the characters’ struggles to build up their own equally unreal alternatives?” I suppose the answer is that we can’t care about these struggles–but it doesn’t matter. We know Violet is eccentric; we care about the values she endorses, such as self-improvement. And we care about those messages and implications I mentioned which filter through in the basically tame world Stillman has created.
