Monday, December 12, 2005

Good Morning! 

Eight of us were able to make it to the movie on Sunday, and a little larger group was at the 11A service to hear the Bishop speak.  Both had interesting messages.  

Looking ahead for the next two weeks, we have a couple of Sunday's before our next study should start.  This coming Sunday, the 18th, we'll have the Christmas musical, and on the 25th, which will be Christmas, I don't think we are going to have a class meeting.  So we really won't start a new study until January 1.

Until then, we'll have four topics to discuss:

-- any additional reflection/comments about the Narnia movie, and how its message is "playing" in the mainstream culture.

-- some end of the year reflection/comments on where we are and where we need to go as a class.

-- the direction of our next study

-- some scripture/discussion about the Christmas season.

On the movie, I have the following comments:

-- Due to our study, I probably knew more about the plot, etc. of this movie than any movie that I've been to, and I have to say it probably diminished the experience for me.  The movie was, to me, exactly faithful to the book and plot, so I really wasn't surprised.  I imagine that this a common feeling for people who are big fans of books that are made into movies -- such as the Harry Potter fans, or the upcoming Da Vinci Code movie.

-- One thing that I was struck with the idea of how evil is associated with ugliness.  Most of the Witch's army were hideous and deformed -- you especially saw it towards the end of the movie during the scene where Aslan is killed and in the battle scenes.  All of Aslan's army, while unusual in who they were -- fauns, etc; they were all attractive in their way.  In these types of fantasy movies, that seems to be the way that the directors help us tell the good guys from the bad guys -- much like the old westerns used the white hats and the black hats as a way to help us tell the good guys from the bad guys.  And it is an approach that we can understand -- we expect the bad guys to be ugly.

-- But then you have the Witch in this movie -- who is striking and beautiful in her way -- what do we make of that?  How can the most evil thing be so beautiful?  On the other hand, could she have seduced Edmund into betraying his brothers and sisters if she had been ugly?  Would he have even gotten into her sleigh?

-- I think that there are two sides of this to think about -- one is that Satan always makes his offer attractive -- otherwise, how successful could he be in seducing us?  The flip side of this is also true -- sometimes the path God asks us to take isn't the beautiful path, full of beautiful people and sunny skies.

Today's Scripture

Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Today's prayer request:    An acquaintance of Monica's

Monica asked for prayer for someone she knows who is struggling mightily with a drug addiction.  They were given the ultimatum of Alethia House or prison, and right now they are at Alethia House trying to break free of the grip that their addiction has on them.  Need to pray for them to have the strength to overcome the hold that drugs have on their body and life. 

Today's class member prayer:   

Kyle Findlay 

Have a great day.

Jay