Category: FREE

Shawn Groves tipped me off to a new movie (and the free download) :: “Prince of Peace – God of War.”

The movie’s premise sounds “simple” enough ::

How did the command to “Love Your Enemies” get so complicated? This was the question I had for years both when I was a minister in the church and ever since I left it. It seemed to me the religious right, more a political force than anything else, who embraced policies of violence, killing and destruction, all in the name of a God they claimed to follow seemed to be at odds with the teachings of the founder of their faith.

I’m downloading it now and haven’t had a chance to watch it yet. But Groves said he’s disappointed in it – just like he was with Fireproof. And I understand where he’s coming from (however in full disclosure I haven’t seen either film yet).

Oh, my brain ate up all the information, history, scripture. Something deeper in me was even inspired several times to be more like Christ. But most of the time I just sat there wishing: I wish this movie wasn’t head after head talking about theology and history. I wish just one of these bright guys talking right now would let this camera man follow him home. I wish one of these guys would show me what it looks like in their neighborhood/office/church/Palestine to live justly or non-violently. I wish this movie wasn’t all telling and no showing. Yep, I wished that again.

A friend made a similar comment after we watched The Ordinary Radicals on Saturday night. He wanted less “telling” and more “showing.” And while I really loved The Ordinary Radicals I could see where he was coming from. He wanted to see how the homeless advocates were actually living out their missions — not just a 2 min. sound bite. He wanted to know how it was working and see it lived out.

For me however, The Ordinary Radicals sparked ideas (and many at that). After all, perhaps even if I had seen how a homeless advocate lived out her mission in San Fransisco, it’s going to look a lot different in Red Oak, Texas. To me the movie showed that Another World Is Possible.

But perhaps that’s what’s missing in our faith overall. We’re telling people how to live and giving them the rules to follow — but we’re not living it ourselves. Lots of telling — but not much showing.

All that to say — there’s a movie out that you might be interested in – for free. Check it out.