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Elijah

Origins Ep. 6 – The Importance of Shelter

April 17, 2017 by J. Alan Sharrer Leave a Comment

(photo credit: National Geographic)

Humans are quite good at building things. During the last century or so, we’ve created numerous machines and devices that allow modern life to prosper—and even thrive.  We’ve constructed massive skyscrapers, allowing people to live and work closer together than ever before.  We’ve even created incredibly small devices that may, in the future, revolutionize how we take care of individuals who are sick.  And yet, at the end of the day, we all want to go somewhere that has a roof to protect us from the elements, allows us to spend quality family time, and offers us security from intruders while we sleep.

In short, we want shelter.  In the sixth episode of Origins (NatGeo, 9 PM/8PM CT), the discussion centers around this basic aspect of life many take for granted. You see, the spaces we exist in are reflections of who we are and windows into what our culture holds dear.

The early days of humanity were challenging to live in. Hunter-gatherers found caves or created their own spaces out of animal bones covered in furs to protect not only their close families, but other members of their community. It seems that once people are comfortable in their surroundings, they begin to develop a sense of identity—and the hearth was one place this occurred.  Dwellings later allowed for individual privacy—something unheard of. Again, people didn’t have to merely attempt to survive hour by hour; they could explore other options for their lives.  Glass windows allowed natural light to penetrate a house, eliminated the need for candles during the daytime, and helped to regulate temperature (thanks, Rome!). Faith communities saw the potential for larger buildings and natural light to help draw attention to themselves—a great example of this is the Durham Cathedral in England.

Advances continued to be made over the centuries, none bigger than the Otis safety elevator in the 19th century.  Now buildings could be taller than ever while still offering safe spaces to live (and as a bonus, the most prized location in a building moved from the bottom floor to the top).  In the outlying areas of New York, a pair of brothers in 1947 created plans for Levittown, the precursor to modern-day suburbia.  The keys to these shelters were safety and community—something we will end up treasuring and coveting well into the future.

(photo credit: National Geographic)

I personally found this episode of Origins to be intriguing, as I never considered the effect just having a consistent form of shelter could have on an individual.  If you’re not having to worry about surviving, your pursuits of life can vary.  Those pursuits can be beneficial not only to one family, but people around the world. Imagine how different life might be if Thomas Edison had to go from place to place attempting to kill animals for food or figure out how to get his clothes clean daily.  Jesus told us not to worry about the intricacies of life, but seek the Kingdom of God first (see Matthew 6:33). To do that, however, one should be in a safe place where they can be silent and listen to God’s voice—consider the cave experience of Elijah as an example (see 1 Kings 19).  It goes to show the importance of shelter.  Protection and community allow us to become the people God wants us to be.

Filed Under: Current Events, Reviews, Television Tagged With: community, Durham Cathedral, Elijah, Jesus, Levittown, National Geographic, Origins, Otis Elevator, Protection, Rome, Safety, Shelter, Skyscrapers, Windows

Priceless: What’s A Person Worth?

October 14, 2016 by J. Alan Sharrer Leave a Comment

priceless2As the father of three daughters, there’s always concern about their welfare—making sure they’re taken care of, providing a loving home for them to be raised in, and taking care of them when they’re sick, hurt, or simply need a hug or listening ear.  I certainly don’t want anything bad to happen to them and will protect them at all costs. But I still am nervous from time to time when reading some of the statistics about abduction and human trafficking.  It’s one of the reasons Priceless, the new movie from Joel and Luke Smallbone of For King and Country, made an indelible impact on me.  It’s not perfect, but is a reminder that all people are of value—just as Dr. Seuss noted in his work Horton Hears a Who.

If you don’t think human trafficking is something you should be concerned with, think again. The FBI notes that trafficking is believed to be the third largest criminal activity globally.  It’s not just about sex either: their site notes, “Human trafficking includes forced labor, domestic servitude, and commercial sex trafficking. It involves both U.S. citizens and foreigners alike, and has no demographic restrictions.”  That right there should give reason for pause.

priceless3Priceless attempts to peel back some of the layers of secrecy involving trafficking.  Joel Smallbone plays James Stevens, a guy who’s definitely down on his luck.  After losing his wife, he spiraled down and ended up losing custody of his little girl.  Attempting to earn a paycheck, he began transporting cargo with the condition that he never asks what the contents of the truck are.  Of course, this raises a red flag, but desperation makes you do funny things.  After running off the road due to lack of sleep, he hears crying in the back of the truck.  Eschewing his orders, he opens the back to find two women—Antonia (Bianca Santos) and Maria (Amber Midthunder).  And then the orders not to check out the cargo made sense.  The two women are as scared of him as he is of them (and speak limited English to boot), but he offers them a change to get a change of clothes and a meal.  He soon finds that his truck is not welcome at the hotel he hopes to stay at for the evening.  And after seeing Carlos (Jim Parrack) take the ladies away, he realizes he has to do something. But what?

The hotel operator, Dale (David Koechner), has seen the transporting of women before and offers to help James get the ladies back.  It’s not going to be easy, as the camera follows the girls into a house in a typical neighborhood, where they stay before being prepared to become sex slaves at a local hotel.  The girls know it’s a bad situation, but have no idea who to talk to or how to get out of it.  James begins to grow in his understanding of what to do—Dale calls it the Godshot (akin to Elijah hearing God’s voice after a windstorm, earthquake, and fire—see I Kings 19:9-18). So James does something wild—he attempts to free Antonia after calling in a thousand-dollar request to have relations with her (and no, he doesn’t make out with her).  She’s still nervous about what to do—and wants Maria to be saved as well.  The night ends with nobody being saved, but hope is potentially on the horizon.  But so is potential death once Carlos figures out what’s going on.

Will James and Dale’s attempt at vigilante justice work out?  Or will the curtain fall again on the ladies, resorting to a life of abuse and forced sexual exploits?

priceless5I have to admit that I was impressed with the film.  Smallbone does a great job as James, pulling off the nuances necessary to convey an individual torn between justice, his daughter, and protecting himself.  Koechner shines as Dale, a grizzled gentleman with a past that needs to be vindicated. The two ladies show fear in ways that are convincing, while Carlos and his band of henchmen come across as menacing folks for any parent watching.  However, the film is tastefully done—you know what’s going to happen when the door shuts, and even though you can’t see it, you’re reminded that the world can be a scary place at times.

There are a few issues with the film, mainly with slow pacing and some trite dialogue in places. I did, however, appreciate a faith aspect that wasn’t browbeaten into my subconscious. The beauty of Priceless will ultimately appear in the form of later discussions with others.  Teenagers should be okay with the film and will likely have questions afterward.  It’s a great time to remind kids that they need to be careful in life and online.  When a person admits they’re looking for love and acceptance to complete strangers, that’s a formula for catastrophe.

I hope none of the people reading this ever have to deal with this in life, but I’m not naïve enough to think it can’t happen, as this type of situation existed in biblical times—think of Hosea’s charge from God to marry the prostitute Gomer and to buy her back later after she left him (Hosea 1; Hosea 3).  It was a foreshadowing of the future cost of Jesus’ life as God showed the world how much a person is worth.  But in our own lives, we have to answer for ourselves what a person is worth—Priceless will help viewers find that answer and make a difference as a result.

By the way, if you believe you are the victim of trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888. It’s a national, toll-free hotline with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year related to potential trafficking victims, suspicious behaviors, and/or locations where trafficking is suspected to occur.  Or you can leave a tip with them by clicking here.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Amber Midthunder, Bianca Santos, children, Dave Koechner, Dr. Seuss, Elijah, FBI, For King and Country, Gomer, Horton Hears a Who, Hosea, Human Trafficking, Jesus, Jim Parrack, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, Priceless

The Offerings of Death: The Story of God with Morgan Freeman (Ep. 1)

April 2, 2016 by J. Alan Sharrer Leave a Comment

CemeteryWhat happens when we die is the greatest question we ask ourselves, according to Morgan Freeman, Academy Award-winning actor. As a result, he decided to go on a global adventure to determine the answer for himself.  That journey comprises the first episode of “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman,” airing Sunday night on the National Geographic Channel (9P/8C).  His discoveries are intriguing and will give the viewer something to consider after the show has ended.

(It’s important to keep in mind that the series covers multiple religions and their similarities, so if you come in expecting to hear from one viewpoint only, you’ll be disappointed.)

The show begins with Freeman and David Bennett in a church, staring at a stained glass window of Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8. Bennett recounts an experience of falling off a ship and somehow surviving under the water for 15-18 minutes. As many people have shared who have undergone near-death experiences, he saw a light (or fragments of a light) before coming back to life.  He agrees the light was God, but admits that he doesn’t “subscribe to just one religious belief anymore.” Freeman then starts his journey, visiting Egypt and the pyramids, Mexico City and the Aztec ruins, Jerusalem and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and India’s Ganges River before returning to the States.

Are there similarities? Yes—people experience grief, want to remember their dead ancestors and, at the same time, want to be remembered for generations. Consider why we put names on tombstones and visit them with our living relatives.  Are there differences?  Of course—everything from spells (Egypt) to ritualistic sacrifice (Aztecs) to getting out of the circle of reincarnation (Hindu).

Freeman adds a scientific element to the discussion when the concept of a soul is brought up—can such a thing be replicated?  He goes to New York and visits Bina 48, an animatronic head (think of Richard Nixon’s Head in the TV series “Futurama”) that is being programmed with the feelings, memories, and emotions of a living person so future relatives can interact and communicate with it.  This, to me, was intriguing—who wouldn’t want to share their life experiences in ways other than letters, pictures, and Facebook posts?

Jerusalem - The Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Jerusalem – The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The visit to Jerusalem was fascinating—especially the burial tombs—and if you listen closely, Freeman’s guide Jodi Magness shares the entire Gospel for viewers to contemplate. Christianity differs from the other faiths mentioned because Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection brings people not only hope, but eternal life if they ask him to forgive their sins and claim him as forgiver and leader (see Romans 10:9-10).

I thought the episode, co-produced by James Younger and Lori McCready, was well-executed, with excellent production values and interesting content.  Striking visuals, acceptable CGI, and an “Amazing Race”-ish feel served to help the cause. In addition, there was time to contemplate what was being shown with pauses between sections.

Freeman is searching for what he believes and concludes the episode with his thinking at the moment—in this case, regardless of belief, we can all become eternal. The point, regardless of whether the viewer believes his conclusion or not, is that death is something we’re going to have to deal with at some point. After Adam and Eve’s lapse of good judgement in the Garden of Eve, dying is a 100% certainty in this life (with Enoch, Elijah, and Jesus as exceptions). The question for us is simply how we treat it—as a scary proposition that could bring eternal destruction or a portal to joy and eternal life.

Filed Under: Reviews, Television Tagged With: Aztec, Bina 48, Christianity, church, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, David Bennett, Egypt, Elijah, Enoch, Faiths, Futurama, Ganges, India, Jerusalem, Jesus, Jodi Magness, Lori McCreary, Mexico City, Morgan Freeman, Pyramids, Remember, The Story of God

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