As some of you know... there is a movie about to be released shortly.  In a few days in fact.  The stir-craze that's been in anticipation since last year's phenomenal hit.  And there is more to come as far as I'm aware of and nothing short of total excitment, I'm in anticipation of what's to come.

Yes... we and by we, I mean I, are talking about the latest installment of the Twilight movie series.  The latest one is New Moon taken directly from the sleeper hit books of the same name.

And really... I don't give a rip about anyone else's opinions on the matter... I read the books and was thoroughly enthused by them.  And the movie was decent to be sure in my honest opinion.  But in regards to this new release, I'm kinda geeked about how the producers will interpret some of the visual effects and what not surrounding the movie.

But with the release of the books and the movies... I'm surprised that rather than looking at this from a conversational standpoint on where to insert Jesus... the church as a whole is doing an outstanding job of shunning, disowning, and discrediting this as an opportunity to do something more optimistic than complain about it...

Earlier today I read a blog from one of my former pastors who planted a church here in Michigan.  I once respected him and his authority, but after his blog, I really can't say I can fully agree with his hermeneutic, exegesis, or even his pastoral authority on this matter.  The blog was basically his stringent conviction-based opinion while moralizing Jesus as a front to put forward his own personal opinion on the release of New Moon.  Almost in not entirely a Pharisaeical rant...

Now, without chewing too much into this blog... I'll just basically put his blog into one short little sentence, which is, "If you go see this movie as a Christian, you must not be much of one to begin with."  I'll not provide the link namely because some of you may invade and completely tear him to pieces... or not... whatever... either way, the blog will for all intent and purpose remain nameless...

But what struck me about this blog was that he was adamant that Jesus wouldn't go see this movie so would you?  Or he as put it, "Would you follow Jesus into this movie?"  and answered with a vehement NO... as if somehow the question he posed was rhetorical...

And yet what I believe he completely forgot was... JESUS WAS IN THE CULTURE... Jesus hung out in places where the secular met.  You don't think so?  WANNA BET...

"... and He had to pass through Samaria.  So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given his son Joseph.  Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as He was from His journey, was sitting beside the well.  It was about the sixth hour..."

IF you know anything about history back in that period in that region, culture usually happens by the well.  It's the place to gather water, namely when the women come and meet and gather water... where all the gossip happens, where news and events are told, where rumors start, where people intersect and mingle.  So where was Jesus?  AT THE FREAKING WELL... so let's continue...

"A woman from Samaria came to draw water.  Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."  (For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)"

Recall... Jesus a Jewish man... in Samaria, a region of the Jews called dogs and half-breeds... and this woman from Samaria... likened as a half-breed by the majority of Jewish culture...

Recall the hour... the sixth hour... that's about noon-ish as some interpret that... all the water drawing is done and over with to avoid the heat of the desert sun... for a woman to come out that late in the day to draw water was common knowledge back then to figure that the woman was morally loose and everyone in town knew it cuz, she had to carry that water jug through town, and go to the well right?

Follow me for a moment... Jesus... a Jewish Galilean peasent carpenter, strolls right into half-breed town in half-breed worthless region, sitting by a well claimed by non-Jews, and He speaks to Ms. Half-Breed woman and asks for a sip of water to quench His physical thirst due to His long and arduous journey...  This is so uncommon... it's in fact quite scandalous if you add the facts together.  Sound anything like Jesus to you?  Unprecedented, unexpected, mold-less... yea, sounds just like Jesus... being a Jewish man talking to a Samarian woman of all things...

anyways... the story goes on in which Jesus is in the place where He can insert Himself into the conversation and reveal Himself as the Son of God and the Savior of sins... you can read the story yourself... it's in The Gospel of John chapter 4 verses 1-29...

HOW THE HECK DOES THIS PERTAIN TO THAT NEW TWILIGHT MOVIE???!!!  GET ON WITH IT...

relax...

So for me... as a Christian and an adamant follower of Jesus (to the best of my ability)... how does this story translate into me enjoying Twilight and eagerly awaiting the release of New Moon.

Well... the friend of mine from church who got me into the books... a group of us went and saw the first one and it was the topic of convos for months...  Not to mention, the advent of the movie had alot of tweener girls in my church clamoring about it and has allowed for many a discussion point and a redemption of what to really be enthralled about which is Jesus...  and now the second movie is on the way and we both got the midnight showing of it.  Which means, we will be in a throng of tweeners awaiting the doors to open so that they can dash to the best spot visually and sonically to fully engage themselves in Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner's performances of the beloved characters... which begs the question in my mind... How can I insert the Son of God into this?  I mean, we're gonna be in line for a few hours and we'll be surrounded by massive amounts of high schoolers hoping and clamoring to get the best seats in the house (though i feel bad since our group will be the one to grab the best seats)... but how can I insert Jesus into this culture where He can provide the answers, bring redemption to lovesick and affection starved teens who find Edward to be all that they want in a man... well Jesus trumps Edward by an infinite longshot... now how do you communicate Christ and show that He's better?  This is my qualm as a youth leader in my local church... and well, I'm kinda following orders of the youth pastor... If I'm to teach youth kids, I need to study youth culture... so... with this movie... i'm just doing my homework right? 

i know i know i know, get off yourself... relax...

Anyways... all of that to say... I'm gonna go watch the movie.  I'm gonna enjoy the movie.  I'm gonna wait in line with some friends of mine who are Twilight fans and enjoy their company since we're all friends who have enjoyed Twilight... but more so than anything... I will wait in line and pray for ways to communicate Christ to this little subculture that needs Jesus... and I'll let God sort it out in the end... but it takes a little more than a teen romance flick to gauge my Christianity... I'd like to think Jesus a bit bigger than that... to say the least...

Oh please tears stay, where you are made
Do not fall, do not fall
Something greater, is on the way
Just hang on, try to hang on

The love of angels becomes the love of men
Oh heavenly light, takes on earth and skin
- The Veil by The David Crowder* Band from the album Church Music

I forget the last time I felt brave
I just recall an insecurity
As it came down like a tidal wave
And sorrow swept over me
Then I was given grace and love
I was blind but now I can see
Cuz I found a new hope from above
And courage swept over me

It hurts just to wake up, where ever you're wearing thin
Alone on the outside, so tired of looking in
The end is uncertain, and I've never been so afriad
But I don't need a telescope to see that there's hope
And that makes me feel brave.
- Tidal Wave by Owl City from the album Ocean Eyes

Shine Your light so I can see You
Pull me up I need to be near You
Hold me, I need to feel love
Can You overcome this heart, that's overcome
- SMS (Shine) by The David Crowder* Band from the album Church Music

Oh happiness, there's grace enough for us and the whole human race
- Oh Happiness by The David Crowder* Band from the album Church Music

And heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

He loves us, oh how He loves
- He Loves Us by The David Crowder* Band from the album Church Music

You are stronger, You are stronger
Sin is broken, You have saved me
It is written, Christ is risen
Jesus You are Lord of all
- Stronger by Hillsong from the album This Is Our God

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep
'cuz everything is never as it seems
- Fireflies by Owl City from the album Ocean Eyes

"I'm not perfect..."

Heard that phrase before?  I know I have.  It's been thrown around like some cliche when someone trips up, fails, or botches anything and what's worse is that because of people's lack of understanding on what that idea means, we've chocked it up to mean a simple phrase connotating the imperfection of a person... and pass it off...

So...

when a murderer murders... well he/she isn't perfect... it's human nature
when a rapist rapes... well he/she isn't perfect... it's human nature
when a politican lies... well he/she isn't perfect... it's human nature
when a preacher falls... well he/she isn't perfect... it's human nature
when a student massacres... well he/she isn't perfect... it's human nature
when thief steals... well he/she isn't perfect... it's human nature...
when a cheater cheats... well he/she isn't perfect... it's human nature

is it really that excuseable?  Is it really something that should be passed off and left as a excuse for people to use as a means to excuse sin?

So when a murderer kills, it's fine because that's expected of a murderer since he/she is human therefore, it's human nature....
When a rapist victimizes again, it's alright because a rapist is still human and therefore it's human nature...

Sure we make a fuss about it and complain and blog about how this dude cheated on this girl... or that politician didn't live up to his/her end of the deal that they promised... or how this preacher was involved in a scandal w/ the church secretary and left his wife and 4 kids for this former church employee... but at the end of all of the complaints, blogs, and anger... nothing is done but, "Oh well, it's human nature..."  yet the pain, the heartache, the scars are still there and not one answer to show for what can be remedied about this nature that seems so cursed and broken and fallen...

I've found one answer... though not the most popular since it's also the most absolute... probably a touch one-sided... and very objective... but no other answer offers a solution to this seemingly horrid excuse that is so inexcusable and yet is so often passed off...

No other solution measures up quite like this one... one answer is that perfection is more of a state of mind rather than a nature to be... another just says that evil just is... another calls human atrocity an entropy of consciousness who then says it's a necessary thing to have...

these answers have not suited anyone but the simple-minded and/or ignorant...

only one answer not only has destroyed human nature and the pride that comes with it... but also has repaired that same psyche into something new and wonderful... sort of a resurrection if you will...

but you reader if you are a pragmatic relativist or a relativist of anything will be extremely offended by it...