Better Than the Bible?
Well according to the comments of some 2000 plus people, the drama skit below seems to have a greater effect on the lives of Godtube viewers. I first heard of this video from a forward e-mail to my wife... I then, decided to go to Godtube myself to see what the response of the masses was. Positive comments abounded to the extent that people were looking for spiritual strength and encouragement from this skit. It was staggering how lauded w/ praise this video has been,yet how riddled in ambiguity it really is. Many said they were moved emotionally, and often went back to the video for spiritual fortitude when despair set in. My question is, how would I (if I were a non-believer) be able to extrapolate the Gospel out of this skit? In all honesty I loathe this video...to me , it serves only to undermine scripture, sating entertainment starved "christian" youth because they are too lazy to pick up Holy Writ and read it for all is worth ...it is a horrid depiction of the Gospel. What think ye?
Labels: Modern Pragmatism
posted by Scribe at 9:44 AM
13 Comments:
Its a pretty good little skit in concert with Song of Songs. I dont think it should be seen as a gospel presentation, but if it was meant that way then it was wrong. It will however appeal to the Lost and they may just have an emotional experience with coming into a saving knowlegde of Christ, but as for loathing it? I have to part with you there. Truly some of this contemporary stuff coming out is troubling but we discredit ourselves I believe when we overeact at times.
Love in Christ,
Brian
October 27, 2007 10:37 AM
I can't seem to get it to play all the way through continually without stopping and then I have to restart it to play a little further each time. Here's what I saw in the first three minutes of its playing:
1. A gleeful Jesus awakening the girl.
2. The girl being played like a puppet by Him.
3. Jesus giving the girl all this stuff that pleases her (food, doves flying away, etc).
4. Satan and worldly things come to tempt her while Jesus stands on the sidelines looking frustrated and forlorn and jumping up and down to get her attention.
5. Characters representing money, lust, etc tempt her, while Jesus still seems to beg helplessly on the sidelines.
6. Death finally coming to her prompting her to slit her wrists, which she does.
That's as far as I got. I think that's all I need to see. I don't like it.
October 27, 2007 11:06 AM
To each his own and I agree that is does have an Arminian flavor, but consider that you dont want to get to the point of becoming like Jerry Falwell with the Teletubbies and Dr Dobson with Sponge Bob. When we get overly critical we fall into the trap I really believe. Ive been there and done that anyway.
God bless you guys and your love for sound doctrine and truth. May His name be praised and oh How we can praise Him for giving us His beloved Son. Oh how he cares and loves you and me.
October 27, 2007 11:12 AM
Call me a touchy feely Calvinist
for as Tozer quoted one Calvinist as being a bit mystic like he was as saying that He has married my manhood with Himself. I am His treasured Bride:-)
Psalm 45:10-12
"Wedding gifts abound in Tyre..."
Enjoy this men and women and women dont be ashamed of you womanhood. It is a good thing for he created that blessed sweetness that is often found in women.
A former Marine and Truckdriver,
Brian
October 27, 2007 11:19 AM
There's so much in my head after watching this.
I don't really like skits. There was a time I liked them, sort of. We need to remember, God's children have such a wide range of maturity.
If I was the pastor of this church, and the youth wanted to share this, then I would say sure at the end of the service, and then make sure you explain clearly what the purpose of this skit is.
Were these young men and women sharing the truth in a skit? Did they do this for the glory of the Lord? I don't know.
Did they do it because it would make epople feel good about themselves? And so they could feel good about themselves? I don't know.
Whatever we do, especially in corporate worship, we need to ask ourselves, "Why am I doing this?"
I guess the sad part is that people are cheering, and you say thousands of people go here for solace.
We all like different forms of art. Art is great. And it's important to know when, where, and how art is appropriate.
And entertainment is a cancer in the church today, there's not denying that. We need to discern, and pray that the pastors and rulers of the Body of Christ will stand their ground, and preach the Word. And make sure the people of God worship Him with their hearts, and not just their lips.
There's a lot more in my head, ut I'll stop now.
Thanks scribe for sharing that.
October 27, 2007 12:59 PM
I read this on a blog concerning youth and I thought it was very well said about Youth...
A better idea than youth ministry is....church
A better idea than fun games is ....mentoring adults
A better idea than a youth pastor who can create exciting programs is....a youth pastor who will imitate Christ.
A better idea then expensive winter retreats is....silent retreats where students can listen to God.
A better idea than "Youth Sunday" is....students consistently involved in the life of the church.
A better idea than Youth Ministry is...Youth and Family Ministry.
A better idea than measuring your students by numbers is....measuring them by weight.
A better idea than age-specific programming is...intergenerational programming.
A better idea than youth pastors being responsible for spiritual nurture is....parents being responsible for spriritual nurture.
A better idea than wednesday night sport leagues is...wednesday night church.
A better idea than over-production is...intentional simplification.
A better idea than expensive mortgages on expansive un-used buildings is...not making the church about a building but about the people.
A better idea than church leadership deciding how the youth ministry should be run is...the youth pastor deciding how the youth ministry should be run.
A better idea than youth administrator...is a youth pastor.
A better idea than just seeing youth ministry as a way of attracting people to church....is seeing youth minstry as a way of producing life-long followers of Christ.
The youth of today are the future and they will be teaching our grandchildren what they are taught.
Cristina
October 27, 2007 1:22 PM
The more we raise the bar for our children and youth, the more they will reach it. And the more we lower the bar, the less they will reach.
This video just strikes me as modern dance entertainment.
October 27, 2007 6:55 PM
Brian,
Thanks for your comments/sentiments.
Susan,
Very good points...doesn't the 'Jesus" of this skit seem to be idiosyncratic of a powerless Christ? Paul Washer said this concerning contemporary christian's view of God; "This God of yours is no God, and can't do anything for you...but you like him because he can't do anything to you."
Don,
Good questions regarding what motivates us to do what we do for Christ...an infinitely important reason for why we do what we do.
Hey Cristina,
Very good points! Shallowness vs substance...me thinks I will copy and paste this on that site (people already don't like me there...:O)
Again Susan...I agree w/ you...we've lowered the bar on Christianity so much that we think we've found depth in the pool of mediocrity.
October 27, 2007 7:17 PM
I am what you call a dinosaur Christian, a neanderthal believer. I go back to the stone ages where you simply used the Word of God. Why??
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
I checked my computer bible and didn't find the word "skit" once but I did find the word "preaching" many times. Yes I've heard the argument, we need to be relevant and cultural etc. But I am sorry I don't agree with that because its the gospel that needs to be preached as it has the power not some skit.
Ok ... go ahead now and call me a neanderthal!
James
Resting in Him
October 27, 2007 7:51 PM
I don't like mime, even if put to music, but even were that not so, I would still find fault with this if it were being used as anything more than entertainment. Mime is not precise and articulate to transmit truth without subjectivity, and that is why it doesn't belong in the pulpit.
That was ambiguous entertainment and not precise and biblical instruction. I can see why people like it, but I don't much care for it.
October 28, 2007 9:28 AM
To compare that with a gospel presentation is like comparing playing video baseball with real baseball......
October 28, 2007 10:22 AM
I think the reason the teens screamed so loud in this video is that they completely related to the character.
Their own lives are full of lust and vanity and when they finally see someone break free into victory they are excited.
What was the message of the mime? Not quite sure but it definitely didn't reinforce scriptural conditions to overcome the tempter and his tricks.
October 29, 2007 6:21 PM
Jim said, "What was the message of the mime? Not quite sure but it definitely didn't reinforce scriptural conditions to overcome the tempter and his tricks."
Bingo!
October 30, 2007 5:35 PM
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