Shaun Groves
A movie has been made comparing just war theory and Christian non-violence. You’d think I’d love it. I didn’t.
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.
Some folks got mad at me for wishing this about Kirk Cameron’s latest film Fireproof not long ago. Hate me if you want, but dadgumit if I’m not consistent. Maybe it’s just my brain, but I always prefer to see thoughts lived out rather than only hearing them spelled out. Showing, as opposed to telling, is far more convincing, educational and inspiring to me than talking alone.
Now, I think Prince of Peace, God of War is a great history lesson and theological lecture. I think anyone wanting an overview of the biblical and historical basis for pacifism and just war theory should watch it. In fact, you should go download it right now. It’s free. It’s one of the best lectures I’ve heard on the subject. But it’s not one of the better movies I’ve seen. And that’s unfortunate because, like Fireproof, I’m afraid that will mean its important truths will primarily be heard by a small number of people, most of whom already espouse them.
Freddie says:
Thanks very much for pointing me to ‘Prince of Peace, God of War’, interesting to watch and lots to learn.
Amy @ My Friend Amy says:
What I find interesting about this, Shaun, is that you don’t read fiction.
Seth Ward says:
How dare you believe that “Christian art” be judged by the same standards as every other work of art.
For shame.
Shaun Groves says:
Seth, sarcasm noted and very appreciated.
Amy, um, yea. You know, that has little to do with my not liking fiction and a lot to do with my too slow of a reader to remember what the heck is happening in the story from chapter to chapter. I’ll make you a deal though. Tell me what one work of fiction I MUST read before I die and I’ll read it…over the next five years.
Jim C says:
I wish this movie wasn’t all telling and no showing—— Wasn’t there a quote by Mother Theresa something like “ Make your life a sermon, and when necessary, use words” I apologize to anyone I offend from my lack of memory.
Jim C
elijah says:
On the lack-of-fiction-reading thing – I’ve noticed that the more a person deals in their daily life in the abstract, the less likely they are to read much fiction. The adverse is true as well. After all, it isn’t the art majors that spend their free time playing D&D, it’s the computer science and math guys. I think we like balance.
I’ve noticed this in my own life as well. During times when I am creating, creating, creating, I read almost exclusively non-fiction. When my life becomes full of the rote and real, I lean towards fiction.
Veretax says:
I’ll reserve judgment on fireproof until I can see it. I don’t live with a theater close by, so any trip to see it is at least a 4 hour investment in time (almost an hours drive along winding West Virginia Roads.) I don’t tend to watch a lot of movies anyways, and tend to be very choosy about I watch. I know from the previews, I’ve not exactly been inspired to see it on the commercial merits, for the same reason I didn’t see Spiderman 3 after seeing the other two in the theater. So eh. I agree a bit with elijah. After being exposed to some folks in my life that seem to accentuate on one thing or another to an extreme, I’ve long been of the belief that balance is important in life.
I don’t read a ton of Fiction, but I do fancy myself as a story teller. I enjoy telling a story, and did for a long time on a particular forum group. At some point that stopped because I realized the message wasn’t reaching the audience anymore, mostly because they had all moved on. I still write on occasion, and am active in a play by post game that is basically a collaborative fiction game, but again, I don’t know what fireproof is about so I can’t really comment with any critiques without having seen it first.
andira says:
Shaun…
Yes. I get this. I have not seen Fireproof of Prince of Peace, God of War. However, I have heard many people at church talk about Fireproof. And this is how it went:
“It had some really great points. You should totally go see it. Even you single people. But that one girl…I could’ve acted better than she did. It definitely wasn’t well-made.”
I probably won’t go see the movie. I will probably just buy the book that was written about the marriage principles. I got the point of the movie without ever having to watch it…and I already “espouse” those “truths”.
It saddens me that awesome movies with these truths are so rarely accomplished.
Linda Sue says:
Funny how you hear a lot (here at Shlogland) about how poorly “christian movies” represent either Christians or movies – yet Fireproof has done quite well at the boxoffice
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/10/christian.fireproof.success.ap/index.html
Not stirring up a nest here – I’m a degenerate fiction reader with the bad taste to like traditional hymns,dressing in your best for church most of the time, and honoring God with whatever talents I have – which is what I think most of y’all are doing too (not the hymns – I realize that isn’t popular but I also am two generations older than most blog demographics – I do enjoy contemporary p&w music – but I sing hymns to myself during the day – not CCM). My two cents – which in today’s market means I owe you something now right?.
Carole Turner says:
I really liked Prince of Peace..very educational. Haven’t seen Fire Proof.
Anitra says:
Wow, you have a gift as a movie reviewer! Your posts evoke so much passion. So much leaning in, staring intently into each other’s eyes because we absolutely cannot believe that such an allegedly smart/godly/sane person could really think that way. I am single so I can’t discuss the veracity of the underlying themes of Fireproof with much credibilty. On the other hand…I have seen couples leave the theater embracing. I’ve seen tough co-workers in tears vowing to be married differently. Hard for me to tell them that they’ve been shortchanged and should have held out.
All differing cinemagraphic taste aside, is it wrong of me to count any day when (as you put it) “something deep inside of me is inspired to be more like Christ” as an incredibly good (and terrifyingly rare)day?
Shaun Groves says:
Hard for me to tell them that they’ve been shortchanged and should have held out.
I wouldn’t say they’ve been shortchanged. No more than I’d say I was shortchanged by spending an hour of my life watching Prince of Peace, God of War. But if they asked me to spend $10 to see Fireproof with them I’d decline. And if Prince of Peace, God of War were being heralded as a great film, I’d disagree.
brad andrews says:
i’m watching “soldiers of conscience” on pbs right now. i thought of you.
interesting stuff. it’s basically about a look at one of the central dramas of our time — how a soldier decides to kill or not, and the life-changing consequences that come with either choice. they particularly focused on soldiers who were granted release from the military through a “contentious objection.” every challenging to watch…
David says:
I have a similar complaint about Christian music that is of the “Look at me, I’m living my life right and I’m gonna tell you how to do it” variety. It’s something I’d rather be shown than told, at least as far as an artistic medium is concerned. If I want a sermon, I’ll go to my pastor. As for everyone else who’s writing songs or making movies, just do the right thing and let that be your witness, instead of talking about talking about doing the right thing. I think the good deeds will do a fine job of glorifying God on their own without needing your words to validate them.
This is why I really like Caedmon’s Call’s Share the Well album, just to offer a positive example. That album was inspired by time spent among the poor in India and South America, but it didn’t play as a commercial for missions or a way for the band to show off – “Hey, lookie what we did!” it simply established the premise that Christians can’t not care for the poor by way of giving human examples through colorful vignettes of these people’s lives. Not every story needed to have a moral. The moral was implicit.