Movie Mayhem with God Part 6: The Beaver

It's been a very traumatic weekend. I've just finished attending a 3-session introduction to a counselling course where the eventual counselling method was based on deliverance. I was recommended to the course by my cell leader and cell mates after all that I had been going through, especially the past 9 months. Of course the notion of me needing counselling did not have a positive connotation. I was actually very perverse to it due to my history. I won't give too many details about about my past or what happened this weekend. In fact even though I haven't gone through the actual counselling session (they will do the one-to-one session later) I was already experiencing immense spiritual warfare which unleashed itself partially today. Definitely doesn't look good to outsiders who doesn't know what is going on. Well, I certainly thank Jesus I have let some of the murky water that has been bottled up inside me come out this noon, and also for Him explaining to me the reasons why I was so bothered with its murkiness. Turns out I had so many misconceptions about the murkiness which need to be cleared. However, for now, He tells me that these are the issues, just wait and we'll deal with it later. I'll tell you when the time is ripe. Just rest now.

Thus, I went to watch a movie. Again. Ok, thankfully I had watched the movie with God in the theatre (and some public), as this movie needs to be watched with God accompanying you fully throughout, as even though the teachings behind the story is biblical, it is quite harrowing. Plot-wise it is about a depressed man (Mel Gibson), whose depression has led to such intense frustration amongst his family members that his wife (Jodie Foster) is forced to ask him to leave. In his despair, he found a puppet beaver which he uses as a therapy tool of sorts to deal with his relationships with everyone around him, and he regains his confidence in life...initially.

Ok, I'm kind of thinking how best to reveal the biblical concepts without giving spoilers about the movie. I think the best way is to write the verses down and for those with the courage to pray and then go watch the movie, you'll definitely know which verses inspire the parts of the plot of the movie.

And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go to hell.
Matthew 5:30

If your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
Matthew 18: 8

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better to enter life maimed than two hands into hell, where the fire never goes out.
Mark 9:43

Woah... Those teachings are very difficult to stomach leh... Definitely for me, as I know the things that are causing me to stumble cannot say cut then cut one. For me if can so literally cut off and throw away then it would be wonderful... Then how? Then how? This has been the point that has actually bothering me for the past 9 months. It then falls back to his teachings. If both He and you know this aspect bothering you in faith cannot be literally severed, then we can only pray and trust and then wait for his instruction to come. Don't go into panic mode with you feel you don't hear/see/feel/know anything. Aiya, easier said than done la. My past 9 months have been a horrible status anxiety constantly. Even now there is still residue and this blog is a form of prayer to Him for trust, patience, perserverance and peace... There is truth and wisdom to be found in His Word. However, being the creator of language and literature techniques, we must remember that God also uses this techniques in his teachings. Many of his famous teachings were in the form of parables. Those 3 verses quoted above seem very literal and straighforward when reading, but application is another matter altogether. The act of severing or cutting in those verses may actually mean another form of severing. At least for me, it means the severing of certain strongholds that the Evil One has on me, which sadly are not physical issues. Thus the pain and ardour of the process is of a different level. It is definitely traumatising. Today's round was only just an initial part of the severing. Darn painful really. Now the ultimate physician has told me, that's enough for today. Just go back and rest for now. When it is time for be it you, me or others to do anything, I Jesus Christ will instruct on how to proceed...

I'll just like to end up with a concept I extropolated from the movie, not sure whether it was part of the scriptwriter's intent. Sometimes, we see the four walls where we are in as enclosing us in a prison and we desperately want to break free. However, sometimes we yearn for those four walls us they symbolise room which God has specially allocated for us, to be protected forever safe from any fear and danger outside. Thus whenever we are at a lost of how to interpret something, pray to Him first to show how to read and analyse it.

We are often confused by some phrases. In the movie, it concludes with a graduation ceremony speech of a female character, saying that "everyone has been telling us a lie, "it is going to be alright"". Ok, the point at which the character says is valid, as she gones on to explain that even though everything may not be alright always, there is someone that is always there for us, watching over us. However an additional point I want to point out that, to turn the lie into an ultimate universal truth we just need to say "everything is going to be alright eventually". And this is also how the movie ends too... Praise God!

My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a room for you?
John 14:2

Movie Mayhem with God Part 5: X-Men First Class

Was just chatting with the close Christian mentor friend of mine last week, about me being eager to watch X-Men: First Class. Then she remarked to me that her daughter had just watched it but didn't like it as it was like "all about war and killing".
Fast forward to today. I've just came back from the theatres and watched it. Yup, lots about war and killing but I think maybe her daughter missed moments when Cross-Man Jesus Christ was lurking in the movie. Afterall, Jesus Christ is The Ultimate Superhero, by doing many seemingly impossible things, turning water to wine, making lame walk, making blind see, healing lepers, making Lazarus rise from the dead, and his own resurrection. His score is impossible to beat.
Huh? Ok, then you may ask, which one is he? Prof X or Magneto? Ok, of course in the comic the good guys are definitely Prof X's X-Men, with Magneto's Brotherhood going to be the ultimate baddies. But when you look deeper into the character development of both leaders, actually traits of the ultimate superhero Jesus Christ lies in both. Scorecard breakdown below.

Professor X:
1. I know how you feel
Professor X is able to empathise with Magneto, literally, what struggles heartache pain, he went through. I think for us, we are assured, God knows spot on what and how we feel every moment and shares it with us.

For the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.
1 Chronicles 28:9
You know when I sit and rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. Before a word is on my tongue, you Lord, know it completely.
Psalms 139:1-4

2. Designing training ultimate PT style to make us become superheroes too
In the middle of the film when the mutants are forced to shift HQ as it was no longer safe, Professor X kicks start this series of ultimate training schedule, guiding all the mutants on how their skills can be used. Especially memorable is him slowly training Havoc, until Havoc is able to manouver and control his chest laser weapon, accurately on specific targets.
God also puts believers through a gruelling PT series called life, where he moulds our skills and abilties through challenges and obstacles, where we get better and better, using our capabilities only in ways that is to our good, thus glorifying him.

For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

3. I can read your thoughts but I promise not to
Professor X promises Mystique that even though he can read her thoughts, he will never do it. As X-men fans know, eventually Mystique goes over to Magneto's camp and becomes Prof X's enemy but he never uses that power to pre-empt her for victory over Magneto.
In a slightly similar way, God knows every of our thoughts and decisions. However, he never really forces us against our will. His gift to us is free will to decide what we want to do.

I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Revelations 3:20

4. Striving for Peace
Professor X is definitely not into death, war and mass carnage. Early on it is he who dives into the water to save Magneto who was trying hard to "attract" the submarine up to avenge his mother's killer, but was in danger of drowning. Later on, he stops Magneto from starting an impending WWIII, at the expense of being shot in his spine and then eventually being paralysed. Hmm... slight martydom of sorts comparable to Jesus Christ's ultimate sacrifice by dying on the cross

Read on his cruxifiction ordeal in all 4 Gospels.


Magneto:
1. Going through hardship to eventually unlease full potential
Magneto went through the agony of seeing his mother's murder and this was the catalyst which unleased his power. It was the sadness and anger at seeing a loved one die which made him into what he eventually was. The greatest moment of his display of his abilty was when Professor X pointed out that it was to strike a balance between joy and anger.
Jesus Christ went through the anguish of being sent by God on earth for the ultimate mission. I don't think he totally enjoyed, especially as it got harder and harder. Yup, he made many dear friends and companions but the constant buildup until the final week was really awful for him. Facing the sickening snobbish hypocrites. Getting maligned for being a con-man and/or freak. Knowing before hand that one very close will betray you for like money not even enough to buy a proper meal, another super loyal khaki will deny you three times, the others will flee and disperse for cover, those who respected you previously will mock you while you are nailed to two pieces of wood hanging in the sun for an entire day, saying "Father forgive them for they know not what they do" before saying "It is finished". Jesus indeed attained the best balance, anger over sin itself, while still loving those who do so. Well, the most joyful thing is that he accomplished what would have been Mission Impossible for any human being.

For more, read the 4 Gospels, especially the Gospel of John, on his internal emotional battle...

2. Mutant and proud of it
It was Magneto who taught Mystique to stop being so ashamed of her abilities (her actual blue skin which assists her to have chamelon-like abilties). That why at the end Mystique was able to remark to Beast before she defected over to Magneto camp that they have to remember that they are "mutant and proud".
Jesus Christ accepts us for the way we are. What has the potential in making us sin, he also sees it as a form of beauty in us, abilties which can be moulded to later serve his cause only if we accept him as saviour. Afterall we are originally made in the image of this ultimate superhero. So, thus upon accepting Christ, we are really proclaiming to everyone, "follower of Christ and proud!"

But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us
Romans 5:8
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position
James 1:9

3. Brotherhood of mutants
Yup, Magneto starts this brotherhood of mutants in the end, which sad to say in the movie, is the villian gang for the upcoming sequels, where fellow mutants take fend for each other, but by being on the offensive against ordinary humans.
Jesus Christ started the first church (Him and the 12 disciples) with a brotherhood where all believers support and care for one another. Thankfully, Jesus never believed in staying on offense mode constantly... The most serious offense mode he ever displayed was ransacking the church's pasar malam only. Sarcasm to the Pharisees was so minor....

All the believers were one in heart and mind.
Acts 4:32


Seems like for now Professor X wins Magneto narrowly in the Christ-like traits scorecard. However if I'm given a choice on features I prefer, Micheal Fassbender beats James McAvoy hands down la. Afterall, I don't remember any portrayal of Jesus being botak... :P

Well, one thing we know for sure that the movie is really spot on. In the poster it said, "Witness the moment that will change our world". When Cross-Man comes again it is really gonna be that.