I know movies can make powerful statements and provide insights into who we are as a people, but I’m just not a movie buff. I know movies can be a common ground to unite us as individuals, but I don’t even recognise that people ARE quoting movie lines, let alone know what movie they come from.
But we saw a movie a couple of weeks ago that was truly interesting and I’d like to watch it again! I’ll be able to watch it without the pressure to find a good line to quote as it was in Swedish;-) There’s something about European films. They are a refreshing change from scale-a-skyscraper-whilst-wielding-a-gun types that inevitably include a few car crashes from at least one of which emerges the beautiful woman with some canned humour to relieve the tension….actually it’s been a very long time since I’ve watched one of *those* movies, but this one was still one-of-a-kind.
As a commentary on the modern-day church, it was not particularly complimentary. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was too far removed from many people’s experience, not if the people I talk to are telling the truth. Anyway, it had some interesting themes – love, forgiveness, honesty, truth, difference, power, community.
It was very weak on restitution and left me wanting to see more evidence of change that was only hinted at. To me, it’s not enough to highlight a problem and then not suggest any way forward. It only just slipped over the threshold of “healing movie” - it needed something extra to move it more decisively from the realms of a “broken movie”.
But it’s the *community* aspect I’d like to talk about. We watched the movie with a couple who we meet with alternate weeks. Simply watching used up all our time one week and the next time we met, we discussed it. We ended up setting ourselves some homework (self-directed adult education at its best eh!)….to determine five aspects of community. What makes real community happen?
So what do you think? You, my readers, are one of my important communities, sometimes you know more than my face-to-face friends who don’t enter blogland - maybe you can share what you think makes relationships work.
ok, i think *community* is a very organic thing.
i used to think that we could Make Community Happen.
but now i think that it just grows out of relationships.
there’s *click* that happens on a level or two and suddenly you have this great friendship forming, and my *life* collides with yours…
gosh i miss those AAGGHH nights.
but i think i am less serious now…. or maybe i just don’t share that seriousness so readily now… there’s another onion layer for ya X
and i have a movie line for you….
in my day, television was called books
loads of love X
ohgosh that comment that was nearly twelve hours (and a glass of wine) after the first…. X
Please tell me the movie – that’s got to be one worth watching (though I’ll spend the whole movie waiting for *the* line LOL)
Even spookier than the spooky comment I just made on the post after this – I just watched that movie tonight! It’s the princess bride.
And Rach…the line is near the beginning…so you don’t need to watch the whole thing…but I venture you’d enjoy it!
*What makes real community*???
I’ve been thinking about it and I think *my* answer would be have as many answers as a piece of string (if that phrase makes any sense). Loads of thing….sometimes surprising things…in surprising places…things in common, no things in common…FOOD – food has always got to be good…
I’d go with sharing food together as a great start
Although the following article is from a different Christian tradition than me, I think it offers valuable incites
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2878 I quote
“When I evaluate St. Andrew’s turnaround, two factors stand out. They are the same two factors that Nancy Ammerman, in her study of congregations and change, identifies as critical to congregational vibrancy: worshiping and eating. Whatever else church members do as they cope with change, they must worship well and eat together.
The goal of “worship and food” is, of course, to create genuine Christian community centered on the triune God. That requires meaningful worship, worship in which people sense God’s presence and grace-filled activity Similarly, rather than just supplying good food in the fellowship hall, one must provide meaningful opportunities for building and practicing Christian fellowship. We must create what has traditionally been called a “eucharistic community” — a Christian community that meets together around the supper, around bread and wine, around Christ’s very presence in the community and that becomes a sacramental presence of God’s love and grace within the larger community.
To create an environment for genuine worship and fellowship, St. Andrew had to admit that “coffee fellowship” after worship, a grand old Lutheran tradition, was not sufficient to bring about genuine Christian fellowship. We discovered that Sunday mornings were completely insufficient to create anything close to what the Bible describes as koinonia. We began to nurture fellowship through various meaningful meals.”
and
John Mark Minsitries has a treasure trove of info
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/567.htm
HI ya, I haven’t commented on your new blog yet, but I just have to say it – the Movie is ‘The Princess Bride’ my all time favourite – and you would ‘maybe’ like it – most likely (if you are anything like my dad) you would just like the Grandfather in the movie – he’s the one with the line “in my day…”
The book is actually better than the movie – but so far I have not found one person who like it – hows that for a good book review!
HI ya, I haven’t commented on your new blog yet, but I just have to say it – the Movie is ‘The Princess Bride’ my all time favourite – and you would ‘maybe’ like it – most likely (if you are anything like my dad) you would just like the Grandfather in the movie – he’s the one with the line “in my day…”
The book is actually better than the movie – but so far I have not found one person who likes it – hows that for a good book review!
ooh, i got in here finally, having just told you i couldn’t get to this page.
my list has changed (yup, in that few minutes from my email to you and now, lol) – in no particular order:
honesty
expression
validation
respect
accountability