Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Sling Blade
In chapter 4, Meeting Frank, we begin to see the relationship that forms between Karl and Frank as they meet outside the local laundromat. Karl helps Frank carry home the families' wash to his house as they get to know more about each other. Frank is undeterred by Karl as he reveals his past history and accepts him as he is.
Romans 14:1-4
1 Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.
8 People who won't settle down, wandering hither and yon,
are like restless birds, flitting to and fro.
9 Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight,
a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.
10 Don't leave your friends or your parents' friends
and run home to your family when things get rough;
Better a nearby friend
than a distant family.
2-4For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.
In chapter 18, Football, we see the progression of Karl and Frank's relationship as they play football with some other boys at the junior high football field. Karl sets up Frank to score and further shows his love for Frank by telling him that he's proud of him. Karl looks to help fill the gulf left by Frank's departed father in ways rather simplistic, but otherwise paramount to young Frank.
1 Corinthians 4:13-15
13When we are slandered and defamed, we [try to] answer softly and bring comfort. We have been made and are now the rubbish and filth of the world [the offscouring of all things, the scum of the earth].
14I do not write this to shame you, but to warn and counsel you as my beloved children.
15After all, though you should have ten thousand teachers (guides to direct you) in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the glad tidings (the Gospel).
In chapter 21, Goodbye, we witness the last time that Frank and Karl will see one another. Karl has decided what course of action he must take to provide a safe future for Frank and his mom in the only way that he knows how. He makes sure that Frank knows that he is loved and that their friendship will not be affected by what happens in the future.
Proverbs 27:8-10
are like restless birds, flitting to and fro.
9 Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight,
a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.
10 Don't leave your friends or your parents' friends
and run home to your family when things get rough;
Better a nearby friend
than a distant family.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
| RICHARD CORLISS, Time Magazine, says: But those who have seen Thornton as Karl Childers in Sling Blade can't get that face out of their bad dreams. The skin is celibate smooth, the eyes clamped shut to keep the demons out, or in. And when the pursed mouth opens, it speaks... of dreadful sins with Old Testament vengeance. | |
| Karl Childers: Billy Bob Thornton, Doyle Hargraves: Dwight Yoakam, Charles Bushman: J.T. Walsh, Vaughan Cunningham: John Ritter, Frank Wheatley: Lucas Black, Karl's father: Robert Duvall. Written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton. Running time: 135 minutes. Rated R (for strong language, including descriptions of violent and sexual behavior). | |
| Thornton spins a complex, yet simple story about a retarded man, who 25 years earlier killed his mother in a rage after finding her having sex with a very abusive man. Upon his release from a mental institution, Karl befriends Frank (Lucas Black), a fatherless boy whose kindly mother (Natalie Canerday) has shacked up with an abusive man, Doyle. Doyle is wickedly portrayed by country legend Dwight Yoakam. Doyle drinks, lambasts his adoptive family and threatens others with physical violence. There is never much doubt about the Judgment Day event that concludes the story. But getting there makes for a very compelling spiritual adventure. | |
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| Karl carries books with him: the Bible, a book about Christmas, and a book on how to be a carpenter. Very interesting, I thought. When Karl meets the abusive Doyle for the first time, Doyle asks Karl about the books that Karl always carries with him. "What's all them books?" "Never mind. One of 'em's a Bible," replies Karl. "Do you believe in the Bible, Karl?" "Yes sir, a good deal of it." "I don't understand none of it. This one beget that one and that one beget that one. Beget. Beget. Lo and behold. Just how retarded are you?" This dialogue represents a major shift in Hollywood. Here the abusive bad guy is not also a religious Bible thumper. Instead, the sympathetic character carries a Bible and believes in it. This was rarely the case in Hollywood films just a few years ago. Also, alcohol is not portrayed in a favorable light as it is linked to the abusive man. | |
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| Robert Duvall plays Karl's natural father, Mr. Childers. Karl visits him, hoping to reconcile their relationship. The father ignores his son. Childers had also secretly murdered his new born baby son (Karl's bother) years ago. Watching this film causes one to wonder what real insanity is. It's Childers and Doyle who are insane! Both are abusive, cruel, heavy drinkers and they both reject Karl believing that he is insane. | |
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| There are so many spiritual overtones in this film. Karl meditates, goes to the high places and wants to be baptized. He wants atonement. A Pentecostal type of evangelical preacher baptizes him. Again, Hollywood is respectful. This shift in attitude is amazing. In the past, only Roman Catholics were portrayed seriously in film, never Evangelical Christians. Evangelicals have been portrayed as hypocrites, money lovers and mentally unstable. This welcomed shift can also be seen inThe Devil's Advocate, Contact, and The Apostle. | |
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| I recommend this film highly. The film's focus on Karl's spiritual journey is complex and very compelling. |
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Next class...
Storyline
A partially handicapped man named Karl is released from a mental hospital, about 20 years after murdering his mother and another person. Karl is often questioned if he will ever kill again, and he shrugs in response saying there is no reason to. Now out of the mental institution, Karl settles in his old, small hometown, occupying himself by fixing motors. After meeting a young boy named Frank who befriends him, Karl is invited to stay at Frank's house with his mother Linda- who views Karl as a strange but kind and generous man. However, Linda's abusive boyfriend Doyle, sees things differently in the way rules ought to be run- normally insulting Linda's homosexual friend Vaughan as well as Karl's disabilities, and having wild parties with his friends. As Karl's relation with Frank grows, he is ever so watchful of Doyle's cruel actions. Written by commanderblue
Taglines:
A simple man. A difficult choice.Box Office
Budget:
$890,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
$36,644 (USA) (1 December 1996)Gross:
$24,475,416 (USA) (27 July 1997)Sunday, November 20, 2011
A Final Word...
The Evolution Of Sin Has Changed Our Lives And Communities
I'm not a fan of television these days. Reality television...really? There is nothing “real” when a person enhances their appearance and adjusts his or her personality for an audience. I haven't watched television with any sort of regularity for around ten years. The exception would be College football, and TVland. Good ole' Andy Griffith...hey, now we can get a glimpse of what the good old days were all about. White lies were a regular main ingredient in the script on the Andy Griffith show, but usually the truth came out at the end of the episode...sometimes.
A Different Time, A Different Life,and A Different Community
1960 compared to 2011, hmmmm...I'd say those years aren't that different when considering the sin susceptibility of human kind. It's the same old 1960 sin, but the evolved 2011 satanic methodology has changed our lives. If we take the time, we can rewind time like a DVD video and then we can see the difference with more clarity.
Have you noticed that most modern homes do not have a functional front porch? Only 20 to 30 years ago we watched out for our friends and neighbors, and they watched out for us...it was the good old front porch era. Folks seemed to care about other people's kids back then, and they had a hand in the discipline of other people's kids, to an extent. The main interface of communication was the person to person conversation previous to the 90's. When you wanted to say something to your neighbor you didn't text them because you could probably just yell it out the window....the older reader may remember that windows were open back then!
An Increasingly Introverted Culture
In these modern times; air conditioning, televisions, and video games have all but silenced the heartbeat of the American neighborhood. Cute little communications devices such as the i-phone have made face to face conversation seem awkward...even unwanted. The modern neighborhood looks abandoned because the way we interface with the world has changed. Nowadays people don't interact with others in their neighborhood like the families of the 50's, 60's, and 70's did. As a matter of fact, families don't even interact with their own kinsmen! Due to modern times; a bad economy, and the ever changing ways of life, families are very much scattered. Family reunions are now becoming by gone events. Fear has driven us to keep our children indoors because we feel that we must hide our kids from the evil potential of the sexual maniac. The non-parental supervised game of street football is nearly a bygone memory. We can't let our kids ride their bikes down the street beyond our eyesight. ... What a rip off, I had that freedom when I was a kid!
Advances in technology have changed the manner in which we relate to the community and world, thus America has eliminated the charm of the front porch. Subtly, In the last 15 years or so, the family has encapsulated themselves within their personal forms of entertainment. Musing has been swallowed by amusement probably because it takes less effort. Front porches are now crazy looking 4 foot while unlock the door rain shelters nowadays. We've even retreated from the family room into our own individual bubbles of personal entertainment, and gadgetry. The dinner table has been replaced by the TV tray in front of your personal television. We continue to retreat further into our own little bubble. The past 7 years has been anenormous step toward a personal entertainment world. I hate that many modern kids don't have that privilege of near total outdoor freedom anymore, what a shame! Nobody seems to care or notice. ... Some wonder why their 10 year old is 120 pounds. Well, ya know. ...
Out Of The Darkness And In Your Face
Evolving sin has destroyed decent morality, and the dark adversary knows how to get to us...he is now rolling out his best master plan of all time. We are becoming more and more closed off as a culture, so what satan has done is he's seized control of the social media and entertainment industry through the minds of the administrators therein. Thus through the social communication and entertainment media, the evil one is also able to influence the politicians who govern humanity. The world governing bodies allow the social media and entertainment industry to further promote tolerance of promiscuity and homosexual lifestyles. Traditional gender role life styles and modesty are laughed at and despised. Sexual expression is badly warped, and it's nowhere near the marriage bed; as a matter of fact, conditions in this modern society resemble Sodom and Gomorrah. What's currently rated PG now was rated R in 1985. The evil one has indeed succeeded in subduing modesty through the entertainment industry and popular culture!
Casual sex discussions and sex play is a growing problem with the youth of America. According to many reports, young children are increasingly likely to have participated in perverted conversations with children, or an older individual previous to their 11th birthday...it is absolutely shocking! I would never let my child have any free reign internet access, nor total freedom with a cell phone...ever! My daughter begs me to get her a cell phone, but I've seen the trouble a cell phone can bring into a 9 to 13 years old's life. Some of the things I hear kids talk about leave me speechless! All youth's aren't subject to debauchery, but we are all human, thus we have that propensity to mess up! I'd really think twice about cell phone use for kids.
Looking Back
In 1980 our family watched television frequently, but we all watched the same television; however, I had much more outdoors freedom as a child than the majority of the kids today. I remember the feel of the peddles on the bottom of my red clay stained bare feet as I rode up Giger Hill, and the sound of the wind as I streaked down the other side. My three dogs would keep pace and follow me everywhere as I rode my bike. My legs were skinny, but they were muscled with no blubber on them. ... I could easily power through the sand and rugged ground on my bicycle. I would actually wear the tread off of the tires of my bike! I had outdoorsfreedom, but I knew it was time to come home when the deep orange sky would que the locusts to begin their shrill call in those Milton, Florida pine trees. I remember popping a wheelie to ride up onto the front porch. At the end of a busy afternoon I went inside to eat supper and watch the one television in the living room.
The Re-birth Of A Godly Community
I say that we should give our kid's the outdoors freedom that they have been deprived of. Most of us likely had the freedom to peddle out of sight and into our world of building forts and getting our school clothes dirty when we were kids, so why can't our kids do something similar? If a neighborhood committee can be started to inform you that your mailbox is the wrong color, why can't parents in the neighborhood step outside and take a shift in watching the kids as they hit your end of the street? For that matter, why do we stay inside all the time? Light the grill, and burn a cow...let's all get to know each other!
If you don't have many neighbors, at least get involved in, or find a church that has an outreach attitude and serve the community...I'm trying to work towards that now as a matter of fact. As long as the denominations of the body of Christ believe that Jesus is Lord and the risen savior, then all Christ Followers should have enough common ground to face a lost and broken worldtogether. We can restore community if we work together in the name of Jesus. If we can restore community as the body of Christ, we can reach the unsaved!
 |
| My House, circa 1980 |
Ecclesiastes 3
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.A Different Time, A Different Life,and A Different Community
1960 compared to 2011, hmmmm...I'd say those years aren't that different when considering the sin susceptibility of human kind. It's the same old 1960 sin, but the evolved 2011 satanic methodology has changed our lives. If we take the time, we can rewind time like a DVD video and then we can see the difference with more clarity.
Have you noticed that most modern homes do not have a functional front porch? Only 20 to 30 years ago we watched out for our friends and neighbors, and they watched out for us...it was the good old front porch era. Folks seemed to care about other people's kids back then, and they had a hand in the discipline of other people's kids, to an extent. The main interface of communication was the person to person conversation previous to the 90's. When you wanted to say something to your neighbor you didn't text them because you could probably just yell it out the window....the older reader may remember that windows were open back then!
An Increasingly Introverted Culture
In these modern times; air conditioning, televisions, and video games have all but silenced the heartbeat of the American neighborhood. Cute little communications devices such as the i-phone have made face to face conversation seem awkward...even unwanted. The modern neighborhood looks abandoned because the way we interface with the world has changed. Nowadays people don't interact with others in their neighborhood like the families of the 50's, 60's, and 70's did. As a matter of fact, families don't even interact with their own kinsmen! Due to modern times; a bad economy, and the ever changing ways of life, families are very much scattered. Family reunions are now becoming by gone events. Fear has driven us to keep our children indoors because we feel that we must hide our kids from the evil potential of the sexual maniac. The non-parental supervised game of street football is nearly a bygone memory. We can't let our kids ride their bikes down the street beyond our eyesight. ... What a rip off, I had that freedom when I was a kid!
Advances in technology have changed the manner in which we relate to the community and world, thus America has eliminated the charm of the front porch. Subtly, In the last 15 years or so, the family has encapsulated themselves within their personal forms of entertainment. Musing has been swallowed by amusement probably because it takes less effort. Front porches are now crazy looking 4 foot while unlock the door rain shelters nowadays. We've even retreated from the family room into our own individual bubbles of personal entertainment, and gadgetry. The dinner table has been replaced by the TV tray in front of your personal television. We continue to retreat further into our own little bubble. The past 7 years has been anenormous step toward a personal entertainment world. I hate that many modern kids don't have that privilege of near total outdoor freedom anymore, what a shame! Nobody seems to care or notice. ... Some wonder why their 10 year old is 120 pounds. Well, ya know. ...
Out Of The Darkness And In Your Face
Evolving sin has destroyed decent morality, and the dark adversary knows how to get to us...he is now rolling out his best master plan of all time. We are becoming more and more closed off as a culture, so what satan has done is he's seized control of the social media and entertainment industry through the minds of the administrators therein. Thus through the social communication and entertainment media, the evil one is also able to influence the politicians who govern humanity. The world governing bodies allow the social media and entertainment industry to further promote tolerance of promiscuity and homosexual lifestyles. Traditional gender role life styles and modesty are laughed at and despised. Sexual expression is badly warped, and it's nowhere near the marriage bed; as a matter of fact, conditions in this modern society resemble Sodom and Gomorrah. What's currently rated PG now was rated R in 1985. The evil one has indeed succeeded in subduing modesty through the entertainment industry and popular culture!
Casual sex discussions and sex play is a growing problem with the youth of America. According to many reports, young children are increasingly likely to have participated in perverted conversations with children, or an older individual previous to their 11th birthday...it is absolutely shocking! I would never let my child have any free reign internet access, nor total freedom with a cell phone...ever! My daughter begs me to get her a cell phone, but I've seen the trouble a cell phone can bring into a 9 to 13 years old's life. Some of the things I hear kids talk about leave me speechless! All youth's aren't subject to debauchery, but we are all human, thus we have that propensity to mess up! I'd really think twice about cell phone use for kids.
Kids 10 to 14 years old who have 24 hour communication access could potentially be receiving phone calls or participating in dirty little text conversations after bedtime. ... What are parents thinking? How can parents let their kids have cell access 24 hours a day...they will likely get a big shock one day!
Looking Back
In 1980 our family watched television frequently, but we all watched the same television; however, I had much more outdoors freedom as a child than the majority of the kids today. I remember the feel of the peddles on the bottom of my red clay stained bare feet as I rode up Giger Hill, and the sound of the wind as I streaked down the other side. My three dogs would keep pace and follow me everywhere as I rode my bike. My legs were skinny, but they were muscled with no blubber on them. ... I could easily power through the sand and rugged ground on my bicycle. I would actually wear the tread off of the tires of my bike! I had outdoorsfreedom, but I knew it was time to come home when the deep orange sky would que the locusts to begin their shrill call in those Milton, Florida pine trees. I remember popping a wheelie to ride up onto the front porch. At the end of a busy afternoon I went inside to eat supper and watch the one television in the living room.
The Re-birth Of A Godly Community
I say that we should give our kid's the outdoors freedom that they have been deprived of. Most of us likely had the freedom to peddle out of sight and into our world of building forts and getting our school clothes dirty when we were kids, so why can't our kids do something similar? If a neighborhood committee can be started to inform you that your mailbox is the wrong color, why can't parents in the neighborhood step outside and take a shift in watching the kids as they hit your end of the street? For that matter, why do we stay inside all the time? Light the grill, and burn a cow...let's all get to know each other!
If you don't have many neighbors, at least get involved in, or find a church that has an outreach attitude and serve the community...I'm trying to work towards that now as a matter of fact. As long as the denominations of the body of Christ believe that Jesus is Lord and the risen savior, then all Christ Followers should have enough common ground to face a lost and broken worldtogether. We can restore community if we work together in the name of Jesus. If we can restore community as the body of Christ, we can reach the unsaved!
Posted by Thomas
http://thomasg1971.blogspot.com/
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