Catholic Daze

So much going on now-a-days.

Events in the Ukraine, status of the Greek Church there, the terror of ISIS in the East and the persecution of Christians as well as all others that don't agree with their terrorist ideology.

The capture of innocent children in Africa by Boka Haram.

Then closer to home the events in Ferguson, immigration and the approaching 9/11 date.

Lots for a Catholic to think about, how do we react as Catholics.

Those have been my thoughts of late and I hope and I'm not a theologian or a degree scholar with star power recognition. I'm just an ordinary Catholic like you who wants to know what The Truth is not a truth, but The Truth as taught by the Catholic Church.

I do seek to know my faith and I study it every day in some capacity or another, books, tapes, seminars (when I can afford them) and prayer, scripture ready and regular taking of the sacraments.

I'll convey my thoughts as 'A View from the Pew", short takes about the days events from a fellow Catholic sitting in the pew right beside you.

A Catholic trying to fight the good fight and stay on the path to heaven.

....that what I'll be concentrating my coming post on.
WCC

Blog Absent....

I apologize for the lull in my blogging.
Balancing family and job and blogging has been a challenge for me of late. 

But I am still here and eager to start blogging again.

I will slowly start this blog going again, thanks for your patience.
WCC

Noah - Classic case of The book is better than the Movie

Okay so I went along with the herd of people that attended the early showings on Friday afternoon.

The advertisement and early Catholic Blogs encouraged a feeling of optimism and "don't judge until you've seen it" lecture.

The articles warned to have an open mind and allow for the director to has some artistic freedom and the christian blogosphere  cheered the rise of the Christian based movies. And there are more than a few out there, "Son of God" which I saw,  "God is Not Dead" which I plan to see, along with Noah.

One article argued that Noah could make or break the popularizing of the the Christian movie genre. If it bombs then that could signal a lose of Christian interest in Hollywood generated bible based movies.

So off to the showing the wife and I went with high hopes and expectations...an open mind if you please.

Having seen the Son of God movie, while this movie was what I expected, it was lacking something. I can't put my finger on it, maybe it was the feeling that I had seen it on the TV series already. And well the "see through holes in the hands" didn't do it for me as far as special affects. The message was there but it's presentation just didn't have the power of a full Hollywood production.

I haven't see the "God is Not Dead" movie yet but the reviews I have read go along with the Son of God movie. I will still go see it.

My experience with Mel Gibson's "Passion" was amazing, the mood of the audience; their silence as they exited at the end of the movie was as if they were in shock. there was dead silence.The message was there and the Hollywood pizazz combined to make the powerful impact that the movie still has today.

Everyone should differentially see it again for this Lent.

Noah, I was hoping would be a presentation of this epic.

It didn't get off on a good footing right from the start. The picking of a flower by Noah's young son offered a retribution and lecture that he (the son) shouldn't take more from the earth than "we" need.

Really? A flower?

Okay, cool it I told myself, It's just starting...

So we see the family of Noah fleeing meat eating scavengers, passing earth ravaged "mining areas". Again with the environmental theme, or was I again being too critical?

As the movie progresses into the Ark building we meet the descendant of Cain, so called ruler of the earth at that time. We see his people savagely killing and cutting up animals for consumption. Noah's family are not meat eaters but vegetarians.

The 'Watchers' (fallen Angles) are helping with the building of the Ark because they see that Noah is trying to follow God's calling to build the Ark. They sort of look like rock Transformers.

After awhile all these points are just piling up:

* Environmentalist themes throughout the movie
* Meat eating bad!
* Fallen Angles Repent and are Redeemed. (this is just incorrect theology)
* Noah wants to kill his own family members
* Noah says the the surviving family are saved just to die out when they find land. People are bad for the environment. So why did God save them in the first place?
* Shem is the only one with a wife even though the Bible says differently. All the boys had wives.

Okay so I promised to be open minded and I ended up creating a list of only a few of the items in the movie I tried to ignore...but I can't

If a movie is going to hang it's hat on being a Christian movie then it has some basic guidelines to follow. If it's a biblical story at least try to follow the scripture. I know that other popular movies (The Ten Commandents, The Robe, Ben Hur) have their flaw as well but this one just kept the list growing, till finally I have to say...

....this is not a good movie as far as it's claims to being a Christina movie.

There are those that say "It's a movie for entertainment and shouldn't be judge beyond that"

Foowy!

Again if you claim to be of the Christian movie genre, you need to be true to the that message.

The over all message of the scripture is not in the movie.My biggest fear is that many who watch this movie will come away with thinking that this movie's (Noah) message and theology is Christian

...and it isn't.

I like the acting, I like the Hollywood affects but...

Either today's Christian movies are right on with the message but fail to capture the audience or they capture the audience but fail in truthfully bringing the Christian message to the screen.

The Christian audience, who is the target of this movie venture will be the target audience of ridicule because they point this out.

If you see the movie fine, just do yourself the favor of at least reading the scripture account first.

This is a classic case of the book being better than the movie.

Tom Clancy's Ukraine in Today's News

The crisis in the Ukraine is one that I feel is not getting the attention that it should. It appears that Putin is making a play for that country as we see a daily escalation of military action along the border with Russia and the Crimea region.

Putin is from the old Soviet Union school of power. The older Russian's would like to see that Mother Russia status again. Putin would like the super-power stature again for sure.

The news is bleak, with our president with his usual "line-in-the-sand" jargon. What are we going to do especially with the added military cuts? I really feel and I'm praying for the people of the Ukraine.

On Ukraine, Putin holds all the cards and dictates the timetable

At any one time I'm usually reading 3 or 4 books at the same time, most are on my Catholic faith, theology, philosophy, apologetics. Most of my reading is non-fiction, but I still like a good yarn once in a while so I try to include in one of those 3 or 4 books with one of my favorite fiction writers.

Clive Cussler is one of my favorites. His Macgyver type characters and a bit of history in his storyline make for a mindless adventure.

But one of my favorites is Tom Clancy. Again with that bit of history and military authenticity make the read on a plane of believability. I bought his first book "Red October' and I've been reading his books ever since.

And who can forget the movie...."one ping only!".

I was saddened to hear of his passing late last year and I don't think there will be anyone to take his place, at least on that caliber. He will be missed.

I'm presently reading his last book,   "Command Authority"   and it isn't disappointing in it's plot line. In fact it seems a little too real.



Why do I say this, well because it seems the book's plot of the President of Russia, a former KGB officer is trying to bring back the old style of Soviet global influence and he's starting with the Ukraine.

In the book the Russian President is planning his takeover of the Ukraine under the pretext of protecting the Russian's who reside in the northern part of the country. Controlling the EU through the oil deals that have been signed and which will eventually lead to a West show down.

I'm only half way done with the book but I feel like I can read a chapter and listen to the nightly news repeating what I just finished reading.

I'm hoping the book as a happy ending ...but more so with state of the Ukraine.

RIP Fr. Eric Freed

Father Freed.
I didn't know you but I thank you for vocation, for your devotion to the Gospel and your participation in the Holy Mass, persona Christi bringing the Body of Christ to the thousands who came to receive.

I thank you for those you counseled, shared in a joyous Baptism, Wedding, comforted at a Funeral, for the hours in the confessional.

I thank you for the late nights you spent holding the hand of a dying individual, the late night hospital visits.For the catechism classes you taught and visited.

I thank you for answering the call to the priesthood and all your dedication and service to the Lord.

Blessed be your soul and rest in paradise for all eternity.

WCC

Police working 'strong lead' in murder of popular California priest