Those Sinful Superheroes

Superheroes were kind of a sensitive subject around my house when I was growing up.

My best friend and I loved 'em, and whenever he was over, we'd stuff socks in our shirtsleeves (to make our muscles look bigger) throw some bath towels around our necks and zip around our back yard, fighting for truth, justice and the American way.

My dad hated 'em: When I was about 6 years old, he went through a beautiful religious experience—but one that threw our house in chaos. Superheroes were among the casualties. My dad thought that superheroes, what with their godlike powers, were designed to replace the ultimate hero, Christ, and were thus banned.

Well, sorta. Reading superhero comics or watching Superfriends on television was not allowed. But I could pretend I was a superhero as much as I wanted. To this day, I'm not quite sure why there was this inconsistency, but there it was.

I was reminded of all this when I heard that Westboro Baptist Church—the cultlike Kansas group that regularly pickets soldiers' funerals, churches and, at one point, Focus on the Family—is scheduled to protest at Comic-Con in San Diego today. The story I saw had a member holding a sign saying "God Hates Nerds."

"The destruction of this nation is imminent," reads Westboro's website, "so start calling on Batman and Superman now, see if they can pull you from the mess that you have created with all your silly idolatry."

Now, I've got some pretty strong opinions about Westboro's operation—I cringe that they call themselves a "church," quite frankly—but do they have a point here?

I see where they're coming from, I suppose, but I'd have to disagree. Once I grew up and began examining superheroes for myself, I began to see them as not replacements for Christ, but as echoes of Him. Not perfect echoes, mind you: They often resemble our sinful selves as much as they represent a sinless Savior. But they nevertheless allow us to delve deeply into some Christian themes—redemption, sacrifice, salvation, the nature of good and evil—in ways that feel new and resonant. Little wonder the Christian subculture has long co-opted the superhero trope to tell its own stories, from Bibleman to Larryboy.

My dad, great guy though he is, never quite understood what I saw in superheroes. But he's grown to accept that, perhaps there can be something to see.

When Christians Like Bad Stuff

So, between some reading of Augustine and G.K. Chesterton, I've been perusing a book from another Christian sage: Jonathan Acuff, best known for his blog Stuff Christians Like.

Acuff's book, also called Stuff Christians Like, is a funny, irreverent look at the Christian subculture—one of my favorite reads this summer. And it contains a particularly priceless riff: "Using the Desire to be 'Culturally Relevant' as an Excuse to Watch Family Guy". It talks about what happens when Christianity runs headlong into secular entertainment.

Do I love the Family Guy television cartoon or the new Lil Wayne album? No. But what can I do? Christianity needs to be more relevant. How are we going to change today's generation if we don't understand them? How can I witness to someone about the love of Christ if I can't hang in a conversation about Family Guy?

Seriously, what if I'm in the middle of walking someone through the gospel and they say, "That redeeming blood of Jesus thing you're talking about is interesting, but let me ask you something. Who's your favorite character on Family Guy?" and I can't instantly answer, "Glen Quagmire"? The whole conversation would break down right there. I'd look out of touch … and God would lose his chance to reach one more person. Is that what you want? You want heaven all to yourself? You're so selfish.

Acuff touches, I think, on one of Christianity's biggest rubbing points: Are we using the culture to further the Kingdom? Or is culture using us?

Now, y'all know where Plugged In comes down on shows like Family Guy: We think this stuff affects us on myriad levels—often in ways we don't fully realize or understand. The Fox cartoon makes for poor sermon illustrations.

But I get the desire to use culture to further the Kingdom, too. I mean, that's been a hallmark of Christianity from the very beginning—its ability to take pieces of the secular and to mold them to reflect something better.

Which means there's gotta be a line somewhere, regarding what we can (or should) use, and what we can't (or shouldn't). Or is there? And more to Acuff's point, how often do we draw that line where we want, just 'cause we don't want to give up something we enjoy?

Album of the Moment: Jennifer Knapp Letting Go

From 1998 to 2002, folk-rock singer Jennifer Knapp was one of Christian music's most successful artists. But the rigors of releasing three closely spaced albums (which sold a total of 1 million units), combined with nonstop touring, took their toll. So Knapp announced she would be taking a hiatus.

Eight years later, she's returned with a new album—and the announcement that she's gay and has been in a same-sex relationship since 2002. In several recent interviews, Knapp has talked about trying to reconcile her faith and lesbianism. "Everyone around me made it absolutely clear that this [homosexuality] is not an option for me, to invest in this other person—and for me to choose to do so would be a denial of my faith," she told Christianity Today.

Speaking to Relevant, she said, "I think the overriding thing is we understand people of faith are on a journey and on a walk, and that no matter whether it's our sexuality—gay, straight, premarital, adulterous, whatever form—that we come in contact as human beings with our sexuality and actually funnel that through our faith. … It's constantly the pursuit of my own to consistently be honest about where I'm at."

And so she's Letting Go and serving up an album that addresses the highs and lows of romance as it tries to make sense of others' expectations.

ProSocialContent

"Better Off" voices Knapp's fear of rejection: "How can I say/Please believe in me/Don't be leaving me/I won't be thrown away." "Mr. Gray" finds her asking for mercy ("If I show you my hands/Would you watch them bleed/Long enough to prove/They are indeed in need of mercy?"). That song also says, "Only God knows who I am."

"Want for Nothing" promises faithfulness in a relationship ("I will be here waiting for you"). On "Stone to the River," Knapp sings, "I'm trying to keep faith in my fellow man." Hope turns up on "Fallen" ("I say that hidden in the sky is a blazing sun/Wait … here it comes"). "On Love" confronts the tendency to flee when things get difficult ("Hey love, isn't that enough running away?/Stay").

ObjectionableContent

"Inside" launches a profane preemptive strike on those who don't accept Knapp's lifestyle. "I know they'll bury me before they hear the whole story/Even if they do well, I know they won't care to/Chalk it up to one mistake, or God forbid, they give me grace/Well, who in the h‑‑‑ do they think they are?" That song also declares that anyone who judges her is "wrong." Similarly, "Fallen" rejects those who would use that word to describe the singer's choices ("Even though they say we have fallen/Doesn't mean that I won't do it twice/Given every second chance/I choose to be with you tonight").

"Fallen" also positively mentions giving into lust ("If all that's left behind/Are the pieces that they find of the two of us/Borne from a wild, wild lust") "Want for Nothing" includes a subtle reference to physical intimacy ("Let's lay down/I have everything when you're beside"). "Dive In" perhaps deals with lingering vestiges of Jennifer's resistance before fully embracing her new lifestyle ("I'm so tired of standing on the edge of myself/You know I'm longing to dive in, dive in/You know it well, your voice will push me over the edge/ … I may be a fool to some, hero to others/But to you, just a lover").

On the title track, she seems determined to maintain her grip on a damaging relationship: "I'm not letting go/White-knuckled grip still you slip through my hands/Leaving me wanting more/ … Kiss me on the mouth, maybe later you can figure out/What it all means/Holding on to you is a menace to my soul." When asked who the you in this song is, Knapp told Christianity Today, "It can change three or four times while I'm singing it. Some days it's my faith. Some days I'm singing to God, like, You're a menace, man. It's hard to keep my faith. Sometimes it's music, and sometimes it's being on the road. It's a lot of those scenarios."

SummaryAdvisory

Listened to in isolation, Letting Go doesn't deal directly with homosexuality. But Jennifer Knapp's public declaration regarding her same-sex relationship, paired with lines like these leave no doubt about where she's at: "So cling to me and I will be forever/And I will heal/And you will feel much better."

Regarding how longtime Christian fans will respond to this album, Knapp told Christianity Today, "I'm tired of spending hours and hours thinking about what if scenarios—what if nobody wants it, what if everybody is mad, what if I'm a complete disappointment. Now it's, Here it is. I've got to let it go. That's one of the frustrating parts of my Christian walk, the scenario that if I don't get it right, that I've somehow failed God and failed my faith."

Album of the Moment: MercyMe The Generous Mr. Lovewell

Singer Bart Millard never intended to be part of a multiplatinum-selling Christian band. Actually, hailing from a Texas football family, the gridiron was Millard's first choice. But ankle injuries led to choir electives which led to helping out with a youth group worship band which led to standing in for the lead singer which led to … being a part of a multiplatinum-selling Christian band.

By 2001 Bart was fronting a sextet called MercyMe that splashed on the scene with its first album and a hit called "I Can Only Imagine"—a song birthed out of Millard's personal pain over his father's death from cancer. Since then, accolades have been a constant for this consistently gold- and platinum-selling group. Billboard, for instance, named it the No. 1 Christian Songs Artist of the Decade in 2009.

ProSocialContent

The retro-sounding electronic rock intro "This Life" sets up the idea that we have more responsibility—to God and to the world around us—than to just get comfortable in life ("Hold your heads up high/This is our moment to rise/We were meant to shine/Not just survive"). And the title track embraces that theme as the title character leads by example ("He wakes up every day the same/Believing he's gonna make a change/Never wonders 'if' but 'when'").

Millard admits life can be tough when "right keeps going wrong," but he looks for God to lead him to "brighter days" on "Move." "Crazy Enough" wonders aloud, with an echo-heavy spy movie vibe, if loving others is really as crazy as it sounds ("Reaching out to the ones who need help/Treating them as you first would treat yourself/Now, that would be insane").

"All of Creation" lends a traditional Christian anthem feel to the song mix as it solidly ties love back to its source: a heavenly Father. And even though the world often says we're not good enough, MercyMe points out that we're "Beautiful" and treasured by a loving God ("You're the one He madly loves/Enough to die/You're beautiful in His eyes").

The easy grooving "Back to You" promises that "I may slip, slide and watch our worlds collide/But I will hit the ground running back to You." The praise chorus "Only You Remain" thanks God for His eternal consistency. And "Free" proclaims that no matter what chains the world imposes, God is our means of freedom.

And there's still more: God calls out to us to be His love to a broken world on "Won't You Be My Love" ("She is not to blame for the journey she is on/Her life is no mistake/Won't you lead her to My cross?"). And "This So Called Love" concludes with this penetrating thought: No matter how much effort we put into loving others, "If all that we do/Is absent of Jesus/Then this so-called love/Is completely in vain."

ObjectionableContent

None.

SummaryAdvisory

In the 1960s, John Lennon and Paul McCartney's song about a myopic "Nowhere Man" challenged a generation to get off their duffs and plug into the world around them. It's easy to see MercyMe's 2010 ditty "The Generous Mr. Lovewell" as that Nowhere Guy's polar opposite contemporary.

Indefatigably cheerful, Mr. Lovewell is a simple soul who changes his world and inspires others with little acts of love and kindness.

Altogether, this sometimes bouncy, sometimes quiet and thoughtful collection presents an extremely listenable recounting of the impact a single person can have on the world if he or she will simply recognize God's pure love and carry it into the minutia of life.

Movie of the Moment: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

A calling can be such a bummer.

Do you think Moses really wanted to talk smack to Pharaoh? That Frodo wanted to cart that goofy ring all the way to Mount Doom? That I wanted to slave over a dim computer screen, typing out brilliant movie reviews only to have them edited for no apparent reason?

No, all of these people would have rather slept in, eaten bacon and worn sweats all day than worked so hard and sacrificed so much.

Dave Stutler knows this. It was 10 years ago when a creepy-looking antique peddler named Balthazar told him he was destined to be a powerful sorcerer. The encounter was an unmitigated disaster. No sooner had he learned his "calling" before another sorcerer—the dastardly and downright evil Horvath—instigated a magical cage match with ol' Balthy, causing Dave to spill something on his pants and flee the building, screaming about fire and death. Who should he see outside? Why, his teacher, and his friends, and this cute girl named Becky. All of them, naturally, assume Dave simply had a nervous breakdown and wet his pants.

Dave's still dealing with that meltdown. Oh, sure, he switched schools (to another state) and got counseling (his episode supposedly being the result of a glucose imbalance). He's managed to find a niche in college—he's the resident physics geek with a yen for Tesla coils—and, when he discovers that Becky's now going to New York University, too, he doesn't immediately tuck his tail and run. In fact, he does her a solid by using his physics powers to get the college radio station back on the air. It's the sort of good deed Dave thinks may turn Becky's (perceived) tolerance to, maybe, possibly, a form of affection. Maybe, possibly, she might even like him. How weird would that be?

But just when Dave looks like he's about to finally recover from his image-shattering brush with fate a decade earlier—Balthazar and Horvath brush up against him again. Balthazar still believes Dave's been chosen to become the magical world's next superstar sorcerer—the sort of wizard not seen since King Arthur's famous magician, Merlin. The sort of wizard who can stop Horvath from destroying the world.

The thing is, he's going to have to work really hard to do it.

Positive Elements

Balthazar likes the fact that Dave is a lousy liar. In fact, he thinks it's part of why Dave's worthy of Merlin's long-vacant mantle. The inference is that, to be truly great, one must be truthful.

Indeed, Balthazar regularly tells Dave that character counts—that to be great, one must be good. Ingenuity, love and strength of purpose are what separate the good guys from the bad ones, he says.

Those aren't just idle concepts to Balthazar. For about 1,300 years he's been pining for his one true love, Veronica—a sorceress who's been locked in a nesting doll with the evil witch Morgana, also called Morgan le Fay. When both women are finally released, Balthazar tries to sacrifice himself to save Veronica. He understands both the beauty of love and the need to fight evil, and he holds these two elements in balance. When Dave winds up giving Horvath an object of great power to save his own true love (Becky), Balthazar—who's spent several lifetimes fighting Horvath and the evil he represents—says he would've done the same thing.

Some might quibble with Balthazar's understanding: Horvath is, after all, playing along with Morgana's plan to enslave humanity with an undead army. And by getting this object—Dave's wizarding ring—he seemed to have the tools to do it. To paraphrase Spock, don't the needs of the many (society) outweigh the needs of the one (Becky)?

Still, the way this story sets things up for Dave, sacrificing Becky to keep the magical ring safe would be a viciously cold-hearted act, even if it was done for (potentially) the greater good. Instead, Dave chooses more hard work: saving Becky while still trying to stop Horvath.

Spiritual Content

As you've gathered by now—even if you somehow missed the film's title—The Sorcerer's Apprentice contains quite a bit of magic. Sorcery, spells, magical rings and the like are rarely pushed off the screen. And, as is common in Disney films, that magic is shown as an amoral force, utilized for both evil and good.

Unlike most Disney films, though, this one offers a bit of an explanation.

Balthazar (the traditional name of one of the Nativity's "wise men" who are sometimes purported to be magicians) tells us that sorcery is, essentially, the channeling of unused brain power. Sorcerers use that usually untapped gray matter to manipulate the molecules and energy around them. The appearance of solidity, Balthazar notes, is an "illusion" itself. And so magical happenings are explained using such words as "electrical energy" and "fusion." The reason Dave was drawn so much to physics, Balthazar says, is because physics and sorcery share so much in common.

Is this then science? Is it magic? "Yes and yes," Balthazar says.

While the film is offering such pseudo-scientific explanations for sorcery, viewers are constantly barraged by traditional magical trappings that would appear to have nothing at all to do with physics—including pentagrams and other arcane symbols, incantations, and magical happenings that even the most tortured twisting of the natural world would be hard-pressed to explain. A witch from Salem makes an appearance. And Morgana's near-resurrection of the dead smacks of full-on necromancy.

There are very tiny hints that other, greater powers are at work. During a magical showdown between Merlin and Morgana (in flashback), Merlin tells her, "We are but servants." Morgana, killing Merlin, says she's "no one's servant."

Sexual Content

Dave and Becky share a kiss. He also ogles her legs and looks up her skirt after falling, literally, at her feet. Dave's roommate encourages him to find a mate—perhaps by spending some time with some drunk co-eds.

A dress or two is low-cut. We see a painting of a scantily clad woman crouching before a man. Balthazar and Veronica kiss.

Violent Content

You'd think that sorcerers, given their lofty understanding of physics and all, would be smarter than your average gadabout. You'd think they, of all people, would understand that magical battles tend to be zero-sum games, and that it might be wise to sit down for coffee sometime and discuss their millennia-old differences—like regular folk have to do.

Yeah, that doesn't happen here. Magicians battle like over-tired toddlers, trying to skewer each other with knives, blast each other with plasma balls or push each other into magical mirrors. It's all quite chaotic, really. Folks get smacked with flying and flaming trash cans; stabbed; electrocuted; chased by wolves (and a dragon and a metallic bull); thrown into walls and ceilings; almost sucked into magical carpets; nearly skewered by needles; practically crushed by dump trucks; and beaten by animated mops. They threaten each other with the glee of a cyberbully. They drive like Tony Stewart would if he were drunk.

For all that mayhem, the body count is surprisingly low. Horvath does the heavy lifting here, dispatching two evil sorcerers (to get their rings) and one innocent driver (by shooting objects through his windshield). The deaths are quick, "clean" and, in one case, offscreen—but he kills with no apparent remorse, and he threatens to kill others, telling someone he'll grind them up "into chunks and feed them to the cat."

Dave also "kills" someone, though his "victim" isn't exactly solid at the time. (It's an evil sorcerer who evades bolts of magic with an indistinct, misty body.) Dave tries to chop up a mop (but the mop keeps dodging). Magical-warfare training sessions are intense.

Crude or Profane Language

Three or four misuses of God's name. One use each of "d‑‑n" and "h‑‑‑."

Drug and Alcohol Content

Dave's roommate tells him he should celebrate his birthday at a party because girls from Princeton University will likely be drunk there. That same roommate shares some wine with his girlfriend. Balthazar, in an effort to cover up the fact that a dragon just turned up in Chinatown, tells a pair of police officers that the bystanders must've been "hitting the sake pretty hard."

Other Negative Elements

One sorcerer materializes from a pillar of cockroaches, another from a pile of black muck. Dave's dog releases both gas and a stream of urine in Dave's laboratory. Dave talks about "peeing." Bolts of plasma hit someone in the crotch.

Conclusion

You've heard that the film industry is hard up for ideas. And it's true. We've recently seen films based on amusement park rides (Pirates of the Caribbean), toys (Transformers), bad Saturday Night Live sketches (MacGruber), one-panel cartoons (Marmaduke) and the dubious appeal of Ashton Kutcher (Killers). Rumor has it that we'll soon be subjected to flicks predicated on Monopoly, Facebook and the Magic 8 Ball. (How will it do? Reply hazy, try again.)

So the idea of Disney taking a classic, 11-minute snippet from the film Fantasia and re-crafting it into a two-hour film is little more than predictable. But while Dave does spend several minutes trying to rein in some delinquent mops and brooms, this new Sorcerer's Apprentice is really a stand-alone piece of work. Mickey, as far as I know, doesn't even make a cameo.

Dave is more responsible than the ubiquitous mouse, giving moviegoers a glimpse of what hard work and sacrifice look like. Still, the film's kinda disturbing and scary near the end. And its inherent occult compulsions aren't altogether dispelled by supposedly scientific underpinnings. So think of it as Twilight meets The Lord of the Rings meets Harry Potter meets … Goofy.

Movie of the Moment: The Twilight Saga: EclipseRomantic love is a paradox, a mixture of joy and pain, gift and curse. Finding a mate is one of the mos

Romantic love is a paradox, a mixture of joy and pain, gift and curse. Finding a mate is one of the most important decisions we make, yet falling in love shreds our intellectual sobriety, turning us into a mass of poet-quoting, passion-addled reflexes. It's hard to think clearly when we first fall in love—a time when a little clear thinking would seem most beneficial.

Bella is in love. We all know this by now. She has a thing for brooding Edward Cullen, a vampire who shimmers in the sun. "He moves, you move," her mother tells her. "Like magnets." She thirsts for him like water, craves him like Turkish delight. She spends every minute she can with him and would sacrifice everything she knows to be with him forever—her friends, her family, her very life.

And because Edward is a vampire and all, it looks as if she'll have to make just such a sacrifice.

Nearly everyone thinks Bella is making the wrong choice—even Edward. He knows better than she does what she'll be giving up. He pleads with her to turn from this path, begs her to find a more reasonable course for her life. To change Bella into a vampire, Edward tells her, "just for the sake of never having to lose you, that's the most selfish thing I'll ever do."

But Jacob, Bella's shape-shifting werewolf friend and Edward's rival for her affections, believes he's her ideal mate. He, after all, lives and breathes. To be with him would mean giving up immortality but keeping her friends, her family and possibly her soul. "I'm going to fight for you until your heart stops beating," he tells her.

Meanwhile, an army of newly minted vampires is gathering strength in Seattle, hoping to put the kibosh on Bella's decision-making … permanently.

Positive Elements

Some might scoff at the idea of conscientious vampires and werewolves, but The Twilight Saga is filled with well-meaning creatures of the night.

Edward loves Bella just as deeply as she does him. But his is a more mature, selfless love. He's positively chivalrous when it comes to courtship, always looking out for Bella's wellbeing and insisting that the two of them not sleep together unless and until she marries him. In this respect, Edward is a study in abstention. He's also willing to let Bella go, if she so chooses.

And speaking of choice, the film repeatedly emphasizes how important our choices are. Specifically, Jacob challenges Bella to grapple with the reality that our choices have consequences.

Jacob, long one of Bella's closest friends, struggles mightily with his feelings for her, even crossing a big line when he kisses her without her permission. Apart from that self-serving mistake, though, he understands that it's Bella's choice to make, and he's still willing to risk his life for her safety—even if it means teaming up with those dastardly Cullen vampires to protect her.

A number of other ancillary vampires and werewolves strive to protect Bella too. Likewise, her parents try to care for her as best they can, albeit in their own, rather ineffective ways.

Spiritual Content

For a film loaded with vampires, werewolves, telepathy and superhuman strength, overt spirituality in Eclipse is limited to a couple of scenes. Bella is the first outsider ever to sit in on a council meeting involving Jacob's Quieute tribe (most of whom are, or will become, werewolves). The clan's leader mentions magic and an ancestor who was a "great spirit warrior." Alice Cullen continues to have visions in which she gets glimpses of enemy activities. And Edward still frets that his eternal soul may be lost, though the subject is rarely discussed. (It's a subject explored with more intensity in the books and the previous two movies.)

Sexual Content

"Doesn't he own a shirt?" Edward asks Bella, referring to Jacob after they see him loitering near his motorcycle while flexing his pecs. Truth is, Jacob does own a shirt. He just doesn't wear it much. One of Jacob's shirtless scenes even takes place in a driving snowstorm. And he's not the only one with this proclivity: Jacob's hot-blooded werewolf packmates also shun shirts much of the time.

If Edward represents a purer, more idealized form of love in Eclipse, then Jacob personifies a more animalistic passion. "Let's face it," Jacob tells Edward as he snuggles next to Bella (again shirtless) in order to keep her from freezing to death, "I am hotter than you." He jokingly suggests that she take off her clothes (so she can warm up faster) and forces a kiss on her—for which he receives a punch in the face. Bella later asks him to kiss her, and he does.

The drawn-out lip-lock that follows leaves Bella momentarily conflicted. But Edward ultimately remains Bella's main squeeze. The two smooch often and, once, engage in some foreplay—complete with the beginning of clothes removal—before Edward puts a stop to it (much to Bella's chagrin).

That's because Edward wants to get married before they have sex, something Bella's not much concerned about. "She wants sex," Eclipse screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg told the Techland blog. "She is absolutely clear about that. … When he says, 'I don't want to have sex until we're married'—and he is trying to protect her virtue—but she's like, 'You're a … dinosaur!'"

Bella's father, meanwhile, believes she's already having sex, and he awkwardly tells her to "take precautions" before Bella informs him that she's a virgin. "I'm liking Edward a little bit more now," he mumbles.

Other couples in the film kiss, too. But the most egregious sexual content is a suggested gang rape. We don't see all of it, but we are asked to watch one of the woman's assailants begin to manhandle her and force a kiss on her. We later hear that they left her in the street for dead.

Violent Content

The main point of action in Eclipse is a mini-war between the Cullens and an army of "newblood" vampires. We see this vampire army in Seattle in the throes of hunger pangs, feeding on practically anything that moves. (Those deaths are blamed on gangs or a particularly horrible serial killer.) Later, when they battle the Cullens, several are killed, and we witness heads and other body parts being cut off and smashed like ceramic vases. The decapitation of one villain (we see her head separated from her body) is particularly intense. Similarly disturbing is the implied death of a young girl shortly after she becomes a vampire. (Broken necks via twisted heads seems to be the preferred method of vampire dispatchment.)

Gigantic werewolves chew on adversaries and are sometimes hurt or killed themselves. One vampire fighting a werewolf tries to pull the wolf's jaws apart, for example. Another werewolf suffers painful broken bones which have to then be rebroken (in his human form) to heal properly.

When Bella smacks Jacob in the jaw, she injurs her own hand. And when Jacob learns that Bella and Edward are getting married, he threatens to kill himself.

Elsewhere, vampires beat each other up during action-packed training sequences and torture each other via telepathy. A woman stabs herself in the gut to attract the attention of blood-mad vampires. Bella later slices open her arm for the same reason, and we see the blood running off her skin in a stream. The character who was raped later gets revenge on her assailants after she becomes a vamp. We see her bursting into the room of one attacker, sporting an obvious intent to feed.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear a "d‑‑n" and a "h‑‑‑." "A‑‑" is said a couple of times. God's name is inappropriately exclaimed at least once.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Bella's dad drinks beer. One scene shows a man who is clearly intoxicated. Later we see him clutching an unmarked bottle of alcohol.

Other Negative Elements

Several people lie or try to keep truths from each other—none with much success. Edward, in particular, has a habit of hiding the truth from Bella (for her own good). While giving a speech, the high school valedictorian for Bella's class embraces the idea that everyone makes mistakes on the path to adulthood, to the point that she glorifies intentionally making bad choices.

Conclusion

Before walking into The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, I expected the audience to consist mostly of girls in the 13-to-18 age range. You know, the demographic that might go to a Justin Bieber concert.

I was wrong.

Granted, there were plenty of young women. But many were in their 30s and 40s. Even 50s. And let me tell you, they were into it: They cheered kisses. They cheered shirtless appearances. They saved their biggest hurrah for Edward's proposal. I don't know whether this was the "Team Edward/Team Jacob" dynamic at work or whether these fans were just absorbed in the story, but they couldn't help applauding every time somebody's lip gloss started rubbing off on somebody else.

In short, these viewers were engrossed in the film's fantasy world—and I'm not talking about the whole vampire-and-werewolf fantasy. I'm talking about the film's fantastical view of love.

Eclipse, like Twilight and New Moon before it, is far more about romance than horror. And almost all romances, by their very nature, idealize both love and the lovers involved. In some ways, that's manifested pretty positively here, and some of these values should be idealized. It's great to see Edward so often taking pains to be careful with Bella's virtue and act like a gentleman, for instance. More folks in the real world should aspire to such chivalry.

But Eclipse takes that romanticism to another level, giving us two male protagonists who are practically godlike: Edward is a knight in shining skin who props his beloved Bella on a pedestal; Jacob is a dark-haired pinup idol, sensitive and vulnerable even as he's virile and strong. They are creatures of pure imagination—preternaturally powerful and kind and desirable and desirous. No wonder teens who are still mulling what true love looks like are attracted to these characters. No wonder grown women—many of them who fell in love, got married and found their relationships weren't wall-to-wall passion and joy forever and ever—find themselves drawn to them too.

In this sense, I suspect that The Twilight Saga, particularly Eclipse, feeds our already unrealistic, sky-high expectations about what romantic relationships should look like. I don't think a lot of teens will walk out wishing to be vampires or werewolves. But many of them (and more than a few adults, it would seem) may painfully pine for the sort of love and attention Bella receives from her supernatural suitors.

The film has some other problems as well. I mourn the fact that Bella is so bent on becoming a vampire. Setting aside, for a minute, the ethics of becoming undead, the fact that she wants to jump into this irreversible decision feels terribly hasty. Bella's own father comes across as practically powerless to influence his daughter's life, yet another reason for sorrow. Eclipse is also darker and more violent than the first two entries in the franchise. The decapitation scenes in particular are jarring. And sex is obviously becoming a bigger and bigger issue for Edward and Bella.

As I left the theater, though, I thought less about those things and more about the American inclination to idealize love. That inclination can sometimes make real love—an undeniably great and wonderful but complex roller coaster—feel a little like a disappointment.

It's telling, perhaps, that Eclipse's supposed love triangle isn't much of a triangle at all. Bella is Edward's girl. She always was, always will be. She chooses a charming, bloodless, idealized man over one of flesh and blood who's arguably more fallible, more real.

And I can't help but wonder how many Twilight fans are being encouraged to shop for love in the very same way.

Agapeans Goes Techie: Agapeans on Facebook

AGAPE has been a dynamic campus ministry and has been trying to ever since it started. Not only it is dynamic in its strategies, planning, and organizing but it has also been dynamic in its approach to modernization and changes. And by that I mean the use of new technology gadgets like cellphones, cameras, i pods, mp3s, mp4s and the like and even the internet. We have crowded Friendster, Yahoo messenger, and now the most popular, Facebook. We even tried to have a FAN PAGE, or a GROUP or links. So if you're an AGAPEAN (by blood or by heart) , check that out in Facebook. So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself an email add and register in Facebook.

10 Things to Celebrate in 2010

Agape Campus Ministry and Youth Leadership Development Inc. has ten (10) highlights for this semester and school year.

1. New target schools or campus like the University of Mindanao Peñaplata College, and the Philippine Women's College and hoping that there is still more campuses to CONQUER.

2. New breed of leaders and emerging leaders for the said school year for AGAPE.

3. New strategies for discipleship making and servant leadership training.

4. New set of alumni that is still helping AGAPE.

5. Different dynamics in discipleship, servant leadership, invitation, and AGAPE events.

6. New AGAPEAN staff and faculty in USEP (Engr. Ernani Villasencio, Engr. Stallone Esguerra, and Engr. Jef de Leon).

7. New opportunities for KAIROS, like teaching outside the Philippines.

8. Reviving and/ or restoring of some AGAPE campuses like the University of Mindanao, and the San Pedro College.

9. Teaming up with other links like churches, schools, organizations and the like.

10. The top ten of the ten things to celebrate is that God has given us another year to work for His Kingdom.

6 Personality Traits to Admire and Acquire

If you really think about it, once in awhile you come across a person who knocks you off your socks…legitimately. Maybe they have a fantastic outlook on life, even during difficult times. Maybe they are really humble, although they are extremely gifted. Maybe they make you feel special. All of these are good.

Below, I've listed some of the traits I admire most in people. Although I could probably list a dozen characteristics, I thought I’d list those that seem to be the rarest or most difficult to find.

1. Selflessness: In a world where many people don’t have the time or the interest in others, selflessness is a quality that seems to be less and less common. People can be selfless in the time they give, the ability to listen, their level of patience and the love that they give. Those who are giving and generous in nature have the power to make others feel loved, appreciated and special. While those who are self-absorbed tend to do the exact opposite.
2. Tolerance: Those people who are tolerant make us feel comfortable with who we are and special as individuals. All of us are different, and many of us have quirks and idiosyncrasies. After all, these differences make the world go round. Having the ability to accept people for who they are and not expect them to be who we want them to be is important in life, happiness and in the health of our relationships.
3. Genuineness: Having the ability to be real, authentic and honest is unique in a world where we put so much emphasis on the superficial. Feeling comfortable in one’s skin and being true to one’s self is one of the most beautiful traits one can possess. To have a REAL relationship with someone requires honesty…it requires hearing and giving input or feedback that may not always be popular…it means having the strength to tell it like it is and to not be afraid to face the consequences for doing so…it means loving people for who they really are…deep down…and not for what they appear to be.
4. Sensitivity: So often we are focused on what is important to ourselves that we can forget about those around us. Those who are sensitive are often thoughtful, appreciative and loving, in a way that makes you feel understood, valued and respected. Often, sensitive people are also self-aware, making them mindful of how they impact others with what they do and say.
5. Integrity: Call me cynical, but I think this characteristic is especially difficult to find. In a time when people will do things that are underhanded to make an extra buck (Bernie Madoff…can you hear me?), expose their personal lives to the public so they can be famous (balloon boy’s dad and any other reality TV mongers) and do what feels good in the moment without necessarily thinking of the consequences (Tiger Woods), integrity is a characteristic that is especially unique today.
6. Humility: Whether someone is super-smart, extremely talented or drop-dead gorgeous, there is something extra special about them if they don’t come across as though they know it all the time. Humility in those that possess extraordinary traits make others feel special too.

Oh boy the list could go on! What characteristics do you admire in others? Are there any that you want to cultivate?

Kids of Courage Feature: Cuba: A Link in the Chain

When Tom White was a boy, his mother gave him a book called Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. The book told the stories of people who had been killed for their Christian faith. As Tom grew older, he learned more about Christians who risk their lives to share the truth about Jesus.

He believed God wanted him to do more than just learn what others were doing. “I decided to commit myself fulltime to active duty,” he said.

Tom decided to drop Christian pamphlets out of a small airplane while flying over Cuba. Cuba is a communist country, and the government at that time did not allow anyone to share the gospel there.

Tom’s airplane accidentally crashed in Cuba, and Cuban officials took Tom and the pilot to prison.

Sunglasses Can’t Stop Prayers
A Cuban officer, Captain Santos, questioned Tom often during his time in prison. Captain Santos did not believe in God. He questioned Tom for many hours, sometimes threatening him if he did not answer the way the captain wanted.

“How can I fight this?” Tom wondered. “This could go on forever.” God helped Tom feel sorry for his questioner. Captain Santos did not know God. “God, help Captain Santos,” Tom prayed silently.

“What are you doing?” the captain asked.

“I’m praying for you,” Tom answered.

The captain’s mouth dropped open in surprise. He looked nervously around the room. He started drumming his fingers on the desk.

The next time Tom was questioned, Captain Santos wore sunglasses. “God doesn’t need eye contact,” Tom thought. “He deals with the heart.” Tom continued praying for the captain.

A Chain of Witnesses
Another time, the officers asked Tom to sign a statement. The statement accused other Christians of breaking the law. If Tom signed the statement, other people would get in trouble.

“The chain keeps me from signing this,” Tom told his captors.

“But you are not in chains!” insisted the officers.

“Yes, I am,” said Tom. “I am bound by the chain of witnesses who gave their lives for Jesus throughout the centuries. I am a link in the chain. I will not break it.”

Released
Christians around the world prayed and worked for Tom to be released from the Cuban prison, and he was freed. Today Dr. Tom White is the director of The Voice of the Martyrs-USA. VOM helps Christians around the world who are links in the chain of Christians persecuted for their faith, as he was.

To Discuss
Why do you think Captain Santos put on sunglasses? What did Tom mean when he said, “I am a link in the chain”?

Featured Stories: Nigeria: Christians Killed

More than 100 Christians have been killed in Jos, Nigeria, since Jan. 17, when violent riots broke out between the Christian and Muslim communities, according to VOM contacts.

The Voice of the Martyrs contacts reported that the violence was triggered by a Muslim attack on St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Nasarawa Gwong, in the Jos North Local Government Area. “It appears to the Christians here that elements inside the Nigerian Muslim community actually prepare for events like this and then look for an incident which they can then escalate into a crisis. The intent is to drive Christians out of this area down to the south,” VOM contacts reported.

Church leaders said Muslim youths also attacked buildings belonging to the Christ Apostolic Church, Assemblies of God Church, three branches of the Church of Christ in Nigeria and the Evangelical Church of West Africa. On Jan. 18, authorities imposed a curfew, and the city is under the close control of Nigerian troops.

Hundreds of believers have reportedly been wounded. “We have been witnessing sporadic shootings in the last two days,” Rev. Chuwang Avou, secretary of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria told Compass Direct News a few days after the attacks began. “We see some residents shooting sporadically into the air. We have also seen individuals with machine guns on parade in the state.”

The Voice of the Martyrs has people on the ground in Nigeria assisting believers. VOM is providing medical assistance and other resources to those affected by the attacks. VOM has supported persecuted believers in Nigeria for more than 20 years. VOM also helps widows through the Family of Martyrs Fund and provides their children with free education. Pray that VOM contacts will be able to provide the spiritual encouragement and resources that believers in Nigeria need. Pray for peace and for the protection of believers.

Photos courtesy of Rev. Hassan John

Movie of the Moment: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

As we learned in our first cinematic interaction with Alvin and his brothers, chipmunks like to rock. In fact, being international pop stars is cooler than a bagful of roasted cashews for these furry fellows. But, as usual, Alvin takes the fun a little too far. And his stage-hogging triggers an accident that lands manager/guardian Dave in the hospital.

Dave will be laid up for a while, so he makes arrangements to have his cousin Toby look after the Chips and insists that they be enrolled in school while he recovers. Hey, if chipmunks can sing and play guitars, why can’t they write a few term papers, too?

The scholarly road has its ruts and bumps, though. Toby is a bit of a video game-obsessed slacker who doesn’t quite know what to do with his new responsibilities. And high school bullies don’t make things any easier. Then, when Alvin has his head turned by a group of popular jocks and then backs away from his brothers, things go from bad to worse.

In the meantime, former manager and all-around scoundrel, Ian Hawke, happens upon a new set of harmonizing rodents. A trio of pretty girl chipmunks called the Chipettes seek out Ian and give him hopes of not only making it back to the big-time, but smashing the hated Chipmunks along the way. Ian leaps into action to stage a head-to-head sing-off with the boys.

This can only end one way …

Happily.

(You didn’t think a Chipmunks movie would end badly, did you?)

Positive Elements

Despite rock stardom, a few poorly advised choices, school cliques and the twinkle of a pretty girl chipmunk’s smile, one thing ultimately remains paramount to our three titular heroes: family. Theodore, the sensitive Chip, worries that his brood might split under the strains, but their ties to each other, Dave and even goofy Toby stay strong.

Though it looks like Ian might turn the Chipettes into Chipmunk-haters, the girls turn out to be small-town gals with hearts of gold. (Cute and furry romance appears inevitable.) Toby learns to pull his nose out of a video game and take some parental responsibility for his young charges. And at one point, he has to face his greatest fear—speaking in public—in order to help the little guys.

A group of students, including Theodore, help organize donations for Toys for Tots. Ian has told Eleanor, one of the Chipettes, that she’s too short and chubby which causes her to dress differently—but Theodore tells her, "I think you look great just the way you are." The Chipmunks sing in a competition to earn money and save their school’s music program. Alvin puts his life in danger to save Theodore.

Sexual Content

When the Chipettes sing they put quite a bit of sexualized hip shake and swivel into their choreography. Reviewer Catherine Shoard of guardian.co.uk voiced her distaste this way: "And, with the introduction of these fuzzy lovelies, something awful has happened—the franchise has been sexed up. There’s something truly dismaying about seeing a skimpily clad lady chipmunk shaking her booty while belting out some Beyoncé."

Ian sports a mostly bare chest while wearing a short bathrobe. Later, he steps out onstage clad in a strapless dress. At a high school singing competition, one young (human) singer wears a low-cut, formfitting dress.

Violent Content

Dave gets bashed with a large falling Chipmunks sign. (He’s sent hurtling across a theater stage.) We next see him propped up in a hospital bed wearing head bandages and what appears to be a full-body cast. A woman in a wheelchair is accidentally pushed backwards down a flight of stairs. She rolls and thumps her way to the bottom and is then hit with a large cart. (Her bandaged form gets loaded into an ambulance.) Theodore inadvertently trips a skateboarder who tumbles down a flight of stairs. After some slapstick tumbles, Ian’s hit in the crotch by a speeding toy.

Bullies abuse Simon by giving him a "swirly"—dunking him headfirst in the toilet. They pummel Simon and Theodore with dodge balls. They later toss Simon like a basketball into a trash can and torment Theodore. Sticking up for their brother, Alvin and Simon jump on two bullies and rip up their shirts (offscreen).

Alvin accidentally smashes a TV screen with his Wii remote. Toby stumbles around and breaks a number of musical instruments. Alvin and Simon wrestle and fight with each other in a trash dumpster. Ian is thrown into a dumpster by bouncers. An eagle threatens to eat Theodore.

Crude or Profane Language

Ian doesn’t finish the rude exclamation, "They can kiss my sweet …" He also spits out his frustration with "darn it to heck!" and "god!"

For the Chipmunks’ part, they are heard saying "rats!" and "dang!" Alvin calls former manager Ian "the devil."

Drug and Alcohol Content

Ian uncorks a bottle of champagne and pours himself a glass. (He never drinks it.) When Dave is in the hospital, he’s given a sedative that makes him groggy and eventually puts him to sleep. After Alvin shows up and causes his usual havoc, the doctor gives him a shot, too.

Other Negative Elements

Ian lies to the Chipettes repeatedly and one time manipulates them to help him break into an apartment. Bullies poke Theodore in the backside and make mean comments about his weight. Alvin grabs the bullies’ underwear to deliver a few wedgies.

After some Alvin-inspired shenanigans in Dave’s hospital room, Simon ends up falling into an empty bedpan. A frightened Theodore asks to sleep with Toby, who agrees, but then passes gas while Theodore is under the covers.

Conclusion

Those warbling fur balls who started life as a novelty song some 50-plus years ago are back, um, for a Squeakquel. Two years ago I wrote Plugged In’s review of the first big Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, and I had a pretty easy go of it. I knew halfway through that flick that I wasn’t going to find as much to like as I would have wished.

But now I’m really wrestling with what to say about this one. My indecision revolves around whether to gratefully count up the nuts that’ve already been gathered for winter or to bemoan the ones that haven’t.

By that I mean this: My first draft of this review jumped down on this kids’ pic with both paws. Catherine Shoard got it right when she complained about the filmmakers "sexing up the franchise," I wrote.

But it ended up feeling about as mean as the bullies who torment our furry little friends. So I crumpled it up and tossed it into the round file.

I do wish Squeakquel’s creators hadn’t equipped their newest feminine cast members with such coquettish moves. I get very tired of the entertainment industry handing young viewers sexualized bits—well beyond their years—to take home and imitate. But, I countered to myself, these Chipettes aren’t the Pussycat Dolls and their Chipmunk admirers never really treat them that way.

Soooo …

On the positive side of things, Squeakquel is dialed down from the first movie’s tendency to dole out toilet humor and chipmunk droppings in every scene. I didn’t once feel like I was rolling around in a long-neglected pet cage this time around.

On top of that, the animation sparkles. The musical numbers are cute and bouncy. And the Chips’ desire for a loving and lasting family comes through loud and clear.

Soooo …

Here’s a conclusion that hopefully won’t end up getting dragged across my desktop to the recycle bin: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel is something like a Christmastime candy cane. It’s colorful. It’s sweet. And it’s not exactly green beans. So wise parents will always keep an eye on how much the young ones gobble up.

Video of the Moment: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

From the time he could stand upright and piece together simple chemical compounds, Flint Lockwood was determined to become a famous inventor. The only problem was that all of his great ideas tended to end up in disaster. His spray-on shoes wouldn't come off. His hair unbalder prompted hair to grow everywhere. His ratbirds were ... well, ratbirds.

His mom was always encouraging, but since she passed away it's been just Flint and his dad, Tim. And they don't communicate very well. Tim tries to connect with his son, but he's just not able to fathom all that science nonsense. And Flint never could understand a fishing metaphor.

So the two are acting like a rheostat under an electromagnetic pulse, meaning they don't know whether to fish or cut bait, meaning they're just at a loss. Then Flint hits on an idea that'll surely make his dad drool! It's a device that reconfigures the molecular structure of water, turning it into ... food. Why, it's just the kind of thing that would prove to his dad, and the world, that Flint Lockwood is a great inventor.

All Flint needs is a few thousand gigajoules of power to jump-start the process. But when he connects his water-to-food machine to Swallow Falls' power generator the contraption launches itself into the sky—after destroying half the town in the process.

Another invention gone haywire. Flint feels like such a loser. And the whole town pretty much agrees with him.

That is, until it starts raining cheeseburgers.

Positive Elements

Flint grows up in a very loving family. As a kid, when one of his experiments backfires, Flint is terribly embarrassed and demoralized, but his mom prods him out of his funk by giving him encouragement and speaking of her love for him and her belief in him. Flint's dad has the same feelings deep inside, but can never seem to express them properly. So, later, it's a big deal when one of Flint's inventions ends up translating Dad's thoughts into eloquent words of love and support.

Another father in town, Earl the police officer, repeatedly expresses love for his child, as well. In fact, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is one of those rare movies that casts dads in a very positive light, showing fathers who face intimidating difficulties to protect and aid their children.

Flint meets an intern weather reporter named Sam, and finds her very appealing. He's especially drawn, however, to the insightful intellect that she works hard to keep hidden in favor of a "dumb blond" pretty exterior. Flint helps her see that her "nerdy" but bright side—thick-lensed glasses and all—is an important part of who she is.

Flint's dad points out that he doesn't think people should get everything they want. That food and treats raining down from the sky will cause greed and laziness and won't be good for people. As things progress, the film illustrates, and Flint learns, that his father's words are full of wisdom.

Using the town's mayor as a foil, we're shown that seeking fame and fortune shouldn't even be a hobby, much less an occupation. Flint discovers, too, that only by trying to invent things for the right reasons (not for recognition and glory) can he truly be happy and fulfilled.

Spiritual Content

The food falling from the sky is called "manna from heaven."

Sexual Content

Flint creates a Jell-O palace that features a topless (but obscured) Jell-O statue of the Venus de Milo.

Violent Content

Some broad cartoonish crash-and-boom is on display through large portions of the film. For instance, when Flint connects his water-to-food machine to the power generator, the contraption starts rocketing its way around the streets, dragging Flint behind. It plows its way through a newly unveiled theme park and sets a giant fish bowl rolling through the crowds, causing explosions and the park's complete destruction. People are sent flying in all directions and Flint smashes face-first into a stop sign. The fish bowl eventually shatters on top of Flint.

A food flood and spaghetti and meatball tornado are two more high-action disasters that take their toll on Swallow Falls, sending people screaming for the hills and jumping into the ocean. Inside a giant scoop of ice cream, kids are flung through the air. And there are a few painful looking bits, such as when Sam plops down on a pier and accidentally smashes the heels of her feet into Flint's eyes as he hides below on a ladder. One character is swallowed whole by a giant roasted chicken.

Sam swells up something fierce from a peanut allergy and Flint falls into a chasm lined with sharp peanut brittle spikes—but we never really fear for their safety.

The police officer tackles people. And he slaps Flint across the face.

Crude or Profane Language

The mayor laments being stuck in "this h---hole" of a town. Somebody says "jeez" and "holy crabballs." And there are a couple of exclamations of "gosh." Kids put the labels "nerd," "freak" and/or "four-eyes" on young Flint and Sam.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Diners have glasses of wine on their tables. When Sam has an allergic reaction, she's injected with epinephrine.

Other Negative Elements

When the kids in town join in on a ice cream snowball fight, Flint's monkey friend throws little dark brown balls that Sam quickly realizes aren't made of ice cream.

When Flint considers taking his father's advice and turning off the food machine, the mayor takes on the role of devil's advocate and seductively whispers in Flint's ear, saying, "Keep it on and be great or turn it off and ruin everything—and no one will like you." During a smashing meatball storm, a guy climbs through a broken window and steals a TV. (Then Flint's walking, remote controlled TV climbs into the window and steals a man.)

The town's one big business is a sardine plant that features a picture of the owner's son, Baby Brent, in a diaper on its company logo. That's not negative, but this might qualify: The adult Brent shows up at a town event and strips to nothing but a diaper to mimic the old photo. It's not the only time he runs around wearing just a diaper, either.

Earl is a muscular guy who wears tiny shorts as part of his police uniform. In a moment of peril, the camera shows a close up of his backside as he flexes his buttocks and leaps into action.

Conclusion

When I first saw the trailer for Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, the thing that came to mind was cheese. And not the parmesan kind, either. To say that I was then pleasantly surprised when I actually watched the movie is an understatement. Sure, it has its share of cartoon violence, goofiness and lame humor—and lots of parents aren't going to want their kiddos running around yelling "h---hole" at the top of their lungs just because they hear the mayor say it.

But there's something else in the air around here too. And it's not just pancakes.

"We tried to do as progressive a version of a mainstream family movie as possible," co-director Phil Lord told the L.A. Times. "We tried to push the envelope in every area that people could stomach and deliver the craziest movie the studio would allow. We still wanted all the things that make a movie a hit—it had to make you feel something, have lovable, likable characters."

And that last part is where this cheery, animated smorgasbord—which is loosely based on a very popular children's book that is, as we speak, being read to scores of schoolchildren by scores of schoolteachers—lays out a satisfying spread. Amidst all the outlandish fried chicken cloudbursts and ice cream snow storms, there are some very winning thoughts about making wise choices. There are entertaining encouragements to resist the world's narcissistic expectations and the lure of fame. And there is a heartwarming affirmation that, in spite of miscues and failings, a loving family is more valuable than just about anything—even the prospect of never-ending room service from the skies.

God's Pharmacy

This is absolutely amazing - and makes perfect sense!!



It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners...

God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye.... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red.. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.


Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.



Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries



Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.



Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells.. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.



Psalm 46:10 - 'Be Still and Know that I AM GOD'
Please don't break this even if you only send it to one person. Look at the date when this was started. Thanks


NOTICE AT THE END, THE DATE THE CANDLE WAS STARTED.
GONNA GIVE YOU GOOSE BUMPS.

I am not going to be the one who Lets it die. I found it believable.



This candle was lit on the 15th of September, 1998.

Someone who loves you has helped Keep it alive by sending it to you.

Don't let The Candle of Love, Hope And Friendship die! Pass It On To All Of Your Friends and Everyone You Love!

I received this today for the 1st time and I hope it comes back someday again.

Please keep this candle alive!

A Remarkable Parrot

Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother. The first said: "I built a big house for our mother."

The second said: "I sent her a Mercedes with a driver."

The third said: "You remember how our mother enjoys reading the Bible. Now she can't see very well. So I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the entire Bible. It took elders in the church 12 years to teach him. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot recites it."

Soon thereafter, their mother sent out her letters of thanks.

"Milton," she said, "the house you built is so huge. I live only in one room, but I have to clean the whole house.

"Gerald," she said, "I am too old to travel. I stay most of the time at home so I rarely use the Mercedes. And that driver is so rude! He's a pain!"

"But Donald," she said, "the little chicken you sent was delicious!"

5 Bogus Diets That Will Do More Harm Than Good

With obesity as one of our top killers, it is no surprise that Americans are scrambling for any kind of weight loss help. Unfortunately, in this eternal struggle to be thin and healthy, people end up looking for salvation in all the wrong places. Instead of relying on exercise and following the credo "everything in moderation," we turn to miracle solutions, diet supplements, and calorie deprivation. The results are the following bogus diets that may work in the short term, but may also cause severe harm to your body over time.

1. The Cabbage Soup Diet

The title is self explanatory: the dieter's survival is based on a constant intake of cabbage soup. Even on the Cabbage Soup Diet website, red flags are evident. The first being the opening words on the homepage, warning that the diet should not be used long term and that followers of the Cabbage Soup Diet have felt light-headed, weak, and have suffered a lack in concentration. The second red flag appears in the suggested seven day menu. Each day, the dieter is instructed to "stuff themselves" with a different food group. How about a little "moderation?" The third warning lies in the "Health" section of the website, warning the dieter that the diet lacks "complex carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals," all of which are necessary for your body to function properly.

10 steps to changing your eating habits in a healthy way

2. The Grapefruit Diet

The Grapefruit Diet functions the same way as the Cabbage Soup Diet; both are only successful because they deprive the body of calories, but at the same time leave out essential nutrients that keep you alive and healthy. The Grapefruit Diet claims to allow the dieter to eat a wide array of foods that they would not think possible, but as long as you follow your meal with half a grapefruit, you will lose weight. This claim is both startling and far-fetched. As predicted, and mentioned on the website, the Grapefruit Diet is dangerous. The Grapefruit Diet website suggests that the diet may lead to dehydration due to the low amount of calories and high levels of caffeine involved. The restrictions in this diet also make it an incredibly difficult and unlikely regimen to follow.

Test Your Food Savvy With These Top Food Trends of 2009!

3. The Hallelujah Diet

Developed by Rev. George Malkmus, the Hallelujah Diet is mainly comprised of organic raw fruits and vegetables, and the miracle worker of this diet: barley juice. Because the Hallelujah Diet strictly prohibits meat and dairy, the barley juice is meant to fill that vitamin and protein void with its high nutrition content. While not necessarily depriving the dieter of essential nutrients, the Hallelujah Diet's highly restrictive nature makes this diet hard to live on and therefore, not ideal.


4. The Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet

The regimen alone explains why this diet is both dangerous and bogus. The diet is meant for the short term, "lose 21 pounds in 21 days," where the dieter survives on highly nutritious cocktails, a short list of raw vegetables, and soup. According to the itinerary for the Martha's Vineyard Detox Diet Retreat, dieters enjoy a breakfast of "detoxification cocktails." Hourly cocktails follow until lunch when an assortment of raw juices are available. Dinner is slightly more filling, with the option of nutritious soup. The bottom line is that surviving on nutritious cocktails and juices will only deprive your body of the nutrients it needs. Also, the minute you begin to eat normally again, the weight will pack back on.

10 Tips to Schmooze Your Way to Success


5. The Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Once used as a cure for Scurvy amongst American soldiers, apple cider vinegar is now used as an appetite suppressant amongst dieters. According to various evaluations of the Apple Cider Vinegar Diet, the diet touches that fine line between a dangerous and regular diet. The most dangerous part is the apple cider vinegar itself, which when taken in the recommended doses of 3 tbsp gets dangerously close to the point of damaging your stomach due to its high acidity. However, the diet's regimen includes eating in moderation and daily exercise, which is most likely why people lose weight on this diet, not the apple cider vinegar. It is still unclear as to whether or not the vinegar actually assists you in losing weight at all, apart from making you so sick that you don't want to eat anything at all.

Movie of the Moment : Paranormal Activity

Some people have bad dreams. Some even have night terrors. But both of those would be a welcome break for Katie. Since she was 8 she’s had what amounts to an evil spirit siphoning off her slumber.

Nobody else has actually seen this thing or shared in Katie’s horrors. But she’s convinced that a demonic boogieman burned her house down when she was a kid. And since then she’s suffered with nightmares and had a recurring sense of a shadowy figure lurking at the foot of her bed.

Of course, the now twentysomething Katie neglected to mention any of that to her boyfriend Micah before he moved in. (How do you bring up the topic of a demonic entity that lounges around in your bedroom?) Even after he finds out, though, her knucklehead beau doesn’t seem to mind all that much. To him, the stories are just a great excuse to go out and buy a cool video camera so he can try to capture shadowy thumps and bumps in the night. Not that he really believes in any of this stuff.

Katie, however, believes. And she gets a bit frantic after a visiting psychic reports that negative energy or attempts at poltergeist communication could make things worse. So Katie begs Micah to drop the late-night videoing.

It’s too late.

Micah’s already recorded the bedroom door moving all on its own at 2 a.m. And he’s getting excited. He’s determined to "solve the problem." So it’s full steam ahead on the paranormal express.

Positive Elements

In spite of some of his goofy choices, it’s apparent that Micah has strong feelings of protection and love for his girlfriend. As their situation becomes progressively more dangerous, he puts his wellbeing (and eventually his life) on the line to stand by Katie and save her from her spiritual stalker.

Spiritual Content

The whole premise of Paranormal Activity revolves around dark supernatural happenings taking place in a young couple’s home. The frightened pair never turns to the church or God for help, however. Instead, Micah and Katie consult a professional psychic who professes to be an expert in hauntings perpetrated by "human spirits."

The psychic says he quickly senses that the threat is demonic in nature. And that’s when he warns Katie not to "encourage" it by giving it any attention. He strongly states that using such "communication" tools as Ouija boards might have disastrous results.

Katie listens and takes the advice to heart. Micah doesn’t. He pledges to obey Katie’s new rules about dealing with the demon, and his oath ends with, "So help me God!" But he's already borrowed a Ouija board, so the damage is already done. (Its pointer ultimately begins to move on its own and it bursts into flames.)

Katie talks of praying as a child that the demon would go away. Almost catatonic, she clutches a small wooden cross so tightly that her hand bleeds.

Sexual Content

Katie wears a number of formfitting tank tops and T-shirts (with lightweight shorts) in and out of bed. She reveals cleavage on a number of occasions. Micah wears a T-shirt and boxers to bed.

Early on, Micah tries to tempt Katie into performing a striptease and having sex with him on-camera, but she refuses his advances. He does fire up the camera after having sex—he is shirtless and she has the sheet pulled up over her chest. We see them kiss several times. They spoon as they sleep. Micah zooms the camera in on Katie’s clothed backside as she walks up a staircase. And he tries to peek into the bathroom with it as she’s sitting on the toilet. (She slams the door.)

A few illustrations in a book on demonology are of horned creatures with bare female breasts.

Violent Content

Doors bang and heavy things thump and crash through a variety of jump scenes, but the violence connected to all the smashing and screaming is, with one exception, out of the camera’s frame. That exception involves Micah being picked up and thrown through a door.

In other cases we see the results of the offscreen thumps and shrieks. After being dragged out of the room by an invisible presence, for instance, Katie lifts her shirt to reveal teeth marks on her lower back. We also see her in a T-shirt covered in blood.

Crude or Profane Language

Close to 40 f-words. A dozen s-words. "D‑‑n," "a‑‑" and "h‑‑‑" pop up. God’s and Jesus’ names are each misused about a half-dozen times. (God’s is combined once with "d‑‑n.")

Drug and Alcohol Content

None.

Conclusion

Back in 1999 a little independent horror flick called The Blair Witch Project took moviegoers by surprise. That shaky-handed, one-camera pseudo docu-thriller was presented as an amateur movie project made by three students who supposedly disappeared during its making. The film itself was mediocre. But the viral popularity that sprung from its groundbreaking use of the Internet—including a Web campaign that suggested the footage it contained was the real deal—made the little film into a mega-blockbuster.

Paranormal Activity has very clearly pulled its filming and distribution strategy from that same successful playbook.

Reportedly shot by writer/director Oren Peli in his own house on a miniscule budget of only $15,000 (Blair Witch came in at $60,000), the mostly ad-libbed piece was created in a week. When the big studio boys picked it up, they were intent on re-shooting something more polished for the theatrical run. But after test-screening the original, the audience’s gasping reaction changed their minds.

That led to midnight-only showings of the pic in a handful of college towns. And Internet blitzes on Facebook pages and Twitter. Voilà, box office gold scraped from the sheer face of the cultural cliff. Impressed, an executive from a rival studio told Deadline Hollywood, "Look out, cuz there’s a freight train coming, and Paramount is going to make a TON of cash on this pickup. Cuz they ain’t spending anything on it, and who knows where the ceiling is!"

Considering the fact that this slowly paced, one camera, low-budgeter eschews CGI special effects for long minutes spent watching the two central characters sleep (Coming next summer! Grass grows in Vermont!), its preternatural popularity may seem totally unbelievable. In fact, on paper it feels, er, yawn-inducing at best.

But the simplicity of the presentation somehow works as it plucks at viewers’ primal fears. The claustrophobic feel of a little tripod-bound camera watching two defenseless people—separated from the evil supernatural happenings around them by only a thin cotton sheet—delivers a very visceral creepiness.

That doesn’t, however, translate to: "Wrangle up the whippersnappers, Ma. We’re goin’ to an old-time skeery flick!" Because in spite of the lack of Saw-style gore, this is still a pretty messy R-rater. We are dealing with demonic stuff here, after all. And the frequently exploding f-bombs are dropped with the careless abandon of a world war.

Would Hitchcock, were he directing now, have laced The Birds with bombastic obscenities like that? I can only hope not.