Author: Dave Burchett

This past weekend I downed some coffee and perused the Dallas Morning News before heading to Waco for Homecoming football action at Baylor University. A headline in the Metro Section caught my eye.

SMU, Baylor bare souls over ‘Playboy’
Dallas school won’t fight photo shoot; Bears clothes-minded

The headline writers obviously had some fun with their jobs but the story was serious. Here is an excerpt from the piece written by DMN writer Michael E.Young.

Separated by 100 miles of interstate, the Southern Baptists’ Baylor University and the United Methodists’ SMU seem even farther apart when it comes to students posing in states of undress in a men’s magazine. Southern Methodist University’s approach is decidedly hands-off. When Playboy magazine photographers set up temporary shop next week near SMU for a “Girls of Conference USA” pictorial, they’ll do so without university opposition.
“SMU is not a participant in or a proponent of this project, which is sponsored by an off-campus publication,” said Kent Best, director of media and communications, in a prepared statement. “Any student’s decision to participate is strictly between that student individually and the publication.”
Playboy “will not be on campus,” Mr. Best added. “It’s an individual student’s decision” whether to pose.
Not so at Baylor.
When Playboy ran a photo of four bikini-clad coeds and much of the membership of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity four years ago for a “Girls of the Big 12” spread, Baylor’s administration quickly responded. School officials suspended the fraternity for a year and required the 50 or so students to perform community service. One student, who posed individually, was suspended.
Not again.
Playboy returned to Waco this spring for another Big 12 shoot. This time, Baylor made a pre-emptive strike.

Dr. Dub Oliver, vice president for student life, sent out a universitywide e-mail warning that posing for “a magazine that is clearly antithetical to Baylor’s mission” would violate the school’s code of conduct and be penalized accordingly. 

Regular readers of these humble ramblings know that I rarely use the all-caps blog weapon. But in this case it is merited.

HOORAY FOR BAYLOR!

Before I proceed I must issue a couple of disclaimers.

1. I have three sons and two daughter-in-laws who are Baylor Bears. Two sons have graduated and one is currently enrolled at Baylor.
   
2. I am friends with Dr.Dub Oliver.

I support Baylor on this issue for a number of reasons. But allow me to offer a few counterbalances to the disclaimers.

1. I am not Baptist. So don’t think I am merely drinking the “Convention Kool-Aid”.
   
2. I am not a pastor or professional Christian. I am a television sports director so I am all too well aware of “progressive” attitudes toward sexual issues.
   
3. I regret to inform you that I was once a regular reader of this magazine so I am not speaking out of “self-righteous” ignorance.

I am so proud of Baylor University for having the courage to stand for their convictions and principles. I have sat with three sons during the student indoctrination sessions for Freshmen at Baylor. The leadership makes it extraordinarily clear what Baylor is and what the university expects from students. If you leave those sessions not understanding what Baylor stands for then you are likely not ready for college. The Student Handbook also makes it clear that Baylor has standards that make it unique. In the Student Handbook it straightforwardly states that  students must conduct themselves “in accordance with Christian principles as commonly perceived by Texas Baptists. Personal misconduct either on or off the campus by anyone connected with Baylor detracts from the Christian witness Baylor strives to present to the world and hinders full accomplishment of the mission of the university.”

Such a strong stand may not make this university right for everyone. Baylor does not hide the light of it’s mission under a basket and why should that not be admired? I am a huge fan of accountability. There is no hidden agenda if you choose this university. When you enroll at Baylor you have not agreed to be a Christian but you have agreed to certain standards of conduct. I for one do not want a picture of a scantily clad young woman next to a Baylor pennant. There are over 1250 NCAA member schools. There are only a handful that would take the stand that Baylor has decided to take on this issue. Students who wish to appear in this magazine have 11 other choices in the Big 12 and several private school options in the North Texas area.
Columnist Aaron Turney presented this argument in the school newspaper (The Lariat).

Our university is taking on an in loco parentis role by threatening to punish students who choose to pose in Playboy’s Women of the Big 12 issue. The Student Policies and Procedures Web site states: “The provisions of the Student Policies and Procedures do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between Baylor University and any applicant, student, student’s family, or faculty or staff member.”

If these are merely guidelines and not a contract, how can they be enforced? Under this definition, they are merely suggestions. Christian students may decide against posing for moral reasons, but everyone has the right to make this decision personally.

I think the primary issue (and my main problem) here is that Playboy shamelessly markets the Big 12 conference and it’s member schools. A Baylor student who made a personal decision to appear in a photo shoot not related to the conference or university would be a different debate. This issue of the magazine clearly reflects on the conference and on Baylor. The columnist then proceeds with the obligatory disclaimer and then tips over the sacred cow of personal freedom.

I am not advocating pornography. I am simply advocating the right of a student to choose to participate in activities if they are of age. Some may feel these comments promote the objectification of women. This is not the case as I’m not saying Baylor women should jump at the chance to appear in the magazine. But they should make their own decision and not feel threatened by administrative action.

A student posing for Playboy has made a personal decision. The policy is only in place so students don’t sully the university’s reputation, and this isn’t reason enough to infringe upon each of our personal freedoms.

Bully for you for not advocating pornography. Hope you are against meth amphetamines as well. Here are some counter arguments from a “loco” parent.

1. You may certainly make your own decision about posing in this photo shoot. But then you will face the consequences of those actions. That is life.
   
2. Students are not being threatened. They are being fairly warned about the consequences for their actions. You have total freedom to do what you want. You also have to deal with the implications of those decisions. Again, that is life.
   
3. I would argue that posing in Playboy with the school logo displayed does, in fact, sully the university’s mission.

A Playboy Magazine blog made these comments about another editorial in the school paper written by Columnist Lauren Burris.

Some Baylor students believe the university overstepped its authority. But at least one, Lauren Burris, disagreed, claiming in the student newspaper that “there is no appreciation for women in the people who read this magazine. Actually, there is appreciation, but only in the most disturbing and sick manner. The men who look at these magazines don’t look at your body and appreciate your mind or hard work ethic. They view you as a sex object.”

Ouch. Lauren appears to have the uncanny ability to form an opinion about something without actually having read it. That’s a great skill to have at college.

So allow me to defend Lauren. I have “read” the magazine. I do know why men read such magazines. And Lauren is exactly right. Incredibly, it is not for the articles! Any many who tries to rationalize that is disingenous at best and a liar at worst. Christian men should have no part of it. I am stunned by men who make threatening comments to young men that come to date their daughters and then go out and ogle and lust after the daughters of others. In New Man Magazine author Matthew Paul Turner writes that “pornography alters your view of humanity by objectifying people. And, it’s almost impossible for a porn habit “not to affect the relationships you hold most dear.”

That is truth. You can believe it now or find out, to your dismay, later.

I work in a secular and testosterone driven world. There may be a small percentage of men who can view these types of magazines and not lust. I have not met any of them yet. If you are that man would you join me for lunch (and bring along a lie detector)?

Our only daughter was born with a terminal birth defect. She would have been twenty-one this past March had she lived. She would have been, as the earlier writer flippantly stated, of age. Had she lived I would have encouraged her to attend Baylor University as one shining example of principle and integrity. A place that still believes in the quite outdated idea of virtue.
Baylor is not perfect. You will find all of the problems that you find at other universities and in life. But I believe you will find these problems in smaller percentages because of the clear vision, mission, and leadership at the school.

I am proud that my sons are Baylor men. That still means something special because Baylor University still stands for Christian values. Sic’em Bears! And don’t back down.

 

P.S. My son Matt has written an excellent piece about Homecoming Weekend. I invite you to scroll down and read his thoughts.

 

 

Eldest son Matt wrote a well received article that I posted a few weeks ago at this site. Today I opened the cyber mailbox and found another effort from Matt. Today you get a father/son combo of Baylor University posts. Matt gets to tee off first.

 

My father, in his vernacular, is the writer of these “humble ramblings” that grace this blog daily.  Last Friday he wrote about Baylor Homecoming, an event my wife and I have been attending for the past 9 years.  Dad wrote about Baylor Homecoming,

 

“Why is this homecoming special for me despite my lack of a Baylor degree?

 

It is about relationships.

 

And memories.”

 

Samuel Palmer Brooks, one the most beloved of Baylor Presidents (1903-1931), said of Homecoming,

 

“Will you not, as a loyal student of dear old Baylor, lay aside for a few days the usual cares of life, come back to your alma mater, renew former associations and friendships, and catch the Baylor spirit again?” 

 

I love Homecoming.  It has become particularly sweet for my wife and me because we moved to Tennessee 5 years ago and rarely return to campus.  Homecoming is a time when we all come back to a place that is comfortable, loving, and full of memories.  We reconnect with great friends that know us well.  We swing by the offices of professors and administrators that shaped our perspectives, challenging us to become something greater than we could ever imagine.  We walk in buildings, sit on benches, and reminisce of significant moments that happened in these places with these people.  It is about relationships…and memories. 

 

I am renewed at Homecoming.  I get energy from having all of my friends, now scattered across the country, together to catch up, challenge, and encourage our journeys.  We get and give advice.  We hug a struggling friend and laugh with old ones.  This weekend feels good.  I feel the presence of Jesus with all the care and joy that surround the weekend (pending a Baylor football victory).  I wouldn’t miss it for anything. 

 

I am blessed.  This Sunday when I go to church…I will feel this way again.  I am renewed.  Friends are there to challenge, encourage, and walk alongside me in the journey.  Yet, I know this is not the case with everyone.  Shouldn’t church feel this way?  Church is a weekly Homecoming.  Can we imagine a church where we could lay aside the usual cares of life and return to a place where relationships, memories, and renewal all take place?  My Homecoming this weekend had very little to do with magnificent science buildings, new residence halls, or old student unions.  It was about relationships…and memories.  Renewal.  Comfort.  Being known, cared for, encouraged, and challenged.  This is what Homecoming is about, relationships…and memories. 

 

Thus, to paraphrase S.P. Brooks…Will you not, as followers of Jesus Christ, lay aside the daily cares of life, return to His church once again, renew former associations and friendships, and catch His spirit once again?  My hope for you is to experience it with me.  Blessings.

Veterans of the early 70’s might remember a song from Rare Earth called “I Just Want to Celebrate”.  Real veterans of the early 70’s might have spotty memories so I will help you out with the lyrics.

I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah
Another day of living,
I just want to celebrate another day of life

Those words came to mind as I prayed for my friend Ed. Perhaps the biggest compliment a guy can give to a masculine friend is that you both love and respect them. Respect is big guy thing. I suspect you only get a handful of true friends in a lifetime. Ed is one of those friends. He is loyal. Ed is a real guy who is strong enough to be tender. He is funny. Edgy. He is a guy who hates playing church (and who has a colorful way to describe those who do). And Ed is one of the most authentic followers of Jesus I have ever met. How do I know that? Because I have seen how his faith stands up to the storm. I could see his face as I meditated on the words of Jesus in Matthew.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

Ed’s foundation is the rock. And his example has helped me to keep doing my own foundation work.

I have written a lot about Christians who do damage as they proclaim Jesus with their lips and then deny Him completely with their lives. I have tried to be honest about my own struggles in this journey with Jesus. But I have to tell you there is no greater inspiration than seeing a man or woman of God demonstrate His abiding presence. I have seen many examples of that recently. I have watched my wife Joni face her difficult journey (cancer and chemotherapy) with amazing strength, courage, faith, and trust. I watched the Amish saints in Pennsylvania show a stunned nation what it really means to follow the teachings of Jesus about forgiveness and love. And I have observed from afar as my friend Ed navigates his battle with a brutal form of lymphoma. And now we circle back to the lyrics above. Ed wrote a word of encouragement to Joni last June as she was growing weary in her chemotherapy ordeal.

I don’t know if I told you, but they took me off the cancer meds after six years! Our prayer has been, “Please let Ed live and serve.” Now it has changed, “Please let Ed live and serve without the meds.”

I say this to encourage Joni. The dailyness of this makes it so hard to see past the weakness and the disappointment. Here is a sentence the Lord gave me when I was dying and struggling through each day: I am as alive today as anyone. He helped me realize that until I take my last breath, He still has plans for me (Ephesians 2:10) and I could not conclude that this was it. So, I got up, and asked Him for strength for the next minute, sometimes for every minute for a couple of days. Then for the next hour, the next day, the next week etc.

Sure enough, at last count, seven men I know pretty well, about my age, guys I fought fires with, men I served with in ministry, men who stood at my bedside with panic in their eyes at my malaise, are dead. Think of it, Joni, people who are praying for you now are only as alive as you. It is not the meds or the care, it is the Lord who determines when death comes and the quality of life.

I knew the Lord wanted me to do two things: Pray for healing, and I still do. Find the best doctors and do what they say, which I still do…mostly.

So, dear Joni, know that our prayers are prayers of faith and bold. We’re not mealy-mouthing the evangelical jive, “Only your will be done.” Of course His will is going to be done, He’s God! He loves you; He loves us; He cares more than we can know; and HE ANSWERS PRAYER. So, we’re going to pray our heart: Let Joni live to see her grandchildren grow up and please give her relief.

The idea of celebrating another day of living brought that note from my friend to mind. We just really suck at that. We forget that everyday is a gift. A treasure to be opened and savored. Cancer makes you realize that in a very stark way. I am praying for Ed because his lymphoma may have flared up again. A recent knee operation triggered the terrible skin rash and agony again. It may be just a reaction to the meds. That is my prayer. But Ed and his beautiful wife Judy have again shown their mettle in the storm. Here is the email I received yesterday.

Judy and I appreciate your prayers that carried us through a long, dark night. As you know by now, the main source of discomfort for me and concern is the “skin issue” once again. Last night was the first night off meds–pain meds, sleeping meds, antibiotic meds.–every hour filled with itching, skin falling off, twinges of pain in the knee, and, as you might imagine, anxiety.

With decades of studying about, relating to, walking with, and telling others about “Our Father” in my life, I was able to focus my thoughts on a comforting phrase from the New Testament–Abba Father (Romans 8:15).

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”  NLT

This is an endearing and intimate title for God the Father that could be translated, “Father, my  own dear Father.” It is the title a child uses to relate to a father when the child knows that he or she is dear to Him, the one He delights in. 

So, last night was so much more than a night of malaise, it was a night I spent on my Father’s lap, talking with Him about my fears, feelings, and hurts. It is the upside of suffering for the child of God–deepening intimacy with Abba Father.  Please continue to pray that the knee will continue to improve, the rash will stop, and that I can return to my life with these lessons of faith in my heart.

Once again I am humbled in my puny walk with Jesus. That is an amazing line. “The upside of suffering for the child of God is deepening intimacy with Abba Father.”

Would you join me in prayer for Ed and Judy? I am so blessed, proud, and honored to be their friend.

 

It is another Doctor date with the bride today. Here is a very gently read post that applies to this upcoming weekend…another Homecoming Weekend.

 

It is Homecoming this weekend at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Thousands of alumni will make their way to Central Texas for the event. Thanks to the great work of Coach Guy Morriss some will even go to the football game with anticipation. It seems odd to me that I am looking forward so much to this homecoming. The celebration is at a college that I did not attend. I’m not even Baptist, dadgummit! (that is Baptist cussing). But my heart has become a part of the Baylor tradition. Why? I am the very proud father of two Baylor grads and the youngest is a junior at the school. I have invested time and more treasure than I care to think about in Baylor University.

It is a very special place for me. Each son has made relationships that have become my relationships. One found a wife there. All three have grown in wisdom and stature while attending the school. They have developed wonderful friendships and many of those friends have made our house their home on multiple occasions.

Why is this homecoming special for me despite my lack of a Baylor degree?

It is about relationships.

And memories. 

As I prepared to head for Waco I took time to read the newspaper. I think I need to stop that ritual. Perhaps the ignorance is bliss crowd is onto something because my excitement about the weekend was muted by an avalanche of very bad and even frightening news.  

I look forward to Homecoming this weekend in Waco but as I get older I look forward to another Homecoming. The events in the news reminded me again that I am merely a renter on this planet. I don’t really own a single thing that matters. When I  am driving a rental car and hit a pothole my first reaction is always, “Oh well, it’s just a rent car.” That describes the attitude I am developing as I hit the potholes of life. I have lots of stuff here but that is all it is. Stuff. What really matters is my faith, my family, and those relationships that make the drive on the dangerous and poorly maintained roads of life worthwhile.

Jesus talked about homecoming…not Baylor…He talked about the big one. I am scheduled to attend that Homecoming someday and I am happy about that. Why? Looks like a good program is being planned.

  “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”  John 14

You can’t find a room in Waco,Texas this week but I already have one for this Homecoming! How cool is that? I am not anxious to leave this earth but I do look forward to that Homecoming someday. Why?

It is about relationships.

And memories.

I have a daughter already there. My saintly grandmother is there. My wonderful earthly father is there. The list goes on and on. And I have a personal relationship with Jesus that makes me confident about the event.

I have a few investments here but I have unspeakable wealth and eternal investments there. We don’t think much about that in our culture do we? There is so much of the good life here that heaven seems obscure and maybe not even an upgrade. But we are not permanent residents here. Enjoy the journey. Invest in relationships. Realize we were created with a desire to know our Creator.

And get ready for Homecoming.  It should be a blast!

 

A few days ago I wrote an article entitled “Three Questions”.  One of the three questions was addressed to those who do not share my views about faith. Today I got a thoughtful response from “Bear”. He or she (Bear is gender neutral, isn’t it?) seemed surprised by one of the questions I asked.

Q: I am genuinely interested if you (atheists/agnostics) think that all believers are delusional or intellectually inferior? … Are you at all unsettled by the successful and intelligent people who endorse faith in God completely?

A: The short answer to the first question is “no.” Certainly not intellectually inferior. There are too many believers, and I’ve met too many brilliant ones, to take that statement seriously for even a moment.

Not everyone agrees with you based on many of the responses I had received prior to asking this question. Those responders clearly thought that I am intellectually inferior. I have been called a knuckle-dragging, flat-earth moron by some who clearly have some hot sports opinions about Christians. I rejected that accusation because I have been walking upright for a couple of years now. I am pleased to report that since I posed that question a number of civil and kind people have responded to my question. I knew you were out there. That is why I asked an over the top question just to test that belief. Back to today’s response.

As to delusional, that’s more complicated. My handy desktop dictionary defines “delusion” as “an idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument.” Clearly belief in God isn’t idiosyncratic, so we could just go with “no” on this answer too, but that would be letting me off the hook too easily.

The rub, for me, comes at the point at which religion and science intersect. One aspect of intelligence, and a rather important one, I think, is the ability to update one’s beliefs based on new evidence. For the most part this doesn’t really cut one way or another on the religion question, since faith is all about belief in the absence of proof. But when there’s a substantial body of evidence to suggest that some aspect of one’s religious belief system is mistaken in the particulars (let’s say, evidence that diseases evolve to become resistant to antibiotics, contra the belief that evolution just doesn’t happen at all), I confess that I do end up wondering how an apparently large number of people are comfortable ignoring or discounting that evidence. I don’t mean to touch off a debate on the subject, and I hope I don’t. I’m just trying to answer the questions above as candidly as I can.

I do want to qualify one aspect of Bear’s response. I think that most thoughtful Christians understand that changes can and do occur in a species over time. Clearly a virus can change and become resistant to antibiotics. I don’t deny that at all. What I question is whether one species can become another species over time. I think we have become so polarized that we have ceased to communicate at all. I suspect we would have much more in common than you suspect if we could sit down and debate these issues.

As to being unsettled by successful and intelligent people who endorse faith in God completely, no, doesn’t faze me a bit. In matters of faith, it would be very surprising if reasonable (and very intelligent) people didn’t disagree. The more I think about it, the more that seems like an odd question. Do you mind if I ask whether you’re unsettled by the successful and intelligent people who DON’T endorse faith in God completely?

Nope. Don’t mind at all. I am not unsettled by the people who don’t endorse faith. I am a bit perplexed at how flippantly some reject faith.  I have not flippantly disregarded the arguments of agnostics and atheists. And I never call them names, question their morals, or wish eternal harm for them. 

There is a lot of anger directed toward Christians. A lot of it is deserved. But a lot of it is not.  My desire is to create a place where civil and graceful debate can happen. There are more than enough of the other sites available. I often visit websites of those who have issues with Christians. Here are some titles from blogs and websites (my comments in italics).

• Stupid Christians index – Didn’t make the list…note to self…must try harder
• All Christians are idiots – Wow. Apparently the law of averages doesn’t apply to Christians.
• Amazingly Stupid Christians – Premiering next week on Fox!
• I am sick and tired of stupid Christians – Me too.
• Stupid Christians are ruining the world – Don’t look now but they are getting lots of help from stupid secularists and stupid people of other faiths
• 101 Reasons to Hate Those Stupid Christians – My favorite. This guy is calling Christians stupid and he has 12 reasons on his site.

Not a lot of communication is going on at most of these sites. Here is a typical “debate”.

“You are a stupid Christian!”
 “Well I may be stupid but at least I am not going to hell.”

That is some helpful interchange going on there!

But not much has really changed. The great preacher Charles M. Spurgeon wrote in the 19th century that “if you follow Christ, all the hounds of the world will yelp at your heels. Count on this, if you live for Jesus Christ, the world will not speak well of you.”

I wish that was not true. I wish I could discuss my faith with civility and grace with everyone. I wish that those who disagree would view my attempts and desire to communicate my faith as genuine and caring. I wish that when you speak of me you would speak well. But if you don’t it won’t change my hope of communicating the message of Christ to you.  This other kind of communication has, unfortunately, been going on for a while.

So don’t be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time. The way we know we’ve been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. I John 3 The Message

I hope you don’t hate me. I hope you don’t think I’m stupid. I certainly don’t think you are stupid (at least until I get to know you and I can confirm that first hand). Perhaps if I can implement the words of Jesus I can convince a few to at least consider the possibility of faith.

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does.”  Matthew 5 The Message

Christians (including this writer) have not done a really good job with that directive. We may choose to disagree. We may disagree completely. But my prayer is that all communication on this site will be full of grace, truth, and love. Paul was a brilliant apologist. But he recognized a very important truth that all Christians need to understand.

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

I checked the feedback section of these humble ramblings last week and found a question plus request from old friend Dave Naidl.

PS Have you seen the movie Facing the Giants? Your comments please.

Oddly enough that request arrived on the same day that the lovely Mrs.Burchett and I were going to see “Facing the Giants”. Hmmm. Coincidence? I think not!

So we randomly joined two Pee-Wee football teams in a small theater to watch the film. I felt odd not having my name on the back of my shirt but it worked out anyway. Allow me to take a brief detour before I comment on the film. In late June I had written a post called Warn the women and children…this post is PG rated. That article dealt with the controversy surrounding the assignment of a PG rating to this film. The objection seemed to be the strong presentation of the Christian message during the film. After seeing the movie there is no question in my mind that the strong Christian message was the objectionable issue to the movie ratings board. All 27 versions of Law and Order, the 18 different CSI franchises, and dozens of other network TV shows offer far more questionable content than this movie even begins to present. And they flood our living rooms free of charge. I think this movie received the PG rating because of the two lines I have emphasized with bold text in the movie ratings board description of the PG rating.

Parents are warned against sending their children, unseen and without inquiry, to PG-rated movies. The theme of a PG-rated film may itself call for parental guidance. There may be some profanity in these films. There may be some violence or brief nudity. However, these elements are not considered so intense as to require that parents be strongly cautioned beyond the suggestion of parental guidance. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated film. The PG rating, suggesting parental guidance, is thus an alert for examination of a film by parents before deciding on its viewing by their children. Obviously such a line is difficult to draw. In our pluralistic society it is not easy to make judgments without incurring some disagreement. As long as parents know they must exercise parental responsibility, the rating serves as a meaningful guide and as a warning. 

I love the line “in our pluralistic society it is not easy to make judgments without incurring some disagreement”. In my circles that would be called “covering your anatomical south side”. And the crux of the matter is that some reviewers felt the theme (strong presentation of the gospel) called for parental guidance. I personally loved the controversy. It allowed the distributors to get a lot of free pub (no doubt valued more than the movie cost to produce) leading up to the films release. And the PG rating did not bother me at all. I haven’t changed from my original position that I wrote in that earlier blog regarding the rating dispute. Here is a bit of that response.

I suspect this is just an example of knee jerk PC over-reaction on the part of the film board but I understand their desire to be cautious in the current cultural climate. I happen to believe that all films need to be examined by parents before they let their children attend. There would will be some who will be offended by the message of the gospel of Jesus portrayed in this movie. I am often offended by the message of movies. I chose whether my kids could go to certain movies or not. That is called parenting. If no parenting is available there are worse things the kiddos could see than a story of faith and overcoming adversity.

So how did the movie turn out? Only 17% of the secular critics gave a favorable review to the film. And I can understand that to some extent. They do not evaluate movies based on production budgets and feel good stories about how the film was done. They compare a movie to other movies that compete for the audience. Some of the religious reviewers were not very nice either. Sister Rose Pacatte (St. Anthony Messenger) wrote this comment. “This rather simplistic, stilted and somewhat boring film is more of a sermon than a movie that inspires. … The producers went for evangelical-style drama, but it could have used some creative subtlety and originality.”

What is evangelical-style drama? Is that a genre that I missed? Other comments included these.

Jeff Strickler (Minneapolis Star-Tribune) says, “The religious proselytizing in this football movie is about as subtle as a blindside hit by a 300-pound defensive end.”

That is a really big defensive end but I get the point. I wrote a blog about how the word proselytizing has become a pejorative in our “pluralistic society”.

Chris Hewitt (St. Paul Pioneer Press) asks, “If the Christian football team in Facing the Giants begins to win because God wants them to, does it follow that the acting isn’t good because God didn’t want it to be?”

To be fair to the critics, the acting is not as good as a typical feature film. But Mr.Hewitt’s theological deductions were also a bit unfair.

Others felt some of the plot elements really strained credibility. Like the wind changing direction before the winning field goal. Or the injury to the number one kicker so that underdog kicker David could slay the giant with his mighty foot. I agree. I long for believable sports story lines. Like a movie about a guy hearing voices, building a baseball field in the middle of nowhere, and having dead players walk out of the corn fields to play a game. And then having a dead guy “have a catch” with his son. That makes total sense. Oh wait…that is “Field of Dreams.” And I loved that movie. Or how about a movie about a player who uses a bat carved out of a tree that was hit by lightning. This home made bat is selected by the batboy in the biggest game of the year after the star player’s bat is broken. A bat he has never used in a game situation picked by a 12 year old. Then he hits a home run so massive it causes the light standard to explode and rain sparks and debris on the field as he runs the bases. It could happen. I’m sorry. That is “The Natural”. And I liked that movie. So let’s get real. It is not about stretching your imagination that is the problem here. It is the God factor that offends many in this film.

As for the movie itself I have to admit I was a bit conflicted. Would I have done it differently? Yes. But until I get off of my backside region and get into the arena myself I am going to praise the efforts of Sherwood Media. What they have accomplished is a small miracle. A film that cost $100,000 to make has, as of this writing,  pulled in over $4 million dollars. So for the cost of the average vehicle that a Hollywood director drives to the studio they produced a complete movie. That is amazing. 

I liked the movie. My real job is television sports directing and I thought the action sequences (usually the downfall of sports movies) were very well done.

I can critique the acting or pacing or plot devices all day long. The bottom line is that these guys were crazy enough (or had enough faith) to think that they could do a theatrical release on a home movie budget. And they did it. Good for them. Instead of being critical maybe the rest of us should pray about what we can do to glorify God. The easiest position to fill on the church Olympic team is rock thrower. I am challenged by the faith of Alex Kendrick and the men and women who produced Facing the Giants. Do I have enough faith to believe that God can use my ability for Him? One of the memorable scenes from the movie involved a man who walked the halls daily praying for revival at the school. He tells a parable about two farmers who both pray for rain. One waits for it hopefully. The other waits for it while “preparing his fields.” His concluding question? Which one is truly trusting God?

Go see “Facing the Giants”. It is an uplifting story and good film. It becomes a great film when you judge it the context of how it was produced.

 

 

 

 

 

The Four Freshmen recorded a song in 1956 that was later covered by the Beach Boys. The song was called “Graduation Day” and the lyrics went something like this…actually they went exactly like this.

Theres a time for joy
A time for tears
A time we’ll treasure through the years
Well remember always
Graduation day

That song came to mind as I remembered a day with far more impact for me than graduation day. That day was March 20, 2006.

Theres a time for joy
A time for tears
A time when we felt numb with fears
We’ll remember always
Diagnosis Day.

Every cancer patient will remember always that dreaded diagnosis day. I will never forget that call from my wife telling me (between sobs) that her tests were positive for breast cancer. Now we are nearly eight months down the road. Joni completed her chemotherapy 10 days ago. We are in a blessed recess between treatments. Up next is a six week regimen of radiation. A lot has happened since Diagnosis Day. It has not been easy for Joni. But we have so much to be grateful for as we face the rest of the treatment journey and beyond.

We are grateful for…

• Hope. Joni’s diagnosis is good but our ultimate hope is in God.
  
• Peace. While we recognize that the prognosis is good we have peace because we believe in a God who is sovereign. No matter what happens we are confident in Him.
  
• Friends. So many people have shown their love and concern. It helps.
  
• The Body of Christ. We have people praying that we don’t even know. That is amazing, touching, and encouraging.
  
• One another. We are partners in this journey. And while I don’t pretend to share even a small percentage of what Joni has endured we have traveled this path together.
  
• New perspective. We have gained a new insight into what matters in this journey.
  
• Our sons. We are blessed with wonderful sons and daughter-in-laws.
  
• Our family. From Florida to Ohio and points beyond we have prayerful and loving support.
  
• Joy. Even in the storm there is joy.

Thank you for your unrelenting prayers for Joni (and for me). We have sensed those prayers and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Diagnosis Day seems like a long, long time ago. We are marching forward to Joni’s graduation day from treatment (sometime next summer). And we look forward to Joni’s advanced degree (masters of survival) five years from now in March of 2011. Both of those days will be a time for great joy.

Thank you again for praying and caring. And thanks in advance for your prayers as we begin stage 2 of the treatment triathlon.

No matter what happens we have had some important truths reinforced.

His grace is sufficient. His power is made perfect in our weakness. God is good no matter what diagnosis life dispenses.