Another Trip around the Sun

They say it's my birthday...

Because it is my birthday. Today I am thirty-three years old. A birthday that for the first time has me contemplating my own mortality. Best case scenario, my life is 1/3 over. In reality, it's probably closer to half over. It has made me realize that I'm not exactly where I want to be at this point in my life. It's not so much the "normal" milestones, although there are certainly some of those as well, but it's more so that I have yet to make my mark on the world.

I have options - I could sulk over this, throw myself a pity party, deny my age, etc. None of those help. Or I can use this to motivate me.

There is a quote by David Thoreau that seems applicable: 

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

It doesn't mean that you can be anything you want to be, or live the life that you imagine. This is not truly a possibility in all cases - I can't go live the life of royalty, as I am not royalty. I think what Thoreau is saying is that if we try, really try, we will come closer to the life we imagine than we think possible.

So that's what I'm vowing to do - try, but try really hard. I may not make the mark in the world I want, but I may make a mark nonetheless, which is accomplishing more than a self-loathing pity party will.

Cheers! It's my birthday!

God's Not Dead - the Take Away

As promised, here's my take away from God's Not Dead. 

1.) This movie has nearly every stereotype imaginable in it. 

• There is an african american student whose name is "T Dawg" (E insists his name was "G Dawg," but either way it involved "Dawg" in it). I think he has one line.
• Martin is an asian student from China. He of course tests out of math. His father is very strict and only cares about his grades. At one point, Martin is trying to talk to his father about the God discussion they've been having in class, because Martin is having conflicted feelings about it. The father asks him what the professor's opinion is and Martin says, "That God is dead." The father then says, "Then you think God is dead."
• Ayisha is a muslim student. Her father drives a beater car. He is very traditional and he is very strict. When he finds out that Ayisha has been listening to Christian podcasts, he beats her and physically throws her out of the house.
• Josh's girlfriend is caucasian, blonde, and wears a cross necklace and a lot of white.
• Josh, the Christian hero in the film, is very clean cut, but cool at the same time. He wears Newsboys t-shirts, button down shirts, and Chuck Taylors.
• The non-theists in the movie are mean, angry, bitter, and generally not good people. See #2 for more information.

2.) The non-theists in the movie are giant tools. I mean really - giant douche bag assholes. The Professor is pretty much a dick to everyone he meets, but especially so to Josh (who dares to disagree with him), and his girlfriend, Mina. Mark (Mina's brother) is a douche to everyone he interacts with, and continues to be until the end, when he kills someone with his car and doesn't even stop. He also makes the comment (when Mina tells him he should go visit their mother, who has dementia), "Why bother? I bought her a TV." Blogger girl is "too busy for cancer" and is very confrontational and aggressive when she does her interviews for the liberal blog that she writes for.

3.) The Christians are all really nice. Like REALLY nice. Except for Josh's girlfriend who dumped him because his act of standing up for God was ruining their future together. And this right after he gives her Newsboys tickets for their anniversary.

4.) The Newsboys are apparently the only Christian band ever. And EVERY Christian LOVES them. Josh wore Newsboys shirts and had Newsboys posters in his dorm room. They ALL went to the Newsboys concert. Even Ayisha, who you would think would be a little strapped for cash, having been kicked out of her family's home with nothing.

5.) When Josh makes his arguments, he sounds rational. He is humble, and uses an even tone of voice. The professor sounds spiteful, hateful, and angry when he makes his points. This makes Josh's arguments look solid, even though they aren't. Like when he says, "Atheists say there's no proof for God. But I say they have no proof that He doesn't exist." Josh also lectures about circular logic.... enough said.

6.) The atheist professor treated the writings of Dawkins and Hawking as though they were infallible. He name dropped and made a point of how educated they are compared to Josh, a lowly freshman. This is very stereotypical of atheists, who are often accused of being arrogant, overly-educated, and elitist.

7.) All the non-theists were non-believers because they were angry or bitter. With possibly the exception of blogger girl, who they never really gave a backstory on.

8.) When faced with her imminent death, blogger girl turned Christian. On his death bed, the professor turned Christian. The only one unresolved was Mark, who ran over asshole professor and killed him, then peeled out. Still an atheist, still an asshole.

9.) There was one point in the movie where Pastor Dave tells Josh that the other 80 kids in his philosophy class have probably never been exposed to Christianity of Jesus' love and that Josh's presentation may be their only exposure to it. Really? Where do entire classrooms of students exist where there is only one Christian and 80 non-theists? Because I would really like to sign up for those classes. :)

10.) I completely get how this kind of film would get Christians all hyped up and excited about their faith. I think it's probably very similar to how I feel when I go to a freethought conference and get excited and motivated to do new things with Siouxland Freethinkers. I think the film 100% accomplished what it set out to do with its intended audience.

God is Most Definitely Dead

E and I went to God's Not Dead Saturday afternoon. Here's my summary of the film. I can't guarantee that it is exactly in the order it was in the film, as there were several story lines that overlapped. Here goes:

Christian kid, Josh, goes to college and his girlfriend who he's been dating for 6 years (which means they started dating when they were 12) follows him to school. He takes a Philosophy class with asshole professor. Another kid sees his Newsboys shirt and cross and warns him not to take class with asshole professor. Josh says he can't. First day of class, Professor asks his entire class to write "God is dead" on a sheet of paper and sign it so that they can skip over the part of the book that discusses whether or not God exists. He says the class must all do this, or they'll have to do that part of the class, which he adds is the hardest and has caused the most students to fail. So all the students write this except for Josh, who can't, because he thinks God isn't dead. Asshole professor says fine - then he can have 20 minutes of the next 3 classes to make his case. Asshole professor says that he'll judge whether or not Josh succeeds. Josh says that isn't fair - that the class should decide. Professor grudgingly agrees to this.

Josh's girlfriend forbids him to do this, saying he will fail the class and then not get into law school and destroy their life together. Josh goes to church and Pastor Dave tells him that this is God's plan for him. Josh decides to take on the professor.

Josh's first argument is basically that the big bang theory happened when God said, "let there be light." Professor says that's nice, but here's what Stephen Hawking says. Josh is humiliated. After class, asshole professor stops Josh, asks him what he's trying to do, says there IS a god and that it's him, and that he's looking forward to failing him.

Josh starts researching. Girlfriend confronts him and dumps him for standing up for God. The same girlfriend that he met at Youth Group. This was moments after he told her he got Newsboys tickets for their anniversary.

Meanwhile, there is a humanist reporter girl. She is caught up in her career as a liberal blogger. She keeps ignoring her doctor's phone calls. She interviews one of the Duck Dynasty creeps, quite possibly just so there is some reason for one of them to have a cameo. She is dating Mark (atheist), who is a giant douche who only cares about his job.
Mark's sister, Mina, is visiting their mother who has dementia. She calls Mark and tells him he should visit their mom. He says why bother, he bought her a tv.

Also, there is a Muslim girl, Ayisha. She works in the cafeteria at the university. Her father is very strict.
There is also a Chinese student, Martin. His father is very strict as well. When Martin tries to talk to his father about the God discussion in class, his father asks him what the professor thinks. Martin says the professor thinks God is dead. Father says, "then you think God is dead." Martin tests out of math classes.

Turns out Mina is a Christian, and is also dating asshole professor. Asshole professor has a dinner party with fellow faculty. They all make fun of Josh and he treats Mina like dirt. Also - she left the wine in the car, which is the WORST THING EVER. She gets mad and walks out of his dinner party.
Pastor Dave is trying to go on a vacation. His car won't start. He gets a rental - it won't start. He gets another rental - it won't start. It's God's plan.

Josh has another go-round in the classroom. This time, his argument is that Stephen Hawking said that "Philosophy is dead" so if asshole professor thinks Hawking is right about everything, then there is no reason for his class. Also has some research from a mathematician who says Hawking is wrong. And says that Hawking uses circular logic (yeah, the Christian is lecturing about circular logic). This makes professor VERY ANGRY.

Humanist blogger girl finds out she has cancer. She goes to dinner with Mark. He tells her he made partner. She tells him she has cancer. He promptly dumps her because relationships are only about what people get from the other, and she is now of no use to him. She cries a lot.

She goes in for her MRI. When it's time for her to get her results, the doctor asks her if there is anyone that can be there with her. She says no (of course not, non-theists have no one).

Professor is talking with his colleagues at work about Dawkins, and how Dawkins is right about everything, ever. Mina goes to break up with him. He says he will not allow that.

Ayisha is caught listening to Christian podcasts. Her father beats her and throws her out of the house. She goes to talk to Pastor Dave. This is why God wouldn't let him go on vacation. After Ayisha leaves, then Pastor Dave's car starts and he can go on vacation - which ends up being going to the Newsboys concert?

It's time for Josh's final argument, but asshole professor decides that's not going to happen and instead they're going to debate. Kind of - they don't really debate. Josh asks him why he hates God, and keeps pushing until asshole professor admits that he does hate God and it's because his mom died of cancer when he was 12, even though he asked God to let her live. Josh says, "how can you hate someone who doesn't exist." Checkmate. 

Martin confides in Josh that he has been convinced that he should be a Christian. Josh invites him to the Newsboys concert.

Mark goes to see his mother. He says that she prayed her whole life and ended up with dementia, but he is a giant tool and his life is perfect. Mother says (in a trance like state) that sometimes the devil allows people to live perfect lives so they don't convert to Christianity. Then she snaps out of it and asks him who he is.

Blogger girl has a meltdown and blogs that she is going to die of cancer.

Asshole professor goes to his office, reads a letter his mom wrote him on her death bed telling him to follow the lord and live a good life. He tries to call Mina, who doesn't answer because she's at the Newsboys concert. He decides to go chase her down and win her back.

Blogger girl barges in on the Newsboys and starts asking them how they can promote the whole Christian thing. The drummer is somehow a mind reader and knows that she came there because she's suffering and wants to believe. She admits this is true. They all pray for her and she looks peaceful and happy for the first time in the whole movie.

Josh and Martin are jamming out to the Newsboys. So is Mina. So is Ayisha. The Newsboys dedicate a song to Josh for standing up for God. Ayisha flirts with him a bit. Newsboys tell everyone to text "God's not dead" to everyone they know. Mina texts Mark. Mark gets pissy after reading the text and peels out in his car.

Meanwhile, Pastor Dave is running late to the concert because ... I don't know why. Because God likes to mess with Pastor Dave's car a lot. Asshole professor is hurrying to make it to the concert to win back Mina when he steps out in the street and gets hit by a car, which is driven by... Mark. Mark pauses, but keeps going. Professor is laying in the road, dying. Pastor Dave yells "call for an ambulance" (no one does), and then starts praying for professor. Professor says he's an atheist. Pastor Dave gets him to accept Jesus as his one true savior right before he takes his last breath and dies. 

Everyone is really happy. Even Pastor Dave, who just saw this guy die. Everyone is rocking out to the Newsboys. Screen goes to black and it tells the audience to spread the message by texting "God's not dead" to everyone they know. Roll credits.

I plan on doing some follow up posts about this movie - such as the take away points, and more indepth discussion of some of the main points in the movie. Stay tuned!

Reason Rolls

Social experiment - a friend of mine shared a recipe for "Resurrection Rolls" in a local freethought group's Facebook page. It was this exact recipe except it used the steps to explain the resurrection - the marshmallow represents Jesus, the butter represents the embalming oils, the cinnamon & sugar represent spices used to anoint the body, and the crescent represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death. Bake it, open it up and BAM! Jesus is gone - thus, representing the resurrection. He thought it would be interesting to see the reaction to an atheist version of a similar recipe. So here it is - the exact same recipe, being used to represent losing one's faith.

Please share this, and see what kind of reactions roll in. Let me know if you have any good ones! Let's get this thing going around the internet and see what happens. Thanks! Mandy