The World is Ending and We Can’t Wait

My favorite kind of sci-fi is dystopia, or post-apocalyptic. These are the stories that consider the bad things that could happen in the future. These may be more pessimistic than other stories, but they’re more realistic considering human nature.
For example, in my favorite post-apocalyptic dystopia, Firefly, Joss Whedon makes a future world that totally makes sense. Humans fly out to other planets not because they’re adventurous, but because their planet “got used up.” And when they get out there, most of them revert back to primitive technology and societies.
In TV shows like Heroes and Legends of Tomorrow, or books like the Sisters Grimm, characters can get glimpses of post-apocalypse worlds that they need to prevent. I love these stories because the writers are free to make things as bad as they want with little to no consequences.
The only real problem with dystopia and science fiction in general is that although these things or similar scenarios could happen they probably won’t. The Bible gives away the real ending of the story. When God judges the world, he’s going to stop holding back the evil in the universe. There will be massive natural disasters and wars and plagues and monsters and a corrupt government. Now that’s a dystopia and a post-apocalypse.
But this isn’t science fiction. The world really is coming to an end; but unlike any other apocalypse, there is a way to escape from this one. Before the end of the world, everyone who’s been saved will be taken to heaven. So if we’ve accepted God’s salvation, we don’t need to worry about the end of the world. This makes it much easier to enjoy stories about it.
Some Christians have a problem with the Left Behind series because it may not be all that Biblically accurate. Geeks can appreciate this story and others like it for what it is: a good post-apocalyptic story. (As long as it’s not the version with Nick Cage in it.) We can all benefit from a change in perspective when the world is ending.
– Noah

Let’s Connect
@noahspud
@CorrelationBlog

The Correlation

What We Can Learn from Deadpool

Ever since this blog’s inception, I wanted to write a post about the R-rated superhero flick, Deadpool, coming to theaters this weekend. I wanted to give my reasons for not seeing the movie, how we should take active measures to not promote it, and how it is unethical and un-Christian to see such garbage.

Then I realized that FOX wouldn’t like that. I’m here to give opinions, not poke dragons. This is me, trying to be positive about the Pool.

What good is there to say about him? He’s raunchy, he’s rude, he prefers Desert Eagles over discussion and katanas over kindness. He is textbook anti-hero, emphasis on the “anti”, and he doesn’t plan on changing anytime soon.

And neither do the writers of his movie. There was a petition recently for FOX to simultaneously release a PG-13 version of Deadpool with the R version.  The petition reached the ears of a few people, including lead actor Ryan Reynolds, and they all replied with something to the effect of, “Not gonna happen.”  Deadpool, in comic form, had a few words to say on the subject, as shown below.

For being jocular and as “un-serious” as one can get, D-Piddy has a point. His movie is for adults, not kids, and he wants us to know that. I think it’s commendable that steps are being taken to say, “Don’t take your kids to this movie! It’s rated R for a reason!”

The Deadpool shown here makes a point when he says that kid-friendliness is “what the Avengers are for.” Last year (2015), we got two Marvel superhero movies, and we have at least four more lined up for this year, if you include DC’s contributions to the genre. In scripture, we are commanded to “be content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5) and “be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). Maybe we should be content with what Iron Man, Spider-man, and Batman have to offer.

Still, I’m not seeing Deadpool this weekend. I can wait for Captain America: Civil War.

 

 

Also, credit goes where credit is due. This is where I found the photo: http://moviepilot.com/posts/3741083

Let’s Connect
@Isaac_Trenti
@CorrelationBlog

The Correlation

How Martha Jones Models Evangelism and Prayer

I remember when I was a new Whovian, watching through the show for the very first time (ah, good times). When I reached the three-part in series three, “Utopia,” “The Sound of Drums,” and “The Last of the Time Lords,” I was blown away but the amount of Biblical parallels packed into those three episodes. Let me explore some of them with you.

First, a brief plot summary for those of you who need a reminder (series three was a long
time ago) or those of you new to the show (Welcome! We love you!). In these episodes, the Master has imprisoned the Doctor and taken over the earth. Martha Jones travels the world telling people about the Doctor, and gets everyone to think about the Doctor and say his name all at the same moment clear across the globe. The people are linked together by a telepathic field that the Master has been using to control them, and the Doctor is able to tap into the power of their united minds all thinking the same word in order to regain his strength and defeat the Master.

Among the many spiritual principles illustrated in these episodes, two stand out to me. One is the power of prayer, and the other is the importance of evangelism. Martha Jones’ role in this episode is much like the role of the Church – we are called to tell people about Christ. This isn’t just a passive activity, or a defensive one. Telling people about Christ is actually an offensive strategy against the enemy, just as Martha’s “evangelism” was a military strategy. And just like when the people of the earth united in this episode, when the Church unites in prayer, the enemy trembles with fear. It’s easy to feel like our prayers are just disappearing into empty space, but even if we can’t see the results, we can be sure that God hears us, and if we’re praying in agreement with His heart, our prayers will definitely make a difference.

Let’s Connect
@Arthwaya
@CorrelationBlog

https://www.facebook.com/thecorrelationblog

Today in Geek-dom: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

In 2009, Seth Grahame-Smith wrote a book called Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It is exactly what it sounds like: the story of Pride and Prejudice with a zombie apocalypse going on in the background. Today, the movie version hits theaters.
From one perspective, this is a zombie apocalypse movie set in the early 1800s. That alone is pretty compelling. Modern-day zombies are a manifestation of the human fear of disease, but that era was still reeling from the Black Plague. It should be fascinating to watch how characters of that era react to such a modern disaster scenario.
Of course, from another perspective, this is Jane Austen’s love story with an ensemble of newly added characters: the dead. Is this a perversion of a classic? Well…yes. Obviously.
IGN.com says that while zombies add some interesting things to the story, the movie “fails to take advantage of” its potential, like the “conflicts between upper and lower classes.” I think IGN is expecting too much from a freaking zombie movie.
There is no way that this movie is going to be as “good” as Pride and Prejudice. But no one is expected to hold it to the same standards. No one is expected to take it seriously…except the actors. As IGN points out, Matt Smith plays an Austen character surrounded by zombies the same way he played outrageous situations on Doctor Who. The rest of the cast follows suit. They throw their all into making a Jane Austen movie with the occasional horde of zombies to slay. The movie is hilarious in its grim sincerity, and that is why it is worth watching.

Many geeky fandoms do not meet the criteria that many Christians have for “good” media. But just as fans of Jane Austen should not immediately dismiss PP&Z, Christians should not assume the worst about fiction. After all, most Christian media does not meet secular society’s benchmarks for good media, either. While we should not ignore clear violations of Christian values, it is okay to lower our expectations and enjoy fandoms for what they are.

-Noah

Let’s Connect
@noahspud
@CorrelationBlog

The Correlation

Is it okay to question God?

A few years ago I became a member of the fandom for the alternative rock band Red. As I was listening to their music for the first time, I came across a song called Let It Burn. Here are some of the lyrics for you.

How long can you stand the pain?

How long will you hide your face?

How long will you be afraid?

Are you afraid?

How long will you play this game?

Will you fight or will you walk away?

How long will you let it burn?

While I loved how powerfully the emotions of the song are expressed through the music and the vocals, I was a bit confused about what the song was actually saying. It sounded as though it was directed towards God, but it seemed strange to ask God those kinds of questions. Aren’t you just supposed to accept that God knows best and never question Him?

Then one day I was reading my Bible and I came across Psalm 89:46. “How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?”

Suddenly the song made much more sense. Once I realized it was based in the psalms, I got very excited and I did a mini Bible study on the spot. I came up with several more psalms that corresponded with the lyrics of the song. Psalm 27:9, Psalm 13:1-2, and Psalm 90:5-13, for example. This was a powerful discovery for me. The psalms are largely written by King David, who is called a man after God’s own heart. If David wrestled with these questions, and they’re recorded in the Bible, it must be okay for us to wrestle with these things too. God is big enough to handle our doubts and our questions, but I think He wants us to talk to Him about them. In any relationship, you can’t resolve an issue without talking to the other person about it. God wants to have a relationship with us, so don’t be afraid to ask questions, just don’t forget to listen for answers.

~ Arth

Let’s Connect
@Arthwaya
@CorrelationBlog

https://www.facebook.com/thecorrelationblog

First Church of Anime: How Christians Appear and Should React

Any anime fan has a gateway anime. Mine was Fullmetal Alchemist. I was bored one night and left alone with the Netflix, so I called up the first episode. I remember enjoying it until it got to the scene in the church with Edward Elric, the titular character and an agnostic, and Rose, a girl in the town who believes in a monotheistic religion—not Christianity, but similar aesthetically—that later turned out to be a sham.

Some time later, I sat down and watched Angel Beats! Much like FMA, I remembered enjoying it and bumping into some of the present religious themes. Angel Beats!, for those who haven’t seen it, is about a group of high school students trapped in a purgatory of sorts, declaring war against the powers that be (i.e.: God.).

I think this is something to call attention to, for the sake of the easily offended and concerned. Firstly, not all anime is like this. I could name a handful of anime that keeps their collective mitts off Christian themes. Secondly, I’m not writing this to bash FMA or Angel Beats!.  In fact, having watched them further, I would recommend both.

My point is that any kind of media can portray Christianity, whether it’s FMA or The Walking Dead. The way I see it, there are two parts of responding to religious themes in any kind of entertainment.

First: Take it. I think of any interpretation of Christians as a critique. The writers and artists look at us from the outside and take notes of what they see. Sometimes it’s good things, sometimes it’s bad things, and sometimes it’s nothing. Most anime, in my experience, are written from two angles: atheistic (there is no God) or agnostic (it doesn’t matter if God exists).

The Hunger Games and the Dangers of the Limelight

When you think of the Hunger Games, you probably think of the horrific, televised spectacle in which teenagers fight to the death. But that’s only half of the book. Before the tributes ever get to the arena, they have to compete in a very different contest. The goal, as Haymitch says, is “to make people like you.”

The tributes are plucked from their families at a young age and brought to the capitol, where they’re dressed in fancy clothes and expected to perform. What does this involve? Smiling for the camera. Lying. Acting. The details of their lives are broadcast to the world.

For the winner of the games, this never stops. The capitol keeps on watching you for as long as you live. Each year you go through it all again; the fancy clothes, the cameras, the lies. In Katniss’ case, even her love life was fabricated for the sake of the show. Her engagement aired nationally, the selection of her wedding dress became a televised fashion show, and she can never stop playing the game.

While the events in Panem are fiction, I can’t help noticing a strong resemblance to our own culture. Of course, we don’t expect our celebrities to fight to the death, not literally at least. But there’s always the competition of who is the prettiest, who is the most talented, who has the hottest boyfriend or the most awards. And not unlike the capitol, we want to know every detail. What are they wearing? Who are they dating? What are they buying their family for Christmas? Nothing is private.

If you pay attention, you may notice a trend of celebrities who enter the limelight at a young age, relatively innocent and excited to make their mark on the world. But as time goes by, you watch them change. They struggle with issues of body image and self-esteem – magnified by the number of people judging every performance, every outfit, and every word. They change the way they dress, what they sing about, who they hang out with. What happened?

The limelight happened, like a giant mousetrap baited with the promise of fortune and fame. What strikes me is the number of songs being produced about this very thing – by the people experiencing it firsthand. “The Lucky One” by Taylor Swift, “Everybody’s Fool” by Evanescence, “Fences” by Paramore, and “Cage On The Ground” by Flyleaf (released days before the lead singer left the band) are just a few examples. Maybe The Hunger Games has more relevance for our culture than we realize.

Let’s Connect
@Arthwaya
@CorrelationBlog

https://www.facebook.com/thecorrelationblog