everything that's on my mind

Lord, save us from your followers (and Darwin)

A couple of trailers I’ve seen online recently of films I think I’d like to see.

First is a documentary titled Lord, Save Us From Your Followers. The film (and book) sound similar to Kinnaman and Lyons book unChrisitan: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity and Why It Matters, which I read last year.

Documentary creator (and Christian) Dan Merchant traveled the country, talking to hundreds of people about Jesus and Christianity in an attempt to determine what the two meant to people in this country and why they are so divisive.

The primary question these type of efforts seem raise is this: why is the resemblance between Jesus and his followers so often difficult to recognize?

Here is a trailer of sorts for the film (the official trailer can be seen at the official website):

I don’t know if this film will be worth the time or not. I watched Bill Maher’s Religulous earlier this year. While not exactly the same type of film, and coming from “the other side”, so to speak, it was both entertaining and though-provoking. I hope there’s some value in this one as well.

The second film is Creation, staring Paul Bettany & Jennifer Connelly. It tells the life story of Charles Darwin and his controversial work On The Origin of Species.

I recently read a book (Karl Giberson’s Saving Darwin: How to Be a Christian and Believe in Evolution) in which I learned a bit more about Darwin’s life. I was pretty much unfamiliar with him beyond the fact that he authored this famous work. His background of faith was particularly interesting, as you don’t hear much about that growing up in church and/or Christian schools. I just assumed he was an atheist (not true) who was hell bent on the destruction of Christianity (also not true.)

Here is the official trailer:

Unfortunately, it’s not evident whether or not I will get that opportunity, as the film has yet to procure a U.S. distributor. It seems that, not surprisingly, Americans are afraid of the film and the certain (yet unnecessary) controversy that it will create here. However, I suspect in due time it will make it’s way to our shores.

-gf