Preface.....it is 8:15 Christmas morning....and as I sit here at the computer I heard someone bellowing from the top of their voice....Joy To The World! I investigated and it was my neighbor.....on his front porch....surrounded by a most beautiful blanket of white snow that had fallen overnight. I was reminded of testimony that Benjamin Franklin had once given during the First Great Awakening.....as he wrote...."It seemed as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk thro' the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street."
It was around Thanksgiving 2008. Barack Obama had just been elected to his first term. I was 58 years old and it would be another eight years before I would retire. It was an evening very much like this....cold and raining. Our dog had died suddenly and I was digging a grave in the pouring rain....with tears I'm sure mixed in with rain on my face. I started this....whatever it is.....blog but more of a bulletin board.....just for something to do....and named it after that dog who our son had named Special. I recently had to put our next beloved dog to sleep. His name was Grover. The following was one of my first posts. That iconic film It's A Wonderful Life starts in about thirty minutes and my wife and I will probably start watching....for the umpteenth time....but my guess is that I'll only last for about an hour....for I remain fascinated by the beginnings of the plot....but when the 'angel' comes into the film it becomes more than problematic. We had watched another notable film....Mrs. Miniver....only a week ago. Character actor Henry Travers played both the angel in the former film and a gentle 'commoner' in the Miniver film....the message of which was....to me anyway....in how life can change overnight....as the church service in the beginning was mundane....much as we in America may have been a year ago....but had changed to sober and reverential at the end....this after the devastation of war. I will never be able to ignore the message of a false gospel in the Jimmy Stewart film. It was Christmas time as you remember....George was back in....real time....and the crowd gathering in the Bailey house began singing....Hark The Herald Angels Sing. O I still tear up thinking about this Hollywood cast singing out the words penned by both John Wesley and George Whitefield....and America at least hearing them....."God and sinners reconciled....Glory to our newborn King! But we only hear the first verse.....and therefore not...."Christ by highest heav'n adored.....Christ the everlasting Lord....hail the incarnate Deity....pleased as man with man to dwell....born to raise the sons of earth....born to give them second birth"....for the film interrupts with everyone singing Auld Lang Syne....penned by the Scottish poet Robert Burns....so a different message sent the moviegoers away.....one that more embodies the entirety of It's A Wonderful Life....and unfortunately a message that America has come to identify with Christmas....that of a works salvation. Friends....one must be born again....where a soul headed to perdition.....of which state we all are born....is rescued....regenerated....now able to see not only our Savior but ourselves in dire need of a Savior....for there is absolutely nothing that we can do to effect salvation or mercy! If we do not remain vigilant and resolute in the defense of the gospel....then seemingly insignificant things like Hollywood movies can distort that gospel....the result in this case....the America of today.
It's A Wonderful Life.....December 13, 2008
It is pretty much a sure thing that at this time of year, Frank Capra's IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE will be on television. George Bailey has become a part of the consciousness of America. Unfortunately, it's a good example of how film can use emotion and a good story to make that which is false seem like truth. Confronted with failure of the Savings & Loan which was entrusted to him, George contemplates suicide. God, then sends an angel who successfully convinces George that he has done a lot of good. The angel gets his wings and America wipes aways tears of joy as it fails to spot a false gospel of works.
Am I looking at something like this too closely? Here's another thought. George has just had a wonderful first evening with Mary culminated by falling into the high school swimming pool. They begin to get philosophical on the walk home and Mary asks George what he really wishes for. George proceeds to list the things that he is about to do including travel, education and culminated by great accomplishments in design and architecture. A moment later George's uncle arrives with the news that will change his life and plans. His father has suffered a stroke. Mr. Capra's message here may have been that God would indeed use George to do great things...but they would be right where he lived and not all over the world as he desired.
The more serious error in this otherwise wonderful film is that 'good works' are presented as a means to salvation. This concept and the fact that I know it is being happily accepted each holiday season in America is what makes me cringe. Enjoy the film....but acknowledge the error in the message ....and maybe take the opportunity to bring it up in conversation with friends and loved ones!
