There must be something said about speaking your mind before you have proof to back up your claims. Already, the blogosphere, newsphere, and internet are a buzz with the anticipated movie "Noah". Stories abound of how (according to Russell Crowe) Noah isn't a benevolent person but rather one who would allow everyone else to drown before saving them (which is biblically a problem if Noah is said to be the only one who was good). Others have commented how God had been taken out of the picture; the rumor is that apparently there is no interaction between God and Noah. And with strong endorsements from the evangelical community, Focus on the Family, and (of course) Hollywood, and bans from the Islamic community, I already feel like I've missed the boat... quite literally.
However you find the story line to be, remember that the true story (found in the Bible) is not Hollywood. Also, remember that the true story isn't just Christian ownership (even though many tabloids have assumed such). We share this story with the Jewish and Muslim community, and if you go to such an extreme as finding parallels of the Noah's ark story with other religious text (like the Epic of Gilgamesh), you may open yourself that Noah's ark embodies so much more than even these three traditions could ascertain.
Just remember: 1) the movie doesn't prove or disprove the Biblical story. It actually has absolutely no impact on the Biblical story; 2) we need to listen to our neighbors in faith and understand their reactions, including those in the Muslim and Christian community who think that portraying a sacred person in this life can lead to idolatry (I should blog one day about recent prejudice against the Muslim faith and why I believe evangelicals have it wrong); and 3) in the Bible, it is usually clear when God speaks (for the words "God says" follows the quote), but in life, God still speaks to us but not necessarily in direct ways. Is it possible God spoke to Noah in similar ways to how God speaks to us today?
My personal review will come out on Friday. Check it out here.
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