“I was raised up believing I was somehow unique
Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see
And now after some thinking, I’d say I’d rather be
A functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me”

The significance of insignificance is truly a freeing thing, from the paralysis of helplessness we often feel under the weight of being extraordinary! In my experience anyway!

The movie was beautifully shot with very little extra lighting and virtually no music. The entire movie focussed on the relationships between Walt and the few people he encountered.

The parallels to Jesus in the final scene (juxtapositioned against Walts decidedly un-Christian character in the rest of the movies) was absolutely intended.

For me the movie was about the tension and ambiguity that occurs in our lives between our words and our actions. Walt’s words – and hence his image in the eyes of others – is rooted in the persona of a middle-american good o’l boy who is racially intollerant and scarred by experiences of the Korean war. He is overtly racist and prejudicial. It is equally apparent that he lives in a culture (of men particularly) that knows little else. However, despite their words of hatred, their actions are more consistent with acceptance (possibly love?).

So, despite is apparent (verbal) hatred towards his Hmong neighbours, he is won-over by their continued actions of love and peace towards him. In the end, although he never understand them, he accepts them.

Additionally, the disinterest of his own children and the poverty in his relationships with them means that he finds relationship and love with his neighbours who are materially poor but rich in love and family.

In the end it is what is done, rather than what is said that holds real power. Walt creates a situation in which he exposes the evil of the street-thugs to the observers by merely seeking a ‘light’. It is the light of truth that exposes

Walt he sacrifices himself for an entire community of people he never really liked or understood – but he understood that they were being terrorized by evil. His words never conformed to what was right, but his actions were very different.

I think this movie was about the interplay of words and actions and the complexity of human experience. Walt was never particularly drawn to the words of the church, but he absolutely embodied the spirit of what Jesus stood for at his core.

Thanks,
Don

As I see it there was a steady erosion of community in North America since world war two. In the economic boom periods following the war, combined with the baby-boom caused a massive resettling of America. An era of immigration, and era of decentralization (gutting of the inner city and birth of the concept of automobile suburbs) meant virtually everyone was uprooted and resettled somewhere else. I think that this meant that everyone was having to re-form their notion of community. Also, the new living arrangements (spread-out single family dwellings rather than row-houses) required a re-thinking of the concept.

I think that by the 1980s when the boomers were absorbed in career and had grown-up with a weak sense of community – and institution (church). The absence of community, I think corresponds directly with a palpable growth of individualism.

And, yes, I think in response to this many people are realizing that community is missing from their lives. There are lots of efforts in the wider world, and in the church of people starting to want to re-build those notions because they feel the need for it, and also feel it is simply good for everyone’s quality of life.

The Zoo herself is sleeping next to me on the couch as I type. She made it to Brazil and back with me in 2005 and ever since has been enjoying herself on my sunny balcony in summer and sacked out by the fire in winter. She beat up another cat who managed to get inside our apartment once – the other cat was white and there was snowy fluff all over the place after the horrible-sounding but brief brawl. We joked that Zoe beat the stuffing out of her.

But I digress.

Regarding “healing of North American culture”… I don’t have entirely formed opinions on this, but it seems that we went through a bit of disintegration of local communities for a while in the late 80s and early 90s… at least where I lived. There was tons of moving around and the “yuppie” movement was exploding and gentrifying neighborhoods without getting to know their neighbors. More money, no community.

But then the GenXers got really hungry for community (it was such a huge topic at Regent that we called it the “c-word” because we all wanted it and talked about it… but nobody seemed to be attaining it) and started changing all that, especially when they started having kids and needing a social life – and stuff like open-air movies are classic examples of what I’ve seen. San Francisco has a long history of free, open-air community – free Opera in the Park is an annual bash, Stern Grove weekly concerts all summer, movies in several parks around the city. Redwood City (a southern suburb) has revamped its Courthouse square and they have free concerts and dancing every Sunday during good weather.

24-hour “adoration” as it’s called in the Catholic church has been around for hundreds of years, and Protestants have been keeping 24-hour prayer vigils up through the centuries as well. I love a book by an English guy called “Red Moon Rising” about the 24-7 prayer movement that started in the 90′s and the historic roots of the practice. It’s incredible and it shows how community, mission and conversion (not necessarily in that order) naturally grow out of 24-hour prayer rooms, especially permanent ones like my parish.

Church needs to have structure and routine rhythm – but an openness to people who come here and there is really good, and the 24-hour prayer room is a way for people to make connections and eventually fall into a routine of when they come, knowing the structured people will be there on a predictable basis. For example, I don’t have regular scheduled hours right now, but I frequently go during 9-11 pm to keep an older lady company who is scheduled for those hours most nights of the week. I also am extrapolating a bit from my experience of wandering in an out of the church during those prayer hours, thinking that I’d be alone in the silence, but getting to know a LOT of people over the years… by the time I decided to join the church and get structured about my attendance (ie: Mass at scheduled times and active participation in church life), I knew more people than some of the registered parishioners.

Does that make sense?

If I’ve got you correct, you’re liking some of the more casual, less formal and less strictly committed formats of community gatherings and some churches?

I didn’t quite follow the comment about healing America…but my interest is piqued.

The 24hr church thing is also interesting….Are you hinting towards church communities that operate in a sort-of help-yourself model. A continually revolving door of people who fit worship/church in when their life permits or when the spirit calls? (Less structure overall) Or do I have the wrong end of the stick?

What an interesting concept. I’m gonna need some time to think this through…it raises a host of thoughts.

Colin.

Did you get captivated by Switchfoot’s song “This is Home”, featured on Prince Caspian? I heard it for the first time yesterday and it’s been on continual repeat in the car AND in the house (a rarity to insist on both)… It’s really helping me as I deal with the reality of moving to Rwanda, which doesn’t feel like home yet but has elements of it.