Hit documentary a favourite of U.S. Christian right - March of the Penguins refutes Darwin, some say
by JONATHAN MILLER (NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE)
On the conservative website WorldNetDaily.com, an opponent of abortion wrote that the movie "verified the beauty of life and the rightness of protecting it."
At a conference for young Republicans, the editor of National Review urged participants to see the movie because it promoted monogamy. A widely circulated Christian magazine said it made "a strong case for intelligent design."
The movie is March of the Penguins, and of all the reactions it has evoked, perhaps the most surprising is its appeal to conservatives. They are hardly its only audience; the film is the second-highest grossing documentary of all time, behind Fahrenheit 9/11.
But conservative groups have turned its stirring depiction of the mating ordeals of emperor penguins in Antarctica into an unexpected battle anthem in the culture wars.
"March of the Penguins," the conservative film critic and radio host Michael Medved says, is "the motion picture this summer that most passionately affirms traditional norms like monogamy, sacrifice and child-rearing."
Speaking of audiences who feel that movies ignore or belittle such themes, he adds: "This is the first movie they've enjoyed since The Passion of the Christ. This is The Passion of the Penguins." more..(requires free registration).
______________________
I don't know. Don't get me wrong... I love the Emporer Penguin - very cool bird, or mammal, or whatever it is. But, The Passion of the Penguins? A movie about penguins "passionately affirms... monogamy?"
Why do Christians jump on such loopy bandwagons? This is hardly engaging the culture! This is just looking goofy.
Penguins as role models, huh? I hadn't heard that yet. It's funny and a little sad at the same time. You're right Kerux, I think we need to exercise a little bit of restraint when choosing bandwagons! Credibility doesn't come that cheap.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article Pastor...mmm...now, we're looking to penguins for how we should live?? To help battle the culture war?? I know what the problem is with the culture war! Sin. The answer. Christ. Not the passion of the penguins. Its a battle with souls that we sould be focusing our attention on. The Bible also speaks passionalty about monogamy, sacfifice and child-rearing so why look to the penguins? Look to the Word of God, friends! Look to Christ! I love nature, its speaks amazingly about God and shows us His glory and majesty and that He is sovereign over all. Romans 1:20 which says "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse"...as for the passion of the Christ being an enjoyable movie...well, I didnt find it enjoyable. I found it disturbing. But thats just me...I would rather study and read the bible to know God better rather than get my morals from penguins or 'pictures of Christ' from a man in an apostate church. Gods Word gives us all we need! Desire God above all!! I shall leave you with a quote from Spurgeon on evangelism: "if then, you will be damned, let me have this one thing as a consolation for your misery, that you are not damned for the lack of calling after; you are not lost for the lack of weeping after, and not lost for the lack of praying after...If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them parish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for." Blessings...
ReplyDeletePenguins are birds, not mammals, unlike the platapus about which there is I think considerable doubt as to wheter it adequtely fits either category.
ReplyDeletePenguins are birds. Platypuses (platypi?) are mammals. Laying eggs and having a duck-bill are the only bird-like qualities of the platypus...after hatching, the babies still nurse from the warm-blooded mom. That said, I would like to also add this...seeing God's hand in everything...including the monogamy, perseverence, and sheer intelligence of their physical make-up...is a great witness to folks who are seeking. Jesus used farming and ranching to speak to the people of His time, because they understood farming and ranching. I know of one curious person right now who is seeking, and his interest in God has already been piqued by this movie.
ReplyDeleteIs there anything God can't do?