The "Red Planet" Effect
 

So Super Spiritual Sally and Holy Joe Schmo have been MIA for months now. Suddenly, “Wait a minute, is that Joe?” You’re viewing Joe’s recent photos on Facebook of which he and his motley friends, eyes glazed over, are chugging down bottles of Mad Dog 20/20. “And please tell me that’s not Sally!” Someone’s camera phone caught sneaky, sexy Sally doing the “bump and grind” with Mr. wannabe Enrique Iglesias at the club. Shocked? Surprised? Not I. Who’s to blame, Joe and Sally? Not entirely. Let me explain.

I call it the “Red Planet” Effect. I borrowed this term from a movie I recently watched titled “Red Planet.” I had my spiritual epiphany during this particular part of the movie at the 5:40 mark (begin watching at 2:15 for better context).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFvnK...eature=related

For those of you too holy to view: The scene vividly shows us three desperate astronauts on the planet Mars who’ve just run out of oxygen in their suits. Two mates have already died, one choosing to suffocate alone after sustaining an injury during the landing which rendered him immobile. When precious O2 finally runs out, Kilmer releases his face shield (for whatever reason) only to discover…gasp…he can breathe! Yes, their experiment succeeded! Scientists finally figured out how to generate O2 in the atmosphere of Mars!

And what does all this have to do with wayward Pentecostal youth you say?

My friends, (if you watched the vid) you have just witnessed what happens to church goers in the spirit world when they defect from a local church assembly diseased with arrogance and spiritual lordship. This is the result of a mind that has been deceived from a teaching that tells them, “If you leave this church/doctrine/religion, ya’d better live it up and go hog wild in sin, ‘cuz the umbrella of protection has been lifted, and you’ll be headed for a devil’s Hell anyway.” This dichotomy is packaged and delivered by the ones who are supposed to be “watchers of souls.” In other words, religion=true Christianity and salvation. Personal relationship with Christ…optional.

Oh the cruelty! For you see, when religion fails them, and they wonder off in the “desert of Mars,” and commence to suffocate in their own illusion, they choke and convulse, and all the while the divine oxygen of the Spirit is poised just outside of their empty helmet of religion. Oh what tragedy! Trapped inside that stifling clunky death suit while the Spirit breathes on them and gently whispers, “Take the helmet of salvation…”

And so, there you have it, Noeticknight’s parable of the “Red Planet.” Maybe Mars is where that kooky philosophy originated from…”No life outside of these church walls…”

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

Wondered where in the world you were going when you started this! Great analogy! :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

BeenThinkin

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

And since I'm on the "spiritual-symbolism-from-the-movies" kick, howsabout the scene from "The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers" when Gandalf releases King Theoden from Saruman's spell. Wow! The musical score is so majestic! If that scene isn't packed with some spiritual symbolism, I don't know what is.(Screenplay from scene)

GANDALF
Théoden, son of Thengel, too long have
you sat in the shadows.
Hearken to me! I release you from the
spell.

THÉODEN
You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey!

[Gandalf throws back his grey cloak,
exuding blinding white light. Théoden
is thrown back against his seat.]

GANDALF
[Points his staff towards Théoden.]
I will draw you, Saruman, as poison
is drawn from a wound.

THÉODEN
[In Saruman’s voice.] If I go. . . Théoden
dies.

GANDALF
You did not kill me, you will not kill
him!

THÉODEN
[in Saruman's voice] Rohan is mine!


GANDALF
Be gone!!

[Gandalf smites Théoden as he lunges
at him. Théoden is thrown back into
the chair and the shot changes to Saruman
flying backwards from the Palantír which
he used to manipulate Théoden. He lands
landing hard on the floor of Orthanc,
bleeding from a gash in his forehead.
In the hall, Théoden lets out a moan
and slumps forward in the chair. Éowyn
runs to her uncle’s side as he falls.
Théoden’s head rises again and his face
begins to change gradually into that
of a much younger-looking man. Clarity
and recognition returns to his eyes.]


THÉODEN
[Looks closely at Éowyn] I know your
face. Éowyn… Éowyn.

[Éowyn weeps with joy]

Gandalf?

GANDALF
Breathe the free air again, my friend.


[The hall is shown to be filled with
light again, as everyone marvels at
the rejuvenation of the king.]

THÉODEN
[Standing up and looking around him.]
Dark have been my dreams of late. [He
looks down at his trembling hands.]


GANDALF
Your fingers would remember their old
strength better... if they grasped your
sword.

To view scene, click at the 01:16:50 mark

http://www.megavideo.com/?v=FH0F3L9K

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

I have heard the "you might as well party with the world one hundred percent!" if you leave the (UPC) church myself. I have always wondered how many actually have done that as a result of it being taught?

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

Yes, I remember that scene well.

I always wondered why Aragorn let "the rat" leave when King Theoden was kicking him out of the castle.

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

Oh right! The symbolism continues...

GRÍMA
Argh! [Beseechingly to Théoden] I've
only ever served you, my lord!

THÉODEN
[Advancing towards Gríma, holding the
sword firmly in his hand] Your leechcraft
would have had me crawling on all fours
like a beast!

If I may paraphrase for the spiritually wounded:

Relgious leader: "I've only ever served you, my dear child!"

Child of God: [holding the sword of the Spirit in hand] "Your legalistic doctrines and traditions would have had me slaving for your religious empire and crawling on all fours in bondage like a beast!"


[Pardon the spin, but Christians with harsh religious backgrounds see things on many different levels.]

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

I've seen the sad results of this. I remember one preacher hollerin', "If there was no hell I'd be the biggest devil around...!!!"

He was confessing to the fact that he really didn't have a lot of concern about the well being of others. This selfishness reared its ugly head whenever the chips were down and he was under pressure to do the right thing. Invariably, he always chose the selfish path.

Sadly his own son followed the same "theology" and nearly ruined himself with alcohol and drugs. The "either I'm right about everything or I'd live like a prostitute on crack..." way of thinking is absurd.

People often apply this same type of thinking to the Bible in general: "Either Noah's Ark was literal or you might as well flush the Bible down the toilet!"

This is called binary thinking and is responsible for a legion of errors.

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

... And nice analogies too, Sir Noe Tick. :thumbsup

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

"The Emperor's New Clothes" is good, too!

Re: The "Red Planet" Effect
 

So I'm not sure if I got this right ... by equating people at a club, obviously not living for God, to astronauts stranded on a planet who died of suffocation ... you're blaming the church and leadership on these carnal, backslidden jerks' actions?

From the bolded part - "Who's to blame?" it's insinuated that the two, sally and joe" aren't entirely to blame for their actions, and their former church leadership is to be blamed.

I don't buy it, no matter how cute the analogy or how cool it seems.

The Bible says work your own salvation out with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12). "Super spiritual" Sally and "Holy" Joe should understand this and take responsibility on themselves. The former leadership isn't the reason or blame for them going out clubbing. That's their own carnal desires.

To further this allegory ... Sally and Joe stand before God to account for their life. God won't ask them about their church, pastor, mom, dad, friends, relatives. They will be judged by their personal choices, not by feelings or anything else.