Navidad En Bolivia 2009
15 years ago
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Thursday, 22 February 2007
The Truman Show (spoilers)
Watched The Truman Show today. I've seen it before, and I know it was the coolest most thought provoking film like evA about 5 years ago, but I'm 5 years behind, and in light of several conversations I've had over the past few days, it got me really thinking.
The Truman Show, for those who haven't seen it and haven't clicked on the link, is about a guy (Truman) who's the unknowing star of the ultimate Big Brother show. He was born on live television, and has lived in a world created solely for watching him live out his life since then. It is all directed by Christof, down to the consoling lines spoken by Truman's 'best friend' when Truman is suspecting that there's more to life than he's been led to believe. Truman starts to fight this pretend world, wanting to explore outside it's walls and see more of the world.
Truman's struggle reminds me so much of the fight I see some people facing when they start to wonder if there's a God. When they believe, there are just as many obstructions as Truman faces when he wants to do something that isn't acceptable to the others living in and 'controlling' his life.
Truman starts to really wonder about the truth of his life in Seahaven when little things strike him as a little strange - a light falling from the sky explained as a plane shedding equipment midair, an encounter with a man who looks like his dead father, who gets whisked away. Explanations for every strange event are found in the newspaper the next day. All these, plus an episode from his school years, start to make him wonder and question what's going on. But the more he questions, the more obstructions he meets as Christof tries to prevent him living his own chosen life. Within one day he discovers there are no flights to Fiji available, the bus to Chicago breaks down, and when he takes dramatic action to drive out, he is stopped by a convenient nucular leak that has forced roadblocks and an evacuation zone to be set up, preventing him escape via the road. And yet he keeps trying.
We see the people barracking for Truman at the Truman Bar, in the bath, the carpark, hugging pillows with Truman's face on them, in Japan, learning English from the show. We see Laura, the girl who 'they' didn't want talking to him, and got taken off the show for doing so, leaving an indelible memory with Truman. And these are the people who rejoice when Truman steps out of the set, after refusing to bow to Christof's pressure and give in to the fear of leaving the safety of Seahaven.
Truman faces death to find the truth, as Christof uses increasingly extreme methods to try and force Truman to turn around back to the 'normal' life. But he keeps going, and this is the message I want all you people who are looking at life, wondering what it's all about, whether there's a God, whether he's worth following to take from this post.
God can't force us to do anything, that's one of the beauties of him, he gives us free choice to do what we like. Of course there's a way he'd like us to do things, and he makes sure there's always opportunities to do it his way, but you can take a different road if you wish, although where you'll end up is not the best destination for the rest of eternity. As in The Truman Show, there are always obstructions, some major, some minor, but you'll get through if you believe in the end goal.
The Truman Show reminds me a little of the book of Job (about the guy who's faith is rigorously tested by the devil) and also the Lost Son (guy gets early inheritance from dad, goes spends it all on sex drugs and rock n roll, then returns home crawling and dad welcomes him and throws a massive party). Those of us who believe in God, Jesus, Father, whatever you want to call him, are members of that party. We are barracking for you, like the audience of the Truman Show, and when you choose to push away the 'normal' life - the life of a non-christian, we throw a massive party, as does God (Jesus made wine - of course God likes a party!).
I just want to encourage anyone who reads this to keep searching, keep testing the boundaries of what you believe. You don't have to believe in Him, but He believes in you.
I'll be praying for you.
May you let God guide your steps, and may you see the work he does in your life.
God bless,
Imo
The Truman Show, for those who haven't seen it and haven't clicked on the link, is about a guy (Truman) who's the unknowing star of the ultimate Big Brother show. He was born on live television, and has lived in a world created solely for watching him live out his life since then. It is all directed by Christof, down to the consoling lines spoken by Truman's 'best friend' when Truman is suspecting that there's more to life than he's been led to believe. Truman starts to fight this pretend world, wanting to explore outside it's walls and see more of the world.
Truman's struggle reminds me so much of the fight I see some people facing when they start to wonder if there's a God. When they believe, there are just as many obstructions as Truman faces when he wants to do something that isn't acceptable to the others living in and 'controlling' his life.
Truman starts to really wonder about the truth of his life in Seahaven when little things strike him as a little strange - a light falling from the sky explained as a plane shedding equipment midair, an encounter with a man who looks like his dead father, who gets whisked away. Explanations for every strange event are found in the newspaper the next day. All these, plus an episode from his school years, start to make him wonder and question what's going on. But the more he questions, the more obstructions he meets as Christof tries to prevent him living his own chosen life. Within one day he discovers there are no flights to Fiji available, the bus to Chicago breaks down, and when he takes dramatic action to drive out, he is stopped by a convenient nucular leak that has forced roadblocks and an evacuation zone to be set up, preventing him escape via the road. And yet he keeps trying.
We see the people barracking for Truman at the Truman Bar, in the bath, the carpark, hugging pillows with Truman's face on them, in Japan, learning English from the show. We see Laura, the girl who 'they' didn't want talking to him, and got taken off the show for doing so, leaving an indelible memory with Truman. And these are the people who rejoice when Truman steps out of the set, after refusing to bow to Christof's pressure and give in to the fear of leaving the safety of Seahaven.
Truman faces death to find the truth, as Christof uses increasingly extreme methods to try and force Truman to turn around back to the 'normal' life. But he keeps going, and this is the message I want all you people who are looking at life, wondering what it's all about, whether there's a God, whether he's worth following to take from this post.
God can't force us to do anything, that's one of the beauties of him, he gives us free choice to do what we like. Of course there's a way he'd like us to do things, and he makes sure there's always opportunities to do it his way, but you can take a different road if you wish, although where you'll end up is not the best destination for the rest of eternity. As in The Truman Show, there are always obstructions, some major, some minor, but you'll get through if you believe in the end goal.
The Truman Show reminds me a little of the book of Job (about the guy who's faith is rigorously tested by the devil) and also the Lost Son (guy gets early inheritance from dad, goes spends it all on sex drugs and rock n roll, then returns home crawling and dad welcomes him and throws a massive party). Those of us who believe in God, Jesus, Father, whatever you want to call him, are members of that party. We are barracking for you, like the audience of the Truman Show, and when you choose to push away the 'normal' life - the life of a non-christian, we throw a massive party, as does God (Jesus made wine - of course God likes a party!).
I just want to encourage anyone who reads this to keep searching, keep testing the boundaries of what you believe. You don't have to believe in Him, but He believes in you.
I'll be praying for you.
May you let God guide your steps, and may you see the work he does in your life.
God bless,
Imo
Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to seperate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:39
Sunday, 18 February 2007
Stinking hot...
Today it's rather warm... By our standards especially, where mid-20s aare considered warm enough! So far it's gotten to 35°C, but there is no respite, because our houses often warm up to the same temperature as outside, and a lot of us don't have airconditioning. But we just sit it out, and enjoy frozen blueberries... Well that's our house at least!
But the weather has been hot for the last couple of days, with a cooler front expected tomorrow. On Friday we had spectacular storms, with thunder and lightening that lasted for several hours. It was such typical Tasmanian weather - one minute the skies were bright blue, and the sun roasting everything alive, and the next it was raining and thundering and flashing. I lay in the hammock under the house for a while, watching the lightening and the rain, marvelling at the wonders of the weather. And it was spectacular from under there, until the wind started to blow the rain straight onto me... It was still spectacular, but better to watch from inside...! It was completely dark by about 8pm, when the sun was meant to set at 8:20, which gave an odd sense of almost jetlag.
Well I've been kinda flat out with work, doing Eisteddfod stuff, and some other stuff that got passed on to me to do by my mum. It's all money, but O-Week starts tomorrow, so only a week till uni. Hoping this week will be really nice and relaxing, planning to catch up with a few people and stuff, so shoudl be good!
Been busily planning my trip to England for my brother's wedding (have I ever mentioned that my brother's getting married? Well he is! To Emma, who we met last year at easter when she come to visit! She's English, is a teacher, and seems really nice!) I'm planning to fly to London via Vienna, and return the same way, then I can have a few days stopover in Vienna and see all my Austrian friends. I'm SOOOOO looking forward to it all! Emma's planning to show us all around the area where they live, and I'll visit the sister of a friend who's working for a year at a school, about 50 minutes drive from Emma and Alex! Yayayayayay!!
Talk about timing too! When I'm in Austria, a friend from there (who's studying in Egypt) will also be home! We're planning to organise everyone to be in the one place at the same time so we can have a big catch up!
Finally, Heth got home today, after 2 and a half months of adventures in New Zealand and Costa Rica! It was great to go out to the airport to welcome her home! WELCOME HETH!!! Hooray! She's back safe and sound!!
But the weather has been hot for the last couple of days, with a cooler front expected tomorrow. On Friday we had spectacular storms, with thunder and lightening that lasted for several hours. It was such typical Tasmanian weather - one minute the skies were bright blue, and the sun roasting everything alive, and the next it was raining and thundering and flashing. I lay in the hammock under the house for a while, watching the lightening and the rain, marvelling at the wonders of the weather. And it was spectacular from under there, until the wind started to blow the rain straight onto me... It was still spectacular, but better to watch from inside...! It was completely dark by about 8pm, when the sun was meant to set at 8:20, which gave an odd sense of almost jetlag.
Well I've been kinda flat out with work, doing Eisteddfod stuff, and some other stuff that got passed on to me to do by my mum. It's all money, but O-Week starts tomorrow, so only a week till uni. Hoping this week will be really nice and relaxing, planning to catch up with a few people and stuff, so shoudl be good!
Been busily planning my trip to England for my brother's wedding (have I ever mentioned that my brother's getting married? Well he is! To Emma, who we met last year at easter when she come to visit! She's English, is a teacher, and seems really nice!) I'm planning to fly to London via Vienna, and return the same way, then I can have a few days stopover in Vienna and see all my Austrian friends. I'm SOOOOO looking forward to it all! Emma's planning to show us all around the area where they live, and I'll visit the sister of a friend who's working for a year at a school, about 50 minutes drive from Emma and Alex! Yayayayayay!!
Talk about timing too! When I'm in Austria, a friend from there (who's studying in Egypt) will also be home! We're planning to organise everyone to be in the one place at the same time so we can have a big catch up!
Finally, Heth got home today, after 2 and a half months of adventures in New Zealand and Costa Rica! It was great to go out to the airport to welcome her home! WELCOME HETH!!! Hooray! She's back safe and sound!!
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