Kris Rasmussen: October 2006 Archives

I've already ranted here once before about actor Stephen Baldwin's brand of gnarly, extreme sports-themed Christianity, so I feel a little bit guilty about pointing out that the hip, high-class Salon magazine has a new profile on Baldwin--conveniently timed for the release of his memoir, "The Unusual Suspect." In the article, Baldwin makes such enlightened comments as, "We must shut off our brains, and be led by what God tells our hearts." He also says that he is not just a Jesus freak but a "Jesus Pyscho."

The Salon article, which has a snarky tone and some rather obvious anti-Christian bias, does not simply criticize Baldwin (he's just the easiest target), but other conservative evangelicals (Ryan Dobson, son of Focus on the Family's James Dobson, also takes some heat) as well. The article point out that there are many well-known Christians who are enticing a significant number of teens to buy into a certain brand of the gospel through a flashy marketing approach in which the supposition is that teens can only find a relationship with Jesus through the latest clothing fad, cheesy slogan, or dazzling video; as an example, the article says, a Stephen Baldwin skateboarding/evangelical rally drew 40,000 kids while the X Games only drew 16,000 participants last year. Serious reflection on anything with spiritual substance is simply not a requirement in order to make God your "homey."

I have no doubt that Mr.Baldwin has some good intentions hidden somewhere within all of his cheerleading for Jesus, but I wish he would simply stick to acting in some low-budget, well-crafted movies like the upcoming "Midnight Clear" where Jesus is revealed in a more authentic way.

TomKat is probably so busy planning for the big wedding next month in Italy that they won't even notice that Scientology is going to get another bad rap in the limelight this Saturday night, as CBS's "48 Hours" focuses on the controversial murder case of Elli Perkins. Back in 2003, Perkins was stabbed to death by her son, who happened to be a paranoid-schizophrenic. Because of the Perkins family's strong belief in Scientology, they refused to treat him with medication, but tried vitamins as a cure instesd. What ensured was a murder trial and an alleged Scientology cover-up.

But while Elli's death is tragic, perhaps even more heartbreaking is the fact that her son remains in a mental institution to this day, and his family has completely dissociated themselves from him.

It's a little surprising to me that not one, but two movies centered around magical illusion as an art form have made their ways into theaters in the last few months. Edward Norton's "The Illusionist" came and went rather quickly last summer, but last weekend's opening of director Christopher Nolan's ("Memento") "The Prestige" was considerably more successful. In our current fast-paced, entertainment-driven, technology-focused society, why would Hollywood think we should care about a couple of competing magicians from Victorian England who are bent on revenge? My theory is that this recent fascination with the art of illusion has at least a little something to do with our enduring desire for spiritual mystery.

"The Prestige" is, at its most basic level, an intricate, occasionally well-crafted murder mystery. Early on in the film, we see magician Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) drowning in a water tank as fellow illusionist Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) watches, refusing to help. In flashbacks, we are then taken through the tumultuous connection between these two men over the years, as they work together, then compete against each other, and, eventually, destroy each other.

While the plot is overwrought and implausible, one thing Nolan does exceptionally well with this story is examine the importance, as well as the cost, of living a life of duplicity and secrecy. These men were the movie stars of their day, and the price they pay for fame and fortune is hefty. Unlike celebrity life in today's culture, these men realize that their careers depend on the general public not knowing anything about who they are or how they do what they do--in other words, mystery.

But from a spiritual perspective, what really struck me when I was watching this film is the explanation given for the three key elements of any good illusion. First, there is the "Pledge," in which an ordinary object (or person) is produced and the magician promises to endow it with something unique. The there is the "Turn," in which the object (or person) is transformed in such a way that its fate is hanging in the balance. Finally, there is the "Prestige," in which the object (or person) is miraculously rescued or restored.

I know some people will say I am reaching here, but that sounds like a great description for the mystery of our relationship with God, at least from a Christian perspective. God creates and designs us for a purpose, we are transformed--not in a good way--by our selfishness and sin, but in the end, by God's grace, we are restored in our relationship with him. It's a mystery I still don't fully comprehend.

It's pretty early in the new television to be speculating about which series will be cancelled, but after only two weeks on the air, the football drama "Friday Night Lights" already might be in danger. The show, which follows the challenges and triumphs of the fictional Dillon Panther football team, has received stellar reviews but has garnered less-than-impressive ratings so far, causing fans such as myself to worry that the Panthers season may be cut short.

I knew "Friday Night Lights" would be a tough sell because, historically speaking, sports dramas have never done well on TV no matter how well done they are. (Remember "The White Shadow," anyone?) But "Lights" deserves a chance not only for its authentic examination of athletics but also for its intelligent treatment of faith in rural America. The characters in "Lights" attend church or stop in the middle of a task to offer a prayer in a way that demonstrates faith as a natural, integral part of living. They face real problems and have genuine doubts that we all can identify with yet they never lose hope.

And while I am a fan of the show, there are other critics even more fervent in their support of this show. Writer Frazier Moore wrote a commentary for the Associated Press in which he called "Lights" nothing less than the heir apparent to "The West Wing." He gives a slight dis to Sorkin's "Studio 60" and then proclaims that he thinks "the spiritual successor to 'The West Wing' is 'Friday Night Lights,' whose coach bears the grass-roots equivalent of the burden once borne by President Bartlet: a constituency telling him how to do his job while he fights to stay true to his own vision.

So here is my challenge to Idol Chatter readers: If you haven't given "Lights" a try, watch tonight's episode (NBC, 8:00 p.m.). What do you have to loose? "Gilmore Girls"--which airs at the same time--has, sadly, become a pale imitation of its former self. And no one needs to waste time and energy watching a bunch of D-List stars doing the cha-cha over on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." Instead, take a trip to Texas. You might be surprised at what you find there. And Coach Taylor and the rest of his team sure would appreciate your support.

In Michigan our sports culture is typically focused on the Red Wings, the Pistons, and Big Ten football. Rarely is our attention centered on our hapless excuse of a baseball team, the Detroit Tigers. So imagine my surprise when I suddenly found myself rearranging my television viewing schedule last week so I could enjoy watching those underdog Detroit Tigers roar into the World Series after dominating both the Yankees and the Oakland Athletics.

But my enthusiasm for the Tigers’ success is not rooted simply in the desire to see my home state represented in the news is a good way. Their impressive performance against both opponents reminded me of one of the reasons we revere sports in this country. I think that sometimes the victories and losses of a team we watch or support over the years matter to us perhaps more than they should because they serve as symbolic yet tangible benchmark of our own personal growth.

I say this because I am anything but a baseball fan, yet I don’t need any sports announcer to tell me how many years it’s been since the Tigers last appeared in the World Series. I remember because 22 years and two weeks ago I was a kid lying in a hospital bed after being in a serious car accident that changed my life permanently. And one of the more vivid memories I have from that time is the image of my family and friends sitting at my bedside watching the Tigers on television as a form of distraction in the midst of a bleak situation. The prognosis for a Tiger victory heading into the championship was excellent, while my own prognosis was a little less optimistic. Thankfully, the Tigers and I were both up to our separate challenges, and we both emerged victorious.

Normally, I wouldn’t share such a personal anecdote here on this blog, but I have enjoyed using this World series competition to reflect on the progress I have made over the last two decades. Like the Tigers, I have had years where I have experienced far more losses than victories. I have also been underestimated by my peers, only to have the last word. And I have learned that no matter how bleak circumstances may appear, there is a time and a season for everything. You just have to have a little faith.

Perhaps no director has spent more time examining the seedy underbelly of modern American culture than Martin Scorsese ("Goodfellas," "Gangs of New York"), and his newest effort, "The Departed," is no exception. Scorsese brings his trademark no-holds-barred grit and gloom...

"Do you think God loves football?" Well, if you live in fictional Dillon, Texas, where almost everyone worships God and football--not always in that order--then the answer is, obviously, yes. NBC celebrates the unique sports culture of small-town America, where...