God’s not dead (2014)

“After he refuses to disavow his faith, a devout Christian student (Shane Harper) must prove the existence of God or else his college philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo) will fail him.”

------Directed by Harold Cronk

I watched this movie in my youth fellowship night. This is a movie about Christian faith. The movie portrayed faith in many kind of situation. I think this is brilliant because it showcase that faith can be tested in many ways in our life. The characters had also portrayed different level of faith in them.

The first scenario would be…

 Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), the main character had plays the role of strong faith in God where he would not comply with Professor Radison (Kevin Sorbo)  who has lost his faith in god consents. Due to that Professor Radison has challenged Josh Wheaton to debate with him about the existence of god in class throughout the semester. With that he have to break up with his girlfriend because his girlfriend couldn’t understand Josh why he would risk his future to stand against a professor who can make him fail his grade.

Lesson to be taken from here is that in real life are we brave enough to stand up against something when it is against our will or our own believe? Are we strong enough that we could demonstrate such firm determination when all the things are against us? Can we make ourselves to try to understand other peoples from their point of view without judging them from only what we see?  Do we really have to bow before the wrath of failing something when it is not even correct to begin with?

The 2^nd scenario would be…

Amy Ryan who is a blogger writing article for Duck Dynasty is in a relationship with a successful businessman Mark. She is so indulged in her career that she reject every call she received from her doctor. From my point of view, when she was interviewing Willie Robertson regarding what he did with all the animal stuff, I get the feeling that she was laughing at how Willie thinks that God exist. Like she just take that as a ridiculous, silly, nonsense interview.

When Willie quoted a verse from the bible I could see something started to spark inside Amy. Then she finally went to her doctor’s appointment where the conversation keep being cut off by Amy’s phone ringing. Eventually the doctor try to stop Amy from keep cutting off their conversation by telling her that she have a cancer and need to start treatment immediately. 

This is when the things started to fall apart. Mark left her behind thinking that she has no value to him anymore. Mark also said that both of them went into the relationship because of there are something that both of them want from the relationship. In the end, she was alone by herself facing all the chemotherapy. By the end of the movie she ruthlessly buff into the concert of Newsboys pretending that she was doing the interview but she break down when one of the drummer asked her something.

Lesson to be taken from here is that although religion or believe might seems ridiculous or insane on the outside but it is the only thing that will never leave us till the end. When things started gone wrong, we can only depends on what we believe what is really there deep inside us to bring us back from the verge of death. I personally have been through what they called depression. 

During that phase I could have very dark thoughts about how life is meaningless and how we don’t have power in turning our life 360 degree into something that we want or get what we want. None of the lecturing or advice from the outside would make things better it only really depends on the person to fight against their inner self for most part. But outside helps is very much required.

The 3^rd scenario would be…

Ayisha is a college student and went to the same university as Josh. Her father is a very traditional person where Ayisha needs to cover her face whenever she go outside and no talking to other peoples. I believe her family religion is Islam (just guessing). Personally I think her father is very close minded people where he would not accept anything outside his family tradition.

Ayisha is secretly listening to one of the reverend preaching on ipod where her little brother buff into the room and discover that her sister is a Christian. This little secret finally get to her father and her father confronted Ayisha saying that she should not left behind her family tradition and should not turn her back at their  family’s god. Ayisha did not back off from her father confrontation whereas she declares loudly that Jesus is her savior and she is a Christian. In the end, her father drop her out of the house and closed the door behind her. 

Lesson to be taken from here is that do we really have to force our children to become someone that we had wish to become while we were younger? Are we really sure that what we are doing is really for the good of our children? Even if our children did follow our “instructions” are we sure that our children is happy on inside and not tearing themselves out on the inside? When our children do something out of their own will or their choice do we listen or at least try to understand their decision or are we considering our children is a bad kids because they were not listen to your words?

The 4^th scenario would be…

Reverend Dave is out stationed with Reverend Jude to a local church. Between them there are a saying which go

Reverend Jude: God is good all the time.

Reverend Dave: All the time.

Reverend Jude: God is good

This scene is kind of funny because the car that they drove to the local church broke down. Even when the worker had brought the rented car over, the moment when the Reverend Dave sat in the car it immediately broke down almost like instant. While waiting for their car to get repaired Reverend Dave was kind of upset that he should have reject this mission to come over to the church.

Reverend Jude comfort him that he was here at this moment because the time is right and God wanted him to be here. This in turn to be right because Aiysha who has been chased out of by her father have come to the church for advice for what she did was really right. At the same time, Reverend Dave also come across Mina, Professor Radisson’s girlfriend who has lost herself in the relationship and seek advice from the Reverend.

When finally the car came back from the workshop the moment when Reverend Dave were about to get in the car, Reverend Jude stopped him and ask him to load the baggage first into the car to show that he has faith in the car that is going to work. Reverend Dave did so and the car finally start working.

Lesson to be taken from here is that there are times we will be asking why us? Why here? Why in this moment? Why now? To be honest, we as human we don’t have any accurate answer to the questions. You might say that is because of the possibility like the math that we did with all the possible outcomes with different combination. But what about the uncertainty, are we as a human are able to foretell that? We human are limited. The world is able to work in a certain pattern no because of us, because there are something greater and more powerful than us. That’s God.

The 5^th scenario would be…

Mina, who is the girlfriend and ex-student to Professor Radison, who is also a Christian. Both of them have a mutual agreement that both of them will not talk about religion topic. Mina’s mother have dementia and her brother, Mark, the successful business man, hasn’t been visiting their mother for a very long time. She is worried and her mood doesn’t seems to be uplifted.

In the same day, Professor Radison have a dinner party with his co-worker whom are also atheist at his house. Professor Radison has openly talks about how one of his student, Josh, would rather stand up and saying that God exist instead of worrying about his grade. Mina heard it and publicly say that she is also a Christian and she believes that God exist. Professor Radison just tell her to don’t mind what they are saying because is just a small talk and he is the host.

At the dining table, Mina serve the food to the guest where Professor Radison talks about how Mina have forgot about the wine and accidentally humiliated Mina. Mina is upset and left the place. Mina has turn to Reverend Dave for advice whether she was in the right relationship. Reverend Dave advise her that when someone really loves you he will loves you for who you are, not trying to change you. In the end, Mina made up her mind that she choose to break up with Professor Radison.

Lesson to be taken from here is that women sometimes were blinded by what is so called love when what they are doing is just tearing themselves up into pieces. They were so in love that they would rather mold themselves into something that what it seems to be perfect. Women should be more comfortable in their own skin and knows what they want and don’t want. They should not lost themselves in search of happiness. There are no perfect people in the world. We were make in the image of God, the person will love you for who you are and not trying to change you.

These are some part of the movie that left an impression on me. Well, this might be consider as spoiler alert because I did talk about the scene but not the end of the story. The lines hit me the most from the movie is when Professor Radison confronted Josh and says that

“You will know all the atheist were once Christian.”

For me, I was once left behind my religion because things did not work out the way that I want it to be. I lost faith in God because He did not give me what I want and He did not listen to my prayer. I even get mad at God as to why He had to put me through such situation where all the peoples around me are able to lead the life that they want. Why God had to limit my choice and make me regret that I don’t have such chances? But in the end, I was once found again in Christ and have an opportunity to give a testimony about how God have write the story of my life.

I definitely recommend this movie to all of you guys because it remind us that the very little thing in our life is related to someone greater above who has sent his son to die for our sins on the cross. This movie also comes in part 2 & part 3, I believe.

That’s all for the night. It is a long post. Xxoo.