the power of the literal sense
The Word in its literal sense is full of dramatic stories that stick in our memory
and have great power to affect us. They are memorable because they affect us.
If we were not affected by them, they would quickly go out of our minds, like
“a feather on a wall, which is blown away by the slightest breath of wind,” to
borrow a memorable image from the Writings. (Arcana Coelestia 4018)
These stories touch our hearts because they illustrate the conflict between
good and evil – the very conflict that goes on in us, in our hearts and minds,
all the time; as well as the infinite love and mercy of the Lord, and His power
to save us.
The Writings explain the spiritual significance of the Bible stories – how
they represent the inner states the Lord went through during His life in the
world, and our own corresponding spiritual development, and the spiritual
states of the church on earth. But in a way these stories are self-explanatory;
the way they affect us is the “meaning” of them.
Take “The Lord is my Shepherd,” for example. A world of meaning is
wrapped up in that beautiful little expression. It can be spelled out in a doctrinal
explanation of it, but that explanation affects us more deeply, and means so
much more to us, because of the beautiful imagery in which it is contained.
(WEO)
hollywood’s not dead?
One of the surprise movies this year has been an unheralded independent film,
God’s Not Dead. Although it stunned the industry with strong box office appeal
in its opening weeks, it had not been reviewed by any major newspaper or
website. Nevertheless, young people especially seem drawn to it and respond
positively to its message.
With the success of the television series Duck Dynasty and the unabashed
faith of its Robertson family, plus the heavily promoted movie version of Noah,
religion is making a comeback in the entertainment industry. That’s a good
sign.
The story line of God’s Not Dead seems a bit heavy-handed – but that’s
nothing new for Hollywood. It portrays a college freshman and devout
Christian confronted in his first philosophy class by a dogmatic atheist
professor who informs the students that they must disavow the existence of
God, in writing, or risk failing the course.
Critics say that could never happen – at least not that blatantly. Russell
Wolfe, who produced the film for Pure Fix Entertainment, says the inspiration
came from more than 40 First Amendment cases in which “university students,
campus ministries and clubs have been attacked for their religious faith.”
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