Walk the Line (movie review)

Walk the Line

Quite a few reviews of “Walk the Line” out there in the blogosphere. www.getreligion.org has something to say on the matter,another over at Libertas , and I thought I would add my own thoughts. Maybe I have somewhat of a different perspective since my life of drugs and alcohol parallels his a little.

So here are my reactions to it. I liked it but its not perfect. From Hollywood these days I don’t think your not going to see a much better movie come out I don’t think there were any nudity scenes in the movie at all which is rarity in itself. No violence either.

There are several themes in the movie. The dominant theme in the movie probably is about his “romance” with June Carter. Not exactly sure how I feel about that . It is romanticized for sure but it does show the truth about how their relationship started in Adultery and broke up Cash’s family. Hollywood is always playing up the ‘romance as love ” angle between men and women. To their credit they do show Carter trying to resist his advances as not being right. There are a lot of good scenes in the movie. One is after the first adulterous encounter Johnny Cash comes back banging on her hotel room door saying ,”This is not wrong June. This in not wrong”. Life IS like that. How many adulterers after they fall do insist , “This is not wrong”. Denial. It would have been nice if they had shown some repentance about that during the movie.

Another theme is about his fall from boyhood innocence to the corruption of “sex,drugs, and rock n’ roll”, and then his return to innocence like the Prodigal Son. I liked that. It was presented in a subtle not preachy way. His resentment towards his Father is portrayed there subtly too. Throughout the movie I found myself thinking of his Father as a “Stepfather” even though he wasn’t. Good acting by the Father portraying a man without love. A good scene was where they were having dinner and they were talking about the accidental death of Johnny Cash’s older brother and Cash relives the trauma of his Father saying “where were you?” . Then with a twisted here’s getting you back smile Cash says “And where were you ?”, I liked this interplay. In the end the resentment towards the Father is gone too although shown in a subtle scene where Cash tells his Father to tell his kids a story.

God is mentioned but kind of sparingly. There is the gospel hymns in the beginning and his older brother wanting to be a preacher. There is a great scene after he goes through drug withdrawal when June Carter tells him God is giving him a second chance. And then it shows them going off to a Baptist Church. But it is done very sparingly. I suspect many Christians wont like that too much. However, I like what Old George Putnam has to say about things like that, “ A little bit of religion goes a long way”,

Theres a theme in their also about hypocritical religious people too but go see the movie and see that for yourself.



And it is true that most of the movie focuses on Johnny Cash’s Sin life and doesn’t show too much about his life post redemption. But I don’t think we can expect much more than that from Hollywood these days. After all, this was not a church sponsored film .

All in all though not too bad. And maybe this scripture is referring to people like Johnny Cash and June Carter. .

Luke 7:47 “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."

A sobering Truth

A sobering Truth

La Shawn Barbers testimony

In the past I have posted links to others spiritual awakenings that I feel could be helpful I have posted links to some of the Christian testimonies that were published in the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, and later discarded by Bill Wilson who wanted to eradicate references to Christianity. Here is a link to La Shawn Barber's testimony which I think is powerful and well written. I'll put up some links to other testimonies as I come across them. If you have a personal testimony on how the Lord helped you with alcohol or drug addciton (or any addiction for that matter), and you would like to have it published here.Just e-mail it to me at tedw2@earthlink.net

Alcohol Craving and Voodoo Science

The phenomenon of craving alcohol and an “allergy” is advanced by The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Here is a link to an article describing the process.



The phenomenom of craving

The only trouble with the theory presented as fact is that it is not true. Here is an excerpt from the Addiction Science and Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Link





“263. What role do acetate and acetaldehyde (break-down products of alcohol) play in the production of "alcoholism" (alcohol dependence)? Very little, according to available research. Old ideas that acetaldehyde is a poison that leads to organ damage and perhaps brain damage, and that the rate at which acetaldehyde turns to acetate in the brain influences the onset of alcoholism, have not been substantiated by science. (January 10, 2005)”



We really would be better off telling “Alcoholics” the truth, rather than presenting theories which are unproved as “fact”. And presenting something as science that is nothing more than "voodoo science"

Alcoholic v. Non-alcoholic

The basis for all this on-going research on genetics seems to be the
idea that "alcoholics" are somehow bodily different than "non-alcoholics" . The Treatment industry seems deperate to prove it.


"No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his
fellows."-- Quoted from The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

This is an idea that AA popularized but has never been proven. How
could you ever prove that "Alcoholics" are different bodily when there is no generally accepted standard of what constitutes an Alcoholic?


And what about heroin addicts? Are they bodily different from casual
users of heroin? How about speed freaks are they bodily different? Or what about addiction to cigarettes? Are cigarette smokers bodily different from their fellows? If so, then there are certainly a lot of people who are bodily different.


When you examine the idea it doesnt stand up to close scrutiny very well.


I would suggest that "Alcoholics" are no different bodily than anyone
else except they have drank too much for too long.


If it is not because of a bodily difference, then what is it? And thats
a very good question I think. Im not suggexting you go out and drink btw. Im just suggesting that you are not a "diseased" person bodily different from your fellows, and that the real causes of 'alcoholic drinking' or any addictiion for
that matter is not what you have been taught.


Maybe your physically normal and just drank too much for reasons you have yet to
understand.

B.O.N.D.

B.O.N.D

One of my favorite organizations is B.O.N.D. Rebecca Hagelin has done an article on Worldnetdaily about B.O.N.D. which showcases what they do. Its an article well worth reading. Click on the link above to view it.

B.O.N.D. has a home for young boys and men ages 18-35. I have attended numerous B.O.N.D. meetings and I can tell you it is one of the few orgaizations that really get down to the root of the problem, for both men and women.

At the present time BOND does not allow people with a drug problem in the BOND house due to the fact they tried it and people were stealing. However, BOND is currently seeking matching funds from a private grant so they can have a second home. My understanding is the second home will possibly allow those with a drug problem to become residents. Of course, they will have to give up the drugs though.


In the meantime however, BOND meetings are open to everyone seeking to become a better person. If you live in the Greater Los Angeles area, I recommend checking it out.

The Rosary and vain repetition

The Rosary. Well, the subject has come up because a Catholic friend of mine brought it up. I want to share my thoughts on the subject in the hope that they might help someone. Let me say Im not Catholic. However, do confuse that statement to mean that Im anti-catholic. Im not. I believe the Catholic Church does some good things, but that doesn’t mean I have to accept that which I think is not good or contrary to what Christ taught.

My thoughts on Catholicism changed a few years back when I was exposed to the late Father Martin Malachai Martin who was a Catholic exorcist and advisor to several Popes. He was a good man.(There is a letter from him on this website)


Catholics tend to be defensive about any and all things Catholic. Many tend to be so identified with the Church that if you criticize any aspect of it , your are anti-Catholic or anti-God. Im neither. This is well meaning criticism.


I think just about everybody knowS about the Rosary and its repetion of certain words, over and over again. There is a scripture about this in the New Testament . I particulary like the translation of The Living Bible. When I read the Bible I frequently use a laymens parallel New Testament which has four translations side by side. Here is the relevant scripture. You can compare the four and try and get the intended meaning that way. Here is from the Living Bible. I dont tend to like that particular translation all that much but in this case it seems to be the clearest on the subject.



7"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. Matthew 6:7



Of course many people, especially Catholics who pray the Rosary, don’t think that includes the Rosary. I think they are wrong. Here is a link to a letter from a Catholic who used to pray the Rosary on the subject which sums up the matter pretty well:



Letter


I just want to add a little to that. Nowhere in the Holy Scripture does it say to pray the Rosary. No where. However, it does seem to say not to pray repititiiosly. And I think there is a good reason. It is hypnotic. It is very similar to repeating “Om” over and over again like they do in Eastern religions and Transcendental meditation." . A person gets lost in the sound of the words. It all seems so innocent but I dont think it is. Those kind of meditations are an escape from the "still small voice" of the Holy Spirit.



Years ago when I sidewalk counseled at abortion clinics, there was a group of Catholic women who would come down to the clinic and pray the rosary. They would stand there on the street corner with a little billboard they made and repeat the Rosary over and over again. They meant well but I couldn’t help thinking as I watched them at the time that they were doing the very thing Jesus said not to do. Standing on the street corner and repeating the same thing over and over agiain. Both are things contrary what Jesus taught. Here is Matthew about praying in public:





5"And now about prayer. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. - Mastthew 6:5-6



So you see Im not anti- Catholic or anti-God in my criticism. I just don’t see that praying repetitiously, praying in public, or even praying to Mary is what Jesus taught. I wonder if this will lose me all my Catholic friends??


He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

The Way of a Pilgrim -excerpt

I posted this once before but I thought I would do it again. Im looking for good Christian testimonies of recovery from alcoholism or addiction.I put a link up to La Shawn Barbers testimony " A sober Truth" a short while ago. This testimony was published about 120 years ago. It is from a book called "The Way of the Pilgrim."




Excerpt from The Way of a Pilgrim

We draw up to the table and the officer began his story.

“Ever since I was a young man I have been with the army in the field and not on garrison service. I knew my job, and my superior officersliked me for a conscientious second lieutenant. Still, I was young , and so wer my friends. Unhappily. I took to drink, and drunkenness became a regular passion with me. So long as I kept away from drink, I was a good officer, but when I gave way to it, I was no good for anything for six weeks at a time. They bore with me for a long while, but the end of it ws that after being thoroughly rude while drunk to my commanding officer, I was cashiered and transferred to a garrison as a private soldier for three years. I was threatened with a still more severe punishment if I did not give drinking and mend my ways. Even in this miserable state of affairs, however much I tried, I could not regain my self control nor cure myself (Ed.: The First Step of Alcoholics Anonymous athough this happened somewhere around 1860. 70+ years before the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous). I found it impossible to get rid of my passion for drink, and it was decided to send me to a disciplinary corp.When I was informed of this I was at my wits end. I was in barracks occupied with my wretched thoughts when there arrived a monk who was going round collecting for a church. We each of us gave him what we could.

He came up to me and asked me why I was so unhappy, and I talked to him and told him my troubles. He sympathixed with me and said, “The same thing happened to my own brother, and what do you think helped him? His spiritual father gave him a copy of the Gospels with strict orders to read a chapter a without a moments delay every time he felt a longing for wine coming over him. If the desire continued he was to read a second chapter, and so on. That is what my brother did , and at the end of a very short time his drunkenness came to an end. It is now fifteen years sinced he touched a drop of alcohol. You do the same and you will see how that will help you. I have a copy of the Gospels which you must let me bring you…………………………………………..

I forgot what I gave the monk . But I bought his book of the Gospels,put it away in a trunk with my other things and forgot it. Some while afterward a bout of drunkenness threatened me. An irrestible desire for drink dove me hurriedly to open my trunk to get some money and rush off to the public house. But the first thing my eyes fell on was the copy of the Gospels, and all that the monk had said came back vividly to my mind. I opened the book and began to read the first chapter of St. Matthew. I got to the end of it without understanding a word. Still I remembered that the monk had said:

“No matter if you do not understand, go on reading diligently.” ‘Come ‘, said I ‘I must read the secong Chapter.’ I did so and began to understand a little. So I started on the third chapter and then the barracks bell began to ring. ;everyone had to go to bed, no one was allowed to go out, and I had to stay where I was. When I got up in the morning I was just on the point of going out to get some wine when I suddenly thought-supposing I was to read another chapter. What would be the result? I read it and I did not go to the public house. Again I felt the craving,and again I read a chapter. I felt a certain amount of relief. This encourage me, and from that time on , whenever I felt the need of drink, I used to read a chapter of the Gospels. What is more , as time went on things got better and better, and by the time I had finished all four Gospels my drunkenness was absolutely a thing of the past, and I felt nothing but disgust for it. It is just twenty years now since I drank a drop of alcohol.


Published in 1884

Fox News: Sex, Party, God

Did you see the Fox News: Sex,Party, God segment. If not here are some links to get you up to speed.


Fox news airs footage

Personally, I think Fox did a service by exposing this. It gives a picture of just how corrupt our society has become. This wasnt dont in secret. The Brown Queer alliance advertises these events. The school knows what goes on and does nothing. Here is a sample of their ads:



O'Reilly did the story and his point is that the college should not use student funds to stage the event (apparently they don't). What the hell is the college even doing allowing this type of event? Are they mad? Yes, they are. Regardless of who pays they shouldnt allow this type of debauchery at a school. And while they are at it they ought to get rid of the "Gay Alliance" which sponsors the event. This is what happens when you accept perversion as normal.

Look at this excerpt:


"Tumiski said he was upset that his image was shown on television without his permission. "They didn't have to show our faces. I thought that was unnecessary," he said.He said he sent an e-mail to Fox News and "The O'Reilly Factor" claiming that they violated "some serious ethical conduct and possibly some legal conduct."

He said he sent an e-mail to Fox News and "The O'Reilly Factor" claiming that they violated "some serious ethical conduct and possibly some legal conduct."


Yeah, right Mr. Tumiski. Like you are really concerned about ethical conduct. No doubt the reason you were at an orgy where people were having sex in the bathrooms was to do research on your ethical concerns.


Here are some other links about the event.

One pile of naked students at a time


High number of Students require EMS

Can you read this kind of stuff and still believe that drinking is a "disease" or that its in people genes?

Your not quite right in the head if you can.

The Founding Fathers on Chrisitanity

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." --October 11, 1798- John Adams

For other quotes to the Founder follow the link below:



http://www.eadshome.com/QuotesoftheFounders.htm

Gay AA Meetings

http://randythomas.info/2005/11/09/wednesday-open-thread/#comment-10552

Randy Thomas of Exodus International has an interesting perspective on Gay AA meetings. There is a link above and an excerpt below.


"While I empathize with your frustration, I am content to trust the Lord to use this 12 Step Program, in spite of them. I have that faith because that’s what happened to me."

I guess its an undeniable truth that some people get sober in Gay AA and then later face up to the truth of the sin of homosexualtiy. Nevertheless, I still believe AA would be better off if it didnt publish pro-homosexual literature.

Feedblitz

Im still learning about this blogging stuff. If you like my site, you can now subscribe to via Feedblitz and receive new posts directly into your e-mail. This seems like an easier simplier service than the ones I was useing. Just enter your e-mail address into the box at the right and follow directions.

Veterans Day-Words are not enough

Well, my site is about Christianity and recovery but once in awhile I get moved to post something else. Today is one of those days: Veterans Day. I know a lot will be written about the sacrifes of brave men and women, but I sort of agree with Abe Lincoln that: "The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract"

Words just dont get the job done. So I am just posting the photos of the brave men who have died for you. I dont think they did it so you can spend your life shooting drugs,spending endless night in bars drinking, or wasting your substance in illicit sex. They didnt do it for abortion or gay marriage either.La Shawn Barber has a good post on Veterans day as well as links to other bloggers on the subject:
http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2005/11/11/veteransday "to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic…” Here are some other links you might check out:

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/gettysburgaddress.htm
http://members.aol.com/usregistry/allwars.htm
http://www.medalofhonor.com



George Washington taking command of the American Revolutionary Army






The recent fallen.The casket bearing the body of US Navy Machinist's Mate Third Class Nathan Taylor goes over the edge of the USS Enterprise during a Burial at Sea ceremony. He was 20 years old.





In Long Khanh province, Vietnam, R. Richter of the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, left, and Sgt. Daniel E. Spencer await the helicopter that will airlift their dead comrade, 1966




Murdered American POW- Korean War



Bois de Consenvoye, France, November 8, 1918. Americans burying their dead.




Photo of American War dead in the South Pacific-WWII



This photo is from Gettysburg and has always haunted me.




And Lastly, and most importantly, lets not forget that the war is not with flesh and blood. And that evil has been defeated through our belief and his sacrifice.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" Ephesians 6:12

A&E's Intervention

Just watched the latest episode of Intervention on A&E. I have to say I find them interesting. The girl Audrey I found especially interesting. She was basically psycholigically pressured to do something she didn’t want to do: i.e.; go to treatment. The alcoholic , whose name I forget, seemed more interested in being helped.

I guess these programs give the viewing audience hope and its good advertising for the interventionists and the drug treatment centers. They show 3 month follow ups and the intervenees seem to be doing well. Frankly, that doesn’t mean a whole lot to me. Id like to see how they are doing a year from now, or 5 years, or 10 years. Will they still be off alcohol and drugs then?

Not too much was said about Audrey’s lesbianism in the documentary except to mention it. .

Are these people really being helped? Well, they are getting off drugs/alcohol for a while but how about the underlying sin condition. How about Audrey’s lesbianism? Is she Going to have a spiritual awakening about that and give her life to Jesus Christ? Or is she just going to be get involved in a support program (Narcotics Anonymous) that accepts her lesbianism.?

Basically, these people on A&E intervention are being sent to secular programs. Most of the programs I am sure will be telling them they have a “disease”. My understanding is that a program cannot even be certified as a rehab center unless they accept the “disease concept”(I understand Teen Challenge recently lost their food stamp support for that very reason).

Don’t hold your breathe waiting for A&E to show someone being sent to a Christian Recovery program.

Why we should reject the Disease Concept

Link to article



Excerpt from the article:

"Responsible scientists who are familiar with the research but want to preserve the disease concept of alcoholism have had to redefine their terms. They define "disease" as whatever doctors choose to call a disease."

Anything Doctors want to call a disease is a disease? Maybe we can
get the Doctors together and have them declare being a Democrat is a disease. The country might be better off, and we could start treating 1/2 the Senate.

This is an interesting article. My posting of it does not mean that I necessarily endorse every idea in the article. However it does show, I think, that the disease concept is not rooted in reality.

If you are a democrat and are upset with this post, dont get your panties in a bunch. YOU CAN RECOVER.