Posted on 09/30/2014 2:22:14 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
And on the eighth day, God created decent lighting and production values.
After years of releasing shoddy products featuring has-beens like Kirk Cameron, the Christian film industry is upping its game in an attempt to win a crossover audience. Is faith-based cinema about to go truly mainstream?
The year certainly has been good to believers. “Heaven Is for Real” with Greg Kinnear, a story about a boy who said he experienced the afterlife during surgery, raked in more than $100 million worldwide. “God’s Not Dead,” about a college student who debates his professor on the existence of a higher power, brought in $62 million on a budget of less than $5 Million. The Jesus biopic “Son of God” made $67 million.
Those three films are among the top Christian earners in history, trailing only 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ,” which made a whopping $611 million.
Rick Santorum, former Republican presidential candidate and now head of Christian film studio EchoLight, tells The Post the success of 2014’s crop of godly films is due to better writing, production and marketing. “Faith-based movies traditionally haven’t been very well done,” he says.
Friday’s “Left Behind” just might be the most mainstream Christian flick yet. It’s based on a popular book series about the rapture, but you might not guess that at first glance.
The film stars marquee talent Nicolas Cage and was directed by Vic Armstrong, a legendary stunt man best known for the “Indiana Jones” series. Cage was persuaded to take the role by his brother, Marc — a DJ on New York City’s Q104.3 FM and, according to Cage, a pastor. Cage plays an airline pilot who must calm his passengers and land his plane after the world is thrown into chaos following the sudden disappearance of millions of people.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Comments:
1. Please re-read Matthew 24 carefully. The “rapture” happens on the last day, judgement day, AFTER the tribulation and AFTER the sun and moon are darkened.
2. Jesus Christ is ruling from Jerusalem NOW and has been for close to 2,000 years now.
3. The reference to reigning for a 1,000 years, is representative of the complete period between the resurrection and the second coming.
4. Augustine passed on the faith he received, nothing novel or new.
5. When Jesus returns on judgement, it is the end of the world. Once judgement is over, the earth will be destroyed.
6. Are there any names of people who believe as you do that were hunted down and killed? One hears this mythology every now and then, but no names are ever given.
The Church Fathers I referred to were commenting on the meaning of various Bible verses.
As for the quotation you cite from 1 Thessalonians 4:17, it says that at the Last Judgment, when the dead are raised from their graves, those who are still living will also be taken up into Heaven. That is the traditional Christian belief. Not that they will suddenly disappear while the rest of humanity is still alive and going about its business. That isn’t what that verse says.
As I said, I haven’t really any interest in arguing this as a matter of belief, since there are plenty of good arguments out there already, for those willing to consider them. I was only pointing out that this movie is hardly mainstream Christian.
When you have rested, please inform me where I differ from historic Christian beliefs.
Matthew 24 very clearly teaches how the world will end.
There will be wars all through history,but near the end we will see a great falling away from the Church, and a period of great tribulation.
Then without warning, the sun and moon will be darkened and Jesus Christ will return with great power and glory accompanied by the angels and saints, and those saints still alive will be caught up to meet them. Immediately thereafter will be the Judgement and then the destruction of the earth.
Btw, thanks for the link in the other post, I will check it out!
as you know, it is appointed for all men once, to die. Heb 9;27
Note that two OT patriarchs did not die. (Elijah and Enoch).
These two will be the two witnesses spoke of in Revelation, I believe.
Therefore, they will die, to, when killed by the AntiChrist, only to be revived by God.
Meanwhile, us, when we are raptured, will instantly, painlessly fall dead.
We will have no need for a body, and so we will leave it here, with our clothes.
However, our soul, will be taken by the Lord.
Why are we SO focused on our earthly bodies? These too will perish, but we will get new ones, ones that last forever.
It really doesn’t matter what any of us ‘believe’ about this matter; for NONE of it has ANY bearing on our salvation.
You might be right.
How does it make your point nicely? Your point is demonstrably FALSE ... The writing cited was published in 1788, he wrote it in 1744 ... which demonstrates that he taught this long before 1788.
Perhaps Wiki is not the best place to get your information. It is apparent you didn't know about Edwards, you Wiki'ed him and saw the quote from 1788 ...
In consolation, you are not the first person to make this claim. Many have gone before you and suffered the same embarrassment.
“When you have rested, please inform me where I differ from historic Christian beliefs.”
I do not know. If you do, you are the best one to explain. If you do not differ, great!
“Matthew 24 very clearly teaches how the world will end.”
I’ve taught our church this passage. I spent months on it and understand your viewpoint. I don’t agree with it completely.
Thanks.
1) Matthew CH 24 Jesus is answering 3 questions asked by his disciples. It is not about the rapture, it is about the signs that the temple will be destroyed, the end of the age and the sign of his return. All refering to Israel.
2) Jesus is clearly NOT ruling from Jerusalem now, and has not been. The angles who appeared with the disciples on the Mt of Olives said that the same way He went into heaven, he will return to the earth the same way.
3) Re-check what Rev Ch 19:11 through CH20:6 say, then read Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah and note the places where it says that Jesus will rule the nations here on earth.
4) Augistine change from believing what he was taught at first to not believing in the millenial reign of Jesus here on this earth because of the conduct of some to those who also believed as he did and did not want to be identified with them.
5) Rev CH 19-20 cover this, the end of this world does not happen until after the white throne judgment when God makes a new Heaven and a new Earth
6) Read Foxs book of Marytars
One thing we can agree on, and is more important is this, we both believe that Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins and He is the only reason we will be admitted into Gods presence. We both love Jesus with all our hearts. Our views on eschatology will not keep us out of heaven and to enjoy eachothers fellowship in our great God and Savior, Jesus.
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