Category: theology

Posted in discernment, theology

Mass psychogenic illness or demonic possession? Anomaly or common? Diagnosis depends on worldview

Posted on by elizabethprata

demons

In 2012 I posted a series of essay tracking an unusual incident that occurred in LeRoy NY, where a number of teenage girls (and one boy) suddenly began twitching and shaking and involuntarily emitting other body movements for weeks, to the point where their sports an schooling were impacted. It sounded to me like a supernatural event, though many scientists and civic luminaries, even the famed environmental lawyer Erin Brockovich, attempted to narrow down the cause to a secular or scientific reason. They couldn’t.

In that essay series, I’d mentioned a similar historical incident and that was the Salem Witch Trials, where the ‘symptoms’ were similar.

In posting this Throwback, I’m including a new-to-me piece of information that a friend sent. The Dancing Plague of 1518 is strikingly similar to the above two, the LeRoy NY and Salem incidents. In 1518 Strasbourg, a women suddenly began shaking and dancing in the main street and never stopped. She kept it up for a week. Others began the same, some dancing until they dropped of sheer exhaustion or even died of heart attack or physical stress. The dancing was involuntary. Up to 400 people were affected and there were many deaths.

It is an extremely well documented incident, and no one at the time knew why it began or why it ended. Some scientists then and now surmised there was a toxic mold in the in the rye the people were eating, others today put it down to the same thing that the LeRoy and Salem incidents seemed to be: mass psychosis / mass hysteria. Sometimes it is called ‘conversion disorder.’ This medical epidemiologist said in the linked article just above,

According to medical epidemiologist Timothy Jones, an assistant clinical professor of preventative medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, who also reported an incident of hysteria in Belgium following soft-drink consumption, “Outbreaks of psychogenic illness are likely to be more common than is currently appreciated, and many go unrecognized.”

It is more common than one would think. There are other historic and well-documented mass psychogenic illnesses, including a mass laughing hysteria in Tanzania then continued for 18 months, for example, among many others.

We tend to dismiss such incidents in today’s world, being modern and all that. But when we see sustained, documented cases for which there has been sought a scientific, medical, of civic reason to no avail, it would do well to remember that the evil supernatural is alive and well in the world. Though many origins and causes were proposed, the resulting diagnosis was the same as all the other incidents, mass psychogenic illness. When you see a diagnosis of mass psychogenic illness, the Christian could well be thinking “mass demonic possession”. Don’t dismiss the supernatural possibility.  Though we don’t want to become ensnared in an unholy obsession, we do want to be realistic about what the Bible says about demonic activity.

The fact that this occurs more commonly than thought, that the symptoms are nearly identical over centuries and in places distant to each other and in societies widely disparate, made History honors thesis researcher Laura Hatchman at least, came to the conclusion that demonic possession cannot be ruled out “even to this very day.”

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8).

Now to the throwback essay, I wrote this in June 2012:

—————————————————–

On January of this year, I posted an essay which reported that students at a western NY high school in LeRoy NY had come down with…something. At that time, doctors, school officials, and parents were not sure what they were dealing with. A bunch of girls who attend the school suddenly started showing symptoms of Tourette’s Syndrome. They began twitching, having tics, involuntary movements, and for some, their schooling was impacted. They had to drop out of sports teams or drop out of school entirely.

Then a teacher at the school came down with it, and several other people, including a couple of boys. At that point it made national news. The school had conducted tests to determine if their location was a cause. The famed environmental lawyer Erin Brokovich came on the scene to determine if there was an environmental cause. Doctors were consulted. Everyone came up with empty hands.

One doctor dared to state that it was probably a condition known as “mass hysteria” but that diagnosis was resisted. They decided to simply call it Tourette’s. At that point I got interested. Mass Hysteria is a real diagnosis, and is one that is at root of another famed incident: the Salem Witch Trials.

Here are the two previous essays I posted on the Leroy NY mass hysteria incident.

January 20, 2012: “Outbreak of mass hysteria (or demon infestation) in Leroy NY”
January 28, 2012: “Update on LeRoy NY Tourette’s outbreak”

There is new news of the incident. They found no toxins anywhere, the girls were not on drugs, vaccines were ruled out, Tourette’s doesn’t have sudden onset (they finally admitted) and eventually a diagnosis of mass hysteria was declared unequivocally this week:

“Mass Hysteria Confirmed in NY School”
“A bizarre illness affecting nearly 20 students at a Western New York Junior-Senior High school now has an official diagnosis: mass hysteria.The students, almost all of them girls, and mostly friends, began experiencing involuntary jerks and tics. Sometimes their limbs, neck or face would suddenly spasm; other times they would twitch, grunt, or shout. It was strange and troubling behavior, made all the more scary because it had no clear cause.”

“Mass psychogenic disorder is a rare — but not unheard of — phenomenon. The disorder is usually characterized by the mysterious spread of a variety of symptoms without a discernible cause. It frequently occurs in isolated communities. Teenagers and girls are also frequent victims. Collective hysteria can spread when a fear exists of exposure to a disease, combined with a contained, stressful environment.”


 This is very interesting to me because as I mentioned in the two essays I linked to above, the Salem Witch Trials in the late 1600s began in exactly this same way. Several teenage girls began manifesting symptoms remarkably like the girls in NY, and like wildfire, the ‘disease’ spread from house to house. The reasons for the hangings that resulted has multiple and complex reasons- cultural, religious, demonic, and societal. There was a feud going on between the merchants and the farmers. A growing town always fights over its direction (to develop or not to develop?) when they hit an important crossroads in its identity. The girls admitted to experimenting with voodoo with Tituba, their South American Indian maid who had been a slave in Barbados. Tituba had also made a witchcake containing dog urine and rye, which is fed to a dog in hopes of determining the person afflicting the sick. 

Boredom, pride, and covetousness, and gossip can equally be said to blame for the Salem incident’s catalyst. And satan is behind all of those, not to mention the localized practices of voodoo, casting bones, and fortune telling some of the girls and Tituba admitted to!

As the year of the Witch Trials crescendoed and then ended with a whimper, the aftermath included church-wide repentance, and in particular, “On August 25, 1706, Ann Putnam Jr., one of the most active accusers, joined the Salem Village church, she publicly asked forgiveness. She claimed that she had not acted out of malice, but was being deluded by Satan into denouncing innocent people…” (source)

Any time there is unexplained mass illness it needs to be looked at carefully by the officials whose duty it is to serve and protect the vulnerable in our society. However in this day and age, demonic influence is rarely discussed as a possible root cause of the problem. It was all right for the “backward Puritcanical Bible thumpers” to blame satan, but not today.

As I mentioned, the reasons that the Salem Witch Hysteria took off were complex, coming to the fore from a variety of factors. However, the Salem incident is listed today among the medical texts as a case of mass psychogenic illness. (source)

The same could well be true of the Leroy Mass Hysteria incident. There is one question I am sure was not asked amid the tests and diagnoses and reports that resulted in 6000 pages which concluded “We don’t know why this is happening”. Were the girls experimenting with tarot, palm reading, fortune telling or occult in any way? The answer would be very revealing.

Traci Leubner, one of the girls afflicted, said of the Leroy NY testing results, “It’s freaky, because they didn’t find anything. There wasn’t like a, ‘this is what happened’. It was kind of mysterious.” (source)

Please be in continued prayer for the Leroy NY girls and also for the vulnerable of our society everywhere. I long for the day when our children will be safe.

——————————-

Further reading

A retrospective looking at the facts:
The Non-Mysterious Mass Illness in Le Roy, New York

The American Family Physician Magazine: What Is Mass Psychogenic Illness?

 

Posted in gospel, theology

This is what they forget

Posted on by elizabethprata

Two thousand years is a long time. That’s two centuries.Two bundles of hundreds. Fifty generations, give or take. A long time.

Jesus ascended sometime around 33 AD. Before He left, He promised to come back.

He is coming back.

Men of Galilee,” they said, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11).

When He returns, sinners will stand before Him to receive their punishment for their sins. (Psalm 145:20).

We will stand before Him also. We won’t be receiving wrath or condemnation or punishment as the wicked will, but we will account for everything we said and everything we did in His name. (2 Corinthians 5:10, Matthew 12:36, Revelation 22:12).

We have one job. As Christians, we are charged with bringing one message and one message only, containing its necessary elements, to people whom Jesus charged should hear it. (All the world.) We have a job title: Ambassador. Continue reading “This is what they forget” →

Posted in discernment, theology

Social Justice, the Global Church, and Controversies

Posted on by elizabethprata

social justice

It has been dizzying this past 3 months in the evangelical wider world, and very worrying in the online evangelical world. The controversies have been deep and fervent. The lines between camps within visible Christianity have widened. Seemingly stable ministries have suddenly swerved hard.

There have been numerous events and controversies which reveal that we are less than unified over Christian foundational beliefs.

The April conference called MLK50 sparked a division in how we as Christians are to approach race discussions. TGC and GCC’s coupling for a west coast conference titled “Enduring Faithfulness” sparked a discussion about how far to delve into the culture and which topics are truly Gospel centered. Agreement was not reached and the two entities uncoupled. Beth Moore’s Letter to Brothers charged the global church with misogyny and threw gas in the cultural #MeToo movement, which in turn and inflamed the evangelical world’s discussion about the global church’s ‘treatment’ of women and their roles.

The ReVoice conference did the same for same-sex attraction and gay identity within Christianity. Paige Patterson was fired. The SBC messengers/members briefly seemed to flirt with the nomination of a woman, sparking a discussion about whether “women are called to positions of leadership” in church or para-churches. International Mission Board President David Platt delivered a 6-minute report to the SBC affirming Isa as Messiah and conversion through Muslim dreams. Popular actor Chris Pratt mentioned God and grace at an awards speech and the undiscerning Christian world joyfully affirmed it as Gospel, sparking a discussion about what the Gospel is and how many elements of it one needs in order to match the biblical message.

Todd Friel of Wretched Radio published a 23-minute excellent video talking about “The Gathering Storm: A Split in the Reformed World“.

In this 1-minute clip, Alistair Begg reminds us that the church’s mandate is not economic, social, or political. However the global church for so long now has been browbeat with the message that it is, that “people who should know better” have allowed its tendrils to creep into their minds and make inroads.

It has been a wild spring.

Nate Pickowitz is a New England pastor and author. Bio below. His wife Jessica wrote a wonderful study guide to the MacArthur/Mayhue tome Biblical Doctrine. This week Nate tweeted a series covering these issues in a gracious and insightful way. He said that “In truth, this thing has so many tendrils, it’s near impossible to wrap my brain around all that it is, but I’m trying.” I am too. I’ve ridden the roller coaster and in the end put my head in my hands wondering “What is happening?!?!”

I decided that still and always my personal call to action is the same as it’s always been. Share the Gospel. Remind people of what the Gospel is. Urge people to reject any different Gospel. Use social media to present these messages. Repeat.

Here is Nate’s message. Perhaps it will help you solidify some thoughts about all this.

—————–Nate Pickowitz—————–

I’ve got serious pastoral concerns about recent growing trends in Evangelicalism. In truth, it seems to fall under one complex, multi-faceted mechanism. Frankly, I’m not sure if using labels is helping or hurting.

We’re seeing terms like “social justice,” “Cultural Marxism,” “liberalism,” even “intersectionality.” Advocates of this movement flatly reject these terms (perhaps they don’t subscribe to all the tenets of them), but we’re certainly seeing a noticeable movement in full force.

In truth, this thing has so many tendrils, it’s near impossible to wrap my brain around all that it is, but I’m trying.

I believe that there are some advocates of this who are masquerading as Christians who are not. I also believe that there are genuine, regenerate Christians who are part of this as well.

However, my biggest concern has to do with the gospel itself. What is the gospel? The gospel is “good news”—it is the message of what Jesus Christ has done on the cross to save us from condemnation due to sin. And this work reconciles us, first to God, second to other believers.

So, “reconciliation” is key. Again, it is primarily about us and God, but when we are transferred into His kingdom, we are reconciled to every other blood-bought believer through the very same gospel.

However, Jesus never promises prosperity, societal prominence, earthly equity, an end to suffering, earthly utopia, freedom from insult & injustice, political success, or any other earthly temporal blessing.

We are seated with Christ “in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:3); we live in the hope of an inheritance that is imperishable, not for earthly gains that are perishable.

With all that being said, there is certainly spiritual fruit that comes from the gospel; there are gospel effects. Regenerate Christians love others, serve others, give to others, seek to help strangers. This is all true.

But this movement seems to be seeking the effects of the gospel, and preaching them *as* gospel. Further, they make the effects non-negotiable mandates. As if to say, affirmative action is our primary Christian mission… except that, it’s not.

Preaching the gospel, making disciples, bearing witness to Christ by our testimony and lifestyle—those are all mandates of our mission. The social benefits are, to a smaller degree, the fruit & not the root.

However, this movement pushes back and is actively fighting for social fruit. And that’s where ‘intersectionality’ comes into play. This is the overarching tool of social justice.

By grouping people into nice, neat categories, they can be dealt with en masse, and coalitions of like-minded proponents can put pressure on others to force them to give them what they want.

This is, at its core, a version of Marxism—to see two classes (the haves & the have nots) warring against each other, with the ‘have not’ minority class attempting to overthrow the “privileged” majority class. But is that what Christ would have us do?

Are we social revolutionaries? Are we culture warriors? Are we supposed to be aggressively fighting to gain earthly benefits? While Bible verses are being used in various ways (ways foreign to the history of biblical interpretation), the scope of the Bible doesn’t support it.

At best, this social focus is a gospel distraction; at worst, it is a gospel distortion. I’m starting to believe that it is anti-gospel and anti-Christian.

Does it affect our churches? Absolutely, it does! The ministries, leaders, and resources being distributed are finding their way into the local church. Even small-town, senior citizen churchgoers have Facebook, and watch videos from online ministries.

We lament Joel Osteen and Creflo Dollar videos, pushing prosperity gospel to our people. We ought to lament this as well. Because what is the net effect? Gospel confusion and gospel misrepresentation.

Anybody who does any level of biblical counseling knows that victimhood is the number one enemy of true repentance and spiritual growth. If I can blame someone else for my problems, then I can avoid responsibility.

I fear the social justice movement is creating an environment where Christians are seeing themselves as victims, and not as beneficiaries of divine grace.

Further, where are the exhortations toward forgiveness, forbearance, endurance, humility, and grace? When was the last time you heard a social justice leader expound on Jesus’ teaching to “turn the other cheek”?

I’m not saying that there aren’t problems. Yes, racism exists, injustice exists, hatred exists; because sin exists! But how do we deal with these sins? The same way we deal with any other sin.

Now, believers who have repented of sins may feel led to impact those they’ve wronged in a positive, social way. But is it the church’s job to mandate it? Or is it up to personal conviction? Shaming the Bride into action is not of Christ.

What is the way forward? To be honest, I’m not 100% certain of every single step. But I know that our mandate is to continue to preach the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, to call sinners to repentance, to preach God’s wrath & grace, and to love the Body.

And for what it’s worth, I reject all pejorative labels, classes, and categorizations. I’m not a “white Evangelical.” My name is Nate, and I’m a bondslave of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Addendum: This isn’t my “hot take”—I’ve been watching things for several months, reading articles & books, talking with dozens of pastors. While I’ve repented of unkind or hurtful engagement, I want to be faithful to stand for the things I’m convinced are biblically true.

———————end Nate Pickowitz———————

Back to me now.

Decades of biblical illiteracy, personal prophecies, heaven tourism, the New Apostolic Reformation, IHOP/Bethel and the Charismaniacs, false professions of faith/false converts, tolerance of sin have deeply damaged the evangelical stance on the sufficiency of scripture and many other doctrines. It has tarnished the Gospel witness of the church. But that is to be expected.

Though other churches existed at the time Jesus wrote to the 7 mentioned in Revelation, of the 7, only 2 received no condemnation. That means of this particular microcosm, 72% of the churches had a significant enough problem within it to cause Jesus to write and threaten their dissolution. This kind of percentage is normal. It is even magnanimous, I believe. Most of the global church is bloated with non-believers or with people who are so apathetic for Christ or so distorted in their thinking their witness is practically nil.

However, the good news is that Jesus always leaves a remnant. His people are true and beautiful and working for His glory. They are sprinkled all around the world like salt, seasoning their spheres with truth and the Good News of His name. People newly converted are growing. Missions are working. Good books are being written. Solid sermons are being broadcast. Lives are being changed. Minds are being transformed. It IS happening.

None of this is a surprise to Jesus. While it may unsettle us to see such devastating controversy, and while it may dismay us to see its tendrils creep into our churches, and while it may upset us to see those tendrils go ignored or concerns about them discarded, Jesus is brightly shining and His glory is being manifested in every heart who truly knows Him. The Savior is victorious and the Church is triumphant.

 

——————————-
Pastor Nate Pickowicz (B.A., Muhlenberg College, M.A., Trinity Theological Seminary) was raised in Gilmanton Iron Works, New Hampshire, where he now lives with his wife, Jessica, and two children, Jack and Elizabeth. Before planting Harvest Bible Church, Nate worked in financial services until being called into ministry in 2009. He is the author of Reviving New England: The Key to Revitalizing Post-Christian America, and Why We’re Protestant: An Introduction to the Five Solas of the Reformation. He is also the general editor of The American Puritans Series.

Posted in theology

Word of the Week: Propitiation

Posted on by elizabethprata

c111c-word2bof2bthe2bweek2bword2bcloud
3. Immanence
2. Transcendence
1. Justification

A definition would be:

The satisfaction of the righteous demands of God in relation to human sin and its punishment through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ upon the cross, by which the penalty of sin is cancelled and the anger of God averted. [The NIV is distinctive at this point, in that it generally translates this term by “atonement” and related words.]. Source: Dictionary of Bible Themes, Martin Manser.

An explanation would be:

“Propitiate” and “propitiation” are not commonly used in the English language. We must look to an age long gone in order to discern their meaning. In ancient times, many polytheists thought of their gods as unpredictable beings, liable to become angry with their worshipers for any trifle. When any misfortune occurred, it was believed that a god was angry and was therefore punishing his worshipers. The remedy was to offer the god a sacrifice to appease his anger. This process was called “propitiation.”

A few of the New Testament writers used exactly the same word, but the meaning was slightly different. Instead of seeing God as one whose mood needs to be appeased, “propitiation” focuses on the sacrifice of Jesus by death on the cross which brought the resultant peace between God and sinful humanity.

The Greek term for “propitiation,” hilasmos, occurs in some important passages: Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10. The message we get from these passages is that propitiation (also called “expiation”) pertains to Christ’s sacrifice for sins in order to bring about a peaceful relationship between God and humanity. Source: Holman treasury of key Bible words, by Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P.

The key verses for our word propitiation are in Romans 3:25–26, where Christ Jesus,

whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

and in 1 John 2:1-2,

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

The effects of propitiation: God’s justice is satisfied, His wrath has been exhausted, His mercy is available to those who repent.

powers
Illustration by Chris Powers, fullofeyes.com

3. Immanence
2. Transcendence
1. Justification
 

Posted in theology, Uncategorized

The beauty of doctrine

Posted on by elizabethprata

love doctrine

Doctrine is wonderful. I love doctrine. Doctrine just means “teaching.” But it’s so much more than that also. Doctrine saves, we are delivered by doctrine!

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, (Romans 6:17).

You see the words ‘that standard of teaching’. The KJV uses the word doctrine. You were delivered by doctrine. God’s teaching saved you. Its usefulness and importance continues after salvation, for it edifies you, strengthens you, grows you, protects you, and more. (2 Tim. 2:24–26; Titus 1:9-11, John 17:17, &etc.).

Here is Scott Swain at Ligonier Ministries to explain:

What is doctrine? In its basic sense, doctrine is any sort of teaching. The Bible, for example, talks about the teachings of men (Mark 7:7–8), the teachings of demons (1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:24), and the teachings of God (John 6:45; 1 Thess. 4:9; 1 John 2:27). Here, we are concerned with divine teaching, the teaching of God. According to one definition, doctrine is teaching from God about God that directs us to the glory of God. This definition provides a helpful anatomy of sound doctrine, identifying doctrine’s source, object, and ultimate end. We will consider these elements of sound doctrine.

We are obedient to the Person of Jesus of course, but we are also delivered by doctrine and we are obedient to the teaching of Jesus.

True doctrine becomes your protection. Doctrine, understood, begins to build your convictions. Convictions become your protection. If you have few convictions, you are very vulnerable. The more sound doctrine you know, the more you move from being a spiritual child to a young man.” John MacArthur, The Master’s University sermon, Delivered by Doctrine.

Doctrine as a word and a spiritual discipline has become tarnished of late. This essay is to try and bring the beauty of doctrine to its rightful place in the Christian life and mind. Here are a few more resources for you, in addition to the links already shared in this essay.

 What is doctrine? – Got Questions

What is essential Christian doctrine? – Christian Research Institute

Essential Doctrines of the Christian Faith – Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry

Posted in discernment, emotionalism, love, panentheism, theology

The idol of emotionalism

Posted on by elizabethprata
To the women who claim to have cuddled with Jesus, heard His whisper, sat on His lap, felt His ‘caress’, had their fondest dreams validated, (and I’m speaking of Beth Moore, Ann Voskamp, Kim Walker Smith, Joanna Gaines, and all the rest), hark to this paraphrase from Revelation 1:12 by John MacArthur,

He [John] turns when he hears this booming voice that sounds like a trumpet, and the voice is speaking, and he turns and sees that this voice belongs to a person in his vision moving among seven golden lampstands. Verse 20 says the seven golden lampstands are symbolic of the seven churches; they’re lights in that sense. And he looks into the middle of the lampstands and must be with some hope for comfort and encouragement, and instead he sees a warrior; he sees a frightening warrior, “one like a son of man – ” a term from Daniel expressing God in form, manifesting blazing glory, who has authority and power and dominion, as it says of the Son of Man in Daniel “ – clothed in a robe reaching to the feed and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. And His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. 

There is nothing cozy and cuddly about that vision of Christ. In fact, it is so terrifying that in chapter 1, verse 17 says, “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.” It literally, it literally took away his breath.

Ladies, reject the romantic panentheism. Don’t succumb to the idol of emotionalism, as explained here-

Beware of substituting the love of feelings and drama and emotion for the love of God. Some of us come to Him in tears; others in quiet surrender. Some come running, others walk, others are led by another, but the end result is the same. The bottom line is this: God is sovereign, and He will do it His way. It’s not about how we feel—it’s about who He is. more here

See Jesus for who He is: not the hand-wringing needy Jesus who begs for attention from us, but the Warrior in charge of His church, having ‘things against us’ when we do not obey His commands and threatening retribution. (Revelation 2:4, 2:20).

And for a laugh that hurts a little because it’s so true, read this from the Babylon Bee:

Powerful Time Of Worship Draws Woman Closer To Her Own Emotions Than She’s Been In A Long Time

RAPID CITY, SD—Sources are reporting that local woman Britney Mollison experienced the presence of her own emotions more powerfully than she has in a long time during a time of worship Wednesday night. According to Mollison’s own testimony, about three-quarters of the way through the set of dramatic songs blasting from the band onstage out to the worshipers, she was finally able to surrender all to her feelings.
“In that moment, when the bridge to ‘Oceans’ reached its crescendo and the keyboardist masterfully applied the wah pedal, my emotions were more real to me than I can remember,” Mollison sobbed to sources. “It was just me and and my personal relationship to the chemicals in my brain responding to stimuli. Nothing else mattered.”

More at link.

Be theological. It’s the best way to love Jesus, because it is the way He revealed Himself to us.

Posted in theology

A list of Christian/family friendly movies with reviews

Posted on by elizabethprata

I’m glad most of you enjoy Christian movies, or clean movies with positive good message. They are hard to find! I’ve watched some good ones, and I’ll share them with you. These are only some recommendations based on my personal opinion, and your tastes may vary – so no worries of none of these movies suit you.

I feel the Christian movies on the list are God-honoring and biblically sound. Those that aren’t explicitly Christian are family friendly with good themes. I searched for where these movies may be found streaming online, but did not look for where they could be rented for pay or purchased. I’m sure most of them can be rented. If I didn’t mention where a movie can be found to watch it doesn’t necessarily men it is unavailable, just that I didn’t search for paid-rentals. Be advised that if the movie is on a free site, quality may vary.

This list is not comprehensive. I’ve reviewed other films but did not include them here if the review was negative. Faith Like Potatoes, War Room, The Bible tv series, Life of Pi, Dancer & the Dame, etc and others are a few films I’ve reviewed and put in the ‘not recommended’ category.

Where I wrote my own review of the film, I’ve included a link. Happily, some of these are available to watch for free on various venues online.

Note: some of the synopses pasted below come from Internet Movie Database or the movie site itself and not written by me.

———————————–

UPDATES-

Autistic Driving School: My review here. IMDB here. Very inspiring.

Three Scandinavian movies worth watching– Hugo & Rosa, A Man Called Ove, and The Wave, all reviewed here.

I absolutely loved Midnight In Paris, with Owen Wilson. It’s a romantic movie, Owen is not silly at all (I also Loved Owen in the birding movie The Big Year). Midnight is actually one of my favorite movies ever, on a par with the Princess Bride. “While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée’s family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s everyday at midnight.” It’s go time travel, literary luminaries like Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein, the beautiful setting, and a sweetness. It’s also clean, (from what I remember). A kiss, one or two light profanities, overall a gentle movie with a good message.

I hear great things about Queen of Katwe, a based on the true story of a Ungandan girl who became an international chess sensation. Common Sense Media has a review, as well as IMDB. I plan to watch it soon.

The one hour documentary on the life of John Bunyan, writer of Pilgrim’s Progress, was good. It’s on Amazon Prime, called John Bunyan, The People’s Pilgrim. It might be available elsewhere too.

Do You Believe? was pretty good, with Sean Astin. “When a pastor is shaken by the visible faith of a street-corner preacher, he is reminded that true belief always requires action. His response ignites a journey that impacts everyone it touches in ways that only God could orchestrate.” I enjoyed it.

You could try Amazing Love, another one with Sean Astin. “When a confrontation occurs amongst the youth group, Stuart takes the opportunity to share with the group the touching story of the Old Testament prophet Hosea.”

————————————–
Finding Normal is a Christian movie and a very well done movie on all levels. Here is the official synopsis from Internet Movie Database.

The only thing standing between Dr. Lisa Leland (Candace Cameron Bure) and the wedding of her dreams in the Hamptons is a 2600-mile drive from Los Angeles to Long Island. However, a run in with the law in the country town of Normal, Louisiana leaves Dr. Leland with a choice–Jail or community service. Sentenced to serve three days as the town’s doctor, Lisa has her world turned upside down by a man she would never expect. Quickly, Lisa finds that there’s a lot more to Normal than she could have ever imagined.

Candace Cameron Bure is little DJ from the 1980s television show Full House. She has grown up to be a stunning young woman, and she is Christian. Lou Beatty Jr as the judge is tremendous and steals nearly every scene he’s in.

The moves along beautifully in illustrating that Christian love can melt even the most compassionless or selfish heart. Dr. Lisa sees people who have different priorities than she does, which are prayer, church, love to neighbor, and a simple lifestyle where the community comes together and shares with those in need, or just to have fun. It doesn’t involve high pay, glitzy parties, or fancy cars. It involves pastures, children, God, fireflies, and genuine care for people- including patients.

Streaming on Netflix. My review is here.

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Good Ol’ Freda

For fifty years, the untold story of Freda Kelly remained untold, until Freda herself decided to speak. Freda was the Beatles’ trusted secretary since before their rise to fame until their breakup, 11 years overall, and their friend throughout their rise to fame. Yet never then or now did she capitalize on her insider status to grab fame or money for herself. Her integrity is noted throughout the film. The movie synopsis says,

“Freda Kelly, a shy Liverpudlian teen, works for a new local band — the Beatles — hoping to make it big. As the band’s fame multiplies, Freda bears witness to music and cultural history but never exploits her insider access.”

My review is here.
On Hulu.

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Foster AKA Angel in the House

I watched a good movie, called Angel in the House, but also known as Foster. At Internet Movie Database you will find it under the name “Foster” which is a terrible name. I don’t know why this film has two names, but the film I’m talking about titled Angel in the House 2011 is not to be confused with the short film Angel in the House 1978 or the 2005 short film Foster on which the longer 2011 I’m reviewing today film is based and in which the entire first ten minutes are the same. Got it?

The name is the only thing that is terrible about this movie, however. It is a sweet, cute, sentimental, charming fairy tale of a film. Easy on the eyes, melting of the heart, it’s a light and airy meringue with great acting and a satisfying ending.

My review is here.
On Hulu.

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WWJD II: The Woodcarver

This film is not a sequel to a previous movie with called WWJD John Schneider. It stars John Ratzenberger of Cheers and Toy Story who plays a grieving widower. Meanwhile a family has disintegrated, the parents fight all the time, they are separated and thinking of divorce. Their 15 year old son has lashed out by quitting school and vandalizing the local Baptist church. The story is about the intersection of these two sets of characters. The themes are:

–power of prayer
–putting Jesus first
–the man resuming headship of his family under the guidance of Jesus via worship at church, prayer, and bible precepts
–living a sacrificial life of love for your neighbor, and your family

I am always taken by the power of watching a multiplying faith founded on shared love and personal sacrifice. These kind of movies are far better because they demonstrate what Jesus would have us do in making disciples and working out our faith in fear and trembling. Movies that show the strong, undying, persevering commitment to living a Christ-like life in mundane circumstances in your home, your work, your school – which is the real miracle.

Streaming on Netflix, Hulu, FREE on OV Guide

My review here.
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Raising Izzie

It is about two orphaned girls aged 14 and 10, who are struggling to live on their own in an apartment their dying mother set up for them. It was only a matter of time of course, before they were found out. A year later, a caring teacher of the older girl becomes suspicious when she compares parent signatures on a school paper and realizes that they differ.

The teacher’s back story is that she wants children, and she and her husband have been trying for a while and haven’t had the desired result. This causes stress on the relationship and their strong faith is tested. What is obvious to the viewer is that God is building a family between the two parties.

Issues explored:
–The teacher and her husband are black and the two girls are white. Can they make a family? Can family include adopting older kids? Can it be interracial?
–God’s people helping the orphan, what is our responsibility? (There were discussions of what should they do, call DFACS? The Police? Take the girls in?)
–The father says he wants children but the wife worries that underneath he is more committed to their child-free lifestyle.
–The wife wants children but begins to resent God for the lack
–The older girl is resentful she has to raise Izzie and is angry at God for failing to answer her prayer to cure her mother of cancer. (It is stated that the girls’ father had died just before Izzie was born)

Streaming on Netflix, Hulu, FREE on OV Guide here

My review here.
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No Greater Love

Jeff and Heather were the “lucky ones”. Best friends from childhood, high school sweethearts, and married by 22, they were inseparable soul mates. After the birth of her first and only child, Heather Baker (Danielle Bisutti) fell into a deep depression. Hopelessly lost, she did the unthinkable– she abandoned her husband and her infant son –and vanished. Jeff Baker (Anthony Tyler Quinn) was forced to raise their son Ethan as a single father. Ten years after his wife’s disappearance, Jeff is finally ready to move on and is on the verge of marrying his new girlfriend. His world, however, is dramatically rocked when Heather shockingly reappears in the most unusual place.

This movie is biblically sound especially when exploring the biblical approach to marriage and divorce.

Watch for free on iTBN.

Michelle Lesley Christian blogger reviews the movie here.
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What If…?

“What If…?” came out in 2010 and stars Kevin Sorbo, Kristy Swanson, and John Ratzenberger as the angel. 15 years ago, Ben Walker left his girlfriend and his ministry calling for a business opportunity. Now with a high-paying career and a trophy fiancé, he is visited by an angel, who gives him a glimpse into what his life would look like had he followed his calling. The director is Dallas Jenkins, son of Jerry B. Jenkins of Left Behind fame. It is a combination It’s a Wonderful Life and Family Man. It is a time warping, parallel universe kind of peek into a life that has the other answers to choices you did not make in this universe and yet (without revealing spoilers) it shows that God IS at work to the good of all that love Him.

Streaming on Netflix.

My review here.

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Angel in My Pocket

A homespun minister (Andy Griffith in his first movie post-Mayberry) and his family, pregnant wife Lee Merriwether, and Jerry Van Dyke as the ne’er-do-well brother-in-law who’s a lush, move to a small town where he tries to win the support and trust of his new congregation. The town is in Kansas and the winning has to be done because the two sets of founding families have been feuding for 60 years. This terrible cycle of blame shifting, nit-picking and anger has paralyzed the town. The school is falling apart, and the church and pastorium is a wreck. No one can make a decision, or even a comment, without a fight erupting.

Griffith is a freshly graduated ordained minister called to his first church, “Church of the Redeemer” in this town in Kansas well known for pastor turnover- 7 ministers in 10 years. Of course, no one apprises Griffith of this fact, and he loads his wife, kids, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and dog off to Wood Falls. Where Mayberry showed the best of small-town life, “Angel” is a movie that exaggerates the worst of small town life: gossip, misunderstanding, entrenched views, selfishness, pettiness, church politics, but does it all with humor and not mean-ness as the increasingly exasperated Griffith tries to win his congregation.

On Youtube free, here

My review here.
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Honor Flight

Honor Flight is not a Christian movie per se, but a tremendously moving and wonderful documentary about how volunteers honor WWII veterans. It is a 2012 documentary chronicling the efforts of Wisconsin volunteers to organize Honor Flights in the Midwest. These are special flights transporting WII veterans from their home to the WWII Memorial in Washington DC and back, all free of charge. The IMDB blurb says

Honor Flight chronicles a community coming together to honor World War II veterans. The film follows a team of Midwest volunteers as they race against the clock to send every local WWII veterans to see the memorial built in their honor and the heart of the Capitol city of a nation that they protected.

The race against the clock refers to the fact that 900 WWII vets die per day. They are all in their mid-to-upper 80s and early 90s now, and many are very ill. Within 20 years there will not be any left in which to honor or hear first-hand accounts. HONOR FLIGHT is a moving documentary about the work that can be done when a group of passionate people work toward a common goal. In this case, the goal is simple: Help WWII veterans, who die at the rate of 900 a day at the time of the documentary’s filming, visit a WWII memorial in their honor before they pass away.

It’s on Netflix, Hulu, and also can be seen for FREE on a free film site called Snagfilms.com.

My review here.
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The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry

It stars Gavin McCleod who you might remember as Captain of the Love Boat and Mary Tyler Moore Show. He is actually a Christian. Also stars Robert Guillaume who you might remember as Benson (the butler) in the 17970s television show Benson. In 1970 a 75-year-old man named Jonathan Sperry starts mentoring three boys – Dustin, Albert, and Mark – to follow the Lord. I liked the movie for its accurate depiction of persistent, compassionate, loving Christian faith and its multiplying effect on people, hearts, and even neighborhoods.

Unfortunately I can’t find it streaming anywhere, but you can buy or rent the DVD and watch

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Camp

To impress a potential client, financial advisor Ken Matthews signs up to be a counselor at a camp for kids in the foster system. He is paired with Eli, a 10 year-old determined to hate camp. However, when Ken discovers Eli’s dark past, his apathy turns to compassion. But is he to late to help the scared boy nobody wants? Inspired by true stories of ordinary people providing extraordinary help for abused and neglected kids, CAMP is a tale of hope shining in the dark places for forgotten children. For his performance in the role of Eli, actor Miles Elliot won BEST PERFORMANCE IN A FEATURE FILM by a Leading Young Actor at the 35th annual Young Artist Awards. The camp mentioned is in reality Royal Family Kids’ Camps.

This is one of my favorite movies with a Christian theme. It involves kids, and it is a true story. Can’t beat that! Very moving and true to life. If you watch it, stay watching through the credits, they interview the actual people the movie is based on and give information about the Christian Camp fir these abused kids. Incredible.

On Netflix.

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The Blind Side

Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless black teen, has drifted in and out of the school system for years. Then Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and her husband, Sean (Tim McGraw), take him in. The Tuohys eventually become Michael’s legal guardians, transforming both his life and theirs. The Tuohys eventually become Michael’s legal guardians, transforming both his life and theirs. Michael’s tremendous size and protective instincts make him a formidable force on the gridiron, and with help from his new family and devoted tutor, he realizes his potential as a student and football player. Very well done and moving. Based on a true story

Available on Netflix DVD, free on Youtube here

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I’ll Be Me

Documentary about singer Glen Campbell’s onset of Alzheimer’s disease and he and his family’s decision to continue with his already planned final tour. Campbell was a man of faith, and in reading about him after the movie left off, one nurse taking care of him said that even in his last days when he would have a few moments of lucidity he would immediately go to the window, look up, raise his arms and say “I am a blessed man.” Very touching and movie of a Godly man and his battle with a terrible disease.

Streaming on Netflix.

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Walking Across Egypt

This is a Christian movie involving a juvenile delinquent and a lonely older woman. The ever solid Ellen Burstyn is the woman who eventually takes in the troubled teen. Also starring is Judge Reinhold, Pat Corley as Sheriff Tillman, Edward Hermann and Mark Hamill. The conclusion to the Wikipedia synopsis states, “Wesley (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), currently serving time in juvenile detention for a recent car theft. Mattie finds that this young man is just missing direction and believes that with a little insight on Christianity he can straighten up and fly right.” Themes are also Christian love, applying the bible to life, and hypocrisy. There are a few mild swears, included to show that the boy is a delinquent, lol. But that’s it, nothing else objectionable. Another good movie showing the power of a Gospel lived out and muliplying faith through sacrificial love and solid discipleship. Watch, it’s a sweet movie.

Free on Youtube here, or here

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End of the Spear

End of the Spear is a true story of Christian missionaries making first contact with the Stone Age Huaorani tribe of Ecuador not far from the Shell oil company corporate base in Shell-Mera Ecuador. It’s a good movie and I recommend it. The missionaries made the contact in 1956 in the Amazon basin. End of the Spear is a 2005 docudrama film that recounts the story of Operation Auca, in which five American Christian missionaries attempted to evangelize the Huaorani (Waodani) people of the tropical rain forest of Eastern Ecuador. Based on actual events from 1956 in which five male missionaries were speared by a group of the Waodani tribe, the movie tells the story from the perspective of Steve Saint (the son of Nate Saint, one of the missionaries killed in the encounter), and Mincayani, one of the tribesmen who took part in the attack. The two eventually form a bond that continues to this day.

Very good movie!! Available on Netflix DVD rental, free on Youtube (spoken in English with English & Spanish subtitles)

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Owd Bob

Not an explicitly Christian movie, Owd Bob is just a good ole clean movie, like Babe. It stars the same man, James Cromwell. The story is, recently orphaned in America, teenager David Roberts must spend the summer with grumpy maternal grandfather Adam MacAdam (Cromwell), whom he never met, on his sheep-farm on the Isle of Man. Both long for the end of the summer, having nothing in common but their love for dogs, notably Adam’s precious champion sheepdog Bob. David strikes a friendship with Maggie, the sassy daughter of friendly neighbor Keith Moore, but Adam hates that family on account of an old canine competition-related tragedy. Other neighbors suspect Bob and the Moore’s dog of the recent series of nocturnal sheep-kills.

Watch for free at OV Guide

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Brownstones to Red Dirt

Brownstones to Red Dirt is a 2010 documentary about children living in a violent part of Brooklyn NYC, whose middle school teacher initiated a pen pal program with children in civil war torn Sierra Leone. The unique aspect of this documentary is that there is no voice over, intoning and opining. No narrator and no narrative. The movie features the voice of the children (and parents and teachers) exclusively. The kids are the ones telling the story. And what a story it is. The movie blurb at SnagFilms.com summarizes: A sweet and lyrical documentary about a simple pen pal program, BROWNSTONES TO RED DIRT captures the growth of sixth graders from housing projects in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and war orphans from Freetown, Sierra Leone. Though the kids know nothing about one another when they write their first letters, they learn that while their environments are vastly different, the struggles they face make them more alike than they realized. This revelation brings them closer together and teaches us all inspirational lessons about friendship, love and humanity. The kids are really incredible.

On Hulu, FREE on Snagfilms.com here

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Of interest:

Becoming Santa

is a reality TV movie-length exploration of one man’s decision to “become Santa” for a Christmas season. The film focuses mostly on Jack Sanderson, a 44-year-old LA native. When a 97-minute movie centers around one character, it’s important that the character be likable. Jack is. He is intelligent, witty, humble, self-effacing, and sweet. He is a delight to watch. The story is simple. Jack finds himself alone one Christmas, his mom having died previously and then his dad having died recently. He’s by himself, in middle age, wondering where his Christmas spirit went. He decides to try jogging his spirits alive by posing as Santa for the holiday. There is a lot more to becoming Santa than one may think. The settings differ and so do the logistics. There is Santa in a parade, Santa ringing the bell outside on the corner, Santa visiting children in hospital or orphanages, Santa on the Polar Express, and of course the Department Store Santa. Jack decides to purchase a Santa suit (which one? There’s lots!), dye his natural beard white, and attend a Santa School to learn what it’s all about. Very sweetly affecting movie.

On Hulu, FREE on OV Guide here.

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Television shows:

Hope Island

A Christian TV series that was on the old PAX channel for one season. it was the highest rated and most critically acclaimed show they ever had, so of course they immediately canceled it. 22 episodes. Daniel Cooper, a newly ordained minister, is called to the island to fix up and restart an old church that has been empty and neglected for 30 years. Upon arriving, Daniel finds the situation is not quite what he expected it to be, and he struggles knowing if he should stay or not. However, the quirky residents of the island quickly grow on him, and he soon becomes an invaluable member of the community. With a large ensemble cast, Hope Island is full of quirky and lovable characters.

On Hulu, also free on OV Guide, here

Enlisted 

An American comedy television series that premiered January 10, 2014, on Fox. Despite low ratings, the show received critical acclaim, with The Army Times writing an editorial asking Fox to give the show another chance in a better time slot. The story is, three very different brothers, each soldiers in the U.S. Army, find themselves all assigned to the same unit: the fictional A Company, 2nd Battalion, 618th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 18th Infantry Division (Mechanized), at the fictional Fort McGee, located in Florida. While the majority of the base is deployed overseas, the two younger brothers (Derrick and Randy) are assigned to rear detachment – the soldiers left behind to take care of the base. The oldest brother, Staff Sergeant Pete Hill, is returned stateside from Afghanistan after punching a superior officer. He is assigned to supervise a platoon of misfits that includes his brothers. While working together, the brothers are able to renew and strengthen their childhood bonds. It’s a show about family, loyalty, honor, and country.

Youtube, here