Monday, October 29, 2007

BELLA

While in a metro ride to the beach, Nina, an unwed mother-to-be, asks, “Do you think people can live twice?”

Jose, the man seated next to her replies, “I haven’t ever met anyone who has.”

If anyone were to have good reason to hope for reincarnation, Jose would be that person. A former soccer star, one moment at the peak of his career brought about the death of the child. Since that moment, he has hidden from the world to deal with guilt and daily flashbacks alone.

If any lines could summarize the movie “Bella”, in my opinion, it would be those. Can anyone live twice? No; not lonely, hurting young women, not men who make tragic mistakes, and not aborted children. Life only happens once. This theme was woven throughout an artistic, thoroughly original film.

It wasn’t only “artistic” because half the movie was in subtitles. The story itself was written in such a unique way that it required an attentive audience. Unlike many Hollywood films, the plot didn’t fit together seamlessly like a puzzle. More in the style of classic literature, audience members were given credit for some level of intelligence by the filmmakers and had to pay attention to understand the conclusion.

Perhaps because of its lack of preachiness and use of subtlety, “Bella” has a chance to stir secular minds as well regarding pro-life issues. As it is, “Bella” stands as one of the few movies I’ve ever seen in which the audience broke into applause as the credits began to roll. After the film people crowded around the exit to discuss what they had just seen.

For a movie produced by “Metanoia Films” (“metanoia” means “repentance” in Greek), that is very encouraging.


How appropriate is "Bella" for general audiences?

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Monday, October 15, 2007

For The Voiceless



The statistics are horrifying, and no words can describe still photographs of the procedure. How can a country in which a large percentage of the population professes Christianity, murder 3,700 unborn children each day? We terminate pregnancies on weekdays, and hear sermons on Sundays. It’s a travesty beyond measure---an American Holocaust.

Unlike these children, I have a voice to defend my own life. I am unspeakably blessed to have survived, as 45 million of my peers were killed before their first breath. And yet, although I can speak to defend them, my voice feels so small. I’m no lawyer and there is a billion dollar abortion industry to stand in my way. What can be done?

A quick perusal of the internet reveals several suggestions. There are things I can do for the sake of the voiceless. I am challenging myself, and would like to extend that challenge to you, to at least pick one of the following activities to help defend these children:

  • Take Part in a Day of Silence

http://silentday.org/

“On October 23, people from all over this nation will give up their voices for a day in solidarity for these children. Red arm bands and duct tape will identify them as taking part in the Pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity. They will carry fliers explaining why they are silent and educate others about the plight of the innocent children we are losing every day.”

  • Organize A Fund-Raiser to benefit a local crisis-pregnancy center

With a family or a group of friends, you can organize a bake sale, car wash, diaper drive, etc. One unique fund-raiser that a group of friends and I have tried is selling easy-to-make dinners. We mixed together the filling for quiche and poured it into plastic containers, which we then distributed in paper bags along with a pre-made pie crust and a stick of ready-to-bake cookie dough. The dinner was convenient for the busy moms we sold them to, but also proved to be a successful fund-raiser.

  • Pray

James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” More than any political action we could ever take, God has the ultimate power to stop abortion if He chooses. Let’s not forget, that as His children, we may petition Him boldly.

Other:
Recently an interview was featured on Focus on the Family in which Gianna Jensen, an abortion survivor (yes, the victim of an attempted abortion) spoke. It was extremely moving and I highly recommend the message.

The following youtube video is an example of an abortion protest that was stopped by law enforcement. What a horrible distortion of justice. HT: Generations For Life




Do you have any suggestions/comments on how to speak out on abortion? Share it with us!

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