In the Beginning...

It's been a long time since I've ventured out into blogging.

In fact, it's probably a good question as to why.  

I mean, seriously, blogs can be silly things.  Anyone can have a blog and include posts to YouTube videos of kitty cats playing Guitar Hero (here) or just rant about things like the guy on the bus that looked at them funny and they KNOW that he's thinking that they haven't done their eyebrows in, like, 10 years!  I have had people say that I should get online and write about the funny things that happen to me.  I've had people say that they would like me to engage my theological side online.  Yet I've resisted.  Partly due to time.  Partly feeling like I just wouldn't really have anything worth saying to the blogosphere.

So, why now?

To tell you the truth, it's time.  There are two parts of me that I believe need to be reconciled and this seems like the best platform to engage that...

I love God and I love movies.

Growing up, I often felt that these two passions of mine were divisive, as though they both were pulling me in separate directions.  Most Christians I dealt with had no interest in discussing film as anything other than frivolous entertainment.  Most film people I spoke to had no interest in matters of faith in our discussion.  As a result, I often felt as though there was something wrong with me.  (Feel sorry for meeee... now.  Thank you.  Let's move on.)  Seriously though, it was an issue to be sure.  However, after finding others like myself at Seminary and online, much has changed for me and I have become confident of the theological importance of film theory.  

So, where do I get that from?

First and foremost, I believe that man was created in God's image.  The imago Dei is the purest expression of God's love for humanity and, as such, is the purest form of our humanity because it reflects His person.  Despite the fact that his sinful nature has marred this image, I do not believe that man has lost this Divine imprint in its entirety.  In fact, I absolutely believe that, because our God is a creative God, our creative impulses are an expression of the imago Dei.  This can be a difficult claim to make in regards to something such as film and popular culture.  The first argument everyone makes is always "There's so much junk (or smut, pending on your age... ;)) out there today!"  It's true.  There's a lot of stuff that distorts the image of God.  I mean, really, how could one argue that pornography is an expression of the image of God?  (And no, I don't think pornography glorifies God... but I do see it as a marring of the sexual image that He did create.)  Personally, I believe that, even if distorted, the root cause of the creative impulse comes from God alone.  And, if that's true, that is definitely worth examining from His perspective.

So, with that in mind, I'd like to start the discussion.  Yeah, let's be serious.  I'll probably have stories like that time on the bus or a video I think is funny.  Really, who doesn't?  But I would love this to be an outlet primarily for musings about God, theology, pop culture and film (both together and separately).  And I invite your comments.  I'm into the discussion.

Thanks everyone.

Let's dance.