Exploring the interplay between ortho-doxy (right belief) and ortho-praxy (right action)...

...and encouraging a life where these intertwined thoughts and deeds simply happen... by default.

29 August 2005

crashing

Last night, I saw the movie "Crash" with a group.

It basically told several inter-weaving stories of people dealing poorly with people. The themes included rage, impatience, vengance, racism, power-trips and more. We weren't left with a very hopeful solution for humanity, but I could appreciate the realism with which the topics were addressed. Kinda nice to know that we are nothing like the people in this movie, huh?

Not really. Truth is, those same emotions are in all of us. Yeah, you. We're all guilty of some serious over-reaction to various annoying things.

The sub-heading for the movie was something like this: "When you're moving at the speed of life, you're bound to collide."
That is actually quite profound. Why does this happen?

Perhaps we really ARE shockingly disconnected from one another.
Perhaps we really ARE disqustingly comfortable.
Perhaps we really ARE lethargic to do anything to change this.
Perhaps we really ARE terribly self-centered.

As long as we insist that the problem is with someone ELSE, we are going to continue to be frustrated.
As long as we insist on placing high expectations on others, they will continue NOT to meet them.
As long as we insist on finding fault with others, we will continue to NOT see (or rationalise or lessen) our own faults.

Slow down, think, be honest with yourself. Why are you so frustrated with him/her? Why are you allowing their opinion of you to control you? Etc., etc.

"Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret - it only causes harm." - Psalm 37:8

-Dale

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dale you never cease to amaze me with your written talents, you really have a way with words thanks for the encouragement and know that its greatly appreciated
Clint

Anonymous said...

I felt that the message of this movie was mostly about prejudice and racism that is rampant not only in the US but all over the globe, Crash highlighted how people were so disconnected with each other due to their prejudices, and those that felt like they had been badly treated often reacted with prejudice and anger. Jesus suffered from religous and racial discrimination. But He challanged the prejudices of the people of his day, for example there was great hatred between Jewish and Samaritan communities. They wouldn't even talk to each other. In the parable of the Good Samaritan', Jesus makes the Samaritan the hero who stopped to help an injured Jew (Luke 10:30-37) There are many other examples throughout the bible of his compassion for those of different races. See where God challanged Peter's prejudice in Joppa. (Acts 10:9).