Is NASCAR More Christian Than Football?

-
0
Is NASCAR More Christian Than Football?

NASCAR (Photo: USA Today Sports/Jasen Vinlove)

Christian Post Report – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) during the Cam-Am Duels at Daytona race two at Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida, February 18, 2016.

Faith Driven Consumer, an organization that evaluates corporations, TV and film, says NASCAR is a better representation of Christian values than the National Football League.

Representing a reported 41 million American consumers, FDC’s Faith Equality Index ranks how well a brand represents and embraces the values of Christian consumers and employees.

Put on a scale of 0 to 100, in the most recent rankings announced Thursday, FDC gave NASCAR a 50, versus a 24 for the NFL.

Chris Stone, certified brand strategist and founder of Faith Driven Consumer, noted in a statement how NASCAR pulled ahead of the NFL in the rankings.

“Like the NFL, NASCAR is significantly made up of Faith Driven Consumers at all levels of the organization. But unlike the NFL, NASCAR is in a strong position given its initial Faith Equality Index score of 50,” stated Stone.

“With this foundation, we believe NASCAR will close the gaps and increase its score — and its relationship with the faith community — in very short order.”

NASCAR (Photo: USA TODAY Sports/Mark J. Rebilas)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch poses with wife Samantha Busch and son Brexton Busch after winning the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida, November 22, 2015.

Stone added that he and FDC “look forward to working with NASCAR, professional sports organizations, and major sponsors alike to help them improve their standing with the faith community.”

NASCAR’s ranking was based off of a combination of scores from four categories: “public commitment to faith driven consumers,” “faith-compatible corporate actions,” “equal application of equal protections,” and “corporate competency in the faith driven consumer market segment.”

NASCAR faired strongest in the faith-compatible corporate actions category with 28 out of 30 points and weakest in the equal application of equal protections category with 5 out of 20 points.

By contrast, the NFL did poorly in all four categories, its best score being in faith-compatible corporate actions with 11 out of 30 points, and worst score being in corporate competency in the faith driven consumer market segment with 2 out of 20.

According to its Facebook page, the goals of Faith Driven Consumer are to provide: “Information resources for making more faith-conscious consumer decisions;” to encourage “companies to meet the unique needs of Christians,” and to provide “a national voice for under-represented Christian consumers.”

“Faith Driven Consumers choose to carefully, constantly aim the dollars we spend directly in support of the companies whose values and behaviors match ours,” stated FDC on Facebook.

“This is action every one of us can take, every day. We can advocate for and grow values-driven businesses all over America. Whether you are looking to change the world or simply for a place that is comfortable for you, Faith Driven Consumer is your resource.”

FDC’s Faith Equality Index ranking for NASCAR comes as the racing organization gears up for the Daytona 500, scheduled to take place on Sunday.

Source : Christian Post

5 Christian Children Seized by Norway Reunited With Parents for First Time in 3 Months

-
0
5 Christian Children Seized by Norway Reunited With Parents for First Time in 3 Months

The Bodnariu family (Photo: Facebook/Norway, Return the children to Bodnariu Family)

Christian Post Report – The Bodnariu family.

The Romanian Pentecostal parents who have been separated from their five children by Norway’s child protective services were reunited with all of their kids in the same place for the first time since the family’s ordeal began in November.

According to a website set up in support of Ruth and Marius Bodnariu after their children were removed from their home in Naustdal, Norway, by the Barnevernet on Nov. 16, the parents were finally allowed to have a three-hour visiting session with all of their children on Tuesday.

After it was alleged that the parents spanked their children — a disciplinary tactic that is banned in Norway — the parents were only allowed limited visitation with their three sons and were barred from visiting their two daughters.

“It was joyous because for the first time in three months, Marius and Ruth were together with all five children at the same time, in the same place. It was such a happy reunion, for everybody had so much to say,” the website announced in an official statement on Thursday.

“Naomi couldn’t stop talking; Ioan, the 2-year-old boy had learned a few more words and had a lot to say also. Baby Ezekiel was happier than ever,” the statement continued.

After the family talked and played, they sat at the table to eat a meal.

The statement details how the family, which previously claimed that their children were taken because of concerns with their Christian faith, was allowed to pray and even sang a prayer-song before they ate their rooster and soup.

Although most of the visit was joyous, the parents grew concerned after Naomi told them that she didn’t want them to die because she still has much to learn from them. Naomi’s comment led them to wonder where she got the idea that they were going to die.

“The day was a mixture of joy and sorrow, for after three hours had passed, they had to part again,” the statement explains. “The children cannot understand why they can’t stay with their parents but, instead, have to go to strangers.”

The Bodnarius still need to stand trial in order to regain custody of their children. As the agency wants them to submit to a psychological evaluation, the family has requested that a psychologist not associated with the Barnevernet to do the evaluations.

The statement claims that the prosecutor denied the family’s proposal for an outside psychologist.

Although supporters believed that the Bodnarius would have their day in court sometime in March, the statement implies that the case might not be heard until May.

“The same prosecutor is too busy to attend a court hearing before the end of May and Barnevernet thinks this is in the superior interest of the baby,” the statement argues.

While the Norwegian media has been less-than sympathetic toward the Bodnariu family, the children’s grandfather released a statement on Friday to break his silence about the situation.

“This case has hurt the whole family and way beyond us. It has also been painful to read articles about the case in different newspapers where the upbringing of the children has been presented negatively without knowing the actual conditions,” Ruth’s father was quoted as saying. “We who live here in the home and have had the children around us since they were born, must be the ones who know best how the children have been with their parents.”

“Grandmother has at times taken much care of the children. When they came from school and the parents were not at home, the kids were with us,” he continued. “When their present home was being refurbished, the whole family lived with us for six months, and we, thereby, had full insight into their upbringing.”

The grandfather added that he has never seen any violence in their family.

“We can assure that we have never seen that violence has been used against the children. Not even that they have raised their voices to them,” he said. “The children themselves have never told us that the parents have been nasty to them. For us who love our grandchildren so much, it would be inconceivable to know that they were not happy and not to intervene. After all, we are well informed people.”

Follow Samuel Smith on Twitter: @IamSamSmith

Source : Christian Post

Pastor Judah Smith Stumped by Question From Maria Shriver: ‘Why Should I Believe in God?’

-
0
Pastor Judah Smith Stumped by Question From Maria Shriver: ‘Why Should I Believe in God?’

Judah Smith, Chelsea Smith, Maria Schriver (Photo: Screen Grab via YouTube)

Christian Post Report – Pastor Judah Smith (C), sits down with Maria Shriver (R) in an Architects of Change Live conversation about the new children’s book he wrote along with his wife Chelsea (L) titled ‘I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook’

When Maria Shriver asked Pastor Judah Smith this week “Why should I believe in God?” he seemed stumped initially until he admitted that he doesn’t like convincing people to worship God.

Smith, who sat down with Shriver in an Architects of Change Live conversation about the new children’s book he wrote along with his wife, Chelsea, titled I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook was engaging with his host about faith when she asked him the question he introduced himself.

“How do you answer that question?” asked Shriver.

“What’s that?” responded Smith.

“How can I believe in God? You know these terrible things have happened. I don’t have a job, my parents are dead, you know, I don’t have any money, why should I believe in God? Nothing is going my way,” said Shriver, playing devil’s advocate.

“I tell them to talk to my wife,” said Smith, who leads The City Church in Seattle, Washington, with his wife. “I think she has a lot of great answers. … Diversion is a powerful thing I’ve learned.”

“Yeah, right up there with denial,” Shriver hit back, laughing.

He continued deflecting for a while before he began settling into a response.

“I think this idea that believing in God is something that you concoct, it is something that you conjure up. It is something that over a succession of emotional discussions or sermons you develop this habit of now it’s happened. I think, I believe that there is a God space in every human soul,” he said.

Judah Smith, Chelsea Smith (Photo:Facebook/Judah Smith)

The cover of ‘I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook’ by Pastor Judah Smith and his wife Chelsea.

“I believe we were designed inherently to be worshipers, and I think you see it in culture. We end up worshiping great athletes or entertainers. So I actually think it’s not far-fetched when they say ‘how do I possibly do it?’ Actually, its way more possible than you think. I believe that it’s there,” he said.

“I also believe that if there is a God and He’s big and He’s real, then He’ll actually meet you in a genuine and authentic way. That it won’t just be this blind faith as it’s said. … I think that God is real. I’ve talked to friends that still don’t believe as I believe that say ‘hey, no big deal,'” he continued in a suppositional tone.

“If you want to believe, let’s just pray and I believe that God will meet you in a real way. And I believe there’s a space inside you for God. The awesome thing is you don’t have to defend God because He is God; and you don’t have to talk people into God because He is God. And I don’t want to get into that habit anyways of convincing people to worship God and believe in God, because if you can convince them then they can be unconvinced just as easily,” he ended.

Shriver then told the couple that she went to an all-girl Catholic school all her life and wanted to become a nun but decided against it when she found out “you had to be poor and celibate.”

“It’s like well, that’s not gonna work for me,” she said.

She then got into a discussion about spiritual crises and asked them if they had ever faced any like the saints she read about in school that had an impact on why they believe.

“In Catholic school I used to read all the autobiographies of the saints, right, and they would be thrown up against the cross and their lives were like, oh my God! They were just horrendous right. But I thought you had to do that to actually be a saint,” said Shriver.

“And when you read, whether it’s about Mother Theresa and others that I’ve read about, they often talk about the dark night of the soul, you know. Their own spiritual crisis and having to kind of work through that and find their way back to God. Does that happen to you or are you too young?” she asked.

Smith turned to his wife with a searching almost quizzical look before Chelsea chimed in with an uneasy laugh “way too young. Definitely.”

“No doubt in God? No spiritual crisis? No having to find your way back? No giving up on Jesus?” asked Shriver.

Smith then talked about the challenges of being a parent and explained that watching his father — who was also a pastor — being destroyed by cancer was a dark hour for him. He felt the suffering of his father didn’t make any sense considering how he served God, but he said he found refuge in the Bible.

“I found that in my darkest night I found God to be nearer than I imagined.”

When Shriver asked him how, Judah said: “I think His presence, His nearness.”

Shriver then talked about the appearance of Jesus in the book, noting that she grew up with a lot of books about Jesus and He was always white, but in the couple’s new book Jesus looked “more authentic.”

She then asked Judah if that was deliberate and he said it was.

“It was important to me as a dad to be honest and we showed those depictions to our kids and my 11-year-old acknowledged that Jesus is brown. And I said, ‘that’s right'” added Smith, noting that it was a very meaningful moment for him.

“I could get really emotional because I think Jesus is for everyone, but I think where Jesus came from and I think the diversity of this book. I wanted my babies to see who Jesus really was and I know it’s just a cartoon character but the color of his skin mattered to me,” he continued.

“It really did and the fact that my 11-year-old acknowledged that and the fact that I had an African-American friend text me in tears. He said ‘I’m ordering them right now.’ I said, ‘don’t order them,’ I’ll send them to you.’ He said because it’s the first Bible I’ve seen Jesus depicted with brown skin. He says, ‘I want to thank you.’ And I cried. I secretly cried,” Smith added.

Contact: [email protected]; follow me on Twitter @leoblair

Source : Christian Post

Aaron Rodgers Thanks God for ‘Hail Mary’ Pass in Playoff Game Against Cardinals

-
0
Aaron Rodgers Thanks God for ‘Hail Mary’ Pass in Playoff Game Against Cardinals

Aaron Rodgers REUTERS/Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Post Report – Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers in a game versus the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.

Aaron Rodgers is tweeting to God, thanking Him for making a play that only Divine intervention could explain.

In reminiscing about his 2014-2015 NFL season, Rodgers, the 32-year-old Green Bay Packers quarterback, wrote to God in front of 1 million Twitter followers.

“Have to start my return by thanking @TheTweetOfGod for an exciting season,” Rodgers wrote Tuesday, after returning to practice after one month off. “Tell your sons mother I said thank you for those two throws.”

Rodgers is referring to the wild card game against the Arizona Cardinals at the beginning of the NFL playoffs in January.

Although the quarterback’s team lost, he was able to throw a difficult, high pressure, last minute pass to wide receiver Jeff Janis for a touchdown known as a “Hail Mary” pass.

The NFL term refers to a pass that only Divine intervention could explain as a Hail Mary and Rodgers made sure to find a creative way to thank His creator for being able to throw one. It is unclear how serious Rodgers was in writing the tweet, since he previously expressed beliefs that God does not determine the outcome of football games.

“I don’t think God cares a whole lot about the outcome,” Rodgers said during an ESPN radio show interview last September. “He cares about the people involved, but I don’t think he’s a big football fan.”

Still, the quarterback has been vocal about his Christian faith in the past.

“I grew up knowing what a stable relationship was by my parents’ example and how it centered on Christ,” Rodgers said in a Beyond Ultimate report. “When our family had its ups and downs, I knew my parents relied on God for everything and He always got us through those rough spots.”

“It is my daily walking in faith and dealing with life issues and not giving into temptation that can be very challenging,” he added. “I am always struggling in finding time to daily grow in my faith. If you are not in the Word or focusing on Christ, or into prayer, you can’t help but slip at times.”

Source : Christian Post

Adrienne Bailon on What Real Love Looks Like to Her

-
0
Adrienne Bailon on What Real Love Looks Like to Her

Adrienne Bailon (Photo: Reuters/Fred Prouser)

Christian Post Report – Adrienne Bailon, one of the members of the pop music group “The Cheetah Girls”, poses as she arrives for the world premiere of the animated film “Wall-E”in Los Angeles, California, June 21, 2008.

Last year, Adrienne Bailon and her longtime boyfriend Lenny Santiago split up. Now the singer, actress and co-host of “The Real” talk show is focusing on the love of Jesus.

The 32-year-old took to her Twitter Saturday to let her more than 600,000 followers know “real love brings the Jesus out of us.”

Earlier this month, the entertainer tweeted “Psalm 139” to fans.

Bailon has used the social media platform to share her faith and her journey after breaking up with Santiago, her then music executive boyfriend of six years.

“Life lessons are hard but I’m grateful that I have a platform to share my journey and hopefully encourage, inspire, or just let women know they are not alone and to never give up on finding love. I still believe,” Bailon told Us Weekly last year after splitting with her fiance.

Although she’s staying positive, Bailon admitted that breaking up with someone you’re emotionally attached to isn’t easy.

“I am, of course, sad that things didn’t go as we planned, but we still remain close friends,” she said. “Six years is a long time to be together, but we had to make the decision to go with our hearts and not be embarrassed or afraid of change. He absolutely helped make me a better person and I will forever cherish the time we shared together.”

In 2014, Bailon spoke to The Christian Post about seeking God to overcome emotional trials, such as a breakup.

“It’s so funny because in that moment you think you’re going to die, you’re like ‘Oh my God, how am I going to live without this person.’ In those moments, cling to God and build your relationship with God,” Bailon told CP. “I love the saying, I believe it’s from Maya Angelou, but it’s a woman’s heart should be so focused on God that a man has to seek Him to find her. It’s funny because people in the world even say ‘Girl, when you’re not looking that’s when the right one comes along.'”

While Bailon stressed the importance of forgiving people and letting go of bitterness, she also insisted that people will recognize what a good relationship should look like when they are at peace.

“God gives you peace in a situation that’s meant for you. I feel like the moment that you don’t feel peace, you’re not where you should be,” Bailon said. “Being in a relationship that doesn’t give you peace, that makes you not want to sleep at night, that makes you want to go through their phone and all of those things … that’s not God’s perfect plan for your life.”

Source : Christian Post

Pastor DeVon Franklin Defends Wife Meagan Good for Showing Breasts in Revealing Dress

-
0
Pastor DeVon Franklin Defends Wife Meagan Good for Showing Breasts in Revealing Dress

DeVon Franklin (Photo: Courtesy of Omg! Publicity)

Christian Post Report – DeVon Franklin and Meagan Good release their first book, “The Wait” on February 2, 2016.

Meagan Good was brought to tears when someone criticized her clothing choices at a church event, but the actress’ husband, DeVon Franklin, defended his wife’s honor.

On Valentine’s Day, the couple spoke at an event that took place at One Church Los Angeles
to promote their new book The Wait: A Powerful Practice for Finding the Love of Your Life and the Life You Love. During the event that was live streamed all over the world, one woman questioned the 34-year-old “Minority Report” actress about her clothing choices.

“This is not offensive, but I was at the grocery store and I looked at a newsstand and saw you, and you had your breasts showing. I wasn’t going to come here, but the Lord brought me here to see you,” the woman told Good. “You are a beautiful young woman and your testimony is awesome. The Lord let me come and push past the judgement, because you have to make sure what you say and what you do match up, you understand?”

When the woman concluded her statement by asking Good if she would “cover up,” her husband and the president of Franklin Entertainment stepped in.

“Wait a minute. No! That is not what we’re here for,” Franklin firmly told the woman. “She’s not gonna cover up, she is gonna wear what she wants to wear in the name of Jesus, amen. Amen?”

The exchange left Good emotional, and she was seen wiping tears from her face. Franklin, the 37-year-old preacher who co-authored The Wait with his wife made sure to express love with the woman while defending his wife’s Christian faith.

“God bless you, we love you. I love you dearly, but she has been a Christian as she is right now. She wore whatever she wanted to wear. So no, we ain’t doing that,” he said. “Y’all about to see another Devon that y’all ain’t never seen! Remember, I’m from Oakland now!”

While the audience was amused at Franklin’s response, Good decided to address the issue firsthand.

“I’d like to say one thing. I could’ve addressed what she said and it would take me a while to address it because I have very specific feelings about that,” she said. “But I just want to say to that young lady, however you feel, if that’s how you really feel, then pray for me. And God bless you.”

Good has not shied away from choosing clothing options with a plunging neckline or exposed skin and admitted to being upset with her critics from within the Church after receiving their negative responses. Last year the couple appeared as speakers at the Essence Festival empowerment panel where they spoke about overcoming harsh criticism from the Church.

“It kind of made me upset with the Church for a while. People don’t know what they do, but you have to love them regardless,” she said at Essence Festival. “But you have to own your truth.”

Although her husband is a preacher, he supported his wife and shared his perspective on the matter.

“So many people try to live by a label, but that’s not the box God put us in,” he said while serving on the panel with his wife. “Who we are is not defined by a box. When I live by your expectations of what I should do, then I limit who I am and then I become depressed because I can’t be my true self.”

During an interview with The Christian Post last month, the couple, who married in the summer of 2012, spoke about their views on dating, love, and keeping God at the center of it all. For the actress, honoring God by waiting to have sex before her wedding night helped her find a newfound confidence in her marriage.

“I’ve seen so many marriages around me deteriorate. The short term thought was a great one but the long term one was very scary to me,” Good revealed to CP. “I think the difference is with implementing The Wait, the foundation that we have is so solid that it makes me feel so much safer and gives me so much more confidence — not just in our marriage but in what God is doing in us and through us. He honors our marriage because we took the time to honor Him with our foundation.”

Source : Christian Post

Manny Pacquiao Defiant After Nike Firing: ‘I’m Happier That People Hear the Truth’ About Gay People

-
0
Manny Pacquiao Defiant After Nike Firing: ‘I’m Happier That People Hear the Truth’ About Gay People

Manny Pacquiao REUTERS/Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Post Report – Manny Pacquiao speaks during a press conference to announce his fight with Floyd Mayweather.

Former boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has said that he has no issues with sportswear giant Nike terminating his contract after his controversial comments about gay people, and insisted that it is more important for people “to hear the truth.”

“Whatever decision Nike makes is its decision and I respect that,” Pacquiao said, according to USA Today Sports. “Its sponsorship of me now only involves my clothes for my fight. Our contract had already ended aside from sponsoring the boxing.”

“I am not condemning the LGBT (community),” the Christian fighter and Filipino politician added. “What I am condemning is the act. I’m happier because I’m telling the truth … It’s worse if we will hide the truth.

“I’m happier that a lot of people were alarmed by the truth,” the eight-division world champion said.

Pacquiao’s comments that led to the controversy came from an interview he gave with Filipino station TV5, where he said:

“It’s common sense. Will you see any animals where male is to male and female is to female?

“The animals are better. They know how to distinguish male from female. If we approve [of] male on male, female on female, then man is worse than animals.”

Pacquiao later clarified in a number of social media postings that he did not mean to offend LGBT people, but was only talking about what he believes based on the Bible.

“I still stand on my belief that I’m against same-sex marriage because of what the Bible says, but I’m not condemning LGBT. I love you all with the love of the Lord,” he wrote on Facebook.

That did not stop Nike from terminating their professional relationship, however, and the sportswear giant called the boxer’s comments on gay people “abhorrent” in a statement.

“Nike strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting and standing up for the rights of the LGBT community,” the statement added.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, the chairman of Top Rank, also argued that the boxer made a mistake by not realizing the gravity of what he was saying.

“Look, there is a portion in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, against homosexuality. Modern thinking is that this is prohibition in an ancient time. Many people feel that way. Other people think differently,” Arum said.

He also tried to add context to Pacquiao’s words by noting that the former champion is a “politician first and a fighter second,” and that his views on gay marriage are directed more toward his home country, where the practice is not legal.

“So the statement that he made, as inarticulate as it was, was basically designed for home consumption. It was said in Tagalog (the Filipino language). He didn’t realize – or maybe he did realize and didn’t care – that the world is a small place and a statement made in the Philippines goes viral on the internet,” Arum added.

Source : Christian Post

Kirk Franklin Talks Kanye West’s Song, ‘Ultra Light Beams’

-
0
Kirk Franklin Talks Kanye West’s Song, ‘Ultra Light Beams’

Kirk Franklin and Kanye West (Photo: Instagram/Kirk Franklin)

Christian Post Report – Kirk Franklin and Kanye West pose after SNL performance, New York City, February 13, 2016.

Kirk Franklin surprised people by appearing on rapper Kanye West’s recent album The Life Of Pablo, but the gospel music star is revealing his purpose for appearing on the project.

Franklin, the 46-year-old gospel music artist, songwriter and producer, is featured praying on West’s song “Ultra Light Beams.” In an interview with Hip Hollywood, Franklin revealed how he got involved in the project.

“He asked me to be apart of this one song and it’s very clear what I represent. No profanity, or something that is outside of my faith or what I preach,” Franklin said. “I’m just here to walk out life with people, and whoever. I’m not a pastor to the stars, I ain’t trying to be all that, My job is to just win people to God.”

Franklin appeared on “Saturday Night Live” to perform the song with West, singers Kelly Price and the Dream. For the gospel artist, West is not beyond God’s grace.

“As a Christian I’m trying to be what God wants me to be to whoever, and nobody is beyond receiving Him,” he said. “Nobody’s unforgivable, or unredeemable.”

The musicians were first pictured in a studio when an image on Instagram surfaced on Jan. 29. Since then, 38-year-old West spoke highly of Franklin, 46, in interviews.

While some have questioned why Franklin would be spending so much time with a rapper who frequently engages in public rants, named his sixth album “Yeezus” and uses profane lyrics in his music, Franklin explained his perspective on the matter.

“Before one song was released, I was crucified because my brother asked me to take a picture. Again ‘no Kanye, you’re not good enough,'” Franklin said on Instagram. “No. That is a dangerous message I believe we send to the world when our posture is they have to meet certain requirements before they are worthy to kiss the ring. It says people are not redeemable, forgivable or candidates for grace.”

Franklin’s 12th studio album is called Losing My Religion and he believes shunning West would be acting out of a religious nature.

“I will not turn my back on my brother. I will love him, prayerfully grow with him,” he wrote. “However long he’ll have me, and however long the race takes. To a lot of my Christian family, I’m sorry he’s not good enough, Christian enough, or running at your pace…and as I read some of your comments, neither am I.”

Source : Christian Post

‘Risen’ Actor ‘Loves’ Telling Jesus’ Resurrection Through Doubter’s Eyes (Interview)

-
0
‘Risen’ Actor ‘Loves’ Telling Jesus’ Resurrection Through Doubter’s Eyes (Interview)

Joseph Fiennes (L) and Tom Felton as Roman soldiers Clavius and Lucius in a scene from Risen (YouTube/Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Christian Post Report – Joseph Fiennes (L) and Tom Felton as Roman soldiers Clavius and Lucius in a scene from “Risen.”

NEW YORK – Actor Joseph Fiennes of the movie “Risen,” releasing Friday, praises the telling of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the lens of the skeptic and affirms it’s the story of every man.

“I think the message is up to the individual and I think there’s huge takeaways. There is, if you’re a believer, a wonderful opportunity to be inspired in terms of continuing that conversation of faith and what that means to you. If you’re a non-believer, there are other takeaways such as the power of forgiveness and redemption and a second chance. Clavius gets a second chance in many ways,” Fiennes told The Christian Post.

“Risen” is the epic biblical story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Fiennes admittedly revealed that he’s on his own spiritual journey and it’s constantly changing. He says this film provides a safe platform for every man to look at the Gospel account through the eyes of a doubter.

“I love the component that he might be in every man for people to hang their own position of faith on him or look at that conversation through him. Here’s a man that gets to witness the resurrection first hand and then the next day he says to Peter when they’re on their journey in Galilee, ‘Maybe it was a trick? Does he have a twin brother?’ He can’t shut off this intellectual noise and I think that’s true of a lot of us and I think that noise, maybe there’s another word for it. Maybe it’s doubt and it’s something that we’re all subject to,” said the actor.

Fiennes plays Pontius Pilate’s tribune Clavius, a vicious official in ancient Rome that is put in charge of finding the body of Jesus and bringing all of his disciples to justice after the resurrection. Fiennes praised his character’s disbelief and confessed that was why he wanted to play the character.

“It’s a beautiful human condition – doubt. It’s to be loved and cherished and understood. Not to be scared of, I think,” he continued. Fiennes said he was also intrigued by the role because of director Kevin Reynolds. “He a director that I love and admire and is a veteran of cinema,” he gushed.

Another reason the Salisbury, Wiltshire, England native wanted to take the part was his respect for the account of Christ.

  • Risen
    (Photo: Sony Pictures)
    Film still for “Risen” (2016).
  • Risen
    (Photo: Sony Pictures)
    Film still for “Risen” (2016).
1/2

“The story of Christ was a story told to me when I was very young and it arrested me from an early age,” Fiennes admitted. “I love the idea that we get to visit this story but we don’t end at the cross. So many films end at the cross and the cross is fairly heavy place to end. I think it’s brave, and brilliant that a filmmaker and writer would say, ‘Well let’s get into the second equation because that’s the payoff and the big uplifting point, the final equation.’ So to end at the cross is sad and it’s great that we get to go beyond that to the resurrection.”

“Risen” is filled with graphic scenes of death and combat but the tribune Clavius does get confronted with the reality that Jesus has risen. He admitted that even after seeing with his own eyes the resurrection, it’s a reality that cannot be reconciled, which to Fiennes is the selling point for those who may never fully accept the biblical account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“If you’re a non-believer you get to enjoy this ride without it being a preachy Sunday school lesson,” he said. “A lot of [Christian] films do come across like that. They come across conservative, sunday school, low production value, cheesy and they’re inauthentic. There’s an authenticity here – it’s gritty, it’s hard, it’s gory and you really feel the texture of the time and place. I think that’s because of the high production value.”

“Risen” is certainly not laced with scripture since it’s written from the persepective of a Roman officer but there are particular scenes throughout the film in which the disciples share some of the original principles of Christ and Christianity. Perhaps to add some comedic relief when the disciple known as Bartholomew is interrogated, the very hippy, goofy-like character maintained that a follower of Jesus’ only weapon is “love.”

Furthermore as the film comes to a close and Jesus is about to ascend into heaven, he gives the charge found in Mark 16:15: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Fiennes praised the film’s handling of getting the balance between scripture and cinema right. “It’s not too revisionist and it’s not Sunday school, it’s great. It’s been a tough journey but I think we got there,” the actor concluded.

“Risen” hits theaters Feb. 19th. Directed by Reynolds and written by Reynolds and Paul Aiello, the film also stars Tom Felton, Peter Firth, and Cliff Curtis. For more information visit Risen-movie.com

[email protected]

Source : Christian Post

Paralyzed Christian Man Sentenced to Death to Save Wife From Being Tortured by Police

-
0
Paralyzed Christian Man Sentenced to Death to Save Wife From Being Tortured by Police

Pakistani Christians (Photo: Reuters/Mohsin Raza)

Christian Post Report – A member of the Pakistani Christian community holds a placard as he shouts slogans during a protest rally to condemn Sunday’s suicide attack in Peshawar on a church, with others in Lahore September 23, 2013. A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the 130-year-old Anglican church in Pakistan after Sunday mass, killing at least 78 people in the deadliest attack on Christians in the predominantly Muslim country.

A disabled Christian man sentenced to death in Pakistan has claimed that he was forced into admitting blasphemy charges in order to save his wife, who was being tortured by police.

“There is no man who can stand to see his wife being tortured by police, so to save my wife, I confessed,” Shafqat Emmanuel said in his appeal, according to Mail Online.

Emmanuel and his wife, Shagufta Kausar, were found guilty of blaspheming against the Muslim prophet Muhammad in text messages to their local imam in 2013, and sentenced to death.

The conviction came despite the Christian couple explaining that they are illiterate.

Farukh Saif, an official of World Vision in Progress, an organization defending the Christian couple, has tried to argue that the blasphemous text messages could not have been sent by his clients.

“There was no evidence that the text messages came from a phone owned by the couple. In the first place they had lost the phone some months before July 2013 and secondly there was no SIM card in their names. The only evidence police produced was a bill for a SIM card from a shop owner which is unheard of,” Saif said.

The husband, who is paralyzed from the waist down, is also now insisting that supposed confessions to the blasphemy crime should not hold up in court, since the couple were forced into making them by way of torture at the hands of police.

A number of persecution watchdog groups, including Open Doors and International Christian Concern, have pointed out that false accusations of blasphemy are common in Pakistan, as many people abuse the law for personal gain, or to settle domestic scores.

Christians have often found themselves the target of these blasphemy laws, and there have been a number of death-row cases that have made international news in recent times, including the death sentence for Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian mother of five.

Last week, Emmanuel filed an appeal at Lahore High Court to ask for bail in account of his deteriorating health.

“I have developed bedsores and I may die in jail as there is no possibility of a better treatment there,” the disabled man revealed.

“There are serious contradictions in witness accounts against me and my wife and we are hopeful of an acquittal on our appeal,” he added.

Source : Christian Post

1...3,2743,2753,276...3,893Page 3,275 of 3,893