Lightside

You said:

"As VP said, the people start the action, and God supplies the "utterance" the complete words and their meaning. It's a joint effort requiring both human and divine participation."

In every miracle Jesus and the Acts believers did, there was an action taken, either by the healer or the healee.

When the man attempted to stretch forth his hand, God supplied the energy to do it.

When the women attempted to touch Jesus's clothes, God released virtue (power) from Jesus to heal her.

I believe that the manifestations work the same way. And not just SIT, but all nine.

When jesus said: "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water"

Vp uses this verse to help us understand speaking in tongues, but this principle is also explaining all the operations of the Holy Spirit.

It is a flowing out, a release, taking an action that releases the spiritual evidence.

John also says: "But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified."

This also fits with VP's teaching on Pletho, filled to overflowing (emphasis on speaking in tongues), but Acts uses the word to describe the outflowing of word of knowledge and word of Wisdom. Acts 4:8

This is just my opinion, but if a manifestation of the Holy Spirit is Word of Knowledge, than we have the Holy Spirit of revelation. If a manifestation of the HS is word of Wisdom, than we have a HS of Wisdom. If a manifestation of HS is Faith, We have the HS of Faith. Continue right thru all nine.

These evidences flow out of us as we act.

This is, I believe, why other preachers say to release your faith, the faith of God in Christ which is a spiritual quality of the HS in us.

Then that verse, "building up your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost (HS) make sense, because our operation of Holy Spirit is also a overflowing and a release, which also requires a building up or a refueling, or a recharging, so to speak.

We can even take VP's teaching on Receive, retain, and release a step futher (beyond just the three r's of speaking the word) to the 3 R's of operating Holy Spirit.

A Quote from RTHST:

"There is potential power in the water of Niagara Falls, but it is unbridled power unless the great dynamos convert it into usable energy. If we use our God-given spiritual abilities, we shall then be effective witnesses of His power from above, "AS HIS ABILITY IS RELEASED BY US".

imho, VP was on to something, but his greatest desire was to manifest SIT, thus he didn't completely put the whole picture together concerning the Holy Spirit and its inflow and outflow. In my opinion, his longsuit or greatest contribution was an understanding of Speaking in tongues, not all nine.

[This message was edited by Lightside on January 08, 2004 at 10:57.]

Hi Plots,

The point I was trying to convey to you (reading so many of Roberts books confirmed this for me) was that this man prayed for the sick, cast out devils and saw mighty miracles and he had never spoken in tongues, or realized any power in its use.

Then when he had a need to grow in faith to fulfill what he believed to be Gods plan to have a college built, he ultilized this manifestation to grow in an understanding of how to see it come to pass.

It seems that Roberts faith in God, believing God, taking action and releasing our faith were key factors in him producing so many feats for God.

Plots,

You said: "I seem to still want to...

but it is no longer any conscious part of my faith life...

it's kind of a habit.

I occasionally offer it up the Lord.

But would much rather pray with my understanding..."

I just got thru reading 25 books written by Oral Roberts and here are some interesting facts about his life and ministry of healing.

He started his healing crusades in 1947 and than on TV thru the 50's.

During the first half or starting point of his healing ministry he ministered to multiple thousands of people, with signs, miracles and wonders, some instantly, some taking time; but all were witnessed by thousands and by many ministers, possibly even by VP himself. (Remember the Tulsa, OK meeting, where vp spoke in tongues. Oral was there too)

In that first half of Oral's ministry, he had not outwardly spoken in tongues. He says that in 1935, when he got born again, he felt these foreign words forming, but never spoke in tongues outloud and didn't manifest SIT until years after the start of his ministry.

He ministered healing to so many and never spoke in tongues or practiced speaking in tongues.

He states and implies that because of his great healing he received in 1935, on his deathbed, healed of TB and a speaking disability; and later the glorious message from God, calling him to a ministry of healing, that praying for the sick was easy for him. He had faith to do these things and it was very easy for him to believe that God would heal, if he prayed.

In 1935, when God healed him and called him to bring healing to his generation, God also told him that he would build a college, blending faith, prayer and the healing arts.

Oral said he had absolutely no faith to build a college, but tons of faith to heal the sick.

In the mid 60's God impressed on him to start the college. Oral didn't have a clue how to do it or even how to start. This is when Oral says that he was led into Speaking in tongues; and via SIT, God was able to build his faith and direct him to seeing this project accomplished.

Maybe now I understand more of how or one way of building our faith is via speaking in tongues.

Lord knows that there are things of faith that you, plots can believe for that do not need this tool.

Lord knows, with my weak faith and lack of action, S.I.T. can benifit me.

The comforter, the Holy Spirit is given to us, with various evidences to do a wonderful thing, while on this earth, and that is to help us become more Christlike and help us accomplish

Gods purposes

Oh my God, if we only knew what power we have!!!!

Last July, my sister was in Jane Brown hospital, R.I starting her chemo. She had AML, things did not look good.

I went to R.I. to visit her and in the conversation, we agreed on a couple of things. First, that she would see her only daughter get married. Second that she would see ALL her grandchildren. Third that God is good, He loves us; and He can do anything, all things are possible with God. Fourth, that God wants to heal her.

Than I made a bold statement. I said that Jesus said that if two agree concerning any matter, when they pray, God will do it for them.

I then told my sister that I would pray for her all night; and God will heal her and show her that she was in His hands.

Let me tell you, I was determined to see God do his part; and man, my part was so simple.

Just pray, it's like childs play.....

So I prayed in the spirit, making intercession for my sister, from 10:00pm that night until 6:30am that morning. I mean nonstop, total renewed mind, stayed mind. Man, this was life or death. If there ever was a time to get clear and concerned about life, it was now.

That morning, I drove back to the hospital to see my sister. What I saw next was enlightening. My sister was full of a joy and peace that I had never seen in her before. I asked what happened?

She said that she felt the glory of God all around her and God spoke to her and told her that she was made whole and to be patient, that she was in His hands. Don't worry anymore.

I said via the spirit: "Leslie, your faith hath made you whole".

The next day the tests came back: no cancer in the blood. The next day the bone marrow test came back: no cancer in the marrow.

When my sister was made whole, it was a complete healing, body, soul and spirit.

Not only was she healed of the dis-ease, but her mind and heart were healed. She was a changed person, full of joy and peace, willing to pray, willing to learn more of this Jesus, unafraid of life, ready to walk with God and with big plans for the future.

It was a complete healing, in every way.

What did this experience do for me. It strengthened and verified to me that we have something very special with this gift of Holy Spirit and the power of Speaking in tongues.

Please don't take this like it is ego or a headtrip, but it was a very humbling experience, that showed me that God really wants us be like Jesus, act like him, have compassion like him and heal others, like he did.

When I got back to my home town, I went to church and one man with a bad back, that I did not know about, came up to me and hugged me. About a hour later, he came back up to me and said: "You know, when I hugged you, my back was healed that very instant."

What am I trying to say? God gave us this powerful prayer life ability, via Speaking in tongues, so we could be like our saviour. Read it for yourself in the gospels, how many times Jesus just touched a person or they just touched him and they were healed.

From what I understand, Jesus didn't have the Adam nature, we do and at times it stinks.

God gave us this wonderful gift of Holy Spirit with an ability, via speaking in tongues, to burn up the chaff in our lives, fill us to overflowing with Holy Spirit, so we too, man or woman, can walk like Him, in His love, His compassion, and His power. Man, its Christ in you, the hope of glory.

I pray that God shows you too what great power he has given you, via the Holy Spirit. Please examine and read how Jesus healed the sick. He only was the master and perfector of walking in the Holy Spirit. Follow his ways, it's right there in the Word. God gave us what Jesus had, Holy Spirit so we too can heal the sick and give glory to God, our father.

Do I recommend Speaking in tongues??

A resounding YES!!!

[This message was edited by Lightside on January 05, 2004 at 20:50.]

Concerning your input on the VPW confession.

Oh God, he died full of pride and blind.

Out of your belly shall flow...................

RIVERS OF LIVING WATER........

Yep, heard it with my own earballs.......

It was a sunday teaching tape.......

When VPW said it, I had absolutely, possitively, exactly NO CLUE what we was talking about or meant.

He explained nothing of what he meant or what he was sorry about.

On a sunday tape, which I received from headquarters, while in Columbus, Ohio, VP

said that he had committed sins, had been out of fellowship with God and that he was sorry for what he had done.

I remember immediately thinking: Maybe because he couldn't believe God for a instant miracle????

What sin did he committ???

Absolutely noone in Columbus mentioned or talked about his statements on that tape.

Anybody here remember that tape; and the context of his confession of BROKEN FELLOWSHIP?????

I think the time frame was after his eye surgury.

IMHO, only the team, the cast of characters, the booty hunters knew what he was talking about.

Lets find that tape.......

I stil have abunch of them....I'll take a look and see what I can find.

Does anybody know Wendy's maiden name, or prior married name?

PT me if possible, thanks

Just hoping this Wendy was not my WOW sister!!

Did a 6th corps girl, named Wendy write a book about her dealings with VP?

Thanks,

Yes, Oakspear, no blast in the blood, no blast in the bone marrow.

After the second chemo and test, the doctors came into her room with total shock, she was completely clean. They couldn't stop saying God bless you.

Then, the FDA doctors came in to interview her.

(was a Phase III clinical trial)

They were real blessed. All the doctors were concerned because, in the beginning, her health was so bad, they were afraid this very strong chemo would hurt her; but she handled it like a true champ.

Presently:

She was on schedule for a stem cell transplant and the doctors were real concerned about the eighth month, a time when the immature cells can come back (Feb, 2004)

Now they have pretty much cancelled the stem cell transplant and told her not to worry about Feb

July 03 I get the phone call.

My sister has AML, leukemia of the worst kind

Death can be sudden

She is hesterical, blaming God and the world

After one hour on the phone, explaining God's love

She has the peace to start Chemo.

She kept saying that I was her strength.....

Tried to understand this.......

Visited her in R.I., Showed her God's love, His goodness, His desire to heal her, Jesus's words on agreement and prayer.

She wanted to know if this could happen....a healing from God......

Told her that God would reveal his love to her, as proof.

That Night, God visited my sister and made her whole (in body, soul and spirit)

Then I realized that God let her walk on my feet, let me be her strength, honored my faith, until she could walk on her own.

Outcome: There is no cancer in her body.

She has a tremendous desire to know God's Word. She prays for everybody she meets (many sick children from the hospital). She has great peace and great joy. She is thankful.

Her faith has made her whole........

She has plans for the rest of her life.....

Yes, we can transmit our faith to others.

We can be their rock, their peace, their joy, their strength, their example, until they can walk that wonderful path of loving God on their own.

A little love and compassion will ignite a miracle

EX10 said:

" And then, couple that fact with the "absent Christ doctrine," and the emphasis, not on Jesus Christ as our example, and the character of Christ being formed in each Christian believer, but on "men of God" (with all their shortcomings and tragic flaws) in the bible,"

Makes me think of Hebrews 12:3

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith........"

Bullinger has a footnote, that you know VP saw (He worshipped the guy) but discarded.

The footnote says: "Looking=Looking away from (these witnesses)

Oh, remember the great way ministry "believers hall of fame"......Hebrews 11?

Yeah, we were taught to learn of them, master their believing, and seek their wisdom.

Oh yeah, don't forget to use JC at the end of your prayer.

Bullinger said and taught that although the believers of Hebrews were great witnesses, we should LOOK AWAY FROM THEM UNTO jESUS-the very master,leader,beginner,pioneer and ruler AND Perfector of FAITH. (I believe that Hebrews was written to Christian Jews and contains reproof and correction to get them to shed their religion and SEE JESUS)

VP pampered our egos with the church epistles but refused to tell us exactly where to go to see how the master of faith did it and then imitate HIM.

It's sad to say, but for years, when a issue came up, I would say, "Now Dr. Wierwille said", instead of "Now Jesus Said"

We were lead to imitate men, not the perfect man.

But we were sheep..............

The morning after the end of the ROA,(early 90's) with the WOW's packing to leave for their destinations.

We are on Headquarters grounds. I'm with my sons 20 year old wife helping her pack the car to leave for a southern state, as WOW's. As we are walking to their car, Howard Allen walks up to us with the initial appearance of being happy; and states to my daughter in law that she sure married a tall lanky guy (meaning me). (We just chuckled, in amasement) Now my daughter in laws parents had worked for the way for 26 years. She also worked, part-time for the way. Howard also knew my son.

After the initial statements, he began to insult me (thinking I was her husband). It reminded me of the teenage years when a rival boy, who didn't get the girl, just had to lash out and childishly condemn to prove their manhood.

As I looked at Howard, I saw that he was wobbleing around and trying to keep his balance.

That Sonofabitch was stonecold DRUNK,at 10am in the morning, on the very day he was to send off the WOW's.

Thomas Heller,

What you have explained, is what Oral Roberts wrote about. In his early books, (1948-65) Oral teaches about putting on the mind of Christ, act like him, talk like him, think like him.

Oral developed an attitude of expecting miracles and showing God's goodness because that is what Christ did, everyday.

I have dug up a gold mine of gems from OR's early works. He ministered healing to over 1 million people. He saw 2oth Century fox miracles, Instant miracles, healing that took place a week, two weeks after ministering, and he also saw people not get healed, even not get healed and die.

OR had to cope with this emotionally and honestly and his conclusions are very similar to yours.

No matter what happens, God is a good God!!!!

Thank you,

A subject not discussed, but VP glemmed many truths from OR

Didn't VP travel to Tulsa, Ok and because of a snowstorm, he stayed another day; and heard the young up and rising pentecostal preacher and healer, Oral Roberts teach da word, just prior to VP meeting Stiles and being led into tongues.

Something like that in "The Way living in Love"

In just my opinion, anything OR taught and preached before his duty to build a college was just great stuff and very healing. Once he built his college, money was added as another way to receive your healing.

Or got the revelation to build a college in 1935 at the age of 17; but the believing action didn't start until maybe the mid-sixties or so.

His early years of preaching and healing were a living testament of Oral Roberts believing to know Jesus Christ and the Power of his ressurection. He was a man of miracles.

Why?

VP and Oral Roberts were both comtemporaries.

Or started in 1947

VP in 1953

Both taught and wrote books about the Abundant Life.

Both taught that God was Good.

Both taught that God DOESN't send sickness

Both taught that Believing was action

Both taught that God has dealt to every believer the measure of Faith

Both taught I John 2 God wants us in good health

Both were very interested in seeing Jesus Christ as a man, a human, but came to different conclusions.

Both taught that the individual believer can be healed and heal others

Both ministered healing to people (OR-one million people, docuemented. VP-well, not a million)

Both built a college (one was successful)

Both, at one time, had the largest tent in the world to preach (OR his crusades Vp his ROA)

Both went in different directions, (or a evanglisit and healer, VP, the teaching route)

One was very successful, the other, a spurt of glory.

I have been studying OR's books from 1947 to about 1966, just prior to him getting on the college bandwagon.

IMHO, If we had taken PFAL (foundational only) and then jumped ships to OR's ministry, by now, we all would have been more Christ like and healing God's people would be, to us, as easy as breathing. IMHO, because OR was so miraclously healed when he was on his deathbed, he seemed to understand sickness, disease and the human spirit. He had a inept ability to share his miracle and help people believe and take the action needed to see, and I mean SEE the glory of God.

[This message was edited by Lightside on December 26, 2003 at 17:41.]

"We all need healing in a lot of ways all the time."

Great point Thomas.

This was something that Oral Roberts mentioned over and over again in his great crusades of the 40's, 50's and 60's. This, he said was what kept him in the spirit of expecting miracles everyday, and that God could do anything, nothing was impossible with God, even creating a new heart or new bones was possible.

Oral saw from the Word that the earth was out of balance. the animals and humans were out of balance, since the fall of man. Even the earth, to this day, is groaning. And mankind, even at his best, is alittle out of kilter.

This is also what Jesus saw. This is why 23's of Jesus Christ's time on this earth was spent healing the sick.

Jesus Christs goal was to put things back in it's right order and balance; and let his believers and friends know that they too could, in the future, carry that gift of healing to their generation, until the day when God made everything perfect again.

As the gospels show, Jesus manifested miracles in many different forms of ministering.

he spoke to the mountain, sickness, he commanded the spirits to leave, touched a person and the spirits left, he laid on hands and prayed, he touched someone and they were healed, someone touched him and they were healed, he told someone to take an action (stretch forth your hand), go wash in the pool, he layed on hands, prayed and the complete healing didn't take place, so he laid on hands again, prayed and got results,he told people they were forgiven and they got healed,he told people if two or more agreed on any matter and asked the father, God would perform it.

Jesus didn't use just one method to perform miracles. But what he loved to see to make the connection was faith, childlike faith, and some form of action, be it words,physical movement or thoughts.

From what I can see, many of the healing ministries have a certain method, technique, way to minister healing; and what works for them at any given time is their method of operation.

It seems that B.G. Leneord was good at seeing mental pictures and using the authority of the name of Jesus Christ to manifest healings.

VPW and his brother, in the early years, used talk to the tree methods and later the laying on of hands for revelation.

Oral Roberts used his hands as a contact point in his early years with more prayer than heavy revy on the exact info of the sickness (demon problems, he asked God for the name of the spirits and what to do to get them out)

But later on in Oral's life he changed and seemed to get more results with the "If two shall agree, pray to the father, the father will do it" technique combined with laying on of hands with prayer.

Oral Roberts completely understood and taught people that there has to be some form of action to pletho (release their measure of faith) and than God performed the miracle.

In my opinion, the way would see other forms of ministering by other ministries and because the way didn't have as much interest in the gospels, which showed the different ways Jesus ministered healing, the way comdemned the very methods that Jesus used.

When we relax alittle on the epistles; and get back to the gospels (a bit) we can see how the perfect man performed miracles; and it will become easier for us to expect and see miracles in our own lives. In my opinion, we (members of the way) had tremendous knowledge of what we had (in Christ). We knew we had Christ in us, but we didn't know how to act like him, immitate him, be like him, until we SAW him in the Gospels.

The way never taught this:

Speak in tongues right now

Take action, you move your mouth, your tongue,

and God gives you the words, a language you do not know.

George aar: That is a miracle, a miracle in front you you, instantly.

We are just too stupeeeeeed to SEE IT.

Driving from Newport, R.I., over the Newport bridge towards a small island (Island town of Jamestown) in the middle of Narragansett bay, that connects to the south side of the bay I ran into stopped traffic 1.5 miles before the bridge that took you to Narragansett, the south side of the bay.

I got a feeling that something was wrong and got tired of sitting in stopped traffic. A still voice said: "Get in the opposite lane and drive the 1.5 miles to the bridge". Feeling a little funny, I just did it. As I drove by the massive line of cars, people yelled and hollered at me, but I continued on to the front of the line and parked my car. There was a police officer there who had blocked the entrance to the bridge; and I could see that at the other end of the bridge was blocked from traffic also.

The R.I. cop asked me what the hell I was up to and I just said: "I'm a pastor, can I be of some help"? He said: "There is a guy that climbed up on the bridge and is trying to commit suicide. He has climbed up about 15 feet higher that the road pavement and is threatenig to jump."

For some reason, the cop let me stay where I was and I walked about 20 toward the bride, away from anybody that could hear me. I just looked at the spot where the guy was, about 300 ft. away and commanded, in the name of Jesus Christ that the mans mind be still and that he immediately climb down the bridge structure and give himself up. I just spoke it outloud and at the very second I said "in the name of Jesus Christ", a loud voice on the police radio of the cop, inback of me, hollered: "He's coming down".

The police officer heard the news and in about 1 minute, after they had got the man into an ambulance and drove off, he unblocked the bridge; and I now became the first in line to drive over the bridge to go home.

I heard later that people in that line (of cars, on both sides of the bridge) had been waiting up to two hours for this incident to come to a conclusion

The power of God or just nice timing.......?

YBYA it was a miracle.

[This message was edited by Lightside on December 21, 2003 at 17:33.]

The time frame was prior to Criss Geer giving the Ok for LCM to fire key personell.

Two of the writers were Bo R. and John Ly*N

I forgot the other two writers but somebody knows.

The 16 page letter was given to me and I passed it on to extwi of Waydale. He never posted it on Waydale (Paul's court date was approaching)

It is a tell-it-like-it-is letter, very kind and loving but confronting.

I'll check to see if I have a copy. I thought I sent the only copy I had to extwi.

The greatest reverse mark & avoid was when four way corps grads confronted the BOT on their sins of adultery. The BOT was given time to change their ways and adjust to a Godly lifestyle.

After the aloted time, the BOT was not making the neccesary changes; and these four top leadership way corps wrote them a followup letter and in essence, told the BOT that they were Mark & Avoided.

This letter (16 pages) was, at one time in the hands of extwi, and maybe some more exway corps are in possession of this letter. I don't know if Pawtucket has it; but it set the record straight and put the BOT on notice: Shape up or we will not longer accept you as leadership.

Is there a extwi corps grad named Wendy Fasting or wendy cook that wrote a book about VP and her?

So, you knew R*ch Ur*hart?

Did you know that he is back in Alaska. Sharon is there too, from what I've heard.

R*ch lived in Columbus for about three years. (1994-98)

Very interesting letter written by Dr. Dobson's daughter about the new movie of the last 12 hours

of Jesus Christs earthly life.

This letter was written by the daughter of James Dobson. It was written after a private screening she and her father had of "The Passion", Mel Gibson's movie about Christ's final hours.

Dear Friends:

A couple months ago, I had the unique privilege of accompanying my family to Mel Gibson's studio to see a private screening of his film, The Passion. Many of you have probably heard about this portrayal of the last 12 hours in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. I can say that The Passion is the most beautiful, profound, accurate, disturbing, realistic, and bloody depiction of this story that I have ever seen! It is truly amazing, and it left all of us speechless for a few minutes when it was over.

Mr.. Gibson entered the room during the last ten minutes of the screening, and stayed for an hour to discuss the content and to answer questions. He's hoping that my dad and Focus on the Family will help promote it, and my dad has (without question!) agreed to do so.

Mr.. Gibson expressed a concern about his position in the entertainment industry, and said that this film will affect his status from here on. When asked why he made the movie, he said that he had no choice in the matter--he felt called to the assignment, and he was determined to carry it out. Questions had been raised as to whether he can find a distributor. Asked about it at the screening, Mr.. Gibson said confidently, "Oh, I'll find a distributor!"

The Passion should not be labeled a religious film, or something to be shown only in churches. Compared with examples of recent Christian films, like Left Behind, The Passion is a work of high art and great storytelling. The rough cut I saw contained graphic scenes, including the seemingly endless scourging of Jesus. The crucifixion scene is long, bloody and painful to watch. It's very disturbing, but it's also moving at the same time. While I was taking all of this in, I was thinking, "Christ did this for ME, and he would have gone through it if I was the only one in all the world, and the same goes for each person who has ever lived!"

To those in the Jewish community who worry that the film, which is scheduled for release next Easter season ('04), might contain anti-Semitic elements, or encourage people to persecute Jews, fear not. The film does not indict Jews for the death of Jesus. It is faithful to the New testament account. Also, Mr.. Gibson, a devout Roman Catholic, does not elevate Mary beyond what Scripture says of her, which will broaden the film's appeal to Protestants.

The dialogue is in Aramaic and Latin. English subtitles are provided, and they are very helpful in following the story line. A decision about using them in the final version has not been made. My family and I tried to persuade Mr.. Gibson to leave the subtitles in, and my dad pointed out that those who are unbelievers (or those who are weak in their understanding) will have no idea of what's going on in the flashback scenes of Jesus' life without subtitles.

In The Passion, few liberties are taken with the Gospel account, and the extra dialogue added helps round out the characters without damaging historical or Biblical accuracy.

Satan is cleverly played as an asexual being who at first seems to be an observer in the Garden of Gethsemane (and other scenes), but then becomes a snake slithering between the character's feet and attempting to wrap itself around the arm of the prostrate and praying Jesus.

The film is an intense two hours. It uses unknown actors, which keeps the focus on the message. By the end of the film (a unique portrayal of the Resurrection), the viewer is exhausted!

Thirteen years ago, actor Mickey Rooney wrote an editorial for Variety in which he said, "The onscreen depiction of religion is less than flattering, and, as a Christian, I pray the era of denigrating religion on screen comes to a screeching halt. And soon."

His prayer has been answered in The Passion. It is a soul-stirring film that deserves wide distribution and viewing.

Its message is not just for Christians, but for everyone. I hope you all will support Mel Gibson's bold and courageous effort to portray the sacrifice that our Lord made for us. Pass this email on, if you feel led, and be sure to see The Passion when it comes out. Yes, it is a disturbing film, but every person should see this realistic depiction of what Christ did for them!

Blessings to you,

Danae Dobson

More about the movie from Paul Harvey

The majority of the media are complaining about this movie. Now Paul

Harvey tells "The Rest of the Story" and David Limbaugh praises

Gibson.

Most people would wait and see a movie before giving the reviews that

have been issued by the reporters trying to tell all of us what to believe.

Paul Harvey's words:

I really did not know what to expect. I was thrilled to have been

invited to a private viewing of Mel Gibson's film "The Passion," but

I had also read all the cautious articles and spin. I grew up in a

Jewish town and owe much of my own faith journey to the influence. I

have a life long, deeply held aversion to anything that might even

indirectly encourage any form of anti-Semitic thought, language or

actions.

I arrived at the private viewing for "The Passion", held in

Washington DC and greeted some familiar faces. The environment was

typically Washingtonian, with people greeting you with a smile but

seeming to look beyond you, having an agenda beyond the words. The

film was very briefly introduced, without fanfare, and then the room

darkened.

From the gripping opening scene in the Garden of

Gethsemane, to the very human and tender portrayal of the earthly

ministry of Jesus, through the betrayal, the arrest, the scourging,

the way of the cross, the encounter with the thieves, the surrender

on the Cross, until the final scene in the empty tomb, this was not

simply a movie; it was an encounter, unlike anything I have ever

experienced.

In addition to being a masterpiece of film-making and an artistic

triumph, "The Passion" evoked more deep reflection, sorrow and

emotional reaction within me than anything since my wedding, my

ordination or the birth of my children. Frankly, I will never be the

same When the film concluded, this "invitation only" gathering of

"movers and shakers" in Washington, DC were shaking indeed, but

this time from sobbing. I am not sure there was a dry eye in the

place. The crowd that had been glad-handing before the film was now

eerily silent. No one could speak because words were woefully

inadequate. We had experienced a kind of art that is a rarity in

life, the kind that makes heaven touch earth.

One scene in the film has now been forever etched in my mind. A

brutalized, wounded Jesus was soon to fall again under the weight of

the cross. His mother had made her way along the Via Della Rosa. As

she ran to him, she flashed back to a memory of Jesus as a child,

falling in the dirt road outside of their home. Just as she reached

to protect him from the fall, she was now reaching to touch his

wounded adult face. Jesus looked at her with intensely probing and

passionately loving eyes (and at all of us through the screen) and

said "Behold I make all things new." These are words taken from the

last Book of the New Testament, the Book of the Revelation. Suddenly,

the purpose of the pain was so clear and the wounds, that earlier in

the film had been so difficult to see in His face, His back, indeed

all over His body, became intensely beautiful. They had been borne

voluntarily for love.

At the end of the film, after we had all had a chance to recover, a

question and answer period ensued. The unanimous praise for the film,

from a rather diverse crowd, was as astounding as the compliments

were effusive. The questions included the one question that seems to

follow this film, even though it has not yet even been released. "Why

is this film considered by some to be "anti-Semitic?" Frankly, having

now experienced (you do not "view" this film) "the Passion" it is a

question that is impossible to answer. A law professor whom I admire

sat in front of me. He raised his hand and responded "After watching

this film, I do not understand how anyone can insinuate that it even

remotely presents that the Jews killed Jesus. It doesn't." He

continued "It made me realize that my sins killed Jesus". I agree.

There is not a scintilla of anti-Semitism to be found anywhere in

this powerful film. If there were, I would be among the first to

decry it. It faithfully tells the Gospel story in a dramatically

beautiful, sensitive and profoundly engaging way.

Those who are alleging otherwise have either not seen the film or

have another agenda behind their protestations. This is not a

"Christian" film, in the sense that it will appeal only to those who

identify themselves as followers of Jesus Christ. It is a deeply

human, beautiful story that will deeply touch all men and women. It

is a profound work of art. Yes, its producer is a Catholic Christian

and thankfully has remained faithful to the Gospel text; if that is

no longer acceptable behavior than we are all in trouble History

demands that we remain faithful to the story and Christians have a

right to tell it. After all, we believe that it is the greatest story

ever told and that its message is for all men and women. The greatest

right is the right to hear the truth.

We would all be well advised to remember that the Gospel narratives

to which "The Passion" is so faithful were written by Jewish men who

followed a Jewish Rabbi whose life and teaching have forever changed

the history of the world. The problem is not the message but those

who have distorted it and used it for hate rather than love. The

solution is not to censor the message, but rather to promote the kind

of gift of love that is Mel Gibson's filmmaking masterpiece, "The

Passion."

It should be seen by as many people as possible. I intend to do

everything I can to make sure that is the case. I am passionate about

"The Passion." You will be as well. Don't miss it!

-- Paul Harvey

[This message was edited by Lightside on January 22, 2004 at 13:51.]