My Thoughts on 'Soul Surfer' the Movie

This post is to share my thoughts on the movie 'Soul Surfer', not my thoughts on the book or a cinematic review of the film, just what I took away from watching it really.

I had already read Bethany Hamilton's book, so I knew what to expect from the film. As a quick summary for those unaware of the story, it's a film (adapted from her autobiography) about the life Bethany Hamilton, a 21 year old pro surfer from Hawaii. When she was 13, Bethany was attacked by a tiger shark whilst she was surfing in Hawaii with her best friend. Bethany made a full recovery but had big decisions to make. Where did this leave her surfing career? Why did this happen to her? How would her life go on with one arm?

What drew me to read her book and watch the film was that Bethany is a Christian. What I was interested in is how a Christian comes to terms with such a devastating life event?

So here's what I took away from watching the film, from a religious perspective:

• I was impressed with how Bethany's Christian life was portrayed and since the Hamilton family checked over the script and were on set during production, I would imagine this portrayal was very true to life. Bethany put God first. When it was time for church on Sunday, she would be in church - not surfing. Something I think defines a Christian. If you can't put God before your favourite sport and instead you work God around your favourite activity, you're not really allowing him to be in the driving seat of your life
• Bethany brought God into every aspect of her life. Her family were seen giving grace before meals and Bethany said she would keep her father in her thoughts and pray for him as he prepared for knee surgery
• Bethany attended youth group at her church, so she was able to study God's Word as well enjoy surfing. She was able to unite the two, rather than make a decision of one or the other
• When she turned down the opportunity for a missions trip in order to receive surfing sponsorship, Bethany felt guilty and sought advice from her mother and youth leader. Showing she didn't really want to put her own interests before God's call
• Bethany did go on a different missions trip with her youth group and found it very rewarding. She also made a big difference in the lives of those she helped
• When the attack happened, Bethany didn't scream or cry, instead she prayed. "Please help me Jesus", her thoughts were immediately to God, but not in anger
• On the way to the hospital, Bethany's mother also prayed. "Please Lord don't take her"
• Whilst waiting for Bethany to wake up, her father sat by her bedside reading the Bible
• The Hamilton family never became angry at God, or blamed him for what happened. Bethany herself thinks the attack strengthened her faith
• When Bethany felt like her life was over, she couldn't adjust to life with one arm and her surfing career was over, her father reminded her that she hadn't lost everything - she was still alive as her and her family had prayed for
• Bethany remembered Philippians 4:13, 'for I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength' during her recovery
• Bethany's youth pastor quoted Jeremiah 29:11, '"for I know the plans I have for you" says the Lord. "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future"
• Bethany did deal with big theological questions however, asking her youth pastor "how can this be God's plan for me?" to which she replied "I don't know why bad things happen. But I have to believe that something good will come from this". It did, as Bethany said if she could change what happened she wouldn't, because now she can reach so many people through her story

Overall I thought this movie was a huge inspiration to Christians. It shows how you can do what you love in life, without having to push your faith to the sidelines or abandon your faith altogether. Bethany is a great testament to how God can bring good out of bad and how even Christians, as written in the Bible, will receive personal struggles, but God is always in control.

Thought of the Day: Keeping Your Focus on God

This is a little bit of a 2-in-1 post. I'm going to write about keeping your focus on God in your day to day life, but also about choosing hobbies and activities that please God. So here goes.

My university's Athletic Union (AU) announced today details on the annual Sports Fair. It reminded me of how much I want to dance regularly. Last year, I wanted to join the dance team in the AU, but one of my lecturers chose not to follow the 'Free Wednesday Afternoons from Classes' policy and I had class during and after dance meets. I saw cheerleading being promoted and thought, 'that seems cool, they add dance with some cheer, I'll do that instead. I can make the training sessions'. So I paid my membership and joined the cheerleading squad.

This is the part where choosing hobbies that please God comes into it. Everyone knows the stereotype of the cheerleader: hot, popular, slutty, fun-loving, you know how it is. I ignored that when I joined. Well, turns out that stereotype was half right in my squad. I spoke to many girls who'd been in the squad for over a year, who loved to tell me about all the nights they got smashed (with the squad), the number of times they woke up naked next to a guy whose name they couldn't remember and warned me that ANYTHING that happened between me and one of the footballers we cheered for, would spread like wild fire between the football team and the squad. That wasn't a great start to the social side.

When I went out on a social with the cheerleaders (it was kinda mandatory after our first dance performance was in a bar) I got quite a shock. Firstly, I was the only one showing no interest in getting hammered. Secondly, it was a mixed social with the football team, who seemed to think (since I was a cheerleader) it wouldn't take much for me to end up going home with them and that I also didn't mind if they tried to touch me. Well I wasn't 'game' for either. I was also one of about 3 cheerleaders who were wearing dressings that did cover out hineys. Even our coach for body conditioning was drunk, stumbling around, falling all over the place, shouting swear words. Great example! That was the first and last cheer social I attended.

People assumed that because I was a cheerleader, I was an easy, retarded, gossipy, slut who enjoyed getting drunk and sleeping around. Well I wasn't, I'm not and I won't be. People wouldn't talk to me as much because I wouldn't go on the socials (for the above reasons). At that point I thought "why am I doing this?" Cheer was very serious business, you had to attend 8 hours training a week (2 gym, 2 dance, 2 cheer and 2 stunt) plus attend games more or less every Sunday. Which involved catching a bus circa 8am, being in the freezing cold for the game for 4 hours (warm up, entertaining the crowd and cheering for the team) and not getting home again until circa 10pm every time.

More effort and more of my time was going into cheerleading than to God and for what? To be considered stupid and promiscuous? To be shunned because I wouldn't do what they did. Even some of my flatmates would ask "if you're a Christian, why are you cheerleading? Is that allowed?"

1 Peter 2:12 - Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Ephesians 5:8 - For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light.

If you can cheer without all this negativity, I guess you could do it, but for me personally I felt like it was seriously interfering with my faith. I didn't have enough time for God and I couldn't stand the reputation I was bringing upon myself, even when I knew and so did my friends that it was wrong. After 3 months in the squad, I quit.

Moving more onto keeping your focus on God, by all means have a hobby, an activity that you enjoy. But don't let it consume you. Some girls on the squad would live and breathe cheerleading. If they weren't at a game all day, in class or in their 8 hours training, they were watching football games, practicing even more in their free time, or going to games. Their lives revolved around it and they had no outside interests or any other hobbies. They're focus and happiness came entirely from cheerleading. Our worth and focus should not be completely invested in a hobby, especially one that isn't viewed as something Godly. (I thought cheer gave me a bad rep, but recently one of my 'Christian' classmates decided she would start poledancing classes. I think that's worse).

Colossians 3:1-3 - Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God

My plan this year is to do pure dance. Now I have Wednesday afternoons off, I could join the dance team in the AU. But I don't think I will. I don't want to be forced into making the team my everything. I need to find a balance. This summer I went to dance classes at home that were fun and I learnt new stuff. But there was no obligation to come every single week, no strict competitions and you could come for 1 hour a week or 4. There was no pressure. It was great because it was everything I wanted from dance, but allowed me to keep my focus where it belongs. I will try to find a place to continue this at university, otherwise I will have to surrender dance. God doesn't want you not to have interests and do activities, but He does request that He comes first and I agree.

Thought of the Day: Bad Churches

I recently spoke to a couple of friends about what initially drew me to attending Quaker meeting. The simple reason is, I had been to many different types of churches including Methodist, Evangelical and Anglican and I found many examples of very un-Christian behaviour. To give credit where credit is due, I did not find this in the Methodist church I attended and the Anglican church I attended I have heard has improved since.

Some people don't understand what I mean by this. In the Bible we are warned of those in Church authority who are not actually Godly: "And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people" - Romans 16:17-18 (NLT)

In my situation, I heard one pastor speak who said "all Christians need to turn away from sin. This means, they stop sinning for good". Well, that would make us perfect and no human (besides Jesus) is, was or will ever be perfect. Hence our need for salvation. Maybe he didn't realise the implications of his words, but if I can pick up on that and I'm not theologically trained, I think he needs to go back to Bible college before his whole congregation get the wrong idea. Another church told me that I had to be baptised in order to receive salvation and holy communion. Um, that isn't taught in the Bible either my friend.

In another church, I saw youth being denied access to the childrens and teens youth group and Bible study classes unless they could pay £2. The leader of these groups was stood in the doorway of the church bouncer-style, accepting the money and moving aside for those who paid and turning away those who couldn't. Since when did church become an elite group for those who can pay their way? I was shocked. Later on this youth leader left the church and his wife and 2 sons, for a younger female from the congregation, whom he confessed to having an affair with for circa 2 years. And this man leads Christian youth?

The Bible did warn us that in some cases these incidents would happen. God is perfect, his followers are not. More recently I have heard of churches lean more towards cult-like teachings. Make no mistake, the Quaker meeting I attend is very Godly, with almost all its members still staying true to the Christian faith. Talking to them, they are there for the same reasons as me. They also have had bad church experiences in places that don't teach the Gospel correctly.

On a side note: these Christian Quaker meetings are sometimes going by the name of 'Friends Church' now to show the reunion between Quakerism and Christianity. This is like Quakerism was back in the days of its foundation, as opposed to more recent times when some Quakers have missed the mark in trying to be accepting and pacifistic, forfeiting somewhat on their Christianity.

So if you have had a bad church experience also, I'm not telling you to run to the nearest Quaker meeting! If they're more post-modern and liberal then that will not help either. I'm encouraging you instead to check out this article by Focus on the Family about how to overcome your bad church experience. I certainly found it very useful. Good luck in finding your new Christian church home!