"All You Need is Love"

A short film: CONTENT WARNING

Here's the place for discussing music, plays, YouTube videos, and any other media that doesn't quite fit in the other sections of Harlequin Theatre.
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31899
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"All You Need is Love"

Post by 31899 »

This is the part of the [time span here] where 31899 shows up and causes controversy.

This short film is graphic at times and was the subject of some controversy a few month ago after being shown in a Manitoba school. I do not recommend watching if you are under the age of 14.

Please do not troll. Yes, I do realise this thread will likely be deleted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCoFoKvfc6Y
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Post by ~JCGJ~ »

One of my rather obnoxiously gay friends posted this on Facebook a few weeks ago...

I have to say, it was very well done, and it gets its message across loud and clear.

While I may not agree with the entirety of the message it conveys, I will say that I do believe most people (Christians, in particular) approach the issue of homosexuality in the wrong way.
Yes, we do need to show more love, but we also need to convey the gospel message clearly, without muddling it up with a "Love is all you need" mentality. There's a fine balance between the two extremes (cue Westboro Baptist protest), that very few people can seem to find. I mean, just take the example of Jonathan Allen, from AGT this past season; he hasn't spoken with his parents for years, because his homosexuality didn't line up with their beliefs. That's not love in the least. Sure, people may just be trying to "protect their families" or whatever, but in doing so, they simply drive people away from Christ. We need to show the love of Christ, so we aren't pushing people away, but we also need to make it clear where we stand.
Mind you, I'm not talking about a "Love the sinner, hate the sin" mentality; I believe it was Mark Lowry (correct me if I'm wrong) who said:
"Love the sinner, hate the sin? No! Love the sinner, hate your own sin!"
Don't focus on the sin, focus on the person you're trying to save. Sure, that saving faith does involve the person letting go of those gripping sins (like homosexuality), but if you focus on building a loving relationship with the person, instead of just shoving Bible verses down their throat, you'll have much more success when you begin sharing the gospel. Build that relationship, and then when they know that you truly love them, they'll be much more likely to see that you share your faith because you love them, and not just so you can get brownie points with God, or whatever.
Last edited by ~JCGJ~ on Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by jelly »

Thanks for sharing 31899. :)

While subtlety is definitely a lost art with this film, the reality is that we're living in desperate times. The demand for clarity and resolve is at its peak. Eventually homophobia will lose its voice and we'll be able to get over this ridiculous cultural hump, but it's a battle that has to be fought. I can only express my gratitude for the artists and activists who are putting everything on the line to fight that battle.

And before this thread becomes a clone of a good many other conversations buried in CCDS, let's agree to do everyone a favor and not turn this conversation into Christianity vs. sin. This isn't about properly understanding the Bible's reconciliation with homosexuality. This is about love triumphing over fear.

Yes, it's come down to that.

I'd ask everybody to do yourselves a favor and put down your defenses. Ignore your prepared moral arguments for the time being. Now, from this moment on, go forth and love unconditionally. In doing so, you'll discover the nature of Christ himself.

He doesn't need your words. He needs your actions.
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Post by 31899 »

I'm glad to see this thread has not been deleted, moved to the debate society, or developed into a mild riot. I am glad to see we have grown up (a bit).
~JCGJ~ wrote:One of my rather obnoxiously gay friends posted this on Facebook a few weeks ago...
Would you ever use the term "obnoxiously straight?" ;)
Jelly wrote:I'd ask everybody to do yourselves a [favour] and put down your [defences]. Ignore your prepared moral arguments for the time being. Now, from this moment on, go forth and love unconditionally. In doing so, you'll discover the nature of Christ himself.
This.

Thank you both for promoting love.
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Post by darcie »

While heavy handed and anything but subtle, imagine everything said and done as we know life to be. Not so weird then. These things HAPPEN. This is REAL LIFE. Kids are shunned, bullied, beaten, and driven to suicide over something to which they have no control. It's incredibly sad. I thought this was a very interesting take on showing how bad it can be and how it doesn't need to be like this. My heart aches. Thanks, 31899.
31899 wrote:
~JCGJ~ wrote:One of my rather obnoxiously gay friends posted this on Facebook a few weeks ago...
Would you ever use the term "obnoxiously straight?" ;)
I can think of people to describe that way, but... I probably would attempt to refrain. ;)
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Post by WindowWasher »

Ok, that was one messed up video. Oh, and by the way I completely disagree with Mark Lowry. You need to hate your own sin and the sinful ways of the world. I absolutely condemn any kind of violence towards anyone. No one should be treated that way, but remember this, Christians who stand up for Christ will be hated by the world. We will be the bullied and the world will think it's ok because we don't agree with their wicked ways. Sorry for opening my mouth on this gay friendly thread but I have to say it.
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Post by jelly »

WindowWasher wrote:Christians who stand up for Christ will be hated by the world.
Please, define 'the world' for me. Also, please tell me how 'standing up for Christ' is even remotely related to your religious agenda on this matter.
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Post by Whitty Whit »

Note to readers: Hello. The below post is a progressive post. I wrote this over a span of time and not all at once. there might be several inconsistencies/contradictions. I shall break each part into sections.

Part 1
I got 3 minutes and 5 seconds into the video (stopped writing this post, continued to 5:00). I didn't watch the rest simply because it didn't interest me. But 3:05 is the part where the 2 girls and 2 boys chill in front of someone's house and one girl suggests that the 2 girls be the mommies and the 2 boys be the kids. Then the other girl (I suppose the protagonist? I'm not quite sure.) suggests that she and a boy be the mommy and daddy. The first girl ridicules that idea and brands the (assumed) protagonist for being "a breeder."

I have no clue if this is supposed to be satirical or realistic, so that is where I'm coming from. after all, i did watch just 5 minutes.

Pardon my extreme, utter ignorance, but is that truly what kids are thinking these days? Liking the opposite sex is considered bad, the girl suggests. This is horrible. That is just plain awful. Are kids really that dumb and stupid!? The first 5 minutes astounded me. Even if everyone is gay, why are they not tolerant of the heteros as gay people always claim that they are tolerant? And then (later on) the (assumed) protagonist compliments the 2 boys in school for a good job during the play. And then she is branded as "she likes boys" for doing so! What in the world?!

The first 5 minutes didn't make sense. Writing this makes me want to watch the rest of it. I'll be back.

Part 2

(55 seconds later!)

So. scratch most of what I said above. I just now (pardon my density) deduced that this is a satire/non-realistic.

My next question: WHY? WHY WHY WHY? what is the point? (i shall continue watching from 5:55)

Part 3

(14 minutes later)

*blank stare*

And the point? I seriously didn't get the point? Is love all you need? Apparently not. (and the fatter mom was really mean.) I really don't get why this movie was made in the first place. Someone well-versed in the arts (aka....) please explain this to me.

Oh well. C'est la vie. Tout est bien qui fini bien.

Edit: I have spent the last 10 minutes trying to think of the point. I have not succeeded.

My takeaway from this "movie" is very little. This is not real life. This is not even remotely close. I don't get why it was made other than to show the "seemingly obvious" flip side of today's moral dilemma of gay rights and such. But... why?
Last edited by Whitty Whit on Tue Oct 08, 2013 10:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by WindowWasher »

The world means everyone who is not saved. Anyone who hasn't accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. As Christians we are to stand up for what is righteous. God hates sin, all sin. As Christians we should feel the same way. However, the "world" doesn't know God so "sin" has no real meaning to them. If it feels good, do it. 1 Corinthians 2:14-But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. See, the world doesn't like God telling them that what they are doing is wrong so they get very angry and call God's people haters. Matthew 5:10-Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. John 15:20-Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. As a Christian I am commanded to love my neighbor but I am also commanded to stand up for what is right and fight against evil. The homosexual agenda is just a small part of that evil.
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Post by darcie »

Whitty Whit wrote:My takeaway from this "movie" is very little. This is not real life. This is not even remotely close. I don't get why it was made other than to show the "seemingly obvious" flip side of today's moral dilemma of gay rights and such. But... why?
Flip it exactly. The world as it currently is says that straight = normal and gay = abnormal. Kids are bullied for being gay. Kids are beaten for being gay. Kids commit suicide for being gay. This is real life.

Did you know that suicide is the leading cause of death for kids under 14? Surveys have put 9/10 LGBT students having received harassment at school for their sexual orientation. And gay kids are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than straight kids. It isn't OK to bully anyone. And acting like people of a different orientation are OK to be bullied because you're Christian and some Christians say the Bible says homosexuality is wrong STILL doesn't make it OK.

THAT is why.

Just love people.
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Post by jelly »

WindowWasher wrote:See, the world doesn't like God telling them that what they are doing is wrong so they get very angry and call God's people haters.
No, I'm pretty sure 'the world' just doesn't like it when self-righteous people tell them that what they are doing is wrong. Do you honestly believe anyone is going to hear the voice of God on the lips of someone who's condemning them? They won't. They'll look for God elsewhere, and the fundamentalist minority will become further isolated within themselves and despised by everyone else.

And that's not the free ticket to the Kingdom of Heaven you think it is. This attitude of judgment and self-righteousness is an attitude of arrogance, not humility. If you actually believe you're commanded to fight against the 'gay agenda', I have news for you: you are the one who is doing the persecuting. You're interpreting those verses backwards. You may think you stand for righteousness, but you don't. And in the end, I can assure you that there will be many, many people of the LGBT community that will be blessed for their persecution.


It wasn't too long ago that I probably would have had an easier time empathizing with different people's interpretations of the Bible. But I can no longer tolerate beliefs that openly violate God's truth and cause harm to other people. The radical right wing Christian 'tradition' is not based in Biblical truth but is instead sourced by fear. These anti-gay fundamentalists won't even consider the possibility that sincere romantic love could exist between two people of the same sex, because they keep convincing themselves that human sexuality is entirely removed from the human spirit. This is a theology of Gnosticism that Paul the Apostle condemned.

WindowWasher, I don't want you to think that I'm unfairly lumping you in with the people I've just described. But I want you to ask yourself, What are my core convictions? Do I actually know anything about people who identify themselves as LGBT, or am I judging them by their actions based on an anti-scriptural agenda?
Whitty Whit wrote:The below post is a progressive post.
If only it were. :(

..ditto to darcie's post.
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Post by Whitty Whit »

Jelly wrote:
Whitty Whit wrote:The below post is a progressive post.
If only it were. :(

..ditto to darcie's post.
Heh, I misspoke. Bad word choice.
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