Inspire Me!

While a certain Christian conference was going on (which I recently blogged about), Larry and I met my friend Todd to see The Peaceful Warrior at the new agey Inspiration Film Festival. I was struck by the similarities between the two events. The Inspiration Fest speaker talked about making movies that matter, and the power of the human spirit. In the film Q&A, the producer said the Universe wanted this film to get made. Replace "the Universe" with "the Lord," and, Bob's Your Uncle, Christian film fest.

Beforehand Larry and I were having a conversation with a journalist next to us; when a bunch of rowdy men in shaved heads, Buddha beads, and dashiki-Nehru-granola shirts sat in the VIP row behind us. They were squirrelly and loud, and I couldn't hear the journalist talking.

I turned around. Hey guys! You are outta control excited! What's up?
We're here friend of the "The Peaceful Warrior" producer! they gushed.
Well you sure look like warriors! Not very peaceful though.
They laughed. I mentioned I did yoga and they lit up. Yoga! That's what it's all about man. Oneness!
I liked them. Even if they were rowdy.
I turned back around.
Larry smiled at me. You did great.
Why? Did I "engage the culture?" I was "salt and light?"
No, you just got them to quiet down.

The film was The Karate Kid meets Ghandi. Obsessed gymnast meets mysterious mentor (Nick Nolte) who teaches him a new way of living, how to let go of the results, let your dreams die so they can be reborn. "Be here now" and all that.

Larry hated it. It was so preachy and obvious. They even ripped off GOLLUM! he cried. And he was right. The music swelled in Olympic grandeur so many times, that when he finally got to the Olympic trials, I had no more grandeur to feel.

But I still liked it. A lot. It was inspiring! We ALL need to follow our bliss, die to the results, and learn how to 'be here now.' Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 6: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Seek first God's kingdom, and all these things will be given to you as well. Don't worry about tomorrow tomorrow will worry about itself.

I even cried. But that was because something deeper was going on for me. Something that the film helped to touch in my deepest heart. The real inspiration was about to happen on the way home, when I talked to Larr about it.

More later...