Oh My God

I recently came across some Peter Rodger's information about a movie he directed entitled Oh My God. Peter's father is a photojournalist and Peter had the opportunity to travel to 23 countries to ask, "what does God mean to you?" He states the movie is not about religion but about people's perception of God. 

Watch the trailer and see the panel discussion here.
 http://www.youtube.com/PeterRodger#p/u

There is no better time than Holy Week to think about our perception of God as Christians. Regardless of the views of the panel in the video below or of anyone in the film.  I was struck by my pastor's comment in his sermon yesterday. Watch the sermon:
/www2.northpointministries.org/player/player.jsp?occurrenceID=4762


Andy Stanley, pastor at North Point Community Church, in Alpharetta, described taking a trip to Italy and visiting the infamous Colosseum, a notorious place where the most gruesome treatment of Christian's took place at the hands of the Romans. From crucifixions to beheadings, the Colosseum became the venue for  depraved entertainment. Andy mentioned that the Jewish War under general Vespasian and later his son Titus served to annihilate all that was left of the Christianity in Jerusalem. This war saw the destruction of the temple and began the Jewish diaspora scattering or enslaving the remaining Jews. He noted that this should have been the end of Christianity's influence in the world and yet what he saw as he visited the Colosseum was a cross at two of the entrances, one where the emperors would pass and one where the gladiators would enter.  Visitors that enter the Colosseum pass under the cross into the famous attraction. 

Andy was impressed that the cross which represents Christ's crucifixion is the artifact that stands in the entrance. Obviously, if the roots of Christianity had been expunged, there would be no need to reflect on the crucifixion today and yet, there in the middle of a place where Christians once met their demise, is the one symbol of what we know today is proof that Christianity is thriving in a world that perhaps still does not want to acknowledge its presence even while ancient Rome knows better.


One can argue that the cross is not proof that Jesus rose from the dead and yet if He also met His demise at the hands of His attackers, what purpose would any Christian today have to believe and how would a religion that should have been wiped out with the destruction and purging of Christianity in Jerusalem continue to spread the word? And why would that Colosseum now be a reflection of a belief?  Regardless of what was left...Christianity survived. It survived because of God in spite of the those who sought to demolish its presence.

This week we celebrate Holy Week, a reminder of what our Savior did for us, a reminder of how He humbled Himself so that we can have eternal life. The movie, Oh My God, might ask for people's perceptions but as a Christian, my perception is not wavering. My God is, was and always will be. The cross in the Colosseum tells me so and the Bible proves that ONE  was sent to remind us for sure there is a God.  One premise in the movie is that people tend to have a mind set that says, "My God is better than your God." But I don't understand the contest. Better is not what it is all about...Truth is. My mind set is that my God rose from the dead...undeniable, unequivocally and absolutely. ..over 2000 years later there is a cross in a colliseum that proves even a war, temple destruction any death did not end His church nor His message. THERE IS BUT ONE TRUE GOD.