18 February 2008
giving up peace
forrest gump is a remarkable film in a few ways. it is mostly remarkable in the way it shows a range of historical events and human experience through the eyes of a man who is, shall we say, less than a genius. despite his lack of intelligence, his ability to tell the stories of his life makes him one of the most endearing characters in the cinema. tom hanks' performance as forrest earned him an oscar, and the film won five others in 1995.
perhaps this is because of the film's statements about something fundamental to human survival: peace. forrest goes to vietnam, and his description of the horrors of war (including how his best friend died and how he saved his commanding officer, lt. dan, who lost his legs) is one huge vote for world peace.
well, world peace is a huge goal. even jesus had to deal with a roman occupied judea.
there is this other kind of peace that all of us strive for. a personal peace. we war with ourselves over all sorts of things. in forrest gump, it's lt. dan warring with himself over why he was saved. he feels he should have been left in vietnam to die rather than have to spend the rest of his life without his legs. The scene that turns him around involves him and forrest shrimping. they are out on the water in a boat looking for shrimp when a hurricane hits. and while forrest is making sure the boat stays together, lt. dan is yelling at god. and laughing. telling god he can't sink this boat (though it's probably the very thing dan wants). in the next scene, we discover that they are the only boat that survived the hurricane. on calm waters, dan turns to forrest and says "i never thanked you for saving me", then shimmies out onto the edge of the boat and plunges into the water, doing a backstroke into the clearing sky. forrest narrates: "he never said it, but i think lt. dan made his peace with god that day."
we need to let go of our frustration to find peace. god can take it; he understands, and even welcomes it. throughout time god's followers have been frustrated, abused, ridiculed, persecuted, and lost. and the bible shows us time and time again when those people have made their peace with god. and god listens and understands.
perhaps when we all have made our peace with god, we will start making our peace with each other.
¶ 9:30 AM
perhaps this is because of the film's statements about something fundamental to human survival: peace. forrest goes to vietnam, and his description of the horrors of war (including how his best friend died and how he saved his commanding officer, lt. dan, who lost his legs) is one huge vote for world peace.
well, world peace is a huge goal. even jesus had to deal with a roman occupied judea.
there is this other kind of peace that all of us strive for. a personal peace. we war with ourselves over all sorts of things. in forrest gump, it's lt. dan warring with himself over why he was saved. he feels he should have been left in vietnam to die rather than have to spend the rest of his life without his legs. The scene that turns him around involves him and forrest shrimping. they are out on the water in a boat looking for shrimp when a hurricane hits. and while forrest is making sure the boat stays together, lt. dan is yelling at god. and laughing. telling god he can't sink this boat (though it's probably the very thing dan wants). in the next scene, we discover that they are the only boat that survived the hurricane. on calm waters, dan turns to forrest and says "i never thanked you for saving me", then shimmies out onto the edge of the boat and plunges into the water, doing a backstroke into the clearing sky. forrest narrates: "he never said it, but i think lt. dan made his peace with god that day."
we need to let go of our frustration to find peace. god can take it; he understands, and even welcomes it. throughout time god's followers have been frustrated, abused, ridiculed, persecuted, and lost. and the bible shows us time and time again when those people have made their peace with god. and god listens and understands.
perhaps when we all have made our peace with god, we will start making our peace with each other.
¶ 9:30 AM
