Monday, July 17, 2006

man's inhumanity to man

Saw Steven Spielberg's latest: Munich. He says that the true story on which this film is based has been attacked, but never discredited. For several reasons I really cannot recommend this film.

However it does make a powerful statement. Though Spielberg says in a clip one can play before the film, that he had no intention of making any political statement, this film certainly does. Spielberg says that hopefully this movie will spur discussion on the political angle. A moral and spiritual statement is made as well, interwoven and really not divorced from the political side.

One of the memorable lines is when the Israeli bomb expert in backing away from participation in the revenge assassinations at least temporarily, says that for him as a Jew, it is all about being righteous. That without that he has nothing. And that he was fearful he was losing his soul. Yes.

This is exactly what we see depicted in this film. In the process of taking human life, the assassins were losing their souls, their very humanity. And with that is portrayed a kind of maddening along with a spiral wave of violence set in motion so as not to stop. An aftermath of division and desolation is left. And for what? Not the shalom of God, to be sure.

Father, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Through Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life. Amen.

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