Monday, November 17, 2008

Ordinarily Special

Well I created this blog about 2 weeks back and still haven't posted anything only I thought the first post had to special,after all its the 'first post'. But now after waiting for over 2 weeks now,I've decided I will write just about anything even if its about me failing at the attempt of making this first post 'special'.I thought of a couple of things to write over the last few days but one thing that has really stuck with me is a movie that i recently saw-Stolen Summer by Pete Jones.Its a beautiful story of faith and friendship of an 8 year old catholic boy Pete who has over the years learnt that only Christians go to heaven and in his quest for spiritual salvation tries to convert Jews so that they could too go to heaven.During his quest,he meets Rabbi Jacobsen and his terminally ill son Danny who is as old as Pete.Pete convinces Danny,who wants to go to heaven after his death,that if he manages to pass a few tests(the decathlon),he too could go to heaven and have a better afterlife. Its a sweet story of 2 boys trying to follow the path of lord and deciding on which path to choose. The story tells us about how we force our faith and beliefs on children instead of letting them trail their own path. the movie has some beautiful moments,especially the one where Pete's father explains to him that its not just Christians who go to heaven because why shouldn't an Eskimo in north pole who hasn't heard of Jesus,yet has been a good man all his life be allowed into heaven. And the scene that follows where Pete goes to the Rabbi after Danny's death to apologise for saying on a previous occasion that Danny couldn't go to the heaven because he couldn't live through the conversion and says that Jesus is just a symbol of being good and it didn't matter what symbol one uses,as long as it symbolised goodness,it could be the symbol of heaven and that for them Danny could be that symbol.

This movie is an eyeopener for all of us who on the name of religion leave behind humanity and our love for our fellow beings.It gives us an important and much needed message in today's age that what matters is how good you are and not what religion you follow or which god you worship.

2 comments:

Ruchi Mann said...

Mansukh Mann, you have done great justice to your first post!! I am so proud of you 'sister'...
All the best for many more ahead..and do try to write about something more than movies and food :)

Happy "TODAY"! said...

ohh well thank you 'sister'!!;)
and if you've read my latest post(second sounds better in my case)..i have hardly spoken about food and movies..except at a few places ofcourse and that much am sure u can grant me!