'The Laramie Project'
Submitted by Chris on March 13 2002 15:13:43
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Hello to All My Brothers, Last night I was very privaleged to watch a program on HBO called "The Laramie Project". If you have HBO I highly recomend it, and if you don't, try to get someone to tape it for you. I believe it will be on again on the 15th of this month. I promise you, this show will be a blessing for you--it certainly was for me! It is a kind of documentory about the life and death of Mathew Shepherd; a young gay man who was brutally tortured and murdered for being gay. But rather than being just another documentory of facts, it goes in depth into the thoughts, feelings, and convictions of many of the people who knew him. You will probably recognise some of the actors who portray these people but they are so believable that it becomes easy to forget that they ARE actors. In fact, I am not so sure that all of them really are. One thing stands out in this movie....Mathew Shepherd either directly or indirectly, touched the lives of a great many people. And when he died, even more were touched. People he did not even know and who never knew him befor it happened. Indeed, it touched me at the time it occured and now even more so through this remarkable HBO Special. In fact, I was moved to tears. The remarkable thing about this portrayal is the way this young man touched people's hearts. Many of these people had fairly mixed emotions about gays but were deeply hurt when the news of his tragic death reached thier ears. (And the contrast between those who were honestly hurt by it and those who were using the event to grand-stand thier beliefs against homosexuality was VERY moving to say the least!) One thing, however, went through my mind last night. I kept thinking,"But what if he had been a Boylover? Would those people still feel the same remorse and self-consiouse conviction that would lead them to examine thier own hearts and even faith in God?" That's when I fell under conviction of the Holy Spirit, and now I REFUSE to entertain this question regardless of how right it 'looks' to ask it. I believe that, as a Child of God, it is NOT right for me to ask it. Not if this young man's death is going to really do something for the good...for God..., in spite of the tragedy. Not if the death and resurection of Jesus Christ is trully life-changing for me. It is my conviction as a Child of God, that I must be still and know that He IS God. And I must believe that my role in this lifeas such...whether it is great or small in my eyes...is really ALWAYS great in God's eyes. It is that way for all of us who are in Him. His love for all is the same and the role we play in His Kingdom holds equal importance, regardless of the way WE see it. Our role and His love for us are completely related and cannot be sepperated . His love is flawless and His work in our lives WILL be completed if we trust Him and willingly accept our role and perform the tasks He gives us. To question our role and work for Him is to question His love and judgement of what is best for us and for His Kingdom. Anyway, try to catch this HBO Special. It really holds a message for everyone. That message, ussualy hidden from an unbelieving world but open to the eyes of the believer, is always the same....devine Hope in His great Love! (Romans 9:20 and 21!!! 1 Cor. 13:11-13!!!) Praise God's Holy Name Forever! Love in Christ Jesus, Chris |
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