Please note: The following text contains spoilers. Viewer discretion is also advised – this film is rated ‘PG’. For more details on the film’s content, read Focus On The Family’s Plugged In review.
 
Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us…
 
Unbelievably, 2021 will mark 20 years since Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring, debuted upon our silver screens. A fantasy epic quite unlike any other before it, Fellowship was not only a thrilling, technical marvel, but it also succeeded in delivering the first of three faithful adaptations of J. R. R. Tolkien’s beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy. On the surface, Fellowship (and the rest of the trilogy) perfectly embodies the archetypal tale of good vs. evil, similar to the Star Wars saga for instance. And, much like its Sci-Fi counterpart, Rings shares many a connection with key motifs of the Bible – particularly in regard to that of sin, faith and wisdom. Tolkien himself denied that his books were in fact an outright Christian allegory, but he admitted that God was certainly on his mind throughout his writing process, due to his background as a “devout Roman Catholic”. As a result of this, countless books and articles have been written to help Christians ‘find God’ in the Lord of The Rings, thereby enabling them to share the Good News with their friends. And he is indeed there – but out of all the most notable biblical connections throughout this film series, Fellowship’s embodiment of Christ shines through as the brightest.

​Without getting too carried away with explaining the intricacies of Tolkien’s plotting and the world of Middle Earth, the fundamental outline of Fellowship’s sprawling narrative is thus: Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) lives in the peace-filled region of The Shire, located within the north-western lands of Middle Earth. Mostly sheltered from the nefarious goings-on in distant lands, Frodo and his fellow hobbits enjoy the simple comforts of home, family and a warm hearth. But upon inheriting a mysterious gold ring which belonged to his adventurer cousin, Bilbo (Ian Holm), Frodo is informed by the wise wizard Gandalf The Grey (Ian McKellen) that it is a long-forgotten object which can be wielded in order to commit unspeakable evils. As Ring-bearer, Frodo is tasked (alongside eight companions) with destroying the One Ring, so that he might save Middle-earth from the rule of the Dark Lord Sauron.
 
Standing at an average height of three feet six inches, Hobbits aren’t naturally well-suited to the heroic archetype so critical to fantasy narratives - from Jason and the Argonauts to Harry Potter. For instance, Frodo himself isn’t at all interested in embarking upon the quest for the sake of adventure or saving a damsel in distress, but rather, he chooses to embrace the role of a hero in order that he might save the Shire (and by extension, Middle-earth) which he so loves. He is a meek, human-like creature of average build for a Hobbit, isn’t of any nobility or great social standing, but derives instead from humble beginnings. And yet, he was nonetheless chosen for a purpose. Perhaps if we were to have chosen the hero of The Lord of The Rings, from the many colourful characters which populate the sprawling narrative, we would be more likely to have chosen the warrior Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) or the powerful wizard, Gandalf. But Frodo was chosen because of his growing willingness to sacrifice himself completely for the sake of the world and his love for it, which naturally draws us to compare Frodo to Christ – “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”, John 15:13 (NRSV). Yes, he is an ‘incomplete’ Christ figure, in that he eventually allows himself to fall prey to the schemes of Middle-earth’s very own Devil, Sauron. However, Frodo makes the initial, conscious decision to submit his will to that of the one who sent him, despite the realisation that taking the Ring to Mordor would almost certainly lead to his own death - destroying first his mind, soul and then his physical body. 
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Frodo’s noble desire to aid his fellow man in defeating the powers of darkness, is perhaps best illustrated by a scene in which Frodo, and a whole host of representatives from powerful kingdoms throughout Middle-earth, are debating whose responsibility it is to destroy the One Ring. Frodo and his fellow Hobbits are paid little to no attention, but this is especially true once those attending this council meeting, begin arguing and shouting unintelligibly. This cacophonic display of anger and hate takes centre stage, with physical fights threatening to break out before him. The council members never stop to wonder if Frodo is suited to this task, or that he could even complete it. Instead, they exclude him totally from the conversation. Frodo, accepting that this is his calling, shouts as loudly as he can above the noise: “I will take it”. His decision is not made so that he would purely receive power, glory, honour or praise, but because it is what must be done, in order to save the world.
 
Those present within the council meeting, turn to face Frodo in complete shock. To nominate the ‘halfling’ as the one who will destroy the One Ring, is preposterous to them who are men of worldly mind. And yet, both in spite of him and because of him, Frodo is later revealed to be the only one who could take the ring to Mordor, thereby accomplishing this impossible task. It is his purely noble reason for taking this difficult task upon himself (love), which allows him to succeed in the long run. But think of those who would have prevented him from embarking upon such a quest - not only would they perish, but their entire world around them would also. Such characters remind me of the Jews and Gentiles to whom Paul refers in 1 Corinthians 1:23-25 (NIV):

​For them, the very notion that Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth, the carpenter’s son, would be the Messiah, the key prophetic figure of the Torah, was simply unbelievable. He wasn’t of noble birth (that they could easily deduce anyway), or exactly ‘special’ in a godly sense. And yet, He was the One sent by God to save humanity, who the Bible teaches achieved victory on the cross, submitting his will to that of His Fathers’ in Heaven. Like Frodo, Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross “in all its weakness and foolishness when measured by human standards”, “is presented by God as His power and wisdom, both infinitely greater in saving capacity than all man’s mightiest efforts can produce” (A Bible Commentary for Today, by G.C.D. Howley et all.). Jesus was called to save humanity from the weight and grip of their sin, which was achieved through His sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection. Jesus, unlike Frodo, brings perfect "completion to this task by being” the “sacrificial animal that faces death and wrath for the sake of others”. But just as it was foolishness to the ‘wise’ of Middle-earth, “…the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NIV) and living in rebellion to Him. To us who “are being saved” and have been saved, however, “it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18) which we experience in our lives today and for eternity. 
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Challenge:
 
Why not prayerfully invite a friend or family member who doesn’t yet know Jesus, to watch The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring for themselves? Use the film’s themes to ask them what they thought of the film, if they spotted any links to Christianity and what they might think of the Gospel’s response to this subject.

If you feel able to, ask them what they think about Frodo taking on the role of saviour throughout The Fellowship of The Ring. Which qualities do they see in Frodo? Is he a perfect saviour/hero? Ask them what they think about the author/filmmaker's choice to make Frodo the hero, despite initially being the opposite of one. Do they see the parallels between Frodo and Jesus? Later, if they're open to hearing it, take an opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel message with them. 

Prior to watching the film for yourself, however, take a moment to pray that God would speak to you through the film. If you feel comfortable, pray this prayer over all of your future, film-watching experiences:
 
Dear Lord, As I watch this film, I ask that you would be present here with me. Highlight to me anything within it that is honourable, anything that can be used in conversation for your Kingdom purposes. Amen.
 
The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring is available to rent through Amazon Prime, Apple TV and YouTube.
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​Please note: The following text contains spoilers. Viewer discretion
​is also advised – this documentary film is rated ‘12’. 
 
Once in a while, the streaming behemoth Netflix, releases a documentary which truly captures the minds of our binge-watching culture. Most recently, viewers were treated to the shocking, sensationalist exploits of Joe Exotic on Tiger King – a much needed reprieve from the mounting fears brought on by COVID-19, way back in March. And yet, at a time in which we’re in greater need of the levity that would come from a Tiger King sequel series, along comes The Social Dilemma… This revelatory, documentary-drama hybrid is a serious ‘entertainment’ for a serious time - relatively devoid of humour and committed to blowing the whistle on the corporations we engage with on a daily basis. In essence, this is a public service announcement which seeks to bring to light the dangerous impact that social networking has upon humans, presented by tech experts who are now disowning their own, multi-million-dollar creations, which have since taken on a life of their own…

​Over the years, the worldwide church’s response to social media has varied significantly and, at this point, is probably deserving of a case study of its own. Many have maintained the ‘be in the world, not of the world’ approach to support the responsible use of such platforms for God’s glory, whilst others criticise such use, or use it cautiously, asking “Can Your Soul Really Survive Social Media?”. Naturally, there are pros and cons to the use of Facebook or Instagram for example, but we are quickly becoming wiser to the tactics and failings of these companies, writing theological responses to the negative reactions/interactions many have on a daily basis, as a result of these products. So, the secret is out – there is now widespread knowledge available which points to social media’s ability to be significantly addictive, how it can lead us to experience mental health issues and even cause us to struggle with self-worth, due to us spending extended time comparing our lives to one another’s. Such knowledge is widespread, understood and to some extent, being positively addressed. But now, through the help of this documentary, we’ve been awoken to the reality that the technology, which is so eager to connects us, also desires and specifically works to controls us.
 
At some point, director/co-writer Jeff Orlowski must have imagined that he was at risk of sounding like a group of doomsday prophets, alerting us to the arrival of the non-fiction ‘Skynet’ of The Terminator film franchise. And in a way, you’d be forgiven for thinking that. But Orlowski smartly chooses to frame his docu-drama around the conducting of interviews with those responsible, in one way or another, for manufacturing the software of various social medias, thereby establishing the overlords of Silicon Valley. Tristan Harris, a former design ethicist at Google, leads the charge in these interviews, revealing that the algorithmic technologies which underpin the functionality of these social medias, are far more significant than we ever imagined. For not only do the algorithms possess the ability to adapt themselves based on our behaviours, but they have the power to alter our behaviours too, causing us to become enslaved by flooding our feeds with content that the algorithms know will interest us, as a result of having unlimited access to our personal data.
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​When signing up to these social media platforms which seem so innocent on the surface, rarely do we consider the possibilities that such technologies are manipulative, have the power to influence our thinking (politically and otherwise), or potentially take control of us to lead people into sin. But the Bible specifically warns against such carelessness, especially when the writer of 1 Peter encourages their readers in this way: “Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8-9, GNT). The Bible knows that the Devil will do anything within his power to entice us into making poor decisions, in order that he might entrap us within sinful patterns, thereby preventing us from connecting with God. So often, people (I included) will choose to ‘sign up’ to something which looks good on the surface, without actually digging deeper to determine whether they’re making the right decision or not. And that, the Bible teaches, is where we have all gone wrong - “everyone has sinned” (Romans 3:23, NLT) against God, and have therefore “fall(en) short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT) for the way He desires us to live our lives. So not only does the darkness which comes with sin, enter into a person’s life, but it also begins to control and blind them, prompting the Devil to specifically disrupt their lives:

​“They do not believe, because their minds have been kept in the dark by the evil god of this world. He keeps them from seeing the light shining on them, the light that comes from the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”
​(2 Corinthians 4:4, GNT)

​Shockingly, the film informs us that the AI technology, which is built into the framework of these apps, is inbuilt with the psychology of persuasion, to be used in its day-to-day activities. The primary goal of social media, therefore, is to convince us to spend as much time logged into it, as humanly possible. It works to specifically jolt us into action, keep us there for extended periods of time and then reinforce those behavioural patterns with rewards, in order to force us into a place of addiction. Tech engineers don’t want us to tire of social media, but rather, they would like us to remain hooked by it, and dependent upon it – sending us into a ‘dopamine deficit’ state when we’re not online. The tactics of the Devil are just the same – he would like nothing more than to see people completely enslaved by sin. And he often achieves this because “he is a (talented) liar and the father of all lies” (John 8:44, GNT) who will go to great lengths in order to deceive and tempt us to given into our sinful nature. But in succumbing to such temptations, the Bible teaches that we will become enslaved by sin’s binding grip, and eventually receive “the wages of sin (which) is death” (Romans 6:23, NLT) for all of eternity – separated from God as punishment for our sins.
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​So just as in the drug and social media industry, who are two of the few industries to call their customers “Users”, we too have become users who are addicted to sin. But the Bible teaches that even though we have permitted our lives to be dictated by sin, “God has shown us how much he loves us” by sending Christ to die for us, taking the punishment that we deserved, even “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, GNT), to make a way for us to ask for forgiveness from God and be saved from our eternal punishment. But this was only achieved through Christ alone, God’s one and only Son, who was given over to be crucified on the cross, as the “…offering for our sin”, so “that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NLT). Thus, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that God doesn’t want us to be enslaved to sin, but free to live in relationship with Him – both now and in eternity in Heaven with Him. It was “for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1, NIV) – that we might be connected with God, the source of all life, not that we might be controlled. We might be users online, but do we want sin to use us?

Challenge:
 
Why not prayerfully invite a friend or family member who doesn’t yet know Jesus, to watch The Social Dilemma for themselves? Use the film’s themes to ask them what they thought of the film, if they spotted any links to Christianity and what they might think of the Gospel’s response to this subject.
 
If you feel able to, ask them what they think about the manipulative nature of these social medias. Do they ever feel manipulated whilst using them? Ask them what they think about the Devil’s aim to manipulate us without realising it, do they believe that God seeks to free us when we fall into temptations from the Devil? Later, if they're open to hearing it, take an opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel message with them - perhaps focus on how the Bible teaches that "If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17, ICB).
 
Prior to watching the film for yourself, however, take a moment to pray that God would speak to you through the film. If you feel comfortable, pray this prayer over all of your future, film-watching experiences:
 
Dear Lord, As I watch this film, I ask that you would be present here with me. Highlight to me anything within it that is honourable, anything that can be used in conversation for your Kingdom purposes. Amen.
 
The Social Dilemma is available to stream exclusively on Netflix.

​Ostensibly, The Mission is formed around a conventional redemption narrative. Yet the film itself is anything but conventional. Reportedly based on actual events, The Mission details the experiences of a Jesuit missionary named Gabriel (Jeremy Irons), as he goes about his ministry in 18th-century South America. Despite facing many a danger, Gabriel seeks to build a mission station within the Paraguayan jungle, with the specific intention of sharing Jesus with the indigenous Guaraní community. He narrowly avoids execution at their hands, but successfully establishes himself as part of the community, when the tribe learn that he is a man of peace and not a violent slave trader, who mercilessly operate in their region. By chance, Gabriel visits a local church and crosses paths with a mysterious slave trader, named Rodrigo (Robert DeNiro) – a man of violence, rage and without mercy. In jealous spite, the mercenary is revealed to have killed his brother in a duel, but is now overcome with guilt and sorrow, hiding away from the world in shame. Gabriel, moved by compassion, makes Rodrigo an offer - one that he believes will bring the redemption which Rodrigo doubts is attainable, but so desperately seeks.
 
In order to seek repentance and restitution for his unspeakable actions, Gabriel charges Rodrigo with accompanying the Jesuits back to camp, dragging along with him a large net packed full of armour and weapons – the physical embodiment of his sordid past and sin. The journey is perilous, and Rodrigo stumbles at every hurdle. He becomes muddy, beaten, bruised. All that he carries with him are burdens, which become caught on the side of a cliff face, or submerged in water, holding him back from reaching his destination. And yet, against all odds, he arrives at the feet of the Guaraní community – the very people he abused and enslaved. They recognise him almost immediately, watching as he struggles with the netting, to which a tribesman responds by holding a knife to his throat. The tribespeople hurriedly communicate with one another, in this heart-stopping moment of tension. Suddenly, the knife is removed, and the Guaraní sever the rope which connected Rodrigo to his netting, pushing it off the cliff and into the watery depths below. Rodrigo lifts his head in confusion, crying and laughing in utter disbelief. He is free.
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​​Has there ever been a more straightforward, yet bewildering picture of grace ever put to film? I tend to doubt it. Why? Well for one, this sequence (whilst short) acts as a perfect definition of what grace is. Simply put, grace is favour extended towards those who are unworthy to receive it. And in this film, who is more unworthy to receive grace than Rodrigo? He has killed and enslaved his fellow man without thinking once about the consequences – robbing people of their loved ones and burdening himself with the weight of guilt in the process. And yet, the Guaraní extend to him that graceful favour, which is completely unwarranted. In fact, they not only permit Rodrigo to live, but live amongst their community in harmony, supporting him as he becomes a new man in Christ.
 
In the eyes of the world, this logic simply doesn’t make sense. Surely, Rodrigo should plunge to his death at the falls. That would be justice served, wouldn’t it? An eye for an eye… etc. But somehow, the Guaraní find the strength to do as Jesus himself instructed them: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36, NLT). Having been taught the Scriptures and dedicated their lives to God, the Guaraní understand that they too were just as broken, lost and fallen as Rodrigo. They spared his life because they realised, they were once no better than him. Both Rodrigo and the Guaraní were guilty of breaking God’s holy laws – “for everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT). In their rebellion, both were no better than enemies of their creator, deserving eternal punishment as a result of their sin – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, NLT). By all accounts, Rodrigo, the Guaraní and us - humanity itself - are therefore guilty in accordance with God’s laws. Even us, who have not committed the atrocities of certain characters throughout this film, are in fact at fault in God’s eyes. But it was “…by grace (Rodrigo and the Guaraní)…have been saved” and “through (putting their) faith” in God (Ephesians 2:8, NIV).
​

Grace is the underserved favour extended to Rodrigo and the Guaraní, but also humanity, which saves its recipients from the binding grip of sin in their lives. But this grace is not a distant, far-off concept that we are unable to see or understand. No, Jesus is the embodiment of that grace - the One who grants forgiveness to anyone who turns from their sin, their old life and comes to faith in God. He grants us mercy because of His matchless love for the world, and “gives…the free gift of life forever” (Romans 6:23, ICB) as a promise to those who follow Him. But this was only achieved through Christ alone, God’s one and only Son. He was given over as a sacrifice in our place (taking the punishment we deserved), crucified on the cross as the “…offering for our sin”, so “that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NLT).
 
The Bible teaches that we, like Rodrigo, carry our own packs – filled with our sin, shame and guilt. They’re heavy and hold us back from experiencing true freedom (now and in eternity), which the Bible teaches is found in relationship with Jesus Christ. Try as we might to remove them from us, those packs are firmly secured to our backs – there’s nothing we can do, such as trying to be a ‘good person’, in order to avoid our eternal fate. For Romans 3:20 (ICB) teaches that “no one can be made right with God by following the law”, or put simply, the rules for which God intended that we follow. We need Jesus, like the Guaraní tribesman, to cut our pack from us, asking for and receiving forgiveness for our sin, and then entering into an eternal relationship with Him. And He does this even when we, like Rodrigo, have done nothing to deserve such mercy. But that is the scandal of grace – that “God has shown us how much he loves us” in sending Christ to die for us, taking the punishment that we deserved, even “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, GNT). Through Christ alone, we can live a burdenless life, in the sense that sin no longer holds us back, and we are freed to experience eternity of life when we pass away, and not death. Thank you, God, that whilst such great a mercy might not compute with humanity’s thinking, your grace remains nonetheless true and liberating, as it was for Rodrigo.

Challenge:
 
Why not prayerfully invite a friend or family member who doesn’t yet know Jesus, to watch The Mission for themselves? Use the film’s themes to ask them what they thought of the film, if they spotted any links to Christianity and what they might think of the Gospel’s response to this subject.
 
If you feel able to, ask them what they think about Rodrigo's life being spared, at the hands of the Guaraní - do you think he deserved such mercy, or should he have been punished for his crimes? Ask them what they think about Rodrigo's redemption and the complete changing of his ways - is such a thing possible, or is it just wishful thinking? Later, if they're open to hearing it, take an opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel message with them - specifically focus on how the Bible teaches that "If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17, ICB). 
 
Prior to watching the film for yourself, however, take a moment to pray that God would speak to you through the film. If you feel comfortable, pray this prayer over all of your future, film-watching experiences:
 
Dear Lord, As I watch this film, I ask that you would be present here with me. Highlight to me anything within it that is honourable, anything that can be used in conversation for your Kingdom purposes. Amen.
 
The Mission is available to purchase on DVD/Blu-Ray or rent through YouTube. 
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