FREEDOM OF WORSHIP (AND VIDEO)

When I was twelve I saw a film advertised on TV called “Arnold”. It was a horror comedy with Roddy McDowell from the Planet of the Apes films and “The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin”. A mystery in an old dark house with the reading of the will, coffins and trap doors in the walls… it looked awesome.................... But I needed a ride to the theater and my parents weren’t willing and the film didn’t stay long. I looked in the newspaper movie ads for the film’s return, maybe as the second feature at the drive-in. No luck. I looked for the movie to show up on TV, perhaps on the Dialing for Dollars Movie some afternoon or the late, late show. But no. Even worse, every Saturday night on Creature Features, the show’s opening promo had clips from “Arnold”, but never showed the film. Looking up the film right now on Amazon, it appears not to have been released on DVD, but a copy of the VHS is going for $42........................ Now understand, I no longer have a great desire to see “Arnold”. Its obscurity is undoubtedly well earned. But I’m just pointing out how much our world has changed over the last few decades............................... A few months ago, a film came out that I was interested in, “For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada”, but I didn’t have a chance to catch it in its short run at the theater. But it soon was released in DVD, and I was able to request it at the Sonoma County Library and I watched it this week. In this way, life is so much easier than when I was twelve............................ I can understand why the film had a short run at the theater. It is the directorial debut of Dean Wright (who did 2nd unit work on the “Lord of the Rings” and “Narnia” films.) At nearly 2 ½ hours, the historical epic loses its narrative way on occasion and drags at times. Some of the performances are pretty good (by Andy Garcia and Eva Longoria), and some (particularly by children and an ancient looking Peter O’Toole) not so much. It is at turns maudlin and at others brutally violent..................... But I was still glad to see it because it tells a fascinating historical story that I was unaware of before the film’s meager promotional campaign began. In 1926, the Marxist President of Mexico Plutarco Elías Calles decided to enforce the anti-clerical ordinances in Mexico’s new constitution (such as prohibiting priests wearing clerical garb in public and prohibiting preaching negatively about the government.) When the Catholic Church disobeyed these restrictions, the government reacted by banning Mass and arresting and killing priests................................ This brought about a guerrilla war against the government that lasted for three years. Eventually, the Church in Rome and the United States government intervened, and a truce was reached. But though rights were returned to the church, most of the leaders of the Cristiada movement were arrested and executed............................ One of the reasons I think this film, in spite of its weaknesses, is still worth seeking out is because the issue of religious liberty is still a pressing concern. In many nations, particularly Muslim and Communist regimes, Christians are being arrested and killed for their beliefs and practices. In the film, the United States government finally intervenes on behalf of the Catholic Church in Mexico because of pressure from Catholics in the United States. (The most outspoken group for the issue was the Knights of Columbus. The KKK, on the other hand, supported the persecution by Mexico’s socialist government.)................................ As believers, we need to support our persecuted brothers and sisters in prayer, but also by reminding our government leaders to support the basic freedom of worship. And we need to be aware of our own government’s encroachment on religious liberties because in many ways, it is our freedom that provides religious liberty throughout the world.................................... (“For Greater Glory” is rated R, primarily for violence, “Arnold” is rated PG for something or other, I haven’t seen it.)