Book of Eli Illustration(s) of Different Types of Bible Readers

[laurend]

I ran across this when I was stumbling blogs. I'm agnostic but I like his thoughts on the movie. He wants AA opinions on his post.



The movie "The Book of Eli" came on TV not too long ago. I was surprised by some of the ending plot and if you have not seen the movie you probably want quite reading this. SPOILER ALERT In the movie there are three types of people who respond to the Bible. One represents those who use the Bible for personal power and gain. There is a town leader; part mayor and all mob boss. He wants a copy of the Bible to be able to use the words there in to coerce those who are small in intellect to do as he says. There is second type of person who uses the Bible as a part of their personal quest and voyage in life. Eli is a wander; part super hero and part high plains drifter. He reads the Bible every day. He knows his own faults but also knows he is to live by the Bible. This is the type of Bible reader I want to be; minus gun fights, karate moves, and swordsmanship. Lastly there is the fellow in Alcatraz Island who is storing up the knowledge of mankind. He is attempting to build their worlds knowledge by amassing a library that is protected. He studiously copies the Bible by hand, prints it up, and then places it on the shelf among many other religions. For this man, the Bible is just another part of human religious experience, not a defining religious experience.


As I read my Bible I want to be wary of the two errors of seeing the Bible as a tool for my own ends or seeing it as a part human religious experience. I want to be on mission and give my life to the one who gave himself to me. The fellow Eli was a Christ figure in that he was misunderstood and also because he seemed to die and rise again. However, his resurrection is temporary, he eventually die due to his wounds permanently but fulfills his mission. Though he is a Christ figure in a literary sense, there is no mention of the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no Son of God mentioned in the film that I can remember. Perhaps that is the view point of the film maker, I'm not sure. But as I say I want to be one who reads the Bible like Eli, I also want to be distinct from Eli too. I want to always understand the Bible from the point of view that Jesus is the main idea of all the Bible, even the Old Testament. I want to always be Christ centric in my reading of Scripture.

Lastly it merits saying, Eli is black. Though it saddens me to say, I think African-Americans get the Bible better that white Americans do at times. There is a sense that the African-American church knows that God is good. I'm not sure if it is intentional in the movie, but in a sense, the man reading the Bible correctly is a black man and the other white interpretations are misguided. Again, I'm not sure that is what the film makers meant, but it something I got out of the film. As I read the Bible it is true and straight forward. It is a book about deliverance and grace. It is a book about freedom. I think that is how I hear the African-American sisters and brothers reading it. God is good all the time.

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Gal 5:1 ESV)

 

[laurend]

Sorry here is the blog:http://pruittcommunications.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog

 

[Laela]

laurend ..thanks for posting. I enjoyed that movie and lots of discussion can come from it. I steer clear of "theology" but I see the Word of God as a personal Guide here on earth, toward the journey back to Him (heaven).. edible Words that once read, understood, becomes power to the Believer. Black folks do tend to be more "emotional" worshippers; not to generalize; but is it really cultural? I hope others can chime in about black people and religion...we've had some interesting threads on the topic already..

 

[loolalooh]

Thanks for sharing. I also watched the movie, and while I like this blogger's take on the movie, I have to respectfully disagree with a few points:

*The character of Eli is a bit oversimplified and misconstrued in the blog post. Or maybe it just comes down to a matter of opinion. Imo, Eli was not a Christ figure but what a mature Christian who is solely guided by the Word would look like. I also didn't catch the "resurrection" metaphor in the movie but a man merely covered by God so that he could carry out God's plan. (I note how the blogger says "seemed to die and rise again"; so, I guess it's a matter him drawing his own perspective from certain actions in the movie.) I could go on and on about Eli ... maybe later.

*I, too, am not sure if the film maker believes in Christ, but I can see how the mention of Christ would've taken the movie in a slightly different direction. Ultimately, I think the aim was to depict Eli as a man who "walked by faith and not by sight" and who was committed to his God-given mission, amongst other things.

*In my lifetime (though short), I have not noticed a difference in how African Americans understand the Bible versus White Americans. I disagree with the blogger's statement on that topic.

*I do agree with Laela, though, in that we tend to be more "emotional" worshippers. But then again, this is just what I've seen and might differ from what others have seen.

Thanks again for sharing. Maybe I'll chime in some more later. I'm such a movie analyzer when it comes to certain films.

 

[loolalooh]

Oh, and it would've been cool if Eli's memorization of the Bible were touched upon a bit more. That is a big part of Eli as a Bible reader, imo, in addition to his understanding of the Word.

Memorization is so key to the Christian walk, especially during times at which we do not have a Bible in our immediate possession or when we are bombarded by trials and tribulations. Having the Word in our hearts (and not just external to us in the Bible) is our weapon of offense (our Sword).

 

[Shimmie]

Thanks laurend for sharing this post.

I was unable to watch the Book of Eli movie. It was just too violent and gory; it made absolutely no sense to me to have the blades, the fights, the choppings, etc.

We watched it during one of our 'Family Movie Nights' at home. My son-in-law, his Dad, as well as the other men in our family enjoyed the movie and as each of them are Christian men, they especially liked the end.

I have to admit that the end was the part I was able to handle; watching Denzel Washington in clean white linen and reciting the Bible as the scholar did the transcriptions for him.

The extent of the violence displayed in the movie makes no sense to me; it was no different than other movies of violence which give glory to the 'world'. There are other details which I hesitate to mention, because I don't want to spoil the movie plot for those waiting to view it.

I still thank you for posting this; I love it when God can get a man's attention such as the blogger you've quoted.

Have a blessed day in the Lord... :Rose:

 

[Shimmie]

I ran across this when I was stumbling blogs. I'm agnostic but I like his thoughts on the movie. He wants AA opinions on his post.



The movie "The Book of Eli" came on TV not too long ago. I was surprised by some of the ending plot and if you have not seen the movie you probably want quite reading this. SPOILER ALERT In the movie there are three types of people who respond to the Bible. One represents those who use the Bible for personal power and gain. There is a town leader; part mayor and all mob boss. He wants a copy of the Bible to be able to use the words there in to coerce those who are small in intellect to do as he says. There is second type of person who uses the Bible as a part of their personal quest and voyage in life. Eli is a wander; part super hero and part high plains drifter. He reads the Bible every day. He knows his own faults but also knows he is to live by the Bible. This is the type of Bible reader I want to be; minus gun fights, karate moves, and swordsmanship. Lastly there is the fellow in Alcatraz Island who is storing up the knowledge of mankind. He is attempting to build their worlds knowledge by amassing a library that is protected. He studiously copies the Bible by hand, prints it up, and then places it on the shelf among many other religions. For this man, the Bible is just another part of human religious experience, not a defining religious experience.


As I read my Bible I want to be wary of the two errors of seeing the Bible as a tool for my own ends or seeing it as a part human religious experience. I want to be on mission and give my life to the one who gave himself to me. The fellow Eli was a Christ figure in that he was misunderstood and also because he seemed to die and rise again. However, his resurrection is temporary, he eventually die due to his wounds permanently but fulfills his mission. Though he is a Christ figure in a literary sense, there is no mention of the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no Son of God mentioned in the film that I can remember. Perhaps that is the view point of the film maker, I'm not sure. But as I say I want to be one who reads the Bible like Eli, I also want to be distinct from Eli too. I want to always understand the Bible from the point of view that Jesus is the main idea of all the Bible, even the Old Testament. I want to always be Christ centric in my reading of Scripture.

Lastly it merits saying, Eli is black. Though it saddens me to say, I think African-Americans get the Bible better that white Americans do at times. There is a sense that the African-American church knows that God is good. I'm not sure if it is intentional in the movie, but in a sense, the man reading the Bible correctly is a black man and the other white interpretations are misguided. Again, I'm not sure that is what the film makers meant, but it something I got out of the film. As I read the Bible it is true and straight forward. It is a book about deliverance and grace. It is a book about freedom. I think that is how I hear the African-American sisters and brothers reading it. God is good all the time.

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Gal 5:1 ESV)

laurend.... I wanted to come back to tell you that this blog is beautiful. It's far better than the movie (for me that is ).

Thank you again for sharing this with us. I just finished reading the blog in it's full context and it blesses my heart.

I thank God for blessing you with just as much beauty and love in your life with your loved ones and even more with the Lord, Himself.

Lovingly meant,

Shimmie... :Rose:

 

[loulou7]

Oh, and it would've been cool if Eli's memorization of the Bible were touched upon a bit more. That is a big part of Eli as a Bible reader, imo, in addition to his understanding of the Word.

Memorization is so key to the Christian walk, especially during times at which we do not have a Bible in our immediate possession or when we are bombarded by trials and tribulations. Having the Word in our hearts (and not just external to us in the Bible) is our weapon of offense (our Sword).

This is so true loolalooh.

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

I too don't agree with the everything the blooger said, particulary about the bible being put on a shelf ...

Eli said that God told him who to take the bible to, I can't imagine that it was all to be placed on a shelf ...

Eli hid the bible in heart so even though the it was taken from him he was able to remember what it said ...it takes dicipline and a love for God to study His word. It is going to come a time when the word will be witheld from us, if not us then or children or their children it's important to know what it says before that time comes ...

If we pass the word onto our children they was we are instructed in Deuteronomy chapters 6 and 11 then we wont have to worry about them ..

 

[Shimmie]

I too don't agree with the everything the blooger said, particulary about the bible being put on a shelf ...

Eli said that God told him who to take the bible to, I can't imagine that it was all to be placed on a shelf ...

Eli hid the bible in heart so even though the it was taken from him he was able to remember what it said ...it takes dicipline and a love for God to study His word. It is going to come a time when the word will be witheld from us, if not us then or children or their children it's important to know what it says before that time comes ...

If we pass the word onto our children they was we are instructed in Deuteronomy chapters 6 and 11 then we wont have to worry about them ..

This is how our Ancestors passed on our family history. They memorized it and taught to their children and their children's children.

It reminds me of Alex Haley (Roots), his visit to Africa, he had to sit and lister to the history of his Ancestry.