Christ- likeness in action through the life of a saint: A faith- based look at 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town.'

Hi everyone, and merry Christmas from the Nightcrawler Experience!
Last year, I looked at a then- brand- new Christmas special (The 'Loud House' Christmas special), but this year, as the conclusion of my two- part Christmas edition, I'll look at an older one.
I really enjoy the old Rankin- Bass Christmas specials. For those not familiar with that title, they're the guys who did such classic stop- motion Christmas specials as 'Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer,' 'The Year Without a Santa Claus,' 'The Little Drummer Boy' and its sequel, and many others. They're always so much fun, so heartwarming, and invoke such a great sense of nostalgia. They have a really timeless feel to them, which is why I'm glad that Freeform always airs them as part of their annual '25 Days of Christmas' lineup, so that the younger generations can be introduced to them and the older generations can be reminded of how great they were.
While my absolute favorite of these specials is 'The Year Without a Santa Claus' (Snow Miser and Heat Miser rule!), for the sake of this edition, I will be looking at my second favorite: Their 1970 special, 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town.' So, pull up a seat, pour yourself some eggnog, and let's take a look:


In this special, an admittedly rather creepy- looking mailman voiced by Fred Astaire is telling Santa's backstory as a way of answering some of the questions kids have about Santa, such as why he goes down chimneys, why he leaves presents in stockings, why he has a beard, and so on.
It all begins when an abandoned baby wearing a little gold tag that says "Claus" winds up at the doorstep of the Kringles, a family of friendly toymaking elves. They take the baby in, name him Kris, and raise him as their own, teaching him the toymaking trade.
Some years pass, and as a young man, Kris (Voiced by the late, great Mickey Rooney, who would reprise this role as Santa in many later Rankin- Bass productions) decides to try and deliver the toys they have made to a city called Sombertown so that the children there can all play with them and feel happy.
Sombertown's kids are pretty miserable, mainly because the town's heartless mayor, Burgermeister Meisterburger (Gotta love that name), has completely outlawed all toys in the town and orders kids to instead fill their days by doing extra chores. Kris sets out to change all that by bringing both toys and happiness back into the children's lives while dodging the Burgermeister's attempts to stop or capture him.
Along the way, Kris makes quite a few new allies in his struggle to bring joy to the children of Sombertown. First, he befriends a lost penguin named Topper who helps him out of a couple jams and ends up being the reason why Santa goes down chimneys. Then, he runs into the seemingly vicious and cruel Winter Warlock, but through a kind gift and an uplifting song, Kris quickly convinces Winter to change his ways, and with his power he becomes quite an asset to Kris. Next, Sombertown's schoolteacher Jessica, while initially mistrustful of Kris, soon not only comes to see the good he does and aid him in his efforts, but eventually falls in love with him and marries him, becoming Mrs. Claus.
Eventually, of course, Kris overcomes the odds, and becomes the figure we all know and love today.

Ever since I first saw 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town' as a kid, I have truly loved it!
The story is so much fun to watch, and offers good explanations as to the origins of the ways Santa works. The characters are all really likable (Other than the Burgermeister, of course, and even he's rather funny to watch with what a blustering windbag he is and some of the toy- related mishaps he suffers), especially Kris. Through a combination of how he's written and Mickey Rooney's performance as his voice, he shows such warmth, gentleness, compassion, cheer, and goodwill, just like how you'd imagine Santa as a young man being. Even the Internet series host the Nostalgia Critic, who doesn't normally like the Rankin- Bass specials, liked the way Kris was portrayed so much he included him on his Top 11 list of favorite Santa performances. Another character who really sticks out for me is Winter Warlock. They make him extremely developed with all the changes he goes through over the course of the special. Keenan Wynn does a wonderful job with his voice, making it gruff and scary when he's evil at the start, then noticeably soften after Kris helps melt his heart. You can feel sad along with him when he tearfully reveals later on that he's lost nearly all of his magic, then rejoice along with him when he finds out he still has some of it left and can still put it to good use.
The songs in the special are mostly very good (Though one of them, "A Kiss for a Toy," gives off kind of an awkward feel listening to it today), with my favorite of them definitely being "Put One Foot in Front of the Other," the song that Kris uses to help Winter Warlock learn he can turn his life around and become good. That song is so unbelievably catchy and sends such a great message. More than a few times, I find myself randomly humming it!

I can think of quite a few good Scriptural messages that can be found in 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town.' One that sticks out right away is on persevering in righteous work, even when it gets tough. Even when Kris was hounded by the Burgermeister and viewed as a criminal for bringing toys to the children of Sombertown, he refused to let that stop him from doing what he knew was right; He kept on pushing, finding new and better ways to go about doing it. There are several Bible verses about the importance of this kind of endurance in righteous and holy acts. In James 1:2-3, it points out "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance." Furthermore, Romans 2:7 says that "To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life." In doing good and actively pursuing our faith, we will encounter trials and opposition. It may be from despotic rulers like the Burgermeister in the special or from real- life tyrants throughout history who've tried stamping out the Gospel (From Nero to Stalin to modern Sharia and Communist rulers), or it may be from more mundane things like our schedules, technical problems, or other setbacks. What's important is to keep going, keeping in mind the good you are doing for God's Kingdom, and that you are doing it as an act of service to Him.
A second message that can be found is on the nature of grace and redemption. This is shown well by Winter Warlock's redemption and the message in the song "Put One Foot in Front of the Other." Kris starts it by telling Winter that "Changing from bad to good is as easy as taking your first step." The song points out that all it takes to change your ways is having the courage to start, then it gets easier as it goes along. This very much ties into the Biblical view of salvation found through God's grace, right down to the fact that Winter at one point in the song refers to it as "The chance to be reborn." Romans 10:9-10 has the apostle Paul pointing out that "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess and are saved." Through God's amazing grace and love, being saved and reborn really is as simple as that, and the Holy Spirit will help guide you from there.
A final, amazing theological message that can be taken from 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town' is in its very end; As the mailman is finishing his story, he brings up that there are still people to this day who are opposed to Santa and Christmas, including taking the view that we shouldn't even talk about Santa in a world with so many problems and so much unhappiness in it. The mailman replies to this with an amazing monologue:
 "Lots of unhappiness? Maybe so. But doesn't Santa take a little bit of that unhappiness away? Doesn't a smile on Christmas morning scratch out a tear cried on a Saturday? Not much, maybe. But, what would happen if we all tried to be like Santa, and learned to give as only he can give, of ourselves, our love, our talents, and our hearts? Maybe if we could all learn Santa's beautiful lesson, maybe there would finally be peace on Earth, and goodwill toward man."
That monologue was such a theological slam- dunk in my eyes. Basically replace "Santa" with "Jesus," and it all applies perfectly. Kris in this special gives a great picture of how Christians should live out their faith; He sets out to meet people's needs when he finds them (Bringing toys to Sombertown's kids), helps people gain a positive new outlook on things (Helping to open Jessica's eyes to the world around her), shows kindness to those who've fallen and gives them hope for redemption (As he did for Winter Warlock and tried to do for the Burgermeister), and shows reverence to the Lord in what he does (i.e. Why, when he got to the point that he could only do toy deliveries once a year, he decided that Christmas Eve would be the best time to do it). This goes along with 1 John 2:6's point that "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." Also, it goes along with Ephesians 5:1-2's instruction for us to "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."
So, there we have 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town'; A timeless Christmas classic which helps to teach even more timeless Scriptural lessons on endurance, God's grace and salvation, and putting Christ- likeness into action.
That's it for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. I should hopefully have my 'Top 11 Movie Characters of 2017' entry up before too long. Until then, merry Christmas, and may God bless you all!

Faith vs. Cynicism: A Devotional Look at 'Miracle on 34th Street.'

Hi everyone, welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
This entry will be both the first part of what will hopefully be a two- part Christmas- related set of entries over the next couple days, and the final entry in this year's partnership with St. John's United Methodist Church in writing devotionals to go along with their monthly Movie Night. They'll probably restart it next summer, but for now, we've decided we can give it a rest for a bit.
Now then, for this, I'll be looking at this month's movie du jour, the Christmas classic 'Miracle on 34th Street' (The 1947 original, not the 1994 remake; No offense to that remake, as it was pretty good too).
In it, Christmas is coming, and a number of people begin suspecting that Kris (Edmund Gwenn), the jolly and kind- hearted man that the Macy's flagship store in New York City have hired to be their Santa Claus, may in fact be the real St. Nick. Among them are the good- hearted attorney Fred (John Payne), the sadly jaded and cynical Doris (Maureen O'Hara), and her equally skeptical little daughter Susan (Natalie Wood). This discovery proves to be a particular shock for Susan, who has such a lack of imagination for her young age that she has never even read or heard a fairy tale before.
Eventually, it leads to many unsympathetic types viewing Kris as insane and seeking to have him permanently committed to a mental hospital. So, Fred decides to defend Kris in a trial hearing for his mental state, with the very existence of Santa Claus now on trial.
'Miracle on 34th St.' is an amazing movie, well- worthy of its status as a Christmas classic. All the performances are great, ESPECIALLY Edmund Gwenn as Kris, who won an Oscar for this performance. He brings all the warmth, kindness, joy, and commitment to what's right that you would expect from Santa Claus. Another standout performance was young Natalie Wood as Susan. She brings such maturity for her young age, perfectly fitting her character, who seems to be on tap for growing up too fast. Seeing her become friends with Kris and coming out of her shell more as the movie progresses is such a joy.The story, the way it plays out, and the way the court case is eventually won are all really well- written. It would be hard NOT to root for Kris and Fred, both in seeking to win the case, and in helping to open the hearts of Doris and Susan.
I can think of quite a few great Scriptural messages that can be taken from 'Miracle on 34th Street.' The first and foremost is on the nature of faith. The main issue most characters struggle with is faith, both in believing that Kris is who he says he is, and just generally in humanity and goodness. People might have a trouble with faith and believing in what they can't see due to feeling it's irrational, due to feeling let down by the world (i.e. One of the main reasons why Doris is so skeptical and has so little room for imagination in her life, and has taught Susan to be the same way, is because of the way her worldview was shattered by her divorce), or many other means. Still, true faith, of the Biblical sort, is stronger than this. As it says in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith means that, while you shouldn't just blindly accept everything you hear, at the same time you shouldn't need to have it practically shoved in your face in order to believe in it. This is what is at stake in 'Miracle on 34th Street.' Fred sums it up in one scene by saying, "Faith is believing even when common sense tells you not to. Don't you see? It's not just Kris that's on trial, it's everything he stands for. It's kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles." Trusting in and serving the Lord through faith, even when you may have doubts or others may look down on you for it, is what being a Christian is all about.
Believing can also be hard at times when some of the things we seek and pray to the Lord for are not granted. I know firsthand how disheartening this can be. However, a couple important considerations should be made; First, God is not a genie who is required to grant our every request. Second, as I believe I've mentioned in previous entries of this blog, God has a much better sense of the "Big picture" than we do, and a much better knowledge of what's best for us than we do because of this. At times, He may refuse to grant our requests because they are things which could be bad for us in the long run, or because He may have much better things in store for us down the road. Kris touches on this at one point in the movie when Susan asks him if he can provide her and her mother with a better house for Christmas, and says that if he can't, it must mean he's just a nice man with a white beard. He responds, "Now wait a minute, Susie. Just because every child can't get his wish, that doesn't mean there isn't a Santa Claus.....Some children wish for things they couldn't possibly use, like real locomotives or B-29s." For a personal example of this, when I was in college, I (Who have never been much of a ladies' man) began getting closer to a young woman who I'll call "Sandi." As we grew closer, I began thinking we could officially become a couple (Partly because "Sandi" had a rather flirtatious nature, and I kind of misinterpreted that as signaling real interest in me). I prayed to God so many times that this would happen, that He would guide "Sandi" and I together and bless our relationship. When it did not work out that way and "Sandi" and I's friendship ended rather badly, I cannot express how depressed I was and how let down I felt. However, looking back on it now, I can see that God did not give me what I had prayed to Him for because He knew it was not what was best for me. I can see that "Sandi" was wrong for me, and had things gone the way I had hoped back then, it would likely have led to a lot of pain and hardship for both of us. Indeed, God had much better things in mind for me, as I am now in an extremely happy relationship with a girlfriend I adore, and who feels the same for me. Just a little something to keep in mind if you ever get frustrated that something you pray for might not come to pass.
An additional Scriptural message to be taken from 'Miracle on 34th Street.' is on the nature of Christmas, and life in general. In explaining why he's been so active in her life, Susan's, and the lives of so many others, Kris at one point tells Doris that "For the past fifty years or so, I've been getting more and more worried about Christmas. Seems we're all so busy trying to beat the other fellow in making things go faster and look shinier and cost less that Christmas and I are sort of getting lost in the shuffle." He also points out that "Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind... and that's what's been changing. That's why I'm glad I'm here, maybe I can do something about it." Kris's remark about the nature of Christmas and how it has been changing is, if anything, even truer now than it was when the movie was released. The Christmas season is becoming steadily more and more about commercialism, consumerism, competition (Be it among business owners trying to make more than their competitors, or everyday citizens going to ridiculous lengths to ensure their house is the best decorated in the neighborhood), and simple greed than about the spirits of giving, compassion, and celebrating the birth of Jesus that are its true core. There is actually a website dedicated to documenting all the lethal and nonlethal injuries associated with Black Friday each year. Last year, at least three people were killed on Black Friday, including a Wal- Mart shopper in Nevada who was fatally shot in a fight over a PARKING SPACE, of all things! When kicking off the Christmas season leads to a person being killed over not just an item for sale, but just for a simple parking space to eventually get to said item, you know something is definitely wrong. Christians have always known that they should be more concerned with heavenly matters than with material things. Colossians 3:2 instructs believers to "Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." While shopping, decorating, and the usual festivities are nice and should not necessarily be discouraged, we must not let them overshadow the true spirit of Christmas or keep us from living out our devotion to the One whose birth that day celebrates.
Keeping faith and not letting holiday bustle hinder how we act and focus our priorities are imperative to make our Christmas truly a merry one.
That's it for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. I should hopefully have the second part of my Christmas entry up by the big day, so keep your eyes peeled. Until then, God bless you all!

Truly Valuing Life: A Faith- Based Look at 'The Ultimate Gift.'

Hi everyone, welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
This is the third entry in my current collaboration with St. John's United Methodist Church for their "Movie Night" series. In this one, the focus is on the Christian film 'The Ultimate Gift.'
This film centers around Jason Stevens, a spoiled and selfish young playboy who learns that his billionaire grandfather has left him an inheritance, but that in order to inherit it, Jason must complete twelve tasks within a year. Each task involves him learning to appreciate a "Gift" of some kind, such as the "Gift of Work," "Gift of Learning," "Gift of Money," and "Gift of Friendship," among others. Along the way, he befriends a woman named Alexia and her terminally ill daughter Emily. They, along with his tasks, help him gain a new appreciation for life and all of its many gifts, and he ends up helping Emily make the most of her life while it lasts.
Although it had been years since I last saw it, I always greatly enjoyed 'The Ultimate Gift.' The performances are strong, especially from Drew Fuller as Jason and Abigail Breslin as Emily, as well as veteran actor Bill Cobb's performance as the grandfather's attorney, Mr. Hamilton. It teaches great messages about making the most of our lives, however long they may be, keeping God at the center of things, and indeed of appreciating the basic gifts of life the way Jason learns to do.
It eventually got a sequel called 'The Ultimate Life,' which was pretty good, too.
As my devotional which will be passed out at the screening points out, I point out a major devotional message to be taken from 'The Ultimate Gift' is the way that each of the "Gifts" associated with the tasks Jason does are closely associated with Christian virtues, with each frequently spoken of in Scripture. In particular, I point out the Gift of Friendship challenge, and how Alexia and Emily show Jason what true, Godly friendship looks like, as described in Proverbs 6:4-11.

Another Scriptural message I can find in 'The Ultimate Gift' is on the nature of good stewardship and using what we've been given wisely, which is shown near the climax of the film.
SPOILERS!

After Jason completes all the tasks that he has been given, he is next given $100 million from his grandfather's estate, to use however he pleases. He decides to use this inheritance  to build a new hospital called "Emily's Home," specifically designed for patients with terminal illnesses, and makes a point of including a chapel in it. By the end of the film, once ground has broken on Emily's Home, he is called back to meet again with his grandfather's attorneys. It turns out that what he decided to use that $100 million inheritance for was a kind of final test for him, and as a reward for using it so selflessly, he is awarded over $2 billion from his grandfather's estate as his true inheritance.

This most calls to mind the two faithful servants in Jesus's parable of the Servants and the Talents in  Matthew 25:14- 30.; As their master points out, they were faithful with small things (The relatively small amounts of money they were entrusted with), so they will now be entrusted with larger things (Higher positions of control and authority).
Indeed, in our walk with Jesus, if we prove to handle well the tasks that are given to us to serve Him and build His Kingdom and aren't content to just play it safe with the gifts and skills He has given us but actively seek to bring as much fruit from them as possible, He will often find ways to entrust us with even greater responsibilities. If we remain faithful, it can lead to rewards here on Earth, and immeasurably greater rewards waiting for us in Heaven.
As that parable teaches us, and as Jason, Emily, and the other characters in the film further show, the true "Ultimate Gift" comes from a life lived faithfully in service to God.
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. I'm already excited for what I have planned for this blog's entries nearing Christmas, so stay tuned for them. Until then, God bless you all!

Righteous Courage, and a Lost Faith Regained: A Faith- Based Look at 'Pete and Pete''s Halloween Special

Hi everyone, happy Halloween from the Nightcrawler Experience!
This is the concluding installment of this year's Halloween special for this blog, in which I will be examining one of the best TV Halloween specials I've ever seen. Much like when I looked at an episode of 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' last October, it'll involve a look at something that Nickelodeon produced in its Golden Age of the early- mid 1990's, examining it as both a pop- culture fan and a Christian.
What's widely considered one of the best shows Nickelodeon has ever produced, certainly in that time period, was a comedy series called 'The Adventures of Pete and Pete.'

(Pete and Pete, from a pic I had autographed by its two stars last December, as I'll talk about below)

This was a very strange sort of show, a kind of surreal twist on family sitcoms. It started as a set of minute- long shorts that Nick would air during their commercial breaks at random points of the day, but eventually became a full- length TV series. It centers around two brothers, one about fifteen and the other about eleven, who happen to have the exact same name (They're often told apart by being referred to as "Big Pete" and "Little Pete," respectively), and the various odd adventures and coming- of- age experiences they have with the other quirky residents of their suburban town of Wellsville.
The show has so many bizarre touches to it (i.e. Little Pete has a tattoo of a Flamenco dancer girl on his arm which he names "Petunia" and can have appear to do various dances by flexing his arm in various ways, the boys' mom has a metal plate in her head that can pick up radio waves, Little Pete has a personal superhero friend in the form of a strange man who calls himself "Artie, the Strongest Man in the World," etc.), yet the way these touches are pulled off is honestly brilliant. It's extremely funny, can be very heartwarming when it wants to be, and it holds up amazingly well today. It also gets points for how they used the two brothers and their respective ages, dealing with issues that teens face (i.e. dating, learning to drive), issues that younger kids face (i.e. Being underestimated by adults, rebelling against early bedtimes), and issues that both age ranges face (i.e. Bullies, long road trips, the loss of a pet).
Furthermore, it had a lot of amusing surprise cameos by celebrities, especially "Hipster- friendly" celebs like LL Cool J, Steve Buscemi, and former 'REM' frontman Michael Stipe. In fact, the episode I will be looking at in this edition has rocker Iggy Pop appearing as the father of one of Little Pete's friends.
To this day, its opening theme song, 'Hey Sandy' by the indie rock band Polaris (Whose other songs frequently appear throughout the series), never fails to bring a smile to my face.
I met its two main stars, Michael Maronna and Danny Tamberelli, at a comic convention last December, and they were both unbelievably cool, friendly guys who I had a nice conversation with.

(Here the two of them are. They even let me have a free button for their podcast, 'The Adventures of Danny and Mike,' to add to my gigantic collection of pins and buttons on my travel backpack)

One of the topics we talked about was the show's Halloween special, "Halloweenie," and it is that episode which I will be looking at in this edition.
SPOILERS!

In this special, it's almost Halloween in Wellsville, and we learn through the opening narration that while Big Pete once loved Halloween, he now despises it as a dorky holiday. A part of him, though, wonders if the spirit/ love of Halloween, once lost, can ever be found again. It is that question which is at the heart of this special.
In contrast to Big Pete's attitude, Little Pete adores Halloween, and is determined this year to break the trick- or- treating world record for most houses hit in one night. Since such a mission would require at least two people to hold so much collected candy, Big Pete decides to come with him and help him.
He does so with reservation, however, out of fear of falling victim to "The Pumpkin Eaters," a gang of Halloween- hating bullies wearing oversized jack o lanterns as masks. Every year, the Pumpkin Eaters wreak havoc in the neighborhoods, terrorize trick- or- treaters, smash every pumpkin they see, and generally set out to ruin Halloween for everyone. The previous year, they caught a teenage boy trick- or- treating and made an example of him, so thoroughly humiliating and disgracing him that nobody would come near him after that, even in the school's yearbook (His photo was on a page all its own)!

(Beware the Pumpkin Eaters! Credit for this pic goes to Marah Eakin's review of this episode @ https://tv.avclub.com/the-adventures-of-pete-and-pete-halloweenie-1798171026)

What's worse, the brothers learn from an incompetent but good- hearted crossing guard (Apparently the closest thing to a police presence that their normally peaceful neighborhood has) that if the Pumpkin Eaters aren't caught, Halloween will have to be permanently cancelled in that town. This, of course, makes it all the more imperative for Little Pete to try and break the trick- or- treating record while he still can.

Halloween night, while things initially go well for the record attempt (In tribute to the monumental feat the brothers are attempting to undertake, they go dressed as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin), Big Pete eventually chickens out when he realizes they're the last trick- or- treaters out that night and thus prime targets for the Pumpkin Eaters, and leaves a thoroughly angry and disappointed Little Pete to continue pursuing the record alone. Eventually, though, after an intense chase and moral crossroads, Big Pete regains his courage as well as his past love of Halloween, the two brothers together stand up to the Pumpkin Eaters with help from the crossing guard, and Halloween is saved.

"Halloweenie" remains one of my favorite episodes of the series, and as I explained earlier, it is also one of my all- time favorite TV Halloween specials in general. I make a point of watching it every Halloween. The brothers' relationship with each other is as enjoyable to watch as it always is in the show, with both actors doing a wonderful job of demonstrating the conflicts the brothers are going through (Little Pete's determination to break the record, and Big Pete feeling torn between loyalty to his brother and seeking his own safety). The Pumpkin Eaters are great villains that can be genuinely creepy and threatening at times, especially near the end, yet also have some comedic moments. The episode's entire atmosphere practically screams "Halloween," between the costumes, the music, the scenery, the falling autumn leaves and pumpkins everywhere, the climax taking place in a closed Halloween Haunted House, and so on. It also has loads of funny lines and moments (i.e. Learning of a gross yet handy extra feature Little Pete built into their spacesuit costumes, and a scene where the crossing guard is being pelted with eggs and angrily shouts "YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! I'M A CIVIL SERVANT!").
The only real flaw I can find with it is that we learn who the leader of the Pumpkin Eaters is pretty early on in the episode when he briefly removes his mask (It turns out to be a recurring antagonist on the show), I think it would have been better if that part was cut and we didn't learn who he was until Big Pete stands up to him in the climax.
Here's the link to a Youtube video of the episode, if any of you would like to see it. The quality isn't the best, but it'll work:

I can think of a couple good Scriptural messages in "Halloweenie." The first and foremost is on losing and regaining faith, as seen through Big Pete's inner struggle over having lost his Halloween spirit and wondering if it can ever be regained. That can be a genuinely thorny issue for Christians, especially those who feel they have fallen short, wrestled with doubts, or no longer enjoy the good relationship with Jesus they once had. I personally have struggled with that issue many times in the past. However, no matter how badly we may have drifted from God, it is always possible to return to Him, and He is waiting with open arms to welcome us back. The best proof of this is in the story of the Prodigal Son. The Son departed from his home, but when he came into a right mind and returned, his father was waiting, came running to him, and joyously welcomed him back to the fold with celebration. See, God loves us so much that He will always provide us with a way back, no matter how far we may drift from Him. We know this from Romans 8:38-39, which says that "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." God's love can bring back ANY who have fallen astray.  As Big Pete discovered in "Halloweenie," just because we may lose passion or faith doesn't mean by any means that we can't regain it, especially with such a powerful, kind, and loving God so eager to have us back with Him.

Another important message I found in "Halloweenie" ties into the themes of cowardice and courage. In spite of how scary the Pumpkin Eaters seem to be to everyone in town, it becomes clear by the end of the episode that their true defining character trait is ultimately what cowards they are deep down. They hide their identities behind pumpkin masks, torment defenseless children that are often no more than half their ages (The phrase "Pick on someone your own size" definitely comes to mind), and in the end when confronted by the heroes together, they almost immediately try to run away. Being nothing but bullies, that is ultimately all we can expect from them. This makes a great contrast to the physical and moral courage that Big Pete eventually shows by refusing to join them, and that Little Pete shows by helping to defend his brother from them even though it meant sacrificing his shot at the record. It calls to mind Proverbs 28:1, which states that "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion." If we are genuinely standing for what is right and true in God's eyes, and doing so in the proper way, that can be an incredible source of courage for us as believers, while the cruel and wicked are dominated and ultimately undone by their own fear.

So, that's my look at "Halloweenie," a great Halloween special which drives home both the vital truth that those who struggle with their faith can always find their way back, and of the kind of amazing courage that righteous devotion to the Lord can bring, all from the POV of, as the special's closing monologue puts it, "Two brothers who will always believe."
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Have a safe and happy Halloween, and I'll see you here again soon. Until then, God bless you all!

Responsibility and True Beauty: A Faith- Based Look at 'Hocus Pocus.'

Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
This post acts as both a continuation of this blog's collaboration with St. John's United Methodist Church on their 'Movie Night' series, and as part one of this blog's two- part Halloween- related entry.
The movie screened at the church this evening was 'Hocus Pocus.' Incidentally, our second choice for tonight would have been Tim Burton's 2012 stopmotion film 'Frankenweenie,' another awesome film with a great message to it.
This 1993 film, while it did not initially succeed either commercially or with critics, has since achieved cult classic status and become traditional Halloween viewing for many people, myself included.
In it, teenage boy Max isn't adjusting well to his move to Salem. He misses his home in California, is picked on by a pair of boorish bullies, and is resentful of having to take his little sister Dani out trick or treating. On Halloween night, he, along with Dani and his crush Allison, unwittingly reawaken the Sanderson sisters, three evil witches who seek to drain the life out of Salem's children in order to obtain immortality and eternal youth/ beauty. Our heroes, with help from the magical cat Binx (Once a colonial boy who centuries earlier had to watch as his sister was drained of her life force by the Sandersons before being turned into a cat and given immortality to always reflect on his failure) must then do what they can to undo his mistake and stop the Sandersons in order to save everyone in Salem.
 I did not see this movie for the first time until a few years after it premiered, and didn't see it again for decades after that. That being said, I've always found it an enjoyable movie, and pretty much perfectly fits the bill if you're looking for more family- friendly Halloween fare. It's got action, light scares, humor, and pretty good character development. It also holds up pretty well today, about the only dated things about it are some of the 90's slang terms the bullies use and when we briefly see a trick or treater dressed as Mrs. Potts from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." The child actors are all great, and all make for pretty likable characters, especially Binx. The Sanderson sisters make for incredibly entertaining villains. It's rather strange, while we obviously don't want their despicable plan to succeed, at the same time they're so fun to watch that it feels like we shouldn't really want them to die either (It's similar to how I felt about the Penguin in 'Batman Returns'). You can tell Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy must have been having a blast playing them. Their zombie henchman Billy is a pretty cool character too, especially near the end when he regains the ability to speak. The movie's appeal is further shown by the fact that, for the last several years, the Disney theme parks have had a live show of it as a key part of their "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party" Halloween celebration.

In my devotional to be passed out at the screening, I talk about how 'Hocus Pocus' helps to explore the theme of true beauty. I used the examples of Proverbs 31:30 and 1 Peter 3:3-4 to show how, while the unbelieving world, much like the Sanderson sisters in the movie, focuses too much on outer beauty and vanity, true beauty in God's eyes is found in instead demonstrating kindness, gentleness, and holiness.

I think another Biblical theme that can be found in 'Hocus Pocus' is on demonstrating responsibility, especially towards family. In the first half of the movie, Max is trying to pretend to be something he's not and shirk his responsibility to Dani in order to impress Allison. This drive to superficially impress her leads him to light the magic candle which reawakens the Sanderson sisters, nearly killing all three of them as well as all the children in town. By the climax of the movie, though, Max has better realized his responsibility to his sister (Largely through learning from Binx's sad example), as he is willing to sacrifice himself to save Dani's life, by arranging it so that the Sandersons will need to drain the life out of him rather than do so to Dani.
This calls to mind 1 Timothy 5:8: "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
We all have responsibilities to our families. They are the ones we see the most in life (Or, at least that we SHOULD see the most in life), and thus the way we treat them is one of the most important ways of putting our faith as Christians into action. Whether it be our spouses, our siblings, our children, or others, we must always seek to do what is right by our families, putting their needs ahead of our own, as Jesus put our needs ahead of His comfort by coming down to Earth and dying to save us. We shouldn't let life keep us too busy to find time to stay in touch with those of them who are not nearby (I admittedly can be guilty of falling short in this regard), and help meet the emotional and spiritual needs of our immediate, close families at home, as an act of service to them and to God.
By doing these, seeking true and lasting beauty and accepting our responsibilities to look after and properly care for our families, we can follow God's will and better shine His light to areas shrouded with evil and darkness.
That's it for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Part 2 of my Halloween special will be up by the big day in question so stay tuned. Until then, God bless you all!

Loving Enemies, and Standing Against Hate: A Faith- Based Look at a Great 'Teen Titans' episode.

Hello, and welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
For this installment, I'll be looking at an episode from an older show I've rediscovered, examining it as both a fan and a Christian.
One show that I was a big fan of in the 2000's was the Cartoon Network series 'Teen Titans.'

It was an animated show that ran from 2003 through 2006, about the adventures and trials of a team of teenage superheroes: Stoic team leader Robin, bubbly yet powerful alien princess Starfire, exuberant half- robotic hero Cyborg, fan- favorite Gothic sorceress Raven, and the fun- loving animal shapeshifter Beast Boy.

(Meet the Titans: From left, Beast Boy, Starfire, Robin, Cyborg, and Raven. Credit for this image goes to the user Teentitansfan1234 at http://teentitans.wikia.com/wiki/File:Teen_titans.png)
It was a genuinely good show, a perfect blend of action, humor, and surprisingly great moments of drama and character development that could appeal to adults just as easily as to kids.
It could have silly, light- hearted episodes (i.e. 'Fractured,' 'Bunny Raven,' and any of the episodes involving the amusingly psychedelic villain Mad Mod), and but then also have dead- serious, intense episodes (i.e. The deeply moving 'How Long is Forever?', the honestly magnificent 'X,' and any episodes featuring the Titans' pure- evil main nemesis Slade), and handle both styles perfectly.
It did an awesome job portraying both established characters from the comic books, and also original characters created for the show (i.e. The hilarious movie- geek villain Control Freak was created for the show, and became so popular among fans that there was a lot of talk about officially bringing him into the larger comics' main canon).
Its opening theme song by Japanese pop rock band Puffy AmiYumi is incredibly catchy, too.
It was sadly cancelled in 2006, apparently the result of Cartoon Network coming under new management. Starting in 2013, a new version of it called 'Teen Titans Go' premiered, but I honestly find that show abysmal and a disgrace to the 'Teen Titans' legacy in a lot of different ways that I won't go into here, so that's all I'll say about it.

Fortunately, about a month or two ago, Cartoon Network began reshowing episodes of the original 'Teen Titans' at 6-7 am. So, as a good way to help wake up and get psyched for the day, I'd watch those hour blocks while having my morning coffee or tea, and am pleased to say the show still holds up remarkably well after all these years.

My favorite of the Titans was/ is Starfire. One would rarely use the word "Adorable" to describe a superheroine, but it fits Starfire like a glove. She's cheerful, brave, kind- hearted, fiercely loyal to her friends, quite often funny with how naive she can be and how unaccustomed to Earth she is (i.e. She fumbles with the meanings of certain words and phrases, and her beverage of choice is mustard), and yet also much smarter and more insightful than she seems. The relationship she gradually develops with Robin over the course of the series is awkward but very sweet, the kind of pairing that fans like me could easily cheer on. In addition, her voice actress Hynden Walch does a consistently great performance as her.
If any of you are interested, here's a pretty neat Starfire tribute video I found on Youtube. The song fits her well, in the chorus when it goes "Sharada, Sharada," I imagine it saying "Starfire, Starfire" instead!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1ZvLW0vkkA
I bring all this up because, during the current re- showing of 'Teen Titans' episodes, I rediscovered an episode centering around Starfire that I love as a fan, and can also derive some great lessons from on how to live as a servant of Jesus. It was a Season 4 episode known as "Troq."

In this episode, the Titans meet an intergalactic hero named Val- Yor, who recruits them to help him defeat a hostile alien race called the Locrix before they can invade Earth. They all set out on a space mission to the Locrix's base planet in order to shut them down for good.
As their journey progresses, Val- Yor quickly wins over most of the Titans with his friendly, mentor- ish nature, but remains rather cold towards Starfire. Things come to a head when Val- Yor, angry at Starfire for making a potentially dangerous mistake, calls her a "Troq," which makes her gasp in shock. After this, he begins regularly calling her that. At first, the the other Titans think nothing of it, on the grounds that Val- Yor has nicknames for each of them (i.e. He calls Robin "Spike" and sarcastically calls Raven "Sunshine"), but Starfire sadly reveals to Cyborg that "Troq" is in fact a particularly hateful slur term for her alien race. It specifically means "Nothing," implying that she is worthless due to her race, and she knows that punching him out for saying it will just confirm his prejudices. Cyborg tells Robin about it, who furiously promises to make Val- Yor apologize to her for it, but Starfire tells him to let it go on the grounds that their mission is more important than her feelings. Things ultimately come to a head when they arrive at the Locrix planet, set out to accomplish their mission, and in the process cause a few characters to reveal their true natures.

While 'Troq' is usually not found on many "Favorite episode" lists by the show's fans, it's one that I've always loved. First up, as a Starfire fan, episodes centering around her tend to get my attention well, and this one does not disappoint, as it helps us learn a lot about her. Also, the action sequences are solid (Especially some of the 'Titans and Val- Yor vs. Locrix' battles and a tense scene when Starfire has to clear a path for their ship through a treacherous space minefield). The voice acting is quite good too, I still to this day can't believe that was Stephen Root (Best known for playing the odd coworker Milton in the movie 'Office Space' and voicing the dopey neighbor Bill on 'King of the Hill') as the voice of Val- Yor. It can have some good comedic moments, as well (Cyborg's reaction to Val- Yor letting him get behind the wheel of his spaceship is priceless), and as you will see, a great message.

I think there are quite a few Scriptural lessons that can be taken from this episode. An obvious one is on the dangers of prejudice and hate, but as I have already covered that lesson pretty thoroughly on this blog in the past through my looks at 'Zootopia,' I'll pass over that one. Rather, I think an EXTREMELY important lesson that can be taken from this episode that I haven't yet dealt with involves how we as Christians should respond to hate and prejudice that we see, especially when we ourselves are the victims of it.
What most sums this up is a critical scene in the episode's climax; During the battle on the Locrix's home planet, Val- Yor and Starfire together enter the Locrix's base and plant the device which will shut the Locrix down forever. In the process, though, Val- Yor is wounded and trapped within a force field as the base is about to explode. Starfire immediately uses her immense strength (She is much stronger than her slender build would suggest) to press through the force field and tells Val- Yor to take her hand. Val- Yor refuses, snarling at her "Keep your filthy hands off me, Troq!" Starfire then shouts, "You may not value my life, but I STILL VALUE YOURS!" She seizes Val- Yor and flies him out of the base before it blows, saving his life. I'd say this is pretty much a perfect depiction of Jesus's calling in Matthew 5:44 to "Love your enemies, bless them who curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you."
Afterwards, when Val- Yor and the Titans are all back on Earth, Val- Yor thanks Starfire for saving him, but does so in a way which clearly shows he hasn't learned a thing from what happened, and remains as prejudiced as he was before. The other Titans, all of whom have been completely disenchanted from Val- Yor now that they know how horribly he treated their friend, tell him to just leave, and he does so. Starfire then gives a quite beautiful closing monologue, pointing out that "There will always be people who say mean words because you are different, and sometimes their minds cannot be changed. But there are many more people who do not judge others based on how they look, or where they are from. Those are the people whose words truly matter."
That verse, in turn, reminds me of Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

I'd say both of those are extremely valuable lessons for us to learn and model as servants of Jesus Christ, especially in our current political/ social climate. The tragedy in Charlottesville a few weeks ago shows the kind of destruction that can be caused by hatred and prejudice, as well as by an improper response to it. Do not take this as a political statement because that is not my intent, but I personally believe that President Trump was kind of right when, in response to what happened in Charlottesville, he pointed out that plenty of blame for what happened can be cast at both sides of the conflict, rather than just at one side or the other. Both sides had their lunatic- fringe, violent extremist elements out in full force during that period (Virulent white supremacists on one side who deliberately try to provoke others and stir things up, and lawless "Antifa" types on the other side who go to such events with the specific intent of starting fights and riots), and both sides believed themselves to be in the right by taking the stands they did, but when that much hate from both sides gets together, the end result is never pretty. When confronted with or victimized by the hatred and prejudices of someone else, the temptation to strike back and/ or respond in kind, through word or action, is very strong. That's how the secular world teaches us to respond to it. However, the funny thing is, most of Jesus's teachings involved the importance of going AGAINST what the secular world would have us do.
Jesus wanted His servants to live in such a way that all who saw them would know they are different from the world, that they put their love of the Lord above all else. His teaching on the importance of loving our enemies is a perfect example of this. The world teaches us to love our friends and hate our enemies, but Jesus teaches us to even love our enemies and those who mistreat us. Even when it comes to being active in causes which are important to you and standing against something you know in your heart is wrong, we must resist the temptation to feel hate towards those on the other side of the issue. We must attempt to see them the way God Himself sees them: As His beloved children just as much as we are, and whom He died for just as much as He did for us.
To help us with this, we must seek out those who are good influences for us, as both Starfire's closing monologue and the verse from Philippians 4:8 show. We need to be with those who can guide us to better live in ways that model Jesus and what He did for us, so we can know how to properly react when confronted with prejudice or injustice.
We cannot stop hatred with more hatred. We must show Godly love and mercy every day, even towards those who do not deserve it, as Starfire did to Val- Yor in the episode and as Jesus did for all of us on the cross. Through doing that, we can help to bring at least a little of Jesus's peace and renewal to a world desperately in need of it.
So, that's it for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Stay tuned over the course of October, I should have a two- part Halloween edition up over that month, as I did last year. Until then, God bless you all!

Unlikely Help and Inclusion: A Devotional Look at the 'The Lego Batman Movie.'

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another installment of the Nightcrawler Experience!
Well, my closing words in my last installment thankfully proved true: The Movie Night event held at St. John's United Methodist Church over the summer which I collaborated with them on was popular enough that they wanted it to continue, so once a month for at least the next few months, they will again be airing a film at the church on a Friday night, and I will again be writing devotionals to be passed out at them and follow- up entries here on the Nightcrawler Experience!
For this first installment of the new series, we were initially going to be showing the classic 80's film 'Adventures in Babysitting,' but upon watching the film for the first time in years, I realized that, while it is a good, fun film, it has a lot of objectionable comment that make it inappropriate for showing in a church setting (Especially language, such as a scene in which not one but two "F"- bombs are dropped). So, instead, we'll be looking at a much more recent and MUCH more family- friendly film, 'The Lego Batman Movie.'
In it, Batman is on the one hand riding high due to defeating and capturing all of his enemies in one attack, but on the other hand it becomes clear that he is a really lonely guy, and although he's too proud to admit it, he deeply fears being part of a family again. He is also angry upon learning that new police commissioner Barbara Gordon plans to restructure the Gotham police force to lessen how much they need him.
Amidst this, he has to contend with both a plan by the Joker, who is extremely angry and bitter upon learning that Batman does not regard him as his greatest enemy, to recruit some of the greatest villains from all pop culture (And they are a very diverse, very entertaining bunch, from Lord Voldemort to the Wicked Witch of the West to "Doctor Who"'s Daleks and many more) to try and destroy Gotham City, and the stress of having to care for an orphaned boy named Dick Grayson who he accidentally adopted. He eventually swallows his pride, realizes he needs to make some changes in his life, saves the world again, and finds the new family he's secretly always wanted.

I must say, I ADORE this movie! I consider it a great epitome of a "For the whole family" movie; There's simple jokes and entertainment for kids, more complex jokes and themes for adults (Not to mention LOADS of funny and at times quite subtle nods to all of the different incarnations of Batman, from the comics to the various movies to the TV shows, aimed at the hardcore Bat- Fans), and plenty of material that can appeal to both groups. I was laughing and geeking out all through it, and consider it probably the best Batman- related film I've seen since 2008's 'The Dark Knight.'

In the devotional I wrote that will be passed out at the movie screening, I pointed out that probably the main Scriptural message that can be taken from 'The Lego Batman Movie' is on the nature of family, and the different forms that family can take. I use the verses Ephesians 1:5 and Ephesians 2:19 to help show how we all become a part of God's family when we accept Jesus as our Savior. Though, that's not the only Godly lesson that can be taken from it.
SPOILER WARNING!


A couple other great lessons I've found in 'The Lego Batman Movie' are on inclusion, and finding help in ways you didn't expect.
I cannot tell you how much I was moved by the scene in the film's climax in which Batman turns on separate, "Bat- Signal"- esque beacons for his former enemies (i.e. Two- Face, the Penguin, Scarecrow, Catwoman, etc.), to summon them to help him battle the Joker and his army of ultra- villains in order to save Gotham City. Sure enough, by working together, this group of crooks and misfits whom the Joker had dismissed as incompetent "Human farts" earlier in the movie are able to tilt the battle in Batman's favor enough that he ends up prevailing.
 One area of Batman lore that it has always succeeded at is how well- developed and often quite sympathetic most of Batman's major villains are. In many cases, they became evil due to circumstances largely outside of their control. For instance, some of his villains became that way due to bitterness over being shunned and rejected as outcasts by society purely due to their outer physical appearance, such as the Penguin and Killer Croc. Some of Batman's other villains were once good men who were led astray in response to others' cruel actions against them, such as Two- Face (Once Gotham City's district attorney and a force for good and justice, before being disfigured both physically and psychologically in a mafia attack) and Mr. Freeze (His backstory is flat- out heartbreaking; I have a future entry of the Nightcrawler Experience in mind in which I look at it in more depth). So, I found the act of Batman reaching out to them, and not just humbling himself enough to ask for their help, but actually making them honorary members of the "Bat- Family" and giving them the opportunity to be heroes for once and gain a sense of the acceptance they've always wanted was so heartwarming.
Finding unlikely help and inclusion for outcasts are messages that resonate deeply in Scripture. One Bible story I've remembered well from when I was a kid (Partly because I participated in a play in church about it in those days) was the story of King Jehoshaphat found in 2 Chronicles 20: The good, God- fearing King Jehoshaphat was faced with the threat of his kingdom of Judah being attacked by three different armies together. Through prayer and fasting, Jehoshaphat and his people were given insight by God into a very strange and unlikely but ultimately very effective form of help; He was told that, when sending his kingdom's army out to fight the invaders, to put a choir of singers at the very head of his army, singing praises to God. This drove the invading armies to turn against each other and ultimately destroy each other, leading to a landslide victory for Judah's army.
Of course, themes of inclusion for the outcasts, including those who've sinned and fallen short, are all throughout the Bible. Rahab in the book of Joshua was a prostitute who lived with a corrupt and evil society, yet she ended up being welcomed among the Israelites and becoming an ancestor of Jesus. Speaking of whom, Jesus Himself welcomed corrupt tax collectors like Matthew and Zacchaeus, political extremists like Simon the zealot, and many others seen as "Undesirables." A big part of the reason why the early church grew so quickly in spite of its persecution was because its people reached out to and showed kindness and inclusion to a lot of people treated as outcasts by society in those days, such as women and children. The early church showed them the love and acceptance that society denied them, demonstrating a taste of God's amazing love for them. That led them to find Christ and help the church grow even more! We as current Christians are similarly called to reach out to the outcasts, those who've struggled with sin and regrets, and all others in need of Jesus in their lives.
There you have my thoughts on 'The Lego Batman Movie': a great family movie, a real treat for all Bat-fans, and a great parable on family, unlikely help, and inclusion of all.
Keep your eyes peeled, because I have another entry of the Nightcrawler Experience nearly done, and it should be posted in the next week or so. Until then, God bless you all!