THE PERFECT MOVIE

There's this movie out and about all over the country and it's the perfect example of a world-system movie. But before we get to the how and why, we need to take a brief look at what we mean by "the world-system."

The Bible uses the word kosmos to describe Satan's arrangement of the inhabited earth. "The kosmos is the evil world system that's pitted itself against God and His Word. "This is how John uses the word five times in I John in 2:15-17). He continues to use “world” in this sense in 3:1, 13, 17." (Paul Martin Henebury) John consistently uses the word to describe the rebellious, autonomous, and spiritually darkened world-system of fallen mankind. A pithy definition of kosmos is that the world-system (kosmos) is an arrangement under the control and direction of Satan that leaves God out (I John 5:19).

THE WORLD SYSTEM'S PERFECT MOVIE: "ADRIFT"

We might think that the rating for the perfect world-system movie would be those of the "R" variety, but such is not necessarily the case. "Adrift" is rated PG-13. The plot of the movie is based on a true story: a couple who know their way around a sailboat hit a vicious, rip-roaring storm in the Pacific, a big huge beast of a storm, wrecking the boat. The wrecked vessel is taking on water, the mast is broken, and the radio won't work. The food is running low and the water supply isn't all that great either.

As the days progress, it's all looking hopeless. Those who could help don't know where the boat is; it's difficult to keep it on course, and day after day, week after week are passing. The boat is in the Pacific for 41 days. Death is imminent.

THIS IS WHERE THE WORLD SYSTEM COMES INTO PLAY

During those 41 days, no one prays, no one reads from the Bible, and there's not one mention of God. It would seem that most normal people would pray, don't you think? At least once? Even the atheist in the foxhole? But no. Never. Not in the movies.

We might wonder if there was prayer during the 41 day ordeal, but if there was, the movie censored it completely. This is the way of the world--"The arc of the moral universe [of the world system] bends toward crushing all resistance." (Rich Lowery) Totally. Completely. It takes no prisoners. To oppose and disagree with the world system is to court financial and personal destruction.

This is what makes "Adrift" the perfect world system movie. The writers, directors, and producers leave God out. The audience won't think of what's not there there, only what is there. Because of that, they're manipulating us and they're teaching us the theology of the world system. Most people get their theology from the movies.

This movie isn't atypical; it's very normal--although 40% of the people in America are regular church goers, when Sunday rolls around in a movie, there's no church attender and no church building visible.

Adrift in the Pacific Ocean for 41 days and nobody prays? That's a fantasy, but that's what the movies of the world system are all about, fantasy masquerading as life. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, life imitates art.