I have been meaning to write about this for the past two days and have forgotten each day. I almost forgot again today. This would have been way more relevant on Wednesday when AMC aired a screening of the documentary "Pray For Japan." All the proceeds from the showing were going to tsunami relief in Japan.
If you get the chance, you really should try and watch this. Between April and October last year, Stu Levy filmed the scenes of destruction and did what any great documentary filmmaker does. He let the victims tell their own stories and it will move you so much.
Since the Tsunami I have been amazed and humbled by the grace and calm and honesty of the Japanese people in the wake of this terrible destruction. The returning of money and safes that washed up on the beaches, no looting, helping and coping without whimper, blame or whine.
ReplyDeleteThey have made wonderful strides in reclaiming what was lost and I admire them tremendously.
I have watched a number of PBS stories on the tsunami one year later and they are heart breaking. The victims still need help.
ReplyDeleteThat said, it always kind of irks me when I hear people say "pray for xxx" and the title of this movie makes me feel the same way. As an atheist, I don't believe in prayer and think prayers are useless. The victims need money, homes and food.
The movie title may be asking for prayers, but I'm glad he'll be sending money over there too.
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ReplyDelete^agreed. My friend Namiko was in the U.S. when the tsunami hit last year. Her family was still in Japan. They were about 200 miles from where the area was hardest hit but they were without power for a long, long while. They needed flashlights and batteries sent to them mainly. That was just the items they needed the most. Things we take for granted and can walk into any Home Depot and purchase in 10 minutes they needed sent to them from the U.S. I can't imagine ever being in such a position.
ReplyDeleteI do believe in God and I believe in the power of prayer but I agree with Audrey. They need food, money, homes among other things. God helps those who help themselves and others (those in need etc etc etc - no offense Audrey)
ReplyDeleteI don't have AMC right now but will see if it shows up on one of the legal streaming video sites (like hulu, netflix, amamzon.com or vudu)
I don't see it on Netflix or Amazon. I'll post if I find it. Probably find it on PPV.
ReplyDeleteNo offense taken, Me! :)
ReplyDeleteIt might be on AMC's website. I can't remember if they put up episodes online after a TV show so maybe they put up movies/docs.
ReplyDeleteAH!! It's AMC movie theaters .. not AMC the network. I was like .. WTF?? Why have I not seen and f-ing ads for this while watching "Walking Dead!"
ReplyDeleteAs for the prayer things .. I prefer hold a thought .. as I am not on the God train, either. I have many reasons but the example of he helps those who help themselves? Uhm .. okay, God. My beloved family was just washed out to sea and I have lost everything .. how would you exactly like me to help myself? I survived, for your son's sake .. shouldn't that be enough?? What more am I supposed to do to garner him to deign help?? Build a church out of drift wood and body parts?
And that is why the nuns at my school called me the pagan baby .. granted now they would likely call me Satan.
I'm the one who referenced "god helps those who helps themselves" I've been thru a major national disaster death of both parents spinal surgery to name a few things (in less than 10 years), that doesn't come close to a tsunamai necessarily but having to single handedly decide what bits to pack in a sports car tiny trunk in few hhours and say good bye to the rest for 2 houses isn't exactly a bagatelle either.
ReplyDeletethe nuns calling you the pagan baby at school was completely the opposite of christ's message and it was WRONG. The phrase 'god helps those who helps themselves" is very simplistic granted, only intended to express the thought that prayer is only the starting point. I do not believe in fate. I believe in free will, that is what *I* meant.
Your statements "I survived for your son's sake, shouldn't that be enough?? what more am I supposed to do to garner him to deign help" seems to assume that God is the great father in the sky that fixes all things or SHOULD.
I think we are actually discussing :
who is god? what does god do? Does god intervene in human lives? why & how and under what circumstances does interfere?
Many of the nuns I ran into in catholic school were HORRIBLE. I'm sorry they called you names wil, I welcome a discussion (as I'm able)as long as its ok with the owner && posters of this blog.
Lol @pagan baby AKA Wil. Sorry, I couldn't help. :) That is pretty awful of the school. It seems like any time I hear a story involving nuns in school where Whoopi Goldberg isn't involved it's something like this.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I just assumed AMC the network but the theaters make more sense.
one up side here, how many dolphins will be killed at the Cove this year?
ReplyDeleteI would like to pose a question to Himmm/PS:
ReplyDeletewhat's your opinion on Scientology?
Creepy cult who abuse their members so they don't get a whiff of the world laughing at xenu and pitying them for not being able to get out.
ReplyDeleteOh, shoot, not himmmm. I saw opinion & Scientology and since I have a big one regarding this one it wouldn't make sense for me to delete my answer now. :p
I liked the the anon group Anonymous when they focused so much on Scientology but now it feels like they are really getting new info, just protesting and having too many hands in different pots. I would love for them to look into Disney/Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider just to scratch the surface.
"I liked the the anon group Anonymous when they focused so much on Scientology but now it feels like they are really getting new info, just protesting and having too many hands in different pots. I would love for them to look into Disney/Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider just to scratch the surface."
ReplyDeleteI second that motion, I would pay to see that! I honestly have trouble understanding how any parent could ever leave any child or young adult in that mans hands. Also pay to see what would happen if someone was able to dig into "Evans" All of 'em. I've got nothin but damn there are so many flags waving over these producers.
Anon don't seem particularly scared of anyone so I think they have the protection they need to so such things. Just sayin' This would be something to be really proud of and there may well come a day where it is impossible