What in the World Was Mel Thinking?

Mel might be some kind of a genius and at the same time he could be a bit of an everyman over-achiever. He probably has risen to a level of success that is not sustainable for any ordinary person.

After the struggle to birth The Passion and the subsequent success of his personal mystical mission, Mel appears to have succumbed to the temptation to fly too close to the sun.

Hubris is a nasty thing. [James 1:14 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us.]

Mel's new movie, Apocalypto, was to be ready for a summer release but was postponed till Dec. and is probably going to get another rescheduling as Mel dries out and the studios ask themselves, once again........

What in the World Were We and Mel Thinking?

Apparently Disney gave Mel Gibson creative freedom to choose any story and tell it in anyway he liked. After all it worked marvelously with the Passion. Over confidence may have caused Disney and Mel to try to construct a Bridge (between faith and reality that was just ) Too Far. I mean really, what studio executive would green light such an arcane project with no obvious commercial draw unless he thought Mel could work a miracle?

I am waiting with baited breath to see if a redemption of this hairy infant monstrosity is possible(Of course I am refering to the new movie, not Mel, in case anyone is wondering who the hairy baby monstrosity is). I confess that I highly doubt Mel can do this miracle.

Even if the film turns out to be the second coming of WaterWorld I can hardly wait to discover what themes will be woven into the excruciating violence and the transcendentally beautiful natural scenery of the production.

Perhaps Mel will try to make parallels to our modern fascination with 'end times'. Perhaps Apocalypto will be a warning about not taking prophecy seriously enough or maybe he thinks we are over playing this type of thinking and theologizing.

Who knows, Mel might take an entirely different tac and have Al Gore read over the credits a lesson on how the Mayans degraded their environment and caused their own destruction. Or perhaps Michael Moore will tell us that a Mayan quest for an overreaching hegemony was a precursor to their fall, as it may be for America.

Perhaps Mel discovered that the Mayan Calendar declares 2012 is the End of the world as we know it. And perhaps, just perhaps he has decided to let us all evangelistically enjoy that wonderful old Larry Norman anthem 'I Wished We'd All Been Ready' as the credits roll over rivers of blood and the screen fades to black.

Mel's choice of story and how it will be told (in Ancient Mayan dialect) almost certainly will produce something that is too complex and inaccessible for Joe Six-pack or Patty Pew-warmer to enjoy. I wonder if Mel was coming to grips with this fact and was having a big 'Oh Oh' moment the day before he drank, mambo-ed, cursed and race libelled much of his credibility away.

Disney is certainly wondering what they got themselves into, as Mel ponders how he can salvage something out of it.

In the meantime many of us ordinary schmoes will take a naughty pleasure in seeing mayhem among the Hollywood elites. Probably one of our over reaching preachers will say

"GAAWWDD hath said in His Holy Book,

The road of right living bypasses evil; watch your step and save your life. 18 First pride, then the crash, the bigger the ego, the harder the fall. 19 It's better to live humbly among the poor than to live it up among the rich and famous. Proverbs 16:16-18 (The Message)

'Neehya Neehya N Neehya Neehya', now join me in singing 'I've Got a Mansion Up in Glory'. "

I personally hope Mel will humbly and sincerely work and trust his way out of this and that Christians who are tempted to condemn him would begin to pray for him and for the messages God is trying to get out to the sinner, saint, soused, sobered, sanctimonious, salacious, supercilious, and simple in each of us.

Judgment Day (small letters) comes to one and all, that's why the red letters of the good book teaches,

'judge not lest ye be judged.' Matthew 7:1

and the black letters wisely tell us to;

'Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.' 1 Peter 4:8 (New International Version)

I confess I have a few misdemeanors needing covering, perhaps you do too, so let's be careful before we go picking through the rock pile of media reports looking for something to throw at the parties involved.

Note to Mel...

What ever you were thinking I am sure it was and will be interesting when we are let in on the mental processes.

Good luck to you and may God Bless.

LH