An Atheist in a Mouse Suit

Following is my "sorta-kinda" film review of the Israeli movie, Broken Wings, by Nir Bergman -

I don't subscribe to self-delusion although I'm probably more prone to use the word, I, than the next guy.

But, seriously, self-delusion (in or out of a mouse suit) isn't only limited to atheists. I'm prone to it, actually (probably? maybe? - better to suspect I am than to ignore the possibility, wouldn't you think? especially considering the nature of self-delusion? but I digress...). And I don't want to live the separated, muffled life that such a mouse suit imposes. So I continue to search for less selfish ways to live... while maintaining a vibrant sense of self that I can liberally share.

And I'm not talking about not living in fear... that's a whole nother battle that is no longer daily fought by those who have "died to self" (1st Peter 4:1).

I'm talking about the battle to cling to life after death has shaken your hand and greeted you with its grisly "Hello." This is the battle to (once again?) regard others in the sphere of life ... life ... with childlike wonder and respect.

The character in Broken Wings, Yair, dresses in a mouse suit to "preach" the hopelessness of existance... "We're all meaningless specks of dust," he drones as he shuffles along without hope... in his complete self-absorption. He is in deep pain of loss over the recent, utterly surprising death of his father.

And it takes a moment of naked conversation with someone who probes him deeply for a shred of honesty to shake him awake from that slumber.

But don't we all need a moment of naked awareness... utterly vulnerable to our surroundings... and, much more, the people in our spheres of sight and thought?

Without these moments of repentance... moments of realization of the deep need we have of those who love us most... we are sad, shuffling mice.... nay, specks of dust!

May we all wake up to love... love for God, yes... first and mostly! But isn't that love expressed by our love for those whose rays of reflected light enter our eyes daily?

Yes, first let's take off our mouse suits so we can better see them... and hear them... and hold them.

So, check out Ephesians 5 in that light...

13 All things having their true character exposed by the Light and are made manifest; for that which makes everything manifest is Light.
14 Therefore He says, "Wake up, you who sleep, and arise up from among the dead, and the Messiah shall shine upon you."
15 Watch carefully therefore how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 For this reason don't be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And don't be drunk with wine, because it is needless indulgence in sensual pleasures; but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to each other in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and chanting with your heart to the Lord;
20 giving thanks at all times for all things to Him who is God and the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah,
21 submitting yourselves to one another in the reverence of Messiah Yeshua.