500 years in the future

I kept reading about the film Serenity in other blogs... basically- 500 years in the future, people are living on many new manmade planets, China & the USA are the only 2 present world powers to survive - and the corrupt Alliance government discovers the implications of trying to rid the universe of sin. It works out about as well as it sounds like it might...

The movie didn't blow me out of the water... but it made me think. And it intrigued me enough to check out the cancelled tv series it was based on - Firefly. In a matter of 3 days I watched the whole DVD set. I know, I know, I'm a nerd. I admit it. But my thoughts are really saturated in this idea right now.

Joss Whedon (the creator) seems to have taken this idea of future earths - and stuff he really likes from history (as it will still be history in 500 years) and wrote about these interesting 9 characters living & working together on a spaceship. In the middle of watching Serenity I thought, "it's like they're space pirate cowboys." We didn't know the whole bit about Chinese culture yet.

They also toy with the idea of professional "Companions" being a really respected status of society??!! There are still whores out there - but respectable "Companions" are in "The Guild." And even with a Companion on their ship - they spend a lot of time in the series discussing the value of women - that they are not anyone's property... I find it was interesting they thought that might still be an issue in 500 years.

BUT then... after they visit a whorehouse to help defend the women that work there (friends of the Companion on their ship) there is a sad funeral sequence... and they sing Amazing Grace. Hmmm, will we still be singing Amazing Grace at funerals 500 years from now?

Sunday in Church the Pastor was talking about worship songs... more importantly his favorite hymn - A Mighty Fortress is Our God. He loves the words Martin Luther wrote. But even more - he loves that Luther took a bar song - a song instilled in the hearts of the people, and reclaimed it by adding lyrics that bring glory to God. He talked about how Chris Tomlin (the love my life hasn't yet had - ha ha ha) does something really similar - well, to the best of my knowledge we don't really have drinking songs here in the States in this day and age - and if we do that's never been what's inspired CT.... but Chris composes music that stirs the hearts of present generations and adds Scripture saturated lyrics - you can't sing his music without worshipping the God of the Universe.

Oh, did I mention Chris will be in town Sunday? I am so excited!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!