“Blessed are
those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the
good things of your house, of your holy temple.”
Psalm 65:4
In one memorable scene, the President himself asks Chance for advice on the national economy: “Do you think we can stimulate growth through temporary incentives?” he says.Chance pauses, then responds with truth from the only world he knows: “As long as the roots are not severed, all is well and all will be well in the garden.”
“. . .In the garden?” the President asks, searching for meaning.
“That is correct,” Chance says. “In a garden, growth has its season. There is spring and summer, but there is also fall and winter. And then spring and summer again.”
The comic genius of the movie—and the idea behind it—is that it prompts viewers themselves to press meaning from Chance’s “chance” answers. Between the words he utters—simple references to gardening—one can lug in whole worlds of meaning. Chance really knows nothing. But the precious words he utters prompts The President—and the viewers—to draw their own conclusions.
It’s a scary movie for fundamentalists, I suppose, if any care to watch—scary because the implications of the story (from a novel by Jerry Kosinski) are quite clear: text is meaningless on its own; interpretation is everything. Meaning—and truth itself—is totally subjective.
Being There comes to mind with the fourth verse of Psalm 65, in part because the gospel of success is doing so very well today, all over the world, not only in its blatant forms—as in “Jesus Christ promises success for those who follow him,” but also in far more subtle ways. The meteoric growth of Christianity around the world isn’t all the work of the Holy Spirit. Oppressed people—the poor of every land—sometimes come to believe that western Christianity is the way to wealth. Follow Christ and your life will hold the glamor of American television.
Chance could utter this verse, and to many—especially the poor, it might seem the gospel truth, which it is. But then, what are “the good things of your house”?
The answer to that question lies, as Being There demonstrates, in interpretation. No one can look at this verse and not do some hermeneutic excavation.
What are “the good things”? A clear blue sky; the Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln; a marital bed; chicken fajitas; my children happy; something started in joy, finished with gusto; a novel that teaches me something; a profession of faith; my two-year old grandson singing a prayer before dinner. Create your own list.
It’s easy for me to say that the promise of verse four does not include money. I have plenty, after all. If I didn’t, if I were as impoverished as millions in this world, my list would look at least somewhat different than the one I’ve given.
So what is my interpretation of verse four?
What David means is simply joy—joy in being loved by God. That’s the only, real “good thing.”
6 comments:
jordan pas cher, louboutin pas cher, louis vuitton outlet, polo ralph lauren outlet online, tiffany and co, longchamp outlet, christian louboutin outlet, louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, air max, uggs on sale, nike free, oakley sunglasses, louis vuitton outlet, replica watches, jordan shoes, longchamp pas cher, ray ban sunglasses, michael kors pas cher, tiffany jewelry, oakley sunglasses wholesale, longchamp outlet, christian louboutin shoes, louis vuitton outlet, nike outlet, christian louboutin uk, nike air max, gucci handbags, tory burch outlet, nike air max, ugg boots, oakley sunglasses, cheap oakley sunglasses, prada handbags, polo ralph lauren, replica watches, nike free run, ugg boots, prada outlet, polo outlet, burberry pas cher, louis vuitton, ray ban sunglasses, sac longchamp pas cher, chanel handbags, longchamp outlet, nike roshe, oakley sunglasses
sac vanessa bruno, michael kors, ralph lauren uk, kate spade, nike blazer pas cher, burberry handbags, lululemon canada, nike tn, coach purses, north face, coach outlet, vans pas cher, abercrombie and fitch uk, uggs outlet, sac hermes, timberland pas cher, coach outlet store online, converse pas cher, replica handbags, hogan outlet, hollister pas cher, guess pas cher, mulberry uk, nike air max uk, michael kors outlet online, uggs outlet, nike air max, nike air force, true religion jeans, burberry outlet, ray ban pas cher, north face uk, michael kors outlet, michael kors, ray ban uk, oakley pas cher, new balance, michael kors outlet, nike air max uk, michael kors outlet online, polo lacoste, true religion outlet, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet online, true religion outlet, michael kors outlet online, nike roshe run uk, hollister uk
sac vanessa bruno, michael kors, ralph lauren uk, kate spade, nike blazer pas cher, burberry handbags, lululemon canada, nike tn, coach purses, north face, coach outlet, vans pas cher, abercrombie and fitch uk, uggs outlet, sac hermes, timberland pas cher, coach outlet store online, converse pas cher, replica handbags, hogan outlet, hollister pas cher, guess pas cher, mulberry uk, nike air max uk, michael kors outlet online, uggs outlet, nike air max, nike air force, true religion jeans, burberry outlet, ray ban pas cher, north face uk, michael kors outlet, michael kors, ray ban uk, oakley pas cher, new balance, michael kors outlet, nike air max uk, michael kors outlet online, polo lacoste, true religion outlet, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet online, true religion outlet, michael kors outlet online, nike roshe run uk, hollister uk
herve leger, lululemon, reebok outlet, ferragamo shoes, wedding dresses, louboutin, longchamp uk, gucci, converse outlet, new balance shoes, mont blanc pens, nike air max, celine handbags, nike roshe run, hollister, nike trainers uk, p90x workout, beats by dre, mcm handbags, converse, nfl jerseys, instyler, nike air max, ralph lauren, valentino shoes, hollister, ghd hair, giuseppe zanotti outlet, abercrombie and fitch, vans, iphone cases, nike huaraches, baseball bats, vans outlet, hermes belt, chi flat iron, hollister clothing, babyliss, asics running shoes, oakley, soccer shoes, north face outlet, ray ban, mac cosmetics, timberland boots, bottega veneta, jimmy choo outlet, soccer jerseys, north face outlet, insanity workout
canada goose jackets, canada goose outlet, louis vuitton, ugg pas cher, hollister, doudoune moncler, ugg, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, moncler, louis vuitton, pandora jewelry, replica watches, moncler outlet, moncler uk, barbour, juicy couture outlet, barbour uk, lancel, canada goose, juicy couture outlet, swarovski crystal, pandora charms, louis vuitton, marc jacobs, moncler outlet, moncler, louis vuitton, swarovski, pandora uk, karen millen uk, canada goose outlet, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, moncler, ugg uk, montre pas cher, toms shoes, moncler, supra shoes, links of london, canada goose uk, wedding dresses, canada goose, canada goose, thomas sabo, canada goose outlet, louis vuitton, pandora jewelry, coach outlet
canada goose jackets, canada goose outlet, louis vuitton, ugg pas cher, hollister, doudoune moncler, ugg, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, moncler, louis vuitton, pandora jewelry, replica watches, moncler outlet, moncler uk, barbour, juicy couture outlet, barbour uk, lancel, canada goose, juicy couture outlet, swarovski crystal, pandora charms, louis vuitton, marc jacobs, moncler outlet, moncler, louis vuitton, swarovski, pandora uk, karen millen uk, canada goose outlet, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, moncler, ugg uk, montre pas cher, toms shoes, moncler, supra shoes, links of london, canada goose uk, wedding dresses, canada goose, canada goose, thomas sabo, canada goose outlet, louis vuitton, pandora jewelry, coach outlet
Post a Comment