See this quote from an article on the movie "Life of Pi" (see http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-tao-innovation/201211/meaning-faith-and-the-life-pi for the entire article):
"To understand the jewel of wisdom buried deep within the story – which is pronounced to be “a story that will make you believe in God” – we need to understand that the story is actually about wrestling not with a physical tiger, but metaphoric one... with questions of meaning and faith. This story is a gedanken experiment for the worst case scenario, a modern day story of Job, all about how you can find spirituality and the meaning of life in the throes of all that is horrible and terrible in the world today. It is by surviving and making sense of all that goes wrong in the world, that uncovers the meaning of man."
Think about Pi's progression through the movie in the context of developmental stage and the unfolding of his faith. What lessons can you pull from the story about your own faith journey? What lessons can you use to help reach others as a part of your ministry?
I wanted to wait until at least the day of before I made my post considering that I've seen the movie several times. Interestingly enough, my first time watching it, I completely resonated with Pi and his walk. It honestly even gave me a little more confidence in understanding and accepting my curiosities about other faiths. I particularly became fascinated with Hinduism once I learned the story of Krishna; but, from start to finish the viewer gets to see Pi go through essentially each stage of faith and human development. He paid huge prices for all his curiosities, but of course his faith grew exponentially because of them. This also gave me plenty of leverage to be able to reach others by Pi's willingness to remain open to all walks of life. Pi himself, to me, represents the world - not one faith - and by understanding him, I better know how to reach others around the world. The Life of Pi (or the life of the circle) essentially represents a microcosm of "the circle of life" and the more I watch this, the more encouraged I am to reach the masses of all walks and faiths.
ReplyDeletePi's life mirrors most of our lives. I became curious about God at a young age and I had experiences back then which caused my faith to grow through adversity. I knew, like Pi, that I could count on God to be behind the scenes of everything that was happening in my life. Even though Pi experimented with different religions he always knew there was a higher power. I love that! I grow everyday in my faith but now as a mature adult and Christian I am self aware and assured of the moves of God in my life. I too get tossed by the angry sea so to speak but in the end I have such a peace that I can handle the obstacles knowing that God has my back. The part that really resonated with me is when Richard Parker walked into the forest without looking back. Pi was devastated because he thought he and Richard were friends but in the end his fathers words were true. So too in life...people will come and go in your life but God remains the same. That's the lesson I would like to teach.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the character Pi experienced all off the life stages one way or another. Just as most young to older adults experience. I enjoyed the film very much, it made me think of God in many different ways. We are taught at a early age who God is though the eyes of our parents and who's ever closest to us, but I like that Pi's mother felt that it was okay for him to look at different religions. Religion try's to ,but God in a box ,but we know God is much more then one type of religion. Pi customize his religion which helped his faith increase. That spoke volume to me. Although religion has its place with structure and order I don't think we should allow it to define God. I saw a lot of myself in Pi, the more I have struggled with things in my life, the more I can depend on God to deliver me. The more that I've been delivered the more my faith has increased.
ReplyDeleteDarrin L.Hill
Watching a movie like the Life of Pi really helps you to put things into perspective when it comes to your own life. Oftentimes we feel that our situations are almost unbearable and difficult to endure until we are reminded of all that Job went through while still maintaining a strong faith. As I reflect on my past challenges, faith has brought me through some of my worst fears. During many of my developmental phases of life, I experienced some traumatic occurrences that took me to very low points, but I also found that those same traumatic experiences were a backdrop for a better life and future. In spite of my situational challenges, I too, like Job and Pi, experienced a much more peaceful and prosperous life after my recovery phase. I learned to view life through a different pair of lenses and trusted God enough to ask: What am I to gain or learn from such a horrible encounter? It is those setbacks in life that have positioned me today to be a more understanding and open person when I am counseling or encouraging others.
ReplyDeleteNaomi B. Powell
November 4, 2014
The hard lessons that Pi encountered in his journey called life may have been exaggerated in the movie, but mirrored real life for many. I too was at a young age when I felt the 'drawing' to find out more about God. However, there was no one who actually sat with me to tell me about God, except my times in church. During my life experiences, I have wondered why I had to go through so much if God really loved me. It was not until I became an adult and had an epiphany that things really started to make sense to me. It totally changed the direction of my journey. I started to realize that my life experiences were not just for me, but they came so that I can now share them with others, to the end that they can see God at work in my life and so that they can know that if God could bring me through, He can certainly do it for them. I felt like Pi; that I had lost everything that mattered to me in the world, when ultimately, the only thing that matters is my relationship with God. That will always be my testimony to share in my ministry with those who are hurting and/or lost and think that there is no alternative left. God can teach them to fly!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn L. Jones
Throughout the movie Pi progressed through various stages of human and faith development. Just as in our time he wrestled with many adversities that presented themselves through no fault of his own, but how he reacted to them uncovered who he was as a person and what he believed in. In relation to bad things can happen to good people, trials come as a test to our faith. Depending upon what your faith is built upon will determine whether or not you will be able to withstand the storm. As I reflect on my life, I have always been inquisitive about creation and faith. I have endured many trials, some as a matter of life or death. But through it all I have learned that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. When all that you have left is Christ, he is manifested larger than life. Nothing or no one compares to that because he is sovereign all by himself.
ReplyDeleteSharon Nichols
Like the story of Pi life has a way of challenging our faith to the inch degree. Each of us never really know God until we are forced into a situation where we must put our
ReplyDeletefaith and trust in him. In the movie the life of Pi when Pi thought that he had ran out of all of his options he just gave in to God as his source, either God you will help us or we will die ,but either way I know God you can. When Richard Parker finally figure out that he had to depend on Pi to live he yield to him. God is saying to each of us I am your source and if you yield to me I will provide for you. Faith has away of producing results that we lease expect once we yield to God as our source.
Rudolph Smith.
Rudolph Smith.
Pi definitely progressed through all of the stages of faith. Each stage was a journey and Pi wanted to give up, but he persevered by surrendering to God. He trusted that with God he would be ok and every time he got to a breaking point he was blessed with what he needed to survive. That's very relatable. In life we are hit with trial but when we practice having faith we always get through. Just when you feel the need to give up God steps in and saves the day. What an amazing theme to go through and still progressing along the way.
ReplyDeleteTaylor Brown
The movie "Life of Pi was an excellent example for people to understand where they are and be empowered to press forward. When we have gone through so much and find ourselves at the end of the road, we need to surrender unto God just as Pi did. Know that whatever happens from that point is going to work out because we have given it to God. It does not mean the journey will be easy but we can be assured that God has it in his hand. My advice to others would be when you have done all you can do, turn it over to God and allow him to work it out. Janice Mitchell
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