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The Visitation: An Important Warning

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Martin, Jul 25, 2006.

  1. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    There is a book that I have loved for some time. It is by Christian author Frank Peretti and it is called "The Visitation". Unlike most Christian novels, in my opinion, this book is actually good. The characters, storyline, and message are all great.

    The basic message of this book is a warning against false prophets and false christs. That is a very important message in this day of feel-good Christianity. Sadly one has to wonder if a Brandon Nickles came to our towns/churches with his claims and "miracles" would the majority of people flock to him like those in the little town of Antioch, Washington? I am afraid many would, even many who claim to be Christians. This is a warning the modern church really needs to hear.

    The book, by Frank Peretti, is a great read. Click Here.

    There is now a movie based on the book by Namesake Entertainment. The movie stars Randy Travis (Texas Ranger, Touched By An Angel), Edward Furlong (T2), and Martin Donovan (Pasadena, Law and Order). While the book is better than the movie the movie is still pretty good. The movie does not stick with the novel point by point. In fact there are some major changes but the movie is still very good. Frank Peretti was one of the producers of the film. Click Here.

    Visitation Movie Website.

    From Amazon.com

    "A burned-out minister in small town Antioch, Washington, must wrestle with his confusion and cynicism when a self-proclaimed messiah takes over his ministry. The replacement minister looks like Christ. He even heals the sick and performs miracles. Could this messenger of hope and renewal be the real thing?
    At first, this small town is abuzz with reports of miracles and religious sightings (a weeping statue of Christ, a disappearing hitchhiker warning of Christ's arrival, a soothing angel). But suddenly there's a twist of evil and demonic mystery in the air. It's up to the jaded minister Travis to track down the real story behind this visitor and somehow find a way to stop him."

    While the message is important, and serves as a warning to the modern church, the movie is PG-13 for very good reasons. The movie contains NO nudity or profanity. However there are several, what I will call, disturbing scenes. If you read the book first you will understand what I am talking about. I would not recommend this movie for small children (ie..under 13). However for older teenagers, and many adults (mainly in the charismatic movement) this movie/book serves as an important warning.
     
  2. Bro Tony

    Bro Tony New Member

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    Thank you Martin. I really liked that book. I will see about the movie.:thumbs:

    Bro Tony
     
  3. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    I read that book several years ago, it was a very good book. I was amazed at how people can be fooled. And there really are people like that out there, it happens everyday. And I do want to see the movie.
     
  4. genesis12

    genesis12 Member

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    I don't read fiction.
     
  5. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    I normally don't read fiction either. I may read one fiction book every year or so. The Visitation was a book I originally listened to at one of my old jobs (we were allowed to listen to radios, etc, if we had headsets). Someone gave it to me, don't recall who. Anyway after listening to it I had to read it. The movie was good as well. If you read one fiction book in the next year or so you should try to make it The Visitation, you would not be disappointed. While it is fiction there is a great lesson in it.
     
  6. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    I tried to read Peretti's The Visitation and didn't like it all. I only got through maybe the first 2 or 3 chapters or so. I recall a woman who was supposedly giving messages to others from God as though she was a psychic - I don't know if she was supposed to really be giving messages from God or not, but it seems that she was supposedly a "good" character. That really bothered me.

    I didn't like Peretti's first book that much, either. For one thing, angels don't lose power when people don't pray. :saint:
     
  7. gekko

    gekko New Member

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    marcia - its only fiction. live with it. :)
    ---

    as a note to everybody - i have the movie - and its Amazing!

    for the $2mill. they put into it. its very well done - with no cheesy parts.
    one maybe - depends on how you look at it.

    but its pretty good.

    couple parts resemble the movie "The Ring" and "The Green Mile"
    ---

    but its great.
     
  8. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    ==Since you did not read the whole book you don't know what was going on, do you? Nope. I will not give anything away but she is not psychic, it is part of the plot.
     
  9. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    I think false theology even in the form of fiction is a problem.

    I am sure if there was a bestseller with people praying to Mary and getting results from God, many people here would object.

    Whether something is fiction or not is irrelevant if the author is inserting problematic theology. Also, I do not think he was very accurate in his portrayal of the New Age.
     
  10. Rachel

    Rachel New Member

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    Cool. I liked the book. It's been a while since I read it. I can't wait to see the movie.
     
  11. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    Aye ! Aye ! Am with you all the way, Marcia.

    And the acting needs a lot of improvement too.
    Randy Travis is a good disciple and follower of one of today's strongest promoters of America-must-support-Israel-because-Israel-is-God's-chosen-people-theology, John Agee (sp?).
    But he sure lacks facial expression.
    He'd do better if he sticks with country gospel.
    I've seen the movie, on DVD, and as made for DVD movies go, it is awesomely lousy.
     
  12. gekko

    gekko New Member

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    oh well. that's your opinion.
    false theology is fiction in and of itself anyways.

    many people would probably object on here if there was a best-seller like that.
    if there ever was a best-seller that protrayed people praying to mary and getting results from God - what would you be doing about it?

    nothing... right? just sitting back in your routine doing the same thing you do every day just like everybody else does - just with the added frustration of the new best-seller.

    what do you mean "portrayal of the new age"?

    what part of the book do you see as new age? what part do you see as false theology?
     
  13. gekko

    gekko New Member

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    hey pinoybaptist... why dont YOU - with a $2,000,000 budget - which is less then peanuts when it comes to hollywood - try and make a movie just like that. huh?

    you ever tried that?

    considering the amount of time and money put into it - it is very well done.

    maybe not to you. but to the eyes of a movie producer - who actually ways in ALL the variables - and who HAS done it - its a great movie.

    i havn't done it - wont try it - cause i wouldn't be able to.

    why is it that many critiques say that for the time and money - its a good one. hmm?

    so give it a rest. awesomely lousy... bucket o' bull.
     
  14. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    If you read the book you will know that those people are not praying to Mary and getting an answer from God...
     
  15. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    It's not fiction in the sense it does not exist. Fiction means not real. False theology is wrong but it is real - it exists. Bad theology probaby would have been a better term.

    It doesn't matter what I would do about it -- it's not a desireable thing. I might start a thread here and warn people about it. And if it was connected to the areas of my ministry, I would probably write an article on it.

    I was talking about his first book. It had a character who was bringing the New Age into the town. As I recall, he realized he was dealing with evil or with demons, but New Agers don't even believe in evil or demons (they may use the word "evil" but re-define it). The bad theology was angels losing their power to "fly" if enough people weren't praying. Well, excuse me, Mr. P., but angels go at the command of God on His power, not ours.

    There were other things that bothered me as well -- I think the overportrayal of demons causing all kinds of sins was one. But I can't recall it all - it was too long ago when I read it.
     
  16. gekko

    gekko New Member

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    you spend too much time criticizing...

    go ride a roller coaster or something... :)
     
  17. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    Well, I was only answering your question, so I think you are being unfairly critical of me. :tongue3:

    We are told to hold to sound doctrine and commanded to defend the faith. I am surprised that with your passion to tell unbelievers the law that you fault me for evaluating something that talks about angels but is not biblical, or that gives false information. Are we not to be honest and clear in what we state before the world?

    When a Christian writes something with wrong theology, we are not supposed to stay silent. People asked me about that book all the time (his first one) since it was about the New Age and I had been in the NA for a long time. And I'm not going to ignore things that are blatantly against the bible, especially when I'm asked point blank about them or they come up. I never bring Peretti up myself.
     
  18. gekko

    gekko New Member

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    no no. i understand what you're saying. and i agree.

    but until you provide page number - column and row - of where this supposed bad theology is - then i dont know what to think. or how to go about telling people what is what when i havn't read the book for a good couple years now.

    the thing is - is that I don't like operating by word of mouth - the meaning kind of loses itself after a few phone calls. know what i mean?
     
  19. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    You are right - it would be best to provide page numbers. But I no longer have the book. I did talk to my pastor about it at the time and he agreed with me, so he knew it was in there as he had read it, too. Also, I was asked about the book by people who had read it and when I gave my views, no one disputed that it was in there about the angels, the New Age leader realizing he was engaged with demons, the plethora of spirits and demons making people sin, and other things I spoke about.

    If you want to mail me a copy (his first book), I will look up the page numbers! :smilewinkgrin: It might take me awhile as I have other immediate projects of more importance, though.
     
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