New Film. Must see! "What would Jesus Buy"

This week-end I was lucky enough to see a sneak screening of the soon to open mockumentary "What Would Jesus Buy". As a Christian who has seen Reverend Billy preaching at different rallies, I was a little apprehensive about the film (quite honestly I have not known how to feel when I've seen him preach his peace-a-luia to the protesting throngs... should I laugh, lift up a peace-a-luia or feel offended?...); but after seeing the film on Saturday, I must say that I left the theater inspired. The film was excellently done.

Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping are irreverent in their parody and prophetic in their preaching. They are courageous prophets reminding all everywhere they go (Starbuck's, Wal-mart, Disneyland, etc. across the USA) that Christmas is not about shopping, but about the birth of Jesus, Jesus a babe who would grow up to be the Prince of Peace, Jesus who taught us to take care of and love the least of these.

Throughout the film, Reverend Billy and his Choir of Stop Shopping bring this message to believers and non-believers alike; and I wonder shouldn't that be exactly what we do this Christmas???

This Christmas season, perhaps the best way for us Christians to celebrate Christmas is to follow Jesus, celebrate his birth, stop shopping & call out the corporations who are exploiting our brothers and sisters around the world. As for me, I'm also giving serious thought to joining the Stop Shopping Choir. Apparently there are already two Christians in the group.

If you're anywhere near where this movie is playing, go check it out. It's incredible.

"...director Rob van Alkemade’s What Would Jesus Buy? is an absurdist guerrilla attack on the US’s malls and consumerist culture that spoofs Christian evangelicalism. Tracking the Reverend Billy and his Stop Shopping Gospel Choir on their mission across the US to spread their anti- consumerism doctrine in the month leading up to Christmas, it is as hilarious as it is horrific: in one scene, as the choir trundles along on its bus, the voice-over from a radio news broadcast describes one of the first recipients of a PS3 in the US to be very excited about the purchase, this “despite coughing up blood because of a shotgun chest wound”. The consumer still “motioned to shop assistants to reach into his pocket for his wallet to pay for the gift”. With de rigueur peroxide blonde hair and peeping dark roots, Reverend Billy exorcises consumer demons from people and delivers rousing sermons against “Mickey Mouse the Antichrist” while his 30-strong choir and seven-piece band subvert Christmas carols in the face of the “Shopocalypse”. The film also examines the sociological effects large chain stores have on the fabric of small-town US, the reliance of multinationals on sweatshop production and its consequences, the mythologising of Christmas and its psychological evolution into a consumerist holiday. What Would Jesus Buy? is currently working the film festival circuit in the US and Van Alkemade has, surprisingly, been getting good feedback from Christian groups “once they get past the initial red flags”.

http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/art/2007/2007june/070615-hell.html

From Rotten Tomatoes:

IN THEATRES NOVEMBER 16, 2007 (Limited)

In this hilarious documentary produced by SUPER SIZE ME's Morgan Spurlock, Reverend Billy takes on American corporate giants such as Wal-Mart and Disney. But the commercialization of Christmas and life itself is the real target for Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping, as they demonstrate the dangers of living a life driven by money and possessions. No company is safe from Reverend Billy, his booming voice, and his portable pulpit.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1189533-what_would_jesus_buy/about.php

(Image from Wikkipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:What_would_jesus_buy_ver2.jpg)