Saturday, June 21, 2014

the fault in our stars: my unpopular opinion & why

   "Newsflash: Emilee Clemons has become a nerd in more than enough ways & has just pushed herself over the edge. She just announced to the world that she hated The New York Times Bestseller, The Fault In Our Stars."

   It's true. It's the book millions are raving about. There IS a reason they're raving about it: John Green is a wonderful writer. As if you didn't already know this, he doesn't need me to tell him that. He has been very successful and TFIOS just became a movie (in theaters now). I love the way Augustus treats Hazel, besides not protecting her purity. I love how their friendship began, carefree and honest. There were many parts that I thoroughly loved, but it simply wasn't worth sifting through all the junk. 

   There are many reasons I highly disliked the book, but on a lighter note:

   The Kleenex company really needs to give John Green a discount or something, because he's boosting their business considerably. The man knows how to write clearly about pain in a way that is powerful. 
  
   To summarize, Christians are mocked, God's name is used in vain over 30 times, the two teenagers living with cancer don't believe in heaven, there are too many cuss words than I'd like to admit, sexual immorality, etc. etc. 

   By the way: I don't believe you're a bad Christian if you read this book. However, I am slightly ashamed at myself for not putting the book down at the first light mention of a 'good church girl' waiting for her wedding night. I should have put the book down right away instead of making myself reading it so that I knew what everyone was talking about. Cringe. I do believe that we need a heart check, though, if we aren't grieved when the characters state their unbelief and when God is mocked. 

   Also, before I wrap up with an article that will be much to your benefit, I believe the book/movie will be destructive for most and simply a good cry & love story for others. Because I know where I stand, watching the movie will not be a stumbling block for me, if I ever choose to go. However, if I was 
a normal high school girl, just desparate to fit in - I would grab onto the overall hopelessness and lust throughout thinking that this is now the picture of who I should become, like all media influences can destructfully lead. Also, it's no coincidence that the main reason I finished this book was because it's the cool thing to do. It's one of those things that you're just supposed to love and you go into it with these preconceived notions about how great it is - and because of that, we can be blinded to all of the red flags that we would have noticed if we hadn't been striving to fit in. 

Because the rest of my thoughts I have swirling in my mind would truly be just adding to the noise, I would ask you to take the time to click/copy & paste the link below into your browser. It may be the movie review, but it is pretty spot on with the book. It gives a more detailed description of the many avenues that time does not allow for you and I this evening:

http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/fault-in-our-stars.aspx

I hope your summer has already contained bundles of joy for all of you and I look forward to seeing you soon, treasures, loved & chosen by God. 

Sincerely,
Emilee

2 comments:

  1. You are free to write your opinion about TFIOS on your blog and tell other people how you view the book and that's ok. But I want to point out here that maybe the book is so popular because not everyone has the same opinion. Maybe not everyone believes so much in Jesus and maybe not everyone sees sex in this terrible way when they're nothing but two teenagers experiencing life. People will continue to read it, and that's not a bad thing at all. Just as it is not bad when they don't read it because they might take those things you've mentioned as offensive and that's ok too.

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    1. I'm so glad that you visited and shared your thoughts with me. I understand very well that the book is so popular because many people agree with the characters - and this knowledge hurts my heart. If I could please take some time to address the rest of what you said? I would appreciate it if you would give me a few more minutes of your time.

      First off, why don't you believe in Jesus? I'd love to talk with you more specifically about this. Most people don't believe in Him because of what someone on earth said about him, or because of people like me that seem unpopular because of Him. You see, friend, walking with Jesus brings far more joy than any other temporary thing in this world could bring. Loving Him is hard, but there is nothing else in this world that I would rather do. I know that you can't wrap your mind around this - I've been walking with Him for eight years and I can't wrap my mind fully around it - but Jesus loves YOU. If you were the only person on this earth, He would have still died for YOU in order to give you the free will to choose to be right in your relationship with Him or to choose an eternity in hell.

      Next, I don't think sex is a terrible thing. God designed sex - for two married people. I know, it's a loooooonnngg time to wait. That is probably the hardest thing about being a God-lover in high school. Hormones rage. You can fall in love and be wildly attracted to someone, just like Hazel and Augustus were. It sucks that we are called to wait sometimes, but it just so happens that it only brings about true fulfillment within a marriage context, because God's blessing is then (and only then) on it.

      Once again, thank-you for sharing your thoughts with me and thank-you for being so kind. I hope I'll see you again - here at Peculiar Treasures and in heaven (and the Bible says nothing about playing harps, by the way, but God's Word does talk about preparing a place for us. I hope He will prepare a place for you soon, too - all you have to do is call on His name and believe).

      "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." -John 3:18

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