"A light shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall not overcome it."  ~John 1:5

I think it's safe to say the movie Bella won BeYellow's 2007 Best Picture Award.  After prevailing over the seemingly child-proof casing on my hot-off-the-press copy of the DVD today, I found myself thumbing through my favorite book of all time. 

CS Lewis from Mere Christianity:
One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe - a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease and sin.  The difference is that Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong.  Christianity agrees with Dualism that this universe is at war.  But it does not think this is a war between independent powers.  It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel.

Enemy-occupied territory - that is what this world is.  Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.  When you go to church you are really listening in to the secret wireless from our friends:  that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going.  He does it by playing on our conceit and laziness and intellectual snobbery. 

I know someone will ask me, "Do you really mean, at this time of day, to re-introduce our old friend the devil - hoofs and horns and all?"  Well, what the time of day has to do with it I do not know.  And I am not particular about the hoofs and horns.  But in other respects my answer is "Yes, I do."  I do not claim to know anything about his personal appearance.  If anybody really wants to know him better I would say to that person, "Don't worry.  If you really want to, you will.  Whether you'll like it when you do is another question."

The makers of Bella purposely slotted the release in theaters opposite the inevitable onslaught of dark horror movies in late October.  Sean Wolfington, one of the producers and financers of this ray of light, was personally motivated to enter the movie business when he learned more about the role Hollywood plays for the enemy.  He was particularly troubled to discover that the senseless Columbine massacre was inspired by Natural Born Killers - a movie that received rave reviews.  The murderers reportedly watched the movie over and over and referred to their own deadly rampage as "NBK Day." 

Bella's October 26 (2007) release coincided with the opening of the film Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.  This movie about two men who kill their parents was praised by the critics with assertions like "a realistic portrayal of the human condition."  Newsday sadly exalted, "Family, and the core ideals that hold them in place, are blown to smithereens by the ravaged heart of Sidney Lumet's scalding new thriller."

While virtually all critics approved of this movie glorifying death, hatred, and murder, most of them conversely attacked it's underdog counterpart - Bella, which celebrates fellowship, family, and the human experience.  One critique said, "It ends and we all learn a neat little lesson.  Phooey."

So celebrating the murder of parents is better than learning a lesson in truth and being inspired?! 

There is no doubt the enemy has a stronghold on Hollywood and television.  As a devastatingly successful war strategy, you can certainly add trivial sex and the assault on the family unit to the senseless violence.  While Lewis appoints the church as the great safehaven in this "campaign of sabotage," he would be the first to admit that this human organization is not immune to infiltration by rebels (but this should certainly be no cause for defection!).  On the other hand, access to the secret wireless is also granted beyond the walls of churches, of course - from a brush with the grace in an impossible sunset to a real connection found in a conversation with a friend over coffee to the truth-soaked laugh of a child.

Our biggest mistake would be to pretend this civil war does not exist.  It is very real, and we are reminded every day of the work to be done.  No one articulates the recent level of success achieved by the rebellion with more clarity than Pope Benedict.  But he surprised soldiers on both sides with an uplifting message of hope during his visit to America. 

For evidence of this hope look no further than the victory of the small but mighty Bella... a triumph within enemy-occupied territory no less.