Jump Through the Fire

 

While preparing a post for this blog on the Metallica song, Jump in the Fire (see 4 December 2024), I came across information about the annual Ivana Kupala (Ivan the Battler/John the Baptist) Festival held in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and the Baltic States on the 6th and 7^th days of each July. While now considered to have Christian meanings, the Ivana Kupala Festival is a continuation of ancient pagan festivals such as the Celtic Beltane. Jumping over the fire seems to represent purity and cleansing. Cattle were often driven between two fires to protect them from disease.

The Ivana Kupala Festival was originally held during the Summer Solstice, but was moved to John the Baptist’s birthday and Christianized/assimilated by church authorities.

During the festival, people dance around, and jump over, roaring campfires. They then bathe in rivers and lakes to purge themselves of their sins, bring themselves good luck, and ensure their good health. Additionally, couples jump through the flames hand-in-hand to ensure that they will have a happy and prosperous marriage.

Many of the female celebrants wear wreaths made from vines, leaves, and flowers and dress in traditional national clothing.

themoscowtimes.com/archive/jumping-through-fire-at-a-slavic-pagan-festival

Unusual Christian Places: Chapel of the Snows

The non-denominational Chapel of the Snows is at the United States McMurdo Station on Ross Island, Antarctica.  Protestant chaplains are supplied by the United States Air National Guard and Roman Catholic priests by the Archdioceses of New Zealand.  The chapel is also used by Mormons, Bahai’s, Buddhists, and Alcoholics Anonymous.  The chapel is the southernmost religious building on Earth.

The chapel has burned to the ground and been rebuilt twice.

The Fire of the Faith

“Christians, like coals of fire, cease to glow when they become separated from the group.”  Herschel H. Hobbs (1907-1995) 

Hobbs was the president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1962-1963) and was the chairman of the Baptist Faith and Message committee.

Film Comment: Fireproof

A man who is willing to run into a burning building to save strangers is allowing his own marriage to go up in flames and burn to the ground.  He's an accomplished fire captain, respected by everyone, but his personal life is in total disarray.

Him: I work hard and do what is right. At home I just want to relax.  All she does is nag.  She doesn't respect me.  I look at internet pornography because she always says no.
Her: He doesn't care how I feel.   He doesn't understand my emotional needs.  He just married me for sex and cooking.

The man is challenged to try an experiment, to follow a daily plan based on biblical concepts.  To his surprise, and to the delight of his initially suspicious wife, their marriage is saved.  They learn how to make their marriage fireproof.

Fireproof  (2008) is an anomaly, an independent film produced by a local church in Albany, Georgia rather than a large Hollywood studio.  There are only two professional actors in the film; the rest of the cast, who are remarkably competent for non-professionals, are all members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia.

Two other films, Flywheel, and Facing the Giants, were also produced by the same group.  Of the three, Flywheel is my personal favorite.

Film Comment: Video Fireplace

     The ultimate exercise in vacuity!  Video Fireplace (1991) is, as the title declares, a video of a fireplace: logs blazing before an unmoving camera.  The show ends when the logs burn down to ashes.

     I think this film reflects on the modern American film industry and also on modern pop culture: an appealing bright facade which requires nothing of the viewer and gives you nothing in return, not even a little heat.

     A companion video is Video Aquarium (1991), which has twenty-five tropical fish as its stars.

     My suspicion is that most people merely viewed these films as one-joke novelties, like Billy Bass, the singing fish mounted on a wall plaque.  The question then becomes why in the world someone would spend money for them.

     I'm not just being a Grinch.  News flash!  Christians are allowed to have fun, even stupid, silly, or ridiculous fun, but we are reminded in Philippians 4:8 that our usual or continual focus should be on pure, praiseworthy things.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on those things." Philippians 4:8.

     Our modern western culture is in many ways like that of the intellectuals in Athens in Paul's time, always searching for the next thrill, the next trend, the next fad, to entertain their bored, spiritually empty minds.

"16. Now while Paul waited for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

  17. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

  18. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him.  And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods; because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

  19. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

  20. For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

  21. (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)" Acts 17: 16-21.