Israel to Annex the West Bank

In the past few weeks, a new BIG announcement has come from Israel, following the new government formation by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Benny Gantz: the plan to annex Israel's ancestral lands of Gaza and the West Bank by July 1.

This is a BIG deal, because it would mean that Israel would once again hold all of the land that was given to them by God in the Old Testament, and, as pointed out in this article, fit the Ezekiel's prophecy:

"For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.”

Ezekiel 36:24

This blows my mind, from a historical perspective. From the perspective I talked about here, I can't help but think of the Palestinian Arabs living in this region and what they are thinking/feeling. In light of what is going on in the States right now and knowing of the ongoing tension between Jews and Arabs in Israel, my continued prayer is for peace. Again, I do not feel qualified as an outsider to speak on this situation, but I know God has charged me to pray. So I will. And, as a student of history, continue to watch, wide-eyed at what is to come.

To see an excellent 25-minute short film on the Arab perspective, click here. 

Why THE CHOSEN Shocked Me: An Open Letter to Dallas Jenkins

Dear Dallas,

I've never done this before, and might never again, but I wanted to take the time to publicly thank you for making The Chosen.

When I heard there was a "Jesus show for phones", I wasn't interested. Partially, because the last thing I want to do is watch a long video on a phone screen (now that I better understand how the technology connects to a tv, I think it's really cool), but mostly for 2 big reasons:

1) The "cheese factor": The majority of Christian movies fall into this category and *most* "Jesus movies" definitely do (I say movies, because yours is the first multi-season series! YAY!). The first category is so cheesy that it's painful. There's not enough cheese in France to rival some of these. And, not only are they cheesy, but they are often sub-quality, from the writing to the acting and production—everything. It's the kind of thing that could attract Christians, but not so much people who don't know Christ.

As a Christian and an artist, I'm a firm believer that we have the best reason of all to produce quality Art. It's a big soapbox of mine. We shouldn't have to qualify a Christian movie by saying, "For a Christian movie, it was really good." A question I always have when I hear of another Christian movie is "Does it have 'real' actors?", because that is often the first clue that it will need the above qualification. My second question is usually, "Are these actors actually Christians?" because of my second reason.

2) The "hypocrite factor": Christians in secular movies produced by Hollywood are often one of two things: cheesy, head-in-the-clouds, not-in-the-real-world characters or (worse) monsters. There is no faithfulness to the Gospel or God's Word. We can argue all day that those characters aren't really Christians, but that doesn't change the damage their portrayal does. It even more cringe-worthy, because these characters only contribute to false beliefs about God, Christians, and our faith.

For this reason, I don't go see Christian movies until they've been recommended by a lot of people I trust as both Christians and artists. This is to save my writer's heart from being discouraged again by another work that sacrificed Story for cheese.

But I had enough people tell me about The Chosen, and I had the time thanks to COVID-19, so I figured I'd give it a shot. And I wasn't just pleasantly surprised, as Nicodemus says in episode 7, "my heart was swollen with fear and wonder" (Don't get me started on how much I love that scene- or how many times I've watched it!).

Wonder, because this is high-quality Art that is what Christian Art should be: Story that points to God's character. Every element is so well done. You even have 'real' actors, haha, and from interviews I've seen that many are also followers of Christ. And while I talk here about many of the reasons why I've enjoyed this show, the main reason is because of Him.

As I told a friend, I saw Jonathan Roumie's portrayal of Jesus and thought, He reminds me of the One I love. I don't think I've ever thought that before about any Jesus movie or tv event. From the big conversations to the tiny nuances (a wink, a compassionate glance that somehow reaches straight through the character, through the screen, and into me, or a well-timed joke), God has given you the ability to capture both the humanity and the divinity of Jesus in a way that is a glimpse into who He really is—and who the first century world saw: His person. It's made Him personal in a way I've never seen in a "Jesus movie" before. How in the world are we going to get through the crucifixion episodes (which, I think, is partially the point)? How did his friends and family do it then, when they really thought all hope was lost?

Thank you for stepping out in faith and making this series. I know there's a long road ahead that will be filled with more incredible moments of God at work as He uses this show to reach people around the world. I can't wait to be part of it as a viewer and share-er. That's where the 'fear' comes in, although it's not so much fear as the knowledge that you will also continue to write, film, produce, and release in a great warfare, as this is a Story that the enemy does not want shared in this way. It's way too powerful, too close to the truth. Thankfully, we know who the victor is, and the guy you brought to life on screen looks a lot like Him.

I believe you when you say that you ask for people to lift the show up in prayer, and I will join with them, as this has such incredible potential for astronomical impact—much more so than any "Jesus movie" I've ever seen. I pray that God will continue to give you and those involved with The Chosen great wisdom, good health, and a reach that extends around the globe. May God continue to use this series to bring people to Him for years to come.

I've always believed that there could be Christian Art that tells a great story that is powerful, relevant, and faithful to God's Word. I believe this is one, and am so thankful someone told someone who told someone who told the many someones who told me about it. Now, I'm telling as many people as I can.

A sister in Christ,
Kristen Torres-Toro



*I say "most" because there are always exceptions. Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is an excellent example of a non-cheesy Christian movie.

THE CHOSEN: Jesus and Women

In the last post, I talked about how Jesus is portrayed in such a beautiful way in season 1 of The Chosen, a multi-season, crowdfunded drama about the life of Christ.

I wanted to take a specific post to talk about how He converses with women in this show, because I've never seen anything like it.

The Chosen takes 2 of its 8 episodes to specifically show key stories from the Gospels between Jesus and women, highlighting Mary Magdalene and the woman at the well from John 4.

I'm not going to talk about those episodes specifically, even though they were beautifully done. What struck me most were the little moments with women throughout the entire series, from Jesus and his mother, Mary, to meeting Peter's wife and mother-in-law, and other random women who interacted with Him throughout the story.

He takes the time to see them, and on several occasions, speaks one line that is so powerful it took my breath away—cutting directly to their hearts. 

I cannot wait to see how this continues throughout the rest of the series, from big meetings (like the woman with the issue of blood and the woman caught in adultery in John 8) to these little conversations where He stops what everyone expects what He is to do and talks with the women. 

In first century Near East culture, women were not respected outside of Jewish communities. Jewish women could not testify in court, and were confined to the home. In public, they needed to cover their faces and hair with veils, and had to sit separately in worship. While males went to Torah school, females did not. 

*photo from here*

So, here's Jesus from The Chosen, where the first episode is of Mary Magdalene, who then begins to follow Jesus along with the disciples. We often depict Him as only walking with the 12, but more than that followed Him, including women. Luke 8:1-3 specifically says some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases travelled with him: Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chusa, the manager of Herod's household, Susanna, and many others. In fact, "The women were helping to support them out of their own means"(verse 3), which means that they had an important role—and knew it. So I love that The Chosen shows this. 

Then, with the woman at the well, it's the first time that He has told anyone that He is the Messiah, and he does it to a woman—from a hated race.

We know too that the first person to see Him after His resurrection is Mary Magdalene—again, someone who couldn't legally testify as to seeing Him (I'd imagine this will be shown in season 8). 

The creator of this show talks often of how the point of this show (even its name) is about those who encounter Jesus, their responses, and what happens afterwards. So far, this has been remarkable to see (and very clearly portrayed). I can't wait to see what happens in the next 7 seasons!

THE CHOSEN: Jesus

This week, we're going to talk about my favorite part of The Chosen:

Him.

I mean, Jesus is everything, right?

So, I'm going to dive right in by saying that I love this portrayal of Jesus, because it's so obvious He is the Son of God, but is also very much man. And that's what He is, right? 100% man and 100% God. 

The incredible attention to detail that this show went in to show Jesus as human—with sore muscles and splintered hands, who likes to tell a good joke one minute while showing that He is very much aware of what is going on in the hearts and minds of those around Him at the same time—is amazing. This Jesus rejoices not only in healing and redemption, but in the journey the characters make to get to that place as well. Conversation after conversation, he isn't impatient, being like, "Why can't you get this? Huh?" Instead, he enjoys the moments things begin clicking in their minds as the characters realize things are so very different than they'd thought. It's like, how a parent, who has vastly more knowledge than a child, enjoys watching the child learn and converse on their level, while encouraging growth. He's not "talking down" to the characters; He's delighting in them as they are, quirks, pain, humanity, and all. 

And don't even get me started on how He treats women. 😭😍That's another blog post for another day.

There are so many scenes that I re-wound and started again (successfully freezing the dvd player accessing youtube a few times), but none of those more than this scene, Jesus and Nicodemus, which I played over... and over... and over again (and over).

I LOVE this scene. The emotion in it is real and it is powerful. Most of all, I love the imagery of it, how One who is God and man is sitting at a table with man as 'equals'. Literally, God and man sitting together to have a conversation. The filming of this scene is beautiful. The story behind the music at the "BAM!!!" moment is incredible. The invitation is there, and it is SO CLEAR that I wanted to say "YES!" again and again and again! There's humor, tears, vulnerability, and genuine relationship in this scene, and I might just need to go watch it a 1,000 more times.

Years ago, I was in a prayer room where the names of God were written on pieces of paper, just lying on a table for people to read. I stopped in front of them, and as I started reading, I was struck by how this was so much more than ink on paper. I couldn't wrap my mind around how that simple wooden table could stand up under the weight of those words.

Last night, while watching this scene about 74 times, I had the same feeling watching a portrayal of what that conversation between God and man could have been like. How could that table hold up under that weight, as if it was just another rooftop conversation and not a holy moment?

I've never seen Jesus depicted like this so well. Back when I was in high school, a made-for-tv movie came out about the life of Christ and had glimpses of this concept. I remember the Jesus in there starting a water fight at a well with his disciples, dancing at the wedding, and petting a dog. And it struck me, especially the water fight, that He would take the time from being holy to being ordinary. Human.

But... we, as humans, are made in the image of God. A water fight, a good-natured tease at a disciple's two left feet, or an exaggerated eye roll doesn't debase Him or detract from His Holiness.... in fact, I think it just shows us more His person, and as Dallas Jenkins (the show's creator, co-writer, and director) says, enhances our understanding of His divinity.

And isn't that what the invitation to intimacy with Him is? To know His heart as well as His teachings? To know this person of Jesus so fervently that we will sake all to follow Him?

The Chosen has given me so much to think about. What about you? What did you think of the depiction of Jesus in this show?

THE CHOSEN: Get Used to Different

There are so many things I loved about The Chosen, and I wanted to talk about them here on the blog because they touch on so many themes we've discussed over the years.

First of all, I love that this a multi-ethnic world. Israel sits as the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe, and the people living there in these films and shows need to look like it. The appearance of so many races and cultures in this series is beautiful and authentic.

Second, while the show does take creative liberties in telling its stories, it does so with a faithfulness to Scripture and established tradition. Creating these well-rounded stories involves imagining conversations and situations not explicitly depicted in the Gospels, but none of these conflict with the Bible.

Third, the show takes the time to establish the quirks and personalities of the different disciples and other major characters, diving deep into their motivations, felt needs, and backstory, which is where the above point comes into play. But I'm making it a separate point because disciples other than Peter and John are standing out to me (and I'm even understanding Peter better as well). They're not just a faceless, personality-less blob of people who are blundering about at times. They are having their brains blown pretty much at every turn and are trying to fit what they are learning with what they thought to be true. Jesus tells Peter in Episode 7 (my favorite!): "Get used to different". That is a process we get to see on screen and it's pretty cool.

Fourth, because the New Testament regularly refers to the Old Testament, they are able to reference and show scenes from the Old Testament and how they were understood by the first century characters.

Fifth, there are many Jewish cultural customs I noticed, from kissing the mezuzah to the importance of hospitality, observing Shabbat, and so much more.

Sixth, the first season follows Jesus' early ministry, before He was officially "public". It's easy to read the Gospels and lose track of when what event happened in Jesus' 3 years of earthly ministry. Other than a possible "clue" being that whatever happened at the beginning of a book was obviously early on; it can begin to run together. During what part of His ministry did Jesus heal the paralytic? Or talk to Nicodemus? Or meet the woman at the well? Does it matter?

I love the clear progression of this season, how it builds it each episode and links them all together in such a way that a viewer can clearly remember what comes when.

Finally, in the spirit of balance I will say one thing that I wish—I wish it could be filmed in Israel, or that more of Israel's landscape could be in the shots somehow. It was filmed in Texas, not Israel. Realizing just how complicated it would be to film in Israel, I think the setting of The Chosen is great. It's more that I just want to see Israel than this is an actual criticism of the series. 😜 Can you blame me?

So, basically, I highly recommend The Chosen. The points above are several reasons why—but not the main one.

Next week, we'll talk about Jesus. 🙌


What about you? Have you seen The Chosen yet? What has stood out to you about how this show is different from other portrayals of the life of Christ?

Have you seen THE CHOSEN yet?

A few months ago, a friend of mine recommended that I watch The Chosen, a crowdfunded, multi-season television show about the life of Christ (right now there's only 1 season of 8 episodes completed).

It's available on an app, or here online.

I'm a little suspicious of Christian movies, especially ones based on Bible stories, because so many I've seen seem to have substituted quality for cheese, which to me, dilutes the message. (Not all of them do, but many have). I don't believe it is okay for Christian art, in any form, to be substandard, since we have the best reason of all for our art—glorifying God and proclaiming His power and love. But, okay, I'll get off my soapbox now. I promise I only have 2 or 3. 😀

I waited to watch the show, because I didn't want to start a new television show binge just yet. Also, I wasn't sure at the time if I'd be able to watch it on my computer (you can), and I didn't want to watch it on a phone (even though it was free). But the week before Palm Sunday, the show's creator, director, and co-writer, Dallas Jenkins, streamed it on youtube for a week. He talks before and after, often interviewing actors via video call (since this is during COVID-19), and even showing behind-the-scenes stories and information. The episodes are there in the middle of the streams. 

Last night, I finished episode 8, the finale of season 1, and I have a lot of thoughts. So, these posts are going to be a series, much like some of the book discussions we've had on here. Stay tuned for next week's post, when we will dive into The Chosen!

But for now, *spoiler alert* I'll just let you know:

I loved it.

And if you don't know what I'm talking about click below to watch the trailer:

Please let me know below- have you seen The Chosen yet? What did you think? 

Celebrations in Israel this week

This is a big week in Israel!

Last week, the ongoing struggle from the March 2 election finally came to an end, resulting in a joint emergency government. Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in for 18 months,  while Benny Gantz will serve as Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister. After 18 months, Benny Gantz will follow him for another 18 months.

But this coming week is just as important.

Tomorrow, April 27, starts Yom HaZikaron, or Memorial Day for Israel, a day to remember fallen soldiers, veterans, and those killed by terrorist acts throughout Israel's history.

Then, sundown on Tuesday begins Yom Ha'Atzmaut, the 72nd Independence Day for the nation of Israel. This is the day that Israel declared their independence in 1948, which became official on May 14, 1948.

*photo from here*

From a new government to a remembrance of the fallen to celebrating the 72nd anniversary of their independence—all during a pandemic—is a big deal!

Congratulations, Israel!

He is Risen!

I was "supposed" to be right there, at the tomb today, celebrating with Christians all over the world the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. But while I cannot be there because of COVID-19, my joy is still great because this truth remains:

“He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.” 

Matthew 28:6

Praise God who reigns on high!

Have a wonderful Easter!


📷from the Garden Tomb, 2017 #bestdayever

Happy Passover Week!

This is such an important week for Jews and Christians around the world. Starting with Palm Sunday yesterday to Resurrection Day on Sunday, it's a time of remembrance and celebration in the Christian faith.

For Jews, it is Passover, also a time of celebration and giving thanks for deliverance—the deliverance of their ancestors out of Egypt.

Passover 2020 officially starts on Wednesday, at 7:03pm Jerusalem time, and this year will be especially poignant:

For the first time in over 3500 years, Israelis will not even be able to leave their houses over Passover. While this is due to COVID-19, it's interesting because in Exodus 12:22, when Moses gave the people instructions about what to do, he said, "None of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning."

Wow! What a fascinating time we are living in!

Israel to form an emergency government

We are living through a CRAZY time right now. As I write this, Israel, Italy, and Wuhan, China, are still in full quarantine because of the coronavirus, and other countries are on the verge of declaring this as well.

We are still in the "no one knows what will happen" phase. The death, loss, and fear are horrifying. I'm trying really hard not to think about how I was supposed to fly to Israel tomorrow. I don't know about you, but:

Anyone with me?

I'm not trying to make light of the pain mentioned above. But I will say that the creativity, innovation, gratitude, and generosity I've witnessed (big and small, interpersonal and online) during this time has been so life-giving. And from a storyteller's perspective, this season is fascinating. Still the unknowns and limbo of right now are SO HARD.

photo and article from Washington Post here

Last week, I saw an interesting announcement concerning the elections in Israel from March 2. In light of what's been going on (and that was the 3rd election for a Prime Minister), Israel has elected to form an emergency government called the "Corona Government". Benjamin Netanyahu will remain the prime minister for at least 18 months. His opponent, Benny Gantz, will serve as Parliament Speaker, with the possibility of being Prime Minister after this time period (depending on the outcome of the charges brought against Netanyahu).

So, now that this has been decided, it will be interesting to see what will happen!

April 2020 trip to Israel is cancelled

Oh, Friends...

To use a Biblical metaphor... the writing has been on the wall for a while, but I have been holding against all hope that somehow I'd still be able to go to Israel in April.

Now, the fact that I was to land in Tel Aviv on April 1 feels like sick irony (April Fool's Day) instead of a cool turn of events (it being 3 years to the day since I left in 2017).

I'm speaking, of course, of what's going on with the coronavirus, or 'Rona. As I write this, we have no idea what all is going to happen. We are watching countries close their borders and order their citizens in strict quarantines (Italy and China). At this point, Israel has said that anyone coming needs to immediately go into a 14 day quarantine... and my trip was only for 13 days. In fact, my flight with El Al Airlines was cancelled. (Edit: March 20, 2020 - As of today, Israel is having a mandatory 7-day quarantine for all citizens. They can only leave their homes to go to the store or for medical care).

This is obviously a big deal, and the loss of life is not insignificant. So much is being impacted by this pandemic that it is both fascinating and terrifying (at times)—economy, trade, industry, etc... not to mention day-to-day life. So, I'm not minimizing that at all. But at the moment, I honestly feel sick at heart.

To say this is a great disappointment is not an exaggeration. Ever since I learned I'd be going back to Israel for this short trip, I've been dreaming of each moment... planning new (to me) places to explore and things to learn. I've even started learning Hebrew! I've envisioned attending a sunrise service at the Garden Tomb with thousands of Christians from around the world, wade through Hezekiah's Tunnels, climb David's Tower, attend the Wailing Wall on Passover... and of course, explore Petra. Even though I pray I can go back in the future, it isn't the same.

We're all facing disappointment with something right now, I know (as well as many different emotions). This is one of mine... definitely the biggest one. What Solomon said in Proverbs 13:12 is so true:

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."

Israel 2020 Elections: Results

Wow!

Last week was the 3rd attempt at voting in a Prime Minister in Israel. As of this moment, there is no clear winner. The current PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, won the popular election, but he didn't get the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset. He's only short 3, so now he has some work to do.

But his primary opponent, Benny Gantz, is working to collect the same seats out of the 62 remaining that are up for grabs. If he can do this, then he will be the Prime Minister.

Like I said last week, I don't really understand it all. But Amir Tsarfati with Behold Israel has been able to break it down for me in a clear way, so if you're interested, check out his Middle East Update here:

Israel 2020 Election Day

Today is a big day in Israel!

photo from Jerusalem post

Today is a big election in Israel. It's the 3rd attempt at electing a Prime Minister. The current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is a right-wing leader, is running again. Since Israel is a parliamentary democracy, he needs to secure 61 seats for a majority of the Knesset (this happens through votes) in order to form a government.

I really don't understand it all, as far as the process of elections and forming a government, but from what I understand, it isn't super likely that he'll be re-elected.

So, it'll be really interesting to see what happens! Check back here next week for more on the Israel 2020 elections!