Stick with me on this one... Pulp Fiction is an amazing film about grace, about undeserving people being forgiven. It is also a masterpiece of film, incredibly cleverly done. That said, it isn't suitable for children (sorry), does contain a lot of bad language, and is quite long. So if you are up for it, we will need to start to the film quite promptly in order to have some time after for a discussion.
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I suspect this will be the last SofaChurch meeting, so make sure you all enjoy it. I suspect Andy will be thrown out of the Methodist Church before you can say 'Tarantino' for showing this.
Good luck my friend. It's been fab while it lasted. Shall we try the Anglicans next?
This is a very gritty film everyone - just to warn you. The grace element is rather overshadowed in my view by a very edgy plot-line, so be prepared to not be immediately hit by the Christian message...
Well, I think those who came managed to see God in the film - but you do have to watch it through to the end, Geoff...
I went back through the DVD and wrote down some of the key dialogue in one crucial scene. I've cleaned up the language a smidgeon, by the way.
Background: Jules and Vincent are hard bitten gangsters, played by Samuel L Jackson and John Travolta. While on a job they are surprised by a hidden person with a gun who opens fire on them from close range. Every bullet misses.
J: Did you see the size of that gun he fired at us? It was bigger than him! We should be dead.
V: I know, we was lucky.
J: No, no no, that wasn’t luck. That was divine intervention. Do you know what divine intervention is?
V: I think so. That would mean that God came down from heaven and stopped the bullets.
J: Right, that’s exactly what it means.
Later...
J: I’ve just been sitting here thinking.
V: About what?
J: The miracle we witnessed.
V: The miracle you witnessed. I witnessed a freak occurrence.
J: What is a miracle, Vincent?
V: Act of God.
J: And what is an act of God?
V: When God makes the impossible possible? But I don’t think that this morning qualifies.
J: Hey, Vincent, don’t you see, that don’t matter? You’re judging it the wrong way. It could be that God stopped the bullets, or he changed Coke to Pepsi, found my car keys. You judge things like this based on merit. Whether or not what we experienced was an according to Hoyle miracle is insignificant. What is significant is that I felt the touch of God. God got involved.
V: But why?
J: That’s what’s messing with me, I don’t know why. But I can’t go back to sleep.
V: You serious? You’re really thinking of quitting?
J: The life?
V: Yeah!
J: Most definitely.
V: What are you going to do then?
J: Well... that’s what I’ve been sitting here contemplating. Basically, I’m just going to walk the earth.
V: What do you mean, walk the Earth?
J: You know, like Caine in Kung Fu. Walk from place to place, meet people, get in adventures.
V: How long to you intend to walk the earth?
J: Until God puts me where he wants me to be.
V: What if he doesn’t do that?
J: If it takes for ever then I’ll walk for ever.
V: So you’ve decided to be a bum?
J: No Vincent, I’ve decided to be Jules, no more, no less.
So basically, this dreadful, evil guy has been saved by God even though he doesn't deserve it. He realises this, cannot explain it, but knows that he has to turn around and dedicate his life to God, giving up all that he knows, not knowing what the next step will be, but hoping that God will guide him again. Sound likes the gospel to me.
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