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Originally posted by Mayflower


Welcome back, Brother.
We have missed you...

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Originally posted by DLW

Thankyou.

I've found that TWeb suits me better since its a bigger board and there are more posters like me who enjoy debating practical issues on which we have free-will regarding. I also don't really have time to post often at two boards.

I also have more opportunities to share and show my faith to non-Christians there, though there are by far more uncivil "Christian" posters at that board.

Here are some more thoughts on "Gods and Generals"...

For me, I liked the psychological aspects of the movie, wherein what was emphasized was how the actors understood their role in the war. If you rent the DVD they go into the history of Jackson and how death followed him all his life. He has some interesting lines where he explains his resolve in battle as stemming from his religious conviction that when he will die is already set out by God and not something to be feared.

I've always admired the confederate soldiers for their bravery and skill. The movie points out that Jackson was opposed to slavery and believed, naively, that the Confederate leaders would free the slaves to ensure their support in the war. He said something to the effect that either way the slaves would be freed and that all he can do is continue his part and leave it up in the lord's hands. That got me thinking, if Jackson had not fought so well and done so much to give the South an early advantage in the war, then Abraham Lincoln wouldn't have felt the need to change the purpose of the war by making it to free the slaves, not just preserve the union. In that case, Jackson really was helping to free the slaves even if not through the way he thought it would take place.

And I think the religiosity of people on both sides and how they understood the war does raise serious questions for Christians. Mark Noll deals with this question well in "America's God" where he compares northern and southern theologians as well as the theological ideas of Abraham Lincoln.

dlw

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