Saw the movie 300: "At its most basic, 300 is a retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae, which took place in 480 B.C. Although the particulars are clouded in legend, the facts are not in dispute: an inferior number of Spartan soldiers (generally accepted to be 300) under the command of King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) held out against a vastly superior Persian force (estimated to be anywhere between 200,000 and 2,000,000) led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro). Although the Spartans did not win the battle, they dealt serious losses to the Persians which contributed to the defeat of Xerxes' forces a year later at the Battle of Plataea."
WARNING: This movie is very violent and explicit. (I don't recommend it for those reasons).
BUT IF YOU ARE GOING ANYWAY HERE IS A LOOSE DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR THE FILM:
I've always used the Spartans as an example of warriors. When they approached the battle they ran towards the line (see David approaching Goliath) and it struck fear into their enemies - particularly the Persians who were paid to fight.
The potential discussion from this film is great - here's a few questions to get you started:
1. What is the difference between soldiers who are 'free' and those who are paid? Can you see a connect in 'ministry'?
This is a key question in our time in church history. There is a revolution of warriors who are rising as 'free' to fight in the thickest of battles... can you see a connection between the Kingdom and the Spartans?
2. How are Spartans like God's army? How are they different?
I was struck by the extreme realities of this answer in the film. Sometimes the things they would do (in training and battle) were worth emulating - and somethings were the exact opposite of the Christian faith... very interested paradox.
3. What is the significance of the 'hunchback' in the film?
Think about the excluded, the wounded and the hurt. Also, begin to think about how the weak and despised things can be the very things that are used for God's purposes... an interesting trajectory of thought here...
4. Is there any honor in choosing death?
Obviously a quick overview of Fox's book of martyrs will give you Spartan like courage in the heat of eternity... but also a quick read down the list of Muslim Martyrs in waiting - wanting to die by suicide bomb is sobering as well. In a New Testament concept what does a glorious death look?
1 comment:
The Spartans would kill new borns that weren't strong (not fit to live or disabled, but you know werent big enough ) yet you call abortion the insanity of choice.
Using Spartans to explain the good in your faith shines it in a very nega
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