Only God Can: Pre-Review Warmup!

Today, we’re reviewing a 2017 Christian movie called Only God Can. It’s the annoying heartwarming story of a bunch of middle-aged Christian women living in one of the most privileged countries in the world as they try to find a solution to the Problem of Evil. To get through this experience, we’ll be drinking. A little. Join me here for some pre-review observations, and then please feel free to head down to the comments as we watch together!

The Big Church Meeting in ‘This Present Darkness’ (LSP #115, Ch. 10)

Finally, we enter the big scene Peretti set up as the big conflict from the start of the novel: a church voting scene. We’ll look at how this scene might have resonated with Peretti as an author, and what it actually accomplishes in the novel’s setting. Today, Lord Snow Presides over a scene that demonstrates just how far from reality evangelical pastors’ lives truly are.

Meet the Professor in ‘This Present Darkness’ (LSP #110, Ch. 8)

Most of the awful traits we see in evangelicals nowadays began to take shape during the Satanic Panic. One of those traits involves their deep hatred of psychology and higher education. If that antipathy confuses anybody observing their culture, today’s post might be of help. Today, Lord Snow Presides over the orgy of evidence that Frank Peretti uses to paint a professor as evil.

The Accidental Pastor of ‘This Present Darkness’ (LSP #104, Ch.7)

In the first half of the chapter, two Christians play a rousing hand of Happy Pretendy Fun Time Gaming, we learn a bit more about Hank Busche’s church, and Peretti lays out the stakes for an upcoming central conflict. Today, Lord Snow Presides over the accidental pastor of an upside-down church–and what Hank Busche’s entire situation means to Frank Peretti’s target audience.

Culture Warriors Love Stupid Demons Best in ‘This Present Darkness’ (LSP #99; Ch.5)

Today, we examine the second meeting–and see some important truths about the culture warriors who love this book. We’ll see how they see themselves, and more importantly how they see their enemies–which includes not only demons but also you, me, and everybody else who rejects their simple message of control-lust, cruelty, division, and authoritarianism. Hop aboard for a demonic meeting, as filtered through a culture warrior’s lens!

The Magical Christian Jesus Powers in ‘This Present Darkness’ (LSP #93, Ch.3)

In this installment, we discover Magical Christian Jesus Powers that only TRUE CHRISTIANS™ can possess–and the mystical evil heathen powers deployed in turn by the Cabal of Satanic Wiccans (or Wiccan Satanists, Whatevs) (CSWWSW). Today, Lord Snow Presides over a pair of confrontations that reveal the insecurities–and the most feverish fantasies–of the Christians who loved this book.