SojoMail - Creation and sin in 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer'

The Question of Sin at the Heart of ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ This week film columnist JR. Forasteros explores how the biggest cinematic event in years — the premiere of both 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' — forces us to wrestle with individual responsibility in a world shaped by systemic sin: Both Barbie and Oppenheimer are terrific films in their own rights; each has already launched a thousand think-pieces. But the magic of Barbenheimer is that the whole is perhaps even greater than the sum of its parts. Because these two blockbuster films opened the same weekend, and because so many of us decided to watch them back-to-back, Barbie and Oppenheimer became unlikely dance partners, setting up strange and poignant cinematic juxtapositions. Consider these two scenes side-by-side: In a scene that seems to draw directly from history, Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) sits in the Oval Office pleading with then-President Harry S. Truman (Gary Oldman). We’re in the wake of World War II and Oppenheimer begs Truman to help him unring the bell of the atom bomb that has begun the global nuclear arms race. Meanwhile, Barbie (Margot Robbie) stands before the (all-male) Mattel board of directors, demanding to speak to the CEO, who Barbie assumes must be female. Barbie has escaped from Barbieland and is looking for the troubled girl who plays with her in the real world; Mattel’s CEO (Will Ferrell) fears her escape could cause reality itself to crumble. Both movies urge us to consider what responsibility a creator has for their creations. In the Oval Office, Truman castigates Oppenheimer for his worry about his own legacy, insisting somewhat bitterly: “You didn’t drop the bomb — I did. Hiroshima isn’t about you.” Similarly, Mattel’s CEO tries to assure Barbie that, while she is the only female in the room, he himself has a daughter and is the mother of a son — and, as such, Barbie (and by extension, Mattel), is a force for female empowerment. Oppenheimer the movie ensures we will in fact remember Oppenheimer the man; Barbie the movie celebrates Barbie the toy. Both films are sympathetic to creators, but neither film lets their creations off the hook. Oppenheimer worries aloud how the nuclear power he unleashed will shape the atomic age. Barbie faces a lunch table of schoolgirls who tell her exactly how the Barbie beauty standards made them feel un-feminine. But both films ultimately move beyond the myth of the single creator and focus on the forces that shape that creation’s ongoing impact on the larger world. Is Barbie a feminist icon, or does she set unrealistic beauty standards and hold feminism back? Does the government have a responsibility to maintain the biggest arsenal of nuclear weapons to ensure citizens’ safety or does it have a greater responsibility to ensure the safety of its citizens by other means? READ THE FULL ARTICLE Forward Share

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Our Latest ‘Barbie’ Is Greta Gerwig’s Genesis Story (by Olivia Bardo) In the beginning, Ruth Handler created Barbieland. And Ruth said, “Let there be pink,” and there was pink. Derek Webb On Following Jesus Into a Wig and Dress (by Joey Thurmond) The independent songwriter spoke with Sojourners about drag queens, doubt and “deconstruction,” and why he returned to making music for Christians. God's Summer Playlist (by the Web Editors) If former president Barack Obama can release a playlist every summer, why can't I? What Dying Churches Can Learn from ‘The Bear’ (by JR. Forasteros) In many ways, the restaurant industry isn’t so different from Western Christianity.

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From the Magazine Where Did the ‘Great Replacement’ Theory Come From? (by Carmen Celestini) The roots of the “super conspiracy” that influenced Trump’s presidency and stoked the paranoia of his followers.

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Presbyterians for Earth Care - Climate Science Webinar Tuesday & Earth Care Awards Nominations Needed

Webinar Next Week! Earth’s Natural Systems at Risk of Tipping A Critical Climate Science Update Presenter: Dr. Colin Evans of Cornell University Date: Tuesday, August 1st Time: 7:30 pm EDT (6:30 CDT, 5:30 MDT, 4:30 PDT) “The world is hotter than it’s been in thousands of years, and it’s as if every alarm bell on Earth were ringing.   The warnings are echoing through the drenched mountains of Vermont, where two months of rain just fell in only two days. India and Japan were deluged by extreme flooding. They’re shrilling from the scorching streets of Texas, Florida, Spain and China, with a severe heat wave also building in Phoenix and the Southwest in coming days. They’re burbling up from the oceans, where temperatures have surged to levels considered “beyond extreme.” And they’re showing up in unprecedented, still-burning wildfires in Canada that have sent plumes of dangerous smoke into the United States” (Washington Post, July 12). “What’s happening now: the hottest day in human history, the hottest week, the hottest month, the highest sea surface temperatures, the biggest fires.”  (Bill McKibben, July 11) Join us for a webinar presentation about the latest news concerning climate change with an opportunity for questions and answers with gifted teacher and climate scientist, Colin Evans, Ph.D. Please plan to join us for this FREE Webinar!

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Nominate YOUR Eco-Justice Champion Today! Do you know a young adult, 30 years old or younger, who connects their faith with creation and shows great potential to be a future leader for environmental justice? Or perhaps you know a more mature person who has spent their life acting and advocating for the beauty, integrity and health of God’s creation. Maybe your congregation or faith organization operates in a sustainable manner and promotes being a good steward of God’s earth within and beyond its membership.  If one of these prompts brought an individual or a congregation/organization to your mind, now is the time to nominate them for a Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) Annual Earth Care Award. PEC presents three awards each year, two for an individual and the other to an organization.  These awards are presented to individuals and groups whose work for the environment is particularly praise-worthy and creative.  The William Gibson Eco-Justice Award honors an individual who has along history of being a good steward of the Earth, promotes sustainable practices for individuals or organizations, motivates and inspires others to care for God’s creation, and demonstrates care and concern for the sacred bond that exists between all things, living and nonliving. The Restoring Creation Award honors a congregation or faith-based organization that demonstrates sustainable practices and models them for other organizations, operates in a manner that is consistent with good stewardship of God’s creation, partners with organizations to leverage resources for greater impact, and encourages continuous environmental efforts within the organization. The Emerging Earth Care Leader Award honors an individual, age 18 to 30, who demonstrates sustainable practices and encourages others to care for God’s creation, expands Earth stewardship and sustainable practices through organizing, developing, and/or presenting one or more activities, projects, publications, or events, and incorporates care and concern for the sacred bond between all living things. Visit the Awards page on the PEC website for more information, then nominate your eco-justice hero by August 15. You may also download, complete and return a printed Nomination Form for PEC Earth Care Awards. If you are a PEC member/donor, you are welcome to nominate an awardee. If you are not a member/donor and would like to make a nomination, you can join or renew now. Volunteers are needed to make the decision about which qualified individual/congregations or organizations will receive the 2023 Awards. If you would like to serve on the PEC Awards Committee and attend two virtual meetings in August, contact PEC Coordinator, Mindy pec@presbyearthcare.org.  The deadline for submitting nominations for PEC Awards is August 15.

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“The Climate Crisis & Empowering Hope” is our theme for our 2023 national conference. The conference will deal with the greatest moral issue of the day and practical ways that our faith can guide us to act for creation care. We will gather in person in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and at three satellite locations (California, Arkansas and Minnesota) and we will also stream all presentations online. We will learn from top church leaders, gifted biblical and theological teachers, activists, pastors, and one another. This important conference will make a difference for God’s creation and the Church. Please plan to join us and ask your Presbytery to include this information in your Presbytery newsletter.

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Heat and smoke are smothering most of the U.S., putting lives at risk From the Washington Post 7/26/2023 Between the wildfire smoke and the heat, “You get to pick your poison,” said Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University. “They’re different things, but the common factor is climate change,” Dessler said. “Heat waves occur naturally, as do fires, but climate change makes the heat waves more intense and the fires more intense.” Such phenomena are likely only to worsen in years to come, but a gridlocked Congress has no plans to take action on climate beyond the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year. That leaves further efforts up to states, where approaches vary wildly. Read the entire article for free - CLICK HERE

Help us grow! Please let us know if there is anyone we should add to our list!  Just reply to this email.  Thank you! Please help us to continue to assist individuals and churches in creation care work by donating to PEC through our website by CLICKING HERE.  Thank you!

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Living into Right Relations: Call on Manitoba to Search the Landfill!

Reconciliation and Indigenous Justice News from The United Church of Canada Search the Landfill   Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran were murdered in 2022, and their bodies were left in a Winnipeg landfill. Their families and communities have been calling for a search of the landfill ever since, and the province has refused. The federal government will not take action alone. Landfill searches for non-Indigenous murder victims have been successfully undertaken in the past, yet Manitoba remains unwilling to act in this case. This is an act of racism, and demonstrates a lack of humanity. It has emboldened others to commit racist acts against those calling for the basic dignity that has been afforded to others to be shown for Morgan and Marcedes. The United Church of Canada believes that the inherent dignity of every human being must be respected. In life, and now in death, Morgan, Marcedes, and thousands of other missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people have been denied the dignity and respect that they deserve. We call on the government to bring Morgan and Marcedes home to their loved ones. We are in solidarity with Camp Morgan and Camp Marcedes in Winnipeg. Join us in our social media solidarity campaign to #SearchTheLandfill Read the news full story and visit the United Church Facebook page to download graphics. [image Credit: Art: (c) Ariwasabi | Dreamstime.com, (c) Slay19 | Dreamstime.com] Our Strong Voices: National Indigenous Spiritual Gathering     The 2023 National Indigenous Spiritual Gathering will take place in Treaty 6 Territory in Edmonton from July 27 through July 30. The theme is “Our Strong Voices.”  Highlights will include the installation of new members of the National Indigenous Elders Council and the new National Indigenous Council, celebrations of students and those ordained/commissioned in last four years, and a memorial to those who have passed on to the Spirit World since 2019.  Moderator Carmen Lansdowne will provide a keynote address, and there will be plenaries and workshops on a wide range of issues. It’s also a time for for 35 Indigenous young people to come together and build community. Check the Indigenous Ministries Facebook, as well as Twitter for updates. [image credit: The United Church of Canada] Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube Donate to The United Church of Canada and help fund life changing work around the world!

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Union of Concerned Scientists - Tell the EPA: We Need Strong Standards for Power Plants

Tell the EPA to Limit Pollution from Power Plants     TAKE ACTION         For decades, the fossil fuel industry has gotten away with pumping out climate pollution with virtually no limits. Now, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing new standards to limit carbon pollution from coal- and gas-fired power plants nationwide. Take action today and tell the EPA to keep pushing forward and deliver power plant standards that will combat climate change, improve public health, and protect our environment. Through the Clean Air Act, the EPA is not only able to, but is statutorily obligated to, address global warming emissions from coal and gas plants. Carbon pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants need to be addressed immediately if we are going to make the kinds of swift cuts in emissions needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. It will take a lot to get these standards right, and there are a lot of ways they could go sideways. Furthermore, a lot of vested fossil fuel interests will be attempting to undermine the kind of strong standards we need. The EPA holds enormous responsibility on behalf of people and the environment as it navigates this path. Hearing from people like you is critically important to ensure the EPA stays the course. Together, we can help hold the fossil fuel industry to account and limit carbon pollution from the second largest emitter in our country. Urge the EPA to deliver standards that will combat climate change, improve public health, and protect our environment. Sincerely, Katy Love Director of Digital Engagement Union of Concerned Scientists   TAKE ACTION

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