Linkin Park Catalyzes Thought Over the Tree of Good and Evil

There are not a few pessimists and critics of Hollywood (the music industry in particular), that just can't find anything good that comes from this industry. Sometimes, just the fact that certain films or movies don't have a cross or smiling happy people on the cover is reason to say it's from "Satan."

In the spirit of Jesus in the healing parables, especially the blind, I say to those with such attitudes of the entertainment industry to "open your eyes (and your ears)" and see how God really can speak to us through artists like Linkin Park. Ok, so maybe not too many old testament prophets had black discs embedded in their earlobes, but then again, many prophets were known to do "silly" things like Ezekiel who would lay on his side for over 300 days or cut up his beard and throw it in fire to make a point - namely, that the people of God need wake up and follow HIs ways else face destruction.

Linkin Park deserve much praise for this current work that is not afraid to lead humanity into the depths of the tough transcendental questions that enrich our state of being.

Mike Shinoda had this to say in the making of their "Catalyst" music video which set out to convey often-contradictory themes: power and grace, destruction and salvation, ugliness and beauty.

"The concept to the video: It kind of comes from the idea of, like, if you could imagine when nuclear fission was invented, or a moment in time when something can be used for positive or negative," Shinoda said. "Something can be beautiful or it can be destructive. Or even, you know, if you've ever seen a dangerous fire from far away, it's devastating up close, but from far away, it can be beautiful. Those are the kind of themes that run throughout the album, and they're also themes that you see in the video."

In essence, Linkin Park's music video "Catalyst", consciously or not, is a most profound and artistic expression of the Tree of Knowledge (Good and Evil) found in the Book of Genesis (chapter 2). God has given humanity the most wonderful gift to share in His creativity. The Tree (Which becomes an occasion for man to turn away from God) represents man's ability to know and choose between the good or the bad use of those wonderful God given things. Our free will ultimately becomes our grace or detriment in choosing to love God or not - its our choice that will lead personally and in some cases, collectively, to salvation or destruction.

New Ethos applauds artists who reach for an overarching spirit of truth, beauty, and goodness in their work. We believe one need not necessarily go to "religious" music genre to find it - Linkin Park is a testament to that in a most profound and powerful way - AND GOD BLESS US EVERYONE! - Fr. Don Woznicki +

What's Up With Mel? and LiLo? and HeMo?: Requiem For a Dream

There has been many looks of bewilderment, head scratching, and disappointment within the world of the “Passion of the Christ” pilgrims over the recent behavior of Mel Gibson – many saw him as the “next coming” of a Hollywood Savior, and now are left with “grinding and gnashing of teeth.” Given my past encounter with Mel during the promotion of “The Film”, not a few have asked me “What’s up with Mel?”

Well, for one, he is an ADDICT and also a CELEBRITY, which are almost synonymous terms – This contributes to Mel, and many celebrities, being vulnerable to what I call, The "REQUIEM FOR A DREAM" Effect - a chilling reality that can hit everyone, not just celebrities, who are spiritually sick in some way. Additionally, for Mel, he is also suffering from being the MAIN INSTRUMENT for one of the most powerful films in entertainment history that has brought (and will continue to bring) many to (or back to) Jesus Christ.

THE "REQUIEM FOR A DREAM" EFFECT

I cannot help but think about Darren Aronofsky’s film “Requiem For a Dream” (2000) in how addiction is playing out in the lives of Mel, (alcoholism, and who knows what else); LiLo (cocaine, and who knows what else); and Heidi Montag (HeMo) [Plastic Surgery]. One of the best films ever done on addiction RFD is one the the most true, artistic, yet shocking and nightmarish films I had ever seen back in 2000 and still remains that way today. That is why it is so good. After the credits began to roll with that erie score, most of the audience didn't move from their seats. If they experienced what I did, I felt like I had just been through one of the worst nightmares of my life and when the lights came up, I was just glad not to really be part of it. RFD stars Ellen Burstyn in her Academy Award Nomination for Best Actress (Sara); Jared Leto (Harry); Jennifer Connelly (Marion); and Marion Wayans (Tyrone). Each is obsessed with a dream that feeds off narcissistic tendencies, stemming from a past trauma or childhood deficiency. For Harry and Tyrone, it’s a plan to get off “hards knocks” and form a get rich quick business through drug dealing. For Marion, her dream is to be respected for her beauty and dignity as a woman of the fashion industry and who desires to be loved and cherished by a loving husband. For Sara, who has lost her husband and lives a lonely life, her dream is to be able to fit into a beautiful red dress to appear on a popular game show that will gain her attention and show her friends that she and her family have become something. In each case, heroine or diet pills (in Marion's case) feed the dream only to enslave them in a nightmare of addiction, destroying themselves to achieve the dream. Anybody caught in an addiction must see RFD (Trailer below).

THE NARCISSISM FACTOR

Dr. Drew Pinsky recently teamed with other researchers to conduct the first-ever study of narcissism among celebrities. In the process, they discovered that a high proportion of stars suffer from traits associated with clinical narcissism—including vanity, exhibitionism, entitlement, exploitativeness, self-sufficiency, authority, and superiority. These personality disorders stem from trying to compensate for something that is missing in their lives. They want to feel grand on the outside, to be famous, but instead feel small on the inside. These traits have their roots in self-hatred and ultimately in childhood disconnection or trauma. Many celebrities are actually narcissists before becoming celebs, and in fact, need to become a celebrity – and if they are not well grounded spiritually to do battle, it is uncontrolled narcissism that will eventually consume them in their own "Requiem For A Dream." So it should be no surprise we see and hear many celebs falling into self-destructuve behavior. I believe the worse thing we can do is ridicule them when actually they are really sick inside - Maybe a wake up call is in order, like watching RFD!

THE ADDICTION & CELEBRITY FACTOR

This factor is something that really needs our respect in order to understand why we keep reading about the likes of Britney Spears, Nicole Richie, and recently LiLo (Lindsay Lohan) and "HeMo" (Heidi Montag). Let’s face it, celebrities are just more vulnerable to addiction. Your not going to see much interest in a reality TV show called “Hairdresser Rehab” as you do “Celebrity Rehab” if it wasn’t for the reality that celebrities are just more prone. And God bless Dr. Drew Pinsky (Vh1 Celebrity Rehab; SoberHouse; Sex Rehab) for putting together shows that actually could do something meaningful, not only in a celebrity’s life, but for all who struggle with addictions.

It’s easy for the vast majority of the public to look in on celebrities and envy them, and then be quick to judge and “Dutch pile” on them when they fall. It is as if "celebrityness" (which they can’t have) must go punished for them to feel better in their mundane world. I believe we must better understand why celebrities are more prone to addictions and then we will be less quick to judge and more ready to pray for those who one could argue are given the gift of “celebrityness” (if offered for Gods greater Glory). So why is it that celebrities are more prone to addiction? Dr. Drew Pinsky ( Dr. Drew website) is of the opinion that Hollywood has a higher percentage of drug addiction per capita than the rest of the population. He has examined the root causes of celebrity addiction and offers the following reasons behind its rise and why Hollywood is one of the toughest places to get clean.

1st - ACCESSS. "It’s everywhere", says Dr. Drew. "When you’re rich and famous you don’t have to look for drugs or alcohol. You turn around and people are handing you things, whether or not you want it. Whether they think you want it or not, they want to get next to you and the only way they know how to do that is by offering you something you may not have. In most cases, it’s a line of coke, a pill, a drink or two."

2nd - ENABLING ENTOURAGE. "Celebrities travel with a buffer of friends and hangers on", says Dr. Drew. "Supposedly it’s to make their lives easier, but it also serves to make addiction easier to maintain. Unlike the rest of us whose friends ditch when we start acting like idiots and self destructing or at least turn to us and tell us that we’re messing up, an entourage groupie enjoys his or her proximity to the spotlight and if the celebrity isn’t partying, then nobody’s partying."

3rd - (A reason why we need to give celebrities a break, for they are just like us - human) - THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE REST OF US - Breakups with lovers and spouses, pressures at work, bad behavior, not enough attention at home, problems with parents, family histories of addiction, mental and psychological problem, the death of people close to them. "There really isn’t a reason that a celebrity picks up or maintains an addiction that someone without his or her fame hasn’t also experienced", says Dr. Drew. Given this information, is Mel much different than any other addict whose disease hurls all kinds of vile at its victim?

4th - WHAT THEY HAVE THAT WE DON’T, namely THE SPOTLIGHT. Dr. Drew says that sometimes it takes a really embarrassing moment, a video taken at the wrong time that goes viral online, some photos courtesy of the paparazzi, a career threat to get a celebrity to not only recognize that they have a problem but that this problem is serious enough to need treatment. "Think about some of the situations you’ve been in the last six months. Would you want a camera to have caught the details of any of those little episodes? Imagine if it had been in everyone’s inbox the next day when you went into work. Would that be enough to convince you that you needed to get some help?" Dr. Drew, we can only hope and pray that the general public recognizes that Mel needs serious help with his addiction(s) rather than more TMZ.com and Radar Online "therapy."

BACK TO MEL: "GOD'S INSTRUMENT' FACTOR

Are we really surprised of the recent news? From the time of “The Film’s” release, it is basic Christianity 101 that Mel would be (church lady please) "Satan's target", given this scripture [Eph. 6:12]: “For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with principalities, with the powers, with the rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens." So are we surprised that Mel has become victim, even more so than the pope, to (church lady again please) “Satan” who lashed out in a full out counter attack, a blitzkrieg?! And Satan is trying his best to strike up a symphony of his destructive work that will eventually play off the narcissistic lives of the likes of Mel, Lilo, and HeMo – this symphony is called, "Requiem For a Dream.”

FOR OUR CELEBRITIES: THE PRAYER FACTOR

All in all, I say, hang in there with Mel (LiLo and HeMo). What we are seeing played out before our very eyes (“and ears”) is Mel and scores of other celebrities in the throes of a spiritual battle - a battle for their life. Massive chaos has taken nest in their world and is inflicting severe damage and maybe some heavy causalities (such as in Mel's case with Oksana and the baby, his family, the Jewish and some ethnic communities). Granted, we can’t just "play off" all the damage, that Mel or other celebrity addicts have done, as “the devil made me do it” (for Mel, LiLo, and even HeMO will need to take responsibility for their actions for justice sake). What they do need more than anything though, rather than our judgment, is prayerful support. The very least, these celebrities are a cross section of addicted America and just remind us of those we love who are in the same boat. However, to be a celebrity, if truly given as a gift from God rather than sought out for some narcissistic desire, will come with a responsibility to spread truth, beauty, and goodness in our culture in a most powerful way - And here is where we don't envy but pray for them and support them where we can. They are human beings caught in a spiritual ambush from none other than (church lady please) “Satan.” It is very likely celebrities are a prime target to spiritual attacks, because of their high potential to have a positive impact on our culture. The devil, whose word in Latin is diabolos, means “to scatter, divide.” Ultimately, the devil, who is a liar and a murderer, is trying to create chaos in people's lives and eventually kill the soul - A Requiem For A Dream. Mel, Lilo and HeMo are just more vulnerable to this "death" because of their narcissistic tendencies combined with the "celebrity factor."

Given all this, our prayers should include a thanksgiving for celebrities, especially those who are willing not to hide their problems and addictions, for they give us a glimpse of the greater human struggle that goes on within all of us – We are all addicts (in some degree of another), for we are all addicts to sin. We all have issues of narcissism that need to be addressed. Thank you to some of those celebrities and Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab for helping wake us up from our "requiems to a dream" - to take responsibility for our lives with the gifts God has given us to bring truth, beauty, and goodness into our world where ever we can, and getting the help we need when (church lady please) "Satan" has gotten his tail into things.