Two worthy films people should see
Chicago-area moviegoers like me were thrust by lengthy pandemic mandates into the waiting arms of cable TV. Hello, Ted Lasso! Easing back to old movie habits, our family has discovered two worthy films.
The first, recently seen in a theater, is “Sound of Freedom,” with Jim Caviezel portraying former Homeland Security agent Tim Ballard, who arrested pedophiles in the U.S., then risked his life rescuing trafficked children in Colombia. In about two hours, the film conveys the huge impact that one principled person can have.
The second, on DVD, arrived via Amazon just after its 25th anniversary: “Wag the Dog,” with Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman in their prime. Unbelievable filming tricks, needed to imply that war with Albania might take place just before a presidential election, unfold in this movie — suggesting what people could be fooled into believing. Modern-day observers likely will find this cautionary tale all too plausible!
Christine Craven, Evergreen Park
No questions about time Jesus was missing
Jesus vanishes from the Bible around age 12 and reappears about age 30. The Bible provides no details regarding his activities during those 18 years.
Here’s what’s puzzling. In the real world, when a child of 12 is missing for just a few hours, family and friends scour the neighborhood and solicit everyone they can to help in the search. But in the Gospels, nobody cares. Here’s a boy who will become the most discussed, written about and revered man in history, but in the New Testament, his disappearance isn’t even a mere afterthought.
Even more baffling, when he returns, not a single person inquires as to why he left, where he went, who he was with or what he did. But Christians are unmoved by this unknown gap. They offer various explanations for his actions, such as claiming he might have been hiding in plain sight as a carpenter in Galilee the whole time, or that he possibly traveled to Ethiopia.
They also accept the fact that he remained silent about his unique magnificence for approximately 6,500 days. Of course, all that matters to believers is his immaculate conception and virginal birth, his miracles, his resurrection and his ticket to salvation. The only details they care about are the ones that fit perfectly into their narrative. How convenient.
Wes Dickson, Orland Park
Eliminating Speak Out curtails freedom
Eliminating Speak Out from the Daily Southtown has accomplished your goal of removing freedom of speech. The First Amendment does not exclude misinformation. Many of the opinions that were labeled as misinformation were actually not false.
Even though the new rules to participate are very uncomfortable, the freedom to express opinions in this country is paramount. Hopefully maybe other former Speak Out contributors will bite the bullet and make their opinions known.
Bill Fischer, Plainfield
Anonymous comments allowed varied opinions
I agree with Suzie from Orland Park. Suburban letters is no substitute for the Speak Out column, a couple of letters versus many different opinions that were submitted to Speak Out. Apparently the Southtown doesn’t want to hear the opinions of its readers.
Pat Browne, Lemont
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