signs

Over the weekend, I saw the movie Signs. I saw it when it first came out and then again for a class in seminary, but i really got involved in it this time. Maybe for the first time. it was billed as an alien invasin movie, perhaps not as big as Independence Day, but an alien invasion movie nonetheless. Actually, it's less alien and more family drama. it's the story of an Episcopal priest who lost his faith when his wife died in a car accident and his faith is then challenged and at the end invigorated by the events that unfold. But there's a significant conversation that the Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) has with his brother Merrill(Joaquin Phoenix) about what the aliens may mean to people. Merrill is looking to his brother for comfort, even though Graham has give up the faith. This is Graham's response to Merrill:

"People break down into two groups when they experience something lucky. Group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence that there is someone up there, watching out for them. Group number two sees it bas just pure luck. Just a happy turn of chance. I'm sure the people in group number two are looking at those lights in a very suspicious way. For them, the situation isn't fifty/fifty. Could be bad, could be good. But deep down, they feel that watever happens, they're on their own. And that fills them with fear. Yeah, there are those people. But there's a whole lot of people in group number one. When they see those fourteen lights, they're looking at a miracle. And deep down, they feel that whatever's going to happen, there will be someone there to help them. And that fills them with hope. See, what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are yo9u the kind that sees signs, sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? Or, look at the question this way: is it possible that there are no coincidences?"

I'm happy to report that I'm in group number one.