VOLITION

Apparently there is an online short film competition called "The Doorpost." And perhaps because our blog is called DORRPOSTS, the web site caught my eye. One of the finalists in the competition is a film called "Volition."

This extremely powerful, quality film was produced by brothers Tim and Matthew Morgan. That they have accomplished all they have is a great achievement in itself, considering their ages: Tim is only 23, and Matt is 20. If you have a few minutes and want to watch it without any further information, please click here: Volition. Be ready to pay attention right away, as it starts playing immediately and you don't want to miss the beginning.

If you want a little more info, here it is. First, what is the definition of volition? Simple - according to the directors, "It's the act of making a choice. Sometimes the choice of inaction has consequences stronger than we could ever imagine. Throughout history, men have been faced with difficult choices in a world that makes it easy for them to conform. This film explores the hope that lies behind every decision made in the face of adversity; the hope that is buried in the hearts of those that look beyond themselves and see something bigger worth fighting for." The "Volition" film masterfully places its unnamed central character in the context of three of the greatest human rights violations in history: the holocaust, slavery, and abortion.

It was filmed mainly in three days in August on a small budget, to be entered in a short film contest. There's not much info on it on the web yet, so it's likely that you haven't heard of it. But when you see it, I hope you'll join me in wanting to spread the word.

Tim says that although for most of his life he has been “pro-life,” he had never given much thought to the issue until last year when he attended a massive prayer rally, “The Call.” “That’s when it really hit me, hit my heart,” he says, “that there is a need for just some sort of voice in the arts, in the entertainment world, in defense of these unborn babies.”

The Christian community, he says, "has kind of left the art world on the back burner. My vision would be for them to treat the art world, the film world, with the same sense of urgency as they’re treating, for instance, an overseas mission." Note: this is exactly what we talk about on a regular basis at Doxology, the church we attend. Thankfully, at Dox there is an active group of Christian artists (including our son Jake) who are doing a wonderful job integrating their art with their faith on a number of levels.

"This is an emergency for our culture," Tim continues, "to be able to influence our film, our arts, the American pop culture in this way."

Okay, if you haven't done it yet, to watch "Volition," go to Volition. Again, it starts playing immediately, so don’t miss the beginning.