Unbroken: The Rest of the Story
UNBROKEN: THE REST OF THE STORY
This Christmas I was excited because of the premiere of the movie “Unbroken.” I was pumped because it is based on one of the top five books that I have ever read, also called “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand. The movie is directed by Angelina Jolie and is based on the true story of the life of Louis Zamperini.
In many ways, Louis lived several lifetimes in his 97 years. His story begins as a rebellious child who found himself through running. He eventually ran in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. He then becomes a war hero in World War II who survived 47 days on a life raft in Pacific Ocean and horrendous torture as a prisoner of war in Japan. He is released from the prison camp when the war ends and returns home. That is pretty much where the movie ends. It closes with a generic statement about how Louis’s faith in God helped him overcome Post Traumatic Stress disorder and choose forgiveness over revenge. It also shares that he found the power to forgive the terrible treatment from his captors.
My disappointment with the movie is that it misses Louis’s own testimony and his account in the book that it was a decisive encounter with Jesus Christ that changed his life. Before I go any further I want to step out of my preacher mode and say I am thankful for the movie. I am glad that Hollywood and Angelina Jolie wanted to tell his story. While it is a difficult movie to watch and I certainly would not recommend it for children, it is a movie that American’s should see.
I also believe that Jolie told the story to the best of her ability and understanding. From every interview that I have read and seen, Jolie and Zamperini had a special relationship. I believe she genuinely cared about Louis and wanted to tell his story in a great way. I do not pretend to know Jolie’s spiritual belief’s but it seems to me the problem is a worldview issue. My guess (and it is a guess) is that Jolie does not operate from a biblical/Christian worldview which means she does not see Louis’s faith in terms of the God of the Bible revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. This usually means that Jesus is seen as one faith option of many others (pluralism) and not exclusively the one savior of the world. Therefore, the movie presents Louis’s faith in a very generic and culturally correct kind of way. It is almost as if a generic belief in God (no definition of who God is) helped Louis overcome his PTSD and find strength to forgive. The problem is that is not Louis’s story. Louis did not have a vague belief in God but a definitive faith in Jesus Christ. The savior who is revealed in Scripture. He was not casual about his faith but he was very upfront about his faith.
Here is the rest of the story. When Louis came home from the war he was terrorized by nightmares and flashbacks from his experiences in the war. He could not overcome his desire for revenge and he turned to alcohol. Soon Louis’s life was out of control and it got to the point that his wife was prepared to leave him. During this time, she went to a revival in Los Angeles where a young evangelist named Billy Graham was preaching. At this revival she gave her life to Christ and told Louis that she would not leave him but he needed to go to the revival with her. In 1949, at the Los Angeles Billy Graham revival Zamperini gave his life to the resurrected Christ.
Jesus changed his life. Through the Gospel and understanding what Jesus had done for him, Zamperini found the strength to forgive those who had abused him, even the one who had tormented him almost daily in Japan. Jesus gave him the strength to rebuild his life, and marriage. Louis was also involved in different Christian ministries over the years. My point is that Louis was not generic about his faith. He was very outspoken about his faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone for salvation. If you get on youtube you will find a video of Louis sharing his testimony in a 1958 Billy Graham crusade and then Louis sharing his faith in 2014 at a Greg Laurie crusade in southern California. Make no mistake Louis’s life was changed by the power of the Gospel.
It disappoints me that Jolie misses the main point of the book and the most important part of Louis’s life—his faith in Jesus. But I am going to take the advice of my daughter. She told me to be thankful that people will see his story and pray that many people will take time to find out the rest of the story. I think that she is right. Let’s pray that many will find the same Jesus that Louis found. In fact, if you want the rest of the story, check it out at billygraham.org.
Let’s remember Paul’s words. “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe…” Romans 1:16
Pastor Scott