Posted by Mr. Mike on 12/23/13 11:26

Included with the Ben-Hur box set to be released on Tuesday is a reproduction of
the souvenir book which was sold in theatres when the movie was first shown.

There is also some religious propaganda included, a 9-page pamphlet by Robert
H. and Robert A. Schuller!! This thing seemingly has the imprimatur of Warner
Brothers, because its back cover has credits and copyright information from the
film. Here is how this thing begins:

INTRODUCTION

We are honored and delighted to bring you this Bible study guide for Ben-Hur: A
Tale of the Christ -- a favorite of the Schuller family. Not only a spectacular
work of cinema, Ben-Hur delivers a simple message that resonates with all of us.
Ben-Hur tells the story of a man who, despite his imperfections and flaws,
despite life's trials and tribulations, ultimately finds meaning in life through
Jesus Christ. And that's the real meaning of the Cross: God is there to guide us
and to love us no matter what. On a personal note, Charlton Heston has been a
frequent guest and longtime friend of "Hour of Power," and I know that he views
his portrayal of Judah Ben-Hur as more than just a role. He sees Ben-Hur's
struggle as an important one to share with the world because, like Ben-Hur, all
of us have to fight and overcome personal battles. It is our sincere hope that
through this Bible study guide, you can discover the power that Jesus Christ has
to transform your life, because through God, all things are possible!

SYNOPSIS

Ben-Hur is a moving saga of the life of Judah Ben-Hur -- the leader of a
prosperous and politically powerful family in Jerusalem at the time of the Roman
occupation. Betrayed by a childhood friend, Messala, Judah loses everything
after being sentenced to life as a Roman galley slave for a crime he did not
commit. Through God's direct and indirect intervention, Judah survives and rises
from his captivity to become a transformed man.

PREPARATION

Ben-Hur is a film epic in scope and length, clocking in at 3 hours and 32
minutes. This Bible study is a fully integrated approach, where the study
follows directly on the heels of watching the film. This one-day study will
require preparation, but churches (and even small group fellowships and
families) can turn the study into an "event" by screening the film in the
afternoon, followed by a shared meal for all participants, then using the Bible
study to focus on God's Transformational Power.

A NOTE ON THE FORMAT OF THIS GUIDE

When you see "Leader:" in regular type, what follows are directions. When you
see "Leader:" in italic type, what follows is information to share with the
group. It can be read directly from this guide or paraphrased. Questions printed
in bold represent the questions that appear in the study guides. Read these
aloud and then allow participants to comment and take notes on the discussion.
Some suggested answers to the questions appear in your leader's guide in
parentheses.

LEADER'S GUIDE

Leader: Make sure that everyone has a Bible, a worksheet, and a pen or pencil.
Open in prayer that God will use this film about ancient times to reveal Himself
and His purposes to us. Begin the study by asking people to share briefly what
they liked best about the movie. Take 4-5 brief comments, then comment that what
you liked the best was the home improvement sequence. People will look puzzled
-- so you can explain: Leader: The Apostle Paul tells us that our bodies are the
temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). We are houses, but we are in need of
severe renovation. C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity, asks us to imagine that we
are living houses. We think we are in need of a little home improvement to turn
us into truly comfortable little cottages. The problem is that God wants to
remake us into palaces, which requires a painful teardown and rebuilding. He is
transforming us into houses that He intends to inhabit. Ben-Hur is a movie about
this home improvement project and we are going to go through it tonight step by
step as we look at how God transforms us.

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