Keanu Reeves: a man with no place to rest his head. Maybe not (he is a wealthy actor), but fans swear he is “most excellent”. He is portrayed in the media as a man of the people. Riding on subways and giving up his seat up for others, the positive ways he treats women, going to random people’s weddings when asked, etc.
This might not make him a religious or spiritual person on paper, but who gives a shit? By their fruits you will know them, right? We do love our labels as human beings. It gives us a more user-friendly guide to help us weed out the good and bad apples.
It’s not that easy, unfortunately. Yes, we have tools from biology to anthropology to help us with our lizard brain, flight or flight instincts. But this isn’t always the way to see a fellow human being. We must let go of our judgments and let them be who they are going to be.
We always have to be a little careful when it comes to putting our trust in someone else’s authority and power. Seeing Hollywood actors as some type of deity or royalty isn’t healthy, in my opinion. The celebrity worship syndrome isn’t the route to take when it comes to healthy relationships.
I have never met Keanu Reeves so I really can’t say anything about the guy’s character except for what the media portrays. Why can’t we see people who we really don’t know as they are? Strangers. Mr. Reeves is a stranger to me. The best way to treat a stranger is with kindness and caution. It’s a bit of a conundrum and a little paradoxical, but I think it’s true. Take them as they are. If they need help, that is really where we step in and see what is needed (from a Christ-lens perspective).
Trusting blindly in someone else’s authority and power can have serious consequences for ourselves and for society as a whole. This is particularly evident in the business world, where CEOs and other top executives are primarily interested in increasing profits and shareholder value. Their decisions may not always be in the best interest of employees, customers, or the environment.
How about religion? A religious leader who becomes too entrenched in their position may start to believe that they are above everyone else and that they can use their power to enrich themselves at the expense of their congregates. This can lead to corruption and a betrayal of the spiritual community’s trust (which has become highly relevant now with celebrity pastors in Christendom). Relying on someone else’s authority and power can be risky in these situations because those in power may use their position to benefit themselves rather than the people they are supposed to be serving.
While it can be tempting to trust in someone else’s authority and power, doing so can be incredibly risky. Individuals in positions of authority may be motivated by self-interest rather than what is best for those under their authority, power can be corrupting, those in power may be influenced by outside forces, and trusting in someone else’s authority can lead to a loss of individual agency and responsibility. To avoid these risks, it’s important that we remain skeptical of authority and power and always question the decisions and motivations of those who hold these positions. By doing so, we can make more informed decisions and ensure that our lives and the world around us are better off for it. Believe in your inner power and authority, would ya (Col 1:27)?
Yes, we can enjoy the art Mr. Reeves has done – which I fully do. Some say his acting chops are a little questionable, but he has my vote (haters). I can watch Point Break or The Matrix any day of the week with a smile on my face. It’s great that he seems to be a good dude. We need more like him if that is the case in this world, right? That’s good enough for me. What is his religion? Nobody knows really but I will leave you a quote from Saint Keanu and you can decide for yourself:
STEPHEN COLBERT: What do you think happens when we die?
REEVES: I know that the ones who love us will miss us.—”The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (May 11, 2019)
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