How To Ruin A Zombie Movie

October 20, 2015November 8, 2015 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

Zombies are hot right now.

Whereas it seemed a few years ago that every horror movie wanted to focus on vampires in the shadow of “Twilight”, now we’re being bombarded with zombie movies and tv shows in the wake of “The Walking Dead”. Chances are this Halloween as you’re counting up your candy you’ll be watching some sort of zombie-tainment.

Every form of zombie-tainment follows a pretty simple formula: some sort of infestation has devastated the world’s population. The infected become some sort of half-dead lumbering creatures whose sole mission is to feast on human flesh and brains in order to survive. Those who are still living do their best to run and survive.

That’s all well and good if you want to have a hit in Hollywood right now. Just cut and paste that synopsis, toss in some sort of romantic plot amongst the group of survivors, and boom – you’ll be $100 million richer in no time.

There is, however, a way you can ruin the seemingly foolproof formula of a zombie movie: instead of attacking others, have the zombies start serving others.
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Smiles and Zombies

October 31, 2013November 4, 2013 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

GUEST POST: I’m excited to introduce our first guest contributor to POP GOD – Sean Taylor. Sean is the Pastor of Chandler Baptist Church of Missouri. Sean was also a mentor to me when I first began pursuing ministry when we worked together at First Baptist Augusta. Sean is one my favorite writers and blogs at Plunge47.org. Check him out and enjoy his first contribution to POP GOD:

The Photographer said the first take was a “serious” photo. Every youth group veteran knows that means don’t act crazy – smile like it is a family portrait. The next photo will be titled a “crazy” or “silly” photo. Then everyone will jump around and throw up bunny ears and pull out buck teeth… only the photographer followed the first photo by saying, “Okay, now please smile for this picture.

Instantly she realized her mistake. But it was too late and when the cross-country team poster came out, there she stood a smile amidst frowns… Continue reading →

Why You Should Break Up With Bad Television

October 17, 2013February 26, 2015 / Alex Doriot / 6 Comments

I used to watch “The Walking Dead” religiously.

The first season was one of the best I’d ever seen – suspenseful, surprising, and wildly entertaining. I could not contain my excitement for season two.

Then Rick Grimes and his crew showed up on Herschel’s farm. Everything went downhill from there for me.

I plugged along and kept hoping the show would return to the fine form of season 1. But halfway through season 3 I realized something.

I was becoming the audience equivalent of a walker – a television zombie.

I was not watching “The Walking Dead” anymore because I liked it. I was watching out of habit and hating myself for it.

This is not me trying to dissuade you from watching “The Walking Dead”. 16 million people still seem to be really enjoying it. If you’re one of those people, keep cheering on Daryl and the gang.

This post is me challenging you to not become a television zombie. Continue reading →

Wake Up With Purpose

March 19, 2013March 20, 2013 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

What does your morning look like? Do you typically sleepwalk through the same routine seven days a week? Does the alarm on your iPhone go off for over an hour before you finally throw off the covers? Are you up every morning at 7:30 but not really awake until 11:30?

Maybe you should try waking up to something different. Maybe you should try waking up like Rick from “The Walking Dead”.

In the first episode of “The Walking Dead”, a routine traffic check goes awry and Officer Rick Grimes is shot. The next time we see Rick, he’s waking up from a coma in an Atlanta hospital.

The problem is he’s the only person left in the hospital. In the indeterminate time since Rick has been shot, the world has become overrun with zombies. The walking dead have taken over the hospital and the world around him.

There is no time to waste when Rick wakes up. His life is in danger. His family is missing. There is no time to fool around with the snooze button. There is no time to procrastinate. Continue reading →