Kingdom of Heaven Synopsis It's 1184 France and times are tough of recent for young blacksmith Balian, as he's not only lost his child, but also his wife who's recently committed suicide. When a man he's never met, Godfrey, shows up to inform the blacksmith that he's the father he never knew and invites him to join his crusade to the Holy Land, Balian initially declines the offer. Realizing he has nothing to lose and thinking his participation might help his wife in the afterworld, he then agrees and sets off with Godfrey, the Hospitaler - a knight-confessor -- and others on their quest. On their journey, Godfrey is mortally wounded, but he manages to knight his son and make him swear an oath to serve the King of Jerusalem. With the aide of the Hospitaler, Balian proceeds to do just that. Eventually arriving in the Holy Land, Balian meets the king's alluring sister and her conniving husband from a prearranged marriage. Since King Baldwin IV is dying from leprosy and wears a metal mask to hide his facial deformities, Guy is gunning for the throne, much to the dismay of the King. It doesn't help that Guy is a member of the Knights Templar, and that he and his racist co-conspirator Reynald don't like the uneasy truce that Baldwin has made with a Muslim leader. Despite being severely outnumbered by the Muslim army, the two and their followers want to undermine the tenuous relationship, going against the King and Balian's quest to allow pilgrims of all faiths to visit the city. From that point on, and as Guy makes his move, Balian must do what he can to protect the people under his care.   The Message Holiness is a purity of heart, mind, and soul. Set Up: Balian thinks he's outside God's grace because he can't hear God when he prays. He claims he's lost his religion. Hospitaler says he's seen horrible things done because religion said it was "the will of God." True holiness comes in right action, and God desires a pure head and heart, not religion. Theme: It's sad to realize that these words are relevant to every point in history. Religion often appears to be the one thing blocking seekers from God, and it's a travesty. Relieve your students of this burden and point them toward true holiness that not only purifies the practitioner, but also leads others toward authentic faith. Discussion Questions:  Do you agree or disagree with the Hospitaler's statements? Explain. Why do people do things in "the name of God" that he'd never do? Why doesn't God stop them? What was the Hospitaler's definition of holiness? What does the word "holiness" mean to you? Who do you think of as "holy"? What characteristics lend these people an aura of holiness? How would the world change for the better if religious people lived with personal holiness? Why do people get caught up in religion rather than holiness? When does "religion" get out of hand? What would be the hardest thing in this list from Colossians for you to live out? Explain. How might you overcome that difficulty? How can we protect our ministry from becoming "religious" rather than holy? What one thing can we begin doing as a group to put  words into action?   The Message II Each person is responsible for the eternal state of his or her own soul. Set up: King Baldwin, a leper, tells Balian how invincible he felt when he won a great victory at 16. Now, he won't even see 30. He explains that no one chooses his or her end, but we each have responsibility for our soul. When we meet God, we can't claim merely following orders as a defense or that virtue wasn't convenient. Theme: Can you picture someone standing before God and blaming his or her personal choices on others? Our Creator will simply state that each person's soul is a gift to be used for service or rebellion, and each person makes this choice. You are challenged to take responsibility now for the eternal state of your souls. Discussion Questions:  Do you agree with King Baldwin's statements about the soul? Why or why not? What do we know about the soul? How do we even know it exists? What's the relationship between the soul and body? Do people typically focus more on their bodies or souls? Explain. What's the significance of each person being responsible for his or her soul? How does this concept make God more personal? bring equality among all people? Would you want to face God right now? Explain. If you could only do one more thing to better prepare your soul to meet God, what would it be? What's preventing you from doing this?   The Message III Christian traditions are meant to honor God and draw us toward him, but sometimes tradition becomes revered for its own sake. Set up: Balian rallies the men, claiming the battle is over a 100-year-old offense, when Christians invaded Jerusalem and slaughtered the Muslim population. While Christians, Jews, and Muslims all lay claim to the same holy sites, it's not about the stones, says Balian, but about the people living inside the walls-that's why they fight. Theme: Traditions are meant to remind us of a rich heritage that draws us closer to the timeless God we serve. Unfortunately, they can become enshrined, becoming more revered than the Lord himself. This creates oppression and perversion that ultimately prevents people from reaching God. We're going to examine the traditions of our church and the Christian faith at large, and will try to discern those that make the path straight for others and those that create roadblocks. Discussion Questions:  What traditions are the Christians and Muslims fighting over in this scene from above? Are these traditions worth dying for? Why or why not? What traditions have people fought over in our own church? Are those things important to fight over? Why or why not? What's the purpose of a "tradition"? What should a Christian tradition do? When does a tradition become destructive? How do good traditions become oppressive? Why don't people stand up and do something? If you could get rid of one Christian tradition, what would it be? Explain. How might the tradition you dislike return to a form that honors and points others toward God? What can you do to make that happen?   OUR WORD TO THE WISE Here's a quick look at the content found in this action-filled drama that's been rated R. Violence consists of various sequences of epic battles where many people are killed or wounded by various medieval style means and related weaponry, occasionally with rather bloody and/or gory results. Other lethal and bloody violence includes various murders, executions and more. Some of that material, other moments of peril and some visuals (including a face disfigured with leprosy) might be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers, while some of that fighting and other stunts might be enticing for some kids to imitate. A few colorful phrases are present, but there's no profanity. Some non-explicit, sexually related dialogue is uttered, while a woman has an affair with another man (and there's a brief and partially seen sex scene with kissing, heavy breathing and moving onto a bed). Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while a few drink and some must deal with deaths in their families.   BLOOD/GORE  Various men on two sides of a battle are bloody during it, including one seen with an arrow through his neck and blood splattering out when another is struck, and we briefly see a sword land down on top of a man's head, splitting the top of it open. The Hospitaler tries to remove a broken arrow out of Godfrey's body, including with what resembles a pair of pliers that dig down into the flesh (with bloody results on the skin and clothing). Men attack others on horseback and we see two sword swings (but no impact) and then some of the victims' blood on the attackers, but it's all very brief. We see blood spray and splatter out during a battle, with Balian having some blood on his face following it. The King slaps Reynald and then repeatedly strikes him with a small rod (slightly bloodying his face). He then makes Reynald kiss his disfigured and bloody hand (and possibly infect him with his leprosy). We see the King's dead and badly disfigured face (from leprosy). A man strikes Balian (bloodying his face). A person is beheaded (we don't see the impact as our view is briefly blocked). We then see many dead and bloody bodies lying about. Guy stabs a man up through the chin, with lots of blood coming out. The body is then dragged away and may be headless at that point as we also see a trail of blood on the floor. We see many dead and bloody bodies following an unseen, large scale battle. A prisoner then has his throat slit, with lots of blood coming out and covering him (we hear gurgling sounds and that of another unseen cut). We later see his and another's man bloody heads on stakes in the ground (seen from behind). Sibylla imagines seeing an image of her late brother's disfigured face. We see bloody results of battle action and people being stabbed, sliced or hit with arrows. We see a deep and bloody cut on a man's arm following a battle.  We see many dead and bloody bodies on the ground following a battle.   PROFANITY  None   SEX/NUDITY  Godfrey tells Balian that he knew the latter's mother, against her objections (meaning sex). He states that he did not force her, but loved her in his fashion. Godfrey says that he's sorry for all but one sin (meaning sleeping with Balian's mother and thus fathering a son). Sibylla shows up and asks Balian, "Why do you think I'm here?" The two then passionately kiss and get onto a bed with him on top. We hear heavy breathing and briefly see movement and his bare back, but the scene quickly ends.   VIOLENCE  Upon seeing that the local priest has his dead wife's cross, Balian takes a glowing hot sword from the fire and drives it through the man. He then pushes him into his blacksmith's fire, with the priest screaming and catching on fire. Balian's wooden blacksmith shop then catches on fire. Godfrey and Balian do some brief sparring with swords, as the former tries to teach the latter the proper way to fight. Another man then spars with Balian following that. Arrows fired from crossbows strike many of Godfrey's men and even one horse. The men, including the Hospitaler, Godfrey and Balian, then fight back, slicing and stabbing many of the intruders. During all of that, one man is hit in the neck with an arrow (with bloody results), as is another who continues to fight and kill the attackers before succumbing to more arrows in his chest. Many others are wounded or killed, some with bloody results. Godfrey slaps Balian, saying that it's to make him remember an oath he just took. A seagoing vessel tips over during a bad storm at sea and breaks apart (resulting in many unseen deaths, we later see many bodies that have washed up on the shore). A man charges at Balian on horseback, trying to strike him with sort of a pole and then a sword, with Balian deflecting both with his sword. The two then engage in a swordfight on the ground, with Balian thumping the attacker who then comes at him with the pole again. Balian then slices the man's throat, with blood spraying onto another man and his horse. That man falls from his ride and Balian seems to drive his sword down into the man, but he's only done so next to him in the sand, purposefully sparing the man's life. We briefly see several men pushed off a ledge and hanged in a public execution (for killing Muslims). Men attack others on horseback and we see two sword swings (but no impact) and then some of the victims' blood on the attackers, but it's all very brief. A small army battles a much larger one on horseback and then hand to hand, with men and horses falling to the ground, and various people stabbing and slicing others (with bloody results), including Balian who kills many before being knocked out. When he awakens, a man drives his sword down at him, but does so only in the sand next to Balian (as Balian earlier did to the same man). Three men attack Balian and he repeatedly bashes one with a large rock, while avoiding a ball and chain from another that strikes a third. Balian then hits one of them with something and then appears to break one's neck on the ground. One then strikes Balian (bloodying his face) and then head-butts him with his helmet-covered head. Balian then stabs the man in the head with a small knife. Saladin's forces attack the walled city, firing flaming boulders (or something similar) at it, causing damage and knocking many people off their feet (wounding or killing them, with some on fire). Balian's forces then return fire with the same, with more such explosions on the opposite side. The siege goes on for several days, including Balian's forces firing those boulders into attack towers that are being wheeled toward their walls. Various people are struck by arrows, while one man is on fire and struck by others. Tar or something similar is poured down on the attackers who are then set on fire. All sorts of hand to hand combat ensues, while others are struck by arrows, including one in the head. During this, Balian kills many, slicing and stabbing them with his sword (some with bloody results). Many burning men fall from an attack tower that's then pulled over and it lands on more (no direct impact seen from that one or other towers falling under similar circumstances). During all of this, Balian receives a bad cut on his arm. There's more damage to the protective wall around the city, and it finally collapses, allowing the attackers inside where all sorts of hand to hand combat ensues (with swords, axes, spears, arrows and more).   IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR  Phrases: "Bastards," "How can you be in Hell when you're in my heart?" and "And I'm the king of England." All of the fighting and stunts may be enticing for some kids to imitate. Godfrey slaps Balian, saying that it's to make him remember an oath he just took. Balian later does the same to another man for the same reason.   ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE  In pain from being wounded, Godfrey orders that more wine be brought to him. Balian drinks from a canteen of sorts (that may contain water or alcohol). Tiberias and the Hospitaler have what might be alcohol.  Sibylla says she's off to where Jesus turned water into wine. She and Balian then drink what may be wine. Sibylla drinks then Guy drinks.   DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE  The local priest takes a cross from a dead woman's body before her funeral. He later tells Balian that God does not love Balian and that the village does not want him. Guy is demeaning to Balian on various occasions and won't eat with him (making a scene while leaving). He also plots to maneuver his way to the Throne, all while causing unrest in the Holy Land. The Hospitaler states that religion is bad (due to fanatics using it), but that holiness is good (some viewers might not like that statement). Sibylla cheats on her husband with Balian.  The King and Tiberias offer to have Guy killed so that Balian can wed Sibylla and thus become King, but Balian refuses, Sibylla tells him that one day he'll wish he'd done a little evil for a greater good. Reynald tells Guy to kill Balian, and once the King is dead, three men are sent to carry out the order. A priest wants to flee the walled city, stating that it's unfortunate for those who would be left behind, adding that it's God's will. Later, and realizing they're about to lose, says, "Convert to Islam, repent later."