P3. Continued embellishments and contradictions of the Jesus Revolution movie

Many of the details of the movie are not based in reality, and not based upon truth.

Before we look further into all that has been added into the Jesus Revolution movie that did not take place, along with the countless inaccuracies in the movie itself. On Greg Laurie’s website, speaking about the movie, it says: A true story of revival it continues by saying that the Jesus Revolution movie, is a movie based upon a true story (this has now been removed)

The book was going to come out close to the time of the movie but because the movie had been delayed, the book came out before the movie. If anybody wants to know more about what really happened in real life read the book. But Greg Laurie’s book does not coincide with the movie, which makes the major events of the main characters untrue, not just in their timelines.

Even the term “Based on a true story...” means the movie is not fiction but an account of something that really happened, retold through the cinema. Much of the actual story and events remain intact. In this, the movie does not deliver as it makes up events, embellishes, and combines other events that did not happen in the timeline.

If Christian[s] are supposed to present the biggest spiritual awakening in American history to the world, you would think they wouldn’t add or take away from the real-life characters, places, and events as much as they have in this film. Some artistic license is one thing, but over and over rewriting actual history is another.

The Bible tells us to speak the truth in love, that love tells the truth. That “no lie is of the truth.” Some other scriptures to consider making a Christian movie (Rom.9:1; 2 Cor.4:2; 2 Cor. 13:7-8)

We see, (concerning real-life events), that the producers have done whatever it takes to make a movie more sellable at the Box Office, with little regard for the actual truth, intentionally, changing true history.

How much of this movie is true? 70%, 10%? After a certain percentage, it becomes a whole different rendition of history. Of course, we do not expect it correct on every detail, it’s not a documentary. But in this, we find the overall theme of God drawing hippies to a saving knowledge true, and in the working parts, few are true. But these working parts are the story within the theme.

In researching the real-life characters in this story, we began to find little resemblance between the details of the movie, Greg Laurie’s book, and real-life events. This made us dig further into the pivotal scenes in the movie. These changes cannot be overlooked as overt artistic license, as many events did not occur at all, and many other crucial details are not found in the timeline of the movie.

He writes in his book, “I met Cathe a few months after I accepted Christ and started teaching a Bible study .” “ in the film I meet Cathe before I'm a Christian but in reality I met her ( he explains in the afternoon at school) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2R_dMvv5Sw

If you watch this interview you will find a number of events are not as the movie.

What this means is that they did not have the many escapades together as the movie presents, they did not go to the concert together as depicted in the movie, they did not ride in the van together, and all the drama before, neither were they baptized the same day. Which is a very important event portrayed in the movie.

Greg discussing with Cathe: what I felt in there I haven’t,… Greg: what if its another high, what if its just another drug ‘yknow, its good for then and its gone . Cathe “we can find out together.

In real life, they never had this discussion, nor any other discussion at this time, because, according to his book they met after Laurie had become a believer and after he was already a Bible teacher at Calvary Chapel at the age of 19 in real life (not age 17) as in the movie.

Laurie says in an interview the movie shows him “ getting converted right before I'm baptized ,” (Heading on youtube by bless god studios Greg Laurie ADMITS Jesus Revolution Movie "LIED" About THIS).

The movie is not only untrue but ridiculous in how it presented this. In the water, Lonnie asks Greg Have you decided? Gregsays I don’t know. Lonnie, you want to decide right now? In in an immediate decision Greg says; yea, yea I do. He then prays with Lonnie.

This represents the producer’s broad way of exaggeration and imagination in comparison to actual life. After Greg swims to the surface being underwater for 20 seconds Lonnie asks him how do you feel, and he says alive. The implication is that Greg was saved by his baptism.

In real life Laurie says “ I accepted Christ on my high school campus, and I went to a church called Calvary Chapel, ” but that is not how the movie portrays it, instead it shows this to be at his Baptism.

He gives an ultimatum in the movie to Cathe “ I feel that if we are going to do this we need to do it right, so I want to tell you that if you ever get between me and God then it's over for us .” This was said, just not said at this time period either, according to Laurie’s book.

We are not pointing out small events but the main ones that the movie has pieced together as affecting their lives during this period.

In real life, the church did not buy Greg the Corvair. In the movie, Lonnie on behalf of everyone says“It's all yours brother. Greg asks “does it run, Lonnie of course it runs. We all prayed over it this morning. ”

The movie makes a whole story on this by showing the car doesn’t start, Lonnie asks everyone to pray over it again, saying, “ Heavenly Father we just thank you for sending your holy spirit into this car especially the engine and the carburetor, that I was assured was just replaced (laughter), we thank you in Jesus name .”

Send the Holy Spirit into the car? Really, can that be done? Could this be what Frisbee actually believed? Greg tries to start the car again, but it fails. Lonnie: Lord we asking you here please I’m looking bad right now lord, please just give us spirit juice here.” Lonnie is not the only one looking bad, Greg restarts the car and it turns on. (this is silly)

In real life, Greg met his future wife Cathe, and after, he actually bought the car. In Laurie's book he says he bought the Corvair; “ Greg had bought it for $225.” “someone asked me recently did you really use this thing Fly Me to the Moon to your mother I said no, I did not, that's an invention that John came up with because he had the moon landing yeah and that thing but it's a beautiful little Motif too it” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2R_dMvv5Sw

Laurie seems to be fine with these inventions for his character (large or small) in the movie.

So much of this film is supposed to be according to Greg Laurie, the question is whether he is accurate in his memory, or did the Director not hear him correctly as they change numerous circumstances from the way they actually happened on their own.

Much of this film is supposed to be about what Greg Laurie says it should be, but the real question is, is his memory accurate? Or did the Director who wrote the transcript after he interviewed Greg Laurie in the very beginning not hear him correctly? Or worse, has Greg Laurie, a director, allow or intentionally change the real events? There are so many contradictions, partial accounts, and completely inaccurate information in the film that goes against what is in Laurie’s book and, Lonnie’s book (dictated to Roger Sach) with what really occurred in real life itself (?).

It is true Cathe's parents were uptight (mainly her father), and not enthusiastic about Greg. In the movie, it shows tension between Greg and Cathe’s dad. In Laurie’s book, he says, “ They wanted Cathe to be provided for, and they were worried that the sins of Greg’s mother would somehow be visited upon her son. Cathe wrote a letter to her dad Assuring him that Greg would even have a regular paycheck of some kind. Andasked for her dad’s blessing.A few days later her mother came to Cathe and hugged her tight. “Honey, your dad got your letter,” she said. “It was beautiful. We will give you our blessing.”

Hardly the same rendition in the movie. Greg later tells Cathe ‘ I got really big plans Cathe, hopes and dreams I got goals, but I want to do it with you, together .’ I’m sure Greg knows the difference between our plans and what is to be God's plan, his will in our life, this is a misleading statement whether it was said or not.

The movie is about the years 1969-70. Greg says that he and Cathe were married in February 1974 just after Cathe’s eighteenth birthday, which means in 1969/70 she was 13/14. The movie is a drastically different account, away from Greg Laurie’s supposed real-life story, a story that is supposed to be based on his book.

Another important point in the movie is that Lonnie is packed and ready to leave the communal house, and during a conversation with Greg, Greg is pleading for Lonnie not to leave, when Lonnie says to him before he is out the door, “ I never did tell you that first night we met God showed me a vision of you speaking before a crowd of thousands , don’t let me get in the way of that.” Greg replies by saying: Then stay here, stay, Please help me get there.’ to which Lonnie replies: “ I can’t little brother. I’m sorry.”

Neither Lonnie’s book nor Greg’s book mentions any such vision, or anything like it that we were able to find. Their first time meeting in the rain did not as the movie portrays. So, this seems to be another addition that makes Frisbee look like a seer or a Prophet of God.

In an interview, Greg Laurie, says this moment in the film indeed happened in real life. " I was kinda hanging around with him for a few months after my conversion ," (Laurie speaking to Christian rapper Ruslan KD on his Bless God Studios YouTube channel.) "[Lonnie] turns to meand he says , 'The Lord just told me you're gonna preach to thousands of people around the world.' I'm like dumbfounded. I didn't even preach a single sermon [at that point]. I mean, I drew a cartoon booklet.”

Yes, we understand you hung around him but did he actually say this to you? It certainly does affirm Lonnie being a prophet in the movie.

There are certain things in the movie that are correct, and many things however were not correct in the life of Greg Laurie who had become involved at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, in the 1970s.

Greg Laurie says he made himself look like Lonnie, he wasn’t kidding. And He certainly wasn’t the only one at Calvary Chapel at this time.

Lonnie says of Greg (in his book) He became my little brother and spiritual son from that day forward. We were together almost every day while God had him in my school. Greg knew my schedule and followed me everywhere.” Which would be for about a year until Lonnie left for Florida.

Greg Laurie, speaking of Frisbee, said he did play a key role, “ but Lonnie messed up, he fell away ”. Laurie continued by saying that Lonnie was around for a very short time and that he was gone before they moved from the small chapel into the tent. But the movie has Frisbee in the tent when he was already supposed to be gone, just another wrong presentation in the movie.

Yes, some of the original members of the church were against the shoeless hippies. But in real life, Chuck did not wash everyone’s feet as the movie portrays but if needed, he suggested they would rip up the carpet. It was not needed as they moved to the tent.

Where is the accuracy of the story? Too many times the details are purposely changed.

It must also be said that Chuck Smith is often portrayed poorly in the movie. One of many examples, is that after Lonnie leaves, the movie shows Chuck having doubts, thinking the people want Lonnie and that God chose him, the wrong person, which is the complete opposite of the reality of the true Chuck Smith at that time and all through his pastoral years. Chuck was a competent, confident, and bible base teacher, he was the one who multiplied disciples after Frisbee was gone in 1971.

Frisbee was made emblematic of the hippies turning to Jesus, Chuck Smith called his radio ministry “the Word for today. Smith’s discipling was through systematically reading through the bible (the Word for today) I have listened to Chuck Smith's sermons over many years and what is evident is his faithfulness to the Scripture.

Lonnie Frisbee

Lonnie Frisbee is called a hippie preacher; he was unknown among the hippie community at the time in San Francisco when he stayed with Christians. He meets Chuck Smith one year later in 1968 looking like a hippie, but in real life, his hair previously was not long, he barely had a beard, and did not dress as a hippie when he was in Haight Ashbury when he was with Christians.

In the movie at Chuck Smiths house, Lonnie says, “And we thought acid was going to save the world, and that was a lie. As much of a lie as what we were rebelling against.”

Chuck replies: “ And what brought you to that realization? Lonnie: “ I kept, searching and searching, I finally got to the end of it, now there was still a void; and my people, well, they are a desperate bunch and desperation, man there’s power in that word. What would it take for you Chuck Smith to be desperate ?”

While that might be a good line for a movie, there is no proof of this being said in real life.

Lonnie is saying the lost (his generation?) is desperate, and he is asking Chuck to be like the lost, ‘desperate.’ But God is not desperate and neither should we be. There are several statements that had me pause to consider what is actually being said. ‘My people,’ from what I have found he was a so-called hippie for a very short time.

Lonnie’s First church service at Calvary Chapel

The movie shows Lonnie bringing his friend's band ‘Love Song’ to Calvary Chapel the first time he attended, which is not what happened in real life ( Love song first played at Calvary in Feb. 1970 not 1968, or 1969).

Here again, the movie distorts true history by attributing the new music of a generation to be brought to church by Lonnie Frisbee at his first service at Calvary Chapel. Lonnie Frisbee had nothing to do with Love Song playing in Calvary Chapel. Love Song didn’t play their music there until two years after the time the movie says they did. Again, Lonnie Frisbee had nothing to do with Love Song, or with the success they were to have as a band then, or that would come in the future.

One of the few times that even a partial reference to the gospel is mentioned in the movie is during a service when Chuck says: “ Jesus took the cup and said this cup represents my blood which is shed for you to take away the sins of the world .” Lonnie yells out ‘yes for my sins.’ Again, this is one of the few references to the actual gospel in the entire movie, but Greg Laurie says it “is All through the entire movie.”

Chuck says ‘Let us pray, thank you for shedding your blood for us, which cleanses us from all our sins. Let's partake together.’ Lonnie comments ‘ I don’t think this is real wine.’

In real life, we read in his book, “In addition to being a hippy, I had taken a Nazarite vow, which meant I could not cut my hair, trim my beard, or drink any wine or grape products .”

So why would Lonnie say this as if it should be wine and that he would drink it? This is just another example of those involved not doing their research on the characters, or changing real life into what they imagined had happened. What makes this suspicious is that William Branham said the same. how long did this last, ecause there are pictures of him without his long beard in san Francisco.

Chuck then introduces the new visitors to the Church (Lonnie and his friends are on one side of the church) ‘ I would like you to meet my new friend Lonnie Frisbee and some of his friends, welcome.” “Lonnie has been up in San Francisco where the Lord has been doing some pretty amazing things. And I would like him to tell you about them, Lonnie please” (clapping from his friends) Kay comments to Chuck: ‘he’s not wearing any shoes. ‘Chuck states, ‘That’s alright well get him some shoes later.’

Lonnie: “Well I’m Lonnie, people tell me I’m trying to look like Jesus, I tell them I can’t think of anyone I’d rather look like. I was reading in the book of Acts and I think it kind of explains what is going on in Haight Ashbury, see God says I will pour forth my spirit on all mankind, and your sons and your daughter's shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. I will in those days pour forth my spirit. This is what is going on in San Fran and I think it’s about to start happening all over. Everything is about to change for us, whether you are ready for it or not, you can’t hide from it, it's coming for you, it's coming for all of you and your children too (clapping) it's exciting right ?”

In the movie the first thing Lonnie speaks about in church is him looking like Jesus (which was actually said publically on Kuhlman’s TV show). He then states the spirit was poured out in Haight Ashbury, San Francisco.

pt.4 Conclusion- Continued embellishments and contradictions of the Jesus Revolution movie