Movie Review Review: The Streets Are My Father

Future generations will give us incredulous looks of disbelief when we tell them how the Churchians really were this stupid… and tone-deaf! Just in time for Father’s Day is the timeless message of ‘who needs Dad when you have Jesus?’

.The Streets Were My Father. film aims to bring wholeness to people struggling with fatherlessness

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By Jeannie Ortega Law, 17 June 2021

“I miss my father!”

“Here, have some wholeness!”

Lee Habeeb…

Huh, I’ve always spelled it Habib. Unfortunate name, that.

…the executive producer of “The Streets Were My Father: A Story of Hopelessness and Redemption,. wants people who grew up without a father in their life to know that there is hope this Father’s Day, and that hope is in God.

That’s patronizing and tone-deaf. Hope for what, a father figure? From the modern church?!

.The Streets Were My Father. journeys through the real-life testimonies of three inner-city Chicago men who detail their lives that began with fatherlessness and led to gangs, then prison. But their stories didn’t end there, because ultimately, they met God.

The documentary, which will be released on Sunday, is described as “an important and inspirational film for anyone who has a father [in their lives]. Or anyone who doesn’t. And for anyone who believes in the power of God to transform lives..

And your cat. And your neighbor who spies for China. And the Blacktivist who giggles every time she sees you on a tall ladder.

Habeeb told The Christian Post that he wants everyone to know that “there is hope for those trapped in the cycle of fatherlessness..

The CEO and host of “Our American Stories” said the film is “important for Christians” to share with “men and women without fathers..

Thereby continuing the weary Churchian tradition of piecing together all the broken lives created by modern society… with not a single thought to preventing those lives from being broken in the first place.

The testimonies of Carlos Colon, Louis Dooley and Leslie Williams showcased in the movie are an example of how, despite not having the best earthly fathers, which left them to be raised by the streets, redemption is still possible.

“The Christian Church might have accidentally given you the idea, over the centuries, that you need to be raised by a father in order to join our faith-based service organization. Not so! All victims are welcome!”

Most often, the reason that Daddy isn’t “the best earthly father” is that Mommy can’t possibly be wrong about ALL those accusations. Listen and believe! MeToo!

Each man’s encounter with prison ministry programs helped set them on the road to transformation that led to forgiveness, mercy and love. Each of their salvations in Christ ultimately broke the cycle of fatherlessness in their families.

.God’s example of fatherly love is like no other,. Habeeb assured.

Pretty sure that Habeeb means motherly love relabeled as fatherly love because Scripture, for some obsolete reason probably related to a bad translation somewhere, uses the word “father” to describe God.

Over 2.3 million people are serving time in federal and state prisons or county jails, according to statistics released in the film. Most of those prisoners are fatherless or have strained relationships with their dads. The National Center for Fathering reports that a staggering .43% of all U.S. children live without their father, 85% of youths in prison come from fatherless homes,. and .90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes..

Can you see the problem here?

It’s not incarceration rates.

It’s not child homelessness.

It’s NO FATHER.

Why is there no father?

Divorce. VAWA. Female empowerment. And as boldfaced above, a society-wide disrespect for fathers. If you’re going to make a movie to celebrate Father’s Day… and the only father figures who are even named in your documentary are child-abandoning drug dealers… then you’re either a deceiver or are completely, laughably incompetent,

Full disclosure, I haven’t seen the movie. God gave standing orders that I’m not to pollute my mind with modern culture, yet I cannot be ignorant either because most people think that something can’t be true unless it’s As Seen On TV. I don’t know how to reach people without using pop culture references.

Thankfully, my childhood in the Eighties is still directly relevant thanks to the Devil Mouse’s obsession with reboots.

The following is an edited transcript of The Christian Post’s interview with Habeeb, who shared in detail how his film, .The Streets Were My Father,. shows the power of Christ to change hearts and souls.

CP: What would you like people to take away from “The Streets Were My Father.?

Habeeb: The main takeaway is this: There is hope for those men trapped in the cycle of fatherlessness, gangs, violent crime and prison . and that is God. God changed the lives of all three men featured in our documentary, and in profound and beautiful ways.

Unacceptable. Of course people CAN function without fathers. The Church’s first emphasis should be that people won’t have to. The very worst way to celebrate Father’s Day is highlighting examples of PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T NEED THEIR FATHER AFTER ALL.

I’m happy that they pulled their lives together. Less happy that society, including “Christians”, put them on that path to hardship in the first place.

CP: The film shows how the lack of having good paternal figures negatively impacts children. For those who need encouragement to be better earthly fathers, what advice would you give?

Habeeb: There is hope. The lives of these three men are proof positive that anyone can break the cycle of fatherlessness with God’s help. Indeed, it was the driving motivation of one of the characters in the movie, Carlos Colon. He didn’t have a father, and he learned that his father didn’t have a father. Carlos wanted desperately to break that cycle with his own son, and he succeeded.

Thus far, anyway. The schools and divorce lawyers are impatiently standing by.

Only a church could use Father’s Day to question whether fathers are good enough to not screw up their kids.

CP: As seen in the film, someone’s view of their earthly father can significantly impact their view of the Heavenly Father. How can someone look past the natural to embrace God the Father?

Habeeb: That is what each of these men grappled with, especially Louis. He didn’t want to call anyone “father,” not even God at first. He was so angry about the loss of his own father to gang violence; angry at his father, and angry at God too. But God kept showing up in some pretty wild ways while Louis was in prison, especially his first few days. Once Louis understood the nature of God’s love, things changed for him.

Was the nature of God’s love courage, discipline and self-control? Or was it permissiveness and second chances?

CP: Why is God the best example of a father?

Habeeb: God is patient and gentle and waits for his children. He also gives His children free will and wants His children to choose Him. There is not a coercive element to God, and force is not a part of God’s love. In these ways, and so many others, God’s example of fatherly love is like no other.

“Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.” Deuteronomy 8:5

“Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” Job 5:17

“Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge?” Psalm 94:10

“Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Proverbs 13:24

“…Have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, .My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son..

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined.and everyone undergoes discipline.then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!” Hebrews 12:5-7

How about some respect for fathers, Habeeb?

CP: What inspired you to tell the faith aspect of each of these men’s stories?

Habeeb: These stories simply couldn’t be told without the faith dimension. Indeed, their conversion was a fundamental part of the plot, and their faith became a fundamental part of their identity. Indeed, each of these guys became a truly new person in Christ, and right before our eyes.

CP: What can a faith-based audience do to help people prone to look to the streets to be their father?

They can start by following Christ instead of whatever U.N.-approved NGO is on offer. They can shred this reporter a new one for mumbling the most intentionally Godless phrase of Current Year. Or if they really want to get crazy, they can start punishing the women who rebel against their husbands. No, she does NOT have a good reason.

Habeeb: Go to local churches and ask a simple question: “How can I help?” We do mission work all over the world, we Christians. And it is a good and beautiful thing. But we also do it in our towns and in nearby neighborhoods and cities. You can also ask the folks who coach and teach in town or the local school principals. They know which young men and women need help, need a mentor or a father figure. Many are hungry for adult guidance and discipleship and don’t even know it. But it starts by asking around and then doing a simple invitation.

Alternatively, you can go to churches and ask a simple question: “How can I get my wife to respect my authority?” A hundred pastors will leap at the chance to emotionally cuckold you in your own marriage. But don’t worry, after you go to jail the church will use random volunteers to teach your kids that they don’t need Dad when they have Hay-Soos.

CP: Is there something else you would like to add?

Habeeb: This is an important film for Christians to give to men and women without fathers. It will give them hope.

Hope for what? Fathers are not replaceable. Foster fathers just aren’t the same thing. Even God is no replacement for a father you can see and touch and be disciplined by when you’re young instead of when you make parole. Childhood happens only once. But yes, maybe we can ‘break the cycle of fatherlessness’ so that incarceration rates go down. The government would like that.

It is also a remarkable film to give to non-believers because the testimonies of these three men are so powerful. So authentic. And so mesmerizing.

Unbelievers are mesmerized by the powerful hypocrisy of Church leaders and teachings. Maybe we won’t have to wait for future generations to bring us those incredulous looks of disbelief.

The only difference between the average Churchian and the average militant atheist is whether they refer to D.C. as ‘Jesus’.

It is also an important film for families to see that have a good father. Sometimes kids don’t appreciate what they have, and often in life, we only learn about the value of things in their absence.

This is true but this is not why Habeeb made this movie. He made this to show that life without fathers is doable, in order to celebrate Father’s Day.

You can just as easily watch reruns of COPS to appreciate your having had a father.

This film will create a real-life empathy for those kids without a father. It will also develop a real appreciation for all of us who had good and present fathers. Not perfect fathers. They don’t exist. But good and present and purposeful fathers. It is a real privilege to have a great dad. And being a great dad is a real privilege too.

Oh my Dog, Habeeb. “Remember as we go into Father’s Day weekend, there is no such thing as a perfect father!”

You fathers are Men Of God. Every one of you is His avatar upon the Earth. Every day you wake up to a fresh horror of a minefield of threats, bills and Habeebs, and every day you keep it together. God only knows how you do it, most of you make it look so easy that your kids don’t even notice the effort, but you keep rucking up and scoring wins until the devil had to corrupt the ENTIRE PLANET just to have a chance at you. The future of humanity is in your hands and they are strong, capable, GOOD hands.

We do not worship God because He carries the biggest stick. We worship God because of who He is: the True and Living GOD! The one and only! Likewise, you fathers are worthy BECAUSE you are fathers. Not because you’ve been found “good enough” by the “appropriate authorities”… that’s what Satan did in Eden, usurping righteous authority by questioning it, and it’s why using Father’s Day to honor the children left behind by drug-dealing vibrant thugbaits is in treacherously bad taste.

Thank you, fathers!

Now grab a beer and take the weekend off!