Tonight, during the 11:00PM CST slot, I will be a guest on the PNAC Radio program, part of the We The People Radio Network.

Please tune in and let me know what you think. You can listen live right in the comfort of your own computer desk chair.

Don't forget to subscribe to my full RSS feed to get daily updates of this blog!

The editorial board at the Nashua Telegraph in New Hampshire should be applauded for this candid, comprehensive interview with Ron Paul. They give him plenty of time to speak and articulate his very nuanced positions, not settling for the quick sound bites we’re used to hearing in modern politics.

If you have been on the fence, or are not sure where he stands on issues because the media hasn’t given him a chance to articulate them properly, then you should watch this video. It will probably answer many of your questions or concerns.

Don't forget to subscribe to my full RSS feed to get daily updates of this blog!

There is an email going around about the movie The Golden Compass. Like many typical Christian calls to action or warning, this one is steeped in fear. Several versions of the email exist, but all screech out for a mass boycott of a movie that no one has even seen yet.

The text from the most comprehensive version:

Please consider a boycott of this movie “The Golden Compass” and the books. Also, pass this information along to everyone you know (including church leaders). This will help to educate parents, so that they will know the agenda of the movie. I am sending this to those of you who have kids or friends with kids, grandkids or have influence with kids. So many things today are darkness concealed in what appears to be innocent FYI.

There will be a new children’s movie out in December called “The Golden Compass”. The movie has been described as “atheism for kids” and is based on the first book of a trilogy entitled “His Dark Materials” that was written by Phillip Pullman. Pullman is a militant atheist and secular humanist who despises C. S. Lewis and the “Chronicles of Narnia”. His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis’ symbolisms of Christ that are portrayed in the Narnia series.

Clearly, Pullman’s main objective is to bash Christianity and promote atheism. Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that “my books are about killing God.” He has even stated that he wants to “kill God in the minds of children”. It has been said of Pullman that he is “the writer the atheists would be praying for, if atheists prayed.”

While “The Golden Compass” movie itself may seem mild and innocent, the books are a much different story. In the trilogy, a young streetwise girl becomes enmeshed in an epic struggle to ultimately defeat the oppressive forces of a senile God. Another character, an ex-nun, describes Christianity as “a very powerful and convincing mistake.” In the final book, characters representing Adam and Eve eventually kill God, who at times is called YAHWEH. Each book in the trilogy gets progressively worse regarding Pullman’s hatred of Jesus Christ.

“The Golden Compass” is set to premier on December 7, during the Christmas season (and staring Nicole Kidman), and will probably be heavily advertised. Promoters hope that unsuspecting parents will take their children to see the movie, that they will enjoy the movie, and that the children will want the books for Christmas.

A wise man once said that one sign of intelligence is the ability think about two competing ideas at the same time without having your head explode (my paraphrase, of course). Unfortunately, this is a sign that many Christians have no interest in. We have become fearful of the mere thought of contrary ideas.

But I’m not really sure why. Is it a lack of faith in our own beliefs, that they will shatter at the slightest opposition? A lack of faith in the intelligence and faith of our youth? Or is it, most likely, raw, naked, irrational fear?

Perhaps we love the false sense of security we get while we site in our brick churches and have our beliefs validated over and over again without any challenge of thought.

Christianity isn’t meant to be safe. It isn’t meant to be cozy. What it means is being on the front lines of a very real battle. Paul didn’t use the armor metaphor for nothing. Very few of us have put on that armor, because we really haven’t felt the need, and so it sits idle, rusting in the closet.

For once, I would like Christians stop condemning the works of art of other people (especially movies they’ve never seen) and start creating their own. And if we aren’t willing do do that, then we need to shut up.

Instead of lamenting the fact that the writer of the books this movie is based on has criticized the Chronicles of Narnia and C.S. Lewis, why don’t you try and emulate Lewis himself and create a work of art that touches imaginations and is still read today, even by people who aren’t Christians?

Or maybe the screenplay for a movie? A song perhaps?

Quality Christian art and culture is desperately needed in this day and age. We have retreated from this venue, so it shouldn’t surprise us that the void is being filled with things we don’t particularly find appropriate. It’s time to start fighting back in a constructive way that builds up.

Isn’t that what love is supposed to do? Build up? Isn’t that what Christianity is all about?

It’s a much better alternative that simply covering your ears and screaming loudly like a petulant, spoiled child like the Pharisees collectively did after Stephen spoke to them in Acts chapter 7 when they didn’t like his ideas.

As for me, I will probably go see the Golden Compass. It looks interesting and different. And if you’re really worried about it, I would encourage you to do the same. I will take what artistic merit I can out of it, and sift through the ideas it presents to see if they are found lacking, praying to God for the wisdom I need to do so.

I’ve long recognized that if a movie creates this kind of vehement opposition, there’s probably something meritorious about it that I can extract. Remember the poison directed toward The Passion of the Christ leading up to its release?

And emails like the one above, I have learned, are hardly ever steeped in any actual research or thought. The analysis and summary of the books are probably too simplistic to do them any real justice, and I suspect the message is far more nuanced than what this obvious, overblown fear-tactic lets on.

I suspect it’s much like the typical Christian hatred and misunderstanding of Nietzsche. The “god is dead” quote certainly makes excellent fodder for the pulpit, but they usually have no idea what he was talking about, and what they think he was insinuating is really much more nuanced and complicated.

We complain when the people take parts of the Bible out of context, but we have no qualms about using the same tactic to try and discredit our supposed enemies.

What are your thoughts? Do you think Christians should build such discriminate defenses around themselves? Have you come across a movie that was condemned, but you found real value in?

Don't forget to subscribe to my full RSS feed to get daily updates of this blog!

This roundup, we have probably one of the most ridiculous and overt examples of tyranny.

• Boy’s rights weren’t violated when officer shot him - After all, the State really owns the body of the boy, so it was just disposing of it’s property? Isn’t that what is being insinuated here? Of all things, you would think the right to life would be the most obvious.
• Cops Taser an 82-year-old Grandmother - But hey, they were just doing they’re job right? She need to be protected and served.
• A man was tasered in his own home after giving the cops proof that he lived there. And the cops will not face criminal charges. I’m sure the cops had a long day and just needed to blow off some steam. They have to put up with a lot of nonsense. You know, nonsense like people accusing them of abusing their power. Cops should be coddled due to their “selfless” service instead of being held to a higher standard of behavior.
• Sober Diabetic Man Tasered, Accused of DUI - A man is in diabetic episode is found unconscious in his car, and instead of helping him, these cops tase him and accuse him of a DUI. Your tax dollars at work! You can rest easy knowing that this diabetic menace is off the streets!

Don't forget to subscribe to my full RSS feed to get daily updates of this blog!

(This is final part of Jacob Head’s guest post series. I appreciate him allowing the use of his material here while I am out of town at a conference.)

First and foremost, a hermeneutical agreement needs to be reached. In this matter there is talk of conscience, equally valid individual exegesis, and private interpretations. I don’t believe any of us would accept this hermeneutical stance in matters of “critical” doctrines, such as baptism, repentance, and worship. I think it important and logical to apply a consistent hermeneutical stance to all matters of scripture, including matters we conveniently deem irrelevant to our ultimate salvation.

Second, I would like to try to limit this topic to Christian participation in the military and all subsidiary governmental forces to prevent a general debate on pacifism; while on some occasion relevant, general self-defense deserves a whole other thread.

Previously, I gave a little bit of information on my research of Christians in the military. I established that there was rampant idolatry in the legions and consequently condemnation was given to those early Christians who would decide to participate in the legions (we will also see that is not the singular source of their condemnation).

But what about some of the modern objections?

Cornelius is often used as an archetype for militant Christians. However, upon closer inspection of the argument, we’ll find that Cornelius’ characterization is a logical fallacy; doctrinally, it would be impossible for him to be a Christian and a Centurion in the legions, unless we’re bold enough to assume idolatry to be acceptable to God after the death of Christ (Gibbon Vol 1 pg 14).

Soldier’s duties, especially officers such as Cornelius, were “inextricably bound up with idolatrous sacrifices, oaths, and ceremonies” (Ferguson 221). Furthermore, when we see Cornelius in Acts 10, he is not yet a convert. We do not know of his activities after his conversion, one way or another. As a consequent, his position as evidence for Christian soldiering is nonexistent. Nevertheless, it should be noted that we do not assume Rahab remained a harlot or Simon the Sorcerer continued to pedal his tricks.

However, it wasn’t just the rampant idolatry associated with soldiering that forbid early Christians from participating in the military. Violence was strongly condemned as it was contrary to the nature of Christ and its manifestation in soldiering was self evident (Plea for Christians 35; see also 34). Christ did violence to no man and was prophesied as one who would not even break a bruised reed (Isaiah 42:3).

If we’re called to emulate Christ, how then can we commit violence to another soul in any form (Luke 6:40; John 13:15; 1 Peter 2:21)? It is not only impossible, but highly hypocritical for another soul to love and kill at the same time, and this is precisely the issue that early Christians had with soldiering (Dialogue 110).

Love is something that is not just felt, but shown with outward action (James 2:16). If I can still love you and kill you, that means any lesser physical offense than death would surely be acceptable.

What then? Can I now physically hurt another, deprive them of their livelihood or physically cheat them but still claim love for them? Can I now beat my wife, all the while loving her? Or can I now do all sorts of evil, and claim love in the midst of my sin (Romans 6:1)?

We now approach the venues of gnosticism and of all manners of evil. This love described would be hypocritical love; an unlove so twisted and wrong as to defile the very depths of the soul. It is clinging to what is evil and hating that which is good (Romans 12:9). We only deceive ourselves in thinking otherwise.

Another major concern with Christians in the military both then and now is the inherent conflict of interest; Christ said you cannot serve two masters and by taking an oath of service you are attempting to do just that (Matthew 6:24).

Hippolytus, along with his contemporary brethren, would refuse the baptism of a soldier unless he renounced his ways and would disfellowship a Christian or catechumen who would join the legions because of this conflict (Apostolic Tradition 16:17-19).

It’s no coincidence that the military demands exactly what Christ does in its oath and service–a complete and total sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2; 1 John 2:15); they need soldiers completely dedicated, without distraction.

As Justin said”

“We who formerly murdered one another, not only do not war against our enemies but, in order not to lie or deceive our judges, gladly confessing Christ (Apology I, 39)… We who were full of war and murder of one another and all wickedness have each changed his warlike instruments–swords into plows and spears into agricultural implements” (Dialogue 110).

Justin and his contemporaries knew that they were no longer to be of this world and that they were to concentrate on things above, not things below (1 John 2:15; Colossians 3:2). To join a government and fight for them is not only contrary to the message found in Romans 12, but setting their goals and sights on earthly things as inherent by the oath of service.

We are not Israel. We are not in Israel’s time. We are not called by God to kill or to join a military. Israel had a physical kingdom, with a physical king and a physical military. Our country is not physical, but spiritual and our citizenship heavenly (Hebrews 11:9-16). Our kingdom and king is heavenly (John 18:36). Our army and battles are spiritual (2 Corinthians 10:3 Ephesians 6). As a consequent of our spiritual nature, we are to be strangers and pilgrims in this world (1 Peter 2:11).

If you were visiting China, India or Ethiopia, would you join their military? Of course not, as you’re a citizen of another country and to do so would be a conflict of interest. It is the same for a disciple of Christ. We do not war against the flesh, but in the spirit.

What then is the conclusion? That a Christian must not be in the military. The soldier must withdraw himself from the legions of earth to properly serve the legions of God. I realize this is a strong statement, but the conclusions can be nothing less. I do not judge any man, nor condemn any, but proclaim the gospel of peace which calls us to a better purpose.

Don't forget to subscribe to my full RSS feed to get daily updates of this blog!