Unequivocal Culture: Fake News and Those Evil Christians

It started, as many of my current rants usually do, from that one site’s news feed. Someone shared an article that said something about the uproar of Christians being offended because of the new gay character in the Beauty and the Beast movie. I was annoyed at what appeared to be another calling for boycott by so-called conservative Christians. It seems to me that whenever this happens the movie in question gets nothing but unsolicited advertising, making Christians look foolhardy, and weary producers begrudgingly shake their heads as their coffers grow by leaps and bounds.

Hmmmm… Perhaps they enjoy the free advertising and get to look more noble for their bold approach to an old story.

Of course they do!

I know not a one person who would protest these leaps of character by Disney, ever since the backfiring of Hollywood protests in the 80s and 90s. I can’t even imagine that most Christians, given the climate today, would even care about a gay side character. I didn’t. In fact, I thought he was rather interesting, except for the stupid part at the end.

Anyway, I think some marketing manager needed to create a little more buzz for the film and came up with the controversial aside. They have an instant victim to their little ruse and bam! Christians are evil because they hate gay people, so come support our movie.

It all died down after the film came out and everyone breathed a sigh of relief that the gay character wasn’t performing gay feats of strength.

This whole thing came up again because of some stupid April Fool’s Prank apparently pulled off by Disney. Or maybe not Disney, just someone being a troll.

This one promoted the fact that Disney was making the new live-action Lion King’s Simba as a gay character. Then it said, “Homophobes go nuts!” Really? It might not have been the fact that it would change many elements of the story that people might have been upset? Initial reactions withstanding, this is just more blather to show how horrible it is to not fully appreciate gayness, gay-culture and gay people in our lives. And who are these horrible, hate-filled people??? Christians! That’s who!

This is pure propaganda. These ideas of intolerance by religious conservatives, and Christians are being foisted upon the general populace of facebook as fact. It is fake, and all this talk about fake news is detracting from the fact that we’re all being played! They make up a story about how angry we all are, post comments on these fake articles making us believe that these people are real, and it is all a line to push their followers to action. We are the fools in this, and they are all believing the lie about how intolerant we all are. And not a Muslim’s intolerance is in sight… just sayin’.

You know, we conservatives are losing the culture war. Not that I think many of us understood that we were in one in the first place. Where do we fight? Do we fight? The more we stand up it seems the more we are shouted down or told to be more tolerant by our apparent peers. We are not united as the liberals appear to be. Not because of Trump but because we don’t know where to stand and we haven’t in a long time. We argue about how far we should go and everything we deemed solid dissipates like dust in our hands.

Hold onto something solid people. Solid like a Rock. It’s gonna get crazy out there, these social sites are the testing grounds that will soon be in the streets. Find your truth and make it stand!

Unequivocal Culture: Feeding The Drama

So, I’ve been watching a series called “The Man In the High Castle.” I was first interested in it when I saw the beginning advertisements for it some time ago. You might call me a Philip K. Dick fan. You might, because even though I read him in the past, many moons ago, I don’t currently today. You might, because even though I read his books, I wasn’t a ravenous fiend, consuming all he had put out.

“Who is Philip K. Dick?” you ask. Well, he was an early progenitor of psychedelic science fiction. His books were complex, because the narrative wasn’t always dependable, and there was a sense that the narrator didn’t always convey truth as the reader suspected him to be. (Is that what I mean when I said the narrative wasn’t dependable?) I believe he was a drug user that led him to spiritual thought and ideas of which he wrote about later on in life. I didn’t google or wiki Dick to tell you any of this, it is from my memory and is beside my point. I just wanted to share my personal interest in him and his work before I talk about what I wanted to talk about.

I never read The Man In the High Castle, because when I read the synopsis, it wasn’t science-fictiony enough. Now that I’m watching it, I sees the strands of Dick flowing through it; there is a confusing undertone of subject that is never fully addressed to your satisfaction and the characters wander around not asking the right questions. Which is what is bugging me.

There are 2 main characters that are starting to get on my nerves. And I think this is how some of these shows drag you in. They are heroes of a sort, but their motivation and action lean to such selfishness and foolishness, that I constantly wonder what in the heck they are going to do next. They don’t ask questions to increase their knowledge, but they do demand things. Things like, “get me out of this situation my own foolhardiness got me into, even though you’re my enemy.” What right do they have to demand anything from anybody? One scene even shows the girl meeting the eponymous Man, only to stare stunned for half the time she is with him. Why isn’t she demanding questions at this point? Somehow or other he led her there, then was the time to ask questions, but she didn’t. She only got herself into a worse situation and is now demanding people get her out of it.

So this is my point. Is this what the modern drama does?

I haven’t watched any of the new type of television show these days. You know the ones that have created the phrase, “binge-watching.” There is The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Orange is the New Black, True Blood, and so much more. Most of it I consider crap and not worthy of my time, for the sheer idea that it demands my time and that it really is crap. I grew up watching stuff that you could miss an episode or six, and not miss much. Now, you gotta see what they do about that crazy situation and missing an episode gets you outside the loop.

Are all of these characters conflicted, confused and confounding? They might do the right thing or they might not. You never know. Is that it? Is it that these people don’t have a higher, elemental purpose that drives them on to predictable behaviors? And we need to see what they choose or how they get out of this scrape, because it matters.

A friend of mine compared watching The Walking Dead to taking drugs. He HAD to watch it. “Why?” I asked him. He said he didn’t know, but he was always talking about what some character had done or not done. And I hear people talk, and mostly what I hear is that they are surprised by someone’s reaction to a situation, like they’re surprised.

I remember a long time ago reading a Christian series called Mark of the Lion by Francine Rivers. I was shocked by some of the character’s behavior, but mostly shocked by my caring about these characters. I finished the series confounded by my care of these characters. I cared more about them than I did some real, actual people in my life.

Is this our root desire for drama? To see what someone will do? And caring or talking about it with others?

I feel like The Man In the High Castle is playin’ me. The writers have analyzed the success of previous dramas and builds on that formula. I am not going to stop watching it, because I want to know what the main idea is, but the characters are going to end up annoying me. Even the main villain is beginning to have questionable motivations because of a sick child, and may make stupid decisions that will get him caught up in something we have to see if he gets out of.

I wrote about our life of ease here in America the other day, and wonder if this is another symptom of our descent: our care of fictional characters more than each other.

Sermon Summary: Who Is Your Armor Bearer?

The verses from tonight’s message came from Ephesians chapter 6, verses 10-13, most specifically the last two which says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” This was connected with 1 Samuel chapters 13 and 14. In this narrative it speaks about Israel preparing for battle with the Philistines. The Philistines had 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and a great number of foot-soldiers. While Saul, the king of Israel at the time had 2,000 with him and 1,000 with his son, Jonathan.

In this story we were to see the army of the Philistines as the things that we are at war with in our culture. There seems to be so much against us, what we believe, who we are, that it seems an impossible war. God had already told Saul that he was to go up against the Philistines and that he was not to fear, for God was with them. The Israelites saw the vast armies of the Philistines and hid themselves in their fear. The king of Israel had pulled himself away from the battle area and took refuge under a pomegranate tree. Meanwhile his son, Jonathan, had decided to go over to where the Philistines were.

At this time, the Israelites were allowed to sharpen their implements of farming, but not their weapons of war. There were only two swords among the Israelites, one with Saul and the other was Jonathan’s. Two swords in an army of 3,000 against 30,000 chariots and then some.

The key in this passage is the interaction between Jonathan and his armor bearer. Can you imagine this: there is only two swords in a hopelessly tiny army. The son of the king decides to go over to them and tells his armor bearer. The armor bearer says, “Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself, and here I am with you according to your desire.” He tells him that he is with him. Jonathan says that they will cross and announce themselves, then see what the opposing army does and how that will decide if God will fight for them or not.

We have talked recent weeks about how in this culture the battle isn’t so in our face, and that makes us casual about this war, and we can easily become casualties. We have talked about how if we are not growing, perhaps we are on the wrong side of the battle. We have talked about we are made in God’s image and the aspect we readily forget is God being a warrior.

Today we learned that a warrior is someone who combines courage in everyday moments in order to reach the potential God has for them. If our life doesn’t have adventure or risk in a spiritual sense, then we are not living up to that potential. God is okay with things being risky, even dangerous. When was the last time we were in that situation. When we aren’t trusting in God, it will lead to inactivity. When the moment of truth comes for us after periods of inactivity, what will we choose: Safety or Battle?

Jonathan was willing to die to self to give glory to God. He wasn’t choosing how he was going to die, but how he was going to live! He knew the Lord was in it and he had someone by his side who would be there no matter how difficult a situation he would find themselves in.

We ended with an impassioned call towards finding your armor bearer or being that armor bearer. That someone who says, “Go, and when you look to your left and to your right, I’ll be there with you and for you.” It struck me to move and I was praying that others might feel the same, and that discipleship was the emphasis. I have talked with a few men about discipleship and it is met with a half-hearted desire. I went and spoke with them after service and didn’t see what I was hoping for. Perhaps I am a little too… “it’s okay if that is not how you are, you come when you’re ready.” When is the time that we come into the war? If not now, then when? Are we not all called and now? Maybe after football season. Or when I get settled into my new schedule. I am ready now Lord. Here I am. Direct me. Open my eyes. Open my mouth. Speak your words. Show your glory. For your glory.

Amen.

Astute Song Analysis: “Mine All Mine”

It was summer 1988, following one of the worst college years recorded in human history. I was working at Lupo’s Italian Restaurant, learning the ins-and-outs of properly sanitizing dishes without the use of a dishwasher and how much marinara to put in the linguine and red clam sauce. Driving home late at night I contemplated where my life was headed, with music as my only solace the message in a bottle that only truly knew who I was. That summer introduced to me a song that would always give me chills when I thought about the chords, the crescendos, the lyrics.

Two years prior, one of my favorite singers, Sammy Hagar, joined forces with a band that wasn’t really my style up to this point: Van Halen. I really hated David Lee Roth and the whole way the band was going with the suggestive lyrics and ridiculous video excesses of the 80s. They did have the occasional great song that didn’t deal with girls, but the real star of the band was the guitar and drums: namesakes for the band of course. Sammy had, another two years prior, one of my most favorite rockin’ out album for some time: VOA, (remember “I Can’t Drive 55” and the title track “VOA.” Oh so 80s!). Sammy had the power voice, he had the emotion, he had the inspirational motifs and the, mostly, soft songs that dealt with love and the power of it all. Van Halen’s first album with Sammy as lead was a musical masterpiece that hit number 1 on the charts with the song “Dreams” leading the pack. Oh what a song! What times in high school as we all united under a banner after the doubt of Roth being replaced by The Red Rocker! He had the stuff Van Halen needed.

Anyway, the whole “getting the chills” thing started when Rhett and Link talked about how to induce ourselves to get the chills. Link always said thinking about when Gandalf first comes out as Gandalf the White gives him the chills and he proved it, with Rhett freaking out a little too much. Then they talked about “Easy Lover” by Phil Collins and it reminded me of the one that always gives me the chills. And it brought me back to Lupo’s and failures and loneliness of that time period, but I remembered that song that could get me out of any funk if played loud enough. It spoke to me that no matter who said what about me or what depressing things the world introduced it was still all “Mine All Mine” and no one could take that away or force me into beliefs I didn’t have to have.

That day at work, I pulled up the song and listened to it, and it gave me the same chills I got back then. Of course, I’m a different man then I was then, and the lyrics didn’t hit me in the same way. I wondered if it was more the beat, the rhythms, the sound and volume of the song that did it. Either way, I thought that this song deserve an astute analysis and rewrite if need be. Following is the lyrics and my commentary and rewrite, if necessary:

“Forgive me father
For I have sinned
I’ve been through hell and back again
Shook hands with the devil
Looked him in the eye
Looked like a long lost friend
Anything you want
Any dirty deeds
He’s got everything
Except what I really need
Keepin’ me temporarily satisfied
But not one thing I tried
Filled me up inside
Or felt like mine
Mine, all mine”

This intro sounds fairly appropriate. We know sin, we know what it is to be evil, to take what we want. I wouldn’t change these lyrics. In fact it is a good intro to the whole idea of realizing we need more than just what our own desires are or what evil or Satan offers us. All those things we receive are temporary, it never fills us up.

“Yeah, the search goes on
The more I look
My world keeps getting smaller
Staring at the sun
Searchin’ for the light
Almost ended up blinded
Some only see
What they want to see
Claiming victory
Oh, but that’s not me
Give me truth
Give me something real
I just want to feel
Like it’s
Mine, all mine
Oh really mine, all mine
Come on give me something
Something that’s mine, all mine, all mine
Mine, all mine”

Looks like we are delving deeper into what we all really need to do at some point or another: examine what is truth and right and good and real. Even if we are born and raised in a Christian home we have to make a choice about whether we are going to make what we fully our own. It is painful when we look and look and look for truth and meaning and purpose, and others all around us claiming to know the truth. We should examine how we approach people. Do we come with superior attitudes? Are we condescending or humble in attitude? The way we first come is the most important thing in witnessing. Do we say how much God hates you? Do we just focus on His love and forget his justice and purity? Depend on Him. Prayerfully consider every divine appointment. Be humble and yet sure. He is always with us. If we turn them off because of our superior attitude it is on us, but if we reveal the purity of His message, it is God they accept or reject.

“All the words on the wall
Look the same in the mirror
Every riddle
Every clue
You got Allah in the east
You got Jesus in the west
Christ, what’s a man to do?”

Everything, every message, every religion all starts looking the same as we take it in. It is a hard message to consider which so many people rarely do when looking at all reasons for life, that God is in us and we in Him. Chosen. This is a word the world has a problem with and which they have a hard time believing God does. “Are you saying if I reject Him, He never chose me anyway?” you may have heard with scorn. It is why there are eons of debate about whether we chose Him or He chose us, when we truly don’t see it until the one day we see the fine and perfect balance of who He really is and goes against all our conventional and rational thought.

“They’ll find a cure for anything
Just kill the pain
Numb my brain”

“He’ll find a cure for all your pain/don’t give all in vain/start with a grain.”

Here he talks about all of this “stuff,” this religion and meaning is garbage and just makes you feel better for no reason, and turns off your reasoning, your thought and judgments, which to him is all important, but that is not what we do as Christians. If you are a true believer, you should never say, “I just believe it.” What we have is meaning and truth and purpose. It is the best way to live even if there was no heaven. Giving of self, denying it all for the purpose of the Creator is the greatest of all possible ways to live and if you can’t answer why, maybe you should look harder. It all starts with the smallest of faith. Give him a chance, let Him draw you. See how His people really live, not on Sunday only, but look at the difference during the week, and if it doesn’t look different from the rest of the world, it isn’t what God intended. Examine your life and make sure you’re following for all the best of reasons.

“We see a man
Speaking the word of God
Provin’ to be a fraud
His own church applauds”

Sad. This is what was going on in the eighties, but the church is what forgives, yes? This is what the world sees though. And when the Osteens are finally proved to be a fraud, who will love them, who will forgive? We now have a more clean, a more proper type of “Christian” on display. He says you deserve all the best. Maybe this song is a result of that era, because look at the last set of lyrics:

“Stop lookin’ out
Start lookin’ in
Be your own best friend
Stand up and say
Hey! This is mine
All mine, all mine, all mine
Baby, you got something
And I got something
And it’s mine, all mine, all mine
Yes, I’m searching
Got to have it
Mine, all mine”

Here is the whole meaning of the song: Be your own best friend. Up to this point Sammy has analyzed the world’s possible meaning by what the followers look like from his own point of view. He probably has went on all those pilgrimages, been to all those churches and temples and holy places and realized whatever all that is, is about themselves. So he is going to make it about him and what is his.

“Stop looking in / Start looking out / He will always be there / Stand up and say / Hey! He is Mine” “And I’m all His, all His, all His / Yes, I’ve stopped searching / Got to give it / I’m all His.”

So check out the great song, with some new lyrics in place. And remember, crank it up!