Bully's Blog

Ted Baehr and Tom Snyder’s review of Angels and Demons points out that in the book, the mad clergyman’s assassin was a rabid Muslim. In the movie, apparently he’s a lapsed Catholic instead, killing for money instead of for Allah. Wouldn’t want to offend any Muslims now, would we?

Mark Hadley comments:

Yes, strangely the ‘assassin’ is one area where the film goes harder at Christianity than the book does.

In the book the Hassassin, as he is called, is clearly a sexual deviant who enjoys inflicting pain. In the film he’s been transformed into a compassionate killer. Sure, he murders cardinals, but that’s just because it’s his job. He actually lets Robert Langdon and Vittoria Vetra go free because they’re not on his hit list, and he throws them a warning to be careful of those men of God, implying they are the unscrupulous ones. This is a fact carried home by his employers blowing him up moments later.

Yes, I feel that it was pretty clear that the producers thought Islam should be off limits, but why go the extra mile? Why not just make the assassin a bad man, instead of setting him up as an additional witness to the church’s perfidy?

Dan Brown and Ron Howard would be brave men if there was such a thing as Christian jihad. But there isn’t and they are not. So, this alteration reveals both their cowardice and the fountain of their work: not hatred of false religion, but hatred of Christ Himself. They are the ones with the jihad.

“Some things need to be nuanced, and some things need desperately not to be. Those with a sophisticated turn of mind need to talk to an intractable fundamentalist once a week or so — to keep them honest. ‘So how is this not fatal compromise?’ And fundamentalists need to talk regularly with someone who read a book once — to keep them honest too. ‘So how is this not a complete misrepresentation of Calvin’s view?’”

–Doug Wilson, A Vat of Heideggerian Goo

For a blast and a laugh, read all Doug’s penetrating and perceptive posts on postmodernism.

High Chair Fundamentalism

The author of Hebrews wants to press on beyond basic Christian doctrine. He does not want to abandon this foundation, but he does want to build on it. That foundation is repentance from religion, faith in God, the meaning of the Levitical washings or baptisms in the Law, the laying on of hands, the resurrection, and eternal judgment. He is not content with his readers remaining in an infantile state–he intends to press on.

This is important because remaining in the foundational doctrines without pressing on creates the temptation toward apostasy. Those who have been initiated, who have tasted, but who do not press on to know Christ further are in grave danger. Sticking with the basics only is therefore not a good way to stick to the basics.

This is the central problem with pietistic fundamentalism; at the end of the day it is counterproductive and does not defend the things it seeks to defend. The real way to “defend” a foundation is by building on it.

–Doug Wilson, Christ and His Rivals, p. 111

You’ve probably heard people talk about “the scandal of grace.” I was reminded of one weeknight meeting last year when we discussed God’s mercy. One couple, who met while they were both in the police force, felt that there were some people who really deserved hell.

They are relatively new Christians, and the high temperature of their interest in the Bible was matched by this sudden ferocity toward the scum of our society. They had seen, close up, the worst of what people are capable of, repeatedly, defiantly. “They don’t deserve mercy.”

Of course, no one can deserve mercy. It demonstrated to all present that night (especially we who are so sheltered) the breadth of the bloodied, open arms of the Son of God.

Spreadsheets and Shackles by G. Tyler Fischer (mp3)

This sermon continues our emphasis during the Lenten season on spiritual discipline. Last week’s sermon by Mr. Miller focused us on helpful images that call us to our battle with the world, the flesh and the Devil, this text takes us toward one of great trenches of our daily warfare—the battle of our desires for things, for control of people and for cultural dominion. None of these items are evil in and of themselves—in fact they are good—but they can become idols and so enslave us.

The intro doesn’t do it justice. Like many others, Fischer puts his finger on a big reason for the church’s failure in the west. But he tackles it in a big picture context.

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.” 2 Timothy 4:6

A recent bestseller mistakenly tells us to be “wild at heart”, which results in passive wimps looking into their dark, little, empty hearts to find selfish, authoritarian rednecks. What men really desire is other men to follow—godly elders who are modelling Christ.

Bread is energising Alpha food (morning); Wine is intoxicating Omega food (evening).1 Young men are bread, ready to be broken. Breaking brings wisdom and maturity. Old men are wisdom-wine, servant kings poured out for the next generation.

The answer to geeky Christianity is not more Alpha Males (or less of them in some circles), but more of the Omega variety: fathers.

At study tonight, someone mentioned attending a Keswick convention where a wise old sage who spoke to the thousands was later not dining with the elite, but behind the counter serving the lunches, apologising for the wait. Now, that’s an Omega male.

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1  I recommend James Jordan’s lecture series, One Life, Many Deaths at www.wordmp3.com

Always a Good Investment

Our nation is in the midst of significant financial upheaval, along with many other nations, and because of this we have to remember certain things as we approach God with our worship. Lord willing, we will address this in greater detail in next week’s message, but it is important to say a few things about it now.

Continue reading

Available at http://www.goodseed.com/products/tab-eng-set

It even includes the Ten Words, pot of Manna and Aaron’s rod, so you can teach Word, Sacrament and Government.

My comment on iMonk’s article, Why Do They Hate Us? is here. Below is another comment that I thought interesting:

As a former rabid atheist, I disliked Christians because I saw them as ignorant, intolerant and absurdly convinced that they had the Truth. The only evidence for this was TV and the people I came in contact with. Also, many of my College Professors found them easy targets and I enjoyed laughing at these poor deluded souls. But I was empty if the truth be told. However, I was won over to the other side, in the San Francisco Bay area because I personally witnessed the love amongst Christians and I had had enough of the self righteousness of New Agers and fellow Freethinkers to know they were a bunch of lost souls. Continue reading

The apostles were told to stop standing around looking into the air and to get to work. Futurists are like clock-watchers at work. They just want to go home and are distracted from the task at hand.

Read Are You a Schizophrenic Christian? by Gary DeMar