White Shoe Polish on a Rear Windshield

If you live in the United States you have probably seen an automobile where the owner has taken a white shoe polish dispenser and written a slogan on the glass of the rear window.  Usually the message is something like “Just married,” or a phrase encouraging the local high school football team to win that week’s game.

Yesterday, I saw a car like that, with a slogan in large white block letters, “I love Jesus! XOXO ☮.”  Although I was pleased that someone was not afraid or ashamed to acknowledge Jesus, this disturbed me.

I know that the two teenaged boys in the car were probably sincere and were just expressing the vibrant enthusiasm of young new believers.  My objection was that they were doing it in a shallow way which opened them and the faith up to ridicule.  We must always be careful not to send unintended messages to unbelievers.

The XOXO is a modern cell phone texting abbreviation for “hugs and kisses.”  Yes, the Church is the Bride of Christ, but XOXO is not exactly what is meant by that.  Romance is fine, even silly romance, but the marriage of the Church and Christ the Bridegroom is not all bunny rabbits, bubbles, and flowers.

The Peace Symbol ☮ was popularized among the 1960’s counter-culture which was opposed to United States involvement in the Vietnam War.  Regardless of their feelings about the war, many Christians were highly offended by the symbol.

The Peace Symbol, the symbol for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, appears to be an inverted cross with the cross-arms broken and drooping downward ☮.  The symbol was soon adopted as a generic anti-war logo. The anti-war activists always insisted that the symbol was not intended as an insult to Christianity though many Christians were not so sure.  The 1960’s counter-culture was also associated with the concept of “free love” (interpretation: promiscuous sexuality) and advocated the unrestricted use of illegal psychotropic drugs.

Film Comment: The Twilight Series

The Twilight series of films is based on a highly successful five book young adult romance fantasy series by American author Stephenie Meyer.  The films are:

Twilight (2008)

Twilight: New Moon (2009)

Twilight: Eclipse (2010)

Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 (2011)

Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 (2012)

To date (25 November 2012) the series has grossed over $2,500,000,000 worldwide.  The basic plot is this: Bella, a lonely teenager, displaced by divorce to a boring small town on the United States northwest coast, becomes attracted to a strange but handsome boy at her high school.  She eventually comes to realize just how strange he is.

Edward is a member of a vampire family which lives in one location until it becomes difficult to disguise the fact that they are not aging.  The “family” members are not biologically related but were collected together by the patriarch, whom they recognize as their father.  The family long ago stopped hunting humans for food and lives off the blood of forest animals.

Edward proves to be a sensitive and protective boyfriend for Bella and he strongly holds to his Nineteenth Century values of sexual abstinence and chaste love until marriage.  That presents the problem: a vampire cannot marry a human.  Because he loves her, Edward is reluctant to “turn” Bella though she begs him to.  He realizes that he would be damning her to become a monster like himself.

Stephenie Meyer, the writer of the Twilight novels, is a Mormon and some believe this is the origin of the series’ emphasis on family and chastity.  Feminists have complained that the novels and films present Bella as a helpless female, with her life revolving around her man.  Edward must continually protect Bella from other vampires (and werewolves!) who disapprove of their relationship.  Feminists also object to the relationship’s violence, as Bella is seriously injured when she and Edward eventually do consummate their relationship.

Bella eventually becomes a powerful vampire with a beautiful half-human half-vampire child.

I see all these things, but what I really see is perhaps a message which Meyer did not originally intend.  The message is this:  to succeed, to really get what you want in this world, you must submit.  Adapt to the world.  Adjust what you believe.  Buy into the system, and you may find love, success, wealth, and maybe even power.  The darkness is very seductive.

Film Comment: Catch That Kid

Be very careful to screen the movies you let your children watch.  Just because a film is labeled as a “children’s movie” does not mean it is actually a fit film for them to see.  Children do ingest the ideas and worldviews of the things to which they are regularly exposed.  Just think of how quickly they pick up and begin to use “bad words” from adults.

Catch That Kid (2004) is a remake of the 2002 Danish film, Catch That Girl , and is an almost scene to scene copy of the original film.  Both are billed as “kid-friendly” thrillers.

Catch That Kid stars Kristen Stewart (b. 1990, California, USA) who was thirteen at the time the film was made.  Stewart is best known for her role as the young daughter in Panic Room (2002) and in the Twilight Saga films, as Bella Swan, a human teenager who falls in love with a vampire who was born in 1901 and made into a vampire in 1918.

The plot of Catch That Kid is actually quite simple.  Thirteen year-old Maddy (short for Madeline) is a talented young rock climber whose father suddenly needs a terribly expensive experimental surgery  for which the family has no resources.  She recruits two thirteen year-old eighth-grade boys (both of whom love her, of course) to help her rob an impregnable bank using their computer and mechanical skills.  The plot is thickened because Maddy must also babysit for her one year old brother on the night of the robbery.

The movie is touted as a fun “kid-friendly thriller” and it does have thrills and suspense.  It also has plot holes, logical inconsistencies, silly slapstick level humor, and glosses over or skips entirely legal consequences which would be caused by the events depicted.  It also contains a science fiction element with technology not yet available and especially not available in 2003.   What this all means is that the events in this film could not actually happen.  The children would have been captured, injured, or possibly killed.

Several of the reasons why this film is inappropriate for children include:

1.     Number one, the children rob a bank, committing a major crime.  One of the boys opines, “I wonder if we can finish the eighth grade in prison.”

2.     The children engage in mild profanity.

3.     The children lie to adults to manipulate them and obviously enjoy doing so.

4.     Maddy manipulates a bank executive to steal his access codes.  In doing so, she commits theft of intellectual property.

5.     Maddy lies to both of the boys to get them to help her.  She tells each of the boys that she loves him, manipulating his emotions.

6.     Maddy has to babysit her one year old brother on the night of the heist.  Since she cannot just leave him at the house, she takes him along on the robbery, thereby exposing an infant to great danger.

7.     Maddy’s mother lies to keep the three twelve year olds out of trouble.

The film seems to teach children that, as long as everything works out well in the end, it is acceptable and even smart to lie or to steal or to endanger an innocent.  What you want is more important than what is right.  The glorification of the self, the essence of this fallen world, the essence of sin.

Teddy Bear Valentines

There were at least fourteen Christian martyrs named Valentine.  Any or all of them would be dismayed at some of the more crass things which have developed around the holiday named St. Valentine’s Day.

An example is the television commercial posted below.  It is considered by many to be quite cute and witty.  To a Christian eye it is full of phallic symbols, sexually suggestive poses, and a not so subtle pushing of the giant teddy bear’s groin towards a woman. The spoken text is just as suggestive.  The main impression of commenters on You Tube is that it is insulting to women.

Let’s be clear.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Teddy Bears, even giant ones.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to impress your girlfriend or wife.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the current St. Valentine’s Day, a day dedicated to celebrating romance.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with marital sexuality.  It is a gift from God.

What is offensive about this commercial is its leering, manipulative attitude.  Instead of romance, it is promoting a “game” where you win by getting what you want. 

(Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.)

Christian Marriage, Part 3

(This is the conclusion of the blog posted yesterday.)

The only personal name for Himself which God Himself gives us in the Bible is "ehyeh" (in English texts it is usually rendered as YHWH) which means something like "I am who I am" or "I will be who I will be"
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם׃
This is Exodus 3:14. The bold Hebrew text says "ehyeh asher ehyeh" which the Septuagint translated into Greek as ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν "ego eimi o on" ("I am the one who is.")  K.J. Cronin points out that the Hebrew word "ehyeh" is the first person singular of YHWH.  Cronin's discussion of Exodus 3:14 runs into many pages and is quite technical, but highly interesting.  His conclusion is that the name of god is I AM, in the traditional understanding as absolute and eternal being. 


God never changes (Malachi 3:6).  He does not want or need, he purposes to do.  He does not love, He is Love.  Active love, love which takes the initiative; He's the God who came to us.  We didn't go to Him.  This is where our Trinitarian understanding becomes important in Christian marital relationships; because God the Holy Spirit is in each one of us.


As Christians, we are to become increasingly like Jesus.  So we should do love (action) rather than love in an abstract sense (emotion).  Romantic love is not "wrong," it can be a wonderful and thrilling thing.  But, a marriage based on only romantic love can fail.  Look around you.  How many people explain their divorces with "we just don't love each other any more."?  Emotions waver and flutter, sometimes they are intense, sometimes lethargic.


Christian love is stable, active, and controlled by the mind of Christ.  Christian wives, would you rather be loved by a romantic man or by a man who is thinking the thoughts of God?  Christian husbands, would you rather be loved by a romantic woman or by a woman who is thinking the thoughts of God?

Christian Marriage, Part 1

On Friday 21 January 2011, Rick Burgess of the Rick and Bubba Show made a statement with which I totally agree.  It is a way of looking at marital love which many people have never encountered. but it is based firmly in Burgess's orthodox trinitarian view of God.  And, he is correct.

The point Mr. Burgess made was that romantic love is intense and enjoyable but it really isn't something on which to build a lifelong Christian marriage because it is based on emotion.  Emotions wax and wane.

Christian love is action, not just emotion or sentiment.  This applies to Christian marital love as much as it does to any other type of Christian love.  Faith without works is dead just as love without action is just sentiment.

A Christian acts out his love for his wife and children by providing a safe and loving environment for them, an environment in which he ideally nurtures their hopes, interests, needs, and their spiritual development. 


Paul spoke of this, likening marriage to the relationship between Christ and His Church: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." Ephesians 5:22-32


There is nothing in this biblical passage of the world's insulting caricature of a holy Christian marriage: no husband lording it over his slave of a wife who is ordered by God to indulge her husband's every whim or face the fires of Hell.  Husbands are to love their wives as Jesus loved the Church.  How did Jesus express that love?  He emptied Himself of the privileges of deity and took upon HImself the worst that the world had to offer, He accepted upon Himself the consequences of the world's sin, so that we would not have to!!


(The conclusion of this post will follow tomorrow.)

PushinDaisies.com

PushinDaisies (http://www.pushindaisies.com/)is an online store devoted to novelties, books, food, clothing, etc., all based on death and mortuary related issues. The store sells trinkets, t-shirts, greeting cards, jewelry, DVD's and CD's, books, music, death-themed candy; you get the idea.

One startling item is a ten ounce anatomically correct chocolate human heart for $12.95. If it's not big enough, they also sell a one pound version. Both come wrapped in clear cellophane bags with a red ribbon. Just the thing for your sweetie.

Or, if you are feeling especially romantic and have a slightly dark side, a dead rose might do the trick. You can send a single rose, a half-dozen, or a full dozen. The website also suggests that the roses might be appropriate as "over the hill" gifts or as a love gift for someone you dislike. All of them arrive in a coffin-shaped box, complete with a toe-tag gift card.

I'm not entirely sure this website is intended to be humorous.  I have met people who would take it very seriously.

This preoccupation with death is alien to Christians, because "the gift of God is eterrnal life...τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν."   Romans 6:22-23.

"Dear Lucky Agent" Contest

I have submitted an entry into the "Dear Lucky Agent" Contest currently being run by Guide to Literary Agents, one of the blogs in my list below. The genre for this particular contest is Fantasy and Science Fiction and I have submitted my novel, Chosen, which is best described as a Crossover Christian Young Adult Military Science Fiction Romance. The designation "crossover" means that the novel could be considered for publication into both the Christian and secular markets. Crossover Christian novels such as Chosen often contain no overt supernatural elements.

As you may know from my profile, I am a published writer; not at the level I would wish, but published nonetheless. Some say that science fiction is atheistic, but that is because we have not yet adequately staked our claim to at least one corner of the genre. My novel, Chosen, is my attempt to do so and is in keeping with the stated aims of this blog.

κηρυσσων την βασιλειαν του θεου και διδασκων τα περι του κυριου ιησου χριστου μετα πασης παρρησιας ακωλυτως.
A themed blog based on the idea that Christians should be, and are, in every nook and cranny and that they should, and do, excel in every field. Comments on films, current events, doctrinal questions, ethics, science, humor, etc. Recurrent postings will feature Christians, Film Comments, Book Comments. Readers are encouraged to comment and to suggest new topics.