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The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. (Proverbs 8:13)
By Doug Phillips
Our country is in the grip of a fear crisis. The tension because of this fear is almost palpable. There is fear over the election, fear over the economy, and fear over hundreds of other issues ranging from the environment to terrorism.
The one fear that America is missing is a fear of the Lord. As a people, we no longer fear God. Because we do not fear God, we no longer hate evil (Proverbs 8:13).
Instead of hating evil, Americans toy with it. We toy with holidays like Halloween that were conceived in evil and that promote the “cute-ification” of evil, whether that evil takes the form of witchcraft, sorcery, ghoulishness, or some other form of malevolent imagery paraded before our children. We laugh at the very things that the Lord describes as “abominations”, and we find ourselves obsessively fascinated by, and attracted to, all things dark.
Yet we do not fear the Lord.
Those who “hate evil” are very scary to a secular society that fears man more than God. They are scary because, they dare to declare that there are absolute standards by which society must be governed. They are scary because if they are successful, industries like Hollywood that make billions off an industry promoting ungodly fear will lose their influence. They are scary because such people will not be swayed by political candidates who use fear as a tool for manipulation.
With this in mind, I offer you the five “scariest” things you can do this Halloween:
1. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to not make light of evil. Halloween was conceived in evil and has remained a celebration that uses children to promote a fascination with darkness and superstitious fear. Simultaneously, it makes light of things that the Bible describes as evil. Stand against such things, and the world will find you very scary indeed. The fear of the Lord makes men turn from evil (Proverbs 16:6).
2. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to not be fearful. The media wants you to be afraid of everything from overpopulation to global warming. The politicians want you to be afraid of the economy and the election. God wants you to do what is morally right, trust Him completely, and never be gripped by an ungodly spirit of fear. That is why one of the scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to reject the spirit of fear overcoming many Christians pertaining to next Tuesday’s national election and wholeheartedly purpose to vote your conscience and act with principled conviction, placing your trust and hope for this nation in the King of Kings, not the presidential candidates. Jesus said: “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him” (Luke 12:4-5). Believe this, and you will be light to the world.
3. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to completely skip Halloween and remember Reformation Day. It was 491 years ago today that Martin Luther nailed his world-changing 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg church. These theses included rebukes to ungodly fear and superstition. Five hundred years ago, sometime near October 31, a baby named John Calvin was conceived who would dedicate his life to eradicating an ungodly fear of superstitious beliefs and proclaiming the gospel of grace. His emphasis on reformation, revival, and the sufficiency of Scripture had such far-reaching implications for nations like the United States that he has been described by Christian and secular scholars alike as the true founding father of America. The Reformers did something that was very scary to the world of their day. They stood against all forms of dark superstitions which grip the minds and souls of men. It was their emphasis on the fear of the Lord and the wisdom of Holy Scripture that was used of God to liberate untold numbers of men and women. But, to remember the Reformers instead of Halloween is very scary to the world. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).
4. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to refuse to watch or allow your children to watch any of the toxic Halloween and Horror films emerging from Hollywood. America’s fascination with ungodly fear has made Horror the most popular and fastest-growing film genre amoung youth. When parents allow their children to toy with this genre, they promote ungodly fear, and they contribute to the fear-factories in Hollywood that prey upon the youth of our culture. Say “no” to Hollywood Horror, and you will be dangerously scary to the media elite. “Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence....?” (Jeremiah 5:22).
5. The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to get on your knees as a mother and father and pray that the Lord will send you many, many children who will fear God, not man — children who will especially shun the glorification of witchcraft, the bondage of ungodly fear, and the “cute-ification” of evil that is promoted through holidays like Halloween. Cultures that toy with evil end up being cultures of death. The Christian response is to be a people of life. That means babies. Lots of them. It means fearing God by honoring His command to “be fruitful and multiply.” It means remembering that the Scripture describes children as a “blessing” and a “reward.” Raise children that fear God more than man, and that will be answer enough to our Halloween- and darkness-obsessed culture; for if you trust God over your womb and commit your children to a holy education, you will be very, very scary to the modern world “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Psalm 34:11).
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 31, 2008 | Permalink
Download background information - PDF file
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 30, 2008 | Permalink
As an organization that cherishes the sanctity of human life, we have been deeply concerned at the fact that critical information concerning the presidential candidates’ track record and positions on the life issue have been excluded or minimized in various voter guides and articles that conservative organizations have been disseminating in anticipation of next Tuesday’s election.
We acknowledge that there are many issues and sub-issues related to the candidates’ record and campaign commitments concerning human life, but, at the end of the day, Christian voters need to have these five basic questions answered:
Are the candidates willing to support federal funding for Planned Parenthood?
Are the candidates willing to appoint pro-abortion judges to serve on the Supreme Court? Have they indicated that they will not make abortion a litmus test when selecting federal judge nominees?
Are the candidates willing to support experimentation on living human beings through embryonic stem cell research?
Are the candidates willing to condone the murder of unborn children through abortion under some circumstances?
Are the candidates in opposition to taking active steps to overturn Roe v. Wade (for fear that women’s lives might be “endangered” or any other reason)?
It is these five questions that our Sanctity of Life Voter Guide seeks to answer, and we encourage those who cherish human life to carefully consider the candidates’ position on each issue before they cast their vote. We would also encourage the distribution of the PDF copy of this Sanctity of Life Voter Guide that answers these questions with documented references to the candidates’ actual record on these five critical points. To learn more about Sen. John McCain’s position on these same issues, be sure to read, “John McCain’s Record on Abortion.”
On their home page Republicans for Choice brag about the fact that John McCain did not have control over the Republican Party Platform that was strongly pro-life and if he had he would have opposed the language. Additionally, Republicans for Choice state that this was the first time any Republican candidate ever tried to introduce language into the platform that “recognized us” meaning Republicans for Choice.
To my dear friends at Vision Forum Ministries, I have long been an admirer of VFM and continue to be grateful for their standard-bearing and vigor in defence of the Biblical model of patriarchy and the desire to raise up sons and daughters to be effective and true followers of Christ. I just read thru the most recent article discussing Senator McCain’s record on abortion/pro-life issues. I am pleased by the scholarly research done and efforts to uphold the truth. I am, however, very concerned by the virtual disregard given to conducting similar research and posting on the extreme positions of Senator Obama. It is a difficult line to walk to be sure, but it has seemed of late that VFM has gone far out of it’s way to point out the flaws in the McCain/Palin ticket (which there admittedly are many) without conducting similar diligence in addressing the comparably abhorrent stands of the Obama/Biden ticket. Let me stress again my appreciation for VFM and my gratitude for it’s passion in upholding truth and honor. I pray this does not come across as disrespectful so much as a reminder that the approach VFM has taken in regards to this election, in my opinion, appears to be pointedly attacking those who without question stand closer to Biblical positions than their opponents. I applaud the efforts made to remind Christians of what the underlying Biblical principles are pertaining to this matter. It is certainly clear though that the choice is between a ticket that is diametrically opposed in worldview and one that is not. It is of concern to me that VFM seems to have devoted the majority of their efforts to dissecting the differences with the latter at the expense of thoroughly exposing the former. My point is not to justify away the shortcomings of Senator McCain and Governor Palin, it is to provide the balancing perspective of similarly revealing the exceptionally dangerous positions of Senators Obama and Biden.It seems out-of-balance to attack those who smile in your direction and ignore those who angrily plot your destruction. With Great Respect and Admiration, Adam
To my dear friends at Vision Forum Ministries, I have long been an admirer of VFM and continue to be grateful for their standard-bearing and vigor in defence of the Biblical model of patriarchy and the desire to raise up sons and daughters to be effective and true followers of Christ.
I just read thru the most recent article discussing Senator McCain’s record on abortion/pro-life issues. I am pleased by the scholarly research done and efforts to uphold the truth. I am, however, very concerned by the virtual disregard given to conducting similar research and posting on the extreme positions of Senator Obama. It is a difficult line to walk to be sure, but it has seemed of late that VFM has gone far out of it’s way to point out the flaws in the McCain/Palin ticket (which there admittedly are many) without conducting similar diligence in addressing the comparably abhorrent stands of the Obama/Biden ticket.
Let me stress again my appreciation for VFM and my gratitude for it’s passion in upholding truth and honor. I pray this does not come across as disrespectful so much as a reminder that the approach VFM has taken in regards to this election, in my opinion, appears to be pointedly attacking those who without question stand closer to Biblical positions than their opponents.
I applaud the efforts made to remind Christians of what the underlying Biblical principles are pertaining to this matter. It is certainly clear though that the choice is between a ticket that is diametrically opposed in worldview and one that is not. It is of concern to me that VFM seems to have devoted the majority of their efforts to dissecting the differences with the latter at the expense of thoroughly exposing the former. My point is not to justify away the shortcomings of Senator McCain and Governor Palin, it is to provide the balancing perspective of similarly revealing the exceptionally dangerous positions of Senators Obama and Biden.It seems out-of-balance to attack those who smile in your direction and ignore those who angrily plot your destruction. With Great Respect and Admiration, Adam
Thanks for your kind, respectful, and most gracious letter. Your question is a valid one, and I thank God for the opportunity to share our thoughts.
Like you, we are very concerned about the issue of “balance.” In our view, the information on the election as presented to the Christian community is grossly out of balance. There is no shortage of helpful anti-Obama information on Christian radio, websites, etc. In fact, there is a deluge of such information and commentary. Everywhere Christians turn they can hear Obama criticized. But where are the spokesmen for the unborn who will speak the truth about Sen. John McCain, whose policy on abortion the National Right to Life Committee once maintained “threatens the pro-life cause”? Where are the preachers who are willing to expose “lesser of two evils” theology for the fraud that it is and begin to preach biblical principles of the ballot box? Where are the Christian ministries which are willing to produce voter guides that show the true positions, not merely of candidates Obama and McCain, but of pro-life Christian, Chuck Baldwin? They are few and far in between, which is why we hope our writings will help to restore some small modicum of balance to the debate.
In your letter, you correctly noted that Barack Obama has “abhorrent” positions on the issues. We fully agree and have said as much in our articles and blogs. What you did not say was that John McCain also has “abhorrent” positions.
Here is the point: Our readers do not need any convincing that Barack Obama is bad. They know that. No amount of ink spilled on our part will change their perspective, nor would we want to. We are all in agreement: Obama is outrageously bad! I think it is fair to say that none of the Christians who read our literature have any interest in supporting Barack Obama. On the other hand, many are supporting pro-abortion Republican John McCain and pro-feminist Sarah Palin. As to these last points, there is a great deal of confusion — confusion that must be addressed by an appeal to the Word of God and to the facts.
Behind the justification by Christians for the support of a man who votes to fund Planned Parenthood, votes for pro-abortion judges to the Supreme Court, and who favors the brutal murder and vivisection of babies in the case of rape and incest, etc., are some of the following: (1) ignorance of the facts in the face of irresponsible misrepresentation by Christian leaders themselves; (2) fear; (3) fear; (4) more fear, and (5) pragmatism; and (6) a misunderstanding of biblical ethics as they apply to the ballot box. (In fairness, there are many informed, principled and godly individuals who have diverse reasons for choosing to vote for McCain for president, but I can say from personal experience that the vast majority of letters we have received at Vision Forum advocating a vote for McCain fall into points one through six.)
In sum, our position in opposition to all men who would use the law to murder babies is clear: We think that they are disqualified from receiving the votes of Christians, because our first duty is to the Lord and his non-optional minimal threshold requirements for the selection of civil magistrates, one of which is that all civil leaders must oppose the shedding of innocent blood. That is why we are equal opportunity critics of pro-abortion candidates. It makes no difference to us whether they have a donkey or an elephant after their name.
But we have aimed our arrows where they can be most strategic and effective. If Bible-believing Christians were struggling with whether or not they should support Barack Obama, we would aim there, but that is not the case. And in point of fact, our macro concern is far less for the outcome of the election, and far more with the conscience of the Christian community. Christians are not compromising over Obama, but they are over McCain and Palin. Hence our emphasis. When Christians call feminism godly—we have lost our moral compass. When Christians say that a candidate is pro-life who funds and favors some baby murders—we have conceded the debate, sold our souls to partisanship, and mortgaged our children’s freedoms on the alter of temporary political expediency. What shall it profit a generation if they gain the whole presidency, but lose their soul?
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 29, 2008 | Permalink
This is the wonderfully encouraging story of-stay-at-home mom who shares the adventure of living on one income in a double-wide trailer! She writes: “Join our family as we say goodbye to suburbia, trim down, and start saving to build our own home. We’re going to talk about doing it yourself, living beautifully on less, making do or doing without, and counting it all joy in the process. We’ll cover prep-work and painting, refacing kitchen cabinets, flooring on the cheap, tiling over laminate, upholstering furniture, and just rolling up our sleeves in general. If you love home improvement, this is the place for you. Let’s get cracking!”
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Sen. John McCain has long sought to undermine the Republican Party Platform plank on life, advocating that it be broadened to allow for abortions in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. During a Republican presidential debate with George Bush and Alan Keyes that Larry King hosted on February 15, 2000, Sen. McCain demonstrated contempt for Gov. Bush’s support of the GOP’s “no exceptions” platform on abortion. Ironically, Gov. Bush agreed with McCain’s position — that abortion should be allowed in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother — while arguing that the GOP’s pro-life plank be left intact. In response to their statements, Alan Keyes rightly observed that neither Gov. Bush nor Sen. McCain held to consistently pro-life views. Click here to view the candidates’ heated exchange.
Sen. McCain’s antagonism toward the Republican Party Platform on abortion has continued through this year. In an August 30, 2008, New York Times article, Katherine Q. Seelye reported the following statement which Sen. McCain gave in an interview with Glamour magazine for their October 2008 issue: “‘My position has always been: exceptions of rape, incest and the life of the mother,’ he said. Asked if he would encourage the party to include them in the platform, he said, ‘Yes,’ adding: ‘And by the way, I think that’s the view of most people, that rape, incest, the life of the mother are issues that have to be considered.’”
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 28, 2008 | Permalink
by Wesley Strackbein and Bob Renaud, Vision Forum Staff
With the 2008 presidential election just one week away, it is time that Sen. John McCain’s record on abortion be clearly explained.
This last Sunday, LifeNews.com published an article entitled, “John McCain’s Pro-Life Abortion Record Gets Buried With Focus on Obama,” wherein journalist Steve Ertelt, LifeNews.com’s editor, observed:
With the intense focus on the extreme pro-abortion positions of Barack Obama, there has been little reference during the weeks leading up to the presidential elections of John McCain’s pro-life record on abortion. McCain isn’t as outspoken as past presidential candidates, but his record speaks volumes.[1]
Mr. Ertelt’s conclusion is right: Sen. McCain’s record on abortion has largely been “buried” this election cycle, and it indeed “speaks volumes,” but not for the reasons that Ertelt has suggested. A more careful look at Sen. McCain’s formal voting record and statements indicate that he will not make the protection of life a priority in a McCain presidential administration. While Sen. McCain voted in favor of the partial birth abortion ban in 2003 (as did Senators Tom Daschle, Harry Reid, and sixty-one others)[2] and has often stated that he does not “support Roe versus Wade” and would like to see it “overturned,”[3] the Arizona senator has actually stated his opposition to take active measures to overturn Roe for fear that such a move would endanger the lives of women.[4]
Moreover, Sen. McCain supports abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother, and he has actively campaigned to strike the prohibition of abortion in these cases from the Republican Party Platform.[5] In addition, Sen. McCain has voted to confirm radical pro-abortion judges such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer and has recently affirmed that he would vote for pro-abortion judges under a McCain presidency, so long as they met basic “qualifications.”[6] He also has been outspoken in his support for embryonic stem cell research and has voted in favor of funding for Planned Parenthood.[7]
The point is this: Attempts to paint Sen. John McCain as a pro-life candidate are grossly misleading. Mr. Ertelt of LifeNews.com and other pro-life groups such as the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) have “buried” widely known aspects of Sen. McCain’s record on life that demonstrate — while Sen. John McCain may not be as far to the left as Sen. Barack Obama on the life issue — he is not a champion of the unborn, and, should he be elected to the presidency, his past record and recent claims offer no confidence that he will do anything to advance the ethic of life as president of the United States.
We agree with the National Right to Life Committee’s conclusion of eight years ago — a position that they have now suppressed due to political expediency — that “John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause”[8]; and as a service to voters in this 2008 election cycle, we have brought to light key facts on Sen. McCain’s record on abortion for readers to consider in forming their own conclusions regarding his stance on this critically important issue.
In their 2008 presidential candidate election issue, USA Today reported that “Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Republican, opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest or to protect the life of the pregnant woman.”[9] On August 30, 2008, The New York Times highlighted Sen. McCain’s support of abortion in the case of rape, incest, and the life of the mother, explaining that the Arizona senator has long sought to undermine the Republican Party’s pro-life plank which does not allow for these exceptions:
Mr. McCain argued strongly in 2000 for the platform to include the abortion exceptions. He affirmed that position as recently as May [of 2008], in an interview with Glamour magazine to appear in its October [2008] issue. “My position has always been: exceptions of rape, incest and the life of the mother,” he said. Asked if he would encourage the party to include them in the platform, he said, “Yes,” adding: “And by the way, I think that’s the view of most people, that rape, incest, the life of the mother are issues that have to be considered.”[10]
Mr. McCain argued strongly in 2000 for the platform to include the abortion exceptions. He affirmed that position as recently as May [of 2008], in an interview with Glamour magazine to appear in its October [2008] issue.
“My position has always been: exceptions of rape, incest and the life of the mother,” he said. Asked if he would encourage the party to include them in the platform, he said, “Yes,” adding: “And by the way, I think that’s the view of most people, that rape, incest, the life of the mother are issues that have to be considered.”[10]
While Sen. McCain has indicated on a number of occasions that he would eventually like to see Roe v. Wade overturned, he has made it clear that he will not take active measures to pursue this because he believes a repeal of Roe would endanger the lives of women. In an August 22, 1999, interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Sen. McCain stated:
Ultimately, I would like to see the repeal of Roe v Wade, but to do it immediately, I think would condemn young women to dangerous and illegal operations.[11]
In a separate interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, McCain noted:
I’d love to see a point where [Roe v. Wade] is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.[12]
On Sen. McCain’s current campaign website, the following summary is offered concerning Roe v. Wade and his policy for the appointment of federal judges:
John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench.[13]
This statement is an example of carefully-crafted obfuscation. At first glance, readers might take this sentence to mean that Sen. McCain will not appoint pro-abortion judges, but he himself has explained that he is willing to appoint judges who support Roe v. Wade — so long as they meet basic “qualifications.” During his dialogue with CBS’ Bob Schieffer which occurred during the third presidential debate held on October 15, McCain gave this response:
SCHIEFFER: ...Someone who had a history of being for abortion rights, you would consider them [for a federal judge]? MCCAIN: I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications . . . I certainly would not impose any litmus test [on the issue of abortion].[14]
SCHIEFFER: ...Someone who had a history of being for abortion rights, you would consider them [for a federal judge]?
MCCAIN: I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications . . . I certainly would not impose any litmus test [on the issue of abortion].[14]
During the same October 15 debate, Sen. McCain emphasized his support of Justice Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, two stridently pro-abortion judges for whom McCain voted to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court:
I voted for Justice Breyer and Justice Ginsburg. Not because I agreed with their ideology, but because I thought they were qualified and that elections have consequences when presidents are nominated. This is a very important issue we’re talking about.[15]
McCain also conveyed his willingness to support pro-abortion judges to seventy-five Hillary Clinton supporters with whom he met following Sen. Clinton’s loss of the Democratic nomination. When questioned about his judicial philosophy by one Clinton supporter during a private meeting held at McCain’s Virginia headquarters, the Arizona senator offered assurances that he stood with “Bill Clinton [on] both Ginsburg and Breyer.”[16]
Senator McCain has long been an active supporter of embryonic stem cell research. The National Right to Life Committee explained:
[O]n May 8, 1992, McCain authored a letter. . . noting that abortion is “a practice which is currently legal in this country. . .” McCain said he had concluded, “I support lifting the ban on the use of fetal tissue for research by the National Institutes of Health.”[17]
Sen. McCain reaffirmed his support for federal funding for fetal research when the issue resurfaced in 1997 and voted again on April 11, 2007, to use federal funds to pay for the destruction of, and experimentation on, human embryos.[18]
Since this vote in ‘07, Sen. McCain has indicated his desire to expand funding for embryonic stem cell research even more:
Q: Would you expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research? A: I believe that we need to fund this. This is a tough issue for those of us in the pro-life community. I would remind you that these stem cells are either going to be discarded or perpetually frozen. We need to do what we can to relieve human suffering. It’s a tough issue. I support federal funding.[19]
Q: Would you expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research?
A: I believe that we need to fund this. This is a tough issue for those of us in the pro-life community. I would remind you that these stem cells are either going to be discarded or perpetually frozen. We need to do what we can to relieve human suffering. It’s a tough issue. I support federal funding.[19]
In 2005, Sen. McCain voted in favor of H.R. 3010 to Fund Title X and Medicaid Abortions and Birth Control to minors in the cases rape, incest, and the “life” of the mother.[20]
HR 3010 — the HHS Appropriations Bill — included provisions for the following:
On February 20, 2000, the National Right to Life Committee published a hard-hitting expose entitled, “How John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause.” In this article, they documented Sen. McCain’s “disrespect for the pro-life movement” and pointed out that — at the time — Sen. McCain was publicly championing his “17-year voting record,” even as he had taken active steps to undermine the integrity of the pro-life cause. Among the many telling evidences they brought to light was a comment that Sen. McCain made on the Don Imus show wherein he “referred disparagingly to ‘otherwise intelligent people who say that [the issue of life is] the only issue that will determine their vote.’”
The details that NRLC uncovered in their critical research on Sen. McCain’s checkered record on the life issue formed the basis for leading conservative organizations and leaders to oppose his presidential candidacy in 2000.
Sen. McCain’s compromise on the life issue continued to be a source of irritation and concern for evangelical leaders up through the 2008 primaries. On February 5 of this year, during an interview on the Laura Ingraham show, Dr. James Dobson indicated that the life issue was one of the chief reasons why he could not in good conscience support John McCain for president:
I am deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who. . . voted for embryonic stem cell research to kill nascent human beings. . . . I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are. He has sounded at times more like a member of the other party. . . [A] spoonful of sugar does NOT make the medicine go down. I cannot, and will not, vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience. But what a sad and melancholy decision this is for me and many other conservatives. Should Sen. McCain capture the nomination as many assume, I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. . . If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life.
I am deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who. . . voted for embryonic stem cell research to kill nascent human beings. . . .
I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative, and in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are. He has sounded at times more like a member of the other party. . . [A] spoonful of sugar does NOT make the medicine go down. I cannot, and will not, vote for Sen. John McCain, as a matter of conscience.
But what a sad and melancholy decision this is for me and many other conservatives. Should Sen. McCain capture the nomination as many assume, I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. . . If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life.
Regrettably, Dr. Dobson and the NRLC have done an about-face. Following Sen. McCain’s pick of Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, they — along with other conservative leaders and organizations who were previously hesitant to support McCain — have now actively come out in favor of the McCain/Palin ticket.
On the day that Sen. McCain announced his pick of Gov. Palin, Dr. Dobson told talk show host Dennis Prager, “I can tell you that if I had to go into the . . . voting booth today, I would pull that [McCain] lever.”
Tellingly, the NRLC recently removed their article “How John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause” from their website and — in a new, one-page summary entitled, “Sen. John McCain’s Record on Abortion” which they now have posted — the NRLC altogether excludes their former research while highlighting Sen. McCain’s support of the partial birth abortion ban, among other pro-life votes that he has made during his senatorial career.[22]
The NRLC’s political action committee has also declared that “Senator John McCain has a solid voting record against abortion” and noted that their PAC “strongly supports Senator John McCain for United States President. . . . “[23]
The National Life to Life Committee’s current characterization of Sen. McCain’s record stands in stark contradiction to the NRLC’s previous findings wherein they documented significant problems with Sen. McCain’s stance on the life issue. In view of the NRLC’s recent attempts to portray Sen. McCain as a “solid” pro-lifer, they would do well to remind themselves of the insightful observation they made in the hard-hitting article on Sen. McCain that they have pulled from circulation: Sen. Al Gore had a 84% pro-life voting record according to one pro-life watch dog group, and yet he could not be trusted as a pro-life leader. As they pointed out in 2000: neither can John McCain.[24]
The efforts to which certain conservative organizations and leaders have recently gone to exclude critical facts concerning Sen. McCain’s record on abortion that they once rightly emphasized to potential voters — to sugar-coat Sen. McCain’s pro-life record — is one of the most shameful demonstrations of party politics that has occurred in this decade.
Should Sen. John McCain be elected as the next president of the United States, he will not be a champion for the life of the unborn. While he recently stated that he believes life begins “at the moment of conception,”[25] based on his past record and statements on the life issue, Sen. McCain will not actively seek to overturn Roe v. Wade; will appoint pro-abortion judges, if he deems them otherwise qualified; will continue to support embryonic stem cell research; and will seek to undermine the Republican Party Platform’s pro-life plank which opposes abortion in the cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother.
In sum, those who cherish human life should not trust Sen. John McCain to represent them on this issue.
1. October 26, 2008, “John McCain Repeats Stance: Roe Abortion Case a ‘Bad Decision,’ Overturn It” by Steve Ertelt, LifeNews.com.
2. Click Here
3. October 26, 2008, “John McCain Repeats Stance: Roe Abortion Case a ‘Bad Decision,’ Overturn It” by Steve Ertelt, LifeNews.com.
4. See footnotes # 11 and 12 for more details.
5. See footnote # 9 & 10.
6. See footnotes # 13 and 14 for more details.
7. See footnotes # 18 and 19 for more details.
8. NRLC article, “How John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause,” February 20, 2000.
9. Click Here
10. New York Times, “G.O.P. Holds to Firm Stance on Abortion” by Katherine Q. Seelye, August 30, 2008.
11. August 22, 1999, CNN’s Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer.
12. San Francisco Chronicle, August 19, 1999.
13. Click Here
14. Click Here
15. Ibid.
16. Click Here
17. Click Here and See roll call vote here:
18. See Senate bill S.5 at http://thomas.loc.gov
19. 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007
20. Click Here
21. See this link for further information
22. “Senator John McCain Record on Abortion,” http://www.nrlc.org/Election2008/mccainrecord0608.pdf.
23. Click Here.
24. NRLC article, “How John McCain Threatens the Pro-Life Cause,” February 20, 2000.
25. Click Here
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 27, 2008 | Permalink
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 24, 2008 | Permalink
Another student submission for the SAICFF.
(To view this video clip, you must have QuickTime 7 installed.)
Dear Vision Forum & Behemoth Staff, I would like to thank you so very much for your truly visionary efforts in creating the Behemoth.com website. Now that the website is unveiled, I can tell you that I not just “hooked” on Behemoth, I am eternally grateful for it. One of our children is dyslexic and the written word is mostly a mystery to him. As we walk through school each day, one of his greatest joys has been to listen to books on tape. About a year ago, we bought him an ipod and have been blessed with the way that device has served our son’s specific needs. Our biggest challenge, however, has been finding good literature for him to listen to. He has devoured ALL the Henty recordings, and anything by Jim Hodges (we hope he’ll produce more and more!) Our son also has enjoyed the works of many other gifted story tellers. But finding good things for him to listen to is a long and drawn out process. I usually wade through website after website and find not-so-good recordings of books. It is really a disappointment to spend money on something that does not capture my son’s imagination (or heart). Behemoth has changed that. After a look at Behemoth, I am relieved that there is a site I can go to for audiobooks (and other items), and feel confident in what I buy. I can already tell that your “legwork” in identifying audiobooks will save me many hours of research time, and will also enrich my son’s life as he hears great stories told by wonderful story tellers. Thank you for your hard work, and for the way it will impact others. Many Blessings in Christ, Sarah (homeschooling mom to 7, with one on the way)
Dear Vision Forum & Behemoth Staff,
I would like to thank you so very much for your truly visionary efforts in creating the Behemoth.com website. Now that the website is unveiled, I can tell you that I not just “hooked” on Behemoth, I am eternally grateful for it.
One of our children is dyslexic and the written word is mostly a mystery to him. As we walk through school each day, one of his greatest joys has been to listen to books on tape. About a year ago, we bought him an ipod and have been blessed with the way that device has served our son’s specific needs. Our biggest challenge, however, has been finding good literature for him to listen to. He has devoured ALL the Henty recordings, and anything by Jim Hodges (we hope he’ll produce more and more!) Our son also has enjoyed the works of many other gifted story tellers. But finding good things for him to listen to is a long and drawn out process. I usually wade through website after website and find not-so-good recordings of books. It is really a disappointment to spend money on something that does not capture my son’s imagination (or heart). Behemoth has changed that.
After a look at Behemoth, I am relieved that there is a site I can go to for audiobooks (and other items), and feel confident in what I buy. I can already tell that your “legwork” in identifying audiobooks will save me many hours of research time, and will also enrich my son’s life as he hears great stories told by wonderful story tellers.
Thank you for your hard work, and for the way it will impact others.
Many Blessings in Christ,
Sarah (homeschooling mom to 7, with one on the way)
Note that the reporter errs by indicating that Kookoo Molookoo would be the oldest living woman in history.
To take your children out of government schools.
During the year 2009, the eyes of the world will turn to remember the anniversaries of the birth of the two most influential men of the last one thousand years — the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, and the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. (It is also the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s The Origin of the Species.)
No two men of the millennium have done more to shape the thoughts of mankind or to affect the political and social destiny of nations than Calvin and Darwin — the former for the glory of God, and the latter for unimaginable evil.
The modern world knows much of Darwin, but it has largely forgotten and forsaken the message of Sola Scriptura bequeathed to us by Calvin and the Reformers. Many lost their lives to bring the world the message that Scripture must be applied to every sphere of life, including the family, the church, and the state.
President John Adams was so impressed by this legacy and its impact on America that he warned: “Let not Geneva be forgotten or despised. Religious liberty owes it much respect.” Reformation historian J.H. Merle d’Aubigné wrote that “Calvin was the founder of the greatest of republics. The Pilgrims who left their country in the reign of James I, and, landing on the barren shores of New England, founded populous and mighty colonies, are his sons; and that American nation which we have seen growing so rapidly boasts as its father the humble reformer.”
Even secular historians agree. Leopold von Ranke concluded that “John Calvin was virtually the founder of America,” and George Bancroft wrote, “He that will not honor the memory, and respect the influence of Calvin, knows little of the origin of American liberty.”
Let it suffice that Darwin — and the widespread acceptance of his Theory of Evolution as it has been applied to philosophy, science, economics, theology, and virtually every primary academic discipline — has sadly done more to undo the work of Calvin and the Reformers than any other philosophical influence.
As to legacies: Where Calvin taught the inadequacies of the fallen mind of man, the supremacy of the law of God, and the sufficiency of Holy Scripture, Darwin’s Theory led to the supremacy of man’s reason, the rejection of Scripture, and to widespread distrust in the Bible as an accurate record of Earth history. The children of Calvin and the Reformers gave us the rise of nation states that embraced republican representative government. The children of Darwin gave us Marxism and totalitarianism. Calvin’s legacy included respect for life, a defense of the biblical family, and the rule of law under God. Darwin’s philosophical progeny introduced the world to the horrors of eugenics and legalized widespread abortion on demand. Where Calvin insisted that law was transcendent, being created by God for the good of man, the followers of Darwin would insist that laws evolve and that transcendent standards of morality do not even exist. The reforms of Calvin resulted in Christendom blossoming. Darwin foreshadowed the darkness of modernity.
In sum, the battles facing the Church today reflect the tension between the antithetical worldviews of these two men. This is why for the quincentenary of Calvin’s birthday it is critical that we become familiar with those Reformers who shared his presuppositions and who inaugurated what many believe to be the most spiritually mature season in the modern history of the Church. Their cry was semper reformanda (always reforming), and this must be our cry today.
One mission of the 2009 Vision Forum Family Catalog is to help you do this — to reform and to remember. We begin with our cover reminding Christians of the debt we owe to the Gutenberg Printing Press, a fifteenth-century technology which God used to mass-disseminate the Bible. More than five hundred years later, we are in the midst of a new digital technological revolution, and once again Christians are taking advantage of the medium to spread the Gospel. At Vision Forum, we are pleased to announce our part — the launch of Behemoth.com, which we hope will bless you as your one-stop shopping place for Christ-honoring, Gospel-advancing audiobooks, music, curriculum, sermons, videos, and more.
An important emphasis in our 2009 catalog is family reformation — the blessing of seeing the hearts of parents and children turn to each other (Malachi 4:6). You will discover this emphasis in our products aimed at equipping you to disciple your family. It was the solid biblical teachings of the Reformers that changed the way the world looked at the family. They emphasized family discipleship, the blessing of marriage, the importance of children, and the duties of a well-ordered household with fruitful mothers whose children call them blessed, and fathers of patriarchal vision who act as the benevolent heads of their homes. Our books and CDs reflect our passion that modern families embrace such a godly vision.
Finally, we are pleased to announce that Vision Forum Ministries will be sponsoring a national Reformation 500 Celebration during the week of July 4th — an unforgettable family event.
The Fifth Commandment tells us to honor our fathers so that it will be well with us, and so that we will live long in the land given to us by God. As Americans who have drawn deeply from the heritage of the Reformers, it is appropriate that we remember the faith of our fathers and inquire into the vision that inspired them and built our nation. The 2009 Vision Forum Family Catalog is dedicated to this objective.
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 23, 2008 | Permalink
Joshua and I found a great one during a recent trip to Indiana during our visit to the Heartland Film Festival. The barbers wore coats and ties, and they give real straight-edge shaves—something I have not seen in many years!
O.K., I know that people are not angels, and I know that the only angels we read about in the Bible are male—but if there were girl angels, then I could understand why some might wonder if they were “entertaining angels unaware” when they first meet Sarah Wean. She’s just so—well, angelic.
Sarah is very special to the Vision Forum team. We love her cooking, her creative talents (she is one of our published authors), her excellence as an editor, and much more. But mostly we love the fact that she brightens the whole staff with her love and devotion to her husband. Sarah Wean is the happy wife of VF executive Josh Wean and mother of three little dears, James (4), Jesse (2), and Mercy (5 months). Of course, Sarah points out, that as any mother of small boys understands, the terms “energetic,” “unpredictable,” and just plain “crazy” can also apply. She finds her never-boring days filled with all the joys of motherhood and life as a newly-homeschooling mother, which usually includes finding a jar with which to house the latest pet bug, explaining why little boys can’t wear their sister’s hairbows, and trying to come up with a profound theological answer for questions like, “Since God has the whole world in His hands, does He have a sink or maybe a hose in heaven to wash them with when He puts it down?” And you just thought your children weren’t paying attention to the words of songs.
Read Sarah’s picks of the week at the Behemoth.com home page.
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 20, 2008 | Permalink
Here is one of the new SAICFF trailers that have recently been submitted for our trailer competition.
One of my favorite audiobooks of all time.
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 17, 2008 | Permalink
Yahoo News (AFP) - The last remaining survivor of the Titanic disaster is auctioning mementoes from the doomed liner to pay for her nursing home fees, a newspaper said Thursday.
Millvina Dean was only two months old when the Titanic struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage and sank in 1912, but now at the age of 96 she is struggling to make ends meet and hopes to make 3,000 pounds from the sale.
Dean’s family were emigrating to Kansas aboard the doomed liner. She was the youngest survivor, rescued along with her baby brother and mother Eva, although her father died.
In all, some 700 people survived the sinking, one of the worst maritime disasters ever. Their numbers have dwindled over the decades, leaving only Dean left after fellow Briton Barbara Joyce Dainton died last year.
The auction of her belongings will be held on Saturday at Henry Aldridge and Son auctioneers in the town of Devizes.
Read the article HERE.
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 16, 2008 | Permalink
“Behemoth.com: Prescreened Professional Christian Media Instantly Viewable Online!”
Some space still available.
Are Christians who choose not to vote for biblically disqualified candidates for president (who favor forms of infanticide like fetal stem cell research) wasting their votes by casting their ballots for godly, biblically qualified Christian candidates? Click here for one perspective.
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 15, 2008 | Permalink
Michelle Obama placed a surprise call to an African news agency to protest its coverage of Wordnetdaily.com’s investigative stories about her husband — characterizing Jerome Corsi as “evil.” Corsi was a keynote at this year’s Vision Forum Ministries Witherspoon School of Law and Public Policy. Read more here.
Joe Farah recently wrote that there were several reasons why he was sure John McCain was going to win the election come November. His opinion has changed. Click here to read the article
Alan Keyes wrote last month about Governor Palin’s veto of a bill passed by the Alaska Legislature that would have banned same-sex marriage:
But won’t Vice President Palin be able to prevent President McCain from making decisions that conflict with Christian conscience? I can think of no example of a morally principled, but unequally yoked, running mate who achieved this result once in office. The American republics are based upon Constitutional principles inconsistent with a divided executive. Therefore, lieutenant governors and vice presidents have no reliable say over the chief executive’s decisions and actions. This would be especially true of someone like Gov. Palin, who will enter office with no strong national constituency of her own beyond the possible influence of those supposed moral leaders whose unprincipled support for McCain has already placed them at his mercy. Unfortunately, a decided ignorance about the prerogatives and responsibilities of the chief executive is also the one glaring flaw in Sarah Palin’s tenure as governor of Alaska. When she began her gubernatorial duties, the state was in the midst of a constitutional crisis. The Alaska Supreme Court issued an opinion in favor of marriage benefits for homosexual couples, and subsequently ordered the Alaska commissioner of administration to draft regulations implementing that opinion. A clearer violation of the constitutional separation of powers can hardly be imagined. For this reason, Lieutenant Governor Loren Leman refused to sign the regulations. Meanwhile, Alaska legislators passed a law to prevent any changes from being made that legitimized homosexual marriage in the state. Gov. Palin vetoed the law, and in effect granted marriage benefits to state employees and their partners. One of her advisers, Kevin Clarkson, claims that she did so on his advice, on the specious grounds that the law would have made permanent the changes ordered by the Alaska Supreme Court. But in Alaska as elsewhere in our republic, the Judicial Branch has no constitutional authority to carry out the laws. The executive power, which is to say the force of law, is entirely vested in the chief executive. Therefore, no regulations issued by the Alaska Supreme Court have the force of law. Where the chief executive and the legislature agree, as they did in this instance, that the judiciary had superseded its legal and constitutional boundaries, the Court’s preferred regulations were a dead letter. However, Gov. Palin’s veto gave credence to the Court’s usurpation. During her campaign for office, she is reported to have said, “Elected officials can’t defy the court when it comes to how rights are applied.” (Anchorage Daily News, Online Edition, Aug. 6, 2006) This view vitiates the separation of powers, and would establish a judicial dictatorship over every aspect of legislation (since all legislation involves issues of rights in some fashion). Thus, through a combination of her own ignorance and advice from constitutionally incompetent lawyers, she surrendered the integrity of Alaska’s executive power in a way that hardly qualifies her to stand at the head of the line for the office of chief executive of the United States. In this respect, Gov. Palin apparently belongs at the side of John McCain, whose record has established his disdain for the survival of our constitutional system of self-government. With respect to the McCain/Palin ticket, those of us who remain the partisans of self-government have good reason to remember another word of guidance quoted by St. Paul: “Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord.” For conscience and the Republic, we must declare ourselves independent of a party system that places good people under the yoke of iniquity. Click here to read the rest of the article
But won’t Vice President Palin be able to prevent President McCain from making decisions that conflict with Christian conscience? I can think of no example of a morally principled, but unequally yoked, running mate who achieved this result once in office. The American republics are based upon Constitutional principles inconsistent with a divided executive. Therefore, lieutenant governors and vice presidents have no reliable say over the chief executive’s decisions and actions. This would be especially true of someone like Gov. Palin, who will enter office with no strong national constituency of her own beyond the possible influence of those supposed moral leaders whose unprincipled support for McCain has already placed them at his mercy. Unfortunately, a decided ignorance about the prerogatives and responsibilities of the chief executive is also the one glaring flaw in Sarah Palin’s tenure as governor of Alaska. When she began her gubernatorial duties, the state was in the midst of a constitutional crisis. The Alaska Supreme Court issued an opinion in favor of marriage benefits for homosexual couples, and subsequently ordered the Alaska commissioner of administration to draft regulations implementing that opinion. A clearer violation of the constitutional separation of powers can hardly be imagined. For this reason, Lieutenant Governor Loren Leman refused to sign the regulations.
Meanwhile, Alaska legislators passed a law to prevent any changes from being made that legitimized homosexual marriage in the state. Gov. Palin vetoed the law, and in effect granted marriage benefits to state employees and their partners. One of her advisers, Kevin Clarkson, claims that she did so on his advice, on the specious grounds that the law would have made permanent the changes ordered by the Alaska Supreme Court. But in Alaska as elsewhere in our republic, the Judicial Branch has no constitutional authority to carry out the laws. The executive power, which is to say the force of law, is entirely vested in the chief executive. Therefore, no regulations issued by the Alaska Supreme Court have the force of law. Where the chief executive and the legislature agree, as they did in this instance, that the judiciary had superseded its legal and constitutional boundaries, the Court’s preferred regulations were a dead letter. However, Gov. Palin’s veto gave credence to the Court’s usurpation.
During her campaign for office, she is reported to have said, “Elected officials can’t defy the court when it comes to how rights are applied.” (Anchorage Daily News, Online Edition, Aug. 6, 2006) This view vitiates the separation of powers, and would establish a judicial dictatorship over every aspect of legislation (since all legislation involves issues of rights in some fashion). Thus, through a combination of her own ignorance and advice from constitutionally incompetent lawyers, she surrendered the integrity of Alaska’s executive power in a way that hardly qualifies her to stand at the head of the line for the office of chief executive of the United States.
In this respect, Gov. Palin apparently belongs at the side of John McCain, whose record has established his disdain for the survival of our constitutional system of self-government. With respect to the McCain/Palin ticket, those of us who remain the partisans of self-government have good reason to remember another word of guidance quoted by St. Paul: “Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord.” For conscience and the Republic, we must declare ourselves independent of a party system that places good people under the yoke of iniquity. Click here to read the rest of the article
“This book is a work of art … a triumphant testimony to how God uses the common things in life to build joyful, grateful families. The Little Boy Down the Road is one of the happiest reads of the year. A ‘must’ for your family storytime.” —Geoffrey Botkin
From the Introduction, by Doug Phillips
I am persuaded that the most beautiful, most important, and most life-changing stories are not found in the pages of newspapers, but in the everyday events in the life of the Christian family.
And that is the way it is supposed to be. The home is not only the incubator of life and the nursery of Christian culture, but it is the school of generational faithfulness from which the righteous man graduates.
Sometimes the most important thing happening in the world is the couple deciding to adopt a baby, or the child honoring his mother, or the daughter repenting to her father. Sometimes it is a little boy who waits patiently down the road for his daddy to return from work so that he can simply hold the hand of the most important man in his life. These are the moments that really matter — the ones that will count in eternity. They are the everyday victories of the Christian life that will one day fill the heart of the old man with joy as he looks back on a life well spent. That is why, when the world has passed away, and the trends of this present culture are long since forgotten, those simple acts of love, done in the name of Christ and for His sake by a mother to her child, or a brother for his sister, will retain value with the saints in eternity.
This book is a short compilation of stories and essays about these moments. It is a book about the epiphanies of fatherhood. What do I mean? Every once in a while, the Christian experiences an epiphany — a moment when the scales are lifted from his eyes, and he really, really gets it — “It” being perspective on the most important things the Lord would have him to understand at that moment. These are moments of supreme clarity where he suddenly realizes — as if coming out of a slumber — the inexpressible preciousness of the Christian family and the unbounding love of Christ to shower sinful man with such earthly joys.
For me, these revelations have almost always occurred watching my family. In fact, I tend to have such epiphanies on two types of occasions. First, when the overwhelming beauty of God’s gift of wife or children is laid before me in all of its dazzling glory through the “little things” in life — a baby in my arms, the blessing of a well-set family table, the consolation of my bride in times of difficulty, or the triumph of a son having faithfully executed the will of his father. Second, when I am reminded of the brevity of life, the fragility of human relationships, and my own utter dependence on the mercy of Christ to sustain and prosper that which I hold most dear on this Earth — my wife and children.
In the first part of my life, my happiest days were serving as a son to my father. In the second part of my life, my happiest days have been serving alongside my bride as a father to my children. The Little Boy Down the Road is a series of short stories and essays taken from these experiences as a son, a father, and a husband. Many of these stories are deeply personal. They are windows into experiences that have shaped my life. A sinful man, I too often forget the most important things in life. But these stories remind me of priorities like serving the Lord, honoring your father and mother, loving your wife, and shepherding the hearts of your children.
At the end of the day, the Christian warrior fights for two things. First, he fights for the crown rights of his eternal king, the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, he fights for his wife, his children, his family, and his household (Nehemiah 4:14). Only on these two grounds does he lawfully war for his nation. Destroy the family, and the Church becomes an empty sepulcher. Destroy the family, and the nation becomes dark and cruel. The purpose of this book is to help you remember the priorities of the warrior of the Lord. That is why it is my sincere prayer that this small offering of stories and essays will encourage you to do what I am still learning to do — to fight for my family, and to always remember the little boy down the road.
Order The Little Boy Down the Road: Short Stories andEssays on the Beauty of Family Life
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 14, 2008 | Permalink
Posted by Doug Phillips on October 13, 2008 | Permalink
The 2009 Christian Filmmakers Academy
For three days preceding the 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, students from around the country will be gathering to learn from an outstanding faculty of seasoned professionals and cultural innovators about the nuts and bolts of making “epistemologically self-conscious” films for Christ. Our mission: Raise up culture changers for the glory of God in the area of media and independent Christian film production.
If you are interested in filmmaking, screenwriting, or directing for the glory of God, or if you just want to learn about opportunities and avenues in the new world of independent Christian filmmaking, we invite you to sign up for one of our remaining seats at the 2009 Christian Filmmakers Academy.
The Christian Filmmakers Academy is for industry professionals, aspiring filmmakers, Christian students, and men and women who want to broaden their grasp of the diverse skills necessary for transforming the culture through media and independent Christian film production.
For the past three years, the Christian Filmmakers Academy has sold out, and we have moved to a larger venue each year. This year, we are moving once again to accommodate the demand for more students, yet admission is still limited to approximately 750 students. Join us January 5-7, 2009 for the most groundbreaking, innovative, and practical CFA to date.
Sign up now to reserve your spot at the 2009 Christian Filmmakers Academy.
Learn from Top Independent Filmmakers
One of the most important ways for filmmakers to grow is to learn from the men who are currently shaping the future of independent filmmaking. Two independent films are currently in the news for the potency of their messages, their box office success, and the innovative marketing and distribution techniques — Fireproof and Expelled. This year, students at the CFA will be able to get a behind-the-scenes look at the development, production, and marketing of both films. They will hear from and dialogue with producer and writer Stephen Kendrick of Fireproof, and from Logan Craft, executive producer of Expelled.
Exciting New Film Academy Workshops Emphasize Stunt Work, Swordfights, and Dramatic Violence; How to Use the Red Camera; Taking Dominion over Science Fiction; Advanced Lighting Techniques; Financing, Marketing and Distribution Strategies; and Much More
The 2009 Christian Filmmakers Academy will include many new, exciting workshops to assist independent Christian filmmakers in honing their craft. Students will learn to stage intense, God-honoring stunts and screen violence from a world-class, award-winning stunt professional. They will learn new strategies of financing and marketing from filmmakers who are proven success stories. They will be challenged to expand their biblical worldview and apply it to every aspect of the filmmaking process. More information regarding academy topics and workshops will be released soon, so be sure to sign up for the SAICFF email newsletter.
Click here to sign up for Academy newsletter.
Register to Attend the Christian Filmmakers Academy By November 1 and Receive a Free Invitation to Our Private Reception for Feature Filmmakers
With more than twenty-five feature films and multiple theatrical releases entered into this year’s San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, with a collective budget in the tens of millions, 2008-2009 marks a landmark season for the SAICFF and independent Christian filmmaking as a whole. To celebrate, the SAICFF is sponsoring a special private reception for all finalist feature filmmakers. Register to attend the Christian Filmmakers Academy by November 1, 2008, and receive a free invitation to this private gathering to take place the week of the SAICFF. This is an exciting opportunity for young filmmakers to meet the movers and shakers in the independent Christian film movement.
Just a Few of the Important Classes You Will Take at the2009 Filmmakers Academy
Read the full descriptions of the 2009 Academy workshops.
Special Reasons to Attend This Year’s Filmmakers Academy
What People Are Saying about the Christian Filmmakers Academy
The Christian Filmmakers Academy not only teaches aspiring filmmakers, challenges veteran filmmakers in the theology and worldview of filmmaking, assists writers in developing God-honoring and content rich scripts, but also provides a forum for networking with similar, talented individuals in the vocation of filmmaking. Here are just a few of the many comments received about the benefits students have enjoyed at attending last year’s Christian Filmmakers Academy:
Technology and Theology
The academy was extremely edifying, encouraging, stimulating, with an accurate balance of theological perspective and astute technological integrity. It is one of the rare Christian events that I know of where you are in the presence of sound, wise, and biblically strong Christian men who have an in-depth knowledge of the craft and what it means to be a Christian Filmmaker, with the objective, first, of engaging the culture. —Todd. S.
Extensive Instruction
This has been the best academy or conference on filmmaking I have ever [attended]! It has covered information from the production process to exploration of how to run a 16mm camera, to extensive how-to’s from lighting set up to the all important issue of music. Thank you! —Robert. F.
An Opportunity for Personal Growth and Networking
Inspiring! If you’re interested in Christian filmmaking, then you must attend this academy. Everything you need to get started is covered in the professional, thorough sessions. From theological foundation, to exploration of an independent production company, to lighting and demonstration, you will learn and grow tremendously. An added benefit is the opportunity to network with a diverse group of creative, like-minded believers. I heartily recommend it! —Paul M.
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