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.”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 30, 2008 | Permalink

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.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 30, 2008 | Permalink

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!”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 29, 2008 | Permalink

• Save 20% for a limited time on the Aquarium and Zoo Guide Audio Collection*

• Enjoy 40% Savings for a Limited Time on the Jonathan Park 5-volume Adventure Series

• Jonathan Park Wrist Watch Communicators — Perfect Gift Items!

Vision Forum is pleased to introduce the newest product in our Jonathan Park collection — Jonathan Park Goes to the Aquarium. This exciting album is a creationist’s audio guide to 100 of the most popular creatures of the sea.

Join Jonathan Park and his father for a trip to the aquarium as they explore these and other wonders of the underwater world. Featuring one hundred, two-minute segments, this creationist audio guide to a hundred sea creatures dispels common evolutionary myths and highlights some of the most fascinating attributes that God gave each aquatic animal He designed. Filled with engaging sound effects and amazing scientific tidbits, Dr. Kendall Park and Jonathan take listeners on an aquarium excursion to remember.

Purchase Jonathan Park Animal Guide Set (2 Albums)

A Creation Celebration! — Save 20%

Picture this: You are at a local zoo or aquarium for a family outing. The animals you see are amazing, but sign after sign interprets their development and characteristics from an anti-biblical, pro-evolutionist perspective. What do you do?

Simple! You invite Jonathan Park to join you! Jonathan and his father are making a virtual excursion to the zoo and aquarium, and they want you to help them explore 100 wonders of both the animal kingdom and the undersea world. The perfect companion for family car rides, homeschooling, or visits to animal parks, each episode will build your appreciation for the brilliance of God’s design and will teach you how to dispel evolutionary myths. Every creature has a story that gives glory to God! Fun, funny, and fact-filled.

Now through Monday, November 3, 2008, purchase Jonathan Park Goes to the Aquarium and Jonathan Park Goes to the Zoo for $40 — a 20% savings! Sale price ends midnight, CST.

The Jonathan Park Radio Drama Series — Save 40%

Come visit the exciting world of Jonathan Park’s creation audio adventures! The Jonathan Park series has for years been equipping parents and children to defend creation truths against evolution’s lies, following young Jonathan Park and his paleontologist family on their exciting creation adventures around the globe. Each Jonathan Park episode is based upon real places and facts, featuring action-packed storylines that reveal specific evidences for Scripture’s creation account. Join Jonathan’s family and the Creation Response Team as they recover amazing treasures from Earth’s past, discover biblical answers to scientific issues of the day, and debate evolutionists about the true history of our world!

Now through Monday, November 3, 2008, purchase the 5-volume Jonathan Park Creation Audio Library for $75 — a 40% savings! Sale price ends midnight, CST.

Calling All Adventurers! — Do You Read Me?

“Live the adventure” yourself with the new Jonathan Park Communicator Watch! Give the “Go!” command from behind the front-yard hedge, or alert your comrades to an ambush across the park. Fully functional as both a digital watch and two-way radio and emblazoned with the Jonathan Park logo, these watches offer Jonathan Park fans, and every young adventurer, hours of enjoyment indoors and out. Two watches come to a box for immediate two-way communication! Normally a $65 value, sets of Communicator Watches are available for $55. Offer good while supplies last.

Purchase The Jonathan Park Communicator Watch (2-Pack).

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 29, 2008 | Permalink

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.

Sen. McCain Supports Abortion in the Cases of Rape, Incest, and the Life of the Pregnant Mother

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]

Sen. McCain Wants Roe vs. Wade Made “Irrelevant,” but He Opposes Active Steps to Repeal the Decision

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]

Sen. McCain Has Supported Pro-Abortion Judges in the Past and Has Stated He Will Do So as President

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]

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]

Sen. McCain Supports Federal Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

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]

Sen. McCain Supports Federal Funding for Planned Parenthood and Medicaid Abortions

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:

• Tens of millions of federal dollars for Planned Parenthood (Title X and Medicaid)
• Selected Medicaid surgical abortions (rape, incest, “life” of mother)
• Title X and Medicaid chemical birth control abortions
• Title X and Medicaid birth control for unmarried adults (singles)^[21]

Evangelical Gamesmanship on Sen. McCain’s Pro-Life Record

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.

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.

Conclusion: Sen. John McCain will Not Be a Champion for Unborn Life if Elected as President of the United States

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.

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.)

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 24, 2008 | Permalink

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)

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 24, 2008 | Permalink

Note that the reporter errs by indicating that Kookoo Molookoo would be the oldest living woman in history.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 24, 2008 | Permalink

To take your children out of government schools.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 24, 2008 | Permalink

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!

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 23, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 23, 2008 | Permalink

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

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 20, 2008 | Permalink

(To view this video clip, you must have QuickTime 7 installed.)

Here is one of the new SAICFF trailers that have recently been submitted for our trailer competition.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 20, 2008 | Permalink

One of my favorite audiobooks of all time.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 20, 2008 | Permalink

I saw a bird the other night named Roberta V D. J.
No sooner had I spotted him, he quickly flew away.
I called for him so many times—-my cries he did ignore,
Perhaps he never heard my pleas, as he had heard before.

But as he flew away from me, I heard him croon a song
It told of patience, hope and faith to carry him along. The song he sang, gave me hope, except a line or two,
That sounded like some doubt remained concerning “what” and “who.”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 18, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 17, 2008 | Permalink

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 17, 2008 | Permalink

(To view this video clip, you must have QuickTime 7 installed.)

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 17, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 16, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 16, 2008 | Permalink

“Behemoth.com: Prescreened Professional Christian Media Instantly Viewable Online!”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 16, 2008 | Permalink

Some space still available.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 16, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 16, 2008 | Permalink

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.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 15, 2008 | Permalink

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

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 15, 2008 | Permalink

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

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 15, 2008 | Permalink

“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. When the Bible paints the picture of the happiest men on Earth with the most far-reaching impact on history, it does so in the context of family life, meal time, and the blessing of children (Psalm 127, 128). That is why, when it comes to newsworthy events of eternal significance, nothing emerging from Hollywood, nor Washington, D.C., can hold a candle to the dining room table of a Christian household. 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. Chapters of Little Boy Down the Road The Little Boy Down the Road: Embracing a Father’s First Priority The Woman Who Chose Life: How Courageous Childbirth Changes the World The Art of Home School Opera: The Blessing of Family Eccentricities The Animal Fair: What We Learn from a Child’s Relationships with Animals The Man’s Library: How Wise Fathers Use Books to Disciple Future Generations The League of Grateful Sons: How Generational Honor Preserves Nations The Coming of Mahershalalhashbaz: Towards Epistemologically Self-Conscious Baby Names The War on Fatherhood: Why We Must Choose Between Patriarchy and Patricide The Rise and Fall and Rise of Motherhood in America: Have We Forgotten that Only Women Can Be Mothers? The Sins of Nellie Oleson: Lessons in Rebellion from “Little House on the Prairie” Our Fathers’ Rock: Why We Must Not Remove the Ancient Landmarks Watching Our Sweethearts Grow Up: The Beauty and Pain of Having Daughters Order The Little Boy Down the Road: Short Stories and Essays on the Beauty of Family Life

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 14, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 13, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 13, 2008 | Permalink

• Join America’s premiere training academy for Christian filmmakers and culture changers.
• Learn from a distinguished faculty and top independent filmmakers.
• Receive specialized training in the writing, directing, producing, financing, and marketing of independent Christian films.
• Participate in hands-on training sessions for stunts and action shoots: feature film camera work, cinematography and lighting, and much more.
• Get important tips on how to win the $101,000 grand prize Jubilee Award.
• Network with like-minded Christian writers, directors, producers, actors, and film entrepreneurs.

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 the
2009 Filmmakers Academy

• How to Understand, Script, Execute, and Depict Violence and Stunts
• How to Win the $101,000 Best of Festival Award
• Symposium on Science Fiction
• Cinematography 101, 201
• Exclusive Behind the Scenes with Fireproof with Stephen Kendrick
• Behind the Scenes with Expelled: The Concept, the Casting, the Marketing, and Legal Battles
• Symposium on Financing, Distribution, and Marketing the Independent Christian Film
• How to Light Like Hollywood’s Best DPs (and grade the footage digitally)
• Symposium on the Theology of Filmmaking
• Sound Design and Cinematic Storytelling
• Feature Film Camera Work
• How to Shoot with the RED Camera
• The Future of Digital Video Cameras
• In the Field With Independent Christian Filmmakers
• Special Bonus Session: Photography for Filmmakers — The Principles of Photographic Composition

Read the full descriptions of the 2009 Academy workshops.

Special Reasons to Attend This Year’s Filmmakers Academy

1. Unparalleled Networking Opportunity: The Christian Filmmakers Academy provides an opportunity to network with filmmakers, producers, writers, and directors. Past graduates have gone on to coordinate and fund filmmaking efforts as a result of contacts they made at the academy.
2. A Wise Investment: You can spend thousands of dollars and years of your life looking for film-training which you hope will not be drenched in the values and ethics of Hollywood — or you can spend three days learning a presuppositionally biblical approach to the art and craft of independent Christian filmmaking.
3. Learn to Analyze a Hollywood Movie and Become a Successful Script Writer: Analyzing today’s more popular films is one key way to help filmmakers analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their own scripts. Learn how to acquire the eye of an artist, a theologian, and a businessman as you study the craft of filmmaking.
4. Study Critical Lighting Techniques: Many aspiring and experienced filmmakers struggle to take their film production from good to great due to wrong use of lighting techniques, equipment, and poor angles in filming. Learn how to avoid these common mistakes with hands-on training.
5. Unique Opportunity to Train on 35mm Film Equipment: Thanks to CFA sponsor Panavision and our faculty of film and lighting experts, filmmakers will be able to interact with some of the industry’s best film and lighting equipment and will learn about the latest developments in filmmaking technology and industry advancements.
6. Learn from Independent Christian Filmmakers in the News: One of the best ways to learn practical skills and innovative strategies for film marketing success is to learn from top independent filmmakers who are in the news today.

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.

Sign up now to reserve your spot at the 2009 Christian Filmmakers Academy.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 13, 2008 | Permalink

Dear Mr. Phillips, I have often heard you mention Charlie Zahm in your blog and have been craving a CD for a long time. When I saw that one was available for download through Behemoth.com, I rushed to buy it. Ballads of Bravery and Manhood is an beautiful album and even better than I had imagined. Charlie Zahm has such an amazing talent and it’s so great to hear music like this still being sung and recorded. Thank you for Behemoth.com and making this music readily available for download and discovery. I have found a new favorite album! “I Will Go” is currently my favorite track and being sung along to quite loudly. Thank you again, -Meg

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 11, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 10, 2008 | Permalink

Click through on the image to see the video.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 10, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 9, 2008 | Permalink

Last night at the Phillips home, more than thirty students and friends gathered to watch a computer broadcast of the presidential debates. Like the rest of America, we tuned in to hear Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama battle Republican nominee John McCain on issues which centered primarily around the economy. The fundamental though unspoken theological premise of the debate centered around the state as Messiah. Both candidates presupposed the duty of the state to meet the health care needs of America and to regulate the economy, and both candidates appealed to the politics of class warfare to justify governmental intervention in the economy.

Of course, there were shades of differences. Barack Obama’s arguments probably constitute the most overtly Marxist line of reasoning in the history of televised presidential debates. His agenda was downright scary, but McCain’s was only less so, and by degrees.

The statist presuppositions of the candidates became especially clear when it came to issues of regulation, including health care. When asked the question as to whether health care was a “privilege, right, or responsibility,” Obama declared it to be “a right.” McCain gave the technically correct answer “responsibility,” but then went on to describe responsibility as a public responsibility, which is almost the same as saying it is a “right.” Both men failed to see that it is government regulation and controls which are sinking health care and the insurance industry. Both men failed to see that it was not the vision of the Founders, and should not be the vision of freedom-loving leaders, to turn America into a nanny state. Both men are looking to wealth redistribution and regulation as an answer—Obama to a militant Marxism, and McCain’s to a kinder, gentler Marxism.

And this brings me back to “the real world”—the world where the Bible still matters, and the eternal wisdom of the Lord has not, nor will ever be, suspended. In this world, many who call upon the name of Jesus Christ are wondering: What are freedom-loving Christian to do about the health care crisis in an age of statism and Marxist guilt manipulation?

John McCain was right: The answer to the health care problem is responsibility, but not the type managed by the state. What we need is a return to biblical priorities, all of which point to individual responsibility, the responsibility of the family and extended family, of godly private institutions, and the broader responsibility of the Church as an institution which exists outside and apart from civil government.

One ministry in America has clearly identified the problem and provided a practical and biblical solution to the rising cost of health care—Samaritan Ministries. The philosophy of this ministry is deeply rooted in the mandate for Christians to take personal responsibility and look for private solutions to the medical needs of the Christian community. This means training Christians to think like responsible men and women of God, not junkies of wealth redistribution, government handout, and intense regulation. It means demonstrating genuine care and love for the brethren. And it means fiscally intelligent, wise methods of meeting practical needs.

One of the best things about Samaritan Ministries is that their approach to meeting health care needs really works! Beall and I have been the beneficiary of their excellent services for several years, and we thank God for what the amazing staff at Samaritan Ministries has accomplished.

Bottom line: When it comes to family health care needs, cast your vote for Samaritan Ministries. If more Americans turned to this approach to health care needs, it might render obsolete the very frightening vision for “health care reform” touted by candidates like Barack Obama.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 8, 2008 | Permalink

(To view this video clip, you must have QuickTime 7 installed.)

On May 24, 1844, “What hath God wrought?” would be the first telegraph message sent by “Morse Code” when the telegraph service was inaugurated. Our men enjoyed making this new video about our new Morse Code Kit, which allows young people to reinvent their own Morse code telegraph. Click here to purchase.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 8, 2008 | Permalink

Question: What do you call two muggers arguing over who can rob their victim with the greatest amount of civility and good intentions?

Answer: A presidential debate.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 8, 2008 | Permalink

The following is an editorial introduction I have written to Bill Einwechter’s timely and thought-provoking new article: “But What About Deborah: Why the Example of Deborah Does Not Support the Candidacy of Sarah Palin.”

(Not addressed in this blog, but addressed elsewhere are Sarah Palin’s unbiblical support for radical feminism; her troubling comments in support of evolution and why it should be taught as science in government schools; her support of contraceptive education for young men and women at taxpayer expense; her gender-bending example which is in opposition to the biblical model of complementarianism, her support of feminism and the political agenda of feminism, and the endorsement she is receiving from some feminist leaders; her veto of pro-family legislation which would have prevented homosexuals from getting special rights; her comment on national television officially endorsing civil rights for homosexuals, etc.)

When it comes to the issue of how Christians should vote for a presidential ticket, there is only one question: By what ethical standard shall we select our civil magistrates? The answer to this question defines the entire debate.

And there are only two answers to this question: The first answer is that the Bible alone establishes the complete and authoritative ethical standards for selecting civil magistrates. This is the correct answer for all who claim the name of Jesus Christ as sovereign. It is the only answer that honors the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture and the Lordship of Christ over man, his Church, and the nations.

But there is a second answer offered by modern Evangelicals. This response can take many forms—appeals to emotion, experience, pragmatism, utilitarianism, or autonomous human reason. It may be communicated invoking partisan unity, common sense, or so-called practical realities. It can even manifest as name-calling, ad hominem, guilt manipulation, lesser-of-two-evils scenarios, or even fear-mongering. Some go so far as to admit that they do not believe that the Bible defines the standard. Others claim the Scripture is silent, inapplicable, or a combination of the two. But, at root, all of these arguments boil down to the simple proposition that American Christian voters must look to some man-divined standard other than the Bible when selecting their president.

Of course, most Christians who take answer number two do not want to admit that they have jettisoned the Scripture in favor of their own opinions. When challenged with the express commands of Holy Scripture, the biblical warnings against setting aside God’s directives for civil magistrates, and the danger of establishing any standard other than the Bible, they attempt to argue using a curious and ever-so wobbly combination of answer one and answer two. They are, in fact, double-minded about the standard of authority and are thus unstable in all their logic.

2008 was the year of the double-minded Christian. Early in the year, two things were clear: First, Christians were deeply fearful of a Barack Obama presidency. Second, many conservative Christian leaders viewed John McCain—with his left-wing, anti-family, track record—as an unacceptable candidate. Once McCain was nominated, the problem became bigger. How do Christians justify voting for this liberal Republican who supports pro-abortion judges and advocates funding procedures that snuff out the lives of little children?

To ease the conscience of Christians and conservatives, the McCain team (with the advice of key Republican Christians like Dr. Richard Land) turned to Sarah Palin, a female governor who they would attempt to package as a conservative Evangelical to the Right and a feminist innovator to the Left in order to sanctify the candidacy of McCain for conservatives and build bridges with liberal female voters.

But now there was a problem for partisan leadership within the conservative Christian Church in America. How do Christians support for the second highest elective office in America, a self-avowed feminist, mother of young children who goes back to work three days after giving birth to a Down syndrome baby, who has a child with a teenage pregnancy, who clearly leads the direction of her family, while her husband (whom she formally acknowledges plays a “Mr. Mom” role) follows her and helps to advance her leadership? How do partisan, politically-active Christian leaders do this, given the fact that this is the very type of feminist lifestyle and vision they have in the past opposed as unbiblical and unwise?

Answer: Appeal to fear; downplay the facts; and whenever biblical concerns are raised, simply mention Deborah.

It seems that all roads lead to Deborah.

Once the name of Deborah is cited, the discussion is supposed to stop. Here is how it works:

He says: “The Bible teaches that men are to lead in the church, the home, and the civil realm. This is a principle of the creation order and is found in the formal biblical requirements for civil office holders.”

But she responds: “Yes, but what about Deborah?”

Another says: “The man is not made for the woman, but the woman is made for the man,” and then adds, “A wife’s mission is to be the helpmeet to her husband, and not the other way around.”

But the response remains: “Yes, but what about Deborah?”

She argues: “A married mother of children is to be a keeper at home and to personally care for her children” so ‘that word of God be not blasphemed.’”

He simply retorts: “Yes, but what about Deborah?”

She says: “Shouldn’t we be concerned about supporting a self-identified feminist who aspires to lead the nation, but who gave birth to a child and then went back to work three days later, who agrees with calling her own husband ‘Mr. Mom,’ and who should be focusing on ministering to her young daughter as she works through an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, rather than going on the campaign trail, husband in tow, as she calls for some of the more radical feminist reforms advanced by a vice presidential candidate in history and publicly praises Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton for their work advancing the cause of feminism?”

He simply responds: “Yes, but what about Deborah?”

Here is the point: Of the sixty-six books of Holy Scripture, there is no precept, no clearly-defined principle that points to the legitimacy of nullifying the creation order doctrine of complementary, but distinct roles for men and women—a principle which is clearly manifest within the formal directives of Scripture that civil leaders be males. And there certainly is no principle that teaches that a financially secure, in-tact family should model a complete role reversal between a husband and wife as the most widely recognized example of family life for an entire nation.

But, with one simple comment—one generic reference to a female prophet—modern Evangelicals hope to minimize the overwhelming evidence of Scripture that male leadership is a creation order principle applicable to family, church and state, and to defeat the historical, orthodox view on the role relationships between mothers, children, men, and civil leadership.

Why? Because sanitizing the horrific record of John McCain and easing the conscience of Christian voters has become the priority.

The willingness by Evangelical leaders to gloss over the biblical directives for civil magistrates and to set aside long-held, hard-fought principles of motherhood and family life in order to advance the political cause of a self-professed feminist, who is leading a feminist lifestyle and who advocates feminist policies, so that Republicans can win an election, marks a fundamental compromise and an abdication of responsibility. It is a case of partisan politics over Gospel duties.

Download Bill Einwechter’s Important Treatise: “But What About Deborah?”

All roads lead to Deborah because there simply is not a precept, pattern, or precedent from Scripture that justifies the feminist model of life and leadership presented by Governor Palin. In the wake of overwhelming biblical evidence to the contrary, some “exception clause” must be found to suspend the normal biblical jurisdiction of a wife, a mother, and a helpmeet, and to justify an egalitarian vision of civil leadership. Christian partisans believe they have found such an exception clause in the story of Deborah.

So, what about Deborah?

Is she an exception to the rule? Is she even an example of a civil magistrate? We know, for example, that Deborah was not one of the elected ruling elders of Israel, but was she even a “judge” and “avenger” in the same way as Barak, Samson, and the other “judges” from the Book of Judges? Is there any sound principle of scriptural interpretation that allows us to analogize her role in Israel as a prophetess to legitimize a Sarah Palin vice presidency or presidency of the United States?

In this important treatise, “But What about Deborah?”, pastor Bill Einwechter answers each of these important questions with a resounding “no.”

In the past, Bill Einwechter has soundly addressed related issues through articles like “Sarah Palin and the Complementarian Compromise” and “Biblical Standards for Choosing Civil Magistrates.” He joins a growing number of Evangelicals who are raising concerns about the politicization of the Gospel doctrine of family life, motherhood, and civil leadership.

But now Bill Einwechter answers the question: “But What About Deborah?” Regardless of your political inclinations, you will want to read this important and historic treatise on the doctrine of Deborah and civil magistrates. This may be the most thoroughly-researched and best-reasoned article on the subject in our lifetime.

Readers will learn: (a) about the historical context of the book of Judges; (b) the function of these judges as avengers, military leaders, and deliverers, not as judges as we think of them in a modern context; (c) Deborah’s role as a prophetess who judged, but not as a civil authority, or as one of the elected elders or “judges” who defended Israel; (d) why the example of Deborah must be harmonized with the didactic portions of the Scripture; (e) why, if Deborah’s example is used to justify female civil rulers, it can be used to justify female church rulers; and much more.

Why is it critical that fathers and mothers, pastors, and students read this article and come to grips with the structure and nuances of the debate concerning the prophetess Deborah and the present elections? It is critical because conservative Christian leaders have been willing to mortgage their entire future as defenders of the family in America for a political election. And to justify this abdication of responsibility as the representatives of Gospel truth in the nation, they have resorted to theology by maxim: “Yes, but what about Deborah?”

Long after the presidential elections of 2008 have passed, Christians will be fighting the battle for the family. But the pro-family Christians of 2008 who set aside their defense of the biblical doctrine of the family and the creation order principle to satisfy partisan political ambitions have lost something fundamental. They have lost the scriptural foundation of their cause. They have sold their birthright for a mess of politically idolatrous pottage. To win an election, they have not only embraced the ideals of feminism, but they have canonized the role models of feminism as saintly examples for the daughters of Zion to emulate.

“As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths” (Isaiah 3:12).

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 8, 2008 | Permalink

Tune into KSLR AM630 or Log onto KSLR.com tonight between 5:00pm and 6:00pm CST to hear Adam McManus interview Voddie Baucham about why Sarah Palin’s candidacy should present significant concerns for Christians. You can also call into the show to ask questions at 210-340-9585 or 877-630-5757.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 7, 2008 | Permalink

On this special day, I want to share a story I wrote last year for my bride’s 40th birthday celebration.

Forty years ago, a very courageous woman chose not to abort her baby.

Unlike many unwed mothers, this woman had been previously married. She had born sons and daughters. She had helped to raise a family. But now in her forties she found herself divorced and with child—the fruit of a brief immoral relationship.

If she was like other unwed mothers facing the challenges and stigma of an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy, she probably suffered from fear and disappointment. And I can only imagine the pressure she felt to try to erase the embarrassment, to end the physical discomfort, and to avert the potential shame and rejection she would experience as she faced her own legitimate children and extended family with the news that their mother had conceived a child with a married man.

In those days, abortion had yet to be legalized in America—that would come five years later. But even in 1967, it was readily available. It was the quick fix of choice for any and all who wanted to run from life.

Perhaps it was because she had already experienced the power of motherhood. Perhaps it was because she understood that abortion is the merciless shedding of innocent blood. But whatever the conscious reason for her decision, I know that behind the stated reason for her decision is the remarkable grace of God.

And by God’s grace, this courageous woman did not give in to her fears. On what may have been the most important decision of her life, she chose wisely. She determined that she could not kill her unborn child. She chose life.

Then, on October 6, 1967, a little baby came into the world.

Shortly after her birth, the little baby would be given to a woman whose name is now lost to history, but who would rock and nurse the little baby for six weeks until she was placed in the loving arms of a caring, adoptive family.

As a child, the little baby whose mother chose life would hear the stories of how Baby Brown Eyes was given to Daddy Blue Eyes and Mommy Green Eyes by a loving God who sets the solitary in families.

She heard these stories and many others. And the little baby whose life was spared grew. She grew into a woman, and one-day God gave her a baby of her own—and then eight others, including one whose soul was taken to live in eternity.

That little baby would grow up to minister to unwed mothers. She would encourage untold numbers of adopted children to be grateful, content, and rejoicing in their circumstances because of the beautiful picture of spiritual adoption represented by their special, God-ordained placement in the homes of families that longed for them.

In fact, the little baby whose mother chose life would become a thriving woman—a beautiful Christian lady with a heart full of gratitude. And this dear lady would fill her years to the brim with such overflowing life and love, that this one soul would profoundly touch the lives of men, women, and children, influencing thousands with the message of the beauty of Christian womanhood, the blessing of the fruit of the womb, and the hope which is only found in God, the One true giver of life.

And that lady is my wife.

I was only two years old when a courageous woman chose not to abort the baby who would become Elizabeth Beall Phillips. And now for the fortieth birthday of my beloved esposita I want to give praise to the Lord Jesus Christ for His mercies in crafting and giving to me a remarkable woman who knows from the depth of her soul that life is God’s precious gift, and that, but for His amazing grace, she would have been one of the forty million American babies who never survived the bloody dagger of the abortionist.

And I want to thank God for the grace that He placed in the heart of a scared, but courageous woman who chose life.

Because she chose life, other babies have been born—some of whom would have been yet another horrifying abortion statistic had not their unwed mothers heard a message of hope from a Christian lady who was once a baby to an unwed mother herself.

Because this woman chose life forty years ago, I have enjoyed fifteen years of the happiest marriage for which a man could hope.

Because she chose life, I am surrounded each morning by eighteen loving arms—and I daily enjoy the kisses of nine precious sets of lips.

Because she chose life, hundreds (perhaps thousands) of daughters, wives, and mothers have been touched, encouraged, and given hope by the ministry of the very baby she gave life and then gave up. Because she chose life, there are souls who have been led to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and now enjoy the promise of eternal life.

Because she chose life, I have learned what it means to be deeply and desperately loved by a woman. I have experienced the joy of being a man whose wife delights in being a helpmeet suitable for me. I have drunk deeply from the font of happiness that comes to those who are blessed with life-mates who radiate contentedness.

But for a woman who chose life, none of these pictures could have ever been taken.

Just before her death, the birth mother of Elizabeth Beall Phillips corresponded with the daughter she had never known. From the little baby she had only held in her arms for moments, this woman heard about the love of Christ. She discovered that the once little baby had prayed for her year after year. And she found out that the baby she had birthed became a contented adoptive daughter who never doubted the goodness of God in placing her in a new home and who enjoyed the happiness which comes from being loved.

I never met the woman who gave birth to my beloved. And I never will.

But because she chose life, I am a happy man.

On behalf of grateful children and husbands everywhere who daily enjoy the blessings which came from the fruit of sorrowing mothers who chose life and the adoptive parents who gave homes to lost babies, I give praise to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I thank you, Clarice, for choosing life.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 6, 2008 | Permalink

Well, I have received scores of recommendations for the blog title of last week’s image of Virginia. After some consideration, we have selected a winner.

Some thought that because she was winking, that Virginia had aspirations for running for Vice President. If that is true, she has said nothing to Beall or me about such aspirations. A number of recommendations included comments about haggis, like this one: “Och, not this, mon! Bring this lass some HAGGIS!!” One person offered the very clever comment: “Virginia Ham.” There were a few pirate themed comments like “ahoy there matey pass me lassie a jug of yer finest grog to wash down this feast,” and “Portrait of Pirate Princess,” and even a few of culinary comments like “Delicate texture. Surprising Flavor.”

We laughed when we read the recommended title, “This Monstrous Regiment of Humanists Will Be Torn Asunder Like My Pizza! - Now Where’s My Cupbearer?!!!” One person offered: “Oooohhhh yah! pasta and my favorite blankie....life is good!” Another theme of the blog titles were movie and cartoon characters including “Go ahead, make my day!” and “Ooooh, you wascawy wabbit! I don’t wike pictuhs while I’m twin’ to eat!,” and “The Good, The Bad and the Hungry.”

My personal favorite came from this last category because the author of the comment nailed what I was thinking when I took the shot. And the winner is....

“I’m strong to the finish, ‘cause I eats me... [pizza].”

Congratulations to our winner who will be receiving a complete set of our new CD series—How the Scots Saved Christendom: Tales of Bravehearts and Covenanters. Thanks also to another blog friend who sent in this great image which pretty much says it all.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 6, 2008 | Permalink

(To view this video clip, you must have QuickTime 7 installed.)

We have never included a remote control device in the Vision Forum Catalog, but we had so much fun playing with this award-winning contraption as it went from land to water and back to land again (and shooting airsoft pellets along the way) that we decided to share it with our friends. Here is a little video a couple of the boys here put together. Click here to purchase.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 6, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 6, 2008 | Permalink

SAN ANTONIO, Texas— Fireproof co-producer Stephen Kendrick has agreed to rejoin the Christian Filmmakers Academy (CFA) for their fourth annual filmmakers bootcamp which will be held in San Antonio, Texas, on January 5-7, 2009. Kendrick — who last year gave Academy students a behind-the-scenes sneak-preview of Fireproof, the Kendrick’s feature film which hits 850 theaters nationwide today — will share with students at the 2009 Academy in-depth production insights as well as other lessons learned in making a successful independent Christian film.

“We are pleased to have Stephen Kendrick join us once again for our Christian Filmmakers Academy,” stated Doug Phillips, founder of San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival and the Christian Filmmakers Academy. “Students will benefit from his experience, innovation and godly worldview.”

“The success that the Kendrick brothers have achieved through their films Facing and Giants and Fireproof offers clear testimony to the impact that outside-the-box Christian filmmakers can have on our culture,” Phillips remarked. “Their example offers many lessons that we believe other up-and-coming Christian filmmakers who will be joining us next January can learn from.”

The Christian Filmmakers Academy is a technical boot camp for aspiring culture changers designed to give filmographers the nuts-and-bolts skills they need to be successful in this critical arena of the arts. The Academy is an offshoot of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF), which will be awarding $101,000 to their “Best of Festival” winner next January — the largest single cash prize given by any independent film festival worldwide. The SAICFF — which Kendrick has referred to as “America’s premier Christian film festival” — will be held January 8-10 in the Alamo City.

“We are experiencing tremendous momentum in the independent Christian film movement this year,” Phillips observed. “The Kendrick brothers are making big waves with their efforts, and the SAICFF’s move to lead all independent festivals around the globe with the biggest single cash prize award has created quite a groundswell...”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 6, 2008 | Permalink

Shelley Mandell, president of the Los Angeles, California chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), appeared with Governor Sarah Palin this weekend to endorse her for Vice President of the United States. A lifetime Democrat and abortion rights activist, Mandell said of Sarah Palin: “This is what a feminist looks like!” Palin responded to the invitation by thanking the NOW president and cautiously quoting Madeline Albright’s comment: “There’s a place in Hell reserved for women who don’t support other women.”

“Now, make no mistake: I’m a lifelong Democrat. I don’t agree — gotta tell ya — I don’t agree with Gov. Palin on several issues. Hey, she’s gonna work on persuading John McCain on ANWAR; I’m gonna to try persuading her of things of my own. But, but, I know Sarah Palin cares about women’s rights; she cares about equality; she cares about equal pay; and, as Vice President, she will fight for it. She cares about our children, and she cares about women’s lives. She’s an athlete, and she knows what Title IX did for girls like her [Gov. Palin says in background: ‘Absolutely. Thank you.’] Change much come to Washington, and Sarah Palin has what it takes to lead that charge. I believe she is courageous. I believe she has integrity. And I know that Sarah Palin is a reformer who will break up the old boy network, buck the system, and get Washington back on our side. And it is an honor to call her sister. [Gov. Palin says in background: ‘Thank you.’] America — this is what a feminist looks like — Gov. Sarah Palin.”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 6, 2008 | Permalink

This blog is simply offered for the drool factor: Have you ever thought about owning your own Scottish island? Well according to this website for only $6 million you can make that dream a reality:

The west coast of Scotland can be wild: wild weather, few roads, plenty of wildlife - and much of that is woolly. It wouldn’t suit everyone. But it has a charm that outshines the disadvantages; a charm that will have you longing “always to be there”. It is a place of islands, of hidden corners, and friendly folk. You can imagine pirates, smugglers and Vikings around every headland. And now three islands off that coast could be all yours for the small outlay of £3.25 million (approximately $6m, with the exchange rate heading in the dollar’s favour right now). Sanda Island, Sheep Island and Glunimore lie 13 miles south east of the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland, and 20 miles from Ballycastle in Northern Ireland. The owner also has the title of Laird of Sanda.

The property includes 358 acres of land, plus the Barony Title (seashore between the high- and low-water marks), a five-bedroom farmhouse, a boathouse, and six cottages which have been restored to 3-star holiday-let standard, three by the lighthouse and the others by the pier. The farmhouse currently provides B&B accommodation.

The ruins of medieval St. Ninian’s Chapel reflect early ownership of the islands by the monks of Whithorn in Galloway. There are ancient stones in the graveyard.. The monks left Sanda in 1493. From then until 1929 the islands were held by the MacDonalds of Sanda; one of their tenant farmers had the schoolhouse built for his children and their schoolmaster (or “dominie”). The lighthouse dates from 1850 and was built by Alan Stevenson, one of the “Lighthouse Stevensons”. The author Robert Louis Stevenson was a member of the same family, though his talents lay in other directions. The nearby Patterson’s Rock wrecked several boats, creating a demand for a light on this island where ships turn into the Clyde after passing through the north Channel between Scotland and Ireland. The lighthouse, the only one of its kind in Scotland, climbs the cliff in three steps on Ship Island, an outcrop of Sanda; the light is now automatic.

Other attractions on Sanda include a campsite overlooking the cliffs, and a bird observatory. Sanda also produces its own postage stamps - a true rarity, of great interest to collectors...Britain’s Princess Anne once moored here to buy eggs: the island’s chickens wander on the shore, and their eggs are uniquely tasty. Livestock include sheep and hogs, seals and puffins - but no other people.

This part of Scotland benefits from the warming Gulf Stream, but there’s not much between you and North America to stop the wind. That makes it a wonderful area for sailing, with sea lochs and 350 miles of Scotland’s western isles to explore. Iona, island of St. Columba; Staffa, with its famous basalt columns and Fingal’s Cave, which draws thousands of tourists annually...”

Click here for more details.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 6, 2008 | Permalink

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 2, 2008 | Permalink

(To view this video clip, you must have QuickTime 7 installed.)

In this final part taken from my interview with Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis, we discuss the importance of setting worthy goals and achieving them. Josh also explains the diet of an Olympic swimmer. We evaluate together how Olympic competitors establish role models for the culture, and Josh tells about his new book “The Goal and the Glory.”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 2, 2008 | Permalink

My good friend Paul Butler recently interviewed my son Joshua about his love for G.A. Henty and R.M. Ballantyne. You can hear the interview by following this link.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 2, 2008 | Permalink

The St. Petersburg Times is reporting on the fact that the amount of infertile women in Russia is growing by the hundreds of thousands:

The number of infertile women in Russia is growing by 200,000 to 250,000 each year, with the main cause being complications from abortions, Marina Tarasova, deputy head of the St. Petersburg Reseach Institute For Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said on Monday.

Speaking at an international conference highlighting new methods of oral contraception, Tarasova warned that by the end of 2007 there were already more than 5.5 million infertile couples in Russia.

The low birth rate remains one of the key reasons behind Russia’s ongoing demographic crisis. According to official statistics, every fourth teenage girl in Russia has some form of gynecological ailment or reproductive health disorder.

Each year in Russia, more than 64 percent of all pregnancies end in abortion, while in Western European countries the level is below 25 percent. By comparison, there are 10 to 15 abortions per 100 pregnancies in the U.K. and 5 or 6 per 100 in the Netherlands.

One in ten women who undergo an abortion in Russia is below 18 years of age, doctors say. Gynecological disease rates for teenage girls in 15-17 age group, have jumped by an alarming 30 percent in the last five years.

Olga Kurbatova, a researcher at the Institute of General Genetics, said that two major reasons contribute to the high abortion rate: Russians’ traditional risk-taking attitude to their own health and the unavailability of effective birth-control pills to most Russian women due to their relatively high price. Birth control remains traditionally a task for women in Russia, she added.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 2, 2008 | Permalink

Couric: Do you believe that evolution should be taught as an accepted scientific principle, or one of several theories?

Palin: “Oh, I think it should be taught as an accepted principle and I say that also as the daughter of a school science teacher... evolution should be taught in our schools. I won’t deny that I see the hand of God in this beautiful creation that is earth, but that is not part of a policy... science should be taught in a science class.”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 2, 2008 | Permalink

What was G.A. Henty’s view on Christian boyhood? Read about it here.

“You are all soldiers of Christ,” he said, “and now is an opportunity given to you to show that you are worthy soldiers. When the troops of a worldly monarch go into battle they do so with head erect, with proud and resolute bearing, with flashing eye, and with high courage, determined to bear aloft his banner and to crown it with victory, even though it cost them their lives. Such is the mien that soldiers of Christ should bear in the mortal strife now raging round us. Let them show the same fearlessness of death, the same high courage, the same unlimited confidence in their Leader. What matter if they die in His service? He has told them what their work should be. He has bidden them visit the sick and comfort the sorrowing. What if there be danger in the work? Did He shrink from the Cross which was to end His work of love, and is it for His followers to do so? ‘Though you go down into the pit,’ He has said, ‘I am there also’; and with His companionship one must be craven indeed to tremble. This is a noble opportunity for holding high the banner of Christ. There is work to be done for all, and as the work is done, men should see by the calm courage, the cheerfulness, and the patience of those that do it, that they know that they are doing His work, and that they are content to leave the issue, whatever it be, in His hands.” -Mr. Wallace, from G.A. Henty’s When London Burned.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 1, 2008 | Permalink

Touted as a pro-family conservative, Sarah Palin’s record and testimony reveals that her policies are contrary to the Christian vision of the family. She is in favor of tax-payer subsidized contraceptive sex education for high school children. She is in favor of radical feminist and statist measures to apply Title IX feminist quota systems on the private sector. She mocks those who defend the Christian family model where women prioritize their roles as help meets and homemakers as “Neanderthals.” She identifies herself as a feminist and praises pro-abortion feminist politicians for advancing the feminist agenda. As Governor, she vetoed pro-family legislation that would have prohibited homosexuals from getting special benefits, and she thus guaranteed special rights for homosexuals. In her interview with Katie Couric this week, Palin revealed that she is not a member of a church, she again called herself a feminist, and explained that she believes it is wrong to question homosexual behavior performed by adults.

Here are a few excerpts:

“I’m a Feminist”

Then it’s off to the McCain campaign plane, where CBS News was invited up front to ask a handful of questions. Couric asked Palin whether she considers herself a feminist.

“I do,” Palin said. “I’m a feminist who, uh, believes in equal rights and I believe that women certainly today have every opportunity that a man has to succeed, and to try to do it all, anyway. And I’m very, very thankful that I’ve been brought up in a family where gender hasn’t been an issue. ..”

On Homosexuality as a ‘Choice’ Not to be Judged:

The governor told us though she’s not a member of any church, she visits a couple of them regularly when she’s home. She took issue with news reports that one of them, The Wasilla Bible Church, sponsored a conference where gays could be made straight through prayer.

Palin: Well, it matters though, Katie, when the media gets it wrong. It frustrates Americans who are just trying to get the facts and ... be able to make up their mind on, about a person’s values. So it does matter. But what you’re talking about, I think, value here, what my position is on homosexuality and you can pray it away, because I think that was the title that was listed on that bulletin. And you know, I don’t know what prayers are worthy of being prayed. I don’t know what’s prayers are going to be asked and answered. But as for homosexuality, I am not going to judge Americans and the decisions that they make in their adult personal relationships. I have one of my absolute best friends for the last 30 years happens to be gay, and I love her dearly. And she is not my “gay friend,” she is one of my best friends, who happens to have made a choice that isn’t a choice that I have made. But I am not going to judge people.

Click here to read the rest of the interview

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 1, 2008 | Permalink

The Los Angeles Times interviewed myself, Dr. Voddie Baucham, Dr. Richard Land, and others concerning the division within the Evangelical community on the propriety of a mother of young children potentially serving as Chief Executive of the United States and Commander In Chief. Here is an excerpt.

The Alaska governor has lifted John McCain’s support among conservative Christians, but some believe her work outside the home has turned ‘husbands lead, wives submit’ on its head.

In a white-steepled church along a stretch in picturesque canyon country, the preacher laid out the basic blueprint of a godly marriage: Husbands lead, wives submit.

Speaking recently before hundreds of worshipers at Placerita Baptist Church in Newhall, guest preacher Chris Mueller affirmed the view that loving male headship and gracious wifely submission are God’s plan for spouses.

Placerita, like many conservative Christian churches, teaches that a wife’s role is to be her husband’s helpmate (Genesis), “workers at home” (Titus) and submissive to her husband in everything (Ephesians).

So how do these congregants square such teachings with their support for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the conservative evangelical Christian who is aiming to become vice president while her teenage daughter is pregnant, her infant son has Down syndrome and her husband took a leave from work to serve as “Mr. Mom,” as People magazine put it?

“It’s probably presumptuous of us to figure out how she is going to balance all of this,” said Pat Ennis, a Placerita congregant who heads the home economics department at The Master’s College, a Christian institution in Santa Clarita. “The most important thing is that she can do it in God’s strength.”

Ennis reflects nationwide polling showing widespread support for Palin, Republican Sen. John McCain’s running mate, among evangelical Christians. Earlier this year, some evangelicals criticized McCain for not speaking as openly about his faith as some candidates.

But according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, his standing among white evangelical Protestant registered voters has risen from 61% in June to 71% in a poll conducted Sept. 9-14. Evangelical Christians form the bulwark of the Republican voting base.

And many, like Ennis, see no conflict between Palin’s candidacy and biblical teachings on women’s roles.

Many say that biblical restrictions on women’s leadership apply to church and home, not the secular world — clearing the way for a woman to run the nation but not a congregation. And so long as Palin’s husband, Todd, approves, they say, her career conforms with teachings on wifely duties.

But to others, this view contradicts biblical teaching.

“The Palin selection is the single most dangerous event in the conscience of the Christian community in the last 10 years at least,” said Doug Phillips, president of Vision Forum, a Texas-based ministry. “The unabashed, unquestioning support of Sarah Palin and all she represents marks a fundamental departure from our historic position of family priorities — of moms being at home with young children, of moms being helpers to their husbands, the priority of being keepers of the home.”

Voddie Baucham, a Texas pastor who has criticized the Palin selection as anti-family in a series of blogs, said that the overwhelming evangelical support demonstrates a willingness to sacrifice biblical principles for politics.

“Evangelicalism has lost its biblical perspective and its prophetic voice,” Baucham wrote. “Men who should be standing guard as the conscience of the country are instead falling in line with the feminist agenda and calling a family tragedy . . . a shining example of family values.”

In an interview, Baucham said the hundreds of responses he’s received are running 20 to 1 in his favor. But he said he has also been castigated for “breaking ranks” by some, who argue the election is too important to raise divisive issues.

He and other like-minded pastors disagree. “It’s more important for us to truthfully represent the priorities of Scripture than it is for us to win an election,” Phillips said.

Palin may have taken center stage at the moment, but the evangelical Christian world has been buffeted for years by growing tensions between those who support egalitarian roles for men and women and those who promote “complementarianism.” That’s the view that God values men and women equally but granted them distinctly different roles.

Some of the debate centers on the question of whether the Bible allows women to serve as civil leaders. Vision Forum leaders argue that it does not. They cite passages in Genesis, Isaiah, Ephesians and elsewhere that they say establishes male headship over women and are critical of female leadership.

Others counter that restrictions on female leadership apply only to church and home. They include Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kentucky and Randy Stinson, whose Kentucky-based Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood was established to combat growing feminism in evangelical churches.

Most of the debate on Palin, however, centers on whether a mother with young children is violating Scripture by running for such a demanding office as vice president. The key biblical verse at issue is Titus 2:5, which many evangelical Christians believe lays out God’s command to younger women to be workers at home subject to their husbands.

Although many conservative Christians agree that women should place homemaking over working outside, many are hesitant to apply those views to Palin. Christian author Martha Peace, whose book “The Excellent Wife” tells women to submit to husbands and be good homemakers, said she would not make the same choice as Palin.

Ditto for Richard Land, who heads the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and recommended Palin to the McCain campaign. He also would not do as the Palins have done. “I’m not hard-wired to be the ‘First Dude,’ ” he said...”

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 1, 2008 | Permalink

Lifesitenews.com has this great commentary by Dr. Paul A. Byrne, M.D. on the “hoax” that is called “Brain Death” in order to justify organ donation before one has truly died.

Now more than ever, there is great push to kill for organs. It was reported in the news that Zack Dunlap from Oklahoma was declared dead, and a transplant team was ready to take his organs until that young man moved. Instead of a calling it a reflex (as I have been told is commonly done), the transplant team was sent away. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23768436/)

This young man did not have a destroyed brain. Nevertheless, Zack would have been truly dead had they excised his heart for transplantation. He could hear the doctors discuss his “brain death,” but he could not move at that time to tell them he was alive.

Brain death” never was, and never will be true death. This has been known by neurologists and organ transplanters since the beginning of the multi-billlion industry. So if a declaration of “brain death” is not true death, but organs are taken legally in accord with “accepted medical standards,” why not continue to make “acceptable” this less stringent criteria?

In the 10 years after the ad hoc Committee conjured up the Harvard Criteria, 30 more sets were reported by 1978. Every set became less stringent. Less strict sets were reported until eventually there came about a criterion that does not fulfill any of the “brain death” criteria. This is known as donation by cardiac death (DCD). Organs are obtained for transplantation by first getting a DNR order, then taking the patient off life support and waiting until the patient is without a pulse. In the past the waiting time was 10 minutes, then shortened to 5 minutes, then 4, then 2 and now in the NEJM (8-14-08) the waiting time is only 1.25 minutes until they cut out the baby’s heart.

How shameful can it get? Shame on the medical field for knowing and not protecting these patients! Shame on the transplantation organizations for valuing money over an innocent injured person’s life! Shame on the US government, other governments, and clergy for allowing and even encouraging extracting vital organs for transplantation and research! When will doctors informed of the truth stand for life instead of being political creeps?

The transplant world no longer waits for “brain death.” Now the goal is to get a DNR. Then they wait until the pulse stops for as short a time as 1.25 minutes. Organs obtained deceptively, yet legally, are called donation by brain death (DBD) and donation by cardiac death (DCD). It is the excision of vital organs that finalizes the death of the donor.

What is going to happen when it becomes better known that “brain death” was a hoax from the beginning? Do doctors and laymen not realize that destroying human life before its natural end is a heinous crime? Do they not realize that excision of an unpaired vital organ for transplantation or research is imposed death, also known as euthanasia? Have they not been reading the papers about all those “donors” about to be sacrificed who suddenly wake up minutes before their organs were going to be extracted?

Click here to read the entire article.

Posted by Doug Phillips on October 1, 2008 | Permalink