Recently, I was able to watch an episode of “Breakthrough” with Rod Parsley, entitled “An Evil Age.” You can watch this episode yourself by going to one of the following links:

http://www.rodparsley.com/mediaplayer/index.aspx?EpisodeID=983

or

http://www.rodparsley.com/TVSchedule.aspx
Look for: “An Evil Age.”

In his intro, Rod tells us that the 18-25 age group in America is under an all-out attack by the broader culture that involves the failing public educational system which incorporates “situational ethics” and a “secular humanistic worldview, rather than a thoroughly biblical worldview.” He gives a story of a high school student in Madison, WI, who had his art assignment failed, because he included an image of “Calvary’s cross” and a reference to John 3:16. Rod then asserts, based on this story, that the public school system as a whole and their secular humanist philosophy does not prohibit the expression of religious faith, except for when you express a Judeo-Christian ethic. And supposedly, to him and his audience, “That ain’t right.” His intro concludes with the following quote:

“The enemy of our soul never sleeps and never slumbers. He is busy day and night creating the abuse and murder that dominates the nightly news, even to the point of children dying at the hands of other children. With so much evil surrounding us, we’re going to take a good, long look at the root of evil.”

After an advertisement for Parsley’s “Reformation Generation,” youth-oriented conference, Rod and his guest on the show begin to detail the nature of our evil, secular culture. Mr. Parsley makes a statement saying that the ACLU wants to spend their time on Muslim students having rights, but when John 3:16 is included on an art project, that student receives a zero. Rod’s guest tells us that the world today is full of backwards thinking when the world needs to have forward thinking, looking forward to the return of Jesus. After the crowd gets good and hyped up, Parsley continues in saying that the “far liberal left” has painted Christianity as a fringe group within society and that our (Christianity’s) personal freedoms and security are hanging by a thread in America today.

Rod then leads into a video of his “good friend,” Gary Bower giving a speech about great conflicts that are facing America. In this video, Mr. Bower supports the idea that since 9/11 we have not had another attack on American soil, but it’s not because the “enemy” hasn’t tried. He tells us that Osama Bin Laden believes that America is decadent, fat, lazy and no longer capable of sacrifice. He encourages his audience to fight for family, fight for life and vote until we bring America back.

Once the video is finished, Parsley speaks of the increasing secularization of our culture, wherein many won’t stand up and fight against it. He reassures his audience that there is still a truth for our culture that resonates from the bible. He goes on to promote that America is currently engaged in two wars:

1) The War Abroad - The war abroad is against radical Islamic fascist ideologies. Rod tells us that he is not proud of a Christian history that includes the embracing of slavery, crusades and radical fundamentalism, but that Christianity had a reformation through Martin Luther that stood up and declared “this ain’t right!” Rod goes on to tell us that if we don’t think we are at war with radical lslam, that we “have our heads in the sand and listen only to the opinions of secular media.” After pushing the idea (not included on leftists blogs he says) that we are in a battle and a struggle against radical Islam, he proceeds to say that it is “against my religion to impose my religion.” He tells us that Christianity doesn’t work by oppression, but by invitation and says, “We don’t hack your hands off if you don’t show up to Sunday morning bible study.”

2) The War at Home - The second war is one that America is “having with herself.” Parsley says that Christians are fighting a cultural war of survival and of clashing worldviews and ask his audience, “will we fight?” He then encourages his audience to “man their battle stations,” and, “lock and load.” Rod then comforts his audience by telling them that he is not talking about a physical confrontation, but a warfare of prayer, service and sacrifice to god.

After all of this, he goes into a segment on the current suffering of peoples in Uganda and asks for donations of $44, $100, $500 and even $1000 for his ministry there, that provides medicine and food for those people. Rod says that the world has turned a blind eye to this humanitarian disaster, but that god sees and has called you and I to help, through our donations.

Rod closes this episode of breakthrough by reaching out to all of those people watching that may be struggling with depression and despair, encouraging them to call in for prayer, telling them that “joy is on the way.”

Now let’s turn a critical eye to Rod’s message. What is Mr. Parsley actually saying/doing with his sermon on our “evil age?”

1) Fear Mongering - Throughout this episode, Rod presents us with stories about the suppressed rights of students, oppressive treatment of Christian ideologies inside of modern culture, the delicate state of freedom and security in America and even uses a video that utilizes the events of 9/11 to encourage people to fight/vote for family values, the pro-life position and to stop the further degradation of America. Rod, in this role, is nothing more than a snake oil salesman. He is constructing a false representation of the current world as “evil” and persuading Christians that our evil world is a threat to their freedom and their children’s freedom. He builds his case for an evil “secular humanist” culture and then sells the crowd Christian morality (along with his many, many products that discuss and support this idea) as the only remedy. Create the disease and sell the remedy.

2) Creating Division - Rod is obviously drawing lines in the sand between a hallowed Christian, bible-based morality and an evil, humanity-damning, leftist, secular humanist worldview. One of the easiest ways to bolster support for your cause is to create an enemy, even if one doesn’t really exist. It’s also a good idea to promote the idea that your group is oppressed by the created enemy (even if your group makes up 80% of the nation’s population), so that you can rally your supporters to action through voting, protesting and generally spreading your false construct over and over again. Listen Rod, your tactics are obvious to anyone with even a hint of rational reasoning. You are creating an “us vs. them” mentality so that you can influence your audiences into believing that “leftist, secular humanists” are a threat to their way of life, so that in turn, people will read your books, come to your seminars and pay ridiculous amounts of money for your bullshit. You do understand you are spreading hate in the name of goodwill, right? Hypocrite. Do I need to remind you that the “moral” ideologies you embrace promote the idea that people who don’t believe like you do will suffer in the eternally burning flames of hellfire? I guess that’s not a hate-filled, humanity damning ideology since you support it, right? Do you want to tell me again how much your god loves me and how much I’ve been deceived by the cruel, secular world? Charlatan.

3) Supporting Political Agendas Through a Religious Outlet - Mr. Parsley would have you believe, and it is very obvious from this episode, that right-wing, Christian conservative political ideologies are morally correct and good for our country, while left-wing, secular-humanist, liberal, political ideologies are evil and will lead to the downfall of our nation. This is a good sign that Rod is running a cult. It’s all well and good to tell people that they need to have the peace and joy that comes from salvation through Christ, but when you start to influence a massive group of people into believing that they should act out, through voting and political coercion within society, to promote the indoctrination of Christian-based morality on the larger culture as a whole, and that any other version of morality within society is “evil,” you are crossing the line into religious fanaticism. Also, I’m not sure, but I don’t think that as a non-profit, tax-exempt ministry, you should be promoting any solid form of political agenda from your pulpit. Maybe that’s just me.

Aside from all of this, overall, Rod Parsley makes grandiose claims that appeal to base-level emotions ranging from fear of punishment and suffering to hope of blessing and prosperity. We all need to remember that at the end of the day, it’s Rod’s job to keep promoting all of these ideologies that have locked in a solid and growing base of Christian fundamentalists in this country. Honesty and consideration for other worldviews, and even cooperation, promoting unity with other worldviews would mean a decline in the stream of money that keeps him in fine suits, worldwide broadcasts and jumbo jets. If Mr. Parsley is capable of promoting this type of hatred, inequality and phobia within our society, while sleeping at night, he should be ashamed of himself. Being that he does what he does so fervently, it is obvious he isn’t.

I’m going to give Rod Parsley and his “evil age” message 1 halo, because the world will be a much better place when the general populous grows wise to the tactics and coercions of inflammatory sophists like Parsley, sending them and their ideas into antiquity, where they belong.

Share This

Worldnet Daily’s columnist, Vox Day (blogger, “Christian Libertarian”, football lover and member of SFWA, Mensa and IGDA), has published a new book entitled, “The Irrational Atheist - Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens,” and boy is it a doosy! WND goes so far as to say that this book “trounces God-deniers,” and provides a review on their website from “atheist” critic Brent Rasmussen with the following quotes:

“I am not going to go into a point by point review of the various arguments that Day addressed in ‘The Irrational Atheist.’ Suffice it to say that by the end of the chapters dealing with the individual [atheist] authors, I was happy that it was over. It was a thorough, detailed, dispassionate (with a little snarky levity thrown into the footnotes for flavor), and completely disheartening take-down of some of the best arguments that the godless have put into print – on their own terms, without using the Bible (in the first part of the book, that is), or any other sacred text to do it with. Amazing. And depressing. It is not my place to defend their books. I truly hope that they do find time to defend and clarify their books, specifically to the counter-arguments and claims made by Vox Day in TIA, though, because they really need to. Trust me, it wasn’t pretty.”

“My advice is to read this book – and then do your damnedest to find something in it that you can argue against.”

Well Brent, never fear, someone with a better critical eye than your own has done that very thing, and before the book was even published! Many of Day’s foundations for his book came from an essay of the same name, found here. This essay will give you a good idea of what Day is trying to get at within the bloated 320 pages he has published through BenBella Books (specializing in science fiction and pop culture).

The blog, “Socrates’ elegy” skillfully refutes Day’s reasoning, while providing valid incites into the mindset of the rational atheist. Here is just one example, because you should really click on the blog link and check out all of what it has to say:

Mr. Day continues,

Whereas Christians and the faithful of other religions have good reason for attempting to live by
the Golden Rule – they are commanded to do so – the atheist does not.

This is an unsupported assumption. The atheist has at least one good ethical
motivation: self-interest in the preservation of civilization. Acting
on this an atheist has at his disposal our common humanity: the body of
knowledge we draw upon to establish codes of conduct, points of order,
and define the rights and responsibilities we as citizens must observe
in order to maintain civilization. While religion attempts to encompass
some of this, albeit in a haphazard, dangerously inconsistent manner;
the concept of common humanity transcends religious morality in that it
is not exclusionary. Also, the atheist is never tempted to “play God”
by claiming to speak for him.

After all of this, I am going to give Vox Day 1 halo, because he needs to stick with what his horrible haircut is telling him and keep writing science fiction. Obviously, pseudo-philosophical, theistic essay is not his strong point.

Share This

Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!

Religion News Service has issued a press release for Dale Beaver’s new book “Before the Thunder Rolls - Devotions for Nascar Fans.” The first part is my favorite bit from the release:

“The heroes, events and atmosphere of the hugely popular world of professional auto racing are revealed in an enlightening spiritual perspective—Before the Thunder Rolls: Devotions for NASCAR Fans, newly released by Judson Press.”

“Heroes?” I’m not sure that driving around circular tracks really fast in cars built by major corporate endorsement entitles someone to be called a hero. Anyway, that is beside the point.

I wanted to point out a couple of interesting things I found while looking this book up on the interweb.

1) Amazon.com - 5 star rating / 2 ratings posted
Customers who bought this item also bought Pirates of the Caribbean - At World’s End. I have no idea what Christian race car driving and Johnny Depp swashbuckling across the open seas have to do with each other, but hell, you might as well.

2) This is going to be sophomoric, but when I googled the book’s title, I got the following.

I know, I know, but it just sounds silly.