The Outer Hebrides

This being the first negative rebuttal, I will begin by addressing the points that my opponent presented, (P1, P2, and P3), in his first post:

http://jibenow.com/gentlemanadventurer/2010/08/24/is-narnia-acceptable-entertainment-for-christians/

and then will proceed to discuss my own arguments in greater detail.

P1: “All authors of books apart from Scripture are human and thus fallible. Therefore a certain level of error must be assumed and accepted, unless we are to say all non-Scripture reading is unacceptable.”

This statement allows for any kind of content to be included in a piece of literature, no matter how dark or vile. From my standpoint, any involvement with paganism, presented in a good light; or witchcraft, outside of the ongoing battle with the occult, is entirely unacceptable.
Sure, we may allow for some error: but to replace or represent the Most High with a “corruptible four-footed beast”, who speaks pagan deities into being, and practices and follows the rules of magic, is stretching the definition of “error”.

P2: “When an author writes a fantasy world, they are in essence creating their own “universe.” In order to examine this universe objectively, it must be examined from within. Since both the author and the reader will have brought their own cultural influences to the table, the fictional world must be examined as though it existed separate and apart from those biases. The key thing is that Christ, however imperfectly, be exalted.”

As the creator and co-creator of a couple of imaginary worlds, including a fantastical world,  I have had that imagination experience first-hand. I never saw the necessity to replace or or rename the Supernatural Creator of the universe in which I have been placed.

A couple things I observed while studying Narnia were the following:

• That the existence of OUR universe is acknowledged and accepted by the populous of Narnia; and that the co-existence and compatibility of our universe and Aslan’s universes is stressed to the extent that people of our’s were able to enter Narnia, and Narnians were able to enter our’s.
• That, according to Lewis, Aslan is indeed a deity who exists in our world.

I would like to ask my opponent, who he believes Aslan is.

The Scriptures say that the Lord is unchanging. He is who he is. His standards don’t change, subject to the world he is in.

P3: “That fiction need not be a one-for-one allegory of Scripture for it to be acceptable, just as a theological treatise need not be wholly accurate to have a place in the library of a Christian.”

Now, this raises the question:

Are allegories acceptable?
This falls under my argument, “Distorted Theology: God as a Lion”

I would like to ask you to truly consider this. Is the truth not enough? The Scriptures discuss allegories several times:

“Because that, although they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened…and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and FOUR FOOTED BEASTS, and creeping things.” -Rom. 1:21 & 24

”And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”-2 Tim 4:4

”To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?”-Isa 46:5

A powerful question, put from Cobblestone Ministries:

”How naive of Christians to assume for one minute that the bible needs improvement with so-called ”allegorical tales” contrived in their vain imaginations!
Should we rewrite God’s words using our own? Is that not what it truly boils
down to? Improving the Gospel story? You say, ”Now wait a minute…I don’t think that way at all…” It is interesting that Christians are calling the Narnia movie a great witnessing tool that is ”not so offensive” to their unsaved friends. What ever happened to opening up the bible with your friend and presenting them the pure Gospel message straight out of God’s Word? Oh, you say it is old fashioned? You say it is ”archaic”. Yet Jesus said, ”If a man love me, he will keep my words…” John 12:48 says, ”He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
Notice it is not C.S. Lewis’ words that you need to believe.”

Now, I’m going to go ahead and address my other arguments in order, beginning with

The Distortion of the Character of God: The fact that Aslan, who is considered by many to be a “Christ Figure”, is the initiator of pagan deities.

I will state this briefly. Depending on which stance my opponent takes, God either did, or did not CREATE the pagan deities. I personally believe them to be of demonic origin, and therefore, CREATIONS of God. But they are rebellious, be-damned beings. Aslans creations are his own, his CHOSEN. Not those who have rebelled against him. The Almighty I AM did not create the fallen angels to be worshiped, or to take on the character of deities.
If his belief is that they are merely imaginary, then they are results of man’s “vain imaginings”, and therefore, unacceptable in the life of a Christian.

The Distortion of the Character of God: His lack of omnipresence.

The Lord tells us again and again, throughout Scripture, that he will never leave us. Aslan is quite the opposite, and this is emphasized in the Narnia books.

“He’ll be coming and going. One day you’ll see him, and another you won’t.”-C. S. Lewis

When asked if he would be with the Narnians in battle, he responds, “I can give you no promise of that.”

Aslan is a very physical being. He is presented as a being whose name has power, but whose presence is uncertain. How very different from our Lord.

“…And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”-Matt 28:20

The Neutralization of Paganism: Pagan mythological images presented as “good” beings.

This has already been reviewed to some extent, above, under “The Distortion of the Character of God: The fact that Aslan, who is considered by many to be a “Christ Figure”, is the initiator of pagan deities.”

Since this is getting so lengthy, I’m also going to put the third argument: “The Practice of Supernatural Power NOT of God” aside for now, and go ahead and move on down to my fourth main argument:

Distorted Theology: Salvation Through Paganism

The story of Emeth the Calormen: probably the most commonly accepted controversy in Narnia.
Lewis’ beliefs ran contrary to the Lord’s concrete statement that “I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life: NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER, EXCEPT BY ME.” -John 14:6 (empasis added)

If we consider Aslan a “Christ figure”, how do we excuse this blatant contradiction of Scripture. It is a spiritual law!

For those of you who may not be familiar with the story of Emeth the Calormen, I shall relate it here:

Emeth confesses to King Peter: “Since I was a  boy, I have served Tash (Satan), and my great desire was to know him (Satan), but the name of Aslan (how dare we compare him to the One True God) was hateful to me.”

Yet, when he meets Aslan, the conversation is as follows:

Aslan: “Son, thou art welcome.”

Emeth: “Alas, Lord, I am no son of thine,” (notice, he still continues to deny Aslan) “but a servant of Tash (Satan).”

Aslan: “Child, all service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me…for I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him…”

This nullifies the value of our Faith!!!

My last argument: “Distorted Theology: God as a lion”, was addressed to an extent, under “Are Allegories Acceptable”. So I’ll go ahead and wrap it up.

Man has attempted to rewrite the story of the Gospel, and the result is far more than erroneous. It is deceptive. How do we excuse such massive “errors” and inconsistencies? Will they not have a misleading and negative effect? What else can this lead to? Believe it or not, Narnia has lead some into the world of the occult. Feel free to ask.

Let us consider these books, these theologies, and these arguments in the light of the Holy Spirit, and Scripture. Let’s put the Lord first, and put our vain imaginations in the backseat, instead of letting them drive.

-DH

Debate Introduction: http://jibenow.com/blog/2010/08/24/narnia-debate/

First Negative: http://jibenow.com/theouterhebrides/2010/08/24/is-narnia-acceptable-entertainment-for-christians/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

First, I’d like to thank my opponent, Richard, for taking the time to discuss this with me
(http://jibenow.com/gentlemanadventurer/2010/08/24/is-narnia-acceptable-entertainment-for-christians/),
especially considering the many things he has “on his plate”; and JN Admins Paul and Brian, for giving us an opportunity to indeed, discuss this on an official platform, and for the time they’ve given in preparation.

Not least of all, I want to thank our Saviour, Jesus, who has given us the freedom and ability to discuss his truth, by by which has set us free.

And now, let us begin.

There are a few major points I would like to discuss under the resolution presented (http://jibenow.com/blog/2010/08/24/narnia-debate/):

1. The Distortion of the Character of God
a. The fact that Aslan, who is considered by many to be a “Christ Figure”, is the initiator of pagan deities.
b. His lack of a promise to the children, of omnipresence.

2. The Neutralization of Paganism
a. Pagan mythological images presented as “good” beings.
b. The practice of sun worship, throughout the books.

3. The Practice of Supernatural Power NOT of God
a. Magic brings Narnia to life.
b. A certain wizard presented as “good”.

4. Distorted Theology
a. Salvation through paganism
c. God as a lion

-Nathan Harris
Dunvegan Highlander

Presenting…”My Neverland”.

My best made video yet took record time to create:
Song mixed over one day…boy, that was tough. Actually mixing a song for the first time-tough, but definitely worthwhile!
All scenes (except freeway scenes, which were filmed on Friday, during the drive back from Dallas, when the idea first came to me) were filmed today, Tuesday, 27 July.
The music, and videos were mixed over this afternoon, up until about fifteen minutes ago.

I saw, when I uploaded this video that there is already a song called “My Neverland”…until this day, I had never heard of it. This is very much it’s own song.

-”Alasdair Campbell”

Lyrics:

Once upon a time I thought I heard
The call of the distant skies.
Naively thought that I could choose the words
To express what I felt inside.

I have always chased horizons
Following the never ending
If I heard it then, I’m sure I heard it now:
It’s calling me to come away.

Chorus:

Away, away, away,
I anticipate that day
When it leads me away
From my Neverland.

Mirages on the road ahead of me
Take my mind to a lower place.
Noble thoughts confused with fantasy: (In the video, I say, “noble goals”, which was how it was originally)
A war dance void of grace.

I have always chased horizons
Following the never ending
I know I heard it then, and still I hear it now:
It’s calling me to come away.

Chorus

For a long time I thought I had it figured out,
Even  when waves of despair tossed me about.
Stubbornly trying to hold to my convictions.
I hope that someday I escape…
My Neverland…

-DH

Many have felt the call of war.

They have rushed, eagerly, in search of adventure, glory, spoil….and realized too late, the dark, bitter, reality.

War can be justifiable. But because it is justifiable, does not make it pretty.

However, although war, of itself is not pretty, God can take anything, and make it a masterpiece of beauty.

It was Christmas Eve, December 24, 1914. Trenches criss-crossed France, full of soldiers, tense; waiting on an edge, for another encounter.

Then, through the night, came the sound of voices-not the shouted commands of officers, no, not the cries of the wounded. It was the sound of carols, sung in German. Pvt. Albert Moren of the Second Queens Regiment said of that night:

“It was a beautiful moonlit night, frost on the ground, white almost everywhere; and about 7 or 8 in the evening there was a lot of commotion in the German trenches and there were these lights -I don’t know what they were. And then they sang “Silent Night” – “Stille Nacht.” I shall never forget it, it was one of the highlights of my life. I thought, what a beautiful tune.”

Some soldiers even sang with their enemies, as Graham Williams of the Fifth London Rifle Brigade said,

“First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up “O Come, All Ye Faithful” the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words Adeste Fideles. And I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing – two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war.”

Lights appeared on the of the German trenches, the flickering lights of candles. In one particular location, a single voice cried across the “no man’s land” between the enemy trenches, requesting a cease-fire, so that the soldiers might celebrate Christmas in peace.

In some places, German, English, and French soldiers came out of their trenches, shook hands, held conversation, exchanged presents, and shared pictures of their families, and homes.

Using German spiked helmets, stretchers, and other objects, the soldiers even played improv games of football (soccer) together.

Gone were the romantic dreams of warfare, and in their places, more than ever before, soldiers on both sides began longing for peace.

David Stratman summed it up well in his book, “We Can Change the World: the Real Meaning of Everyday Life”,

“The Christmas Truce Story…gives us a glimpse of the world as we wish it could be and says, ‘This really happened once.’ It is like hearing that our deepest wishes really are true: the world really could be different.”

Every war begins the same, as young men-and now, in some cases, young women, rush off to kill…and very likely, be killed. Let us not forget this story. For many, stories like these are a light in the dark; hope in a “hopeless” world; proof positive, that the Lord can take a shattered vase, and make it beautiful.

-A. C.

West, to Texas!

Texas bound

My home away from home…

Two years later….publicly released!

Actually, when I wrote it, I said that I would never let anyone outside the family hear it…but when Noah joined the band….we had no option, according to some friends.

I present “My Heart Bleeds Peanut Butter For You”: one of the worst songs I’ve ever written, but that somehow has been enjoyed by its audiences.

-DH

Some things can’t be fully expressed.

This tournament was one of them. I can only give some surface details. So I’ll take a shot at it.

We drove all the way up, “non-stop” from Houston, TX, to Virginia Beach, VA
Yes, it was fun.

We caravanned with the Mills family. That was too fun…

We dropped by Vicksburg National Park. Makes me even angrier at them Yanks!

Over the course of the touney, we…

Played elevator games:

Played music:

I learned how to watch out for pick-pockets:

Oh! Couldn’t forget these fabulous ice-cream/snow-cone thingies…

Hung out, as usual, in the IO room.

Met online acquaintances (photo: Judith Teruya)

Held fast:

And a good many other wonderful things.

I discovered some friendships that were a lot stronger than I ever suspected, pursued honesty, and even knew pure joy and satisfaction when I did not break in either of my events.

I know. I don’t look happy. But anyone who was there can attest to my happiness.

Well, I was blessed beyond words to be there this week. And I think, though paraphrased when used, the proverb of the week, at least in my eyes was:

“True friendship comes when silence
between two people is comfortable.”

-Dave Tyson Gentry

Alone, it seems, yet not alone:
My memories, still they haunt me.
The unclaimed moments now are gone,
Unsaid words come back to taunt me.

It’s funny how reflections work-
A glimpse can make one’s heart cry out.
Simple things, where memories lurk:
Each hope, each dream, each lonely doubt.

Oh, ah! To sea! Oh, sky-water sea!
I long to know no more-I’m free.
My chains-begone; oh, scattered be!
Oh free-now free! To sky-water sea.

Curling waves, rushing white water,
Singing winds, and glorious sky
Tears flow free-it doesn’t matter.
The mist sprays aft, and whistles by.

Roaring swells, now breaking; crashing:
Howling winds and sombre sky;
Water o’er the lee rail lashing.
Bound for home, my hopes are high.

Oh! I’m returned from sky-water sea,
The place where I felt I was free.
Love calls me home-I need not flee:
Thus, I return from sky-water sea.

So now I’m here-and here I’ll wait.
Hope’s not gone-I could stay all night,
Keeping watch, no matter how late
Awaiting the pure light of morning.

The darkest hour’s afore the dawn-
It’s then I wonder where I’ll be
E’re by the future, I am drawn-
P’r'aps I’ll return to sky-water sea.

Oh, ah! To sea! Oh, sky-water sea!
I long to know no more-I’m free.
My chains-begone; oh, scattered be!
Oh free-now free! To sky-water sea.

© Copyright 2010 Nathan Harris
All rights reserved

So now, the question arises, “who were the pirates?” So in this post, I’m going to do my best to answer that question with some general, as well as specific examples.

Everyone is different. Not everyone is motivated to do something for the same reason. And although, I am sure, this was also the case with pirates, many of them had similar causes, some of the most popular being:

Poverty
Hatred of  the Spanish/or, in some cases, another nation
Escaping “justice”, whatever that might be (this being particularly popular among navy mutineers)
And greed.

As one pirate, on the deck of a captured East Indiaman replied when asked why he committed piracy,
“In order to possess what one does not already possess.”

The pleasure of a pirate-to possess what he did not already possess; in many cases, by whatever means necessary. Available in many a Spanish caribbean settlement, were valuables, and treasures of the new world, Spanish blood to be spilt, and women.

No. Pirates in general were not gentlemen.

In many cases, pirates found that the end justified the means: I present the case of

François L’Olonnais, Fléau des Espagnols (Bane of the Spaniards):

L’olonois cruised the Caribbean during the 1660s’, a pirate who’s history is an uncompromised example of pirates (as individuals, as well as groups) as many of them were. An avid hater of the Spanish, L’olonois terrorized Spanish shipping and settlements; growing famous particularly for his torture tactics, which individually, are so horrible that the typical theft, rape, and slaughter, although evil beyond words, is nearly forgotten.

It is said-I shall not mince words-that Olonois sometimes burned his victims alive, woolded them (tying a rope tightly about the unfotunate’s head until his eyes, simply put, were ejected.) He was also know to throw his prisoners overboard, yet alive, to the waiting sharks; and like a shark himself, to cut out and devour a victim’s heart.

Francois L’Olonois, the pirate. Glorified and romanticized in the modern world, pirates are merely adventuresome heros…even comic. Forgotten is the unrestrained bloodlust and greed; the unchecked fulfillment of human nature.

In the early 1700s’ lived another famous pirate-probably the most famous pirate to ever “roam the seven seas”. I present the case of

Edward Teach, “Blackbeard”

Blackbeard’s life story has been romanticized with stories of his eagerness to undertake any challenge or action that made him appear devilish, and his fighting traditions, namely, drinking flaming run and gunpowder before battle, and wearing lit slow matches in his hair and beard. His desire for total control over his men lead to the crippling of his own lieutenant, Israel Hands, who he shot in the knee to remind them “who was in charge”.

Like several other pirates, he requested pardons more than once, yet still continued to commit piracy. It is also said that he was married to a good many women, who he abused.

I can walk into Hobby Lobby, and see pictures of little boys with eye patches and ear rings, grinning, surrounded by plastic “coins”; signs, which read “BEWARE OF PIRATES” (Too true), rolls of “treasure maps”, sculls and cross bones; watch as many of my Christian friends swoon over Johnny Depp “Jack Sparrow” (that’d be the girls), and roar out “FIFTEEN MEN ON A DEAD MAN’S CHEST-YO-HO-HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM!” (typically the boys).

Yet I ask, does anyone really understand? Very few fans of “Pirates of the Caribbean” really know the truth about the history of piracy, yet have ingrained in their brains the “culture” (as it is almost viewed) of piracy.

I would encourage anyone who finds piracy fascinating to research the truth about them, and to beware the diluted, romantic legend. I find nautical history fascinating-but history is interwoven with half-truths and deceptions, and we need to learn to separate them, and to seek truth in all things.

-DH