It was with sadness that I read Ron Glass passed away recently. He was a great actor, and he played Shepherd Book on one of my favorite science fiction shows, Firefly. Firefly is one of the greatest science fiction shows ever. Ron Glass made a great addition to the show as an actor, and he did a great job portraying the character. But, this article is not about the actor. It is about the character Shepherd Book and his teachings.
Very sad. I’m not surprised for three reasons.
1) The Calvary Chapel organization under Chuck Smith purged numerous pastors from their ranks over the years. I’m mainly referring to pastors who were Calvinists, but I’m sure there are others for numerous reasons… theological differences etc. So splits are nothing new. Even if they do not want to acknowledge it is division.
2) The Calvary Chapel organization was always run by one man, and Calvary Chapel churches are run by one man. That is the leadership structure and the teaching, so it is not surprising that someone at the main Calvary Chapel (Costa Mesa) would attempt to step into Chuck Smith’s role. Leaders within CC like George Bryson already set the mood for a split.
3) Humans are flawed. We Christians know this very well. And even though Yahushua told us to love one another like He loves us, we often fail miserably.
Read the letter below that went out on Monday, November 28.
As the word says… Be strong, be of good courage, and do not fear. Trust in your Creator and walk with Him doing what is good and right in His eyes. Love Him with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. And for those who call on the name of Yeshua (Jesus), love our brothers and sisters in Christ like He loves us.
Excellent video by Alan Horvath on the Feast of Trumpets. The new moon begins this Friday and this moed begins on Sunday.
Very interesting information.
In the novel Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is 42. When I was around 15 years old, I decided I would read the book that many of my friends thought was so good. I sat down and opened its pages and began to read. Hours later I closed the book and never picked it up again. I did not finish it, nor have I ever had interest in doing so. I’m not saying it is a bad book, but it did not draw my interest as a teen. There are various reasons I could discuss, but a book review is not the reason for my words today. I will say perhaps I did not like the book because the book drives the point home that our lives are meaningless.
For some reason, on my 42nd birthday this book and its answer for everything has been in my thoughts. Why? I’m not real sure. Maybe the reason is on my birthday each year, it is a time when I reflect on this life and the time I have spent living. Today is the 42nd time this planet has traveled around the sun since I came forth in agony and blood. Is there any meaning to any of this life? What is the point of it? What is the answer to everything?
In light of the massacre in Orlando and comments that I have been seeing on social media, I thought I would write a short article. In light of the life style of the victims, this is not an easy article to write.
First and foremost, what is to blame for the massacre in Orlando? The only component to blame is the man who committed the crime (and accomplices if any). He is a murderer and solely responsible for his actions. He was a radical, jihadist Muslim who believed in that murderous, tyrannical ideology. Islam teaches its followers to conquer the world by the sword and force it to submit to their false god, Allah. They oppress women, and they kill anyone that does not submit to their ideology. We see homosexuals murdered in Islamic countries continually.
Were guns to blame? No. Guns are simple tools that evil people use to fulfill their evil motivations. Good people use guns to defend themselves, their family, their friends, and their nation from the evil of murderers and tyrants. Any tool can be used for evil or good. Simply look at the terrorists attacks in Israel over the last couple of years, and we see that the main weapon being used were knives. Is a knife to blame? No. Knives are simple tools. The problem is the human heart that is terribly wicked.
Daniel Silas
Hold the Line 