MONUMENTAL is an ambitious documentary about actor Kirk Cameron’s quest to understand why America is falling apart and what made it such a great country in the first place. Many Christian leaders are saying this is a very important movie with excellent information supporting the Christian roots of the American experiment.
Here's a short summary of the film: MONUMENTAL is an ambitious documentary about actor Kirk Cameron’s quest to understand why America is falling apart and what made it a great country in the first place. He’s asking these questions because he has young children and wants them to have a better future. Kirk’s search for answers takes him to England to find out more about the Pilgrims, who created the first representative government when they landed in Plymouth. Massachusetts. Using interviews with historians and experts such as Marshall Foster and David Barton, he finds out more and more about the Christian roots of the American experiment. And by the way, MovieGuide recommends the flick which is set to debut on March 27th. Here is a trailer of the movie.
But not so fast. Brannon Howse, the host of a national radio program that is broadcast nationwide as well as the host of the Worldview Weekend Hours, a weekly television program that airs on NRB-TV feels the movie has much misinformation within the 90 minute tribute to the "Search for America's National Treasure". Here is Howe's criticism at length.
"I believe those involved with this project are very sincere in their endeavor, however, I have serious reservations abut the message the film project appears to be conveying. I feel the need to be gracious with people on this topic because for many years I was committed to the fallacy of moralizing, Americanism, Christian activism and the need to "reclaim America". I even pulled one of my own books which was published in 2005. I have pulled several Worldview Weekend DVDs that promoted the reconstructionism or "reclaiming America" message. I have asked my radio and television audience to forgive me if my example caused them to take their focus off our ultimate calling which is the proclamation of the gospel.
I called my friend Kirk Cameron and left him a voice mail in the early summer of 2011 to warn him of the Americanism trap that had ensnared me for a time and I wanted him to learn from my mistakes. If Kirk had returned my call I would have shared some of the information contained in this article concerning America's founding. This article and movie grieves me because Kirk has been a friend for several years and has stayed in my home and traveled and spoken for many Worldview Weekends. In addition to asking him to privately examine this evidence with me, I also invited him to be a guest on my radio program for February 27, 2012 to discuss his film and his appearance on the TV program of Mormon Glenn Beck to discuss his Christian film; but that did not take place.
Therefore, even at the risk up upsetting friends, I must now turn my attention to warning the church of the trap of uniting the things of God with the ungodly things of this world and believing that God will bless our nation when such actions will only hasten God's judgment on our land.
Therefore, even at the risk up upsetting friends, I must now turn my attention to warning the church of the trap of uniting the things of God with the ungodly things of this world and believing that God will bless our nation when such actions will only hasten God's judgment on our land.
Aside from the "let's get back to our founding fathers" message that I find objectionable because many of America's founding fathers were hostile to the gospel, the movie Monumental appears to use as one of its major props The National Monument to the Forefathers, formerly known as the Pilgrim Monument. The monument is a major part of the artwork and publicity of the film including in the movie trailer.
It is my belief based on hours of research that the Monument to the Forefathers is not a Biblically acceptable rallying point or symbol for Christians or Christian families or the way we should go for several reasons. One major reason would be that historical documents report that the monument had its cornerstone laid by Freemasons who were involved in part in funding and erecting this monument. The historical record also reveals that the cornerstone includes a plaque with the name and title of the Grand Master of the Lodge of Freemasons of Massachusetts. The historical record also reports that members of the Pilgrim Society that assisted in establishing and paying for the monument included freemasons and funding from freemasonry lodges. Below I have included the speech given by the Mason Grand Master of Massachusetts at the cornerstone ceremony on August 2, 1859.
It is my belief based on hours of research that the Monument to the Forefathers is not a Biblically acceptable rallying point or symbol for Christians or Christian families or the way we should go for several reasons. One major reason would be that historical documents report that the monument had its cornerstone laid by Freemasons who were involved in part in funding and erecting this monument. The historical record also reveals that the cornerstone includes a plaque with the name and title of the Grand Master of the Lodge of Freemasons of Massachusetts. The historical record also reports that members of the Pilgrim Society that assisted in establishing and paying for the monument included freemasons and funding from freemasonry lodges. Below I have included the speech given by the Mason Grand Master of Massachusetts at the cornerstone ceremony on August 2, 1859.
Documented in the book Plymouth Memories of an Octogenarian by William T. David, published in 1906, the laying of the cornerstone for the Monument to the Forefathers included a "Masonic procession" consisting of a long list of Masonic lodges and the Knights Templar, a Catholic order.
At ten o'clock a Masonic procession was formed on Main Street, consisting of the Massachusetts, Boston and DeMoley encampments of Knights Templar, under command of John T. Heard, [Mason Grand Master] and marched to the Rock, president of the Pilgrim Society and invited guests, St. Paul's lodge of South Boston, lodge of Cambridge, Liberty lodge of New Bedford, Star of the East lodge of New Bedford, King Solomon lodge of Charlestown, Boston brass band, Washington lodge of Roxbury, the Plymouth lodge, Plymouth brass band, Royal Arch chapter of New Bedford, Boston encampment of Knights Templar, Royal Arch Chapter of South Abington, South Abington band, DeMoley encampment, Grand lodge of Massachusetts.
When you add in the Knights Templar, a Catholic Order, the Masons and the Pastor of the First Church that offered a prayer, this was a real ecumenical project and monument so why are Christians rallying around it?
One of the sculptors of the monument was Alexander Doyle who also was involved in a marble sculpture of Mason President James Garfield. This sculpture stands over the crypt that contains President Garfield remains in Cleveland, Ohio.
2 Corinthians 6:14, Romans 16:17, 2 John 9-11, forbid Christians from being bound together with unbelievers in a common enterprise. These verses further reveal that there can be no agreement between the temple of God [Christians are the temple of God] and idols. These verses make it clear that the church, [and Christians make up the church] are not to take the practices, methods, symbols, and enterprises of the unsaved world and incorporate them into our worship and service to God.
2 Corinthians 6:14, Romans 16:17, 2 John 9-11, forbid Christians from being bound together with unbelievers in a common enterprise. These verses further reveal that there can be no agreement between the temple of God [Christians are the temple of God] and idols. These verses make it clear that the church, [and Christians make up the church] are not to take the practices, methods, symbols, and enterprises of the unsaved world and incorporate them into our worship and service to God.
In I Kings 18:21 the Prophet Elijah admonishes the Children of Israel to stop mixing their worship of God with paganism.
And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.
Ironically, the Masons worship Baal. As researcher and Mason expert Ed Deckers reveals:
It is in the Royal Arch Degree that the secret name of the Masonic deity is revealed. That name is "JAHBULON." "JAH" is the short form of the Hebrew name of God, "Yahweh," or "Jehovah." "BUL" is a rendering of the name, BAAL. "ON" is the term used in the Babylonian mysteries to call upon the deity, "OSIRIS"! The secret ritual book of the Craft prints the letters J.B.O. It states that:
"We three do meet and agree-in peace, love and unity-the Sacred Word to keep and never to divulge the same-until we three, or three such as we do meet and agree."
Let's be very clear; this statue was built by people that had no convictions about having it erected, funded, and dedicated even in part by men that served Satan. Should Christians now unite around and worship God at this monument? Should Christians invite the church to use this statue as a symbol of spiritual service to God? Should Christians use this statue as a symbol of anything but to reveal man's vain and futile attempts to mix God or Christianity with paganism? Should this monument really be a Gilgal stone for Christians?
Conclusion:
Christians seeking to "reclaim America" or "get back to the founding fathers" will not invite God's blessing by holding up men, institutions, traditions, and symbols that are not honorable to God. Christians will not invite God's favor but God's judgment when they disobey His Word and mix pagan beliefs, a pagan statue, and worldly symbolism with our worship and service to Him.
So you can see from the movie information released by MovieGuide and the response from Mr. Howse there is a tremendous difference in thought and where he movie is headed. I'd encourage any and all to set aside March 27th to catch this controversial project. It could be Monumental.
YGG,
John
So
So you can see from the movie information released by MovieGuide and the response from Mr. Howse there is a tremendous difference in thought and where he movie is headed. I'd encourage any and all to set aside March 27th to catch this controversial project. It could be Monumental.
YGG,
John
So
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