Last weekend, I went to see the movie “War Room” with my family. This movie is the fifth and latest movie by the Kendrick brothers from Smyrna, Georgia. You may have heard of some of their other movies: “Flywheel,” “Facing The Giants,” “Fireproof,” “Courageous” and now “War Room.” “War Room” is in theaters now and if you have not seen it with your family, I strongly urge you to do so. All of the movies mentioned above are great and they all have a story to tell. Essentially, all of these movies tell the same story….but in different ways!
As you probably can tell by now, I have been a huge fan of the Kendrick Brothers’ movies for quite some time. According to their website, “Kendrick Brothers Productions exists to honor Jesus Christ and to make HIS truth and love known among the nations through movies, books, curriculum and speaking.” In recent years, I have thanked God many times for people such as the Kendrick brothers. In short, people who want to share and tell the most important story ever told. And, people who are not afraid to do so!
As I was sitting there watching “War Room,” I started thinking about the events of last week in regard to the situation with Airline High School and the A.C.L.U.. Coverage of this situation dominated a large portion of our local news last week. Airline High School principal Jason Rowland even made an appearance on the Fox News Channel. Wow! I just want to go on record right now in order to make it known just how very much I support Jason Rowland in his Christian position. Also, I applaud Jason for standing up for a belief in which he believes so strongly. In reality, a belief in which so many of us hold so dearly close in our hearts, minds and souls. In my opinion, by far, the vast majority of Americans are getting absolutely sick and tired of having our rights as Christians trounced upon! America is a country that was founded upon Judeo-Christian beliefs! According to our constitution (which, in my opinion is quite often neither upheld or properly enforced in our modern day times in relation to the document it was intended to be), separation of church and state does not mean there is to be no religion at all in terms of anything deemed as having to do with government or property of the state. In my opinion (and also the opinions of MANY others), separation of church and state means that our government can not tell us which religion we have to be. Thus, our government cannot force a single religion upon us as American citizens. I have talked about this in some of my previous BPT columns. For sure, Christians have rights too!! And again, our country was founded upon Judeo-Christian beliefs. Thus, our founding fathers were most definitely not wrong in doing so – as some of our leaders are now trying to plead the case in the affirmative.
I have always adamantly defended freedom of speech, freedom of religion and all other rights guaranteed to ALL American citizens. Additionally, I (like so many others) have always done my very best to honor those that both fought and gave their lives so that we may enjoy these freedoms. Furthermore, all individuals have a right to their own opinion. I have always defended these freedoms with every part of my being. That is what makes the United States what it has always been, at least until a few decades ago when things started to radically change. With this radical change, our right to our own opinion doesn’t mean what it used to mean. We no longer get to freely express our Christian beliefs because we might offend someone. Really?? In America? Some members of certain activist groups act as if anything containing or mentioning the term God, CHRIST or CHRISTian can not be mentioned on any type of public property whatsoever. And, they also act as if their opinions are the only opinions that matter at all. No, no,no…we can’t show any outward public sign or display of our beliefs (most especially something religious as it pertains to Christianity and worshiping our God…our true Lord and Savior Jesus Christ). However, anything non-Christian is supposed to be ok to proclaim or display any place or any time. In fact, in the eyes/minds of these individuals, we no longer even have a right to do or say anything to cause anyone to believe that we have a problem with what is happening. The true fact is, most of our rights as Christians have been all but taken away. The only rights seem to belong to those that disagree with Christianity. How totally backwards is this?
Well, it is time to wake up America! In our country as a whole (in relation to the principles upon which our country was founded), we have largely turned our back on God and HE is not going to keep tolerating it! Again, I wholly support Airline principal Jason Rowland and also the the Bossier Parish School Board in realtion to the the position they resolved at the school board meeting last Thursday night as it relates to the situation at Airline High School. Amen! Praise God. Thank you all for what you are doing!
If we cease standing up for our rights, then one day pretty soon, we will have no rights at all. In today’s United States, our Christian liberties have been dealt a harsh debilitating blow and our Christian rights are in serious danger of being controlled by a select elite few. This elite group wants to determine for us what will be both tolerated and allowed in terms of our Christian rights. As the movie “War Room” states in one of my favorite quotes/parts of the movie, taken from 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV): “If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Yes, my friends. God calls us to be warriors in HIS name and to stand up for what we know is right. If you think about it, actually, this battle has been going on for thousands of years. And once again, I want to make it known applaud and support both Airline High principal Jason Rowland and the Bossier Parish School Board for standing up for what is right and fighting the battle that must be fought!
Randy Brown is Publisher of the Bossier Press-Tribune. He can be reached at rbrown@bossierpress.com
