Recent threads on Abortion and Sodomy have raised a number of issues: Our country is being divided along worldview lines. Unbelievers are becoming more epistemologically self-conscious. They are being more consistent with their worldview, a worldview predicated upon death. Ironically, both Lewis and Van Til had the same analysis of history and drew the same conclusion: Christians lose. But this seems to avoid the most obvious implication of being epistemologically self-conscious: a culture that worships death and kills off its supporters cannot win in the long run. Here is my amazon review of Heiland:
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It posited the clash of two cultures--one a culture predicated upon the worship of death (abortion supporters) and a culture of life (freedom-loving agrarians). The Death-lovers (I was tempted to say "Death eaters for all you Harry Potter fans) control the cities while Christian Patriots roam the countryside. While reading the book you know there will be a showdown. The question is: Can the two cultures exist peacefully and to quote Rambo I, "Who draws first blood?"

2020 A.D. America is divided into two societies: the Insiders and the Freemen. One is founded on the worship of death-the other on a new obedience to God. Can they continue to live side by side in the same country?

But the book also explains the good, simple lifestyle of the agrarians. Even more cool they have Dixie and "Maryland, my Maryland" as their anthems (they change the word "Maryland," though). Even more cool, the characters....Claude Heiland is so awesome...quote Lex Rexand R L Dabney profusely.

And if you get a chance, you need to read how the Government imprisoned the author of the book, Franklin Sanders.

As for the criticisms of the book:
It is not hate: The Agrarians are the ones doign the most to protect and defend life. It is the totalitarians who worship death.
It is not anti-Jewish. This is a non-issue in the book, kind of tautologous. It is a test-case on how freedom-loving Christians will respond to totalitarianism. If you want to see how Jewish people would respond, go write a book on it.

I guess the misunderstandings stem from a statist (people who believe the Government is god)view of civil government. Agrarians (people who live close to the land and believe in a free, decentralized government) believe in a bottom-down revival that permeates the infrastructure (think disciplined libertarians; I know, a far stretch but just imagine). Statists believe in imposin top-down order on an unwilling people. Therefore, when statists see books like this they think that a free society will be inaugurated by blood and slaughter because their own worldview demands it. But the Christian worldview, when properly contexed in a society, inagurates life and liberty.

A few following observations:
1) Unbelievers will grow more epistemologically consistent as history progresses, thus they will become more evil.
2) This would seem to suggest a violent and dark future for Christians.
3) However, any society divorced from the Law of God is like a fish out of water--violently active but quickly destined to die.
4) Therefore, statist humanism cannot help but lose.

"Heiland presents a chilling portrait of what could be in store for America should the secular-statist agenda become reality. A death-dealing, anti-Christian Establishment holds sway over a blighted urban landscape, while Christian patriots control the countryside. The epic showdown between the forces of light and darkness is not to be missed."

Dr. Michael Hill
Montgomery, Alabama

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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College

I picked up Heiland in a used bookstore a few months ago. Maybe I'll get around to it someday....

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Chris
Member at Grace Community Baptist Church, Mandeville, LA

Beware of a religion without holdfasts. But if I get a grip upon a doctrine they call me a bigot. Let them do so. Bigotry is a hateful thing, and yet that which is now abused as bigotry is a great virtue, and greatly needed in these frivolous times. I have been inclined lately to start a new denomination, and call it "the Church of the Bigoted." Spurgeon

interestingly in trying to search for stuff related to this book I found this on wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliand though not the same thing. Thought I would mention it none the less.

(back on topic)

Looks like a real interesting read Jacob!!!

blade

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Nathan Olaf Brandal
First Baptist Church of Kirkland

"Man is nothing: he hath a free will to go to hell, but none to go to heaven, till God worketh in him to will and to do his good pleasure"
GEORGE WHITEFIELD TO JOHN WESLEY

My Blog

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Ryan
1689 London Baptist Confession

I only read The Hunt!

Jacob,

I've never read this book, but from your review it sounds really good. I will definitely add this one to my reading list. The above quote is practically true in most cities in the US, the only difference is the matter of degree.

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Steve Tijerina
<a href="http://www.nccopc.org/" target="_new" style="text-decoration: underline;color:blue;">New Covenant Community Church (OPC)</a>
New Lennox, IL

[i]Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
(Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV)

I gave my copy away to someone on this board. I won't embarrass or incriminate him. Go to here to get it.

And this is why I get mad. Many Christians get mad when I bring up theocracy. What they don't see is that Americans have enthroned the god Molech over society. Secuarlists are now playing for blood, literally. Molech drinks the blood of our children (think abortion); Heiland is all too real.

You've definately made me want a copy!

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Adam Leavelle
Westminster OPC
Roaring Spring Pa.

http://www.myspace.com/aleavelle
"Speak wisdom to a fool and he'll think you have no sense at all"

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Dun went an' ordured mine!

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Pastor Kevin Guillory
St. Andrew Lutheran Church
Baltimore, MD

"I don't interpret Scripture. Scripture interprets itself. And in the process ... scripture interprets me."

Awesome!

Here is an interpretive key to Heiland. Sanders' historical evaluations might make you really question a few things. I dont' know if I fully agree with him. I agree with his premises (ie, the government will create a crisis, declare war on a fictional or abstract enemy, and then consolidate power that came from the "war vacuum." I don't know how air-tight it can be applied to every situation. But in light of the Patriot Act, he is dead on. The Scary thing is he wrote this before the Patriot Act.)