A few years back my brother-in-law gave me a copy of “Into the Wild” the best-selling non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer. My brother-in-law and I share an avid love for backpacking and wilderness adventure hiking and he knew that I had read Krakauer’s other riveting book “Into Thin Air.” “Into the Wild” is the gut-retching and disturbing true-life story of Chris McCandless who sought to find himself by dropping out of society and living an idealist existence in the Alaskan wilderness. Tragically, McCandless ended up starving himself to death thinking that he was trapped in an isolated area in the Denali wilderness. Krakauer’s book unfolds through a series of flash-backs so that the reader begins to understand some of the motivations that impelled McCandless to think that he could take on the Alaskan wilderness though he was woefully unprepared. It is simultaneously a tragic and fascinating study of a brilliant young man and his complex family background.

Since I had read the book and since my wife and I love adventure hiking, we went to see the critically acclaimed movie version of “Into the Wild.” I need to warn anyone reading this that the movie includes brief scenes of nudity and some foul language. However, these are not gratuitous nor are they included simply for prurient interest. I came away from the movie with the view that it is actually better in certain ways then the book at developing the McCandless’ complex family dynamics. From this perspective, it is one of the best movies I have ever seen at examining the theme of forgiveness. Without spoiling the movie for readers, I would say that the scene between McCandless and a character played by Hal Holbrook where the character advises McCandless to forgive his parents is truly one of the most “Christian” scenes I have ever witnessed.

It is my opinion that the life of Chris McCandless, Krakauer’s book and the new movie represent the unfolding of a larger cultural story of our lifetime. I believe Chris symbolizes the generations that have come to maturity after the great cultural revolution of the 60’s. In a sense, they have come onto a beach the morning after a wild party. Now the beach is strewn with beer bottles, broken glass and debris. Consequently, their view of life is essentially cynical and they think of their elders (represented by McCandless’ parents) as hypocritical. Their quest is for authenticity and they often choose to eschew what they consider to be the materialistic values of their forbearers. However, they often tragically and belatedly discover that there is redemption in forgiveness and that happiness cannot be found in isolation.

The final written words of Chris McCandless were, “I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!” He wrote the final note on a page from Louis L'Amour's book, “Education of a Wandering Man”, before dying of starvation on August 18th, 1992.

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 6: 2-3 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

Well, it is almost Halloween again, that time of year when many Christians fall into hysteria over the pagan rites and rituals that ominously lurk behind the packs of neighborhood kids going door-to-door for “Trick or Treat.” Just last Saturday I listened to a national Christian radio broadcaster deluge his audience with all of the seamy history of Halloween, virtually frightening them beyond what this year’s version of the “Saw” movies will do to teen audiences. By this point you may guess that I’m not a big fan of this kind of bug-a-boo. In short, I think it creates a “bunker mentality” in Christians and it is the opposite of Christ’s work of subduing all things and bringing them under submission to His lordship.

I apologize for the following lengthy quote, but it is well worth reading. It is from the great master of societal transformation, St. Augustine. Augustine’s book “City of God” is viewed by many as the pivotal text of Western Civilization that transitioned it intellectually from the ancient Roman world to the inception of early medieval Christendom. In other words, his credentials carry more weight than your local Christian broadcaster. Here Augustine suggests to Christians the proper perspective toward paganism.

On Christian Doctrine, by Augustine, Book 2
“Whatever has been rightly said by the heathen, we must appropriate to our uses
60. Moreover, if those who are called philosophers, and especially the Platonists, have said aught that is true and in harmony with our faith, we are not only not to shrink from it, but to claim it for our own use from those who have unlawful possession of it. For, as the Egyptians had not only the idols and heavy burdens which the people of Israel hated and fled from, but also vessels and ornaments of gold and silver, and garments, which the same people when going out of Egypt appropriated to themselves, designing them for a better use, not doing this on their own authority, but by the command of God, the Egyptians themselves, in their ignorance, providing them with things which they themselves, were not making a good use of; in the same way all branches of heathen learning have not only false and superstitious fancies and heavy burdens of unnecessary toil, which every one of us, when going out under the leadership of Christ from the fellowship of the heathen, ought to abhor and avoid; but they contain also liberal instruction which is better adapted to the use of the truth, and some most excellent precepts of morality; and some truths in regard even to the worship of the One God are found among them. Now these are, so to speak, their gold and silver, which they did not create themselves, but dug out of the mines of God's providence which are everywhere scattered abroad, and are perversely and unlawfully prostituting to the worship of devils. These, therefore, the Christian, when he separates himself in spirit from the miserable fellowship of these men, ought to take away from them, and to devote to their proper use in preaching the gospel. Their garments, also,--that is, human institutions such as are adapted to that intercourse with men which is indispensable in this life,--we must take and turn to a Christian use.”

Restated in very simplified terms, I think Augustine is saying, “Eat the fish and spit out the bones.” Because all good things come from God, Christians have every right to make a claim on philosophical and religious insights originating from non-Christian sources—if they are true. Likewise, physical objects and even human institutions can be reclaimed for God’s glory. This is why the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain--with all of its strange practices--was claimed by medieval Christians and transformed into All Hallows Eve, the night before All Saints Day.

I, for one, am not willing to give up even one day of the year to the devil.

Since Fridays are now my day off, my wife and I headed for what we hoped would be an enjoyable historical film; “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” starring the outstanding Australian actress Cate Blanchett. At one level we enjoyed the experience. The film is visual eye-candy with period costumes, an exciting sea battle, and lots of pomp and ceremony. Just below the surface, however, lurks the most virulent anti-Catholic and, I believe, anti-Christian movie I have seen in many moons. While Catholics are portrayed as pathologically weird, the real message seems to be that Christianity is THE serious danger to the human desire for freedom.

Yes, Elizabeth is presented as an Anglican Protestant who quietly prays (with great formality) before an altar; but, her real spiritual adviser is an astrologist who lets us know that if the Spanish Armada threatening England is to be defeated it will result from a combination of the fates moving through the weather and Elizabeth’s gumption as a single career woman. Elizabeth’s religion is little more than a thinly veiled tract for religious freedom and stoic resistance to Catholic (read: Christian) oppression. In other words, the message is clear; Christianity is the sinister threat which must be opposed lest we all be enslaved to a spiritual Inquisition.

Critic Stephen Whitty of the Newark Star-Ledger writes that “…this movie equates Catholicism with some sort of horror-movie cult, with scary close-ups of chanting monks and glinting crucifixes.” The Spanish King Philip is portrayed as the most smarmy, wild-eyed, religious nutcase I have ever seen on the silver screen. The producers and director seem to have made absolutely no attempt to be either historically accurate or the least bit fair-minded. For instance, we are told in the opening titles that Philip is a “devout Catholic” who has “plunged Europe into a holy war” and only “England stands against him.” Oh, really. Well, who was Philip making war against? Could it have been the continued Muslim/Turkish expansion in the Mediterranean? What the heck, who needs to reference real history?

This brings me to a little thought-question. What do you think would be the critical reaction to a movie which repeatedly showed a Muslim political leader mumbling fanatical slogans against a Western leader and threatening a holy war with the blessings of all Muslim clerics? You know as well as I do, the critical reaction would be prolonged, vociferous and consistent. Such movie-making would be considered the height of bigotry. Meanwhile, back on Planet Hollywood, you’ll hear the sounds of silence about Elizabeth.

I guess it is no surprise that there is a growing body of information and studies that validate the commonsense observation that people in Western culture are more immature than ever. It seems that even the biologist, Bruce Charlton, professor in the School of Biology at the University of Newcastle in England has joined a growing group of scientists who have identified this phenomenon. There is even new terminology for the new immaturity called psychological neoteny. Charlton notes that because “modern cultures now favor cognitive flexibility; immature people tend to thrive and succeed, and have set the tone not only for contemporary life, but also for the future.” Welcome to the brave new world of Paris Hilton and Brittney Spears.

Charlton adds that the faults of youth are retained well into adulthood and these include, “short attention span, sensation and novelty-seeking, short cycles of arbitrary fashion and a sense of cultural shallowness.” In studies done with a cross-section of society, Charlton and others have discovered that this immaturity is most common with “highly educated” people. He notes, “People such as academics, teachers, scientists and many other professionals are often strikingly immature outside of their strictly specialist competence in the sense of being unpredictable, unbalanced in priorities, and tending to overreact.” (http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/06/23/immature_hum.html?category=human&guid=20060623110030)

Scientists, of course, are not the first people to observe that immaturity is spiraling out of control. Diana West, a columnist for the Washington Times, has written a provocative book titled, “The Death of the Grown-up: How America's Arrested Development Is Bringing Down Western Civilization.” She takes a look at the larger impact of the prolonged adolescence of adults in the West. She believes that immature thinking has led to a political correctness which cannot be “judgmental” and identify bad ideas as simply “bad.” This has left the West vulnerable to the “insidious Islamization of culture” because immature people cannot allow themselves to recognize the “dehumanizing ideology” of radical Islam. Americans, West notes, have largely rejected the time-honored notions of adulthood (i.e. modesty, self-discipline and respect for authority) and have instead embraced cultural decadence and inclusiveness. This she terms the “culture of perpetual adolescence.” Perpetual adolescence has eroded Western cultural identity and, hence, our ability to marshal the adequate resolve to defend our own civilization.

A case in point that West offers of our perpetual adolescence is what she terms “red-light district parenting.” Most cities have red-light districts where prostitution is contained by police authorities. Usually the police believe that while prostitution is detrimental to public health and the moral fabric of a community, they also believe that it can only be contained and not eradicated. Red-light district parenting does something similar. Immature-thinking parents believe that they can only contain their children’s unlawful and dangerous behavior. Therefore, they are the parents that allow drinking (alcohol) parties at their homes or purchase limousines, condoms and hotel rooms for “grad night” so that their children can drink, have promiscuous sex and party the night away “safely.” Such parents, West notes, are “parents who need parents.”

Proverbs 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
Proverbs 29:15 The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.