May also have set a hockey record for most famous evangelist daughters? :)

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on May 28, 2012]
With the upcoming Stanley Cup finals, it might be time for a lighthearted post. And if I help Faytene Grasseschi in the process, so much the better.

While Faytene recovers from her faint, I'll explain what I mean. ;)

If you follow Faytene, you come to learn that her father, Dave Kryskow, played in the NHL and WHA for a few years in the 1970s. A few times, in various messages, I have heard her refer to her father and then say something to the effect of, "And so you guys will listen to the rest of my sermon, yes, my dad did play in the NHL and ..." But the sins of the daughter should not be laid at the feet of the father, I haven't sought to mention it.

But what follows may be of passing interest, and I thought to myself, I wonder if Faytene knows this. [It was her reference to her dad to her remarks in a US church that flustered her to the point that she had to remind herself that she was talking about "um, yeah, global dominion". so this is how I'd like to return the favor to him. ;) ]

I recently bought a copy of Andrew Podnieks' 2003 book, Players, which has a write up on every player who ever played in the NHL. Podnieks, after noting that Dave was hoped to be a possible replacement for Bobby Hull by the Black Hawks that drafted him, writes this sentence:

"Needless to say, Kryskow was no Hull, though during his season in the minors he set a pro hockey record by scoring three short-handed goals in a single game."

This would be while he played for the Dallas Black Hawks of the Central Hockey League, as far as I can figure.

Glad to remind Faytene, if this had slipped her mind. ["...And yes, my dad was the first at any level of professional hockey to score..."] But if I can make a brief serious point, if Faytene is not careful and lets her male listeners think, erroneously, that her dad was the first in the NHL to score three shorthanded goals in a game--which is not true--it might be an interesting test of whether she has a tendency to stretch things while in the pulpit. But I'll not say that she would certainly do this to avoid a two minutes for unbloggerlike conduct infraction. :)

Be careful, fellows, about how you mention this post to Faytene and ask for further details. If she were to say, put her hands over her ears and go, "Lalalalala, I'n not listening to you, Lalalalala.", well that would be my bad. ;)

Anyways, if she didn't know at all, well, I'm happy to do Faytene a good turn. Her Dad would probably be happy to remember it for her, assuming Podnieks is bang on in his reporting.

Wildrose candidate Allan Hunsperger called for radio stations to be forced to air conservative ads

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Apr 21 2012] Imagine an election where radio stations were forced to run small-c conservative and Christian radio ads against their will. The idea has been floated by a Wildrose Alliance candidate in Monday's Alberta provincial election..

I was reading some online news about Monday's Alberta provincial election, when I came across a name that will be familiar to BDBO readers..

The Progressive Conservatives are in a tight race with the Wildrose Alliance, a very conservative party looking to outflank Alberta's Tories to the right. The Wildrose has an excellent chance of ending the Tories 41 years of power in the province..

Enter Allan Hunsperger, a Tofield, Alberta pastor who is running for the Wildrose Alliance in the riding of Edmonton Southwest. He's under fire for writing on his blog that homosexuality is evil and will cause you to go to hell. Edmonton Journal columnist Paula Simons, reprinted in the Vancouver Sun, summarizes what has been happening, and takes Wildrose Alliance leader Danielle Smith to task for not taking Hunsperger behind the woodshed..

As dismaying as that may seem, I have to confess that my first thought was "Hey, I've blogged about this fellow." May I cite the essentials?.

Allan Hunsperger, the former owner of the Shine Christian radio stations in Edmonton and Calgary, was pivotal in getting CRTC regulations changed to allow Canadian music radio stations in Canada. He proffered the opinion that I will be quoting below in 2009, but I think it important to recall what he said if he becomes a member of of the Alberta legislature, or even a cabinet minister..

Faytene Grasseschi (who was Faytene Kryskow at the time this was recorded) admires Hunsperger, and has mentioned how grateful she was that the first The CRY that she was in charge of, was broadcast on the radio over Hunsperger’s Shine radio (at least in Edmonton)..

Sometime in 2009, as Faytene was in a whirl of media mentions, she went to Hunsperger’s church where she spoke at discipleship training school. Her talk was recorded as “Media Advance” and the resulting talk was available at her online store. It’s not now..

Towards the end of the first CD of the message, Faytene is talking about the second debate on legalizing gay marriage in the House of Commons and the difficulty of getting the small-c conservative message out..

Hunsperger, who was sympathetic to the “no legal gay marriage” side in some way, asks for the mike to say a few words. Faytene gives it to him..

Hunsperger then says (emphasis mine):.

“The secular media would not play commercials alerting Canadians of the vote coming up in the Parliament House. 92 per cent of media outlets would not allow that message across. So, first point. The issue is ‘fair and balanced’ in the matter of public issues, public concern. Definition of marriage is a public concern.. Radio stations should have been forced to carry those ads. They weren’t, okay.So, and the only ones that really ran that, really were some Christian outlets. But just so you know, they are under the disguise of balance, but the media is not giving the balance and there’s nobody forcing that issue. The only ones that would force that issue would be someone loud or squawking to force them to do it–but by the time you got to that issue, you would be punishing them after the fact.".

Now, as an Alberta politician, he would have difficulty in directly making radio stations to do his will as radio is under federal oversight. But, a new Alberta government has tried to regulate the media, in the interest of "access to accurate information", and although that was ruled "ultra vires", legal experts in a Wildrose Alliance government might want to find a way around this technicality..

As sad as people may be about his religious opinions on homosexuality, I don't think that Allan Hunsperger has called for special "fairness" laws relating to homosexuality. In the case of freedom of speech, and the freedom not to speak, Hunsperger has. And that should give Edmonton Southwest voters cause to be careful.

The Cry becomes a "movement" to "go global"

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Apr 14, 2012] The Cry, Faytene Grasseschi’s prayer event, is now a global movement..

The last Cry, which was held about a month ago in “Hollywood”, could prove to be the start of something big if the Canadian evangelist has her way..

The next Cry is set for somewhere in Toronto, Ontario, or the surrounding area, for July 28. It’s the first Cry under the auspices of The Cry Movement..

“Bigger. Better. Boom!” Faytene tweeted on March 26, followed by this Facebook announcement shortly afterwards:.

Faytene Grasseschi Wednesday at 9:28pm • "We just started a new FB page and Twitter for TheCRYs going forward. It is called TheCRY Movement. We will be linking all info about upcoming CRYs there :). Whoot! Be the first to join. TheCRY Movement Twitter: http://is.gd/BFycxA TheCRYMovement FB Page: http://is.gd/wixTtf Let's do this thing!!".

“….Building this thing from the bottom up to go global!” she later tweeted..

The Cry Movement’s webpage is here and you may check it out on Facebook here..

But, what I quoted earlier seems to be it so far. Although there is a suggestion on Faytene’s revamped biography page that says:”TheCRY Movement - Prayer for entertainment media.” .

Some cautions, if I may..

Previous Cry events, mostly in Canada, have been a series of “one of” events. Faytene and those working with her, would wait on The Lord in prayer, and then “The Lord” would lead them to do specific Cry events for specific reasons at specific times. The Cry event in Vancouver was held, Faytene explained at the time, because Vancouver was a gateway to Canada and so multicultural a city that a revival there could impact the world. The timing was key because of the upcoming Olympics in that city..

The Cry events are laudable at one level, dominionist at another, so carrying them on could be useful in some ways, bad in others. But what I am wondering is why “The Lord” wants this to be a full time job and not something unique and special as it was before? Hopefully Faytene will pass this on..

Is Canada what Faytene, following how she feels she was led, hopes it to be? Or in moving on to “the entertainment Industry” is she hoping to address an issue where she could do some good, but know that she will be occupied for the rest of her days?.

First the Liberian poor, then the Canadian “movers and shakers” and now Hollywood folks with enviable jobs. The mission fields seem to be getting more and more fun. Not that I would want to disparage those who have been making tireless efforts to be a good Christian influence on Hollywood, as I repect what they do in their thankless task. It’s just the latter mission field would be a lot easier to recruit various sorts of help for than the former..

Saving a Hollywood star may seem more glamorous and fun than saving a Liberian refugee, even though God loves them both the same..

Here be dragons, as it were. So, let’s hope that if Faytene is hearing from God accurately about what she needs to do, she watches for the pitfalls.

The moral reasoning behind Mr. Harper's environmental policies?

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Mar 31, 2012].

If Stephen Harper wants to keep his faith, and how it affects his politics, close to his vest, we can't fault journalists for trying to make some educated guesses.

Just ask Andrew Nikiforuk, the winner of several National Magazine Awards who also contributes to the progressive B.C.-based news and commentary website The Tyee. A few days ago, he posted the opinion piece Understanding Harper's Evangelical Mission on the site.

Nikiforuk, a "Christian and a social conservative", wonders out loud why the Tories make what he sees as ongoing dumb decisions related to the environment.

He writes:

"....To date, Harper has refused to answer media questions about his beliefs or which groups inform them. If he answered media queries about his minority creed (and fewer than 10 per cent of Canadians would call themselves evangelicals) he'd have to admit that he openly sympathizes if not endorses what's known as "evangelical climate skepticism.' "

I wonder in turn--Does Harper's church, the Christian and Missionary Alliance--have a formal position on environmentalism?

Nikiforuk goes on to cite the Cornwall Alliance, a alliance of international critics of environmentalism and wonders if groups like this provide Harper and his allies find reasons for their beliefs from conservative Christians who think as the Cornwall Alliance does.

Might Harper and his friends be dismayed by such speculation? Well, politicians speak their minds for a living. If Harper were to sit down and explain whether his faith affects his environmental policies, Mr. Nikiforuk would be able to apply his wisdom and skills to looking at Harper's actual beliefs and actions and not merely speculating. Which would be better for everyone.

But I certainly don't want to say that Nikiforuk is wrong, out of hand. Please check out what he has to say for yourself.

The Cry Hollywood--live!

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Mar 15, 2012] Faytene Grasseschi's The Cry Hollywood will be webcast online live starting at 2 PM Pacific, 5 Pm Eastern (about an hour from now) on The Cry Hollywood's website. The link is here, if you are interested. Got Live If You Want it! as the Rolling Stones used to say... :)

"We are sowing into conquering Hollywood..."

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Mar 10, 2012]

Faytene Grasseschi continues to try to generate attention for The Cry Hollywood—the prayer event is only a few days off now, a big rally planned for March 15 in Los Angeles. You wouldn’t be faulted for thinking that this attempt to bless and encourage Hollywood and to encourage Christian activity in the arts there is a good thing.

And on that level it is. But on another level it is something else. The idea of a “Front”—the patsy that pretended to write scripts for Hollywood figures blacklisted in the 1950s comes to mind.

When it was safe to do so, Faytene and an ally felt free to explain that The Cry Hollywood is awash with her ideas that a group of superchristians will soon be on the move. Donors to The Cry Hollywood are “sowing into conquering Hollywood, attendees at a meeting at a Southern California church were recently told. They could “conquer” Hollywood with Faytene.

Dominionism and the idea of the “manifested sons of God?” I suspect it will underpin The Cry Hollywood, even if only just off the stage.

On February 19, it all started coming out when Faytene spoke at Blessed International Fellowship. While you may hear it all here, for the time being, I made sure to make careful note of what was said for posterity, rolling tape. And however winsome Faytene might be at the rally, hopefully we might have an idea for “the rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say.

The church where Faytene spoke meets at a Vineyard in Anaheim, while its offices are in Fullerton. In the beginning of her remarks, Faytene seems audibly excited. It was Faytene’s first visit to the congregation and friends James Goll and Patricia King had been talking up the church to Faytene, saying how good it was.

I think this was significant to Faytene, and led her to think to herself that the church was “get” and endorse a franker message. She could be more upfront, as they would understand what she is getting at . It’s more explicit than the Gnostic knowledge-style hints and sides that have been popping up in Faytene’s promotional efforts that I wrote about in a recent post.

“Red meat” rhetoric may be served at the table in this church.

The sound table operator, alas for Faytene, started his recording a little early. As the online sound file starts, an unknown fellow is in the middle of exhorting the audience in--as it revealed later—preparing to take an offer for Faytene. Later he will direct people to her book table, where she is also passing on tickets to The Cry Hollywood rally for a suggested donation.

“Unknown Fellow" is in the middle of telling the story of Caleb in the Old Testament and how he wanted to take the land around Hebron as that was “where all the giants were” Caleb conquered it for him and his descendants forever.” He’d been mentioning that Caleb took a “mountain” which ties in with the “seven mountains” idea of the dominionist mindset.

“Hollywood is a very difficult mountain” ’ said Unknown Fellow;

“But I just felt like as I was praying, Faytene has asked for this mountain ‘cause she doesn’t just see the giants, but she sees the Lord and she has heard from the Lord to go after this, Amen. And I feel like as a body of Christ, I don’t care what church she is from, we are the universal body, and this thing that we can do is support her and in her promises that she received from the Lord, we can partake in the promises and when she conquers that land that we too can conquer the land with her. Amen? So this is what we are sowing into this afternoon, we are sowing into conquering Hollywood….”

Conquer is awfully martial for “blessing Hollywood”, isn’t it? But I guess nobody will come across with the cash unless they ramp it up in some way. Taking over is not necessarily a blessing.

Yes, this is someone from the church speaking, but after the offering, Faytene was careful to add a little joke in the Anaheim sanctuary—crossing into the city she decided,“It’s like the spirit of Mickey Mouse is in the air!”—but she wasn't careful to distance herself from Unknown Fellow’s desire to charge on ahead. If they who are listening happen to think as he does, so much the better?

She’s sharing her testimony, and mentions that “I was raised in a Catholic home” but that she hadn’t taken the message to heart. She talks a little about her days at Simon Fraser University, which I would like to return to later. [UPDATE: She refers to Simon Fraser University as somewhat of a graveyard for faith when she went there, and I was wondering how valid that was. Not being a SFU alumus myself, I don't know.]

She goes on to talk about her experiences at a prayer retreat at Bowen Island, near Vancouver, in 1997. Evidently, as she explains what came to be the foundational understanding of her ministry, you can listen and understand that she has been at least flirting with dominionism since she entered Christian work.

Thinking of the passage in Romans 8, she said, she has become convinced that she could be part of, and help lead, a group of Christians who are so in tune with God’s will that is what they instinctively do. She thinks that the Romans passage about creation “groaning” for the “mature sons of God” prophesies about that.

They will be, she said to her audience just like Jesus in their ability to submit to the Lord. Next came the prudent caveats. “I’m not saying that we’re going to be saviours”, she said. She added that she is nowhere nears this state in her own life, but she aspires to it.

These future mature sons [and daughters] of God “will begin to walk in the dominion of God”

“….[W}hen these ones begin to appear en masse, they will walk in the original mandate given to Adam and Eve and the commission to disciple nations. They will begin to walk in dominion stewardship of the earth, subduing darkness and sin that causes corruption and decay and cultivating life again. Their very presence in the earth, come on, will cause curses to be broken off nations and the dominion of God to be made manifest. But it all begins when these ones like Jesus bow in radical consecration to the will of the father, I’m talking about something much deeper than praying a prayer of salvation, although that’s a good place to start, and dedication to God. I’m talking about a lifestyle of total sold-out abandonment to the will and the ways of the father, so that even creation will look at us and say ‘They are ones who resemble God in the earth and are completely government by his spirit.’ I love what Daniel prayed ‘Father would you remove anything in our lives that would resist the whole manifestation of your glory.’ Man, that’s it.”

Let’s unpack this. Some things that come to my mind.

First, what hubris to assume that sinful men and women can be made perfect by the Holy Spirit. Not that the HS is manifested, which I recognize, but “completely so?”

I just know myself, and I would not dare to assume that my heart could be in that kind of place until Jesus finishes his work in my heart.

Second, think of all the great Christians of the past. Pick an example to suit you. Isn’t in appalling to think that these past heroes are, of necessity, failures? They must be horribly flawed to not come to this new understanding of the coming Christian ubermensch supermen and show it themselves? Just think, if they had been such losers, Jesus could have come back centuries ago.

Could you imagine Faytene ambling up to St. Paul, if she is correct in her thinking, in order to say “If only you had been as smart as I was…” ?

Thirdly, Faytene can say that these super ones will not be a savior, but who in the greater world would feel an explicit need for a saviour, when the “Domionionism Super Friends” are doing all this great stuff for everyone? They’d need one, but the temptation would be there to settle for second best.

Lastly, I am reminded of Jesus’ example of the two men praying in the temple, the one with the one asking for mercy and the one who is so full of himself that he thanks God that he wasn’t born like you know who…

Which attitude do we see in these remarks from Faytene?

“I thank you that I was born in these days when I could be a mature son of God, unlike…” ?

After a brief digression, Faytene adds this:

“….I was reminded of a prophecy by Bob Jones—and I don’t know if you guys had heard this one—but he actually prophesied a few years back about the decades. I think it was about the next four or five decades. And he said that the decade of 2010 would be a special emphasis on the Glory of God. Did it not? I mean everywhere we went there were glory conferences….”

Faytene must hate the Internet sometimes. You can check things out.

I think I found what Faytene was referring to. This site here quotes Bob Jones as saying, in a 1996 appearance at a Hamilton, Ont. Church that the 2000 would be full of “glory” as Faytene says. But what did he predict for the 2010s? The rise of the ‘faith of God” of creative miracles, controlling the weather and such.

Continuing right from where I stopped quoting Faytene adds this, which is sort of like what the above site records Jones as describing, but also different in a way.

By the way, Bob Jones is predicting a huge revival that will require until 2014 or 2015 to prepare for the “Glory”. As of last July, the glory train he saw hadn’t arrived yet and we need to be “prepared for the glory of God to come.”

Anyways, Faytene moves from the last decade to this one.

“And in the decade of 2010 to 2020, he {Jones] said that it was going to be the revealing of the true sons of God. The revealing of, I believe, another word would be giant slayers, you know. Men and women of faith and consecration that are willing to go low like Jesus in order to be raised up to defeat the powers of darkness, right? The ones that are willing to say “not my will…”

“God has been sending the forerunners,” she added, “This is available to all believers.”

Let’s look back to Faytene’s description of the true sons of God that I quoted earlier. Sounds like Jones’s decription of the Manifest Sons of God, which I found here, with all the overcoming, and such.

Jones was quoted in the past as describing the “manifest sons of God” of the future in this way:

"I have called the best of every blood line in earth unto this generation…I have elected to bring them forth in this generation…THE ELECT GENERATION…even the bloodline of Paul…of David…of Peter, James and John…They will even be superior to them in heart, stature and love for me’…Your children will possess the spirit without measure…They will move into things of the supernatural that no one has ever moved in before…coming into the DIVINE NATURE of Jesus Christ…a Church that has reached the full maturity of the GODMAN! This generation…is going to see the beginning of this WORLD WIDE NEW ORDER."

Sounds like the same concept of the “true sons of God”, the”giantkillers” will will exercise “dominion” that Faytene was talking about?

Especially when she says this::

“God is looking in this hour to anoint, I believe, and raise up the mature sons of God that all of creation has been waiting for…”

Perhaps Faytene may mean “manifest sons of God” in what she teaches, but she has come up with new terminology—“mature” to describe the same, or a similar idea. She would know that using the phrase “manifest sons of God” would set off alarm bells that would wake the sheep dozing as she preaches.

Faytene goes on to talk about her experiences in Liberia and in Canada, revisiting the “touch the heart of a King” argument that I addressed in my last post on this subject. How kindness is better than criticism. And such. She ends her remarks by praying for and prophesying over the church. Faytene added that she had been recently prayed over and advised that God might be calling her to work both of Canada and “Hollywood” at the same time.

Hollywood, she says, “was founded to tell stories about God…Hollywood was already given to Jesus.”

I wouldn’t say that, looking back at the history of “Hollywood.”

She said that God is looking for people who are able to see beyond the dysfunction of Hollywood, or wherever one might be called to, and say “…My God is able to give me this mountain because my God is a covenant keeping God and if I show up, he’s going to back it up.”

“God is raising up Kings. That might be a little bit misunderstood…” she added.

You don’t say, Faytene. On the contrary, I would wonder, after you were able to find a sympathetic church where you were able to let your hair down a bit, we might be able to understand what you might be getting at with The Cry Hollywood much better.

.

"Brynne, why don't you cast this demon out," said the 13 year old's dad Bob Larson

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On March 10, 2012] Bob Larson is back in the spotlight, along with three teenage girls who cast out demons. Larson is the father of Brynne, and the pair appeared with two other young ladies who want to develop an aptitude for exorcisms on a recent Anderson Cooper TV show. How Bob Larson can appear in formal clerical garb on the show is beyond me... Thanks to the fine blogger at Available Light Online where I spotted this.

Harold Camping--I was wrong but good came of it

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Mar 7, 2012]

The staff of Harold Camping's old ministry, Family Radio, has issued a statement on his behalf.

Although the ministry does admit that the prediction was an "incorrect and sinful statement", they seem oddly cheerful about what happened as a result. In the Charisma News report, the full statement, above the names of Camping and the ministry, is quoted.

They admit that those who cited "of that day and hour knoweth no man" were correct, and add later that they have no more possible dates to cite. But they also write this:

Yes, we humbly acknowledge we were wrong about the timing; yet though we were wrong God is still using the May 21 warning in a very mighty way. In the months following May 21 the Bible has, in some ways, come out from under the shadows and is now being discussed by all kinds of people who never before paid any attention to the Bible. We learn about this, for example, by the recent National Geographic articles concerning the King James Bible and the apostles. Reading about and even discussing about the Bible can never be a bad thing, even if the Bible’s authenticity is questioned or ridiculed. The world’s attention has been called to the Bible.

.... We were even so bold as to insist that the Bible guaranteed that Christ would return on May 21 and that the true believers would be raptured. Yet this incorrect and sinful statement allowed God to get the attention of a great many people who otherwise would not have paid attention. Even as God used sinful Balaam to accomplish His purposes, so He used our sin to accomplish His purpose of making the whole world acquainted with the Bible. However, even so, that does not excuse us. We tremble before God as we humbly ask Him for forgiveness for making that sinful statement. We are so thankful that God is so loving that He will forgive even this sin..

This kind of strikes me as an odd stance to take. Those who remember the aftermath of all this might be inclined to be less charitable.

They're apologizing. Technically. I guess.

"[F]ocus, so, um, global dominion"--The Cry Hollywood defined?

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Feb 27, 2012]

People are looking forward to the Cry Hollywood, a prayer event for Hollywood, led by Canada’s very own Faytene Grasseschi. Her own organizers have booked the 6,000 seat Gibson amphitheatre. Universal City in Los Angeles for March for their prayer event for Hollywood.

The ostensible purpose of the event, to see God work in the entertainment industry is certainly very laudable.

The latest promotional article, released by the ChristianNewsWire earlier today [Feb 27], shows that Faytene doesn't miss a trick. Or a possible "news peg".

The story, which cites studies which shows that the average North American spends less than 28 hours a year in church but 6 hours a day accessing media of some kind. {really?], quotes Faytene as follows:

...."In the wake of the recent passing of vocal icon Whitney Houston it is a reverent honor to come to the heart of Hollywood and lift up the people of this industry in prayer at this difficult time," says event director Faytene Grasseschi, "our heart is to love this city through prayer."

And The Cry Hollywood is not just a one day thing. A rally to raise support for the event has already been held at a church in Pasadena. After the prayer rally, on March 16-17, conference is planned at Angelus Temple church in Los Angeles, This Is That, to build on what might have happened during The Cry Hollywood. (This is interesting, as if there was any minister who knew the value of theatricality in sharing her message, it was Aimee Semple McPherson, who built the Angelus Temple.)

The event has received attention in various Christian online news outlets such as the Christian Post and the Christian News Service. Progressives on the ‘net are wondering about what will be happening next month as well…

When The Cry Hollywood was announced I wondered if this was a sign of a new moderation on Faytene’s part. In various ways, she has been sharing about what she hopes to do. Noting that “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist” to realize that from her conservative Christian perspective, “Hollywood” is often a bad influence, she instead reasons that it might be better to try to call the good that God has placed in Hollywood out, and seek top bless Christians seeking to be salt and light in Hollywood.

Absolutely. I agree.

But the kicker with Faytene and her friends always seems to be “Is this all they mean to aim for?”

Faytene, I suspect, seems to have taken the Biblical admonition to be as wise as foxes to heart. Amidst all the good, laudable and praiseworthy plans that almost every Christian would like at The Cry Hollywood, there is a leavening on wanting to be on top, to have her brand of Christianity shape things.

In short, although she is now taking pains to say that The Cry Hollywood is “not a dominionist thing”, there are hints in two in-depth sermons and two interviews that dominionism—the idea that “we have to take Hollywood for Christ” may be very much at play at what will be going on next month.

You just need to listen for it. As a dog whistle will call a dog when you can’t hear it yourself, I suspect that those “in the know” who want a Gnostic-like hint that dominionism is a goal of this event, may be able to sense what may be about to be going on.

I hope to look at three different things that Faytene has done to promote and explain her event, in roughly chronological order, one at a time.

First would be Faytene and Robert Grasseschi’s appearance at Toure Robert’s One Church international sometime shortly before Christmas of last year.

[You may remember that I briefly touched on Robert’s comparison in which he said that Faytene was just like Michael Jordan except for the technical part that she is not a tall black gentleman who excelled in the NBA. Her entire sermon is here.]

The second item is a January 8, 2012 appearance by Faytene on the “Evo Show”, a Christian internet show based out of Arizona. The program includes footage of an appearance she made at a church in that State, in which, as I will try to explain, she lets the cat out of the bag.

The third item, is an interview that Faytene did with the Christian Internet radio program Revolution Radio, from Seattle, Washington, on January 10, 2012.

Let’s begin with Faytene’s remarks at Toure Robert’s church.

She eases into establishing a rapport with her audience. The church evidently has a lot of people who are either involved in the entertainment industry or hope to be so that is why Faytene says the following.

“When I was in college, I was into dance and film production” she says. “That was my heart and passion.”

Well, an old Faytene Zoominfo page lists her degree from Simon Fraser University as being a “communications degree”, but she might have had an interest in these things when she wasn’t practicing karate, so we'll give her a pass on that.

She begins to talk about her days as a missionary in Liberia. I’ve heard this before, but the spin that she is now putting on it is very intriguing. She, I presume, may want to have participants in The Cry Hollywood take this kind of approach too.

In her sermon, she remembers a prayer conversation that she had with God while she was ministering to many children and women who were disabled by the fighting there in the 1990s.

The Lord asked Faytene why so many people were suffering She answered it was “because that people who didn’t love God were in places of authority and just happened to have guns.”

“The Lord said ‘Exactly.” He said ‘Faytene you could spend Faytene you could spend your entire life picking up orphans one at a time and you would love in at it would be so Jesus… and I will call many to do that’, but then he said this “But If you could touch the heart of a king, if you could touch a heart of a person of influence…in a moment of time, you could change everything, you could literally liberate an entire nation of children of risk.’”

She then cites Christ’s admonition in Matthew 28, applying it to us today. “Make disciples of nations”, Faytene implies—as she has in her booked Marked,--for example—that entre nations need to be brought under the discipleship of Christ.

I’ve blogged on the problems with attempting to do this while Christ is not on the earth in his millennial kingdom, but what Christ asks us to do would properly be better translated “in” instead of “of. Individual people throughout the world can be baptized in water. Entire countries cannot be.

So, Faytene is arguing, target the leaders. Which is why she has spent so many years here in Canada lobbying politicians in Ottawa and try to do things there. A valuable insight, and I don’t fault people who are called to that. But certainly, it doesn’t apply to great majority of people.

Some cautions.

Let’s apply this to Hollywood, as Faytene may be thinking she should at least do in her own personal case, at the very least. Therefore in order to win Hollywood, we should covert the Clooneys and the Spielbergs. Sure, but God loves the key grips and writers as much as he loves the stars.

It would take a great deal of humility to be called to a mission field of George Lucases. I don’t think I would trust myself to field a message that I was called in this way.

One problem is that it is probably not hard to find folks who will happily minister to the Clint Eastwoods when a crying need to talk to the great mass of anonymous people who put on the things that we watch and listen too. And you know, if Faytene happened to win a key grip who would then go on to work with a huge unsaved star on a series of films and then win the star to the Lord through their own witness, that would be just as great.

I have to say that the Biblical example of Christ makes me wonder about this approach too. Christ certainly didn’t ignore that Romans and Jewish leaders of his day—who would have been the ‘people of influence of his day’, but He seemed to minister to everyone equally and impartially. We don’t read of Christ trying at all costs to save Pilate and Herod so that Judea could be transformed.

Also, the epistles talk about the poor and rich being equally brothers. No giving a better seat to a rich “person of influence.”

At 14:50 of the video, Faytene says, quoting God:

“Who is disciplining your nation? Who is discipling North America? Who is taking up that mantle that I gave the church, that I paid for with my blood?”

You need to “do all of it”, she adds. “Go to the backwoods of Africa and preach the Gospel”. But the Lord, she says, added to her. “I have called my people to be salt and light and be the lead culture.”

What may that mean? Well, a few months ago, We here blogged on Faytene’s efforts to influence social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Faytene and her friends hadn’t gotten the plays in the new playbook quite right yet, so there was overt talk about “taking the mountain” of social media of the Lord. As we had noticed that Faytene has a personal history of using social media with her elbows up and hitting other users, we had wondered about how Christlike that would be.

Faytene knows that people are listening to what she says carefully, so to be fair that I should that at 15:32 of the video, she says this:

“Now I’m not talking about some kind of weird domionist thing, forcing religion o people. I’m just talking about the goodness of God”.

Let’s take care to remember this for later.

I’m a great believer in applying the goodness of God to Hollywood, but I have a couple of questions.

How far would be idea of discipling the leaders of influence in Hollywood (what the Lord would apply to Liberia, he would apply to Hollywood, one assumes) go?

Salt and light needs to be introduced to entertainment. But I fear that a “lead culture” approach would discourage Christians who are doing great things without being part of a “lead Culture”. It sets up Christians to thing that they have “failed” because they don’t seem to be victorious, carrying all before them, when from an eternal perspective, thay might have done well.?

In an entertainment culture where dominionist Christians have carried all before them, can we trust them to try to “win” the “ungodly” instead of just blacklisting them? What if those sacked are committed Christians with just the wrong politics? Hollywood is full of human frailty.

She continues. “God’s goodness invades the earth and good things happen,” she says, as Christians are “invading places of influence.”

(Why the military language?)

Faytene carries on by talking to this American audience about her poitical tined activities here in Canada and then discussing about how her efforts to create a movment of “honour and blessing” in that regard seem to have borne good fruit and would also be fruitful in Hollywood.

At 20:04 she says:

“....understand the power of what we speak over a generation that is why the enemy [Satan] has gone after media like nobody’s business, right? Because he understands the power, whoever gets the highway, who ever gets the main pulpit speaking things over a generation because there [is} literally creative power in that….Every time a song is sung over a generation, it creates…”

[Well, do you need to stop “incorrect” music?]

At 24:42, Faytene adds this.

“I just want to beseech you. What are the songs that your going to sing over a generation. What are the movies, what are the screenplays which you are going to write over a generation? ‘Cause whatever we put up there in the high places, there is creative power in what we do.”

Therefore, as Hollywood exercises power and authority, and the Bible says to pray for those in authority, thus, Faytene says, we should pray for Hollywood. “Who has more cultural authority over a generation than entertainers,” Faytene said. “I’m just starting to get it. We are biblically mandated to pray for you.”

“The question is how is this sphere going to rule?” she laters adds. “We believe in the dream of God for this place [Hollywood]”

Sounds nice, but then at 29:53, she adds this about the need to meet in Hollywood, “…right in this cultural gate and you’ve seen our weapon of mass destruction. [Faytene giggles].”

Aside from another use of military language so beloved by dominionists, they often talk about “taking the gates” of something in order to exercise control of something. In Jesus’ name of course.

“And I’ll be honest, we don’t know what we’re doing, right. We just know Jesus works,” Faytene says. “He’s called us to be the lead culture.” Not one of many, the one in front.

Faytene means well in what she says a little after this, but it’s an implied slap at those Christians who have felt a need to critique Hollywood. She says “You know, I can’t wait until Hollywood meets the church that isn’t coming to point out what she is doing wrong, but to point out everything that she is doing right and to call her forth into everything that she could be.”

“I believe he has an incredible End Time destiny for this generation,” Faytene says.

[And I’ll note in passing that one of precept of dominionism is that there will not be a “falling away” but rather that the church will rise up, take charge and get the world ready for Jesus to rule. This idea may be carried forward in what she says next.]

At 31:38 she says this: “I don’t believe this is an event, I believe this is a movement that God is raising up, a people that understand the power of what we do in the spirit realm and then and go and make the word flesh in this sphere called entertainment, media.”

Her main remarks done, Faytene then goes on to prophesy about the destiny of Tore’s church. Of course, she says, what she says is “not a manipulative word”, but if various people in the congregation will seek to use their entertainment talents for this church, God will do incredible things there, even resulting in the creation of new forms of entertainment.

Remember how earlier in her address, Faytene said that what she was doing is not dominionist, no way, no how? Well, at 34:05, during her prophetic word for this church, Faytene says this, which stopped me in my tracks.

“You’re in a season where God has had you in a humble place, but he has bought Dominion [to you] and He has brought the word made flesh…”

Whoa there. How can dominion be bad and then be something that is a blessing to pray over a church merely 20 minutes later? Maybe Faytene meant earlier that there can be a “good dominionist thing which The Cry Hollywood could be. How could you not want The Cry Hollywood to be dominionist when having dominion is a blessing for a church?

I hope that Faytene is not prevaricating here. But saying that something is not a duck when it quacks like a duck is hard to believe.

In wrapping up her remarks here, she alludes to her record of work in Canada to says how far she believes she has come.

Back in the day she was “licking stamps”, doing menial work for Jesus. “If you would have said to me at that time that within six years, I would be face with the Prime Minister of Canada, of a G-8 nation and helping to steer righteous legislation, I would have said ‘Give me back that heroin.’”

Faytene has done some useful work in Canada. But, she gives the impression that she has had success after success. From the perspective of some conservative Christians in Ottawa--who recall Stephen Harper’s adamant statement during the election that the subject of abortion was closed, for example—the advent of a Tory majority hasn’t been much of a help in what they hope to do. But nobody listening to Faytene speaking in a church in L.A. is going to check out what Fayteen was able to do in Canada.

Maybe that’s why addressing Hollywood is a good career move for Faytene. What she was able to do and not do in Canada—think Roxanne’s Law—can be measured. In Hollywood, however, she can promise that God will change Hollywood. She can do good and laudable work, but her labours to Dominate Hollywood might have to last a lifetime. Fixing Hollywood is a lot more nebulous and less easy to measure than fixing Canada.

Don’t want to rain on the parade, but if we are level headed, these factors may come into play.

The second media item I would like to look at is her January appearance on the “Evo show”, an Arizona-based Internet TV show.

The program begins with a video clip of her remarks at a Phoenix church.

Faytene lets the cat out of the bag. And her slip provides the title of my post. It starts at 3:30. She is talking to the church about how the church as a whole can most effectively use their influence in a general way.

“...Our voice is powerful and we can literally affect global history through this microphone tonight [through prayer]…we have such a level of authority, and where there is great authority, there is great responsibility.”

She’s talking about a meeting with Stephen Harper in 2010, when she feels the need to put Canada in context for the American audience. “We kicked your tush in [Olympic} hockey,” she says, which we felt led to mention as her dad played in the NHL.

She is visibly distracted and needs to get back to her topic. And at 5:15, she reveals what it is.

“Geez, sorry I didn’t mean to do that, anyways that’s feisty…. Okay, but anyway focus, so, um, global dominion, okay…”

As she follows her slip by explaining what she was trying to do in Canadian politics, it naturally follows that was part of dominion. And logically, perhaps, The Cry Hollywood too, as it is a “place of influence” that may need to be iinvaded too.

So whatever she is talking about here is about taking global dominion? Thanks for the useful footnote, Faytene!”

Faytene is then interviewed by host Landon Schott in the studio. She talks a lot about her political activity in Canada, but at least here, she is modest enough to attribute her successes to those who are working and praying alongside her.

At 11:43 Faytene begins an interesting exchange with her host, but saying that during her daily prayers she and Robert “decree” together.

“We actually decree together.”

“What do you mean by decree?”

Faytene explains:

“The Bible says ‘we shall decree a thing’ or you shall ‘decree a thing and it will be established, right? So a decree is when you make a proclamation, or a statement. You know a statement of faith that is lined up with what God’s word said and you make that statement and it actually creates something in the spirit realm, because the Bible says that there is life and death in the power of what you speak, and so every single night Robert and I will sit on our bed and we’ll just begin decreeing for different areas in our lives and you know that’s been really exciting because I used to do that all by myself…but to do it with somebody and see God answer prayer…is really exciting.”

Bending things to your will and creating things from nothing by the power of your words? Dominionist all day long.

It can be hard for Americans to figure out the truth of Faytene’s description of what she was able to do up here, but I can perhaps fact check one item that she talks about.

In speaking about her work to help the efforts of Canadian MPs to form a pro-life caucus and work for legislation, Faytene says this: “We’ve never had anything like this in the history of our nation, um sort of on this level.”

Well, she may have a point if she is talking about how active a pro-life caucus has chosen to be. But, if Americans in her audience are thinking that there has never been a pro-life caucus in the history of Canada’s House of Commons, Faytene would be wrong.

There *was* a pro-life caucus during the Mulroney years. Although they weren’t as active as pro-life MPs may be now, they shared information and discussed issues together. So notes this PhD thesis on page 159. So “never had anything like this in the history of our nation” would probably be inaccurate.

And now for the third item, Faytene’s Jan. 10 interview on the Seattle-based internet radio show Revolution Radio. (broadcast live and then posted the following day on her site here.

Host Aimee Montgomery is quite perky and has a taste for softball questions, but she does do an okay job of introducing Faytene to folks in the US who don’t know of her.

Faytene, in setting the table, attempts to imply to her audience that the great things she was involved with in Canada can carry over to the US as well. Not gathering to “point a finger” or to “rail in accusation”, says Faytene, is key.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist” says Faytene in the interview, to realize that things are wrong with Hollywood. But she points to when she was a troubled 14-year-old, and argues that in the same way that condemning the teenage Faytene would have made her “worse”, so castigating Hollywood would do little good.

This thoughtful point, however, has this explanation near it.

Faytene told her radio audience this:

“It’s really a lot like where Ezekiel stood in the ‘valley of dry bones’ and God said “What do you see’, and basically the end of the story is ‘I see an army’ right? And so, we’re going in there to say we believe in you Hollywood and we want to see something amazing that comes out of this city, a city that impacts the whole world, America and Canada and Germany…we believe that you can be absolutely amazing.”

A good intent, yes, but why do you need to have an army associated with what you are thinking? If you are dominionist, though, this wouldn’t be as jarring an image as it might be to a 14-year-old Faytene.

She notes in passing that a The Cry event is planned for July--somewhere unspecified in Canada.

She then goes on to the details of how The Cry Hollywood was to be set up. The main full day event of The Cry Hollywood is to be held at the 6,000 seat Gibson’s Amplitheatre in the Universal City complex in Los Angeles. If you have already looked at the sign up site for the event, you will have noticed that everyone getting in has to pre-register in advance.

Says “Faytene, “We want to make sure that the people that are travelling, from Seattle [for example], that they get there [and can get in].”

Yes, true, but an indoor venue can be handy for other reasons as well.

The pop song said that it never rains in southern California, except when I was once on holiday. There is the slight possibility of rain.

But an outdoor venue raises its own problems.

An apparent lack of attendance as happened at The Cry Ottawa.

And when you’re outside, anybody can wander up and listen to what you have to say, and could even report on it.

Pre-screening your attendees will allow you to keep certain people out—if their names leap out at you.

It’s an old political adage to pick the smallest practical venue so that it looks like your cause is very popular. With the huge Christian population in Orange County, it would be easy to pack a 6,000 seat venue. The kind of venue which would demand the attention of the outside world to watch you were doing—such as the Rose Bowl, or Dodger Stadium—might attract lots of people, but have many empty seats too.

Although all the speakers are donating their time and travel expenses, Faytene said this in early January on this show. “It looks like it is going to cost about, probably $40-S50 per person to put on the event.”

(The budget hasn’t exploded since. As I write, they estimate the event will cost $200.000 and $128.000 has been raised to date.]

There will be conferences after the event, and it is hoped that the big day-long event will be edited and broadcast on GOD TV shortly afterwards.

Faytene returned to the point that she made at Robert’s church—that there are all the elite people who are not being ministered to.

“He [God] said if you want to see me move in this generation and [then] you need to go to the places of influence. I always used to think that it was all sort of going to the low places socially, of society, The bottom line is that Jesus wants us to be everywhere.”

Well yes, but as I noted before, it’s a lot more enjoyable for the non-humble ministering to George Lucas than children who are victims of war in Liberia, say. That’s sad, but that’s how it is…

Well, what to say now. Wanting God to move in Hollywood is a very praiseworthy goal. I fear however, that the little foxes of ego and the desire to be lordly may be getting in to spoil the best of good intentions.

It shouldn’t have to come to this, but perhaps we should pray that God will sift out the bad and keep the good in the event. Given what I feel I have been able to point to, maybe that is the most sensible;e way to pray.

Faytene might want to do her best to “put on a show” in that “barn” of a venue in Los Angeles. But she’ll pardon me, I hope, if I wait to see the reel of what could be some unpleasant “Coming Attractions” that I fear she is hinting at, before I applaud.

Australia banned me. Please send money

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Jan 30 2012] Boy it costs a lot to be an evangelist. Just ask Todd Bentley. Earlier today, he sent an "urgent" e-mail asking his friends for financial support. In February, he plans to go to California and Haiti. What's central in Todd's mind is an upcoming trip to Australia, hopefully in June. We may remember that last week, he was refused entry into Australia, but if at first... He, or one of his assistants, writes:

....As most of you know, at this time our recent tour to Australia has been Postponed due to a visa application process. We have a great and continued opportunity in Australia. We are thankful for all the cooperating churches and leaders in Australia who are praying for our ministry. We hope to return to Australia as planned this June. We do anticipate a mighty outpouring!...

It would seem that my guess was right. Namely, that Australian immigration has ostensibly decided that he will be "working" on his trip to Australia and needs to apply for permission to work as a preacher temporarily in their country. The writer adds this a bit further on:

....Our last minute delay in our planned tour to Australia was a huge disappointment of course. It was also a huge financial set back for our ministry. Our immediate expenses just in Airfare and travel was over 10,000. We also lost out on the opportunity to fundraise for our Haiti mission and Ministry. God immediately came through with a huge financial miracle and we are grateful to the Lord for his faithfulness. However we still are in need of some continued support for our Haiti Mission and ministry. The need is still $ 20,000......

Some observations. If Todd had been wise, he would have made inquiries about visas when the idea of going to Australia popped into his mind, thus saving the expenses that he incurred. I'm not fortunate enough to be able to fly anywhere, but it seems to me that $10,000 is a little high for a loss. Quantas is quoting, at this moment, roundtrip airfares of $938 from Canada to Australia. Perhaps it would even be cheaper from the US. Unless he is taking a team of 10-15 people with him, well, I don't know. And surely the airline wouldn't bill him the full cost of flights he didn't take. Also, the hotels would surely not bill him the full cost of rooms he never slept in. It is summer down under... It's interesting how he phrases the need too. Presumably, he had $10,000 in pocket to possibly cover his stated losses. But I wonder about his priorities. Why is Australia first to be cleared up. Well, as Haiti is a "needier" place, a mission there is easier to ask for money for. Australians seem to have a less urgent need than Haitians do, so it is easier to raise money to help the Haitians. But the Australians came first in his thinking, when he could have taken that $10,000 and written "Hey we only need $10.000 to go to Haiti as we already have half the amount we need." It's urgent, as there's only three weeks before Todd plans to go to Haiti. Why think this way? Well delaying the trip means that this happened: "We also lost out on the opportunity to fundraise for our Haiti mission and [sic] Ministry." Or rather, perhaps: Rats, I didn't get an opportunity to ask Australians for their money? Waaaahhh! Sad.

Australia's customs balks at Mr. Bentley

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Jan 24, 2012] A big thanks to reader Riles who brings it to our attention that Todd Bentley is not being allowed into Australia for a series of evangelistic meetings he had planned fot later this week in small chuirches in or near Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra. Says the announcement on the Fresh Fire website: The Australian Tour is currently on hold until further Notice. Australian Immigration has denied Todd entry into the country at this time. We are however doing everything we can to get an answer for the denied entry. We have sent all the required documents and are awaiting approval from Australian Immigration to be allowed to come to Australia and Minister. Please continue to stand with us as we are not giving up. I don't know why either, but here are a couple guesses. When he was ministering in Bellingham Washington, before Lakeland, Todd Bentley complained to his audiences of being held at the border because U.S. Customs considered preaching as working, and he'd need special paperwork--which Todd didn't want to bother with if possible so he could be back and forth quickly. However, he related the customs officials as saying, if he was merely leading a Bible study, that would be okay. The customs officials always let him across to preach, but the idea was no doubt planted in Bentley's mind that he had to find a permanent solution to his problem of guaranteeing access to the U.S., his biggest audience. Perhaps something similar is happening in Australia. "Hey mate, you're coming into Australia to preach, and that means work and a special visa..." Of course, it could also relate to the main reason that Todd Bentley was jailed as a teenager. That would set off an alarm in the mind of any on-the-ball customs official. And that would have been something that Todd would have taken care of, as far as the US is concerned, by marrying the very American Jessa Bentley. It would be an undue hardship, Bentley would argue, to deny him access to his wife just because she lives in the US. And he's got to be able to make a living...

There'll be a revival whether I can verify it or not

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On jan 23, 2012] The story in the Sunday Express newspaper aside, Todd Bentley is very happy with the "explosion...of miracles" during his recent trip to Britain. Or so one of his minions writes in an e-mail about his UK tour which was sent out a few weeks ago. In there are various somewhat vague accounts of a lady who had a stroke and was healed through one of Bentley's prayer cloths and a girl who was healed of dyslexia and went to her school and had a spectacular result on a test. "Todd was able to break down for what we believe to be the beginning of a huge move of God coming to the UK," the e-mail notes. Small problem, though. Although the stories are good, if true, it's going to be hard to verify that they happened. What is the name of the lady who was healed by the prayer cloth? What is that name of the student? Where do they live? Back at the Lakeland Revival, Todd Bentley complained about the Sunday Express' coverage of his plans to come to Britain at that time. He said then:

....Oh, they did a terrible story on me in England, I know. Terrible story. Blown out of proportion. Never verified the facts...."

Well, Bentley can't really continue with this complaint against the press, if he makes it difficult, if not impossible for reporters to check what happened due to his vagueness... It's not the standard set by Christ as recorded in the Bible, where you could track down living eyewitnesses to what Christ did if you were reading the epistles and Gospels if you were alive shortly after they were being written up and distributed. Christ's testimony thrives on eyewitnesses. Bentley seeks to make it hard to track down eyewitnesses of his work, by comparison, seems to make sense, for dismaying reasons that don't lend credit to what Bentley seeks to do.

She [Faytene] is just like Michael Jordan?

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Jan 7, 2012] Robert Grasseschi, no doubt under the mentoring of his evangelist wife Faytene, is picking up how to speak in charismatic churches. But Robert, who says he used to be an adept basketball player, rhetorically bounced his three point shot off the rim recently. The couple were guests roughly a couple of weeks ago at the North Hollywood, California church of evangelist Toure Roberts. Apparently, One Church International is quite hip and popular from what Roberts says. He has to turn away potential guest speakers. And also the church has a strong interest in the arts. The couple are apparently friends of Roberts. So it would be quite natural in the run up to Faytene's The Cry Hollywood initiative, that she would want to talk about what she hopes to do with "cool" perhaps younger, Christians who could lend a hand. One of their videotaped sermons is posted online here. Faytene has some interesting things to say, but a couple things strike me as worth noting. Robert is up first, introducing Faytene. I like Robert. He seems affable and friendly. But how he goes about it winds up being accidentally funny, with a possibly jarring subtext.

Do as Faytene says, but not as she did

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on dec 30, 2011] Faytene Grasseschi, in a recent internet interview, offers some fine advice on how Christians in public life should reply to being critiqued. Great advice. I hope that she turns over a new leaf and starts to practice it, as her graciousness is very much at odds with things she has said in the past.

Why the Sunday Express newshounds are on the trail of the Todd Bentley fox?

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On dec 8, 2011] As Todd Bentley moved on from Wales and prepares to visit a meeting place that is advertised as not far from London, we can mention that other British newspapers have not found the evangelist’s return to Britain to be newsworthy yet. The Sunday Express, however, has. As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, the newspaper has warned “Beware the tattoo preacher”, quoting a local Tory MP who fears that Bentley’s often amazing claims are “far-fetched”. He warns his constuents to stay clear. A similar warning was issued by the newspaper in a 2008 story, which led Todd Bentley, in a video that is still on YouTube, to basically dare the newspaper to try and stop him, in my view. Given this—which I’ll explain below—it’s no wonder that the news nose of the Sunday edition of the Daily Express newspaper continues to smell keenly.

"Beware of the tattoo preacher [Todd Bentley]", Britain's Sunday Express newspaper warns its readers

{posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Dec 3 2011] I can imagine that Todd Bentley might have been running around to every grocery and news agents in Cwmbran, Wales, hoping that he could buy every copy of the Sunday Express that he could find before anyone read the newspaper's story about his visit to preach there. It's Bentley's first visit to Britain since the collapse of the Lakeland revival in 2008, and he evidently hopes to make up for lost time, preaching here in Wales until the 7th, and then in a town near London England on the 9th and 10th. [Note from Rick: I very much want to link to the actual story, but the usual way of hyperlinking is not working. And not even the convoluted way that I was writing--click on this, type that, was working either. I logged onto Google UK News, and did a search for "Todd Bentley" and it brought up the story. Perhaps that will help until Bene D can work some magic. If he can post a note to that effect, I'd appreciate it...] Hey Rick - got the magic, the link is working.:^) Frustrating eh? - BD Very! But if the link doesn't work the roundabout way through Google News UK might still be okay.] Anyways, Todd is bragging on his Twitter feed that he has people coming from other parts of Europe, but the Sunday Express, which has covered Bentley before, seems unimpressed. One of the local MPs, David Davies of the Conservative Party is certainly worried. The Sunday Express reports:

Tory MP David Davies, whose Monmouth constituency covers part of Cwmbran, said: “I go to church and respect Christian beliefs, but I am concerned that some of the claims made by Mr Bentley are far fetched and should be treated cautiously.”

It will make for an interesting few days for Bentley. Will other English papers--especially the national tabloids--pick up on this and follow the Express' lead? Will Todd's hand tremble a little as he drinks his breakfast cuppa? This deserves more than I can give right now, so I hope to return to the story in a day or so. There's interesting background--including what I interpret as Todd Bentley's dare to the Daily Express and Sunday Express that their stories would be futile in preventing him from returning to Britain--which I hope to explore as I try to place this in context. Have Britain's newshounds caught a scent? We'll have to see. But if Todd Bentley cuts his visit to Britain really short, we'll know why...

30 million dead would perhaps be a "shaking"

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Nov 26 2011] These days, there is a lot of talk in charismatic circles about whether there will be great shortages of food and water in the future. My e-mail inbox attests to that. It lists 19 diiferent e-mails regarding “shortages” send to me from various sources. One of them is from evangelist Patricia King this week, who addresses the question in a new short video. Her answer, yes and no, is intended to give comfort to Christians. But it’s of less comfort to non-Christians, especially the 30 million unsaved North Americans that she appears to think may die in upcoming “shakings”. Oh did she neglect to mention that? Let me explain…

Polygamy is still illegal, B.C. Supreme Court rules

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Nov 23, 2011] The fundamentalist Mormon sect in B.C. that has allowed its male members to practice polygamy for years has been told, again, that what they are doing is illegal in a B.C. Supreme Court ruling today. Justice Robert Bauman ruled that laws against polygamy should remain in place in B.C., in part, because of the harm that can and does happen to women and children in such relationships. I'm posting in haste, as I am at work, so i can imagine that either Bene D or I might have more to add on what might prove a very sigificant ruling later... UPDATE: The lawyer for the polygamist Mormons thinks that the ruling includes several outs that will preserve the status quo--that the Bountiful activities are "illegal", but the government is practically unable to stop it--in this National Post story

The pro-life meme, which may challenge Mr. Harper, comes with spin?

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Nov 19, 2011] Did you think that Mr. Harper had the final word during the election when he said that a Tory government would not make any changes to the legal status of abortion in Canada? Think again, as some in Canada's pro-life movement have come up with an idea that they hope will reopen the debate, whether Mr. Harper and his brains trust wants to, or not. The word "debate" is key, as I will explain. But while I like the idea, what may be coming with it, well...

Faytene forgets to type :) or is on the way to buy ammo? ;)

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Nov 11, 2011] An odd exchange on Faytene Grasseschi's Facebook Wall a few days ago. Her friend, Sean Feucht, who is involved with the upcoming The Cry Hollywood, posts on her Wall, and Faytene replies. I hope she replied tongue in cheek. It reads this way...emphasis mine: Sean Feucht: So bummed I didnt get to properly show you and around my town better. So slammed this week with a quick turnaround and already at the airport headed out. Kate and I love you guys and wanna do more together! I'll be praying into LA for real! November 6 at 3:00am near Harrisburg, PA · Faytene Grasseschi LOVED being in Harrisburg. Next time you will have to take us on the outer-town so we can kill some small animals in the bush or something. So happy you are running with us for TheCRY. Will talk soon!November 6 at 4:58pm She is probably, almost certainly, kidding in some way. But the idea of Faytene taking a gun and hunting something--if she is--is a bit unusual for an evangelist. It's worth making a brief note of, if she is being serious and one day we see a picture of her with a deer she has hunted. [Me, I don't think she is the hunting type.] Anyways, I can also mention that two of her "friends" on Facebook, one more conservative than the other theologically, were having a disagreement on theological matters. Instead of deleting the exchange, as she has done in the past, she asked politely that they not fight on her Facebook Wall. As we ponder the mental image of Faytene perhaps (honestly I kind of doubt it) being the type of person who might enjoy shooting at some squirrels with a 30.06, we can note that Faytene could be developing good Internet matters. For now, I am off to do a Google search for "how to donate body armour suits to squirrels". Just in case, you understand. [Large :)]

Faytene on film, again

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Nov 5, 2011] It may be of passing interest that Fayeten Grasseschi is in another short film released online a few days ago by her friend Patrixcia King's ministry. Calling Grace features Faytene as a supportive mom of a friend who encourages a young girl to keep her unborn baby. It's another film with a simple, wholesome and gentle Christian message of the type that her other recent film was. Good for Faytene and her friends. Whether this is part of a recent moderating trend on Faytene's part, I don't know. Nice to see, though. I wouldn't dream in Technicolour about a "new Faytene" yet, but I do want to commend her for lending a hand.

The Cry Hollywood (and how it may be crucial for Faytene's future)

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Nov. 2, 2011] Faytene Grasseschi is taking her Cry rallies on the road to Hollywood (move over Bing and Bob :) )--and the event may have an impact that none of us may see at first. Faytene herself may be at a crossroads. A recent video may imply that she is considering the value of moderation, while The Cry Hollywood looks to carry on with her past dominionist impulses. Barring a revival in Hollywood caused by Faytene's rally, the most significant impact of The Cry Hollywood may perhaps wind up being how it affects Faytene's future ministry itself.

Picking up bad habits, in the church, and in the newsroom

[POsted at Bene Dtion Blogs On, Oct 29, 2011] There was an interesting online column from London's Daily Telegraph newspaper a few days ago, which reports that some newer churches in the London area have learned some of the wrong lessons from the North American church. Or, rather, I believe it should have reported that. One of the newspaper's online editors, Damian Thompson, who evidently does regular writing on religious issues, is dismayed by some of the things he is seeing about "London's new churches", which his headline describes as "dynamic, superstitious and obsessed with money". Three HIV-positive people, he notes have died after going to these churches, receiving prayer, and deciding to stop taking medications. Good spotting on Mr. Thompson's part. I'd agree it's news. But I'd advise him to follow up as I wouldn't agree with Thompson that this

Bloggers: "Phew!"

{Posted on Bene Diction Blogs On Oct 21. 2011] A Supreme Court of Canada decision earlier this week will have an interesting impact on blogging, and on the Internet in genera Wayne Crookes, a former Green Party campaign manager, had pursed lawsuits against Google, MySpace and Wikipedia. He argue that not only printing defamatory items was libelous, but so was hyperlinking to those items, so that your website or blog's readers could read them themselves, if they so choose--and make up their own minds--should be considered to be publishing a libel too. Crookes' defendants had won in lower courts, and on Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld these rulings with a ruling of its own. Rosalie Abella, writing on behalf of the majority of the court, wrote that hyperlinks are essentially references. [Perhaps, I would say, like footnotes in a book].

Revile those who revile and persecute you?

[Posted at Bene Diction blogs on Oct 18, 2011] It's tough to be a friend of evangelist Todd Bentley. Until you unleash your security guards and rhetorical castigations, anyways. Recently, a protestor came to a meeting where Bill Johnson was meeting. I'm guessing that this was recently, about a month ago. As you might expect it went badly for the protestor, as he was grabbed by security and removed from the meeting, much along the lines of what happened to the Operation Save America activists at a Todd Bentley meeting in February 2010. Not my style, and not something I would choose to do, as I noted at the time. But I want to be respectful in reporting on what the protestor chose to do. I do think however, that I can guarantee that I'll be more respectful towards this protestor than Bill Johnson, the target of his protest, who should certainly know better.

This headline is currently inoperative :)

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Oct 8, 2011] "Archdiocese develops 'Nixonian' policies" reads the arresting headline in the recent B.C. Catholic newspaper. Before we call Woodward and Bernstein, let's read on: "Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, has announced "with great pleasure" the appointment of John Nixon as Director of the new Development Office of the archdiocese...." Well done, B.C. Catholic, with this arresting headline! Hopefully, the Archdiocese of Vancouver will never have reason to "stonewall", unless they are repairing Holy Rosary Cathedral, while Mr. Nixon is on the job. :)

A $6 million slap on the wrist for Mr. Trost?

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Oct 8, 2011] The Conservative government has decided to give the International Planned Parenthood Federation $ 6 million to fund "sex education and contraception in five developing countries", the CBC is reporting. The funding proposal had sat on the desk of cabinet minister Bev Oda for a year, and was recently approved after being tweaked and re-submitted. Bene D reported on this earlier this year. I noted this in passing shortly after the election. What happened during the election, may make this current news very interesting.

Why we need to pray for, and about, the Supreme Court of Canada

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Oct 1 2011] I like to give credit where credit is due and today, Faytene Grasseschi may be pleasantly surprised to realize that it is her turn. I haven't changed all my views, mind you, but I'd like to credit the former Faytene Kryskow for her apparent prescience in one matter, where she may have been "ahead of the curve." What brings this to mind is the Supreme ruling about the Vancouver "safe injection" site, Insite, yesterday. Bene D was right on it with his insightful post yesterday. The judges ruled that even though the Conservative government is ideologically opposed to allowing a place where drugs can be safely injected without legal harrassment, they have to allow Insite to exist. Bene D, judging by his post, is pleased with the decision. But the decision could only be made because there were judges on the court who wanted to rule that way, and that is where Faytene's insight comes in, in a backhanded way that she would not expect.

Canadian women, apply your discernment...

[Posted at Bene Diction BlogsOn Sept 27, 2011] I hope that the ladies gathering in Calgary later this week for the Women on the Frontlines Christian conference are on guard. For several reasons...but the one that comes most readily to mind is that Gwen Shaw is a featured guest. Faytene Grasseschi has been working on a video tribute to the controversial Shaw. [If memory serves, back a couple of months ago, the former Faytene Kryskow had told listeners at a conference of hers that Shaw had felt compelled to rearrange her schedule to be able to attend this upcoming conference.] What gives pause about Mrs. Shaw? Mark Scheiderer offers a online report in which he fears that she is heretical, and practices a form of necromancy. If his criticisms have merit--and I suspect that they do--the fact that this lady is to be lionized at the conference is a bit scary... Another poster sees her as being prey to "New Age" mysticism... Oh, and she reportedly said that Ronald Reagan was to be the last President of the U.S. before the return of Christ too.

Christianity Today on the Todd Bentley/Lakeland documentary

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Sept 14, 2011] Christianity Today has a report on filmmaker Roy Peterson's film on Todd Bentley and the Lakeland revival. The magazine's writer observes, at the end of their story: Peterson's documentary does not deliver on its promise of discernment. Only after Bentley fails do we hear sound theology from his disappointed followers. It's not about Todd but God, they admit. Men will fail but Jesus never does. Meanwhile, Bentley's traveling circus is coming to a city near you. Anyways, and nevertheless, I hope it is out on DVD someday.

A surprising critique of dominionism?

[Posted at Bene Diction Bloga On Sept 14, 2011] It's quite often progressives who find fault with the theory of "dominionism". And that bothers me a bit, that conservatives seem not to see "the man behind that curtain". You would suspect that as a conservative, I would have problems arguing against people who ostensibly should be my allies. But their belief has not sat well with me. It seems unchristlike to me in some ways. And I'm surprised, in a good way, to find a respected conservative who may, based on something he wrote, have had grave problems with the dominionists of today. And if you have progressive views, it might be heartening to see someone on the right who may have had their own, conservative reasons to make common cause. Food for thought, anyways. I'll explain.

Faytene downgrades from red alert status?

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Sept 14, 2011] There's a video call to prayer from Faytene Grasseschi from Sept. 11th on the 'net now. Faytene brings some thoughtful things that may be worth praying about--one thing that I appreciated is her call to pray for those 'propagating terror-- but I did notice something in passing. She mentions that the UN motion regarding the status of Palestine and Israel is now scheduled for September 21. You may remember that a few weeks ago, Faytene broadly hinted that war could break out in the Middle East as a result of this motion. At 5:34 of the video mentioned in that post, Faytene said: “….there is a good chance that we could be in a midst of a war in the Middle East this fall. We don’t know for sure, but things seem to be stacking up that way…” And now? The Un motion properly conitues to be a matter of prayer, but Faytene now says that it could merely "trigger increasing tensions in the middle east." Hopefully she realized that she overstated her case before, but she could also want to have a less alarmist prediction on the record. Perhaps we could ask her...

Orthodox again...just can't wait till they're orthodox again ;)

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Sept 3, 2011] I'm a great believer in people having fun with their faith, but now Robert Grasseschi is reportedly being, well, a little different. A few days ago, wife Faytene Grasseschi put this update on her Facebook wall: Faytene Grasseschi My husband is singing in tongues to the tune of "On The Road Again".....wow. That should release some grace for the next leg! Going north, then south, then west. I love Canada. I'm glad that Faytene and her friends are having a bit of fun with this. But I do wonder...I do not have the gift, but I am led to understand that when you speak in tongues, the Holy Spirit both controls what you say and how you say it. Unless the Holy Spirit is a big Willie Nelson fan [ ;) ], I wonder how you could leave yourself open to saying what God wants you to, while you yourself direct how it is said. Anyways, I would like to make a note of it as one of those things that may raise your eyebrow or makes you go "hmm". At least he's not typing in tongues on, as US evangelist Juanita Bynum allegedly did in Facebook a couple of weeks ago. People had a lot to say about that. If Robert is not treating the gift appropriately (and I want to be fair and do not want to say that that is the case), we can be grateful that he isn't a fan of early 60s music as I am. ;) Well, may Robert progress in the gift if he really has it.

Mark Byron replies

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Sept. 2, 2011] Noted blogger Mark Byron has chosen to repliy to my post earlier this week on the usefulness of keeping an eye on the dominionist movement. So far, his reply is in two parts, part one and part two. I'll need to give what he says a good thinking over, but so far, I am pleased with how our exchange is going. Byron is amiable, and thoughtul, and I hope that I differ with him respectfully. I see that he may also look askance at Faytene Grasseschi, the lady, who through circumstance--being Canadian and all--gets good play here. A point he makes in his second post reminds me of something that I read in an older conservative critique of the earliest form of dominionism, which I plan to blog on separately soon...

Hey, we could turn the old barn out back into a movie studio!

{Posted at Bene diction Blogs On Aug 30, 2011] Faytene Grasseschi is in the movies! In a matter of speaking. She appears in this short film, Silver Lining. It was made by students at Patricia King's recent "Media Fest" conference, in which students learned to make videos, films and such. I've been mindful at BDBO of King and Grasseschi's expressed plans to take over social media, which led me to worry that this film could have a bit of a bad spin in less than a reel. But I am pleased to note that this little film seems pleasant and uplifting. Nice job. As I had guessed, due to the lack of screentime, it wound up making a simple, basic point. [Not that that's all they could have done. I have a video collection of very early silent religious films. Three films, 45 minutes, including a Life Of Christ that's only 10-15 minutes long, if memory serves.] Future films may have a wonky theology, but I don't see it in this one. But I did want to make the link available to those who wanted to watch it. [Silver Lining gets the MST3K treatment in 3...2... :) ] BD butting in, and embedding.

Why dominionism matters

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On August 30, 2011] Noted blogger Mark Byron, noticed a recent post of mine on the subject of the perceived threat of dominionism and thinks that I may be overstating my case. I think it would be perhaps fair to say that he feels that domionionism is like a yappy Chihuahua, and arguably not much of a threat. I appreciate what he has to add because, unlike so many, he seems to say "let's look at this in a serious way." He's done me a good turn, causing me to ask myself "why do I write on this subject?" After trying to give this some careful thought, I think I can give Byron some answers. I am at a bit of a disadvantage though. I usually write on Canadians and ex-Canadians who flirt, at least with the dominionist camp, and they might feel the need to "kick it up a notch" to get noticed up here. But, I do try very hard to report as much as I can, and what I have heard, starting with The Cry Vancouver has given me pause. So, please give his post commenting on what I had to say a read, and then come back to this one.

The Cry Ottawa--live

[Posted at Bene Duction Blogs On, Aug 27, 2011] width="300" caption="The CRY at 11:30 Eastern time"][/caption] The Cry Ottawa is live as we speak. Faytene Grasseschi might say that the Jack Layton memorial services might be a distraction as above is a live shot taken at 11:30 AM Eastern from the Parliament Hill webcam of the crowd that is at The Cry Ottawa. The event is broadcast here, on live streaming video, if you are interested. My computer kept dropping the signal, so if you have problems watching, you're not alone. The event may be stored at the same link as an archive file, if you care to check it out later...

If war breaks out in the Middle East, Faytene predicted it...sorta kinda

{Posed at Bene Diction Blogs On Aug 16, 2011] On Saturday, The Cry Ottawa takes place on Parliament Hill, and Faytene Grasseschi recently called in to a Christian TV talk show to discuss her plans. We already know much of her plans, but I am also led to understand that there will be a moment of silence to mark the death of Jack Layton and some time to pray for his family, which is a very nice gesture on their part. A couple of things that stand out to me in the video of Faytene's promotional talk about The Cry Ottawa, which Bene D kindly let me know about. When asked about some of the reasons for The Cry Ottawa, at 4:40 of the video, the former Faytene Kryskow says this: "Lot's of time you don't know in advance why, but [later] you can look back and say okay, we understand why, and I really sense in my spirit that come September or October, we're gonna understand why, you know..." Communal prayer is well worth doing for it's own sake, at any time. I do remember, though, Faytene talking at The Cry Vancouver about the results of a previous Cry in Ottawa. Although they had not prayed for the Liberals to slump in the polls, guess what happened after the last Cry on Parliament Hill? I'm a little concerned that Faytene may grab onto something unrelated afterwards that won't be on the radar tomorrow, and then saying "see what we did." I'm also a little concerned that Faytene is predicting war in the Middle East. This fall. Or is not. Or is covering all her bases. She refers to the upcoming UN motion this fall, which she fears will officially declare Israel and Palestine to be Palestinian. She fears, please note. At 5:34 Faytene says this:

"....there is a good chance that we could be in a midst of a war in the Middle East this fall. We don't know for sure, but things seem to be stacking up that way..."

There is a danger of a war, yes, perhaps you could say that in that war. Things seem to be stacking up for a war? That's more of a predictive statement. I hope that she is not wanting to predict the future without overtly predicting the future. As Faytene knows, the Bible says that when prophets fail, you can at least treat what they say with impunity. And we know that Faytene would have difficulty with that...

Kathy Shaidle discovers dominionism

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On Aug 20, 2011] I, personally, am a fan of famed blogger Kathy Shaidle, as she knows, so I am surprised to read that she thinks that she had never heard of dominionism until only recently. If Kathy puts her mind to it, I am sure that she will think back and recall lots of talk, during her religious columnist days, that "Christians are trying to take over." "Dominionism", I would say, is a shorthand way, of talking about this trend. In recent years, I would say, a subset of Christianity has come up with a theology to the effect that "we have to take over so that Jesus may come back." The formal term for this is "dominion theology". "Dominionism" has come to be a brief way of referencing this. How strong and influential and dangerous this "dominionist" subset is in Christianity, is certainly open to debate. That it exists, though, is a fact. Although I retain my very conservative poltics. I would nevertheless see "domionism" as perhaps increasingly prominent. I would also say that some Canadians-or ex-Canadians--in the public eye, certainly talk and act like they are dominionists and that is of newsworthy interest. Both Bene D and I have been reporting on that for quite some time now, as BDBO readers know. Given that Kathy Shaidle has condemned people for ignoring what she sees as "the stories behind the stories", Kathy's stance is puzzling. If a problem is that important issues are ignored, the answer is not "This should be ignored because I say it should be ignored." Rather, if you are a blogger, just don't talk about that subject. But, I would say that right and left leaning reporters and bloggers should be discussing the issue. I would say that if most conservatives think that "dominionism" is a chimera, they should do the rest of us a favour and say why. Let "iron sharpen iron". Kathy writes: "Lefty pundits are convinced that “Dominionism” is a thing, and you will now officially never hear the end of it." So, I am guessing, she thinks we should "hear the end of it." Why? I may not wind up agreeing with Kathy, but I'd like to know what she thinks. Why mention this? Well, I appreciate Kathy's honesty. But, as she is someone who regularly makes fun of journalists for making errors or ignoring stories she thinks are significant ("Journalists: your moral and intellectual superiors!!"), it would be much better for Kathy to have a go at explaining why "dominionism" is not really worth making note of, in her opinion. It would be a show of respect to the "other side" to offer a rebuttal. If other conservatives think "domionists" are harmless, if not cuddly and adorable, I'd like to hear the reasons why they think that way. Even if I may disagree.

Todd Bentley is completely recommended to minister. Birds fly! Fish swim!

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on Aug 17, 2011] I wasn't surprised to learn this afternoon that Todd Bentley has been given an unconditional "recommendation" to minster by evangelist and minister Bill Johnson. It's presumably with the blessing of the Revival Alliance, the group which went to Lakeland to bring Todd Bentley under their "covering" immediately before the Lakeland Revival crashed and burned. I have been expecting this--in related news, "birds fly!", "fish swim!". But as you will guess from my ongoing blogging about Todd Bentley, I am sceptical. Bill Johnson says the right things, but I'll try to explain a few quick points where things jump out at me.

A NAR candidate for president?

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs on aug 13, 2011] Texas Governor Rick Perry is announcing, as I write, that he is running to become President of the United States in 2012. Governor Perry is perhaps not necessarily your typical conservative Republican, though. As several bloggers in the US have noted, Perry may have strong ties to leaders in the extreme New Apostolic Reformation wing of charismatic Christianity. This leads them to worry that birds of a feather may be flocking together. So, Perry's announcement is worth noting. Just now a reporter or pundit on CBC News Network guessed that Perry will become the instant front-runner in the race, which won't be reassuring to those watching the governor.

Faytene is ready for her close-up

{Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On, Aug 13, 2011] Faytene Grasseschi is apparently an actress. Yes, really. The former Faytene Kryskow is mentioning on her Facebook wall this week that she has a part in a short film being made over the past few days. It is an initiative of her friend Patricia King's XPmedia. This makes sense, as in recent months King has been having a series of conferences relating to the movie industry or social media. How better to put all those seminar participants to work? How better to use Faytene's husband, Robert, in areas that he may have proven skills and ability? Faytene writes:

Faytene Grasseschi about to shoot for my first short film (with xpmedia.com). I am playing the role of the "disillusioned" housewife. Spicy. Praying this show is used to deeply heal families. Wednesday at 1:25pm

Now, at BDBO, we have been concerned about some of the excesses in Faytene's theology. If you are bound and determined to make an ideological point, the history of propaganda films shows that a few minutes is all that you need if you are prepared to be blunt and simple. In the case of Faytene's film, however, the need for simplicity dictated by the short length of the film may necessarily lead to it having a simple, wholesome and useful message. [I am thinking of the earliest films of silent comedians, say which were not complex at all--due to the fact that they had no time or resources to be complicated.] So, perhaps we can be hopeful. I do have to smile though at the idea of Faytene being an actress though, as I think she'd make a natural Scarlett O'Hara. ;)