Kirk Cameron’s Monumental Error
Apparently Kirk Cameron has discovered “the ‘secret recipe’ that has made America the freest, richest country in history.”
“Now this is my project, but it’s about all of us, it’s about our kids and securing a monumental future for them,” he said. “How do we teach them the truths that will set them free internally and externally for the world that they live in and secure their future?”
Monumental tells the story of men and women who risked all for liberty, including the travails of the Pilgrims, and shares stories of faith that helped shape education, government, and civic life in the United States. The film also features interviews by Cameron of current-day political and faith leaders, including Christian author Os Guinness, Senate Chaplain Barry Black, David Barton of WallBuilders, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), and Marshall Foster of the Mayflower Institute.
The concept driving this documentary bothers me. Watch the trailer and feel free to disagree with me, but I think it’s a stretch to argue that Christianity is what has made our country so free and prosperous. Making such an assumption neglects a myriad of other forces that were at work in contributing to our prosperity and freedom–many of which are unseemly to say the least. For instance, our forefathers came to this land and forcefully took it from the natives that inhabited it, literally killing millions of them. Since then we, as a nation, have entered into conflicts with other nations to protect what we took by force and secure our interests abroad.
I am not trying to say that all of those wars were categorically unjust, I just want to bring a much needed reality check to what seems to be a film that unhelpfully conflates Christianity with politics and prosperity. I believe the gospel has done immeasurable good to many individuals in our country but I want to draw clear lines between the gospel and the many forces that combined to lead our nation toward freedom and prosperity. The gospel, after all presents us with a king who conquers not by force but by loving self-sacrifice and calls us to do the same (Mark 10:45).
Further, I find it troubling when Christians conflate prosperity with the gospel. In fact, often times in the Old Testament, it was the richest nations that seem to reject God most vehemently. Prosperity is never categorically seen in the Bible as a sign of God’s blessing and favor, nor are we commanded to seek it for ourselves or for our nation. Also we must remember that Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world and it extends to every tribe, tongue and nation–our role in advancing it shouldn’t center on our country’s interests alone.
So here is to hoping Cameron goes back to sharing videos of his street witnessing.
