Most have heard the phrase "Barbarians at the gates," a reference to Aleric and his Germanic tribes camping outside the gates of Rome in the fifth century AD. It was a cataclysmic moment representing the fall of Roman civilization. Of course, things are rarely as simple as cute phrases make them seem, and the fall of Rome was much more complicated than the final capitulation to the Huns would represent. Still, the phrase has lasted throughout the years, probably because of the clarity of the image of a hord of unwashed, "uncivilized," violent, blood-thirsty conquerors swarming in anticipation of rape and pillage. One can only imagine the horror of being helpless against the oncoming assault against one's property, family, wives, and daughters.
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17 responses to “Barbarians at the Helm”
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Chris, you’re pullin’ on my heart strings now! You’re wisdom and courage is so appreciated. George Guzzardo gave me a list of books some time ago and told me that I needed to get my world view right before I could make strides in life that I was aspiring to. He recommended “Foundations of God’s City” by: James Montgomery Boice and “When Nation’s Die” by: Jim Nelson Black. There were several others as well that I haven’t listed. Like you’ve stated over and over. The answers to our future lie in our history. For what other reason than their own personal agenda would people choose to ignore this history and allow it to repeat again right here in the great U.S. of America?? PRIDE! So many are so driven in life to always be right and never wrong that they can’t see past their pride. Great example: today, people like to compare President Obama with former President Bush. I think that before people start comparing the two, they need to understand something…It’s not about being republican or democrat! It’s about right vs wrong. If the two presidential parties that take turns “leading” our country can’t come to common ground for the good of this country and are divided, how are they possibly going to be effective once they’re in office?? Like you’ve said, we’ve put a band aid on this problem long enough. We need leaders to step up that are willing to stand on principle. PERIOD! People are born of a pure heart and educated to be those “barbarians” that you talk about in this article. Your courage and commitment to doing what is right and stand on principle is a great beacon of hope for all of us to follow. Principle over pride wins out every time!
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Can I exploit your creative means of writing, sending them off to local news editors with a hope of making an appearance in the paper. Such truth that we uphold needs to reach the masses before its too late. We’re growing our influence and adding numbers to the Team but its not catching on, the numbers are not being duplicated. We will coninue to fight and spread the truth to our groups, but it would be great to read such truth on the roadside billboards and newspaper clipings. God bless.
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Well put Chris!
It’s amazing to me that so many I talk to have a blind eye for the quest for truth and I think at the root of this is, what has developed to be, our indoctrinating educational system.
How did you put it?
“The barbarians are at the helm of our educational system; indoctrinating children and college students in the religion of statism and big government, socialism, revisionism, class division, envy, victimhood, and division masquerading as tolerance.”
Perfectly put.LikeLike
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Hi Chris,
It amazes me how the current crew is accepted what ever their beliefs, how ever contrary they are to the standard over the past 200 years, and any thing that is not in their line of thinking is “unreliable(aka hillary Clinton on Dick Cheney)”.
In six months if the economy hasn’t rebounded as Bernake or Obama is saying they hope it will,
when poor money managing people are deeper in debt and still being fore-closed on, if more people are out of work, how will the unbelievers hold on?
It would seem as though people are being convinced to “forget” their problems, think everything is rosey and go on about life like nothing is different.
We, christian believers, must continue to bring the message to the people in hopes that some will wake up and make a committment to accept Jesus into their heart.
Even if we are thought to be crazy.LikeLike
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Chris, it’s scary, the only thing holding them back is the fact that, in reality, they have no power unless we the people believe they do.
Seriously, if every pastor stood up and ignored the “hate crimes” bill that will make it illegal to preach Biblically about sin in the world, what are they going to do? “They can’t throw us all in jail”.
George Washington said it, “Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force…” Every single government decree is, at the very heart of it, them saying “Do this or we will arrest you (or take some property you own away from you)”. Of course they put it in a much happier light, they say it all nice and pretty, but translated, that is what it really means. They rarely act on it here in America, but we saw what happens when people resist, just look at the French Revolution.
Think back to Atlas Shrugged, where Hank Rearden was visited by the State Science Institute. They said “we need to purchase x tons of your metal”. He said “I will never sell you my metal”. They replied “You have to, the law says you do”.
He continued to insist “I will not sell you my metal. But, look out that window, the rail cars are loaded up, just go and take it”. To which they replied “No, we want to buy it from you”.
He continued to refuse, ultimately saying “then arrest me”, which the looter in his office said “Nobody’s talking about arrests here”. Hank replied “But aren’t you? That is the heart of what you are saying right now”.
He was basically saying “You are stealing it from me by forcing me to sell it to you”. But by not selling it, he was going to make them physically steal it, which (ideally) the public would see and say “Hey, wait a minute”.
“They” need “us” to pretend that their antics are legitimate by quietly obeying their rose-colored threat. If we don’t obey their implied threats, then the government is forced to choose between using its force on American citizens, or on repealing these ridiculous laws. Let’s hope they choose the latter.LikeLike
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wow. nicely said.
i’m glad to get angry at this stuff that is going on and sick of being told that its not ok to be angry.
what do you think?
do you think its ok to get angry at all this garbage?LikeLike
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Gospels or Guns….
So…learn Apologetics AND, keep the ammunition @ full stock.
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Chris,
I can add no thoughts. You’ve said it all. Anything more on my part would be superficial.
I gladly bow and sit to learn at the feet of my Sensei.LikeLike
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Chris:
I strongly felt that this father’s words should be heard:
Guess our national leaders didn’t expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful.
They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:
“Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out f or answers.
“The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain’s heart.
“In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the N RA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA – because I don’t believe that they are responsible for my daughter’s death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel’s murder I would be their strongest opponent.
I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy — it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best.
Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You’ve stripped away our heritage,
You’ve outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question “Why?”
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!
” Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational
systems for most of our nation’s history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine’s tragedy occurs — politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.
“As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA — I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your
own heart before casting the first stone!
My daughter’s death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!”LikeLike
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A good firsthand account of how the evil intents of a few men in a position of unchecked power can be gift wrapped in fine sounding quips and altruistic sounding tones, and the result of good people being lulled into inaction as a result, a good read is “Defeating the Totalitarian Lie” by Hilmer Von Campe. Mr. Von Campe tells a firsthand account of being a German soldier in Hitler’s Germany. He has dedicated his life to the fight of preventing such a tragedy from reoccurring. I have the book on my Recommended Reading list.
Love peace, but keep your powder dry…
TJWLikeLike
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The Barbarian is at the helm….but like Johnny Enlow says in his book “THE SEVEN MOUNTAIN PROPHECY” We need a Revolution to confront and recapture seven nations.
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Howdy Chris, How do we get these barbarians out of office? We send nonbarbarians to congress and the elders in congress make them into barbarians. Let’s go to a million and turn this country around.
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Re: Post above by Skipper,
I hate to tell you, friend, you’re thinking too small! For turning this country around, 1 million is just a start. A good start, yes, yet still only a start.
Try 5 million, 10 million, or perhaps 20 million, and you’ve got some idea of size and scope of the need . . . Just count how many voted this past fall, and how many who could that didn’t . . .
Yes, Skipper, we have a long way to go. And, as others have so eloquently stated, we are not alone. The true Church, which preaches and lives by the Bible as its standard and Jesus as its Lord and Truth, stands with us as well, even when they don’t always know it.
Just remember this one thing I have learned in my studies of History:
It is not the size of the enemy, nor the fierceness of the battle, but the strength of resolve in spirit and steadfast determination in the hearts and minds of those who face it that win the day.LikeLike
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Here is a video that corresponds well to your Barbarians at the helm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxoYhzF2phw&feature=player_embedded
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Chris,
The line “Everything is relative” reminded me of a quote from Star Wars Episode III from Obi-Wan, “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.”
The message I noticed was that only the bad people have absolutes and everything is relative to the good people.
I do not know if this was the intention of the line in the movie, but people might interpret it this way. Shoot, I noticed it!
Thanks!
JohnLikeLike
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Bravo!
I only hope I can maintain the courage to stand up for what’s RIGHT just as you do with ease! I admire your leadership! Know that you have an ARMY of Freedom Fighters that have your back! I thank God daily for his guidance and the wisdom He instills in talented people like you!
Thank you!
LindseyLikeLike
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Good Morning Chris. the beginning of this reminded me of a similar phrase: Hannibal ad Portus. We are in dangerous times, so much so that I see us being on dry tinder just waiting for the spark. On the flip side there are so many that choose to have no clue about what is going on, or simply deny the reality. The mob views us as so many Cassandra’s; we tell and warn and plead but Caesar and the mob will not listen. My humble prayer is that we can make an impact before the spark flies. I have much love for you and your wife, have a great day.
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