UPDATE 2 6:19 pm ET: Derek is really sick, and he won’t be able to post the VFTB interview until tomorrow evening at the earliest. Please keep him in prayer–he appears to have a stomach bug. Thank you to all who have already begun to pray!!
UPDATE 1: VFTB should be up tonight with Paul and Phillip Collins as Derek’s guests (recorded last night), but PID Radio may not be posted. Both Derek and I are under the weather. My fibromyalgia is acting up, and Derek is fighting a virus and/or sinus problem. He’s napping right now. Please pray that we both get to feeling better soon! Thanks!!
Happy New Year to all! We have been enjoying a gloriously relaxing break from our usual routine, and we pray that each of you can say the same.
For those who have checked into the site over the past weeks and perhaps read or even commented on our ‘demon’ picture, you will notice that it’s been removed. Derek and I have an odd sense of humor, one might say, and those who are familiar with the TV show Millennium knew exactly what we meant by using a still image of one of the demons from the episode “Somehow Satan Got Behind Me”. That episode features four demons who appear to humans in the form of old men (played to the max by amazing actors), who meet each morning at a donut shop to discuss their job of tempting souls. It’s very similar to C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters in format and character, implementing humor to make very serious doctrinal points. What amazed us about the Millennium episode is how very true to doctrine the core of the message managed to remain, in fact most of the Millennium series forms a remarkable backbone for studying spiritual warfare.
That being said, we read through every comment and realized that most of you have not seen the episode, and therefore the strange image and sentiment acted not as a reminder of spiritual warfare but confused. Therefore, we’ve chosen to remove the post. We pray that we have not provided a stumblingblock to anyone who misunderstood our intentions. We love the Lord God Almighty with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and we shudder to think that anything we say or do would dishonor Him.
View from the Bunker will return on Sunday along with a fresh, new PID Radio, when we’ll certainly be discussing the war drums beating on every news opinion show since the Christmas airline incident. May 2010 provide us all with greater opportunities to serve our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thanks to all of you for loving us and praying for us. We love you all so very much. — In Christ, Sharon and Derek
You guys have had the image up every Christmas for years I think? What morons would take offence to it in the first place? um… I don’t mean Mormons, but yes, morons. Tiny minds are dangerous!
We’re not bothered by the reaction at all. We did post it once before, 3-4 years ago. However, not everyone shares our quirky sense of humor, and as we said, we would never wish to be a stumbling block. Thanks for the vote of confidence though, uberdoink! PID Radio listeners are a diverse group united by curious minds and hearts devoted to Christ. We’re honored to be part of such a group!
Be careful who and how you critise, uberdoink. Regard the principle given us in Romans 14:
“Now accept the one who is weak in faith, {but} not for {the purpose of} passing judgment on his opinions….
…Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand….
…But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God….
…Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this–not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”
While the primary focus of this verse is diet, Paul also mentions things such as observance of certain days, so there is an underlying principle not yo condemn those who are weaker in their faith..and especially not to refer to them as ‘morons’.
It is the responsibility of those who are strong in faith to set an example. Unfortunately, just as cops and doctors start to have a twisted sense of humor to help themselves survive, those involved in the front lines of spiritual warfare – or in certain other aspects – can accidentally step across a line. Derek and Sharon are in a unique situation where they cross both neophyte Christians as well as grizzled veterans of Christianity and our inner conflicts. What can be understood by those who are old and strong in faith as metaphor is not easily understood by those who are still learning, or who, for whatever reason, find that such causes them untowards temptation.
These are not judgments, just observations on the different parts of the Body of Christ that many of us forget about. Some are eyes, some are ears, some are kidneys, Sharon and Derek are mouths for Christ. Their podcast reaches through to many who don’t actually realize that they are being reached. Some start listening for the politics and conspiracy from the atheist’s perspective. Even the atheists find that slowly, The Good News filters into them.
It is sad that so many didn’t get the joke. I thought it was multi-layered – including the fact that Christmas, itself, has origins in the pagan celebrations for the return of the sun. Also, a reminder that it is, here in the western world, a reminder that we should not be caught up in the materialism of the season. Something that is all too easy. I really saw it as a reminder of the temptations that the season bring. I can, however, see how others, less versed with metaphor would not understand it. Of course, I have made a living as a technical writer, so I am very accustomed to people not thinking past what is in front of them.
I don’t get the attack on uberdoink. He was not judging anyone’s salvation, just their intellect regarding humor. He used the word moron, not heretic. Chastise him for calling you stupid, maybe? I don’t believe the scriptures about judging apply here. Anyway, just my opinion. Let’s discuss more important matters like…
Everyone have a great New Year.
Derek and Sharon,
I apologize for causing such an uproar over my comments regarding the Christmas picture.
The result does prove one thing. You certainly have very loyal fans willing to fight for you both 😉
You are also correct regarding the TV show you mentioned the picture. I am not familiar with that show.
Question for Uberdoink – Everyone who makes a comment that you don’t agree with is a moron with a dangerous tiny mind? You don’t really believe that, do you?
Badbear is right. We definitely have more important matters for the new year.
I look forward to each and every new broadcast and interview.
Best wishes to all for this new year!
badbear, where was the attack? (Other than uberdoink’s?)
You contradict yourself in (erroneously) *perceiving* what I submitted (ie SCRIPTURE) as an attack, while defending uberdoink’s decision to call into question the intellect of those he disagrees with which *is* indispitably an attack and an unbliblical attitude which was the whole reason for posting Romans 14.
(DID you happen to read it, and if so why don’t you seem to believe it?)
Lack of reading comprehension followed with the baseless assumption that he was speaking of me and/or I was taking what he wrote personally.
If posting a scripture to correct error is anathema to you then perhaps you should disregard a large portion of The Bible altogether. And since you consider Biblical doctrine to be unimportant in contrast with people having a happy new year, then I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
There was no attack in my opinion. I thought the piture was out of sorts with the spirit of the season, that being trying to disconnect with the pagan materialistic holiday and focus on the true meaning of Jesus’ birth and what that empowered us to do in his name.
I think Derek and Sharon meant well from their counter culture point of view and they are very sweet people, but I think that too much attention is given to the ways of the occult and not enough to the ways of God. I love you guys but I think that the time has come to stand more for what we are for and how we as brothers and sisters inChrist can promote that, and less about the inner workings of the occult.
Peace and love in the new year and may the disciples of Jesus the Christ be as vocal and convicted as the mainstream and corporate soldiers are in their beliefs.
Hey Gilberts,
What’s with the demon picture? Are you evil, or something? That’s about as crazy as having someone like Linda Moulton Howe on the show…
Seriously, its nice that you responded graciously to brethren who do not have a sense of irony, but having been a routine recipient of such types of criticisms myself, my best mentors have told me not to worry so much about criticisms like that (because I instinctively do), because they are usually a very minority opinion. And please, people, extend some grace to the Gilberts, as they appeal to the kind of folks that are not responding to shows like Focus on the Family or Radio Bible Class. The simple picture was an insightful reminder of the nature of the battle, and very honest – it reveals that the forces of evil really don’t like the stuff that PID Radio is pumping out, and the battle is real. I see it no different than a political cartoon, which is a very effective means of communication. So please, brothers and sisters, extend some Christian slack to the Gilberts, who have proven their devotion to the Lord in their many years of shining Biblical light into darkness, and thus have no need to prove their doctrinal orthodoxy to any of us anymore.
There is a good reason why flu season corresponds to this time of year in the northern hemisphere: lack of sun and consequently lack of Vit D / D3. Recently when I started to feel a virus coming on, along with my regular protocols, I added 7,000 to 10,000 units of sunshine vitamin at every meal for several days. No flu. Sunshine in a bottle will help.
Feel better soon Derek & Sharon!! Dr. Future, thank you for the excellent comment. I can’t imagaine the type of responses you guys receive! God Bless you, Derek & Sharon!!
Erin
P.S. In full agreement with the Vit. D3. 😉
I will pray for both of you. Love your shows. Please rest up until you are both healthy again…I think that Christians, as a whole, push themselves too hard when illness comes. Take the time you really need to recover. God Bless..Mary, RN in Wisconsin
Please get well soon, Derek!–I will be praying for you both!
As for that nasty-looking character in the Christmas pic–seeing it up close like that, when the page downloaded, did make me sit back in my chair for a second!–but, I remembered seeing that ugly thing when you posted it years back, so I just avoided looking directly at it!–and, because I’ve been listening to your broadcasts for years now, I totally understood the humor reflected by posting it!–but, I am glad to see it’s now been ‘retired’ off screen!
And, even though I can understand some people questioning it being there at all, since they more than likely don’t know you both well enough yet, I do feel a bit of sadness for how upset some did become over seeing it–both for them, due to their being so upset, and for both of you, since you meant no harm in posting it at all–I will also say a prayer or two for us all, that the Lord will help us all to be more like Him towards one another, quick to forgive, and be far less suspicious of each other, especially at a time like this–
–God’s blessings, Gilberts, and am looking forward to your broadcasts during this coming new year!
Hi Derek & Sharon. I saw the message tonight that you are both under the weather and I went into prayer for the both of you. With so many folks lifting you up in prayer whatever bug is bugging y’all will surely be done and over with quickly. A special hug for Sharon too. I also suffer from fibro and I have it BAD, bad enough to be on daily morphine for the pain so I know what she is going through. I wouldn’t wish fibro on my worse enemy. Well, maybe Satan and his demons but no one human to be sure. I can’t wait to see heaven where we’ll delight in our new pain free bodies and forever be with Jesus. Keep that thought in mind when the going gets rough.
May the Lord bless and keep you both safe in the palm of His healing hands.
Alan