by Stacy L. Harp

Recently Active Christian Media has been doing reviews of Robina Williams second book Angelos, which is a very fascinating read. We invite you to read them and let us know what you think.

We also wanted to share with you an interview Robina wrote up for our site. We hope you enjoy.

ACM: You write fantasies. What attracts you to the fantasy genre?

RW: I like the simplicity of fantasy. It enables me to tell a story simply. It enables me to put across my ideas clearly. I don’t much like complicated stories, with ramifications in the plot and lots of characters. I haven’t got the head for them. Rather than read a convoluted saga-type book, and lose my way, I prefer to read children’s books, with their smaller cast of characters and easily followed plot. Clarity means a lot to me, and I try to write books with a clear and simple message.

ACM: Let’s talk about plot now. Your books don’t actually have much of a plot.

RW: That’s true. I’m afraid I am not much good at plotting. I admit that my stories are rather episodic in nature. I plan the story before writing it, but I find that the characters tend to tell me where they want to go next. The characters come alive to me as I write about them, and they move somewhat of their own accord from one situation to another. I would not be able to write a mystery or a thriller, as my characters would tend to wander off somewhere en route. I greatly admire mystery and thriller writers for the taut control they keep over their plot.

ACM: Do you see your books as entertainment for the reader?

RW: Definitely. I give my books a Christian setting and try to convey a Christian message of joy and hope in the Lord, but I seek to entertain the reader along the way, insofar as I can. I write my books in as lighthearted a manner as I can manage. I try to write cheerful books, featuring characters with whom the reader can identify: characters with the kind of human foibles we all have, so that the reader goes away from the book thinking, yes, I know people like that, or yes, that’s just how I feel sometimes.

ACM: Do you write your books to appeal to adults or to children?

RW: Both. I originally wrote the books with an adult readership in mind, but I have found that they have acquired a Young Adult readership. I am glad of this, as I wrote the stories as fables, to some extent, bringing in mythological characters. I like fables and fairy stories. “Angelos” features the Minotaur, but he is presented, I hope, in a sympathetic light. I have always felt the Minotaur had a raw deal, as his deformity, if such it was, resulted from the actions of others. I have tried to draw a lesson with the Minotaur (whom I treated as a person, for he was mostly man, after all): there are people who look a bit different to us, who have had the misfortunate to turn out differently from other people, but their humanity is just as valid, whatever their appearance. Appearances don’t actually matter all that much; as Brother Jerome remarks, it’s what’s in the heart that matters. I think that books that are written in fable form, maybe featuring creatures of myth and legend, can help us to see humanity in a new light.

ACM: Which present day author do you most admire?

RW: I greatly admire Terry Pratchett. I think his Discworld books are wonderful, and I very much enjoyed his children’s book “Johnny and the Dead”. I thought that little book was brilliant, and quite moving. And the characters in his Discworld are so realistic, so recognizably human. Terry Pratchett is a most gifted writer and I always look forward to reading his latest book.

ACM: What is your next project?

RW: I am halfway through writing the third book in my Quantum Cat series. I hope to finish it later this year. It features Quant, of course - the ginger cat who is, in his true form, a seraph and envoy of the Lord, and who, in earlier times, served a tour of duty as St. Jerome’s protective lion during his days in the wilderness - and also some more characters from the ancient world, including the goddess Gaea and one or two of her relatives. This forthcoming book more explicitly potrays the pre-Christian deities as being fully cognizant of their inferior position in the heavenly hierarchy: they bend the knee literally to Christ, and worship the Almighty Father. Basically, they “know their place”. I suppose some readers might protest that they have no place at all in the divine hierarchy, but I do not entirely dismiss the Olympians and their Titan predecessors; I choose to give them a role that places them in the sheepfold of the Shepherd, and makes them fully aware of the greater power they serve.

Besides, I think the Olympian pantheon gives an author great characters to write about: the deities are so charmingly, and sometimes amusingly, human in their actions and attitudes. They have great literary value, and so I bring them into my stories. They are humans plus - that is, plus a few magical powers that come in useful to a fantasy writer.

ACM: Finally, Robina, is there anything you wish to say to the readers of the Active Christian Media blog?

RW: I should like to say what a privilege and honor it is for me to be featured on this outstanding site. Everyone involved with this site - writers, readers and listeners alike - is walking the same path, the Lord’s path - as Aidan endeavored to do in my book “Angelos”. Aidan found it a struggle, and thought for a time he had gone astray, but though he lost sight of the Lord, the Lord never lost sight of him. As he came to realize, the Lord had been with him all the time - as He promised us all He would be: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Aidan had thought the Light exstinguished, but of course it had been shining all the time.

I should like to thank Stacy Harp for her unremitting hard work in the cause of spreading the word of the Lord and furthering His work on earth. Thank you for inviting me to talk to you on Active Christian Media, Stacy. It has been such a pleasure for me.

by Stacy L. Harp

The battle concerning whether or not a person is “born gay” has heated up once again with some very creative marketing. Regardless of which side you land on, it’s interesting to note that in this latest marketing campaign to see the humor with which both sides defend their relative positions.

An organization calling itself “Born Different” has created a website with their mascot Norman the dog who was born with the ability to moo instead of bark like normal dogs do. The message is that if Norman was born to moo instead of bark then some people are just born gay. One small problem though, there is no basis in reality for a dog ever being born that moo’s like a cow.

Born Different also highlights on their website two male penguins, fabio and julio, that they say are homosexual penguins.

The counter to the Born Different campaign and website is from Focus on the Family. who has set up a website called No-Moo-Lies with their mascot being Sherman, a dog who barks…because that’s what dogs do. There is evidence that supports this claim.
On the Focus website they counter that penguins can be ex-gay penguins by highlighting a penguin couple Roy and Silo. One day Silo met Scrappy and they ended up having some babies together. The message is that if animals can change their sexuality…then so can humans.

Interesting… yes. Silly…yes. And as O’Reilly would say…ridiculous.

by Stacy L. Harp

One of my favorite people in Christian ministry today is Dr. James Dobson. Sixteen years ago I had the immense blessing of working at Focus on the Family for about 3 years and it was an experience that I will always treasure and forever be thankful for. In fact, if they had not moved their ministry location to Colorado, who knows, I may still be working there.

Which is why I get very angry when I constantly see Dr. Dobson, who is nothing but a man of integrity, courage and honor, constantly being vilified by the gay activists who just can’t accept that he has a differing view of homosexuality than they do.

Case in point, in case you haven’t heard - Soulforce, the anti-Christian group that travels the road seeing what Christian ministry they can vilify next, is on their way to the headquarters of Focus on the Family to “pray for and protest Dr. Dobson”. Why are they doing this…easy…because they think that Dr. Dobson is wrong about the homosexual lifestyle.

One article says that Dr. Dobson, “manipulated research data to try to show gays and lesbians are not good parents.” “The Virginia-based group Soulforce said the disinformation has led to rejection and ridicule for gay and lesbian parents, and they want it to stop.”

The article also states that the the research in question is from sociologist Judith Stacey (pdf of her research)who believes Dr. Dobson manipulated the research to show that she supports Focus on the Family. However, a Focus spokesperson says that there is other research (open other research pdf) that shows that children need a mother and a father.

Another article on Planet Out calls Dr. Dobson a “homophobic pundit” while at the same time declaring that they (Soulforce) wants Dr. Dobson to “end your religion-based discrimination against our community.”

The article goes on to say this, “Soulforce regards Focus on the Family “one of the world’s primary sources of defamation against LGBT people and same-gender families,” saying that “the misinformation that flows from Dobson’s radio and television broadcasts reaches millions of people each day in approximately 162 countries and 21 languages.”

However, when given an opportunity to debate publically with Focus on the Family, Soulforce didn’t want to.

So what is one to really believe concerning those who want to accuse and vilify Dr. Dobson for simply having a differing opinion, especially when they don’t want to openly debate the issues in public.

It is unfortunate that an organization like Soulforce that wants so desperately to have everything their way, when given the opportunity for open discussion refuses. I think that it says a lot about their organizers and also a lot about the fact that the evidence is not on their side.

It’s easy to remain the victim and cry discrimination and at the same time vilify and make unfounded and meanspirited comments about individuals one disagrees with, because afterall the ace of spades for the homosexual activist movement is the “victim” card.

In order not to be a victim, it requires one to grow up and take some personal responsibility. Those involved in Soulforce obviously aren’t ready to do that yet, because if they were, they would debate - instead they flee with their tails between their legs and run into the night. Says a lot doesn’t it.

This morning I had a great time interviewing Dr. Peter Lillback who just authored a great new book about George Washington called Sacred Fire.

If you’re not aware of who Dr. Lillback is, let me just tell you that he is the current President of Westminster Theological Seminary, the President of The Providence Forum and also the Pastor of Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

In our interview, which shall air this Sunday at 6 PM Pacific time on Wide Awakes Radio.com, you will hear Dr. Lillback explain why George Washington was not a Deist and he was a Christian. We discussed some common myths about Washington, and also why it is important for Christians to know the truth about George Washington’s faith.

Trust me, it’s an interview you will want to hear and then share with others.

by Stacy L. Harp

The Cybercast News Service is reporting that the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Canada (CAIR-CAN) is wanting to bar Christian Reverend Franklin Graham, son of the Reverend Billy Graham, from Canada because of comments they consider “hate-mongering”.

Some believe that CAIR (The Council on American-Islamic Relations) is actually a front from Muslim terrorists who reside in the United States and Canada. CAIR denies these allegations and claims that they “… stand firmly against any hateful religious speech by representatives of all faiths.”