One Generation under One Banner

By the KKB Creative Arts Ministry
Read: Exodus 17:1-16
Share this: “And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord is my Banner…” Exodus 17:15 (AMP)

Stuck in an expansive desert, the Israelites were growing uncertain, thirsty, light-years away from satisfied, and threatened by their enemies. It was the worst of times. No reason at all to believe that the Lord was still powerful; much less to even imagine that He existed!

But the Lord was their Banner.

In the middle of a killer desert, God assured the Israelites that the Promised Land was not a daydreamer’s paradise. The Lord made water spring where sunshine was hottest. He made Joshua and his army defeat the Amalekites despite Moses’ apparent physical limitation.
All because the Lord was their Banner.

There’s something about banners that inspires fighting spirit. Sports fans cheer behind banners for astonishing athletes. Armies of old announce conquest with elaborate banners. Street activists wave banners to attract justice. They do so because banners inspire fighting spirit. Banners evoke unity and oneness of purpose.

No wonder the Lord is a Banner.

Lost in an expansive desert of negative influences, the youth generation is growing uncertain of the future, thirsty for significance, light-years away from satisfied, and threatened by their fears. Today is the worst of times. No reason at all to believe that the Lord is still powerful; much less to even imagine that He exists!

But the Lord is our generation’s Banner.

In the middle of a killer desert, the Lord is raising up people who will fearlessly step out and make today’s youth heaven’s most powerful weapon. The Lord is raising up people who will love God above themselves, and shall have compassion to the nation they are in. The Lord is raising up people who will unite the youth into the Cause of Jesus. People who will wave the Banner where sunshine is hottest and boldly confess that There is One Lord, and He is our generation’s Banner!

Naruto is my homeboy

By Pastor Emil L. Galang and the KKB Core Leaders

One of the most disappointing effects of our culture’s media craze is that it has penetrated so deeply into our society. Concepts endorsed by media are often canonized into norms. Media today are among the most forceful influences to daily life and ideologies. They’re so influential they can even threaten to subvert the Bible’s idea of a Christian lifestyle. And what is the Bible’s idea of a Christian lifestyle? One that is holy and pleasing to God. (Romans 12:1-2).

To be holy is to be set apart from the world and its tendency to feed on appetites that are not characteristic of Godly worship. So when a media product like an anime or Manga series comes around with a main character who has a power source of a Nine-tailed Demon Fox inside his body, Christians should be quick to raise eyebrows and shun the thought of promoting, endorsing, or even contemplating on getting hooked on that kind of story concept. That story concept obviously glorifies demonic activity while, at the same time, overly simplifying the truth about demons.

Not for the Christian

One doesn’t even need to go to the subliminal to know and discern that Manga artist Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto series is not for the Christian to absorb into his system. Naruto is a young ninja-in-training who grew up in a village that once fought the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. The only way to defeat it was to trap it inside the body of an infant. Naruto’s father was a very powerful ninja who heroically died in the battle while successfully sealing the Demon Fox inside the infant boy Naruto. Growing up, Naruto finds himself shunned by the very villagers his father protected. They feared that he would soon discover the truth about the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, and eventually unleash its destructive power. In order to feel accepted, Naruto resolved to become the greatest ninja ever known.

Naruto employs a coming-of-age formula that is similar to the plot of Spider-Man or the X-Men. In this story framework, a young character or characters usually find themselves caught in critical transition periods, complicated by their environment or the forces that antagonize them. Characters learn a lesson by the end of the story. Such formula proves to be highly effective for youth media consumers. Its relevance to youth life, and, in Naruto’s case, the use of imaginative supernatural elements are sure-fire audience nabbers. No wonder even many church-attending youths are hooked on the global Naruto fever.

The plot is so feverishly fantastic that it can easily astonish one’s imagination despite its presentation of a perverted viewpoint on demonic activity. In the Naruto world, demons are real, powerful beings who have great amount of influence over forces of nature. They can inhabit human beings on a level that is similar to a parasite-host relationship. What’s more, they can be “contained” or “entrapped” in a host human body without necessarily overriding the person’s will, or bringing out horrible manifestations upon the person as long as the host body is “in control.”

Truth about demons

Every Christian must acknowledge that the Bible is the only source of truth about demons. From a Biblical perspective, demons should be cast out of—not entrapped in—a human being’s body as it brings about dreadful torment upon a person possessed by it. What’s alarming about Naruto is that the hero sometimes taps into the power of the demon inside him, enabling him to accomplish feats of kindness such as rescuing his friends from danger.

Tapping into demonic power in order to accomplish good? Doesn’t it sound to you like what has been “white” witchcraft’s selling point over the centuries?

In fact, Naruto fans often justify this by magnifying the values of loyalty and friendship which characterize Naruto. So what if it promotes loyalty and friendship? No matter how much of a morality guru something or someone purports to be, no amount of moralizing can erase its perversion as long as it does not align with Biblical truth. New Ager Oprah Winfrey is one of the most generous people in the planet; but does it take away the fact that she says Jesus is not the only way to heaven?

Culture clash

And then there’s the culture argument that says, “Let’s just try to be more tolerant and understanding toward the culture behind Naruto.” To set the record straight, Paul didn’t practice tolerance and “sympathetic understanding” when he publicly went up against the Greeks for their idolatrous culture. Certainly, it didn’t mean that he hated the Greeks. In fact, he loved them so much that he had to expose the nakedness of their sinful culture so they would come to know the truth of God’s Word. (Acts 17:16-34). Culture is the most flawed indicator of whether or not a Christian should act against a demonic message or not.

And some may go as far as saying that, “It’s plain entertainment! I can absorb its moral values while throwing away the bad sides.” The problem with this argument is that it prevents the Christian from making a clear-cut stand on whether or not it is right to like Naruto, or whether Naruto is demonic. That argument makes a Christian not submit to the admonition of 1 Peter 3:15: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”(KJV)

Holy responsibility

It is the Christian’s holy responsibility to reject a media product which main character is inhabited by a demon, and taps into demonic powers in order to win his battles.

Truth be told, Naruto is taking kids and young adults all over the world by storm. And sadly, instead of opposing it, many Christians are among those who fanatically support this unholy story. It is unthinkable for any Spirit-filled Christian to compartmentalize his Christian lifestyle just to accommodate his pop culture consumption, and derive enjoyment from a series that is grounded on demonic activity.

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor, And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (AMP)

Researchers for this article: Jonathan S. Rebayno and KKB CAM

Caught up in sorrow, lost in the song

By Pastor Emil Galang and the KKB Core Leaders

Not everything that is pleasing to the ear is pleasing to God.

Thirteen-year-old Hanna Bond taught us a crucial lesson when she committed suicide after becoming obsessed with emo. You might be wondering why, for no convincing reason, emo was blamed for her tragic death. That’s likely if you think that listening and singing along to My Chemical Romance, donning the black attire and marching in the black parade aren’t spellbinding enough to sway a person to take the highway to hell.

But before you believe your reasons, you must remember that you are a Christian, you belong to God’s kingdom, you do not conform to the ways of the world, and you have an important role in this issue that affects young people today.

What is emo?

Emo is a subgenre of hardcore punk that started in the 80s and has ever since become pervasive with the rise of artists and bands that used it to rocket albums into hit charts. Later, emo wasn’t just about the musical vocal attribute, but the lifestyle and expression marked by dark elements of style-piercing and heavy make up, indicative of the heavy overtones in the message of its songs.

Today, emo has become a cult that deceives young people into believing it’s good to celebrate emotionally-charged expressions.

So is it really the message, the punk tune or sad lyrics that claimed the life of Hannah? Partly yes. We need to understand that we are spiritual in nature, and music is a spiritual vessel that can be inhabited by spirits. Psalm 22:3 says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.”

We relate to a spiritual being—God—when we worship and sing praises. In the same way, when we immerse our spiritual side to an overwhelming interaction with emo music, our spirits commingle with the spirits that inhabit that type of music. In other words, music is channeled by the spirits which use it.

Whose spirit is emo?

The Bible clearly says that we recognize whether one is for God through the fruits of his spirit (Matt. 17:16). Let us compare godly and emo music and see what fruits their spirits bear: Christian music is among the highest forms of worship to God. It connects the soul and spirit to the heart of God and it is used to send a message of hope to mankind. By contrast, most if not all messages of emo are about angst and melancholy that chokes the soul with despair and remorse, yielding emotional effects that could satisfy and nurture sad feelings. No wonder suicide incidents have become the most terrifying of its upshots.

As consistently taught by our church leaders, we should be extra careful with the music we play and listen to. We should refrain from patronizing emo songs much less adapting the lifestyle they promote and the culture they breed. We should be sensitive enough to discern what is for God and what is not by praying and asking the Holy Spirit’s guidance, taking the initiative to consult your local youth leader about your musical and lifestyle choices, and researching about their background.

Would Jesus say ‘chorva?’

By Pastor Emil L. Galang and the KKB Core Leaders

If the Bible is against homosexuality, is it also against gayspeak?

From Allan K. to JM Cobarrubias, to Danton Remoto and your downtown beautician, the gay community has successfully launched a language that is widely used in our culture today. Gayspeak (Filipinized as swardspeak—coined from radio announcer Tita Swarding) is undoubtedly more commonplace and non-exclusivist than ever before. Thanks to Giovanni Calvo’s 90s TV show Katok Mga Misis in which a segment was devoted to teaching gayspeak words to viewers who were mostly housewives; and, in 2004, GMA-7’s Out, which rehashed the segment.

There now seems to be no more awkwardness with a straight guy who finishes his sentence with “chorva,” or with a straight woman who invites her friends to “lafang,” instead of “eat.” And children folk songs are not exempted from the linguistic amalgam, either. Check out the kids’ old-time favorite “Langit-lupa” translated in “badaf” fashion: Langit, lupa infairness/ In, in, infairness/ chugi heartness, flowing ang dugesh/ Chugi, alayv, dis-a-pir na u jan! 

Admittedly, that was a funny take on a rather immutable kids’ play song. Well, oddity really often tickles the funny bone. And if we only had more space here, we would have included “Bahay Kubo” (“Valer Kubech”) and “Ako ay May Lobo” (“Aketch ai May Lobing”) as examples. 

Fictioning acceptability 

Humor, however, is not the goal of gayspeak. Many academicians and writers agree that social acceptability and assimilation is the primary reason why gays are ramming gayspeak into daily life. Norberto V. Casabal of Lyceum of Subic Bay observes that gayspeak functions “as an ‘armor’ to shield themselves from the chasm and the social stigma caused by gender differences.”  Remoto notes that it is “a way of fictioning their integration into society.”  

Fictioning. That’s the keyword. Homosexuals are still relegated to society’s backseat; and should they eventually emerge as high society aristocrats, no level of linguistic revolution can imbue genuine significance to their lives unless they come to terms with the Word’s take on homosexuality. “That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved,” (NLT) says Paul in Romans 1:26-27. Leviticus 18:22 , 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10 also unite in echoing God’s opposition to homosexuality. But just like any other sin, it can be forgiven by the grace of God that is always available to anyone who repents. 

Far-reaching implications 

So what’s this to do with the playful-sounding gayspeak? Is there anything to hotly contest about its use even by Christians and heterosexuals?

The values and beliefs that define us are reflected in our daily conversations. Our daily conversations shape and influence the values and beliefs of our society. This means that the way we speak has far-reaching implications. 

In finding the correlation between language and culture, language professor Claire Kramsch of the Berkeley Language Center writes, “Speakers identify themselves and others through their use of language; they view their language as a symbol of their social identity… Thus, we can say that language symbolizes and reflects cultural reality.” Researcher-writer Alleen Pace Nilsen meanwhile observes, “Language and society are as intertwined as a chicken and an egg. The language that a culture uses is telltale evidence of the values and beliefs of that culture.” 

Casual use of gayspeak, therefore, is equivalent to linguistic signification and acceptance of homosexuality as a cultural reality that is influential to our society’s values and beliefs. Christians should take no part in this.  

The spread of gayspeak usage will accomplish nothing but the promotion of a culture and lifestyle that is not rooted on values that positively address the spiritual needs of homosexuals.   

Real purpose 

Homosexuals, like everybody else, need to understand that the worth and recognition they long for is being offered by Jesus Christ, who gave up his life for the salvation of sinners. The best that this world can offer is a shallow and fleeting brand of significance that will always be sapped by worldly troubles.  But Jesus came so that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10). Real purpose and protection from prejudice is found in Jesus alone. He is defender of the oppressed and the marginalized. Christians should serve to share this truth by good works and by words that strengthen, encourage and promote Christian values.  

Nilsen’s statement actually goes well with Jesus’ explanation in Luke 6 of man’s language choice: “Each tree is recognized by its own fruit… For out of the overflow of [a man’s] heart his mouth speaks.” (NIV) 

Contributing to a defense mechanism of a misleading sense of acceptance and self-worth can never be found overflowing in the center of Jesus’ heart. So would Jesus ever say chorva? Don’t count on it. That’d be fictioning.  

Chief researcher for this article: Jonathan S. Rebayno

Pastor Emil L. Galang has been faithfully serving the Lord since KKB’s growing up years during the early 90’s. Under the leadership of KKB Chairman Joel Villanueva and the JIL Church Executive Management Board, he is now the Executive Director of KKB Movement. As such, he leads its supreme decision-making body known as the KKB Core Leadership. He writes KKBmovement.org’s “Hot Topic” column with the KKB Core Leaders. Pastor Emil is happily married to Weng, and super-dad to Josiah Charles and Ruth Beatrice.