Author Archives: Darrick Dean

Noah’s Ark Lands in Hollywood

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Expensive biblical epics haven’t been a staple of Hollywood for decades, but this week saw the release of the first trailer of Noah which will hit theaters in early 2014.

Enter controversy.

Some like J.W. Wartick have written on concerns over possible “divergence from the Biblical story.” Fair enough, but I don’t have a problem with divergence, if it is in the sense Brian Godawa describes:

…there is nothing wrong with engaging in creative license, whether it is magical seeds or six-armed Watchers, or even Noah as a warrior. I don’t even think there is a problem in using non-biblical sources like the Book of Enoch or the Sumerian version of the Flood story, where unlike in the Bible, Noah receives dreams about the coming Deluge. The question is, does it support the spirit or meaning of the original story, or the original author’s intent. Bible believing Christians do not necessarily own this category of Biblical interpretation. The Bible doesn’t say what vocation Noah had before the Flood, only what he was afterward (a tiller of the soil). So if a Christian attacks the notion of Noah as a warrior shaman, he may really be illustrating his own cultural prejudice of the notion of a white bearded old farmer which is not in the Bible either…[bold mine]

However, Godawa does discuss quite a few concerns he had with an earlier draft of the script. Having only seen a brief clip of the movie, and not knowing how the script evolved or was edited, I’m not going to add or subtract from his analysis other than this: I do like how the film trailer does not depict Noah as a pastoral old man leading cute, Narnia-like animals into an ark. This Sunday School-fantasy version ignores the terror — and ultimately the point — of the account: Horrible evil is occurring in the world and mankind will be wiped out because of it. The actual story — an adult one — has been co-opted by preschoolers. Perhaps the film will spark debate on how shallow our take on Noah has become.

Hopefully, the filmmakers chose not to put modern agendas into an iconic account from the ancient world. There’s enough historical contextual sources to draw from, as Godawa does in his own novel on Noah. In a film of this budget, studios try not to be too offensive to anyone. It is a business after all. Then again, many big budget films failed in 2013.

Time will tell if Noah emerges under a rainbow or washes out.

Update [3/2/14, 3/17/14]: After continuing controversy over a film not released, Jerry A. Johnson, president of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), discusses Five Positive Facts and Five Negative Facts about the film. Johnson and the NRB were behind the recent press release from Paramount Pictures which states, “the feature film is a dramatization of the major scriptural themes and not a line-by-line retelling of the Bible story.”

Apparently the NRB thinks the Christian world is not intelligent enough to figure that out on their own. On the other hand, the “Sunday School-fantasy version” of Noah I discussed above that many envision in their minds is not “a line-by-line retelling of the Bible story” either.

And here, Dr. Hugh Ross looks at the biblical Noah account here and here. Or check out his new book that explores this and other issues of Genesis.

Update [4/3/14]: Here’s an interesting debate: Is Noah a Gnostic interpretation or not.

Categories: Ancient Documents, Bible, Prehistory | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Darkness Rises

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Darrick Dean

The following post is a rerun. Why would I repost it? Because I made subtle changes that makes this a perfect example on how a little revision can make all the difference in the world. When you write, really write, you shape and reshape every word like clay.

There has been a war raging since before man first appeared on the Earth.

A war with Evil.

But it’s not what you see on the nightly news. This is far worse.

These shadows conspire in hidden places, whispering in the dark. They wait for times to emerge and spread terror over the land. While the world’s attention is elsewhere, they plan for chaos that few could imagine. They work to unleash horrors long banished to myth.

The Dark One is very pleased most believe such things fantasy. Others know better. Those who have stood among the shadows and crushed their campaigns. Pushing back incursions of the Followers of Darkness as the world was unaware, they asked for no reward. When humanity was propelled to the abyss time and time again, a few brought them back.

Now the Darkness has grown once more. Are there still those who are as the heroes of old? Will they rise?

The time is upon us.

It will be the beginning. Or the end.

Among the Shadows, Watchers of the Light Book 1, the first in a new fantasy series, coming soon.

Categories: Books, Fiction, Writing | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy Hallowmas?

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Autumn is often not appreciated when one is a child, because it signaled going back to school. There were a few good things like playing in the falling leaves (if you live in those regions). And, of course, Halloween. What kids don’t like dressing up as superheroes or cartoon characters (or the old standby sheet as a ghost if you’re in a pinch) and collecting candy? The popularity of Halloween waxes and wanes with time and among people, but there’s much history behind it.

Halloween is technically part of Hallowmas, a three day Christian observance consisting of All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day (All Hallows) and All Souls’ Day. Hallowmas is a time to remember all those who have departed this world. What does “hallow” mean? It’s derived from the Old English word halig, which means saint.

Some object to Halloween because some suspect that it drew from the pagan Samhain, but the connections are debated, other than using the same day. One has to ask, though, what does it matter? Christmas trees and Easter bunnies were reappropriated from nonchristian traditions. Crosses were popular in some pagan religions. In other words, we shouldn’t make the genetic fallacy and judge something on what it once was or what others appropriate to it.

Because secular Halloween can be celebrated in a variety of ways by different people, some Christians have ceased recognizing it altogether. That’s fine, but asserting Halloween is simply a pagan or occultic festivity ignores a few centuries of Christian history (and have we all abandoned Christmas as it has turned into an economic event for businesses?). I have also suspected that some groups perceive the Hallowmas days as Roman Catholic and have as such abandoned them. This too is in error, as many Protestant denominations still recognize these observances. In particular, All Saints Day has been fairly universal in large swaths of Christendom.

Fall festivals have replaced Halloween in other circles. These are actually another universal event among peoples of all beliefs, that reach into history. The last big hurrah before winter, a time to stock up on the summer’s harvest. So if Halloween is not celebrated because pagans do, why not apply that to fall fests? There’s nothing wrong with having such events (fall is the best time to have festivals, in my opinion), but don’t do it on false reasoning. I’ve seen some festivals that try to combine everything and come across as, “We want the kids to be able to do Halloween stuff, but we’ll call it something different.” Fall fests and Halloween are entirely two different things.

Perhaps Christians should reclaim Hallowmas. It’s a sad truth that we often avoid talking about those who have died. Out of a fear of sadness we fail to teach our children about those who came before them. Histories and people lost. It doesn’t have to be that way.

In fact, that’s what Halloween is all about.

Categories: History | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Voices from the Past

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Darrick Dean

When most people hear “biography” they think of a boring recounting of some long-dead person’s life. The best biographers, however, bring these ghosts alive and allow you to travel to another time.

Think about it. You know Albert Einstein revolutionized physics. You may know a few of his quotes, have seen an iconic photo or two. When it comes down to it, this is a very one-dimensional knowledge of a person. You really don’t know him and what would drive the achievements that would cause history to memorialize him out of millions of others.

The audio courses Albert Einstein: Physicist, Philosopher, Humanitarian and Churchill will flesh out two iconic 20th Century figures that will leave you with a sense that they were contemporaries. You will no longer wonder why they are remembered. They will also become very human, not near-mythical super-people haunting a history textbook.

Biographies will also paint you a picture of a past era. History is best seen through studying the people that lived it, not memorizing dates, places and names. In the book Boone, you not only meet one of early America’s most fascinating people, but you will be immersed in the lost wild frontier that is hard for anyone to now imagine. Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War brings us back to an era that may seem distant, but then you realize many still live who overlapped in time with this man.

If you ever wished to time travel, biographies such as these are all you need.

Categories: Books, History | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

History Unshackled

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Some people are under the impression that studying history is dull or of no interest. Maybe we can blame the way it’s presented in education: Quick, little bites that don’t get into the personalities, the drama and the earth-changing events. Don’t get me wrong, I had some history teachers that knew their stuff and were great at teaching, but they were always limited by time.

Education shouldn’t end at graduation. That’s a mistake most people make. It’s a mistake that can be overcome. Many authors are gifted with research and telling history that is every bit has exciting as a novel or film.

If Pilgrims arriving on the Mayflower and having the first Thanksgiving is about the extent of your backgrounder on the subject, Nathaniel Philbrick’s Mayflower will unveil a far more exciting and nation-shaping series of events. Similarly, after reading his The Last Stand, the Indian Wars and Custer will never be quite the same. Some parts of history don’t always end well, but we must learn from them just like any other.

If you ever wondered why so much focus has been put on a single battle like Gettysburg, Noah Andre Trudeau’s Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage, told largely through the eyes of those who fought, will show how war reveals the best, and worst, of men.

Everyone thinks of the Cuban Missile Crisis as the close call of the Cold War, but we were at the brink far more times than that. Books like 15 Minutes and The Dead Hand detail the frightening world that few knew existed.

So start stockpiling some books before winter sets in and prepare to fascinated, amazed and shocked. You’ll wonder why you ever stopped learning or thought it dull or unnecessary.

You are in charge of your education. That education didn’t stop years ago. It only barely had begun.

Categories: Books, History, Modern History, Native Americans | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is There Anyone Left that Believes the ‘Lone Nut’ Theory?

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Darrick Dean

The depth students get exposed to concerning the JFK assassination usually amounts to answering, “Which presidents were assassinated?” So not surprisingly, the “lone nut” verdict of Oswald killing JFK, and all other theories being labeled crockpot, is the conclusion many people unquestioningly believe. At first, that is. Usually the light starts to turn on like this:

“Guy kills Kennedy. Guy who kills Kennedy, quickly killed by another guy. This guy, in turn, doesn’t live much longer. Very convenient.” And it gets better, even with superficial review. “Magic” bullets that show no evidence of passing through anything. Endless contrary evidence to the “lone nut” theory ignored.

Since the beginning, researchers have been perplexed at the Warren Commission’s incompetence. That, though, is only one of three options.

The second is that they part of the conspiracy itself. This is unlikely as abject incompetence. The third, and most likely, is they were covering up the truth they felt would have led to far worse problems. If paths led back to the KGB, war. If an inside job, the people would have tore down Washington block by block. In either case, they reasoned, why not maintain the illusion of government innocence and caring for a few more decades?

Jerome Corsi’s new book Who Really Killed Kennedy? is the latest attempt to collate and unpack the bits of truth concerning the JFK murder. In a time when trust in government is at an all-time low, this book shows that the problem didn’t start yesterday. It’s a creeping menace that began decades ago. It didn’t even begin with JFK, but JFK’s death set the bar high for what those in power could get away with. Whether you’re new to JFK lore, or neck deep in it, Corsi’s book is one of those you can’t put down until the last page is turned.

And Corsi’s book, in a way, is one of warning and caution, not unlike some of the fiction books discussed here. But are decades of cover-up still needed? Was it ever? The players are all gone. Let us learn from history. Truths, as ugly as they may be, really do set us free in the final analysis. Lies, regardless of their initial justification, never live forever.

Nor should they.

Categories: Books, Critical Thinking, Modern History | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Fall is Coming

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Darrick Dean

From Shift: Fall is coming.

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Be an Artist

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Be an Artist.

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Thrilling the Reader with Real Life

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Why are Thrillers named such? That’s largely up to the talent of the writer. They have to grab us and not let go for hundreds of pages. The best of them draw many details from the real world. Even in all the action and far-from-our-own-life-as-possible events happening to the characters, it’s those truths that hook you even further. They draw you in, get you thinking or upset you.

Tom Clancy is known for coming up with details in his techno-thrillers that seem almost too real. Sometimes prophetically so. They have even caught the attention of the military, wondering how he predicted events like terrorists using planes as weapons prior to 9/11. I guess the government doesn’t have all the smart people.

In Robert Bidinotto‘s Hunter draws from the author’s background in researching the criminal justice system. Amongst the action and spycraft it gives readers something to think about. Namely, problems in the justice system that few want to address.

Glenn Beck’s Overton Window takes events from recent history and weaves them into a fictional, yet troubling tale of what our nation could become. Politicos out there will be surprised that it is a story about all in power. It’s hard to tell politicians apart anymore, and perhaps the most insidious part of it all, much of what they do is out there in plain sight.

In The Constantine Codex, author Paul Maier, continues the current fascination with religious-thrillers. Lost scrolls, hidden secrets, haven’t we had enough? Except here we have Maier, a professor of ancient history, infuse his book with real history — nonetheless provocative to some — not the spurious pseudo-histories many authors draw on.

Many authors are talented at making their stories seem real. They have to be, because they are full of impossible situations, especially when you get into genres like fantasy and sci-fi. Those, however, who weave fact in their fiction, are those who best understand the craft of writing.

It entertains. It teaches. It provokes.

Categories: Books, Fiction | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bypass the Publisher or is Self-Publishing a “Cop-Out?”

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Darrick Dean

Here’s two perspectives from authors whose books I have enjoyed:

“So, You Think You Need a Publisher…” by Robert Bidinotto and “Self-publishing as ‘Principled’ Cop-out” by Mike Duran. I plan on commenting on this topic myself here shortly, but I thought I get the ball rolling. Have fun.

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