From The News Virginian, 2/22/05:
http://www.newsvirginian.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WNV/MGArticle/WNV_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031781112366&path=!news!localnews&tacodalogin=no
Religious group challenges 'traditional' history
Gina Farthing
The News Virginian
Presidents’ Day is when many Americans honor the country’s past
commanders-in-chief.
At the Christian Heritage Center in Fishersville, Thomas Jefferson was
not on the list of honorees Monday.
It was the day a call to arms went out, to Christians everywhere, to
band together and fight religious persecution they encounter even
today.
It was the day to recognize the perpetrator, that "enemy of the
Gospel" - Jefferson, according to Christian Heritage officials.
The new religious group, which recently built a complex on a hilltop
overlooking Interstate 64 at Tinkling Spring Road, pronounced
Jefferson "the anti-Christian" and George Washington’s opposite.
Jefferson, they said, "feigned belief in God to achieve his own
political ends and came to sever Jesus Christ from his divinity."
Greg Humphries portrayed Parson John Craig, Augusta County’s first
parson, during the staging of a frontier church service.
Humphries is president and founder of the year-old organization.
Along with supporting the Christian Heritage Center, Linked in Christ
also supports the ministries of the Colonial Frontier Church, the
Christian Heritage Archives and Museum, an interactive Internet
Church, an international Christian heritage fellowship and other
ministries.
Humphries says the foundation’s mission is to bring together the
different groups of Christians.
"We want to bring the Body of Christ back together, all of its
members," he says.
"We’re trying to bring all the histories together. How can we get
along with one another when we don’t know the history of the other
group? We’re saying to come and share it.
"We’re not loving one another, we’re too busy doing other things," he
says.
In addition to Humphries, Bill Dolack played the role of John Lewis,
believed to be Augusta’s first white settler; Rod Fritts played the
Rev. Samuel Davies, known as the "Apostle to Virginia;" Howie Campbell
was Gen. Andrew Lewis, a George Washington friend and hero of the
Point Pleasant revolutionary battle.
Each actor cited examples to suggest Jefferson was the enemy of
Christians and that Washington was a model Christian, who walked the
walk - even begging forgiveness from God when his prayers were not
fervent enough.
"Jefferson came disguised as an angel of light by appealing to reason
instead of faith - to works instead of the cross,” Humphries said.
"His purpose -- was taught by Voltaire, Locke, Paine and Priestly.
They become -- wolves in sheep’s clothing," he said.
Campbell finished the service by bringing the crowd to its feet and
striking up "God Bless America."
He reminded the crowd that the current president, George W. Bush, has
Jesus Christ as Lord and master and is a good example to today’s young
people.
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Hallelujah y'all.
Harry
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