Mike Bennett Finally Releases His First Solo Book – Two Masters and Two Gospels, Vol. 1 – The Teaching of Jesus Vs. the “Leaven of the Pharisees in Talk Radio and Cable News
by drfuture2013
Blog friends, I know you have been patiently waiting on me forever to get SOMETHING published and out the door since I began writing around August-October 2011, and shut down the Future Quake radio show after seven years in February 2012, so I could focus on book writing. From that time, I had launched myself full-stop into writing what was intended to be a single book, and over time had grown into what currently comprises at least a 12-volume (with more to come) books series entitled, The Holy War Chronicles – A Spiritual View of the War on Terror. That series had come to comprise well over 4000 pages of research-based manuscripts by the fall of 2018. During the latter part of that period I began this blog to (a) let people (mostly long-time Future Quake friends) know my thoughts on a variety of current-event topics in recent years and days, and (b) to let people know I hadn’t died, or went into the Witness Protection Program, or “off the grid” (and I know some of you have since become disappointed that I am still breathing).
Since the last general election cycle, I began to post a few blog posts on various facets of what the public persona of the evangelical Christian community during the election time revealed about the state of their inner heart and priorities, and “first loves,” which were somewhat found to be some of my most unpopular and controversial views, writings and posts (on a site dedicated to controversial views, and a legacy of such from Future Quake as well). My good friend Adam Sayne of the Conspirinormal podcast told me he thought I should get some of this material, including deeper elements I had been pursuing beyond the blog posts, into a book before the Holy War Chronicles books, because of its relevance to the upcoming election cycle. I had originally planned to publish The Holy War Chronicles after I had finished writing the last volumes of it, because I knew I would have to “switch gears” to learn the ropes of formatting manuscripts for the latest grammar and syntax rules, and the expectations of modern books, as well as the mysteries of publishing major non-fiction works today, and also the marketing techniques via websites, podcasts, radio, Youtube and other venues. I was afraid that this old mind and withering memory would have a hard time “switching back and forth” between this world and the world of writing and researching, and the million details and process steps in all these facets (and believe me, I had no idea how involved it was). However, the perceived need that this work needed to “get out” expeditiously, no matter how controversial it appears to be to many of my old friends and many Christians (the controversy of such Bible-based material disturbs me even more than the material itself), led me to violate that rule, and time will tell if it was a mistake. This “new” subject matter, with the intention of it being yet another single book began to grow, as the data led me in new directions, until it comprises what apparently will solidify into three volumes, with about 80 percent of the material of Volume 2 and over 40-50 percent of Volume 3 having already been drafted, with the second volume hoped to be released before the end of the year and the third a reasonable time after that (if I have risen to any extent on the “learning curve” and can shorten this process going forward).
Here is a slightly-ambiguous and murky capsule of the book, from its back cover:
Why Do Many American Christians Today Oppose the Values of Jesus?
In recent years, why have most evangelical Christians been more concerned with political “winning” over soul-winning? Why have they been willing to “deal with the Devil” to further their interests and agenda, and disregard their call to “love thy neighbor,” and its impact on their witness to the world and reputation of the Church? Why do their calls to limit government assistance and citizen protections mirror those of the financial, business and wealth classes? Do these modern values reflect the sermons and gospel they hear on Sundays, or the “sermons” they hear on talk radio and cable news during the week, like the Pharisees whom Christ opposed? How did this “cognitive dissonance” arise in recent generations of Christians, and by whose hidden hands did they infiltrate the doors of the church?
These questions and others will be addressed in full in this first installment of the Two Masters and Two Gospels series, by a Bible-believing Christian researcher who has uncovered shocking influences and culprits from the darkest corners of both the Mammon-worshipping establishment and Gnostic counter-culture, into the minds of generations of clergy, and through them into the Christian community at large.
Here are a couple of reviews on the back of the book:
“Dr. Michael Bennett makes some bold and provocative claims in his new book….He documents how the messages of talk radio hosts have infiltrated the church and warns of the dangers of conflating the message of the Christ with the propaganda of the media and political systems. Bennett tells a disturbing narrative of how the message of Jesus was co-opted by those who sought wealth and power…In these polemic times, it is important to know the back story. Bennett fills in some of the gaps.” Martin Brooks, Interim President, Peace Catalyst International
“Every once in a while you read a book that fundamentally challenges and changes your world view. Two Masters and Two Gospels is one of that breed. It exposes the cynicism and hypocrisy of the so-called ‘religious’ right, and proves through meticulous research that for some, God is the ultimate brand, a tool for power and control with a big bank account attached. Those who knowingly and willingly abuse the trust and generosity of others who live their lives as true Christians, with grace, humility and love, deserve to be called out. And Mike Bennett isn’t afraid to do it. It’s an incredible read.” Ginny Welsch, Executive Director, WRFN-LPFM, Radio Free Nashville
A brief note to old friends: if you do not feel comfortable now jumping into a narrative that challenges your cherished Christian cultural presuppositions, even though it is wall-to-wall scriptural exhortations from both the Old and New Testaments, feel free to skip forward to the historical analysis that reveals little-known historical evidence of how Big Business and Wall Street starting buying out clergy back into the 1930s to fight their bad reputation after the Great Depression and New Deal provisions to help the unemployed, and the strange pagan-styled people who were employed to give spiritual guidance to the majority of our conservative clergy for over generation, as well as neo-Nazis and those of similar ilk who dominated Christian media from the 1930s to 1970s, forming the foundation of the Religious Right. Once you have tasted of almost 200 pages of major-league Future Quake weirdness in those sections (starting on page 186 in the paperback and the chapter on James Fifield), you might be in the proper mood to digest the early portions and the remainder of the book in the proper frame of mind.
The book can be obtained at Amazon in both paperback and Kindle ebook form at this link:
and at Barnes and Noble in paperback form at this link:
A version in EPUB ebook form for Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple and other venues is forthcoming, as well as hardcover versions as well.
Before I forget, here are the new websites to keep up to date with my book writing, starting with the site of my publishing imprint, Circumspect Press:
http://www.circumspectpress.com
I also have my own author page, Mike Bennett Books:
http://www.mikebennettbooks.com
Thanks so much, everybody, for being so patient, and for waiting for years to see me get something out (and having disappeared from this blog site for over a year). I also appreciate your support by obtaining a copy, either in paperback or ebook form of your choice (both are good, but I’m a paperback guy, plus the chapter headings and formatting looks so much better, and it has a BOSS index of players and subjects!).
A last word: please don’t pass judgment on the material until you have read and digested ALL OF IT (some have quit prematurely and pitched it across the room!), and please leave a review on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, and let podcasts or radio shows (even TV shows!) you know that you would like to see me as a guest, or have book review sites review it, or at least pass on such contacts to me, so I can pursue them further. Thanks, friends!
REALLY GLAD YOU ARE INTO BIGGER FONT!!!!!
😊
LikeLike
Sister, I need that bigger font too, but the stupid blog format won’t let me use a bigger font most of the time! It bugs me too. If all else fails, I guess we just use the zoom feature on the browser!
Good to hear from you, and glad to hear you’re okay.
LikeLike
Doc, Do you have any physical copies with you for sale or should all purchases be made online?
LikeLike
I think I would just get them online (hopefully get free shipping), and I don’t plan to sell them on websites and ship them or anything, because I barely have enough time to do articles and interviews. I will not be getting any here until around the 17th, to send to interviewers and the like. Since you are local you could drop by and get one after that, but I might infect you! (I would also delouse you beforehand)
LikeLike
well, anyone with half a brain knows what the “republican party” agenda is. Can’t wait to see what your agenda is. Already your lumping an incredibly variegated body of Christ into one basic box. I hope your book is more thorough and precise than your preview. And proof-texting your way though the bible no more establishes your paradigm as correct than the proof-texting from two thousand years of differing opinions within the church itself. Yes, the right can seem hard (shouldn’t they when it comes to stealing from one segment of society to “give” to another. And tell me, how has that worked out, I mean for the downtrodden and impoverished. Didn’t Jesus tell us that “the poor will be with you always”? Of course he tells CHRISTIANS (not political parties) to minister to them all. Satan is still on earth and quite active (unless you are a hyper-preterist), and your sincere feelings make you no more inherently right than anyone else. Of course the church suffers from many sins (did you read the parable of the wheat and the tares?). It will until we are fully redeemed and glorified.
Of course we must show love and compassion. Why you think there is some dark UNKNOWN in the church or even individual christians baffles me. I read the whole BOOK. Beginning to end. I know the story and i know how it ends. So give to the poor and quit writing books like a gnostic digging out secrets only the enlightened know. Of course, it’s your life, spend it the way you want. And allow others to do the same. You have no right to judge, unless it’s yourself. And feeling morally superior to others is right at the heart of the sinful nature. You won’t defeat it by writing a book. Pray and serve the Lord. Remember, donate all proceeds of the book to the poor. Actions speak louder than words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is a major contradiction with your statements regarding a Christians role in respect to government. On one hand you attack Mike Bennett for cherry picking scripture that points to the real gospel of Christ where Christians are called to put others above themselves. Now if we take the simplicity of that message and extrapolate that into politics, then cleary a society based on justice and mercy, would mirror the economic theories of anarcho-syndicalism,(a form of decentralized socialism) unless you choose to “cherry pick” the ten talons parable the literal only* scripture conservatives can use.However as you point out, funneling the calling of Christians through politics muddies and bastardizes the gospel.
The contradiction lies in that you are upset with Mike for taking scripture as a whole and applying it to the life of an American Christian, but the whole entire point of Mikes book is that *Conservative Christians* have taken THEIR gospel, an anti-christ gospel of self preservation. , slapped a Jesus sticker on it, and shoved it down our throats.
So you have no problem with the Conservate Christian operating within politics, spreading their gospel and perpetually shitting on anyone who thinks or looks differently and using the name of Jesus to do it… But Mike is not allowed to write a book that says, if we are going to involve ourselves in politics as Christians, through scripture this is how it should look?
if you have read the whole BOOK you would know that what Mike is doing with his work is the only acceptable judgment a Christian is allowed and called to participate in. Internal Judgment on those who by words acknowledge Christ, while their hearts and deeds are far from him.
I would encourage you, if you are upset with Mike, then you should also be just as upset with our brothers and sisters on the conservative end of the spectrum who tout Jesus daily for their own political self-interest. So maybe you should read this book. Good luck to you.
LikeLike
well mindless, other than not being guilty of any of your false charges (you made lots of accusations, but they were just your own subjective opinions), well, there is no other than. You are just wrong. Like your hero, you like to hurl lots of invectives and lump people into one convenient category so you don’t have to actually prove your argument. I tell you what, to keep this simple, i won’t waste my time responding to infantile reasoning. I will ask of you what i have often asked of him. “What is your solution”? Other than insulting large amounts of people (who apparently aren’t as “sincere” or “morally superior” like you), what do you have to offer. I mean, if Dawkins believes a group of monkeys can type a line from Shakespeare, then, if true, any idiot or subhuman can type a diatribe against another group, especially if no substance is required? What is your cure for this disease? How do we fix it? Just follow the two of you around bobbleheading to everything you say, fixated on your wisdom?
Oh yeah, “one” verse that conservatives use? Hahahahahahahahahah!! And it’s talents, not talons, but perhaps that was a Freudian slip, huh? And what is it you socialists have to offer. Please, name me the paradise that socialism has produced (eliminating of course, the scores that have resulted in the deaths of tens times tens of millions of their “beneficiaries”.) And please mindless, name me one instance of anyone cramming their conservative gospel down your throat. You whining liberals. Always the victims and never the villains. Life is so unfair. What’s your “gospel”? Government tyranny? Legal theft? The problem with liberals is when they have control, they never seem to actually get aid to those in need. Where does the money go? Can you guess? Hint: check their pockets.
I propose no specific party, or platform, and there is no their gospel or your gospel, just the gospel, and if you think the primary message of the gospel is to take other peoples money and spend it on your pet programs, maybe neither you or mike have read the BOOK.
LikeLike
American church leaders were almost unanimous in supporting the assassination of an Iranian governmental official back in January, contrary to all human laws. Rabbi John Hagee was at the forefront in praying for war! Peopel praying for war in the name of the One who refused to fight and suffered an agonising death. Ichabod, the glory has departed..
LikeLike
seriously? Almost unanimous? And exactly where did you come across this interesting tidbit of information? When pretenders can just get on line and make outrageous claims with little or no substantiation they just play right into the fathers of lies handbook. just a lot of insignificance pretending to be little gods to feed their fears. shameful.
LikeLike
HOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!
LikeLike