The Eric Metaxas Show - Michael Scott

Episode Date: February 28, 2024

 The founder of Pure Flix Michael Scott joins Eric at NRB ...

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Folks, welcome to the Eric Mattaxas show, sponsored by Legacy Precious Metals. There's never been a better time to invest in precious metals. Visit legacy p.m.investments.com. That's legacy p.m. Investments.com. Welcome to the Eric Mataxis show. It's a nutritious smoothie of creamy, fresh yogurt, vanilla, vanilla, protein powder, and a mushy banana. For your mind? Drink it all down. It's nummy.
Starting point is 00:00:36 I wub, vanilla. I wub, I wop, vanilla. Here comes Eric Metaxus. Hey there, folks. Welcome. As you know, this month, I am highlighting the Alliance defending freedom. I've talked about them for years. I've known about them for years.
Starting point is 00:00:56 We've raised funds for them over the years because I believe very, very strongly in what they are doing for this country. They are heroes. And we're asking you to get involved and to give what you can. can to the Alliance Defending Freedom this month. It's crucial because they are absolutely the they're the folks that if they weren't there, we would lose the country. Now, I want you to think about that. I'm not speaking hyperbolicly. They are fighting for liberty, religious liberty, in the Supreme Court. And in other courts, they usually win. And if they weren't doing this,
Starting point is 00:01:37 hostile forces are just trying to erode our liberties at every turn. So I thank God for the alliance defending freedom. And I thank God that today I get to speak to one of their lawyers. Eric Baptist, welcome to the program. Thank you for having me. Well, look, I love you guys so much, and I feel honored that I get to talk to my audience about you and help them understand who you guys are and what you're doing for this nation. What are some cases that you're working on now that we can talk about just to give folks some idea of what you're doing? ADF has a broad range of cases, but one case in particular in which I am working is our lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over its deregulation of chemical abortion drugs.
Starting point is 00:02:28 Oh, so who is bringing the suit? We have filed a lawsuit on behalf of eight different plaintiffs, four national medical associations and four individual doctors. Okay. So explain this the case. When FDA approved the chemical abortion drug called Miffipristone, not old enough to remember it, be known as RU486, it put on certain safety standards because even the FDA back in the year 2000 under the Clinton administration recognized that these are high-risk drugs that need to be closely managed and regulated. But what has happened systematically since then, starting in the last year of the Obama administration in 2016 and then the
Starting point is 00:03:08 first year of the Biden administration in 2021 was they took away those essential safeguards associated with the use of these drugs. Okay, this is called the morning after pill. No, no. This is not contraception. It's not the morning after pill or plan B. It is Mithipipristone, which is approved up to 10 weeks of a baby. is a gestational life inside the womb. Okay, I want to be clear. So a woman gets pregnant and a doctor says, here, take this pill. This pill will induce an abortion. And you are saying, and I've heard this many, many times, that these are dangerous drugs. They're very, they're potentially very harmful. and you're saying because of ideological, because of ideology, the left in America is removing the safeguards that were in place with the FDA.
Starting point is 00:04:07 Well, I can't say if it's ideological, but I can tell you it's not medical. And it's not what else would it be. Exactly. It's not the best thing to women's health. And what they did was it's a two drug regimen. So people might ask, why is this high risk drug? is the first drug is intended to end the unborn life inside the mother's womb. But it does not necessarily expel that unborn baby from the mother.
Starting point is 00:04:29 So there's a second drug that's also used. And that essentially induces labor and delivery in the woman. Okay, so it's two pills? It's two drugs, yes. Two drugs. So the first one kills the child in the mother's womb. You take a pill and the child inside you is killed. It cuts off the nutrition of the baby, and the baby ultimately starves to death.
Starting point is 00:04:49 I mean, even that, even hearing that, like, that's, the reason I bring this up, Eric, is that there's a lot of mystery around this. People don't understand what happens. So you just take a pill. You just take a pill. You take a pill. And then what? Here's what happens. We've just heard it. You take a pill. The baby is starved to death in its mother's womb. That's how it is killed. That's how it is killed. It's not instant. So it's a horrible thing. Then the woman has to take a second pill, and that pill, as you said, induces labor so that the dead child is forced out of its mother. So this is called Mepeprestone. Is that what it's called? Mipipristone is the first drug and mesoprostol is the second drug.
Starting point is 00:05:38 Okay. So keep going and you're saying that the FDA has relaxed regulations around these very, very powerful drugs. Yeah. So again, this two drug regimen is so high risk that the FDA originally had three in-person doctor visits, day one to get the first drug, day three to see if any complications are occurring, and then to take the second drug. And then a day 14 follow-up exam to ensure that woman has no fetal parts remaining inside of her complications such as infections or severe bleeding. What the FDA has now approved is essentially no doctor visits, no doctor needs to be involved. So now a woman is mail these drugs without any medical supervision or attention and care, and takes these drugs and self-administters and performs her own abortion in her
Starting point is 00:06:24 home, inducing labor and delivery in her dorm room, in her bathroom. And it's a painful, excruciating, and emotionally traumatic experience for the woman, and obviously the baby. And so ADF, on behalf of you said eight groups is suing the food and drug administration. Correct. And why we're bringing in this lawsuit on behalf of the doctors because our doctors are in the front lines. They work in hospitals in emergency rooms, and they're seeing an influx of women coming to the emergency room with complications associated with the use of these drugs because of what the FDA has now allowed to let these women take these drugs all alone by themselves without any medical supervision. And they want that to stop because they care about both patients. They care about
Starting point is 00:07:10 the unborn baby, but they also care about the woman who's taking these drugs and the harm that they're seeing firsthand across America's emergency rooms? It's a staggering thing when you actually hear about it. I mean, the idea that a very young woman in college, let's say, is told, yep, just take these pills, do this, do this, this. And she's alone. She's alone. She takes a very powerful, these are extremely powerful drugs.
Starting point is 00:07:36 It kills the child inside her womb. I don't know what the woman experiences, but we can imagine that. it doesn't always go according to plan and she is alone. The FDA no longer requires a doctor to be involved. It is amazing. And I don't know what it could be except ideological. It seems to me basically what they're saying is, look, at the end of the day, we don't care about women that much. We just want to get this through. We just want it to happen. And yeah, some of it's going to go wrong, but we don't care. I mean, it seems scandalous to me. And so it's another reason that I love the Alliance Defending Freedom, that you are actually
Starting point is 00:08:13 suing the FDA, forcing them to deal with what is happening. Exactly. I call it regulatory malpractice, but FDA has shown a callous disregard for women's health and their zeal to push these abortion drugs across the country. And before I worked on this case, I guess I didn't know much about chemical abortion or abortion drugs. And over 50%, almost 60, zero percent of all abortions are committed by chemical means through these drugs, not what you think of the brick and mortar plan in parenthoods. anymore. They're done through the mail without any medical intervention or any meeting any person in an office to be screened for life-threatening conditions that preclude you from taking these drugs.
Starting point is 00:08:55 Well, and all, you know, the idea that, so you take a drug and it kills the child inside you, this is traumatic. This is major stuff to begin with. Of course, I believe it's immoral. But the idea is that that young women are being sold this story. Like, this is no problem. We're going to mail it to you. Here you go. You take this one. And then you take this one.
Starting point is 00:09:21 And I can only imagine that there are a host of things that could happen. And the woman is alone. So God bless you and the Alliance Defending Freedom for stepping up. And folks, this is one of many, many cases. One of many, many cases. I want to encourage my audience, folks, please go to Metaxus, Talk.com. That's my radio show website. Metaxistalk.com. You'll see the banner for the Alliance Defending Freedom. We want everyone who can to give, to give generously to the Alliance
Starting point is 00:09:55 Defending Freedom at Metaxistock.com. There's also a phone number. It is 855-385-096, 855-385-0596, or go to Metaxistalk.com. Eric Baptist, thank you so much. Thank you for having me. 10 years. Patriot Mobile has been America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. And when I say only, trust me, they're the only one. Glenn and the team have been great supporters of this show, which is why I am proud to partner with them. Patriot Mobile offers dependable nationwide coverage, giving you the ability to access all three major networks, which means you get the same coverage you've been accustomed to without funding the left.
Starting point is 00:10:35 When you switch to Patriot Mobile, you're sending the message that you support free speech, religious freedom, the Sanctity of Life, Second Amendment, and our military, veterans, and first responder heroes. Their 100% U.S.-based customer service team makes switching easy. Keep your number, keep your phone, or upgrade. Their team will help you find the best plan for your needs. Just go to patriotmobile.com slash metaxis, or call 972 Patriot. 972 Patriot. Get free activation when you use the offer code metaxus. Join me. Make the switch today. That's Patriotmobile.com. slash metaxis. Legacy precious metals has a revolutionary new online platform that allows you to invest in real gold and silver online. In a few easy steps, you can open an account online, select your medals of choice, and choose to have them stored in a vault or ship to your door.
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Starting point is 00:12:01 started. You're going to love this free new tool they've added. Legacy PM Investment. dot com legacy pm investments.com check it out hey there folks i'm at the nrb nobody knows what that stands for but it doesn't matter we're at the nrb in the controversial uh habit trail for human beings uh it's uh it's called the gay lord opry land resort resort hotel it's very controversial people like me for example don't like it but uh i get to talk to the most fun guests at nrb i'm sitting here suddenly with a man that goes by the name Michael Scott. Michael, welcome. Thank you so much. People just know your name. They don't know anything about you. And I think maybe now would be a good time for me to explain why you're here. So you are one of the founders
Starting point is 00:13:01 of Pure Flicks, the man behind the God is Not Dead franchise. You are now the head of Pinnacle Peak Pictures. Yep. All right. So where do we start? I mean, first of all, I always want to want to get people's story. How did you get involved in because, you know, Christians and media and entertainment and culture, that's, that is right at the heart of what I care about, right at the center of what God has called me too. How did you get involved in this? What is your story? Where did you grow up? And what pulled you into starting Pure Flicks? Well, I grew up, my dad was a pastor. And so I literally grew up in the church. I slept under the peon, the peon, the peop. over to you everywhere. I was in church seven days a week. And I had this passion for film,
Starting point is 00:13:50 photography, the arts. And I really, I really was like not sure where to go with that. How did that fit into God's kingdom? What did that look like? What could you do with that? And so I got involved in the advertising for like 15 years, produced commercials for, you know, car manufacturers, Apple, you name all the different large things. And I didn't know how to quite do it. And one day I came to realization, I said, I got all this knowledge, I need to apply this and make films for the kingdom and I left. I started Purefix with a few partners. What year? This was 2005. You know what's funny? Suddenly, 2005 is two decades ago. How did that happen? I know. That's what I want to know. It was five minutes ago. But suddenly it's, it's almost two
Starting point is 00:14:31 decades ago. So you, what was your way into this? Because so many people know that God is not dead, you know, film, the films with Kevin Sorbo. But this was really before. or anybody was making films like that. And what made you think you could get away with this and pull this off? We honestly didn't know at the time. We jumped in. We made a couple films. And then we realized, after you make a film, how do you get them to the audience?
Starting point is 00:14:57 And that's when we explore this. That's called distribution. That's exactly right. And that's the hard part. You can make a film, but then what do you do? Yeah. And so we realized after doing this a long journey, we said if we're going to make films, we need to be in the distribution business as well.
Starting point is 00:15:11 And so we combined making films with distribution. And before we did God's Not Dead, we probably did 20 or 30 films. And then we acquired other people's film and put them out in the marketplace. And then we said, we need to do something bigger that's going to be more impactful. We want to go to the theaters. And we launched God's Not Dead. And that just became a worldwide success that was, you know, just had God's hand up. And what do you attribute the success of that film to?
Starting point is 00:15:36 What year did that come out? 2014. Okay. So why do you think that was a success? What do you think happened? I think our culture was dealing with so many things at that point, and this just encapsulated it all. It talked to people to say, why do I believe what I believe?
Starting point is 00:15:52 Is there a God? And does he really exist? And it gave them the tools, great facts, great things, all wrapped in a story that they could articulate their faith with. And I think that's what moved people that got involved, watched it, used the thing in their churches with individuals to share. God around the world. Who came up with the story with the idea behind God is not dead, the initial idea? So originally God's Not Dead was a newsboy song. And so it was a pretty big hit back in the day.
Starting point is 00:16:25 No, I don't mean the term. I don't mean the term God is not dead. I mean kind of the plot idea with the professor and all this stuff. So we started looking at it and said, where is ground zero for a lot of this? And we realized that the college campus is where a lot of people are challenged on their faith. And a lot of them leave their faith. And so we said, let's set something on a campus. We have a professor and a student and the professor's basically saying, God is dead. And the student's like, wait, that's not what I believe. And he stands for his faith to prove God exists. And that film, you said it came out in 2014. I always forget, because it seems like it was yesterday. But how did that film do at the box office? It did like almost 70 million at the box office. And then went around the world and it's
Starting point is 00:17:12 Still, we got people writing today saying, I just watched this film. I love it, even 10 years later. Now, I've lost track. How many of these films? Because that's the first one. But the franchise, it went on from there. It did. So we're getting ready to release the fifth film right now in the series.
Starting point is 00:17:30 Really? Yes. This is the fifth film. That's kind of amazing. I would never have guessed that. I would have thought. Maybe the third. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:17:36 And what is the name of the fifth film? The fifth film is called God's Not Dead. In God We Trust. And we are debating the issue. issue and talking about the issue, does God belong in the public square? The answer, of course, is yes, but you're going to debate it because not everybody gets that. Why do you think some people don't understand that? What is the, what's the, it's just a strange? I think it's a variety of things. I think it's, our society has swung so far to the other way. They're trying to stamp God out of every
Starting point is 00:18:02 area of every life, especially even in the government. They don't want God to have any say there. And I think that us as Christians and believers, that's what we should base our decisions on. Where is God taking us? Where can we put? That's what the founding fathers wanted. They wanted to have God in their society. And I think he deserves to be there. And I think this really debates that issue and the church and state issue whether or not that should be.
Starting point is 00:18:28 So what roughly is the plot of this new? This is the fifth in the God is Not Dead series. God is not dead. In God we trust. What is the plot of this new one? So this new one deals with, we have a character in there, Reverend Hill or Pastor, Pastor Hill. And he's watching this race play out for Congress, right? And one of the key people in the race has to drop out because they get sick.
Starting point is 00:18:56 And there is no one to stand in the gap, right? And his opponent is basically running on the premise that we need to get God out of the government, out of our society, complete separation of church and state it should not have any influence on us and by the way folks you understand if you have the complete separation of church and state you have the death that's right of the church and the state like there's no way even the concept of that is just well i want to get into this but but before i do um so keep going so you have one guy running who is standing he's got a preposterous idea and the pastor is does the pastor realize that he needs to run at this point? The pastor realizes there's no one willing to stand in the gap in such a time as this.
Starting point is 00:19:42 He steps forward and runs and he doesn't have that political career. And he's standing up against everybody else that's against him. And they go on and they debate the issue of church and state and what's really happening. And it's wrapped in an incredible story. We've got a lot of the returning characters from the other one. And so does ultimately he win, does he ultimately really bring a great argument for this, for this. And I think people will go to this.
Starting point is 00:20:10 They'll laugh, they'll cry. But more importantly, they're going to walk away with some really important things and how important it is our vote that we cast, that we get off the couch, and we find people that we believe in that share our values. Listen, it is so shameful, shameful that there are Christians who don't vote. It is absolutely scandalous because people have bled and died. so that we can vote, so that we can choose our leaders in this nation. And the idea that we have drifted to this place of apathy so that Christians of all people
Starting point is 00:20:47 don't understand their responsibility. This is responsibility before God, folks, because you're commanded to love your neighbor. And one of the ways you love your neighbor is by choosing leaders who are going to advocate God's principles, who are going to put in place policies that help people and don't hurt people, policies that encourage us in our freedoms. And it is just an amazing thing. It's become a big topic for me. I've actually written a few books that touch on this because it's taken decades for us to drift to this place of apathy.
Starting point is 00:21:22 So that there's so many in the church that have a fundamental misunderstanding of their responsibility as citizens in the United States. As I say, it's scandalous. I talk about it nonstop. We're going to go to a break. But I think when I really saw this issue was when I wrote a book called If You Can Keep It, the Forgotten Promise of American Liberty. And in my book, if you can keep it, people kind of think I have these ideas and I write a book about it. But it's often that I have a little bit of an idea and that as I'm writing, it clarifies itself and I am discovering it as I'm writing it. And in the book, If You Can Keep it, I discover what you're talking about in the film that this crazy,
Starting point is 00:22:04 easy lie has been put out there that you can have a separation between faith and freedom. And then you realize, no, all of the founders, every one of the founders, every single one, understood that without a virtuous citizenry, without a citizenry where faith is strong, you can't have self-government. You can't have freedom. And I realize that in my lifetime, in your lifetime, they haven't been teaching this in schools. and we are now living in a country where most people don't make this connection. And so it's absolutely vital.
Starting point is 00:22:40 So I'm thrilled. We're going to continue conversation talking about this new film. God's Not Dead and God we trust with Michael Scott. And we'll continue to unpack these ideas. So glad that this film is out, don't go away. Hey, folks, there's nothing worse than hearing about people living in pain, which is why I want to tell you about Keith from Washington and his relief factor story. After years of activity from college football to running a martial art studio at age 51,
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Starting point is 00:25:29 NRB in Nashville, and we're talking with filmmaker Michael Scott, who's one of the founders of Pure Flicks, God is Not Dead franchise, who's now the head of Pinnacle Peak pictures. That's like Peter Pepper picked a peck of pickled. Peter, Peter Piper, never mind. But, Pinnacle Peak Pictures. So Pinnacle Peak Pictures is the producer of this fifth in the installment, The God is Not Dead. Correct. Franchise. So you're using film. I mean, I mentioned that I wrote a book called If You Can Keep It and a new book called The Letter to the American Church, where I touch on these issues. But it thrills me that your film is dealing with this because a lot more people see films than they do read books.
Starting point is 00:26:20 And this is, it's such a central misunderstanding in the culture that the secular left has pushed this idea so hard that it's possible to have what Richard John Newhouse called the naked public square. A public square in America where we bleach it of all faith. And when you really look at what the founders put in place, you think, well, if you bleach it of all faith, you will no longer have a free society. And that's basically where we're drifting. And it's been drifting. I think as Christians, we've been just watched it. And it's been slow. Little thing here, little thing here, a little thing here, a little thing here.
Starting point is 00:26:58 And before you know what, we wake up 20, 30 years later. And we're like, how did we get to this place? And it's because we as the church, we as the body of Christ, we've got to stand up, take back our society. And we can do it. It's just a matter of are we going to do it? Well, and the thing is all you need to do to get some Christians not to be, to do it is to say, ooh, you're a Christian nationalist. That's all you need to do is throw out this fake term that shuts them down.
Starting point is 00:27:29 Being a Christian nationalist, I guess George Washington, by the definition of these secular fascists, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Billy Graham, these are all Christian nationalists. And I'm thinking, well, yeah, if standing with them makes me a Christian nationalist, but what a silly term? It's a made-up term. designed simply It's kind of like, ooh, you're transphobic, you're a bigot.
Starting point is 00:27:53 These terms are only used to silence the church. That's right. And Christians need to get a backbone and say, I'm not going to be silent. In fact, the more you come at me, the more vocal I will be, because freedom is at stake. Well, and I believe the pendulum is fung-so far left. But you know what happens with the pendulum? When you let it go, eventually it goes the other way. Ideally, ideally.
Starting point is 00:28:16 And I think that's where we need to drive it. and we need to take it back, and we can. Well, we have, there's so many Christians, I've mentioned them on this program a lot, who have a fundamental misunderstanding of this. They say things like, well, we shouldn't be political, and I think, that's not a biblical idea. Why are you putting out there an unbiblical idea?
Starting point is 00:28:38 John Maxwell, huge Christian leader, just was speaking to like a thousand pastors, exhorting them not to be political, and I thought this is absolutely wrong. you have a prominent Christian leader pushing a horrible idea. An idea, let's be blunt. It's going to harm human beings. We're commanded to love our neighbors.
Starting point is 00:28:58 If you advocate not being political, if Christians aren't political, then what's going to happen is the secular left is going to be pushing their ideas, and those ideas are going to harm people. There's going to be more crime in inner cities. There's going to be more chaos on every level. hurting people, and Christian leaders are advocating for this. It's a staggering thing to me, just staggering. And we're not looking for the government to do the job of the church.
Starting point is 00:29:27 You know, we as the church should be the one standing in the gap for all of these issues, you know, the poor, all the different things, we have the ability to do it. And we should be active in this. I totally agree with that because I think so long we've been so scared because we've been labeled, as you talked about. We could get labeled as a Christian nationally. But can you imagine, like, how cowardly and weak we've become? Yes.
Starting point is 00:29:51 When there are Christians around the world risking their lives, losing their lives for their faith, and we are afraid of somebody looking at us funny or calling us a name. And so it really... But when we're under persecution, that's when you see the church rise up the most. And that's what you see in a lot of nations. And sometimes we're getting to that point where the persecution is getting uncomfortable. Well, see, and that's the beauty of it is that God is in it, right? And he's using the horrible things happening in this nation to wake.
Starting point is 00:30:17 up those who can be awake. And there are going to be plenty that are going to double down on not waking up. It's like, no, no, no, no, we're going to keep sleeping. We believe in that. We think it's biblical. They're wrong. But there are many who are waking up. We produced a film called Letter to the American Church, which is free to churches.
Starting point is 00:30:36 And I think that many people, once they understand that they've gotten this wrong, they want to be a part of getting it right. And so I'm encouraged. But we're in a battle. That's right. battle. Now, the film, it's interesting to me that this film, now what is the release date on this film? It'll be in September. We don't have the exact relationship type, but it's September of this year, right before the election. That's some of the ideas in this film,
Starting point is 00:31:02 it's like they're from the headlines. Yes, absolutely. It's like a pay, it's like torn right out of it. I mean, you keep hearing this stuff. What do you account for that? And what are some of those ideas that are in the film that are in the headlines? I think the very issue that we're just talking about, separation of church and state. I think you're seeing politicians on the the left, try and stamp out anybody to, if you have values, conservative values, you have a Christian belief, you have any of those types of things, we're seeing a constant attack and barrage, the labeling of who you are, the trying to make you something that you're not. We're seeing that every day, and that's what this film deals with all throughout the film.
Starting point is 00:31:40 So this is coming out in September, you said. Is Kevin Sorbo in the film? He is not. He actually, in the first one, he died. if you remember. You know, obviously, I don't remember anything. You know, he could bring them back. We'll bring him back as an angel.
Starting point is 00:31:55 It's so funny. It's so funny. I always joke around that if Kevin Servers entered, it's not a Christian film. I love Kevin. He's great. Well, so the, but these ideas that we're talking about, actually we're at a time in the segment. We'll be right back. I'm talking to Michael Scott with Pinnacle Peak Pictures. Hey, this is Eric Metaxus.
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Starting point is 00:33:41 sets for only 2998 and take advantage of the free shipping on larger items like mattresses and mattress toppers 100% made in the USA on sale for as low as 9999. Everything is on sale from the brand new kitchen towels that have the same technology as the bath towels that actually absorb dog beds, blankets, couch pillows and so much more to get the best specials ever go to mypillow.com. Use promo code Eric. Again, mypillow.com. Use promo code Eric. Remember, you get free shipping on your entire order. You can call 800-9783057. 800-9783057. Use promo code Eric. Welcome back. We're at the NRB. I'm speaking with Michael. Scott, who has been behind now the fifth in the franchise, the God is Not Dead franchise,
Starting point is 00:34:42 the fifth film coming out title, God's Not Dead in God we trust. I forgot to say, with a question mark at the end of it. In God we trust? Yeah, that is a question. Do we trust in God still as a thing? And that's what's being discussed in this film. Well, we were talking about this, that there are many voices in the church. advocating that the church not be involved politically, and some of the most grievous ones,
Starting point is 00:35:11 the editor-in-chief of Christianity today, which, as far as I'm concerned, is they have gone over to the dark side. I mean, there are a lot of these folks that are advocating monstrous ideas, and so Russell Moore, David French, and others appearing in a film by Rob Reiner, Rob Reiner is a leftist atheist who doesn't like when the church gets involved in stuff because it's basically antithetical to what he believes. So he has recruited these Christian voices to agree with him that the church should not advocate for its views. And it's so amazing how many pastors will just kind of go along with this like, oh yeah, we're supposed to just preach the gospel, don't get involved in politics.
Starting point is 00:35:59 And he think evil is rising all around us. and you're actually going along with this idea. I mean, it's kind of mind-blowing. It's a very core of our society, and they make the decisions, the influence, all this, to say to separate that is insane. The founders understood this, and as I was saying in the previous segment,
Starting point is 00:36:19 we used to teach us in schools that this was kind of a basic thing, but something happened. You know, everybody says, oh, in the 1960s, they took God out of the school, took prayer out of the schools. That's just a part of the story. I mean, that's just part of the story,
Starting point is 00:36:30 but it's the same narrative. that we can function without reference to God. And it's like you can't. You can't teach virtue. You can't. None of it works. But we kind of have pretended like, no, no, no, we can do it. I mean, it would be like saying, like, you know, we can do engineering and build bridges and buildings,
Starting point is 00:36:53 but we just can't do math. We're just not going to do math. And you think, well, if you don't do math, like your bridges are going to fall down. You need to, you need to. And so when you take God. out of the equation, you eventually, that was going to say,
Starting point is 00:37:06 you're eventually going to lose all your freedoms. The idea that you can have freedom in a free self-governing society without God, without virtue, it can't happen. So we're now on fumes. It's been decades of this, and we're starting to see the breakdown.
Starting point is 00:37:19 That's the point. Most people are looking around going, what is happening? What is happening is you're now seeing the fruit of five decades of pulling away from the idea of God in the culture. And if you remove God, you know who steps in, the government replaces God and says, we are the God.
Starting point is 00:37:36 Yeah, and who is the government? And who is the government? The devil, right? I mean, let's face it, if the government steps in and God is not there, the government is advocating for a secular atheist, that's right, you know, ultimately Marxist, fascist, will be the antithesis of the American founders' model of freedom. And that's what's been happening. The government has gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. Our budget every year is bigger. The deficit is bigger every year. The government is becoming bigger and bigger and bigger, more powerful. We are losing our freedoms day by day,
Starting point is 00:38:08 which is why in my book letter to the American Church and the film letter to the American Church, I'm saying that the church must wake up and get involved in this stuff. And if you don't do that now in a year or so, it's over. Because the government has becoming so powerful that at some point they get enough power. so that no matter what the church does, it's too late. It's too late.
Starting point is 00:38:30 And you know what? It's so funny. Some of the people on the left, right, don't even realize what's going to happen to them as well. That's the funny thing. Actually, that's something I never talk about that. They're going to wake up and they're going to realize, oh, my God, what have we done? Well, part of that is happening now. You're seeing in the blue states in cities like where I live, New York, Seattle, like in Chicago, whatever,
Starting point is 00:38:52 the level of breakdown, like they're finally reaping the fruit. and they're thinking, what is happening? The crime is it's affecting me. It's actually affecting me. And now they're like, we got to do something, you know. I think that, you know, I always think of Romans 828, that all things work together. So the worst things get, the Lord can use these things to wake up those
Starting point is 00:39:14 who would still be asleep if it hadn't begun to affect them. So we're seeing signs, as far as I'm concerned, of hope, because there are people that a year ago they were just trying, drifting along. We saw this October 7th with the Hamas satanic attack on Israeli citizens. It took that to wake up. There are a lot of wealthy Jews that said, I'm not going to get my money to Harvard. I'm not going to give my money. And you think it took that so these horrible things, God can use these things for his purposes. The question is, is it too late? Yeah. Well, and even this morning I saw an article in the Wall Street Journal. They're talking
Starting point is 00:39:51 about a new anti-Semitic piece that came out of Harvard, and now they're trying to squash it and everything like that, that people on even the Jews on the left side here stood up against it, and you're seeing, wait, they're like, this has gone too far. There are some people that are finally waking up. My question is, will the pastors in America wake up? That's the question. We have, you know, as I mentioned, John Maxwell and other voices that Andy Stanley openly advocating for Christians stepping away from the public square, stepping away from the political. It is madness.
Starting point is 00:40:32 It is not biblical. And there are many pastors following suit because I think, well, Andy Stanley said it. I guess he's a good guy. And we're realizing more and more that these guys are saying the wrong thing. But the question is, will enough pastors in America, understand that this is wrong. Will it be for this election or will it take those pastors realizing eventually their microphones going to be taken away before they wake up? But then it may be too late. If they don't wake up for the election in November, it's over. Because the left and
Starting point is 00:41:08 the deep state has, honestly, they're in an all-out war to keep us from taking back our nation. There's no doubt about it. And that's why I speak with this. urgency because we don't have five years. If you think we have five years, we're done. I mean, that's what the German pastors thought. Like, well, we'll see how it goes. Well, while you're seeing how it goes, the clock is ticking and it's going to be game over. So by 1935, Hitler, you know, got took power in early 33. By 35, it was over. Bonhofer and the confessing church was trying to get Christians to stand up boldly. And they said, well, we'll see how it goes. By the time they they saw how it went, it was absolutely over. Well, and this is what I say, take people
Starting point is 00:41:50 to this movie when it comes out in September. You know, take your non-believing friends, someone on the left as well, because this will allow, they'll go to a movie with you, and this will allow for some debate, some discussions. They will learn some points in there that they can use why they need to be active. Why is God important in the
Starting point is 00:42:06 public square? We're going to answer those questions in here so people can truly see the importance of this. And that film is God's Not Dead in God we trust. Michael Scott, thank you so much. Thank you so much, Eric. I love being on. Hey, the folks, welcome back. So today my guests are Willie Robertson and Michael Scott of Purefix. And Brandon Gill, I've talked about him earlier. He's running for Congress. He gives me hope for America. Brandon Gill. If you are inclined to donate to his campaign, and I hope some of you listening are, he's in Texas, 26th District for Congress. You can go to Brandon Gill for Congress.com. If you're in Texas, Go to Brandon Gill for Congress.com, help him out.
Starting point is 00:43:06 This is crucial. This is crucial. It's just important. We want to reiterate a few things. The Alliance Defending Freedom, we're doing a campaign with them, and I have said this in the past, and I'll say it again. We need people to step up. The Alliance Defending Freedom, they're like our first line of defense, or is it the last line of defense? I don't know.
Starting point is 00:43:31 they are fighting for religious liberty at the Supreme Court level. We're going to be having guests on from the United States Defending Freedom over the weeks ahead. But when you understand what they're doing, you think if they didn't exist, what would we do? When a court case comes up, court case after court case after court case, we've talked about them on this program where you think this is a monstrosity, what they're doing to such and such a person or such and such a business. If it weren't for the Alliance Defending Freedom, to step up pro bono, right? They're not in this for the money. They do this because they believe in America.
Starting point is 00:44:04 They believe in religious liberty. And they've got some of the finest lawyers imaginable, working for them, fighting for our religious liberties. And they defend people like our friend Jack Phillips of the masterpiece cake shop in Colorado. He's been put through hell. And if it weren't for the Alliance defending freedom, folks, it could happen to you and your business. and it will happen to some of you. And you're going to say, where do I turn?
Starting point is 00:44:32 Well, the Alliance of Fending Freedom is there. They're just heroes. They're the real deal. There's no phoniness. There's nothing in it for them. They just believe in America. They believe in liberty. And we need, if we claim to believe in liberty, we need to step up and help them out.
Starting point is 00:44:47 Please go to our website. It's metaxis talk.com. Again, it's just the radio website, metaxis talk.com. And you'll see the banner. are up there. But I've said this often in the past. If there's anybody that can give $15,000, and I know there's some folks listening, this is as good a cause as it gets if you care about America, if you care about saving the republic from the anarcho tyranny, as John Smirak has put it. It's a great cause, the alliance offending freedom. It really just doesn't get better.
Starting point is 00:45:23 So if you go to metaxus talk.com, you can donate there. But anybody who's able to give $15,000, and I know that's not many of you, but there are some of you out there. I want to offer myself to spend an evening, to have dinner, whatever context, you get to pick it, you get to figure it out yourself, and I just give my time. Obviously, I don't get anything out of it, except I get to meet people who care enough about the things that I care about. And almost always, that's a huge blessing for me to get to spend an evening with people who care about these things.
Starting point is 00:45:56 So I just want to throw that out there. Anybody who's able to do that, $15,000, of course, is tax deductible. And it's going to about as important a cause as it gets, the lines of defending freedom. And you'd have to go to metaxis talk.com, as I say. But anybody who can give, they're asking people for $100, mettaxistocot.com. Please do that. We are in a war, I say this over and over again, for liberty. And if everybody doesn't put his shoulder to the wheel, every one of you, we're not going to win.
Starting point is 00:46:32 Every one of us has to be involved. It's not like let the other guys do it. This is it. This is for your family and your future. So go to metaxus talk.com. Let me remind you again, we have a Socrates event Thursday. Please go to Socrates in the city.com. You can live stream it, but you have to be a member of Socrates Plus.
Starting point is 00:46:49 Socrates in the city.com. Sign up for that. It's going to be with James O'Keefe. Very, very exciting. Anyway, we'll be back with more fun stuff.

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