The Death of the Icon - Bodie and Brock Thoene

THE DEATH OF THE ICON
by
Bodie and Brock Thoene

Dear Thoene Friends,
First an update on our novel, THE ICON.  
Our fictional story was first imagined when the Michael Jackson trial was going on in Santa Maria, about 20 miles from our Central Coast property. The tabloids of the world were filled with the pathetic images of The Icon—King of Pop--dragging himself into the Santa Maria courtroom.  All around us people seemed obsessed with the story.  We personally heard people discuss going down to the “media circus” to see the pop-icon.

Just as we have witnessed with Princess Diana, OJ Simpson, and multiple other scandals, everything of importance was pushed off the front pages of the newspapers.  The citizens of the world and even the church became distracted from nation-shattering events. The public and media obsession was beyond anything we could personally imagine. 
         Interest in scandal was like the days of ancient Rome when politicians kept the people subdued by providing them with bread and public circuses.  Scandals, exposes and public executions were part of the Roman plan of governing.
      
          This interested us. In a late night discussion of the similarity between the decadent and declining Roman Empire and modern America we asked ourselves…WHAT IF?  
         WHAT IF a corrupt and powerful Chicago-type political machine gained power by eliminating opposition through slander and scandal?
          WHAT IF a man running for President was able to bring the economy into chaos in order to sway American voters into his camp? (Even before Obama, we actually wrote someone from the Chicago political machine.)
         WHAT IF, once in power, corrupt and brutal politicians continued to use the same methods as ancient Rome in order to distract Americans from his agenda of the complete socialist government takeover of the private sector?
          WHAT IF the church swallowed and believed the lies of this politician?
         WHAT IF Leftist radio and TV talk show hosts were sold out to the Leftist politician?
          WHAT IF conservative talk show hosts were targeted by scandal or death to shut them up?
          WHAT IF some strong and courageous Christians recognized the abyss the nation was being led to?  WHAT IF they began to wake up and speak out against the moral, spiritual and economic takeover of America and the destruction of the church?  What persecution would those Christians endure when they learned the truth and spoke openly? 

         Based on this tragic possibility, we discussed, planned and began writing THE ICON as a “fun” creative project, with the certainty that we would not publicly speak of it or present it until book 12 of the AD Chronicles was complete.

Two months ago 12th Prophecy was finished.
           
So we announce THE ICON to you, our readers. 
         In our novel, THE ICON, we envision the future of America, based on the ancient past when great civilizations fell.  
         Like ancient Rome, corrupt, political-agenda driven, power-hungry politicians in our novel use death and scandal to distract and entertain the population. In our novel, the leader of the country plans the deaths of young, popular cultural ICONS.  (Vis-a-vis Heath Ledger types and then someone “like” Michael Jackson.)  
         These deaths cause cultural chaos at the same moment opposition leaders are destroyed by frivolous ethics charges and despicable accusations against their family members. 
         Only a few are courageous enough to speak out and they become targets of the Left.  One family finds the source of slander and assassination goes right to the top.  (This we model after the politics of personal destruction used by the National Socialists to eliminate opposition in Germany in 1933.) 
   
Set in present-day America, in THE ICON the world media forsakes its responsibility to report real news.  The tabloid journalism and gossip about the death of THE ICON supplants real news, such as the takeover of Congress by radical Left.  Speculation about THE ICON obscures the facts about the destruction of the economy, the unemployment of millions, the government seizure of agriculture and business, and the enactment of immoral and unconstitutional legislation.  
        We will not tell you the end of our novel in this blog, but the vision we saw at the climax of THE ICON fits what is unfolding now.
         We did not know when we first imagined THE ICON how true our portrayal of the unfolding story would be.  
         Today there is suddenly concern with the partner with whom we planned to publish THE ICON. “This is too true. People will think you modeled it after what is happening now.”  

          For the record, we imagined THE ICON long before the death of Michael Jackson.  We believe that what we creatively envisioned in the months leading up to this event is now unfolding before our eyes. 

        We pray for the health and safety of Conservatives in the media. We pray that every Christian will remain vigilant. We pray you will not take your eye off the TRUTH as America is swept up in the coming tsunami of tabloid journalism.   There is indeed a spiritual famine sweeping the land.  It is a famine for TRUTH.  Only Jesus Christ, BREAD OF LIFE, living through you, can feed hungry souls.  

Cultural icons like Michael Jackson are mere humans, false idols who distract and turn the eyes of the lost away from the ONLY TRUE SAVIOR!  

Jesus weeps for this nation and the world. Humans are so easily swept away by vapid sensationalism. 
         Consider this: The burial of Jesus Christ was attended in fear of punishment by only a handful of those who loved him.  The burial of Herod cost millions and was attended by multitudes of mourners who came for the spectacle and free food and drink.  
         Jesus Christ emerged from the grave three days later, freeing us all from the bonds of death.  No human icon has ever done this.  This Resurrection Truth is what we Christians must share with the world.
        Jesus weeps for the empty worship of false human gods in America. 
       Meanwhile all of us may be so distracted that we do not notice the collapse of democracy and loss of our freedom to worship and pray in public and share the Gospel. 

Christian, know this:  Satan’s deception is ancient. The ‘free bread’ of socialism and the spectacle of Roman circuses, will end your freedom, destroy the foundation of America, and lead to the fall of another great empire.

Fight for your country and for your freedom before it is too late.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of  gladness.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;
he foils the designs of peoples.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Gospel
Mt 10:1-7
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
"Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"  

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD!
And those who knew him cried, “I will obey only Jesus!”

To sum up:
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Who will tell the world? Who will tell neighbors, friends and family?

Jesus sent out 12 to heal the sick and proclaim that the kingdom was at hand.  Did you notice that JUDAS was among those who went out?  In the end, one who sat at the feet of Jesus betrayed him. In the end, Jesus was abandoned by everyone.  Yet JESUS is the only one who can save us and give us life. Do not let your heart be turned from the TRUTH your living Lord to a mere man who is a worldly Icon. Your eyes and ears will soon be filled with coming scandals in the tabloids!  

Turn off the vapid, self-indulgent, tabloid entertainment which comes from straight from the mouth of Hell.  Distraction is part of Satan’s strategy for destruction of human lives.  
         Turn on the truth of SCRIPTURE in your life and the lives of your loved ones.  
          Focus only on truth! Do not be turned aside or led astray by the lies of the radical Left which has seized power in America.  Truly destructive spiritual forces seek to control  our government now.  As our freedoms are threatened they rejoice to see the thoughts of the masses obsessed by Roman Circuses and the death of The Icon.

Blessings in Jesus’ Name,
Bodie and Brock