The Agony & the Ecstasy

I watched a classic movie, The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), this week staring Charlton Heston as artist Michelangelo and Rex Harrison as Catholic Pope Julius II.

According to one movie reviewer, “The movie portrays Pope Julius II, "the warrior Pope" in good light. He took up the sword to finally bring an end to French interference in the papacy. . . And of course, despite the notorious division of Italy into city states, he struggled to free that country from foreign domination while keeping the (P)apal (S)tates intact.

”Rome is correctly shown as a city in decay during the Middle Ages. It took Julius II to finally build a Basilica worthy to be the focus of world Christianity. His patronage of the arts and of grand architecture enabled Rome to justly keep the title "The Eternal City."”

Some of the agony and ecstasy comes into play over the competing visions of Michelangelo and Pope Julius over the wondrous work o painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Pope Julius commissions Michelangelo to paint a particular vision, how he (the pope) saw the end result. Being the great and independent artist that he was, Michelangelo reluctantly began to paint the Chapel ceiling, but after completing a portion of it, he was upset with it and boldly defaced what work he had done and quit and ran away from the project.

During the time away from work on the Sistine Chapel he (Michelangelo) had a vision, an epiphany if you will, or a revelation from God, as what to paint on that ceiling. Eventually, he was apprehended by the Pope’s army and after sharing his dream with the Pope, Julius excitingly concurred and Michelangelo began the arduous task of painting his vision. What a massive project. It took years to complete it. But the wait was worth it. It stands today as an expression of Biblical truth and honors God in its timeless beauty.

AMERICA IS ROME

Much the same way today in America we have become decadent as in the days of Rome. We need something to lift us up from the mire. We need something that would bring us back to our strong, solid, Christian roots. We need a new vision. We need new leadership who will be adhering to true conservative and Judeo-Christian principles.

We need someone unlike our current President, who has not been consistent. After being elected by conservatives and Christians – the values voters - he has not lived up to his promises. He cashed in his political capital on - an amnesty for illegal aliens - unsecured border- -big government - the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America - no child left behind – failed policies.

i an saddened to say, President Bush's vision of America is much like Pope Julius’ vision for the Sistine Chapel ceiling, inferior. President Bush, along with much of the present GOP party leadership lacks the creativity, the purity of principle, the splendor of a truly great conservative, Judeo-Christian vision for America. The closest recent President who captured even an inkling of this vision was President Ronald Reagan.

TODAY'S BARBARIANS

I consider all of the current crop of Democrat Party candidates for President as a bunch of barbarian invaders, internal terrorists and traitors, who’s vision is more suited for painting their vision on the bottom of a septic tank than for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. That is how far afield they are from the principles and values of the Founders of these United States. The liberal Democrat Party elite represent the barbarians invading the Holy City of Rome.

WHERE ARE AMERICA'S MICHELANGELO & JULIUS II?

We need visionary leadership, like a Michelangelo and a Julius, once again in our country to preserve, to strengthen the things that remain of the greatness of a God blessed America and to regain her lost glory, all for the honor and glory of God Himself.

This is not advocating creating a Theocracy, but simply restoring the Washingtonian Republican-Democracy founded on Judeo-Christian principles, values and ethics. The next two years will be shear agony dealing with the crazed barbarians currently occupying places of leadership in the Congress. Let us pray and work toward 2008 when we will enjoy a bit of ecstasy when we elect a true conservative President and many more conservative representatives, who will practice what they preach and politicize.

Let us set out to find and to commission America’s next Michelangelo vision and find supporters like the physical and spiritual warrior Pope Julius II. We can and we must defeat the barbarians!