This was originally published at “The Bridge” – Paul’s blog.
It is the allegorical ancient town of Vanity Fair that John Bunyan describes an atmosphere where “jugglings, cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, rogues, and that of all sorts,” were happening all day and all night. As well as, “thefts, murders, adulteries, false-swearers, and that of a blood-red color.”
Is there any connection that a pop-culture magazine, where merchandise is bought and sold “as houses, lands, trades, places, honors, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts, as whores, bawds, wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not,” is paraded in front of us as normal, heroic and even godly?
Entering the town of Vanity Fair, “Christian” causes a disturbance. His very presence is different from that of the townspeople, he even spoke a language (“the language of Canaan”) that was not understood. Bunyan described him as being plainly “outlandish” and described by the townspeople as a fool. But the thing that troubles the townspeople the most is his attitude toward the goods displayed at the fair. When called to look at them, he turn away, putting his fingers in his ears and crying out, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity” (quoting Psalm 119:37).
The crowd gathers to taunt and revile him, even some of them calling to “smite them,” which eventually leads to a great disturbance and eventual arrest of “Christian” for disturbing the peace.
After He was questioned, he is beaten and jailed to be made a public spectacle or to everyone.
Eventually “Christian” (and “Faithful”) are held responsible for disturbing the peace and are eventually taken to trial on charges that they are “enemies to and disturbers of their trade; that they have made commotions and divisions in the town, and had won a party to their own most dangerous opinions in contempt of the law of their prince.”
Before “Judge Hate-good”, who is all too happy to order “Christian’s” friend and traveling companion “Faithful” be executed according to the laws of the land, he is first scourged, “then they buffeted him, then they lanced his flesh with knives; after that they stoned him with stones, then pricked him with their swords and, last of all, they burned him to ashes at the stake. Thus came Faithful to his end.”
There is no explanation for “Christian’s” not going to trial by Bunyan. After some time he “escapes” and is on his way again —
Bruce Jenner (dressed as a woman, undergone reconstructive surgery and steroid treatment, airbrushed on the cover to look years younger and even giving him a more feminine appearance) has his ‘coming out’ fan fair on the cover of Vanity Fair. Make no mistake, Caitlyn Jenner is Bruce Jenner dressed as a woman. He is no American hero.
As long as Bruce Jenner presents himself as Caitlyn Jenner he can not and must not be called a hero. Do not be persuaded by the tide of public opinion and the emotionalism displayed in the interviews to fill sorry for what he is doing.
He likely has struggled with this matter for a long time, even while all of America looked at him as a hero during the 1976 Olympics.
Make no mistake, Vanity Fair “hates-good”. Christian, prepare yourself, the mob is organizing itself, they are gathering and coming for you.
Christian, weep over your ugly sins and rejoice in the Lord for his calling you to repentance and covering you with his grace and giving you mercy. Rejoice in the Lord! Always!
- “Oh what a wretched exchange professors make when they barter the blessings of a close walk with God, for beggarly enjoyments of an empty, disappointing world.” Mary Winslow
- “The religious freedom granted by our national documents was not freedom to be irreligious.” (Richard Owen Roberts – Unalienable Rights, 1993)
- “The Christian is to walk singularly, not after the world’s guise. We are commanded not to be conformed to this world, that is, not to accommodate ourselves to the corrupt customs to the world. The Christian must not be of such a complying nature as to cut the coat of his profession according to the fashion of the times or the humor of the company he falls into…” William Gurnall (1616-1679)