7/4/08 DO I SEE THE RED-WHITE-and-

BLUE in YOU ? SON-SPIRIT-and-

FATHER by vanderKOK

JULY 4, 2008Do
I SEE the RED-WHITE-and-BLUE
in YOU ? by vanderKOK
OL’ GLORY, THE RED-WHITE-and-BLUE,
AMERICAN THE BEAUTIFUL, SON-SPIRIT-and-HOLY FATHER

Sure, I know I’ll get some objections about the FLAG of the USA
representing the CROSS of Christianity, or that the red-white-and-blue
REPRESENTS the SON-SPIRIT-and-FATHER, but I ask me if I care.
I’ve criticized MY OWN COUNTRY before too. I do both on a regular
basis.

I regularly praise my country and the flag as representing the

HIGHEST IDEALS in the world, and for striving to TRULY actualize
our ideology; and I also periodically see the problems too.

So maybe America is not a SAINT, yet; but are we on the PATH to

SAINTHOOD ? Are we TRULY striving, COLLECTIVELY, as a nation
to make this world a better place for everybody ? I hope so.
Sure, you will find exceptions, but the exception does NOT make the
rule. Too many people “throw the baby out with the bathwater” or
concentrate on the “SPECK’ in a person or country’s eye.

Are we a . Do we CARE more about the worldBETTER country than

any other ? OBVIOUSLY than all other countries combined ?
CLEARLY

The more I concentrate on the AMERICAN FLAG & the red-white-

and-blue, the more I SEE the FATHER-SON-and-HOLY SPIRIT (or
Son-Spirit-and-Father, as it may be).

I’ve studied all of this before—about the FOUNDING OF AMERICA

and the belief of some that we are a “Christian nation.” I subscribed to
a group called Wallbuilders for a while and still receive periodic E-mails
from them espousing that our FOUNDING FATHERS were
overwhelmingly CHRISTIAN and had a Christian vision for our
country.

I even went to a Wallbuilders conference in Washington D.C. led by

Wallbuilders founder, David Barton, and attended by many military
chaplains as well as a few non-military pastors such as myself.

And I kept my cautious, skeptical, clinical, academic “glasses” on as I

listened to their propaganda. In fact, I think I’ve been properly
skeptical, clinical, & academic for LONG ENOUGH now. I’ve been
reserved and pragmatic and diplomatic. I’ve served the PUBLIC for 12
(plus) years now in public education and have been very FAIR and
“equal.”

I’ve been so “EQUAL”, I may have, in fact, been UNEQUAL. Does that
make sense to you ? I mean, public education prides itself on being
“equal” to all. And our nation espouses being “equal” TO ALL, but is
it ? Is treating everybody the same regardless of differences being
“equal”

Felix Frankfurter, a former Supreme Court Justice once said, “It is a

wise man who said that there is no greater inequality than the equal
treatment of unequals”
( http://thinkexist.com/quotes/felix_frankfurter )

America is STILL the greatest and most EQUAL country in the world,
and it is still EQUAL in the BEST SENSE of the word, but sometimes
we must REMIND OURSELVES not to be UNEQUALLY EQUAL
without respect for differences, talents, skills, gifts,

We continue AS A NATION to welcome immigrants, more than many if

not all other nations, but some immigrants do NOT assimilate and after
a while it does have a DRAINING effect—maybe not economically but
emotionally. Immigrants who do NOT assimilate or partially
acculturate are like adolescents who never grow up and move out of the
house. Who wants that ?

My experience coming to FULLER SEMINARY in Pasadena WAS a

disappointing experience because I was treated with LESS RESPECT
and regard than some illegal immigrants. I was treated as if I WAS a
danger to them—that I was the stereotypical “angry American.” Some,
but not all, of our COPS, ironically, set the tone for anti-American
sentimentalism. In fact some of our cops are immigrants—which
EXPLAINS a few things.

America is the BEST—and the MOST BEAUTIFUL and CARES more

than any other country about the rest of the world. But some
“Americans” who never become American don’t help the American
cause.

Another insulting experience I had was with a Korean gal by the name
of Soon Joo who is living here in America. It was actually very brief—
my online & email chats with her, but at the end of it all when I put her
TO THE TEST—she said she was “scared” to meet me in person. She
being Korean was SCARED to meet me, a red-white-and-blue American
! I found it VERY INSULTING.

And I find it regularly insulting when immigrants treat their American

hosts with distrust. And when BAD COPS INCREASE ANTI-American
sentiment it leaves good ol’ well-intended Americans without a foothold
in their own country. When they treat well-intended , patriotic,
involved, educated, decent gentlemen such as myself with DISTRUST in
our “own home” it is very DISHEARTENING.
And I’ve also been the BRUNT of some bad treatment because of my
“ethnic name. “ I’ve been in America for 41 years now, but some
persons with American names CAN still pull the ol’ race card sneer by
intentionally SLURRING my name. Hugh Halford, an attorney in
Pasadena, did a good job of it—calling me everything from “kook” to
“cock” in his attempts to make me appear uncredible.

That may be why for a while I found more hospitality in the Asian-
American community. On paper anyways, they thought I was one of
“them.” Kok is a Dutch name but also Asian. For a while I chose Asian
doctors because I was received more favorably by them (initially
anyways). But I discovered the immigrant communities have just as
much racism and stereotypical thinking as any other.

The Korean community regularly stereotypes African-Americans and

has long catered to the black community and preyed on their weakness,
by opening liquor stores in black neighborhoods—not exactly a
VIRTUOUS mission by those particular Koreans.

At the same time, there’s been a lot of great Korean immigrants who
have been involved with the Christian church and they say Koreans
send more missionaries around the world than any other nation except
America.

But just like American missionaries tend to consciously or otherwise

propagate American values along with Christianity do Koreans do
likewise, with Korean values ? I wonder. I wondered, and so I’ve been
visiting Korean-American churches around Los Angeles—last Sunday—
I went to three different Korean churches—briefly observing their
worship services.

But this MESSAGE is not about Koreans or immigrants in general, it’s

about AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL. Are we MAKING PROGRESS as
a nation ? Are we becoming better? Are we making the world a better
place ?

In my mind we are a CHRISTIAN NATION, in general and the FLAG

is our CROSS. Wallbuilders & David Barton does a good job, in
general, about telling the story of America’s origins from a Christian
point of view. I was properly skeptical or deliberative at the time of the
Washington D.C. conference but there comes a time to EMBRACE !

And I EMBRACE the notion of us being a CHRISTIAN COUNTRY

and that the ORIGINAL INTENT of our FOUNDING FATHERS was,
in general, Christian. And I’ll go so far as to say that AMERICA IS A
CHRISTIAN CHURCH and the red-white-and-blue is OUR CROSS !

I BELIEVE GOD had a special PURPOSE for us as a NATION and

once we come to realize that and TRULY FEEL IT we become
TRANSFORMED into CHANGE AGENTS ready to GO at moments
notice, sometimes at our own expense, and even, occasionally at the
RISK of our very lives.

The MORE WE GO the more COURAGE we gain to KEEP GOING.

It’s like something I read recently about sports—I think it was a column
about Tiger Woods—and the writer said “WINNING MAKES
WINNING EASIER.” Likewise, “going” makes going easier.

I have family members who questioned my “patriotism” because I went

overseas and did mission work—first disaster relief in Costa Rica, later
a summer mission in the Philippines; and most recently to THAILAND
following the tsunami, but even prior to that I did a semester in Spain
learning Spanish, and even did a semester in Hawaii (which is obviously
still America but to some in the “heartland” represents being “far
away” (i.e. anywhere but Michigan, Indiana, or Ohio)—and far away in
some illogical minds means “un-American.” ).

Some so-called “Americans” mistake remaining at home, watching TV,

and staying ignorant as “patriotic.” A lot of Americans don’t have the
opportunity, ability, or wherewithal to “go” and travel and learn and be
ambassadors, but for those who do have the means, but DON’T GO, I
say SHAME ON YOU. At least don’t BLASPHEME those who do go by
saying they are UN-AMERICAN (yes, I’m talking to you, Sissy &
Engelbert).

LEAVING THE NEST is not easy nor initially always comfortable, but
some mistake staying in the nest for being American. Their minds
become retarded, slow, and provincial and they call that being
“American.” I apologize to the world for these FEW (and its very few)
who are that way.

Fortunately, America LEADS THE WAY in learning about the world

and reaching out to the nations. Fortunately, we, the GOOD OL’ USA,
CARE more than most. And it is BECAUSE OF CHRIST—the red-
white-and-blue—the SON, SPIRIT, and FATHER ! OUR CHURCHES
are the BACKBONE of America.

I recently realized that my GOOD INTENTIONS and efforts to do

MINISTRY are actually being IMPEDED by bureaucracy and, of all
things, being fearful when I am driving a car—always thinking, perhaps
irrationally at times, that the police are going to stop me and harass me.
Why do I think this way ?

The PRIMARY REASON is due to a handful of bad experiences with a

few American police, mostly around los Angeles, but one incident in
Olympia and another incident in Langley Virginia when I was showing
interest in visiting the CIA headquarters. And then there is one other
very strange episode that I didn’t personally experience, but was told
about by my mom.

It goes back to 2004 when I was on one of my cross-country filming trips

with LOLA MY GOLDEN. I was filming GOD’S COUNTRY and
passed through West Michigan and passed by many homes of people I
knew at one time or another, as well as various homes I lived in at one
point or another during college. I also passed by the home of Kim
Kooiker with whom I briefly had a relationship that never materalized
—but since I was making a documentary of all the people I once knew
around West Michigan I looked up her address and included a picture
of her house (in Byron Center) in my directory of images.

Across America I drove filming churches, steeples, interesting historical

sites, including of course BRIDGES—like the GOLDEN GATE—
probably one of the most photographed bridges in the world, and on the
east coast, various other bridges or sites such as the BROOKLYN
BRIDGE, & the Empire State Building etc.

And somewhere along the way, my mom says, somebody noticed me

taking a picture—maybe even Kim Kooiker when I passed by her home
briefly (didn’t stop to talk or socialize—she’s married now & was then
as well ) and wrote down my license plate number and eventually the
FBI was notified and the FBI came to my parents home in
BELLFLOWER at one point in time and inquired.

FOLKS, I am AMERICAN—my BLOOD is red-white-and-blue ! But

you know why I was investigated ? Not just because I was taking a
picture of homes in West Michigan or bridges on the east coast or
wherever, but because I had a BEARD ! Because of my beard I was
profiled as possibly Muslim and therefore possibly a terrorist.

But what did the FBI think a Muslim or terrorist would be doing in
West Michigan ? Why would a terrorist be interested in the home of
Kim
Kooiker ? And if my name was “normal” like Davis or Cooper or, God
forbid, Slanderson Anderson, or whatever they probably wouldn’t have
given it a second consideration as a potential problem. But “KOK” is a
strange name to some.

And it REMINDS me that some of our so-called “BEST AMERICANS”

are given the benefit of the doubt simply because of their name whereas
others who are JUST AS PATRIOTIC OR MORE SO get doubted
because their name simply is not “American. “

That’s ONE THING that has made me question the GREATNESS OF

OUR COUNTRY from time to time. Knowing that I can’t get justice in
my own country simply because of three letters
“K-O-K” does tend to DEMORALIZE me at times. And so you’ll notice
from time to time that I actually use a changed name from time to time
—especially online, AND unfortunately, it’s the only way I can get a
little bit of DECENT treatment sometimes—ironically by those who are
supposed to treat all people equally.

My own sister and brother-in-law, SISSY & have been guilty more so
than many—with SISSYENGELBERT SLANDERSON intentionally
slurring my first name, and refusing to call me by my changed name.
My older brother, Slandrew, had done likewise from time to time, as has
my Uncle Gary. By re-naming you or slurring your name in a
condescending manner they are simply trying to emasculate and
marginalize you. And it is VERY SLEAZY of them.
And EMASCULATION of others is the MOST UN-AMERICAN thing
to do but yet a very common AMERICAN thing to do—sometimes.

And I’ve even had to ADDRESS some EMASCULATING things done

by a Dr. Ziegler at UNIVERSITY OF IOWA and BRIAN STROM at the
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA who together conducted the “SOY
SURVEY” few years ago based on the SOY INFANT EXPERIMENT
back in the 60’s, of which I was a part.

Let me tell you my friends—coming from PENNSYLVANIA (home of

the LIBERTY BELL) and IOWA (the part of the so-called great
American heartland) this experiment and subsequent survey was
ANYTHING BUT AMERICAN.

I had NO CHOICE as an infant to be part of the SOY INFANT

EXPERIMENT—my mom enrolled me. Back then they were just
starting to think that SOY might be the miracle food. And so infants
who were enrolled by their parents to be part of the experiment were
given SOY INFANT formula rather than breast fed.

Thirty years later a lot of people and scientists and concerned groups
are talking about the DANGERS OF SOY, especially SOY INFANT
FORMULA. And then one day, a few years ago, I received some letters
saying they wanted to do a survey of all the infants who were now adults
in their 30’s. They SET up a time for me to be available for a phone
survey.

And MY FRIENDS, guess what the THRUST of the survey was ?! You
are going to think I am PULLING YOUR LEG, that this is a BIG
JOKE—but I can ASSURE YOU it is NO JOKE !

After a few warmup questions—random questions the guy on the phone

took a big breath and started asking me about MASTURBATION. NO
LIE ! He had the AUDACITY to ask things that ANY TRUE-
BLOODED, RED-WHITE-and-BLUE American would consider
FIGHTING WORDS !

In fact, I was on the CELL PHONE IN MY CAR WITH LOLA at the

time of the survey and I remember feeling stunned---even shocked by
the questions—the kind of which would RESULT IN A PUNCH IN THE
FACE if done in person. Maybe that’s why they did it in such a
COWARDLY MANNER by phone—and using probably some
perfunctorily obedient graduate students to conduct the survey.

And OBVIOUSLY the persons who designed the SURVEY are

ultimately the persons to blame—and as best as I can tell that’s
ZIEGLER and STROM.

Well, I gave the person doing the survey a PIECE OF MY MIND and
subsequently filed a complaint with the IOWA MEDICAL BOARD as
well as directly to ZIEGLER himself and subsequently to BRIAN
STROM but they are too cowardly to respond or even apologize and the
medical board responded in a cowardly manner as well.

YES, UNFORTUNATELY, we do have A FEW very UN-AMERICAN

Americans here in America. I just go an email from Strom a few days
ago who is included in my regular e-mail blasts and all he cared about is
“getting off my list. “ I said to Brian Strom “you can get off the list
when I get a personal apology from you [and Ziegler]” FAT CHANCE.

One unfortunately an UNPATRIOTIC trait of some Americans is the

REFUSAL TO APOLOGIZE when it is warranted. Of course, that’s
actually a TOO WORLDY TRAIT.

My friends, we are ONLY AS AMERICAN as we ACT—and what

makes us TRULY AMERICAN in the good sense is OUR FAITH IN
GOD--, THE RED-WHITE-and-BLUE—the FATHER-SON-and-HOLY
GHOST. (or Son-Spirit-and-Father). .

And BEING AMERICAN does not simply mean being blonde and
wearing trendy clothes. I’m sorry I keep picking on blondes periodically
but too often it is the blondes that are a BLIGHT and BURDEN to the
American way. They treat MEN like fools. They PROSTITUTE
themselves and treat good Americans like SCHMUCKS. They turn the
American Way into the way of the world—nothing Christian about it—
simply superficial.

We are ONLY AS GOOD as WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO ! JESUS

ILLUSTRATES this in the following passage: When they had finished
eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love
me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do
you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take
care of my sheep." The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do
you love me?"

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love
me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
John 21:15-17

In my opinion JESUS repeats HIMSELF three times—and RECITES a

form of “feed my sheep” THREE TIMES because JESUS KNEW that it
is tempting to become “CHRISTIAN” or “AMERICAN’ in name only—
and forget to feed the sheep and keep doing the things necessary to BE
CHRISTIAN (or BE AMERICAN as it may be).

We need to KEEP doing maintenance, KEEP taking care of ourselves

and others, keep learning, growing, and improving. WE ARE WHAT
WE DO, not simply what we say we are.

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no
law.” Gal 5:22-23

GOOD FRUITS do not usually come from trees that are not well
tended. The trees need water & sun—SOMETIMES that comes
NATURALLY from GOD but also it is done by man with the HELP of
GOD. Likewise we take care of ourselves and others—the BODY OF
CHRIST—so that the FRUITS are good !

You know I’ve been doing a WIFE SEARCH for a while now—and
periodically I say simply that I am seeking a woman ready to have kids
and be a good mom. I don’t get into long chats and conversations about
‘TRUE LOVE’ or romance. –and even told a few people recently that
true love or romance in the worldly sense may be a myth created by
Hallmark or flower companies to make some money on Valentines Day.
And the myth of “true love” or “romantic true love” may also be the
cause of too many divorces. At the first sign of trouble marriages
crumble because they are disillusioned that they are not feeling “true
love” or “romantic love” anymore.

And too much so-called “true romantic love” is superficial with,

unfortunately, too many AMERICAN BLONDES leading the way down
the ROAD TO NOWHERE. It’s unfortunate that I have to pick on
blondes as part of the problem because there’s some DARN GOOD
AUTHENTIC BLONDES in America and elsewhere who receive the
BRUNT OF misplaced righteous indignation .

MISSY THEULE (now MISSY WILKINS), God bless her, my first

girlfriend back in West Michigan was a TRUE AUTHENTIC BLONDE
and unfortunately I could not engineer a way to get us back together
after we broke apart for many years (even though she tried—at the time
she tried I was DUMBED DOWN by something, for better or for
worse). She could play the VIOLIN like a master ! And she was fun and
loving. THE BEST. God bless MISSY.

And it is now 6:15 a.m. on 4th of JULY day. Last night I saw the red-
white-and-blue FIREWORKS at FRED KELLY STADIUM in Orange,
CA, just down the street from the Crystal Cathedral and Angel
Stadium. I sat at the Starbucks across from the stadium for a few hours
and then took a nap in my car before the fireworks show. Last year on
4th of July I was in CASPER, WYOMING, on my cross-country trip to
Michigan and back. I saw the fireworks there from the back of my car.

And I am getting SERIOUSLY PREPARED for THE WALK—across

AMERICA (see last week’s message). Meanwhile, I take time today to
REFLECT on what it means to BE AMERICAN. You ever notice that
there are some recent immigrants who are MORE AMERICAN THAN
AMERICANS ?

They have observed movies and television and ACT AMERICAN

according to some sort of stereotype or superficial aspects that they
think defines what it means to be American. But despite having all the
outward aspects DOWN TO A TEE they are not AMERICANS in
HEART.
NOT YET, at least.
Like being a Christian or becoming a Christian it is not something you
can quickly PUT ON like a hat or shirt, it is a PROCESS of the HEART.
It takes time.

WE are the GREATEST NATION in the world if we CONTINUE to do

GREAT THINGS. We are the WORTHY CHRISTIANS and a
WORTHY BODY OF CHRIST if we continue to do WORTHY DEEDS.

Some words TRANSCEND their original meaning. Kleenex was a brand

name concerning tissues which we now use generically meaning tissue,
no matter what company makes it. WEBSTERS is sometimes used to
refer to any dictionary. COKE is sometimes used to refer to any kind of
soda (í.e. “Let’s go get a coke”) Maybe even “GOOGLE” now means
any kind of web search (i.e. “google it and see what you find”).

LIKEWISE I say AMERICAN has gotten to the point of

TRANSCENDING it’s meaning of being a citizen of one of the 50 states.
AMERICAN now means all that is good, pure, saintly, perfect,
righteous, noble, worthy, self-sacrificial, kind, caring, trustworthy, and
the LIST GOES ON. AMERICAN IS CHRISTIAN and exhibits itself by
the FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT !

SO if you are TRULY GOOD and exhibit ALL OF THE ABOVE (plus)
and continue to GROW—I say you can be “American” no matter where
you are—from China to Canada and anywhere in between. Likewise the
term
“ UN-AMERICAN” has come to mean anything unfair, unconscionable,
disrespectful, etc. There’s nothing I HATE MORE than finding
something UN-AMERICAN right here on AMERICAN SOIL. And
wouldn’t it be a shame if I found people to be MORE AMERICAN in
other countries than AMERICA ITSELF ? A good shame—to a certain
extent.

If we DON’T DO IT, somebody else will. ALL GREAT NATIONS have

come and gone—WHO WILL BE THE NEXT GREAT AMERICA ? or
will we, the ACTUAL GEOGRAPHICAL AMERICA, STAND UP and
FIGHT THE FIGHT and do what is right and RETAIN OUR PRIZE
for generations to come ?

HERE’s to the OL’ GLORY—the RED-WHITE-and-BLUE—and to the

SON-the SPIRIT-and the FATHER ! GLORY, GLORY, HALLELUJAH
! HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON ! But only if it is truly marching, not
just saying the words .

When I see the RED-WHITE-and-BLUE, I SEE the SON-the SPIRIT-

and the FATHER, shining bright in the day and night, FOREVER ! And
not just on a pole, but in YOUR HEART, and MINE ! Do I see the RED-
WHITE-and-BLUE in YOU ?

CHIEF BIG FAITH

PASTOR KOK III , VANDERKOK

IN SEARCH OF AMERICA, AGAIN !