Dr. Julie Nemecek is worried about Battle Cry and Ron Luce's militaristic movement. As an ordained Baptist minister, Luce,Aeos message twists what she sees as the Christian message.
"Jesus didn't dwell on metaphors," she says.
"They're not bad analogies," says Joanne, Julie's wife. "But when metaphor becomes the message the truth gets lost."
Nemecek is a transgender, who made headlines earlier this year when she fought Spring Arbor University to keep her post as an associate dean of Adult studies. The University fired her for not being "Christian." She settled with them for an undisclosed financial amount last month. She taught at the conservative Christian university for 16 years. She is an ordained Baptist minister, and holds a masters in divinity and a doctorate in adult studies.
She identifies herself as a conservative, evangelical Christian and she says you should be worried about Ron Luce and his Battle Cry movement. "I think you definitely need to be worried," she said. "It has all the hallmarks of a cult."
And an article from the International Cultic Studies Association concurs with Nemecek's understanding. According to an article by Drs. Janja Lalich and Michael D. Langone cults have excessive zeal and an unquestioning commitment to its leader, questioning is discouraged, mind-altering practices are used, the leadership dictates how members should feel, the group has a special purpose to save humanity, and more.
Luce's book, "Battle Cry for a Generation," calls for an unquestioning following of pastors, whom he terms generals in the war. The event attended last weekend in Detroit, presented thousands of teens screaming "I want the blood," and repenting at Ford Field, and the event also included semi-subliminal lighting events which were meant to induce feelings of worthlessness in the masses. Luce, of course, believes Battle Cry is going to save humanity from the evil marketers and MTV pop culture iconography.
"It's about the big principles that always sound good," Julie says. "It's the way that gets you there where the problem is."
She takes a sip of her coffee. "The issue in Christianity is for you to follow Jesus, not what others tell you is Jesus."
"At best, he (Luce) is creating a generation of spiritual infants who never grow in Christ," Julie says. "Never grow beyond casual attendance."
She says Luce is getting results because its immediate. "People want instant gratification. If he gets thousands of kids to come to Jesus, it seems like a success. But how many kids stick with it?"
Battle Cry: An Evangelical Christian responds
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