The Head of Creator’s Syndicate Defends His Brother

This column is an interesting insight into the Newcombe family, obviously full of talent and accomplishment as well as an illustration of gotcha journalism employed by Huffington Post.

One can argue about what a person might say in answer to a question but good journalism requires the reporter to actually ask the question and provide the full meaning of the response.

I think Creators CEO makes a good case here that HuffPo did not do that in the case of his brother Jerry.

Read the article and see what you think.

 

14 thoughts on “The Head of Creator’s Syndicate Defends His Brother”

  1. As I said the HuffPo headline was overblown as Newcombe did not say specifically that the nonChristians of Aurora were going to hell. But that is his theological viewpoint which was expressed in the article and the AFA interview. Everything he said in the AFA interview from the beginning to the end depicted that very point about nonChristians (and perhaps even nonEvangelicals considering his exposition on those not believing in hell?). And nothing in the body of the HuffPo piece depicts his words in any way not comensurate with Newcombe’s theology. Newcombe’s theology spoke beyond his very words and it did say what was in the headline.

  2. By expressing his theological views on who he says are the ONLY people going to heaven so soon after the shooting, Newcombe INFERS that those who died as “non-believers” were indeed going to Hell based on his outlook. HuffPo ran with the story because he expressed a tenet of HIS faith as the absolute for ALL people. So soon after this tragic event WAS NOT the time to express religious views.

  3. By expressing his theological views on who he says are the ONLY people going to heaven so soon after the shooting, Newcombe INFERS that those who died as “non-believers” were indeed going to Hell based on his outlook. HuffPo ran with the story because he expressed a tenet of HIS faith as the absolute for ALL people. So soon after this tragic event WAS NOT the time to express religious views.

  4. The whole thing looks a bit messy to me. No.. he didn’t say what the headline claimed. But it is likely what he believes.

    To me this is yet another example of bad timing on the part of (fellow) Christians. .. A tragedy in the news .. and within 24 hours .. the tragedy is used by Christians …. not to provide comfort and grace .. but to .. once again .. blame such things on the decline of the country. As I recall .. the events of 9/11 had a similar response .. re: the attacks were due to America’s failure in this or that aspect of morality.

    Some direct quotes form Newcombe’s article at One News Now…

    “I can’t help but feel that to some extent, we’re reaping what we’ve been sowing as a society. We said to God, “Get out of the public arena.” Lawsuit after lawsuit, often by misguided “civil libertarians,” have chased away any fear of God in the land — at least in the hearts of millions.”

    And..

    “We’ve lost this cognizance to the point that a recent bestseller was a book by an “evangelical pastor,” who for all practical purposes denied Hell (or the import of it). (It exists, but don’t worry — supposedly nobody’s going there.) When the book was first published 16 months ago, it made the cover of TIME magazine. This month it was republished as a paperback.”

    So its the fault of the libertarians or of Rob Bell and his book: Love Wins??

    While I guess anything’s possible I kind of doubt any of the above was on the shooter’s mind. God only knows what he was thinking. To tack on a particular cause that matches one’s agenda seems to be rather arrogant or at least in very poor taste … especially when people are weeping

    How about this for an explanation: Bad things happen .. and sometimes bad people do bad things .. and this has been the reality down through the ages.

    Was the Huffington post article an unfair twist of his words? Probably… . But then .. Newcombe sure provided them with one heck of a target with what he wrote. Maybe next time there is a public tragedy the biblical injunction of weeping with those who weep might be a better course to follow rather than using such a tragedy to espouse his own agenda or espouse his own prophetic judgment on why it happened.

    Blessings,

    Dave

  5. The whole thing looks a bit messy to me. No.. he didn’t say what the headline claimed. But it is likely what he believes.

    To me this is yet another example of bad timing on the part of (fellow) Christians. .. A tragedy in the news .. and within 24 hours .. the tragedy is used by Christians …. not to provide comfort and grace .. but to .. once again .. blame such things on the decline of the country. As I recall .. the events of 9/11 had a similar response .. re: the attacks were due to America’s failure in this or that aspect of morality.

    Some direct quotes form Newcombe’s article at One News Now…

    “I can’t help but feel that to some extent, we’re reaping what we’ve been sowing as a society. We said to God, “Get out of the public arena.” Lawsuit after lawsuit, often by misguided “civil libertarians,” have chased away any fear of God in the land — at least in the hearts of millions.”

    And..

    “We’ve lost this cognizance to the point that a recent bestseller was a book by an “evangelical pastor,” who for all practical purposes denied Hell (or the import of it). (It exists, but don’t worry — supposedly nobody’s going there.) When the book was first published 16 months ago, it made the cover of TIME magazine. This month it was republished as a paperback.”

    So its the fault of the libertarians or of Rob Bell and his book: Love Wins??

    While I guess anything’s possible I kind of doubt any of the above was on the shooter’s mind. God only knows what he was thinking. To tack on a particular cause that matches one’s agenda seems to be rather arrogant or at least in very poor taste … especially when people are weeping

    How about this for an explanation: Bad things happen .. and sometimes bad people do bad things .. and this has been the reality down through the ages.

    Was the Huffington post article an unfair twist of his words? Probably… . But then .. Newcombe sure provided them with one heck of a target with what he wrote. Maybe next time there is a public tragedy the biblical injunction of weeping with those who weep might be a better course to follow rather than using such a tragedy to espouse his own agenda or espouse his own prophetic judgment on why it happened.

    Blessings,

    Dave

  6. Aurora shooting was 2012-07-20 00:05.

    * 2012-07-20 9:45 OneNewsNow published Newcombe’s article “A dark night indeed“. It is about the shooting, it is a result of the fact that americans don’t fear god or hell.

    * rightwingwatch.org report this 2012-07-20 11:59 Newcombe: CO Shooting a Result of the Fact that Americans Don’t Fear God or Hell

    * Sometimes, there is the Interview with AFA.

    * rightwingwatch.org report about the interview with another focus: 2012-07-20 16:00 AFA News Director Says Liberal Churches, Media Share Responsibility for Colorado Shooting

    * Sometimes the AFA put the Video online. No Information about time. They publish a snipset with the title: “Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen in This World?At this time with this title, it should be about Aurora. He say it is a fallen world, we are all sinners, this why Jesus was send, and then it comes: “If a Christian dies early, if a Christian dies young, it seems tragic, but really it is not tragic because they are going to a wonderful place.. on the other hand, if a person doesn’t know Jesus Christ.. if they knowingly rejected Jesus Christ, then, basically, they are going to a terrible place.” God allows these things because he gives us free will, Everytime there is a bulltet, god snatch it. … some people following theit own evil inclinations, […] if you knowingly rejected you will be punished … etc. etc. Then a commentar from the the speaker on the left with reference to 9/11 and Batman-Shooting, and than “the particular shooter, he has now fear in god at all, he has no knowledge” etc. etc.If someone made it short, then AFA. “die early”/”dies young” is a reference to unnatural death and young cinema-goers.

    * This video is also linked in the article in the Huffington Post.It is published 2012-07-22 10:40 Jerry Newcombe, Evangelical Leader, Says Only Christian Victims Of Colorado Shooting Going To Heaven The title is catchy, but in princip it has also this meaning..

    * Now his brother wrote: “He never made any comment, nor would he, about the state of those who were killed; he even noted this week how some of the victims showed “Christ-like behavior in shielding other victims.” And what help the Christ-like behavior, if they knowingly rejected Jesus Christ and are Atheists, Jews, Muslims or Buddhists? Then they go also to a bad place in his views, or? So, for the Muslims here: You can go to muslim-hell if you choose Jesus and you can got to Christian hell if you choose Mohamed, and i go to both hells, because i knowingly reject both.

  7. As I said the HuffPo headline was overblown as Newcombe did not say specifically that the nonChristians of Aurora were going to hell. But that is his theological viewpoint which was expressed in the article and the AFA interview. Everything he said in the AFA interview from the beginning to the end depicted that very point about nonChristians (and perhaps even nonEvangelicals considering his exposition on those not believing in hell?). And nothing in the body of the HuffPo piece depicts his words in any way not comensurate with Newcombe’s theology. Newcombe’s theology spoke beyond his very words and it did say what was in the headline.

  8. Lynn,

    While you are correct that Jerry Newcombe probably believes those who died and aren’t christian are going to hell, that is a HUGE difference from actually SAYING it. To say something like that right after the tragedy would be insensitive and hurtful to say the least, and Newcombe likely knew that, which is why he didn’t say it. By claiming Newcombe said those things they have mis-portrayed him.

  9. Aurora shooting was 2012-07-20 00:05.

    * 2012-07-20 9:45 OneNewsNow published Newcombe’s article “A dark night indeed“. It is about the shooting, it is a result of the fact that americans don’t fear god or hell.

    * rightwingwatch.org report this 2012-07-20 11:59 Newcombe: CO Shooting a Result of the Fact that Americans Don’t Fear God or Hell

    * Sometimes, there is the Interview with AFA.

    * rightwingwatch.org report about the interview with another focus: 2012-07-20 16:00 AFA News Director Says Liberal Churches, Media Share Responsibility for Colorado Shooting

    * Sometimes the AFA put the Video online. No Information about time. They publish a snipset with the title: “Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen in This World?At this time with this title, it should be about Aurora. He say it is a fallen world, we are all sinners, this why Jesus was send, and then it comes: “If a Christian dies early, if a Christian dies young, it seems tragic, but really it is not tragic because they are going to a wonderful place.. on the other hand, if a person doesn’t know Jesus Christ.. if they knowingly rejected Jesus Christ, then, basically, they are going to a terrible place.” God allows these things because he gives us free will, Everytime there is a bulltet, god snatch it. … some people following theit own evil inclinations, […] if you knowingly rejected you will be punished … etc. etc. Then a commentar from the the speaker on the left with reference to 9/11 and Batman-Shooting, and than “the particular shooter, he has now fear in god at all, he has no knowledge” etc. etc.If someone made it short, then AFA. “die early”/”dies young” is a reference to unnatural death and young cinema-goers.

    * This video is also linked in the article in the Huffington Post.It is published 2012-07-22 10:40 Jerry Newcombe, Evangelical Leader, Says Only Christian Victims Of Colorado Shooting Going To Heaven The title is catchy, but in princip it has also this meaning..

    * Now his brother wrote: “He never made any comment, nor would he, about the state of those who were killed; he even noted this week how some of the victims showed “Christ-like behavior in shielding other victims.” And what help the Christ-like behavior, if they knowingly rejected Jesus Christ and are Atheists, Jews, Muslims or Buddhists? Then they go also to a bad place in his views, or? So, for the Muslims here: You can go to muslim-hell if you choose Jesus and you can got to Christian hell if you choose Mohamed, and i go to both hells, because i knowingly reject both.

  10. So while Rick Newcombe says about his brother, “Jerry believes that unless you embrace Jesus Christ, you cannot go to heaven,” then Jerry Newcombe’s own theological assesment would not be that a nonChristian who died in the Aurora theater would not go to heaven? Newcombe may not have directly said that; but certainly HuffPo draws the correct conclusion that Newcombe does not believe that a nonChristian [one who has not accepted Jesus in his life] who died in Aurora (or anywhere for that matter) has led a commendable life of any true worth because the ultimate reward will be denied that person by his god.

    Yes, HuffPo is guilty of is the creation of a bad headline. But then that is the function of a headline, to be interesting enough to draw one into the story. The story is exactly about Newcombe’s theological outlook. Newcombe made the central theme of his piece [on AFA] to be “god-fearing.” There are then consequence for both murder and his victim from that theme. Either accept your own theology and the consequences of that mode of thought or don’t. What was written in the body of the HuffPo piece is exactly the consequence which Newcombe describes as his theology.

    I am further surprised that Jerry Newcombe out of hand (on AFA) also said that the Aurora murderer did not have a fear of god nor knowledge of a fear of god. The shooter is a Presbyterian. I guess that sect of Christianity is thus not truthful in its teachings – certainly not Evangelical.

  11. Lynn,

    While you are correct that Jerry Newcombe probably believes those who died and aren’t christian are going to hell, that is a HUGE difference from actually SAYING it. To say something like that right after the tragedy would be insensitive and hurtful to say the least, and Newcombe likely knew that, which is why he didn’t say it. By claiming Newcombe said those things they have mis-portrayed him.

  12. I think Jerry Newcombe should sue the Huffington Post for libel and donate the money to the victim’s fund(s).

  13. So while Rick Newcombe says about his brother, “Jerry believes that unless you embrace Jesus Christ, you cannot go to heaven,” then Jerry Newcombe’s own theological assesment would not be that a nonChristian who died in the Aurora theater would not go to heaven? Newcombe may not have directly said that; but certainly HuffPo draws the correct conclusion that Newcombe does not believe that a nonChristian [one who has not accepted Jesus in his life] who died in Aurora (or anywhere for that matter) has led a commendable life of any true worth because the ultimate reward will be denied that person by his god.

    Yes, HuffPo is guilty of is the creation of a bad headline. But then that is the function of a headline, to be interesting enough to draw one into the story. The story is exactly about Newcombe’s theological outlook. Newcombe made the central theme of his piece [on AFA] to be “god-fearing.” There are then consequence for both murder and his victim from that theme. Either accept your own theology and the consequences of that mode of thought or don’t. What was written in the body of the HuffPo piece is exactly the consequence which Newcombe describes as his theology.

    I am further surprised that Jerry Newcombe out of hand (on AFA) also said that the Aurora murderer did not have a fear of god nor knowledge of a fear of god. The shooter is a Presbyterian. I guess that sect of Christianity is thus not truthful in its teachings – certainly not Evangelical.

  14. I think Jerry Newcombe should sue the Huffington Post for libel and donate the money to the victim’s fund(s).

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