ICYMI: Kirk Cameron Is Fighting For Our Children's Future-- One Library At A Time
Actor, Director, Producer, Writer and above all: Christian Kirk Cameron hopped on the phone with Stephen and Louis at AGR to discuss everything from his feelings about the 1980s and the heyday of the Severs on Growing Pains to his new children’s books from BRAVE Books and the power of loving your enemies. Check out this amazing interview:
Stephen Parr: Joining us now on the phone Kirk Cameron, man, I'm such I'm such a fan of Kirk I've been a fan of Kirk Cameron's since the 80s.
Louis R. Avallone: Oh, please I’m a huge fan,
Stephen Parr: You know in addition to being one of the Severs right watching the severs growing up But also the left behind series is something all the left behind series also saw him in a fireproof I think fireproof was really kind of the first Christian based movie that I watched other than you know the 10 Commandments or something He's in that he's also an author and And one of these other things during the COVID lockdowns. He started doing these things the the backyard fireside chats on social media I loved watching those,
Louis R. Avallone: You know, I saw those and and they spoke to me They're obviously spoke to millions of others who also watched
Stephen Parr: And now we actually get to speak to Kirk Cameron Thank you so much for spending some time with us here on the show. Appreciate you.
Kirk Cameron: Oh Appreciate you guys you know when we work together to advance good ideas and We're we're willing to put our money where our mouth is that we can get some stuff done So so thanks for all the good things you guys are doing as well
Stephen Parr: Kirk you've written a couple of great books You have this kids book coming out as you grow and you've gone all over the country and man You've taken such brave stances I don't know if it feels brave to you but from the outside looking in with all the hate all the vitriol that was coming at you to just simply read a Faith -based Christian children's book in libraries Just to stand up for that How did you get that idea?
Stephen Parr: How did you get the conviction that it took to go around the country to all those libraries reading the book as you grow?
Kirk Cameron: Well for those who aren't familiar with the story I wrote a children's book about the fruit of the spirit That is teaching kids how to grow the sweet fruit of love joy peace kindness gentleness self -control And I wanted to read it in a public library just like so many other people like to read their books in public libraries like Like story time story hour and I was denied by over 50 woke libraries that previously held drag queen story hours Well, I immediately knew that that this was not legal to do this simply because I was a Christian and They hadn't even read the book when they denied me. They said things like our values don't align We're an inclusive society We're not interested in your message we're looking for authors of color and I Got a hold of some friends at First Liberty and sent the letter , a letter to the public libraries and Reminded them this is the United States of America that this kind of viewpoint discrimination is illegal under the Constitution particularly their kind of discrimination which is religious discrimination under the First Amendment and Told them that if they continued I would be prepared to assert my constitutional rights in court Well, they they caved, reversed course and we went to Indianapolis downtown library and were greeted by over 3 ,000 parents and grandparents who were filling six floors of the library out the door down the steps and around the corner to the parking lot and that reminded me that this perception that people are past the kinds of American values that have produced blessing and and Freedom and prosperity for so long. It's just not true. We're not over it we just have a very loud media and a loud government and Controlling forces that want to make you think you're outdated alone and defeated when the reality is there's millions and millions of people who want to go the way that will lead to our kids blessing and Protection and they're showing up in support.
Kirk Cameron: So that was my first book followed it with another one called Pride comes before the fall. It's teaching kids about humility. We released that book during Pride month That got lots of fun reactions and then my newest book is Called “The Fox, the fair and the invention scare” About loving your enemy.
Stephen Parr: I liked the title I love the title of that the Fox the fair and the invention scare now this book is out I was reading a little bit about this book. Obviously. I haven't gotten a copy in my hands yet but I was reading a little bit about it and I read that this was kind of based on a true story. Can you explain that?
Kirk Cameron: Yeah. So this is a true story. I was in Washington DC several years ago at a Restore America rally.
Up to the podium walked an older man and his wife, and this couple shared their gut -wrenching story of how their teenage son was violently cut down and murdered by a gang member in an inner city.
And it was their unwavering faith in God in the power of forgiveness and their hope that God could turn evil things into good things in the end that got them through.
Then they introduced a man who was about 25 who came up to the podium and explained that he was in a gang, committed a violent crime, went to prison, and while he was in prison he was visited by that couple that had introduced him.
And they revealed to him that they were the parents of the man, the young boy he had murdered. They came to tell him that they didn't hate him, that there's a God of love and mercy and forgiveness, that they were praying for him and that they loved him. And he didn't understand this, but when he got out of prison that same couple legally adopted him into their family and he became their son.
Louis R. Avallone: Oh my. Oh my goodness.
Kirk Cameron: And through tears in his eyes he explained how the power of forgiveness and loving your enemies had changed him and given him a new life. And you guys, this is not normal.
This is not natural for human beings to do this.
Stephen and Louis: Right, right.
Kirk Cameron: And it's because something had already penetrated that couple's heart and changed them.
And I know what it was Jesus said you have heard it said love your neighbor and hate your enemy but I say do you love your enemies and do good to those who hate you and you will be like your father in heaven be perfect in love as your father in heaven is perfect and that's what they did they paid it forward and did the unthinkable of loving somebody who had hurt them so deeply if we could teach that to our kids maybe some of these dog eat dog cutthroat strategies that we're seeing on the news between brothers between countries between political candidates could change and our kids can have a better future.
Stephen Parr: Kirk, I think of your career, I think of your life, you've been in the spotlight since you were a teenager. You had tremendous success, the biggest sitcom in the country, you were in feature films, you were hobnobbing with huge stars. Come forward to today, you're an author, you've got your family, you are, you know, touting,
Louis R. Avallone: Director, producer.
Stephen Parr: You're touting your Christian beliefs, you're speaking up for Jesus, but you're also receiving a lot more hate now than you did back in the 80s. Man, in the 80s, everybody loved Kirk Cameron. Today, hate comes your way. Here's my question. Are you, Kirk Cameron, happier today or were you happier in the 80s?
Kirk Cameron: Hmm. We had better music in the 80s. We had better movies in the 80s. That's true. That's true. Very true. No, man. You know, I'm now a father of six young adult children. I wasn't, I didn't have that joy back in the 1980s.
I've been married for 32 years to my growing pains onscreen sweetheart. And that is one of the greatest joys of my life. I also experienced much deeper grief and much, much more intense pain as I see not only the mistakes that I've made and how selfish and it hurts people, but the mistakes that young people are making today.
And so, you know, you just value stuff more so the highs are higher and the lows are lower. The pain is more intense. And I wouldn't trade this for the world. I love being a parent.
I love being a husband and I love being a patriot who understands that the root of liberty and prosperity in America comes from faith in God.
Stephen Parr: Kirk, I appreciate that honest answer. I really do, and I love it, and I appreciate the work that you're doing for the country. I know you're fighting the good fight, and that doesn't always mean it's easy, but when you stand up and say you're going to love your enemy, I have tremendous respect for you, and I appreciate taking some time to talk to us and appreciate the work you're doing for our nation.
Kirk Cameron: Well, I appreciate you guys, and you know, I have personal work to do in this area of loving my enemies. I've got plenty of them out there, and so I've put out a call on social media to invite atheists, progressives, and even drag queens to have a conversation with me. I'd like to go to lunch with some of them or have a cup of coffee and talk about things like family values, morality, what kind of laws our country ought to be based on, and what kind of stories we should read to our children so that maybe we could find some common ground and as friends come up with answers and solutions.
I see so much hate online that it has inspired me to release my newest children’s book with BRAVE Books, which teaches kids how to love their enemies. It’s called The Fox, The Fair, and the Invention Scare!
— Kirk Cameron (@KirkCameron) October 24, 2023
We’re sending my biggest haters a free copy, but you can also get a FREE… pic.twitter.com/NsXFXHOJGh
I think the best way to defeat your enemies is not by throwing bombs at them, it's by making them your friends.
Stephen Parr: Kirk Cameron, thank you so much.
Kirk Cameron: Thank you guys.