We made a rare visit to the local movie theater yesterday to see “For Greater Glory – the True Story of Cristiada.” Happy to report that, unlike most of the obnoxious adolescent crap Hollywood churns out these days, this film was well worth the trip – and the price of admission!
 
I highly recommend it to anyone who prefers real facts about the past -unaltered by the NEA or MSM. In other words true history, not the progressives’ revisionist version.
 
 
The Cristero War (the Cristiada) of 1926-29 was an uprising and counter-revolution against the Mexican government in power at that time. The rebellion was precipitated by the vicious persecution of Roman Catholics and strict enforcement of anti-religious provisons in the Mexican Constitutions. Over 90,000 died.
 
Nicholas G. Hahn III at RealClearReligion has a recap of this compelling episode from Mexico’s past, along with present-day parallels [Spoiler alert – although learning the story behind the movie won’t really lessen its impact.]:

President Barack Obama might have known better than to have picked a fight with Catholics. History would tell him that they rarely lose.
 
During the 1920s, Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles found that out the hard way. As this year’s historical epic “For Greater Glory” shows, Catholics don’t give up without a long and bloody fight.

 
Check out also, Brent Bozell’s column about the movie, which is particularly interesting since he has some personal family ties to the Cristeros’ cause.

You know nothing of this uprising? Not to worry, virtually no one does. That included the primary actors. (Andy) Garcia tells the Huffington Post he knew nothing, but understands it, given that the same catastrophe befell native Cuba, where it “was not only the taking away of religious rights, they curtailed and took away all rights.” Even (Mexican star Eduardo)Verastegui, a fervent Catholic, admits he was ignorant of this struggle because of the Mexican public school system. That has changed now thanks to the soft-spoken and elegant Mexican real estate developer-turned-producer Pablo Jose Barroso.

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The story of the Cristiada is a stark reminder that tyranny tolerates no competition. Any worldview that claims an authority higher that the state must be eliminated. We’ve seen this play out with every totalitarian regime throughout history, up to the present day; Rome, the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Cuba, Communist China, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia. Get rid of God – so the government can impose its own man-made rules.
 
Christianity represents an existential threat to tyrants because it puts allegiance to God over and above allegiance to the state. Thus Christians – as well as Jews – must be silenced to prevent any resistance to the regime and its plans for a totalitarian utopia.
 
But as history clearly shows, people who believe in a Higher Authority will risk everything to oppose the iron-fisted control of the statists. They are people who know the true Author of liberty. Who understand that freedom of religion is the foundation of all freedoms. People like the Cristeros of Mexico.
 
America was founded by people like that; Christians who understood that in order to be truly free, we must be subject to the higher law of our Creator – who alone endowed us with the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The statists in Washington and their sycophants in the mainstream media would rather we forgot those truths…
 
Don’t do it! Go see “For Greater Glory.” If you’re a Christian, it will strengthen your resolve to stand up for freedom of religion. If you’re not, it’ll give you something to ponder: freedom isn’t free.
 
Viva Cristo Rey!
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Related:
 
“For Greater Glory” Thoughts Part 1 and Part 2 ~ Ann Barnhardt’s unabashed look at the Cristero War and the implications for religious persecution in America today. (Note – You may have to scroll, the posts don’t have their own separate pages. Look for entries dated 6-2-12)
 
CRISTIADA: Blessed Miguel Pro: Jesuit Priest and Martyr ~ The martyrdom of Padre Miguel Pro, although not depicted in the film, was perhaps the most famous moment in the Cristero’s struggle.

The plan of the president of Mexico was simple: arrest Padre Miguel Pro, bring him before the firing squad, watch him deny his faith in an attempt to save his life, then capture his cowardice on film and thereby disgrace the Church, especially its priests.
It didn’t work…
 
On November 23rd, 1927, upon arrival at the wall of execution, the priest asked permission to pray before being executed. Being granted his wish, he knelt before the wall riddled with bullet holes from previous executions and, clasping the crucifix and the rosary next to his heart, he asked God for the grace of a holy death. Then, he rose, kissed the crucifix, extended his arms in the form of a cross and, facing the firing squad, declared: “May God have mercy on you. May God bless you. Lord, you know that I am innocent. With all my heart I forgive my enemies.” Finally, as the firing squad took aim, Padre Pro said in a calm and steady voice, “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” “Long live Christ the King!”
 
… The plan of President Calles was in shambles. The Plan of God, on the other hand, moved full steam ahead. Despite the president’s order that the photographs not be published, they were printed and distributed across the country and indeed around the world. People who had never heard of Miguel Pro now admired him as a martyr. Within days, he had become the most popular priest in Mexico and he remains so even today.