thestream--2020-09-09--Pastors John MacArthur and Andy Stanley Disagree, But I Agree With Both of Them

Two of the best-known pastors in America have offered very different ( and very public ) responses to governmental prohibitions to church gatherings .
Pastor John MacArthur has said no to government overreach and encouraged other pastors to do the same .
Pastor Andy Stanley has said yes to government guidelines and feels this is the best example to set .
For my part , I agree with both of them .
But first , lest anyone think I ’ m trying to play both sides against the middle , nothing could be further from the truth .
My public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the point that I wrote a full-length book , Authentic Fire , in response to his full-length book , Strange Fire .
( And I did so with the utmost respect for my elder colleague . )
My public disagreements with Pastor Stanley , whom I also hold in esteem , are also well-known , to the point that I told him half-jokingly I would need to write a full-length response to his latest book , Irresistible .
( My proposed title was , Why Andy Stanley ’ s Irresistible Must Be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio , see here . )
So , I have no problem differing with these prominent leaders .
In this case , I feel that they are responding to different circumstances and I believe that each of them has valid points .
Pastor MacArthur believes that the California government has exceeded its rightful reach by forbidding church gatherings , also contending that COVID-19 poses little to no danger .
In his words , “ I would say to pastors , ‘ have church , open up , have church.
’ You don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to die .
You don ’ t have to fear you ’ re going to get sick , because they ’ re not going to be able to trace this back .
I haven ’ t seen anything like that anywhere.
” He continued , “ Health mandates and governors ’ orders are not law .
I don ’ t think you have to fear that .
You need to open the church because this , of all times , when people fear is where they need to come .
I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a clinical explanation ; I think you have to welcome them and not make them follow protocol that you know is pointless.
” On the one hand , I do not fully share Pastor MacArthur ’ s dismissal of health concerns , since I have colleagues who restarted their church services only to shut down because of a serious outbreak of the virus .
I have read of other pastors ( whom I do not know personally ) who flaunted health and safety guidelines and are now dead .
On the other hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defy government hypocrisy and overreach .
This would certainly apply to states like California , where mass , public BLM protests were welcomed but Christian gatherings were placed under severe restrictions ( including , “ Thou shalt not sing ” ! )
, and even home Bible studies were banned .
As for Pastor Stanley , his position is that the government is doing its best to solve a difficult problem , that churches are no more being singled out than professional sports leagues , and that this is how we love our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of other ways to gather together .
( Pastor MacArthur has emphasized the importance of our public gatherings during such a stressful and difficult time . )
That ’ s why Pastor Stanley ’ s church has cancelled full public services for the balance of the year .
In his words , “ This was just our way of loving our neighbors and loving our neighborhoods , trying to keep our neighborhoods safe as we get closer to school reopening.
” “ The schools are having a difficult enough time opening and staying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as you know .
So , it just seemed like the wisest thing to do as it related to the community and as we wait this thing out and figure out what ’ s going to happen.
” He added , “ I can ’ t imagine a scenario in the United States of America where the only group being picked on is the Church unless it ’ s a specific local church.
” On the one hand , churches are being singled out for unfair treatment , as in Nevada , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congregation with a building that seats 2,000 is limited to 50 people in attendance .
That ’ s why even the Department of Justice has weighed in on discrimination against churches .
On the other hand , Pastor Stanley shares some of the same reasoning I put forth in my COVID-19 book , When the World Stops : Words of Hope , Faith , and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis .
As much as possible , we should submit to government authority , and as much as possible , we should demonstrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s why I have urged pastors to pray , take counsel , and come to decisions on their own .
On the one hand , we can not respond to a spirit of fear , paralyzing us from taking action .
On the other hand , we can not cultivate a spirit of rebellion that thrives on defiance to the law .
In this case , living in different states and making decisions for different reasons , I commend both Pastor MacArthur and Pastor Stanley for acting on their convictions out of love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the name of Jesus be exalted , may the cause of the gospel be advanced , and may a hurting world be touched .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

Two of the best-known pastors in America have offered very different (and very public) responses to governmental prohibitions to church gatherings. Pastor John MacArthur has said no to government overreach and encouraged other pastors to do the same. Pastor Andy Stanley has said yes to government guidelines and feels this is the best example to set. For my part, I agree with both of them.
But first, lest anyone think I’m trying to play both sides against the middle, nothing could be further from the truth.
With Utmost Respect
My public disagreements with Pastor MacArthur are well-known, to the point that I wrote a full-length book, Authentic Fire, in response to his full-length book, Strange Fire. (And I did so with the utmost respect for my elder colleague.)
My public disagreements with Pastor Stanley, whom I also hold in esteem, are also well-known, to the point that I told him half-jokingly I would need to write a full-length response to his latest book, Irresistible. (My proposed title was, Why Andy Stanley’s Irresistible Must Be Resisted. For our helpful discussion on radio, see here.)
So, I have no problem differing with these prominent leaders.
In this case, I feel that they are responding to different circumstances and I believe that each of them has valid points.
Pastor MacArthur’s Valid Points
Pastor MacArthur believes that the California government has exceeded its rightful reach by forbidding church gatherings, also contending that COVID-19 poses little to no danger.
In his words, “I would say to pastors, ‘have church, open up, have church.’ You don’t have to fear someone’s going to die. You don’t have to fear you’re going to get sick, because they’re not going to be able to trace this back. I haven’t seen anything like that anywhere.”
He continued, “Health mandates and governors’ orders are not law. I don’t think you have to fear that. You need to open the church because this, of all times, when people fear is where they need to come. I don’t think you have to give a clinical explanation; I think you have to welcome them and not make them follow protocol that you know is pointless.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
On the one hand, I do not fully share Pastor MacArthur’s dismissal of health concerns, since I have colleagues who restarted their church services only to shut down because of a serious outbreak of the virus. I have read of other pastors (whom I do not know personally) who flouted health and safety guidelines and are now dead.
On the other hand, I too have urged pastors to defy government hypocrisy and overreach. This would certainly apply to states like California, where mass, public BLM protests were welcomed but Christian gatherings were placed under severe restrictions (including, “Thou shalt not sing”!), and even home Bible studies were banned.
Pastor Stanley’s Valid Points
As for Pastor Stanley, his position is that the government is doing its best to solve a difficult problem, that churches are no more being singled out than professional sports leagues, and that this is how we love our neighbors. Plus, we have plenty of other ways to gather together. (Pastor MacArthur has emphasized the importance of our public gatherings during such a stressful and difficult time.) That’s why Pastor Stanley’s church has cancelled full public services for the balance of the year.
In his words, “This was just our way of loving our neighbors and loving our neighborhoods, trying to keep our neighborhoods safe as we get closer to school reopening.”
On the one hand, we cannot respond to a spirit of fear, paralyzing us from taking action. On the other hand, we cannot cultivate a spirit of rebellion that thrives on defiance to the law.
“The schools are having a difficult enough time opening and staying open. Even the university systems, as you know. So, it just seemed like the wisest thing to do as it related to the community and as we wait this thing out and figure out what’s going to happen.”
He added, “I can’t imagine a scenario in the United States of America where the only group being picked on is the Church unless it’s a specific local church.”
On the one hand, churches are being singled out for unfair treatment, as in Nevada, where casinos can meet at half-capacity but a congregation with a building that seats 2,000 is limited to 50 people in attendance. That’s why even the Department of Justice has weighed in on discrimination against churches.
On the other hand, Pastor Stanley shares some of the same reasoning I put forth in my COVID-19 book, When the World Stops: Words of Hope, Faith, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis. As much as possible, we should submit to government authority, and as much as possible, we should demonstrate love for our neighbor.
My Suggestions
That’s why I have urged pastors to pray, take counsel, and come to decisions on their own. On the one hand, we cannot respond to a spirit of fear, paralyzing us from taking action. On the other hand, we cannot cultivate a spirit of rebellion that thrives on defiance to the law.
In this case, living in different states and making decisions for different reasons, I commend both Pastor MacArthur and Pastor Stanley for acting on their convictions out of love for God and their communities. May the name of Jesus be exalted, may the cause of the gospel be advanced, and may a hurting world be touched.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-09-09--The Southern Poverty Law Center Persecutes Orthodox Jews

In July 2019 , The Stream reported on the legal persecution of Arthur Goldberg and his associates by the smear-mongering Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) .
Goldberg is a faithful Orthodox Jew , who stands up for the natural law and those who support it .
So the SPLC decided to destroy his life .
To drive him out of the public square , prevent him from making a living , and take his family home .
What was his thought crime ?
Read on .
John Zmirak : The Stream has covered the legal persecution you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Southern Poverty Law Center .
Can you briefly sum it up in laymen ’ s terms for our readers ?
Arthur Goldberg : I helped found JONAH ( Jews Offering New Alternatives to Healing ) .
It provided resources for those who with unwanted same-sex attractions , pornography , and sex addiction .
In 2012 the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) sued JONAH as well as several individuals under the N.J. Consumer Fraud Act ( CFA ) .
After four years of litigation , the SPLC was able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent counselors involved a form of fraudulent commerce .
This was based on the erroneous theory that no one is capable of changing his sexual behaviors .
This was the first case to ever apply the CFA law to a duly constituted not for profit religious organization .
This holding is antithetical to the very concept of consumer fraud .
Neither co-director ever received compensation for our multi-year volunteer work .
The SPLC and their legal allies shut down three religious initiatives with which I was involved .
Those were JONAH , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , and Funding Morality .
The trial judge also crushed my own individual liberties .
He ordered me to pay a multi-million-dollar penalty .
He also barred me from participating in any not- for-profit organization operating in New Jersey .
He further denied me First Amendment rights such as freedom of speech and association .
Please be aware that in order to attempt to cover some of the costs , I mortgaged my family home in Jersey City , where my family has lived for some 45 years .
This is something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should not be forced to do .
I have been married to my wife Jane for 51 years , have four children , and six grandchildren .
As individuals my co-director and I have been hunted for close to 8 years by the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) and their allied attorneys .
We are now personally obligated for literally millions of dollars we need to raise to cover the fees and costs involved .
In addition , the judge ignored documents executed by the plaintiffs in which they acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatments offered by the independent counselors to whom JONAH referred them .
Most egregiously , during that trial that the judge denied us the opportunity to present expert witnesses .
These people had actually successfully counseled people with unwanted same-sex attraction ( SSA ) .
He stated in a written opinion that the theory that unwanted SSA can be changed “ is not novel but — like the notion that the earth is flat and the sun revolves around it — instead is outdated and refuted .
” Thus , by disallowing any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change sexual preference ( as well as several other adverse rulings ) , he made the outcome inevitable .
Your enemies weren ’ t satisfied with closing down JONAH .
They asked for and got an injunction forbidding you from ever being involved with any effort to help LGBT people who sought spiritual and psychological counsel .
They pursued your every attempt to engage in the public square .
After the forced dissolution of JONAH , I created a new faith-based not for profit think tank : the Jewish Institute for Global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in favor of the laws given by G-d to Noah after the Biblical flood ( i.e.
, the Noahide Code ) .
The same N.J. judge decided a follow up lawsuit filed by SPLC and its allied attorneys against JIFGA and us as the two co-directors .
This second case held that JIFGA was an “ alter-ego ” of JONAH and applied the injunctions of the former case to the 2019 case .
It ordered all its activities to be shut down .
This was so in spite of the vastly different mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The SPLC and their legal allies accessed 70,000 emails in their effort to prove what they characterized as defiance of the 2016 court ’ s order by allegedly continuing to carry out the work of JONAH .
We are appealing the trial court ’ s decisions .
This second court ruling went far beyond the initial abridgment of the first case ’ s denying religious rights .
The Court also denied the constitutional right to speak about beliefs .
This included , according to the Court , any promotion of therapy for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case documents permitted advocacy .
The court also asserted that a judgement under the CFA by a state court extends beyond New Jersey ’ s state borders .
In addition , many of the court ’ s “ findings ” were based on hearsay and assumptions and were contrary to the facts .
The judge further used the previous rulings to close down your crowd-sourcing site , Funding Morality .
Stream readers will remember that , perhaps : It was the means by which Brett Kavanaugh hearings drive-by victim Mark Judge rebuilt his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closing it ?
The Funding Morality website provided online fundraising tools to individuals and nonprofit organizations enabling them to raise money consistent with the moral ethical values of the Noahide laws .
Like other individuals , Mark Judge used the website .
In his case , to rebuild his life after being dragged into the Kavanaugh hearings .
Those caused him to lose his housing , his job , and to be liable for substantial legal fees .
Several pro-life charitable projects used the site to raise funds .
The platform was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money for some planned videos to honor the legacy of Dr. Joseph Nicolosi who had suddenly passed away .
Citing only the planned Nicolsoi videos , the trial court concluded that the operation of Funding Morality participated in so-called “ conversion therapy ” related commerce in violation of the permanent injunction .
We believe that conclusion is wrong for three reasons : ( a ) Under the Federal Communications Decency Act , sec .
230 , JIFGA is immune from liability for third-party fundraising activities .
( b ) The trial court ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morality was an internet platform that others used for fund-raising .
JIFGA itself did not raise funds and had no control over funds raised via funding morality .
( c ) The fundraising for the Nicolosi videos is constitutionally protected speech .
This was the type of advocacy that was excluded from the permanent injunction .
Banning Charity for the Persecuted and Sex Abuse Victims Who were some of the other worthy causes you ’ d helped through Funding Morality ?
Had they been shut down by GoFundMe and other better-known crowd-funding sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
There are many examples .
One client raised funds to overcome the prejudice of the caste system for sewer and gutter sweepers in Pakistan .
Another helped pay for experimental medical treatment for a women who was advised by her insurance company to take suicide pills after they denied her the funds for such treatment .
Still another raised funding for scholarships to educate for pro-life healthcare professionals and pro-life academic studies .
One raised funds for a police whistle-blower who was initially denied his pension for campaigning against human trafficking and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a not for profit organization in Kenya that sought to provide vocational training for victims of child sex abuse .
One client raised funds for priests so they could pursue legal actions in the canonical court system to clear their names .
Another offered scholarships for young men and women seeking assistance to pay tuition in traditional Catholic educational programs , etc .
I believe several of these causes had been turned down by the better known crowd-funding sites .
The Law Writ on the Human Heart You described your mission in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith in support of the natural law , that part of God ’ s law which written on our hearts , and knowable by reason .
Can you point to some of the biblical basis for asserting natural law ?
Maybe link it to the Covenant of Noah ?
Yes .
The Noahide Code are seven laws which are biblically binding on all humanity .
These laws emanate from our understanding of the meaning of Lev .
19:1 .
It states that the human being is created in the image of G-d , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imitate G-d .
This imitation takes place through the performance of the Divinely given Noahide commandments ( the natural law ) .
The seven laws , a precursor to the Ten Commandments , are the manual for moral instruction .
Listen to the former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom , Rabbi J.H .
Hertz .
He said : “ The words ‘ you shall be holy ’ are the keynote of the whole chapter of Leviticus 19 and should be read in connection with its various precepts : reverence for parents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reasonable hours , honorable dealing , no tale-bearing or malice , love for one ’ s neighbor and cordiality to the alien , equal justice to rich and poor , just measures and balances — together with abhorrence of everything unclean , irrational , or heathen.
” America ’ s founders talked almost constantly about natural law .
They made it the basis for asserting the whole scheme of human rights and freedoms the American regime was meant to guarantee .
Can ordered liberty survive if we abandon the idea that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliably , and use as the foundation of society ?
What has replaced that foundation in American courts ?
If we abandon the moral truths of the Noahide Laws ( Natural Law ) , our society will be seriously imperiled .
Once we degrade and remove the Divine image from humanity ( see question 4 ) , we will continue our moral decline .
The universality of these principles and global import was recognized in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan when he spoke of “ the eternal validity of the Seven Noahide Laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of us regardless of religious faith.
” ( Proclamation on the National Day of Reflection , April 4 , 1982 ) .
Seven years later , in 1989 , President George H.W .
Bush proclaimed that these “ Biblical values are the foundation for civilized society.
” He also recognized that “ A society that fails to recognize or adhere to them can not endure.
” He understood how these “ principles of moral and ethical conduct that have formed the basis for all civilizations comes to us , in part , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” And , in doing so , he noted their origins : “ The Noahide Laws are actually seven commandments given to man by G-d , as recorded in the Old Testament .
… ” ( Proclamation 5956-Education Day , USA 1989 and 1990 , 102 Stat .
3016 , April 14 , 1989 . )
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States Congress in 1991 , on a [ unanimous ] bipartisan basis , further recognized how this “ historical tradition of ethical values and principles…upon which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization , when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws.
” The Congress understood how “ the most recent weakening of these principles … has resulted in crises that beleaguer and threaten the fabric of civilized society.
” It warned that “ without these ethical values and principles the edifice of civilization stands in serious peril of returning to chaos.
” ( Public Law 102-14 , 102d Congress , 1st session , H.J .
Res .
104 . )
World leaders have joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these laws .
For example , Herman Van Rompuy , President of the European Union .
He wrote in July , 2014 that he seeks greater “ dissemination of the universal values known as the Noahide Laws.
” Major General Michael Jeffery , Governor General of Australia , lamenting family breakdowns and drug and alcohol abuse in modern society in a 2008 letter , wrote that he believed that observing the fundamental values of the Noahide Laws can be an antidote to such ills of society .
We only need to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves living today in order to recognize the validity of these truthful assertions .
How You Can Help Editor ’ s note : Mr. Goldberg ’ s case has been taken up by the Natural Law Defense Fund ( NLDF ) , a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting natural rights , particularly as enumerated in the First Amendment and Constitution .
You can read more about his case here on their site .
Please consider helping “ push back against the growing tide of religious persecution as it relates to one ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biblical values , practices , and beliefs.
” John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
He is co-author with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

In July 2019, The Stream reported on the legal persecution of Arthur Goldberg and his associates by the smear-mongering Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Goldberg is a faithful Orthodox Jew, who stands up for the natural law and those who support it. So the SPLC decided to destroy his life. To drive him out of the public square, prevent him from making a living, and take his family home. What was his thought crime? Read on.
John Zmirak: The Stream has covered the legal persecution you and your associates are enduring at the hands of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Can you briefly sum it up in laymen’s terms for our readers?
Arthur Goldberg: I helped found JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives to Healing). It provided resources for those who with unwanted same-sex attractions, pornography, and sex addiction.
In 2012 the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) sued JONAH as well as several individuals under the N.J. Consumer Fraud Act (CFA). After four years of litigation, the SPLC was able to successfully argue that our referrals to independent counselors involved a form of fraudulent commerce. This was based on the erroneous theory that no one is capable of changing his sexual behaviors. This was the first case to ever apply the CFA law to a duly constituted not for profit religious organization. This holding is antithetical to the very concept of consumer fraud. Neither co-director ever received compensation for our multi-year volunteer work.
The SPLC and their legal allies shut down three religious initiatives with which I was involved. Those were JONAH, the Jewish Institute for Global Awareness (JIFGA), and Funding Morality. The trial judge also crushed my own individual liberties. He ordered me to pay a multi-million-dollar penalty. He also barred me from participating in any not- for-profit organization operating in New Jersey. He further denied me First Amendment rights such as freedom of speech and association.
Please be aware that in order to attempt to cover some of the costs, I mortgaged my family home in Jersey City, where my family has lived for some 45 years. This is something that a person nearly 80 years old should not be forced to do. I have been married to my wife Jane for 51 years, have four children, and six grandchildren.
As individuals my co-director and I have been hunted for close to 8 years by the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and their allied attorneys. We are now personally obligated for literally millions of dollars we need to raise to cover the fees and costs involved.
During the trial the judge denied us the opportunity to present expert witnesses.
In addition, the judge ignored documents executed by the plaintiffs in which they acknowledged that no guarantees were offered in the treatments offered by the independent counselors to whom JONAH referred them. Most egregiously, during that trial that the judge denied us the opportunity to present expert witnesses. These people had actually successfully counseled people with unwanted same-sex attraction (SSA). He stated in a written opinion that the theory that unwanted SSA can be changed “is not novel but — like the notion that the earth is flat and the sun revolves around it — instead is outdated and refuted. ” Thus, by disallowing any testimony from expert witnesses about the ability to change sexual preference (as well as several other adverse rulings), he made the outcome inevitable.
The Court Declared Goldberg an Un-Person
Your enemies weren’t satisfied with closing down JONAH. They asked for and got an injunction forbidding you from ever being involved with any effort to help LGBT people who sought spiritual and psychological counsel. They pursued your every attempt to engage in the public square.
After the forced dissolution of JONAH, I created a new faith-based not for profit think tank: the Jewish Institute for Global Awareness (JIFGA). JIFGA advocated in favor of the laws given by G-d to Noah after the Biblical flood (i.e., the Noahide Code). The same N.J. judge decided a follow up lawsuit filed by SPLC and its allied attorneys against JIFGA and us as the two co-directors.
This second case held that JIFGA was an “alter-ego” of JONAH and applied the injunctions of the former case to the 2019 case. It ordered all its activities to be shut down. This was so in spite of the vastly different mission statements and activities between JONAH and JIFGA. The SPLC and their legal allies accessed 70,000 emails in their effort to prove what they characterized as defiance of the 2016 court’s order by allegedly continuing to carry out the work of JONAH. We are appealing the trial court’s decisions.
This second court ruling went far beyond the initial abridgment of the first case’s denying religious rights. The Court also denied the constitutional right to speak about beliefs. This included, according to the Court, any promotion of therapy for unwanted same-sex attractions even though the previous case documents permitted advocacy. The court also asserted that a judgement under the CFA by a state court extends beyond New Jersey’s state borders. In addition, many of the court’s “findings” were based on hearsay and assumptions and were contrary to the facts.
Outlawing Alternatives to Left-Wing GoFundMe
The judge further used the previous rulings to close down your crowd-sourcing site, Funding Morality. Stream readers will remember that, perhaps: It was the means by which Brett Kavanaugh hearings drive-by victim Mark Judge rebuilt his life. How did the court justify closing it?
The Funding Morality website provided online fundraising tools to individuals and nonprofit organizations enabling them to raise money consistent with the moral ethical values of the Noahide laws. Like other individuals, Mark Judge used the website. In his case, to rebuild his life after being dragged into the Kavanaugh hearings. Those caused him to lose his housing, his job, and to be liable for substantial legal fees. Several pro-life charitable projects used the site to raise funds.
The platform was also used by a third party to raise money for some planned videos to honor the legacy of Dr. Joseph Nicolosi who had suddenly passed away. Citing only the planned Nicolsoi videos, the trial court concluded that the operation of Funding Morality participated in so-called “conversion therapy” related commerce in violation of the permanent injunction.
We believe that conclusion is wrong for three reasons:
(a) Under the Federal Communications Decency Act, sec. 230, JIFGA is immune from liability for third-party fundraising activities.
(b) The trial court’s decision ignores the fact that Funding Morality was an internet platform that others used for fund-raising. JIFGA itself did not raise funds and had no control over funds raised via funding morality.
(c) The fundraising for the Nicolosi videos is constitutionally protected speech. This was the type of advocacy that was excluded from the permanent injunction.
Banning Charity for the Persecuted and Sex Abuse Victims
Who were some of the other worthy causes you’d helped through Funding Morality? Had they been shut down by GoFundMe and other better-known crowd-funding sites, as Kyle Rittenhouse was shut out?
There are many examples. One client raised funds to overcome the prejudice of the caste system for sewer and gutter sweepers in Pakistan. Another helped pay for experimental medical treatment for a women who was advised by her insurance company to take suicide pills after they denied her the funds for such treatment. Still another raised funding for scholarships to educate for pro-life healthcare professionals and pro-life academic studies.
One raised funds for a police whistle-blower who was initially denied his pension for campaigning against human trafficking and child sex abuse. Another raised funds for a not for profit organization in Kenya that sought to provide vocational training for victims of child sex abuse. One client raised funds for priests so they could pursue legal actions in the canonical court system to clear their names. Another offered scholarships for young men and women seeking assistance to pay tuition in traditional Catholic educational programs, etc. I believe several of these causes had been turned down by the better known crowd-funding sites.
The Law Writ on the Human Heart
You described your mission in Funding Morality as working with people of faith in support of the natural law, that part of God’s law which written on our hearts, and knowable by reason. Can you point to some of the biblical basis for asserting natural law? Maybe link it to the Covenant of Noah?
Yes. The Noahide Code are seven laws which are biblically binding on all humanity. These laws emanate from our understanding of the meaning of Lev. 19:1. It states that the human being is created in the image of G-d, that is to say, fitted to imitate G-d. This imitation takes place through the performance of the Divinely given Noahide commandments (the natural law). The seven laws, a precursor to the Ten Commandments, are the manual for moral instruction.
Listen to the former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, Rabbi J.H. Hertz. He said: “The words ‘you shall be holy’ are the keynote of the whole chapter of Leviticus 19 and should be read in connection with its various precepts: reverence for parents, consideration for the needy, prompt wages for reasonable hours, honorable dealing, no tale-bearing or malice, love for one’s neighbor and cordiality to the alien, equal justice to rich and poor, just measures and balances — together with abhorrence of everything unclean, irrational, or heathen.”
A Lawless Land Is Headed for Ruination
America’s founders talked almost constantly about natural law. They made it the basis for asserting the whole scheme of human rights and freedoms the American regime was meant to guarantee. Can ordered liberty survive if we abandon the idea that there are moral truths which we can know reliably, and use as the foundation of society? What has replaced that foundation in American courts?
If we abandon the moral truths of the Noahide Laws (Natural Law), our society will be seriously imperiled. Once we degrade and remove the Divine image from humanity (see question 4), we will continue our moral decline.
The universality of these principles and global import was recognized in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan when he spoke of “the eternal validity of the Seven Noahide Laws [as] a moral code for all of us regardless of religious faith.” (Proclamation on the National Day of Reflection, April 4, 1982).
Seven years later, in 1989, President George H.W. Bush proclaimed that these “Biblical values are the foundation for civilized society.” He also recognized that “A society that fails to recognize or adhere to them cannot endure.”
He understood how these “principles of moral and ethical conduct that have formed the basis for all civilizations comes to us, in part, from the centuries old Seven Noahide Laws.” And, in doing so, he noted their origins: “The Noahide Laws are actually seven commandments given to man by G-d, as recorded in the Old Testament. …” (Proclamation 5956-Education Day, USA 1989 and 1990, 102 Stat. 3016, April 14, 1989.)
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States Congress in 1991, on a [unanimous] bipartisan basis, further recognized how this “historical tradition of ethical values and principles…upon which our great Nation was founded … have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization, when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws.” The Congress understood how “the most recent weakening of these principles … has resulted in crises that beleaguer and threaten the fabric of civilized society.” It warned that “without these ethical values and principles the edifice of civilization stands in serious peril of returning to chaos.” (Public Law 102-14, 102d Congress, 1st session, H.J. Res. 104.)
World leaders have joined the call for further observance and knowledge of these laws. For example, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Union. He wrote in July, 2014 that he seeks greater “dissemination of the universal values known as the Noahide Laws.” Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor General of Australia, lamenting family breakdowns and drug and alcohol abuse in modern society in a 2008 letter, wrote that he believed that observing the fundamental values of the Noahide Laws can be an antidote to such ills of society.
We only need to look at the havoc in which we find ourselves living today in order to recognize the validity of these truthful assertions.
How You Can Help
Editor’s note: Mr. Goldberg’s case has been taken up by the Natural Law Defense Fund (NLDF), a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting natural rights, particularly as enumerated in the First Amendment and Constitution. You can read more about his case here on their site. Please consider helping “push back against the growing tide of religious persecution as it relates to one’s right to live by and share our biblical values, practices, and beliefs.”
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-09-09--Leftists Blame America. Decent People Blame Themselves.

As long ago as the 1970s , I came to a major realization .
While watching fellow students at Columbia University demonstrate not just against the war in Vietnam but against America — “ Amerika , ” as many spelled it , the “ imperialist , ” “ colonialist , ” “ mass-murdering ” country — I kept wondering what made these people so hostile to the freest country in human history .
Then , one day , as a result of my having attended a yeshiva ( an Orthodox Jewish day school ) through high school , the reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day was devoted to religious studies in Hebrew , and the other half was devoted to secular studies in English .
This meant that I had been immersed in a religious worldview until college .
Though it was Jewish , this worldview could also be called “ Judeo-Christian.
” Students at traditionally Christian schools were immersed in essentially the same worldview .
We were all taught that the most important battle we need to wage in life was with our own nature .
Jews and Christians learned from the same Scripture that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is evil from his youth ” ( Genesis 8:21 ) .
Therefore , being a good person involved a constant battle with our flawed human nature : our urges , appetites and innate weaknesses .
This battle was also the only real route to a better world .
Every individual had to work on him or herself to be decent , strong , courageous and self-controlled , and every parent had to work , first and foremost , on raising such people .
Looking Inward vs .
Looking Outward One day , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the vast majority of my fellow students were raised .
They were raised to believe that the great battle in life was not with one ’ s nature but with outside forces — with parents , in many cases , but most of all with society , i.e.
, America .
All of us , whatever our political outlook , have to confront personal failure , loss , disappointment and unhappiness .
When confronted with these challenges , religious Jews and Christians are taught to look inward for both the primary source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to those problems : What have I done wrong ?
What can I change in my life to solve my problems ?
Of course , some nonreligious liberals and conservatives also have this attitude .
But most of them likely inherited it from religious parents or , at the very least , from parents who were raised in a religious home or a home that retained the remnants of such an upbringing , which was common in pre-1960s America .
( It is therefore questionable how many secular parents will succeed in passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Leftists Hold Outside Forces Responsible for Their Pain The left , which proudly rejects Judeo-Christian values , has adopted the opposite of the Judeo-Christian view regarding pain in life .
Leftists ( as opposed to liberals ) hold outside forces responsible for their pain .
That is the reason for the litany of left-wing enemies : capitalism , patriarchy , misogyny , systemic racism , homophobia , transphobia , Islamophobia , sexism , xenophobia .
So , then , if you are an unhappy American woman , you can work on yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame sexism and patriarchy , i.e.
, men , for your pained state .
If you are an unhappy gay American , you can work on yourself , or you can blame society ’ s homophobia for your unhappiness .
And , most significantly , if you are an unhappy black American , you can work on yourself and your life , or you can blame systemic racism and whites for your anger and unfulfilled life .
All this explains why the left encourages every group except for white , Christian , heterosexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The more oppressed women , gays , blacks , etc.
, see themselves , the more they are alienated from America and its values , and the more they gravitate left .
In light of this , I came up with a riddle : Q : What do you call a happy black person ?
Without an exception I can recall , over the course of decades , I have guessed the political affiliation of every black caller to my radio show within a minute of talking to them .
If they sounded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican ; if they were angry , I knew they were a Democrat .
This has held true for male and female callers .
America has been a great country because it was built on the belief that we must all fight against our natures ( and fight for our country ) .
It is difficult to overstate the damage the left is doing to this country by abandoning the fundamental Judeo-Christian teaching that we must fight our natures in order to lead a more decent and happy life and replacing it with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead .
This replacement inevitably leads to a population of unhappy , ungrateful and mean-spirited human beings — precisely the type of individuals you see rioting and looting , the type of elected officials who do nothing to stop rioters and looters , the columnists and academics who devote their lives to spewing hate-filled lies about America , and the Twitter mobs who comprise the toxic cancel culture .
It will lead to what the left acknowledges it seeks : the end of America as we have known it .
Dennis Prager is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ columnist .
His latest book , published by Regnery in May 2019 , is The Rational Bible , a commentary on the book of Genesis .
His film , “ No Safe Spaces , ” will be released to home entertainment nationwide on September 15 , 2020 .
He is the founder of Prager University and may be contacted at dennisprager.com .

As long ago as the 1970s, I came to a major realization. While watching fellow students at Columbia University demonstrate not just against the war in Vietnam but against America — “Amerika,” as many spelled it, the “imperialist,” “colonialist,” “mass-murdering” country — I kept wondering what made these people so hostile to the freest country in human history.
Then, one day, as a result of my having attended a yeshiva (an Orthodox Jewish day school) through high school, the reason became clear. Half of each school day was devoted to religious studies in Hebrew, and the other half was devoted to secular studies in English. This meant that I had been immersed in a religious worldview until college.
The Judeo-Christian Worldview
Though it was Jewish, this worldview could also be called “Judeo-Christian.” Students at traditionally Christian schools were immersed in essentially the same worldview. We were all taught that the most important battle we need to wage in life was with our own nature. Jews and Christians learned from the same Scripture that “the will of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21).
Therefore, being a good person involved a constant battle with our flawed human nature: our urges, appetites and innate weaknesses. This battle was also the only real route to a better world. Every individual had to work on him or herself to be decent, strong, courageous and self-controlled, and every parent had to work, first and foremost, on raising such people.
Looking Inward vs. Looking Outward
One day, I came to realize that this was not how the vast majority of my fellow students were raised. They were raised to believe that the great battle in life was not with one’s nature but with outside forces — with parents, in many cases, but most of all with society, i.e., America.
All of us, whatever our political outlook, have to confront personal failure, loss, disappointment and unhappiness. When confronted with these challenges, religious Jews and Christians are taught to look inward for both the primary source of their problems and the primary solutions to those problems: What have I done wrong? What can I change in my life to solve my problems?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Of course, some nonreligious liberals and conservatives also have this attitude. But most of them likely inherited it from religious parents or, at the very least, from parents who were raised in a religious home or a home that retained the remnants of such an upbringing, which was common in pre-1960s America. (It is therefore questionable how many secular parents will succeed in passing this attitude on to their children.)
Leftists Hold Outside Forces Responsible for Their Pain
The left, which proudly rejects Judeo-Christian values, has adopted the opposite of the Judeo-Christian view regarding pain in life. Leftists (as opposed to liberals) hold outside forces responsible for their pain. That is the reason for the litany of left-wing enemies: capitalism, patriarchy, misogyny, systemic racism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, sexism, xenophobia.
So, then, if you are an unhappy American woman, you can work on yourself and your nature, or you can blame sexism and patriarchy, i.e., men, for your pained state.
If you are an unhappy gay American, you can work on yourself, or you can blame society’s homophobia for your unhappiness.
And, most significantly, if you are an unhappy black American, you can work on yourself and your life, or you can blame systemic racism and whites for your anger and unfulfilled life.
A Riddle
All this explains why the left encourages every group except for white, Christian, heterosexual males to regard themselves as oppressed. The more oppressed women, gays, blacks, etc., see themselves, the more they are alienated from America and its values, and the more they gravitate left. In light of this, I came up with a riddle:
Q: What do you call a happy black person?
A: A Republican.
Without an exception I can recall, over the course of decades, I have guessed the political affiliation of every black caller to my radio show within a minute of talking to them. If they sounded happy, I knew they were a Republican; if they were angry, I knew they were a Democrat. This has held true for male and female callers.
The End of America
America has been a great country because it was built on the belief that we must all fight against our natures (and fight for our country). It is difficult to overstate the damage the left is doing to this country by abandoning the fundamental Judeo-Christian teaching that we must fight our natures in order to lead a more decent and happy life and replacing it with the belief that we must battle America instead. This replacement inevitably leads to a population of unhappy, ungrateful and mean-spirited human beings — precisely the type of individuals you see rioting and looting, the type of elected officials who do nothing to stop rioters and looters, the columnists and academics who devote their lives to spewing hate-filled lies about America, and the Twitter mobs who comprise the toxic cancel culture.
It will lead to what the left acknowledges it seeks: the end of America as we have known it.
Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His latest book, published by Regnery in May 2019, is The Rational Bible, a commentary on the book of Genesis. His film, “No Safe Spaces,” will be released to home entertainment nationwide on September 15, 2020. He is the founder of Prager University and may be contacted at dennisprager.com.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


thestream--2020-09-09--President Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

President Donald Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition for brokering the historic peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates .
Trump ’ s nomination was submitted by Christian Tybring-Gjedde , a member of the Norwegian Parliament and chairman of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly .
“ As it is expected other Middle Eastern countries will follow in the footsteps of the UAE , this agreement could be a game-changer that will turn the Middle East into a region of cooperation and prosperity , ” he wrote .
The peace agreement is the first between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel-Jordan peace treaty in 1994 .
The parties are expected to sign the deal in a ceremony next Tuesday at the White House .
The Norwegian also cited Trump ’ s role in helping soothe tensions between North and South Korea , and bringing large numbers of troops home from the Middle East .
Said Tybring-Gjedde , “ Indeed , Trump has broken a 39-year-old streak of American presidents either starting a war or bringing the United States into an international armed conflict .
The last president to avoid doing so was Peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously been nominated in 2018 by Japanese president Shinzo Abe following his historic summit and diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea ’ s Kim Jong Un .
Donald Trump didn ’ t merely tweet news of the nomination .
The Hill noted that Trump “ shared the news of the nomination in at least 15 different tweets and retweets with his nearly 87 million followers on social media.
” However , Trump in 2019 was pessimistic about his chances of ever being honored .
“ With me , I ’ ll probably never get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nobel Peace Prize he ’ ll be the fifth U.S. President to do so , following Woodrow Wilson , Theodore Roosevelt , Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama .

President Donald Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition for brokering the historic peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump’s nomination was submitted by Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament and chairman of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. “As it is expected other Middle Eastern countries will follow in the footsteps of the UAE, this agreement could be a game-changer that will turn the Middle East into a region of cooperation and prosperity,” he wrote.
The peace agreement is the first between Israel and an Arab country since the Israel-Jordan peace treaty in 1994. The parties are expected to sign the deal in a ceremony next Tuesday at the White House.
Trump the Peacemaker
The Norwegian also cited Trump’s role in helping soothe tensions between North and South Korea, and bringing large numbers of troops home from the Middle East. Said Tybring-Gjedde, “Indeed, Trump has broken a 39-year-old streak of American presidents either starting a war or bringing the United States into an international armed conflict. The last president to avoid doing so was Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter.”
Oddly enough, Tybring-Gjedde said he’s “not a big Trump supporter.”
Trump had previously been nominated in 2018 by Japanese president Shinzo Abe following his historic summit and diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
Trump Reaction
Donald Trump didn’t merely tweet news of the nomination.
Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize following Israel-UAE accord https://t.co/hYElcJX9j6 via @nypost — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2020
The Hill noted that Trump “shared the news of the nomination in at least 15 different tweets and retweets with his nearly 87 million followers on social media.” However, Trump in 2019 was pessimistic about his chances of ever being honored. “With me, I’ll probably never get it.”
If Trump does win the Nobel Peace Prize he’ll be the fifth U.S. President to do so, following Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama.


thestream--2020-09-09--Military Photo of the Day: Social Distanced Sailors

Sailors assigned to the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson space themselves out to man the rails on the flight @ @ @ @ @ arriving in San Diego on September 2 , 2020 .
Thank you to the command @ @ @ @ @ aircraft carrier for defending our freedom !

Sailors assigned to the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson space themselves out to man the rails on the flight deck of the ship upon arriving in San Diego on September 2, 2020.
Thank you to the command and crew of this majestic aircraft carrier for defending our freedom!
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thestream--2020-09-09--Gentle on My Mind: Glen Campbell’s Widow Writes Book About Love, Faith and Alzheimer’s

“ Glen would say , ‘ God has a purpose in everything .
He has a purpose in everything , ” musician Jimmy Webb said about his good friend Glen Campbell .
“ That ’ s what he would say if he knew the full ramifications of what was going on.
” Award-winning country-pop artist Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer ’ s in early 2011 .
Even after his diagnosis , he went on to tour and perform his newly released and widely acclaimed 61st album , “ Ghost on the Canvas.
” He bravely led his life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease and the need for a cure .
Just shy of three years after Glen ’ s death from Alzheimer ’ s , his widow wrote Gentle on My Mind : In Sickness and in Health With Glen Campbell .
In her new book , Kim Campbell describes her life with Glen , and how she and Glen fought through his alcoholism and drug addiction and then Alzheimer ’ s .
She wrote the book because , while the documentary Glen Campbell : I ’ ll Be Me detailed Glen ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s , she wanted to reveal their journey through the later stages of the disease and tell how their faith saw them through it — to the end .
It was the knowledge of God revealed through Scripture that gave her what she needed to stay with Glen for 35 years , through the alcoholism , drug addiction , and then Alzheimer ’ s , she told The Stream .
“ Faith was was the foundation that Glen and I built our marriage on and it never failed us .
I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can make you closer as a married couple than to build your marriage on God ’ s Word .
That ’ s what we did.
” When their three children were young , Kim and Glen read the Bible with them every night .
As adults , their children honored and supported them when Alzheimer ’ s turned their world upside down .
Kim and Glen began to experience anew the faithfulness of God .
“ God is faithful even when we are not .
He sees our pain , He knows what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows our future .
He knows what we ’ re going to need when the time comes and He loves us and He cares for us and He will provide.
” Before Glen ’ s diagnosis , Kim got frustrated with some things that Glen did .
He repeated himself incessantly .
“ When we got the diagnosis , God filled me with compassion and gave me the patience and the strength I needed as the disease progressed.
” When she told Glen he had Alzheimer ’ s , he initially didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ You know , your friend Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer ’ s , just like you , ” she told him .
“ I know I have Alzheimer ’ s , angel , but I don ’ t feel it , ” he responded .
“ Good , ” Kim told him .
“ That means you can live with it .
Play music .
Play golf .
Have fun .
Our life will be beautiful .
We ’ ll be closer than ever.
” Each day Kim prayed with gratitude .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing me to honor my husband in the most meaningful way possible , to love him in sickness and in health.
” In the beginning stages , Glen enjoyed performing on stage with his musician children , as illustrated in the award-winning documentary Glen Campbell : I ’ ll Be Me .
Although he would forget lyrics and needed a teleprompter to sing his songs , he was still able to play the guitar flawlessly .
As time went on however , he began to repeat himself and became increasingly agitated and disoriented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tour ” was over .
After the tour ended , Glen experienced new symptoms of Alzheimer ’ s .
He lost the ability to understand language or communicate verbally .
He became combative .
Kim frequently found herself on the other end of a punch — and one time , a knife .
“ I tried to keep my sense of humor .
I mean , it was kind of comical to find myself running , leaping , and dodging punches , but then again , it really wasn ’ t funny at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at me .
I realized he didn ’ t know what he was doing , it was just kind of like an instinct .
‘ You ’ re doing something I don ’ t like .
And I can ’ t find the words to make you stop .
So I ’ m just going to swing at you . '
” Glen and his producer , Julian Raymond , wrote a song for Kim , which was featured in the documentary .
It was nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have Alzheimer ’ s and to lose his memory .
He put Glen ’ s thoughts to music .
For Kim , the song was a beautiful gift .
“ I think Glen was saying , ‘ Don ’ t worry about me .
You ’ re the one who will shed the tears and bear the pain and the sorrow . '
” “ I ’ m Not Gon na Miss You ” went on to win a Grammy for best song and was nominated for an Oscar .
The time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Kim should not be trying to care for Glen at home .
She was filled with fear .
She had vowed she would never place Glen in a nursing home .
Then she visited memory support communities , which were very different .
“ I was amazed at how wonderful they were.
” She doesn ’ t say she placed Glen in a facility .
“ I say our family joined a memory care community .
It was my community too .
I became friends with other women who had husbands there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , prayed together , supported each other through the rest of our journey .
No one knows what you ’ re going through , unless they ’ re walking in the same shoes , you know ?
And so it was a big comfort to me and to our entire family to be a part of a good memory care community.
” A stigma about long-term care prevents people from getting the care that they need .
Kim wants to change that .
She hopes readers of her book will learn that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have to go through it alone , ” she says .
Kim points to support groups and sites like The Alzheimer ’ s Association that provide information and point to other resources .
Memory “ support ” or “ care ” communities offer quality care in a safe , secure environment with 24-7 medical care.
” While Glen was in the memory care community , Kim helped form a support group for spouses of people with Alzheimer ’ s .
At first the meetings were sad .
“ People were sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought , ‘ You know , we ’ re becoming the second victims of this disease .
I ’ ve got to do something.
’ So I started a blog called ‘ Care Living.org ’ to encourage caregivers to take care of themselves while they care for the ones they love.
” All of the articles on the site are meant to uplift and inspire .
She also started the Kim and Glen Campbell Foundation to advance the use of music as medicine .
“ When you listen to different types of music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same chemicals found in antidepressants and sedatives , like prolactin , the comforting hormone found in breast milk , oxytocin and serotonin .
And music is very therapeutic .
If it can reduce the use of drugs to manage behaviors , then it ’ s a much better approach.
” In 2018 , they awarded their first research grant to musician , neuroscientist and author of New York Time ’ s best seller This Is Your Brain On Music .
It will help Dr. Daniel J. Levitin work on cognitive impairment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kim is now working on a project to develop a music and movement program that ’ s COVID friendly for seniors who are at risk .
It will help those stuck in their homes , or living in assisted living or memory care communities .
“ It ’ s not specific to memory loss , ” Kim explains .
“ It could be just for people that live in senior living communities where they ’ re trying to restrict the amount of people coming and going .
But they need exercise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of therapy.
” She ’ s working with experts on how to best develop that program .
On August 8 , 2017 , Glen went to be with the Lord .
“ Glen was finally free .
I also reaffirmed my belief that God ’ s mysterious wonders are without end .
Life is without end .
Having defeated death , Christ has allowed us to quell our fear of death .
Having risen from the grave , Christ has assured us that life is eternal.
” “ I have cried and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once .
“ And laughing is a [ whole ] lot better.
” Even while he struggled with Alzheimer ’ s , Glen kept laughing and joking as long as he could .
“ This disease has taught me to make whatever beautiful memories there are to make , ” Kim writes .
“ Cherish every moment when body and soul are singing in harmony .
Accept each invitation to dance .
Love extravagantly.
” Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and @ @ @ @ @ @

“Glen would say, ‘God has a purpose in everything. He has a purpose in everything,” musician Jimmy Webb said about his good friend Glen Campbell. “That’s what he would say if he knew the full ramifications of what was going on.” Award-winning country-pop artist Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in early 2011.
Even after his diagnosis, he went on to tour and perform his newly released and widely acclaimed 61st album, “Ghost on the Canvas.” He bravely led his life in the public eye, bringing awareness to the disease and the need for a cure.
Just shy of three years after Glen’s death from Alzheimer’s, his widow wrote Gentle on My Mind: In Sickness and in Health With Glen Campbell. In her new book, Kim Campbell describes her life with Glen, and how she and Glen fought through his alcoholism and drug addiction and then Alzheimer’s. She wrote the book because, while the documentary Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me detailed Glen’s early and middle stages of Alzheimer’s, she wanted to reveal their journey through the later stages of the disease and tell how their faith saw them through it — to the end.
Faith as the Foundation
It was the knowledge of God revealed through Scripture that gave her what she needed to stay with Glen for 35 years, through the alcoholism, drug addiction, and then Alzheimer’s, she told The Stream. “Faith was was the foundation that Glen and I built our marriage on and it never failed us. I don’t think there’s anything that can make you closer as a married couple than to build your marriage on God’s Word. That’s what we did.”
When their three children were young, Kim and Glen read the Bible with them every night. As adults, their children honored and supported them when Alzheimer’s turned their world upside down. Kim and Glen began to experience anew the faithfulness of God. “God is faithful even when we are not. He sees our pain, He knows what we are going through. … He knows our future. He knows what we’re going to need when the time comes and He loves us and He cares for us and He will provide.”
Before Glen’s diagnosis, Kim got frustrated with some things that Glen did. He repeated himself incessantly. “When we got the diagnosis, God filled me with compassion and gave me the patience and the strength I needed as the disease progressed.”
A Beautiful Life
When she told Glen he had Alzheimer’s, he initially didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. “You know, your friend Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer’s, just like you,” she told him. “I know I have Alzheimer’s, angel, but I don’t feel it,” he responded.
“Good,” Kim told him. “That means you can live with it. Play music. Play golf. Have fun. Our life will be beautiful. We’ll be closer than ever.”
Each day Kim prayed with gratitude. “Thank you, God, for allowing me to honor my husband in the most meaningful way possible, to love him in sickness and in health.”
The Goodbye Tour
In the beginning stages, Glen enjoyed performing on stage with his musician children, as illustrated in the award-winning documentary Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me. Although he would forget lyrics and needed a teleprompter to sing his songs, he was still able to play the guitar flawlessly. As time went on however, he began to repeat himself and became increasingly agitated and disoriented. Eventually everyone knew “The Goodbye Tour” was over.
After the tour ended, Glen experienced new symptoms of Alzheimer’s. He lost the ability to understand language or communicate verbally. He became combative. Kim frequently found herself on the other end of a punch — and one time, a knife.
“I tried to keep my sense of humor. I mean, it was kind of comical to find myself running, leaping, and dodging punches, but then again, it really wasn’t funny at all to find my beautiful husband swinging at me. I realized he didn’t know what he was doing, it was just kind of like an instinct. ‘You’re doing something I don’t like. And I can’t find the words to make you stop. So I’m just going to swing at you.'”
I’m Not Gonna Miss You
Glen and his producer, Julian Raymond, wrote a song for Kim, which was featured in the documentary. It was nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar. Julian asked Glen what it was like to have Alzheimer’s and to lose his memory. He put Glen’s thoughts to music.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
For Kim, the song was a beautiful gift. “I think Glen was saying, ‘Don’t worry about me. You’re the one who will shed the tears and bear the pain and the sorrow.'” “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” went on to win a Grammy for best song and was nominated for an Oscar.
The Memory Care Community
The time came when Glen’s doctor suggested that Kim should not be trying to care for Glen at home. She was filled with fear. She had vowed she would never place Glen in a nursing home. Then she visited memory support communities, which were very different. “I was amazed at how wonderful they were.”
She doesn’t say she placed Glen in a facility. “I say our family joined a memory care community. It was my community too. I became friends with other women who had husbands there and we laughed together, cried together, prayed together, supported each other through the rest of our journey. No one knows what you’re going through, unless they’re walking in the same shoes, you know? And so it was a big comfort to me and to our entire family to be a part of a good memory care community.”
A stigma about long-term care prevents people from getting the care that they need. Kim wants to change that. She hopes readers of her book will learn that they can get help. “You don’t have to go through it alone,” she says.
Kim points to support groups and sites like The Alzheimer’s Association that provide information and point to other resources. Memory “support” or “care” communities offer quality care in a safe, secure environment with 24-7 medical care.”
Making a Change
While Glen was in the memory care community, Kim helped form a support group for spouses of people with Alzheimer’s. At first the meetings were sad. “People were sitting there crying and exhausted. And I thought, ‘You know, we’re becoming the second victims of this disease. I’ve got to do something.’ So I started a blog called ‘Care Living.org’ to encourage caregivers to take care of themselves while they care for the ones they love.” All of the articles on the site are meant to uplift and inspire.
She also started the Kim and Glen Campbell Foundation to advance the use of music as medicine. “When you listen to different types of music, your brain actually produces some of the same chemicals found in antidepressants and sedatives, like prolactin, the comforting hormone found in breast milk, oxytocin and serotonin. And music is very therapeutic. If it can reduce the use of drugs to manage behaviors, then it’s a much better approach.” In 2018, they awarded their first research grant to musician, neuroscientist and author of New York Time’s best seller This Is Your Brain On Music. It will help Dr. Daniel J. Levitin work on cognitive impairment, and embodied cognition in relation to music.
Kim is now working on a project to develop a music and movement program that’s COVID friendly for seniors who are at risk. It will help those stuck in their homes, or living in assisted living or memory care communities.
“It’s not specific to memory loss,” Kim explains. “It could be just for people that live in senior living communities where they’re trying to restrict the amount of people coming and going. But they need exercise. They need music. They need different kinds of therapy.” She’s working with experts on how to best develop that program.
Beautiful Memories
On August 8, 2017, Glen went to be with the Lord. “Glen was finally free. I also reaffirmed my belief that God’s mysterious wonders are without end. Life is without end. Having defeated death, Christ has allowed us to quell our fear of death. Having risen from the grave, Christ has assured us that life is eternal.”
“I have cried and I have laughed,” Glen said once. “And laughing is a [whole] lot better.” Even while he struggled with Alzheimer’s, Glen kept laughing and joking as long as he could.
“This disease has taught me to make whatever beautiful memories there are to make,” Kim writes. “Cherish every moment when body and soul are singing in harmony. Accept each invitation to dance. Love extravagantly.”
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-10--There is Another in the Fire with You

There is Another in the Fire with You

In a recent sermon I said that there is no hindrance too great , no battle too hard , and no power too strong to overpower God .
Nothing can thwart His plans .
We can take great comfort in that , but what do you do when you ’ re going through the fire — through the trial ?
Hear the sermon , Another in the Fire , here .
We can actually learn a lot from the historical account of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3 , who made an image of gold and told the people to bow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast into the midst of a fiery furnace .
Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego were accused of insurrection when they refused to follow the king ’ s orders .
The first lesson here is that we must prepare for accusations .
An accusation is a charge that you did something illegal or wrong .
But the key question is always “ What does God ’ s Word say ?
” because legal is not always lawful .
In other words , something can be legal according to the laws of a particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to God ’ s Word .
For example , we are starting to see headlines such as , “ Scholars now say pedophilia is a sexual orientation that should be embraced.
” This is pure wickedness and evil that can not be embraced : “ Woe be to those who call evil good , and good evil ” ( Isaiah 5:20 ) .
As a result of Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego ’ s disobedience , Nebuchadnezzar became furious and gave the command to throw them into the fire .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rage is often a demonic response when some don ’ t get their way .
No one can debate against the truth , so those who oppose you will get upset and throw a temper tantrum .
Don ’ t respond to them in anger , but gentleness : “ A gentle answer turns away wrath , but a harsh word stirs up anger ” ( Proverbs 15:1 NIV ) .
We need to stop trying to hide in a bubble and avoid controversy .
Our faith will often be tested .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but this battle chose you .
The direction of America today reminds us that we need to make a choice : Do I submit and capitulate ( take a knee , so to speak ) , or do I firmly stand for what is right ?
When the three young men decided to rebel , they backed it with a powerful declaration : “ Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace , and He will deliver us from your hand , O king.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had true faith by adding that even if God didn ’ t deliver them , they would not obey the king ( v. 17 ) .
We must have the same mindset : God can deliver me , but even if He doesn ’ t , I will not bow to evil agendas .
My following God is not contingent on what ’ s happening to me ; it ’ s based on who He is .
Sometimes God removes you from the fire , and sometimes He walks through it with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God regardless of the outcome .
Then we read that “ Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury , and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego .
He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated ” ( vv .
19–20 ) .
Another key lesson : The heat is often turned up to break you down .
However , heat can be good if it removes impurities .
When we pray , “ Lord , help me develop patience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggle may be ) , often the heat is turned up so that a greater degree of brokenness occurs .
Humble yourself , trust God , and move forward .
As these Hebrews surrendered to the will of God and trusted Him , God delivered them : “ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished ; and he rose in haste and spoke , ‘ Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire ?
’ They answered and said to the king , ‘ True , O king.
’ ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I see four men loose , walking in the midst of the fire ; and they are not hurt , and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God ’ ” ( vv .
24–25 ) .
Don ’ t miss this .
I ’ m still standing — as are many of you — because there is another in the fire !
People will ask , “ How are you still standing in the midst of divorce , in the midst of unemployment , in the midst of financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” and we can answer , “ Because there is another in the fire with me — the Son of God.
” But keep in mind that the enemy of our souls will taunt us just like the king taunted the Hebrews : “ And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands ?
” ( v. 15 ) .
When this happens , first remind yourself of God ’ s promise in Isaiah 43:2 , “ When you pass through the waters , I will be with you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My heart will not fear what God has defeated.
” Again , we must get to the point that we say , like Daniel ’ s friends , “ My God will deliver me , but even if He doesn ’ t , I will not bow to the world ’ s system or succumb to fear and false narratives.
” And then turn to Paul ’ s reminder : “ I have been crucified with Christ .
It is no longer I who live , but Christ lives in me ” ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have assurance , let me share a few key Scriptures for you : Romans 5:8 declares , “ But God demonstrates His own love toward us , in that while we were still sinners , Christ died for us.
” Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost .
He died for us , took our spot , and paid the price of our sin .
Romans 10:9 : “ If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord , and believe in your heart that God raised Him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saved.
” You can take this promise to the bank : “ For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved ” ( Romans 10:13 ) .
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network .
His program , Regaining Lost Ground , points us back to God and reminds us that although times change , truth does not .
His books , blogs , and sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com .

In a recent sermon I said that there is no hindrance too great, no battle too hard, and no power too strong to overpower God. Nothing can thwart His plans. We can take great comfort in that, but what do you do when you’re going through the fire — through the trial? Hear the sermon, Another in the Fire, here.
We can actually learn a lot from the historical account of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3, who made an image of gold and told the people to bow down to it. Whoever disobeyed was cast into the midst of a fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were accused of insurrection when they refused to follow the king’s orders.
The first lesson here is that we must prepare for accusations. An accusation is a charge that you did something illegal or wrong. But the key question is always “What does God’s Word say?” because legal is not always lawful. In other words, something can be legal according to the laws of a particular nation, but in no way lawful according to God’s Word. For example, we are starting to see headlines such as, “Scholars now say pedophilia is a sexual orientation that should be embraced.” This is pure wickedness and evil that cannot be embraced: “Woe be to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).
Truth and Temper Tantrums
As a result of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s disobedience, Nebuchadnezzar became furious and gave the command to throw them into the fire. A second lesson from this narrative is that rage is often a demonic response when some don’t get their way. No one can debate against the truth, so those who oppose you will get upset and throw a temper tantrum. Don’t respond to them in anger, but gentleness: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NIV).
We need to stop trying to hide in a bubble and avoid controversy. Our faith will often be tested. You may not have chosen this battle, but this battle chose you. The direction of America today reminds us that we need to make a choice: Do I submit and capitulate (take a knee, so to speak), or do I firmly stand for what is right?
God Will Deliver Us
When the three young men decided to rebel, they backed it with a powerful declaration: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.” But they didn’t stop there; they had true faith by adding that even if God didn’t deliver them, they would not obey the king (v. 17). We must have the same mindset: God can deliver me, but even if He doesn’t, I will not bow to evil agendas. My following God is not contingent on what’s happening to me; it’s based on who He is. Sometimes God removes you from the fire, and sometimes He walks through it with you — even to death. Trust God regardless of the outcome.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Then we read that “Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated” (vv. 19–20). Another key lesson: The heat is often turned up to break you down. However, heat can be good if it removes impurities. When we pray, “Lord, help me develop patience and trust” (or whatever the struggle may be), often the heat is turned up so that a greater degree of brokenness occurs. Humble yourself, trust God, and move forward.
As these Hebrews surrendered to the will of God and trusted Him, God delivered them: “Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’ ‘Look!’ he answered, ‘I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God’” (vv. 24–25).
Why You’re Still Standing
Don’t miss this. I’m still standing — as are many of you — because there is another in the fire! People will ask, “How are you still standing in the midst of divorce, in the midst of unemployment, in the midst of financial collapse, health issues, or persecution?” and we can answer, “Because there is another in the fire with me — the Son of God.” But keep in mind that the enemy of our souls will taunt us just like the king taunted the Hebrews: “And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” (v. 15). When this happens, first remind yourself of God’s promise in Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,” and then pray, “My heart will not fear what God has defeated.”
Again, we must get to the point that we say, like Daniel’s friends, “My God will deliver me, but even if He doesn’t, I will not bow to the world’s system or succumb to fear and false narratives.” And then turn to Paul’s reminder: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
If you do not have assurance, let me share a few key Scriptures for you: Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. He died for us, took our spot, and paid the price of our sin. Romans 10:9: “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” You can take this promise to the bank: “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network. His program, Regaining Lost Ground, points us back to God and reminds us that although times change, truth does not. His books, blogs, and sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com.


thestream--2020-09-10--First Look: NFL Star Benjamin Watson Tackles Abortion Debate In ‘Divided Hearts of America’

On Wednesday , NFL star Benjamin Watson and his wife Kirsten unveiled the trailer for their long-awaited documentary on the abortion debate .
Divided Hearts of America will release via on-demand streaming service SalemNOW on September 17 .
“ This documentary is for all people , whether they consider themselves to be pro-life , pro-choice , or somewhere in between , ” Benjamin Watson told me at the March for Life in January .
“ It ’ s an honest look at where our country stands on this issue.
” Watson , a Super Bowl-winning tight end for the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March .
In 2017 , he was a featured speaker at the March for Life which is held annually on the National Mall in Washington , D.C .
Since then , Watson and his family have attended the pro-life gathering several times .
“ Abortion in America has been a hot topic for decades , ” he said .
“ We are seeking to bring humanity and understanding to both sides of the story.
” More than 30 leading voices on both sides of the debate are interviewed in the film .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Tim Scott , R-S.C. , Alveda King , niece of Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. , and New York State Senators Liz Krueger and Gustavo Rivera .
The latter two public officials supported their state ’ s recent expansive abortion law .
The film is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Chad Bonham .
Co-producers include Betsy Kennedy Ryzewicz and Stream contributor Jason Jones of Movie to Movement .
Public opinion on abortion rights has remained starkly divided since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973 .
In July , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 46 percent of Americans identify as “ pro-life ” and 48 percent as “ pro-choice ” — a difference within the margin of error .
Notably , it reveals 70 percent of Americans favor some restrictions on abortion .
The Democratic Party platform released last month advocates for no restrictions .
“ If you ’ ve ever wrestled with the abortion debate , this film is a must-see , ” said Watson .
“ It ’ s a look at a lot of people ’ s different perspectives.
” The analysis in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conflicts in the courts and Congress .
More than 400 pro-life state laws have been enacted over the past decade , viewed as a major cause of the decline in abortion rates .
Some states , including New York and Illinois , have also enacted extreme pro-choice measures .
“ Many laws have changed over the course of even just the last couple of years , ” said Watson .
“ Divided Hearts of America is my journey of discovery in light of that .
“ This will unveil the truth about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t. ” For over a decade , the Watsons have led in outreach and charity work through the One More Foundation .
His 2015 book Under Our Skin , which addresses current issues of racial discrimination and injustice , has become all the more relevant in recent years .
The faith-driven family has taken a firm stand for human dignity .
“ Though our commitment to serve and protect mothers and their preborn children is no secret , this is a documentary , not propaganda , ” the Watsons said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will watch this film and think about abortion in a whole new way , based on facts , not partisanship.
” Their explosive film will release just days after the new NFL season begins .
For the first time since 2004 , Benjamin Watson will be watching from the sidelines rather than leading on the field .
At the same time , he is also stepping anew into a major arena of ideological conflict .
“ I really want to invoke empathy for people on all sides , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stand for life — not only in the womb , but in all stages of natural life.
” On September 17 , documentary film Divided Hearts of America will release nationwide via SalemNOW .
Stream contributor Josh M. Shepherd covers culture , faith , and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist .
Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

On Wednesday, NFL star Benjamin Watson and his wife Kirsten unveiled the trailer for their long-awaited documentary on the abortion debate. Divided Hearts of America will release via on-demand streaming service SalemNOW on September 17.
“This documentary is for all people, whether they consider themselves to be pro-life, pro-choice, or somewhere in between,” Benjamin Watson told me at the March for Life in January. “It’s an honest look at where our country stands on this issue.”
Tackling Hot Topic with Compassion, Fairness
Watson, a Super Bowl-winning tight end for the New England Patriots, retired from the NFL in March. In 2017, he was a featured speaker at the March for Life which is held annually on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Since then, Watson and his family have attended the pro-life gathering several times. “Abortion in America has been a hot topic for decades,” he said. “We are seeking to bring humanity and understanding to both sides of the story.”
More than 30 leading voices on both sides of the debate are interviewed in the film.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
They include abortion survivor Melissa Ohden, Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C., Alveda King, niece of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and New York State Senators Liz Krueger and Gustavo Rivera. The latter two public officials supported their state’s recent expansive abortion law.
The film is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Chad Bonham. Co-producers include Betsy Kennedy Ryzewicz and Stream contributor Jason Jones of Movie to Movement.
Where the Debate Stands
Public opinion on abortion rights has remained starkly divided since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973.
In July, Gallup released its latest poll results showing that 46 percent of Americans identify as “pro-life” and 48 percent as “pro-choice” — a difference within the margin of error.
Notably, it reveals 70 percent of Americans favor some restrictions on abortion. The Democratic Party platform released last month advocates for no restrictions.
“If you’ve ever wrestled with the abortion debate, this film is a must-see,” said Watson. “It’s a look at a lot of people’s different perspectives.”
The analysis in the film does not stop at abortion conflicts in the courts and Congress. More than 400 pro-life state laws have been enacted over the past decade, viewed as a major cause of the decline in abortion rates.
Some states, including New York and Illinois, have also enacted extreme pro-choice measures. “Many laws have changed over the course of even just the last couple of years,” said Watson. “Divided Hearts of America is my journey of discovery in light of that.
“This will unveil the truth about what abortion is and what it isn’t.”
Truth, Empathy and Human Dignity
For over a decade, the Watsons have led in outreach and charity work through the One More Foundation. His 2015 book Under Our Skin, which addresses current issues of racial discrimination and injustice, has become all the more relevant in recent years.
“This is a documentary, not propaganda… I really want to invoke empathy for people on all sides” – Benjamin Watson
The faith-driven family has taken a firm stand for human dignity. “Though our commitment to serve and protect mothers and their preborn children is no secret, this is a documentary, not propaganda,” the Watsons said in a statement.
“Our hope is that people will watch this film and think about abortion in a whole new way, based on facts, not partisanship.”
Their explosive film will release just days after the new NFL season begins. For the first time since 2004, Benjamin Watson will be watching from the sidelines rather than leading on the field.
At the same time, he is also stepping anew into a major arena of ideological conflict. “I really want to invoke empathy for people on all sides,” he said. “It’s designed to encourage people to stand for life — not only in the womb, but in all stages of natural life.”
On September 17, documentary film Divided Hearts of America will release nationwide via SalemNOW.
Stream contributor Josh M. Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist. Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-10--Military Photo of the Day: ‘Park That Baby Right Here’

A U.S. Army soldier guides an M1A2 Abrams main battle tank crew on the New Mexico side of the Fort @ @ @ @ @ 28 , 2020 .
Thank you to David Poe for capturing this image .

A U.S. Army soldier guides an M1A2 Abrams main battle tank crew on the New Mexico side of the Fort Bliss training complex on August 28, 2020.
Thank you to David Poe for capturing this image.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.