thestream--2020-09-26--Shallow Atheist, Shallow Answers

Shallow Atheist, Shallow Answers

I had remembered him as a genial atheist , from having read him years ago .
Martin Gardner admired G. K. Chesterton , after all .
He even published an annotated version of Chesterton ’ s Father Brown mysteries , a book in which a believing Christian is the hero .
For being so rational .
In a bookshop the other day , I picked up his Did Adam and Eve Have Navels ?
.
It ’ s the last collection of his columns from a magazine called The Skeptical Inquirer .
He ’ s very good on silliness like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to seeing him smack down the lunacy .
And found that I ’ d misremembered his writing .
Martin Gardner ’ s not so genial .
As far as religion goes , he ’ s simple-minded and shallow .
He feels much too confident in his ability to know what ’ s what .
But then , atheists have to be , because they make claims they can ’ t logically make .
They don ’ t know as much as they pretend to know .
As Hamlet might have said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
” Gardner complains that the “ ignorant ” public doesn ’ t know anything about science .
Half of American adults believe in astrology , he says , and yes , that ’ s sad .
But then he adds to his list of absurd unscientific beliefs a belief that doesn ’ t belong on the list .
He includes belief in angels and demons .
A belief common to pretty much every world religion .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ astrology .
He says this as if it were obvious , the kind of thing every sensible person knows .
He doesn ’ t bother to argue it .
But why ?
Let ’ s look at it objectively .
Rationally .
The way Gardner thinks he looks at the world .
We may be alone in the universe , as he believes .
But … we may not be .
The atheist can ’ t say for sure .
Let ’ s look at this the way the atheist should .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If we share this world with spiritual beings , we almost certainly don ’ t know what they ’ re up to .
We and they might be two circles in a Venn diagram that barely overlap .
Maybe the spirits have other things to do than attend to man .
They think about us as often as we think about the earthworms in the yard .
Maybe they attend to us once in a while , for reasons of their own .
That ’ s what the fairies many cultures believe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can know , they care about us .
Christians , Jews , and Muslims believe that .
And maybe the spirits line up on two sides .
People do .
Why not spirits ?
Some want us to do well ( angels ) and others want us to suffer ( demons ) .
Maybe the Venn circles overlap a lot , but they keep themselves hidden .
We don ’ t know what they ’ re up to .
They may want to act mostly behind the scenes .
The ones who want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to grow up , do the right thing on our own , and not depend on them for help .
They may stay out of sight the way a teenager ’ s parents may leave him to make hard decisions on his own , because that ’ s the only way he ’ ll learn .
They ’ ll bail him out if they need to , but it ’ s better for him to let him try .
The ones wanting us to suffer may want to push us around , without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troll and the guy at the office who likes getting people angry at each other .
In C.S .
Lewis ’ s Screwtape Letters , the elder devil explains to the younger that they want to make men materialists and skeptics , who don ’ t believe in the supernatural , so of course they stay out of sight .
Suppose the spirits mostly hide themselves .
In that case , the evidence will be partial , indirect .
We can read it in different ways .
But — this is the important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence he should take seriously , in the experience of mankind .
The evidence that Gardner should take seriously is human testimony to the experience of angels and demons .
Back to the Chesterton Gardner and I both admire .
In his great book Orthodoxy , he explains that he believes in miracles “ upon human evidences , as I do in the discovery of America.
” What he says about miracles applies to angels and devils .
Skeptics claim to reject the supernatural because they look at the facts , while believers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to .
That ’ s what Gardner thinks .
“ The fact is quite the other way , ” says Chesterton .
“ The believers in miracles accept them ( rightly or wrongly ) because they have evidence for them .
The disbelievers in miracles deny them ( rightly or wrongly ) because they have a doctrine against them.
” There is , he says , “ a choking cataract of human testimony in favor of the supernatural.
” Then he explains that we should look at the believer ’ s testimony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testimony in a court of law .
“ The open , obvious , democratic thing is to believe an old apple-woman when she bears testimony to a miracle , just as you believe an old apple-woman when she bears testimony to a murder.
” To reject such testimony “ can only mean one of two things .
You reject the peasant ’ s story about the ghost either because the man is a peasant or because the story is a ghost story .
That is , you either deny the main principle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principle of materialism — the abstract impossibility of miracle.
” Christians accept the evidence .
Rationalists refuse to .
Gardner doesn ’ t argue for his claim that angels and devils don ’ t exist .
He asserts it as if it were self-evident .
Obvious .
What every sane person believes .
Not worth arguing about .
But why ?
On his own grounds as a rational man , why ?
How does he know ?
Why doesn ’ t he just say , “ I don ’ t know ” ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ All argument against these plain facts is always argument in a circle , ” he says .
David Mills is a senior editor of The Stream .
After teaching writing in a seminary , he has been editor of Touchstone and the executive editor of First Things .
He edits the site Hour of Our Death and writes a weekly column for The Catholic Herald .

I had remembered him as a genial atheist, from having read him years ago. Martin Gardner admired G. K. Chesterton, after all. He even published an annotated version of Chesterton’s Father Brown mysteries, a book in which a believing Christian is the hero. For being so rational.
In a bookshop the other day, I picked up his Did Adam and Eve Have Navels?. It’s the last collection of his columns from a magazine called The Skeptical Inquirer. He’s very good on silliness like new age fads and I looked forward to seeing him smack down the lunacy.
And found that I’d misremembered his writing. Martin Gardner’s not so genial. As far as religion goes, he’s simple-minded and shallow. He feels much too confident in his ability to know what’s what.
But then, atheists have to be, because they make claims they can’t logically make. They don’t know as much as they pretend to know. As Hamlet might have said, “As far as you know, Horatio, there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
Angels and Demons
Gardner complains that the “ignorant” public doesn’t know anything about science. Half of American adults believe in astrology, he says, and yes, that’s sad. But then he adds to his list of absurd unscientific beliefs a belief that doesn’t belong on the list. He includes belief in angels and demons.
[donation_prompt}
A belief common to pretty much every world religion. But for Gardner, something as ridiculous as astrology. He says this as if it were obvious, the kind of thing every sensible person knows. He doesn’t bother to argue it.
But why? Let’s look at it objectively. Rationally. The way Gardner thinks he looks at the world.
We may be alone in the universe, as he believes. But … we may not be. The atheist can’t say for sure.
Maybe They’re …
Let’s look at this the way the atheist should. The way he claims to. Rationally. If we share this world with spiritual beings, we almost certainly don’t know what they’re up to.
We and they might be two circles in a Venn diagram that barely overlap. Maybe the spirits have other things to do than attend to man. They think about us as often as we think about the earthworms in the yard. Maybe they attend to us once in a while, for reasons of their own. That’s what the fairies many cultures believe in do.
Maybe, for all Gardner can know, they care about us. Christians, Jews, and Muslims believe that. And maybe the spirits line up on two sides. People do. Why not spirits? Some want us to do well (angels) and others want us to suffer (demons).
Maybe the Venn circles overlap a lot, but they keep themselves hidden. We don’t know what they’re up to. They may want to act mostly behind the scenes.
The ones who want us to do well may want us to grow up, do the right thing on our own, and not depend on them for help. They may stay out of sight the way a teenager’s parents may leave him to make hard decisions on his own, because that’s the only way he’ll learn. They’ll bail him out if they need to, but it’s better for him to let him try.
The ones wanting us to suffer may want to push us around, without our realizing it. Like the internet troll and the guy at the office who likes getting people angry at each other. In C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters, the elder devil explains to the younger that they want to make men materialists and skeptics, who don’t believe in the supernatural, so of course they stay out of sight.
Gardner Doesn’t See
Suppose the spirits mostly hide themselves. In that case, the evidence will be partial, indirect. We can read it in different ways. But — this is the important thing — still evidence. Gardner ignores evidence he should take seriously, in the experience of mankind.
The evidence that Gardner should take seriously is human testimony to the experience of angels and demons. Back to the Chesterton Gardner and I both admire. In his great book Orthodoxy, he explains that he believes in miracles “upon human evidences, as I do in the discovery of America.” What he says about miracles applies to angels and devils.
Skeptics claim to reject the supernatural because they look at the facts, while believers believe in them because their religion tells them to. That’s what Gardner thinks.
“The fact is quite the other way,” says Chesterton. “The believers in miracles accept them (rightly or wrongly) because they have evidence for them. The disbelievers in miracles deny them (rightly or wrongly) because they have a doctrine against them.” There is, he says, “a choking cataract of human testimony in favor of the supernatural.”
Arguing in a Circle
Then he explains that we should look at the believer’s testimony the way we’d look at testimony in a court of law. “The open, obvious, democratic thing is to believe an old apple-woman when she bears testimony to a miracle, just as you believe an old apple-woman when she bears testimony to a murder.”
To reject such testimony “can only mean one of two things. You reject the peasant’s story about the ghost either because the man is a peasant or because the story is a ghost story. That is, you either deny the main principle of democracy, or you affirm the main principle of materialism — the abstract impossibility of miracle.” Christians accept the evidence. Rationalists refuse to.
Gardner doesn’t argue for his claim that angels and devils don’t exist. He asserts it as if it were self-evident. Obvious. What every sane person believes. Not worth arguing about. But why? On his own grounds as a rational man, why? How does he know? Why doesn’t he just say, “I don’t know”?
Chesterton had an answer for Gardner: “All argument against these plain facts is always argument in a circle,” he says.
If I say, “Medieval documents attest certain miracles as much as they attest certain battles,” they answer, “But medievals were superstitious”; if I want to know in what they were superstitious, the only ultimate answer is that they believed in the miracles. If I say “a peasant saw a ghost,” I am told, “But peasants are so credulous.” If I ask, “Why credulous?” the only answer is — that they see ghosts.
David Mills is a senior editor of The Stream. After teaching writing in a seminary, he has been editor of Touchstone and the executive editor of First Things. He edits the site Hour of Our Death and writes a weekly column for The Catholic Herald.


thestream--2020-09-26--President Trump Sends Message to The Return, Declaring the Inaugural ‘National Day of Prayer and Ret

President Trump Sends Message to The Return, Declaring the Inaugural ‘National Day of Prayer and Return’

President Donald Trump sent a message to the tens of thousands gathered on the National Mall Saturday for The Return prayer and revival event .
This is the message : On this inaugural National Day of Prayer and Return , the First Lady and I join millions of Christians here in the United States and around the world in prayer , as we turn our hearts to our Lord and Savior .
Our great Nation was founded by men and women of deep and abiding faith — a faith that has stood the test of time .
Four hundred years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives to His providence and braved a voyage to a New World .
From the pilgrims who sought His protection aboard the Mayflower to the countless believers who today bow their heads to ask for His guidance during these unprecedented times , our country continues to turn to the Lord .
Following in our ancestors ’ footsteps we continue the “ firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence ” that provides us enduring strength and reassurance in our times of need .
The trials and tribulations the American people have faced over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yet , as we have seen time and again , the resolve of our citizenry—fortified by our faith in God—has guided us through these hardships and helped to unite us as one Nation under God .
As we continue to combat the challenges ahead of us , we must remember the sage words of President George Washington during his first Presidential Address : “ propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right , which Heaven itself has ordained.
” As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us renew our commitment to these abiding and timeless principles .
Today , I am pleased to join my voice to yours in thanking God for blessing this nation with great power and responsibility .
With reverence , humility , and thanksgiving , we beg for His continued guidance and protection .

President Donald Trump sent a message to the tens of thousands gathered on the National Mall Saturday for The Return prayer and revival event. This is the message:
On this inaugural National Day of Prayer and Return, the First Lady and I join millions of Christians here in the United States and around the world in prayer, as we turn our hearts to our Lord and Savior.
Our great Nation was founded by men and women of deep and abiding faith — a faith that has stood the test of time. Four hundred years ago, early American settlers trusted their lives to His providence and braved a voyage to a New World. From the pilgrims who sought His protection aboard the Mayflower to the countless believers who today bow their heads to ask for His guidance during these unprecedented times, our country continues to turn to the Lord. Following in our ancestors’ footsteps we continue the “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence” that provides us enduring strength and reassurance in our times of need.
The trials and tribulations the American people have faced over the past several months have been great. Yet, as we have seen time and again, the resolve of our citizenry—fortified by our faith in God—has guided us through these hardships and helped to unite us as one Nation under God. As we continue to combat the challenges ahead of us, we must remember the sage words of President George Washington during his first Presidential Address: “propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained.” As a country and a people, let us renew our commitment to these abiding and timeless principles.
Today, I am pleased to join my voice to yours in thanking God for blessing this nation with great power and responsibility. With reverence, humility, and thanksgiving, we beg for His continued guidance and protection.


thestream--2020-09-26--The Left’s Battle Plan to Fight SCOTUS Nominee Amy Coney Barrett Gets Leaked

The roaring fight over SCOTUS nominee Amy Comey Barret is already under way .
Thing is , we now know the specific battle plan of the left .
We have got our hands on the SCOTUS Rapid Response Action Guide .
Check out the link yourself : https : //docs.google.com/document/d/17F6RSRNp_L3ihulD1WgdPbBugK2XXX2lsO6JqK207o0/mobilebasic Let ’ s watch and see just how much of this battle plan plays out in the next hours , days and weeks .
How much of the astroturf protests blanket our country .
How much of the specific language is used by the mainstream media and talking heads that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an original thought .
The Primary Hashtag of the Hour , say the overlords : # LetThePeopleDecide .
Just don ’ t let the people decide on their own hashtags .
Specific protests have been called for Sunday afternoon .
Perhaps in your own town .
The armies are being called to muster at local courthouses at 2 p.m. Sunday to protest the Supreme Court nomination .
Preferably courthouses with high visibility or historic significance .
The “ Slogans for Action Art ” you ’ ll see have already been dictated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering in the way of graphics and memes : https : //www.dropbox.com/sh/298qjfc02jlweu5/AABSEAc6O5nmjqBQ_Mhl50uOa ?
dl=0 See how much detail goes into the staging of these protests .
There are even lessons on the importance of how you stand when holding your “ action art.
” It ’ s street theater .
And theater needs actors .
You don ’ t need to know the issues .
Just know your lines .
The battle plan includes a paragraph on risk and the importance of knowing your rights .
And divisive paranoia : “ Participating in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacrifice for some of us , depending on our race , gender identity , our ability , our immigration status or other factors.
” The battle plan does talk about coordinating with police and “ de-escalation.
” And though it gets into the nitty gritty details of recruiting and staging and messaging and post-action follow-up , one thing you do not see : A request to avoid committing violence .
The word “ peaceful ” does not appear anywhere in their elaborate plans .
In a summer of violent riots coast to coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courthouses , you ’ d think that would be job one .
Then again , who can forget during the Kavanaugh saga , protesters scratching at the doors of the Supreme Court like rabid starving hyenas ?
Or chasing Senators into elevators , screaming at them until they submitted ?
Like zombie mockingbirds you will hear — you are hearing — these talking points : • With voting already underway , it should be left up to the American people to decide who gets to nominate the next Supreme Court justice .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on before the 2021 Inauguration .
• Senate leadership needs to prioritize economic relief for the millions of people who are suffering after having lost their jobs and are struggling to pay rent and feed their families , not play politics with a rushed Supreme Court nomination process .
• The Supreme Court makes rulings that shape all of our lives—everything from abortion to segregation , transgender rights to climate change , big money in politics to healthcare .
It is unacceptable and unjust to try to rush through a nomination less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We must rise up to demand that US Senators stand on the right side of history and let the people decide on the next Supreme Court Justice of this country .
We must demand no nomination before inauguration .
It ’ s our future and we should get to choose our justice .
• We must get our way our else !
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( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Did you see the contradiction ?
The left is saying both “ The Senate confirming a justice that will help determine America ’ s future is a somber , serious responsibility ” AND “ The Senate has better things to do with its time.
” The powers also warn : “ Do not lead with data.
” Translation : Stay away from facts .
One more thing they tell their dear mockingbirds : “ Do not use or repeat the opposition ’ s language or frames.
” For example , this would mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brilliant , perfectly qualified , adored and respected by colleagues on both sides , that history has repeatedly seen Justices named and confirmed during election years , even after elections .
That Trump was elected in 2016 and the GOP majority in the Senate expanded in 2018 specifically because of the American people ’ s desire to see more conservative courts .
It Will Get Personal Aside from the word “ peaceful , ” another major thing is missing in the battle plan .
There is nothing in it about Judge Amy Coney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this same playbook if President Trump nominates Solomon .
However , it is folly to expect they won ’ t run their second playbook , “ Operation Personal Destruction.
” Just ask Brett Kavanaugh .
Just ask Justice Kavanaugh ’ s old friend , Stream contributor Mark Judge .
Already , Barrett has been attacked for her faith .
Already there ’ ve been stories spread that maybe , perhaps , she illegally adopted her Haitian children .
Already she has been hit for having had a child with Downs Syndrome rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , HBO ’ s Bill Maher called the distinguished jurist , professor , faithful Catholic and mother of seven a “ f******* nut.
” We Know the Plans We know it will be ugly .
( The desperate effort to protect the extermination of life in the womb by definition is ugly . )
But we know the plans .
We know the words they will use .
The slogans they will pound into the public ’ s brain .
The arguments they will make .
The vicious tactics they will employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , and ruling over all , If we , the President and Judge Barrett continue seeking the counsel of the Lord , the crafted plans of agitators and abortionists will turn to ash .
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author , with @ JZmirak , of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration .
You can follow him at @ StreamingAl .
And if you aren ’ t already , please follow The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

The roaring fight over SCOTUS nominee Amy Comey Barret is already under way. Thing is, we now know the specific battle plan of the left. We have got our hands on the SCOTUS Rapid Response Action Guide.
Check out the link yourself: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17F6RSRNp_L3ihulD1WgdPbBugK2XXX2lsO6JqK207o0/mobilebasic
Let’s watch and see just how much of this battle plan plays out in the next hours, days and weeks. How much of the astroturf protests blanket our country. How much of the specific language is used by the mainstream media and talking heads that would love for you to believe they have an original thought.
The Primary Hashtag of the Hour, say the overlords: #LetThePeopleDecide. Just don’t let the people decide on their own hashtags.
Specific protests have been called for Sunday afternoon. Perhaps in your own town.
Protests at Local Courthouses Sunday Afternoon
The armies are being called to muster at local courthouses at 2 p.m. Sunday to protest the Supreme Court nomination. Preferably courthouses with high visibility or historic significance.
The “Slogans for Action Art” you’ll see have already been dictated.
No Confirmation Until Inauguration Let the People Decide Our Future, Our Justice I Don’t Want Your Nominee, I Want (FILL IN THE BLANK)
Breonna Taylor
Racial Justice
Reproductive Freedom
A Green New Deal
COVID Testing
A New Saddle for My Unicorn. (Okay, I made that last one up.)
See what Planned Parenthood Action Fund is offering in the way of graphics and memes: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/298qjfc02jlweu5/AABSEAc6O5nmjqBQ_Mhl50uOa?dl=0
See how much detail goes into the staging of these protests. There are even lessons on the importance of how you stand when holding your “action art.” It’s street theater. And theater needs actors. You don’t need to know the issues. Just know your lines.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The battle plan includes a paragraph on risk and the importance of knowing your rights. And divisive paranoia: “Participating in an action may be a much higher sacrifice for some of us, depending on our race, gender identity, our ability, our immigration status or other factors.”
The battle plan does talk about coordinating with police and “de-escalation.” And though it gets into the nitty gritty details of recruiting and staging and messaging and post-action follow-up, one thing you do not see: A request to avoid committing violence.
The word “peaceful” does not appear anywhere in their elaborate plans.
In a summer of violent riots coast to coast, including repeated attempt to burn down courthouses, you’d think that would be job one.
Then again, who can forget during the Kavanaugh saga, protesters scratching at the doors of the Supreme Court like rabid starving hyenas? Or chasing Senators into elevators, screaming at them until they submitted?
The Talking Points
Like zombie mockingbirds you will hear — you are hearing — these talking points:
With voting already underway, it should be left up to the American people to decide who gets to nominate the next Supreme Court justice.
No nomination should advance or be voted on before the 2021 Inauguration.
Senate leadership needs to prioritize economic relief for the millions of people who are suffering after having lost their jobs and are struggling to pay rent and feed their families, not play politics with a rushed Supreme Court nomination process.
The Supreme Court makes rulings that shape all of our lives—everything from abortion to segregation, transgender rights to climate change, big money in politics to healthcare. It is unacceptable and unjust to try to rush through a nomination less than 40 days from the election.
We must rise up to demand that US Senators stand on the right side of history and let the people decide on the next Supreme Court Justice of this country. We must demand no nomination before inauguration. It’s our future and we should get to choose our justice.
We must get our way our else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (They only think that one.)
Did you see the contradiction? The left is saying both “The Senate confirming a justice that will help determine America’s future is a somber, serious responsibility” AND “The Senate has better things to do with its time.”
The powers also warn: “Do not lead with data.” Translation: Stay away from facts.
One more thing they tell their dear mockingbirds: “Do not use or repeat the opposition’s language or frames.” For example, this would mean not accepting the fact that Barrett is brilliant, perfectly qualified, adored and respected by colleagues on both sides, that history has repeatedly seen Justices named and confirmed during election years, even after elections.
That Trump was elected in 2016 and the GOP majority in the Senate expanded in 2018 specifically because of the American people’s desire to see more conservative courts.
It Will Get Personal
Aside from the word “peaceful,” another major thing is missing in the battle plan. There is nothing in it about Judge Amy Coney Barrett. They’d be running this same playbook if President Trump nominates Solomon.
However, it is folly to expect they won’t run their second playbook, “Operation Personal Destruction.” Just ask Brett Kavanaugh. Just ask Justice Kavanaugh’s old friend, Stream contributor Mark Judge. Already, Barrett has been attacked for her faith. Already there’ve been stories spread that maybe, perhaps, she illegally adopted her Haitian children. Already she has been hit for having had a child with Downs Syndrome rather than having an abortion.
And on Friday night, HBO’s Bill Maher called the distinguished jurist, professor, faithful Catholic and mother of seven a “f******* nut.”
We Know the Plans
We know it will be ugly. (The desperate effort to protect the extermination of life in the womb by definition is ugly.) But we know the plans. We know the words they will use. The slogans they will pound into the public’s brain. The arguments they will make. The vicious tactics they will employee.
Fortunately, we know, above all, and ruling over all,
Many are the plans of man’s heart.
But the counsel of the Lord will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)
If we, the President and Judge Barrett continue seeking the counsel of the Lord, the crafted plans of agitators and abortionists will turn to ash.
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-26--Racial Conflict and Scientific Racism

Racial Conflict and Scientific Racism

Discovery Institute Vice President John West sat down with host Eric Wallace to discuss intelligent design , theistic evolution , and scientific racism .
There is some very provocative material here .
Wallace discusses West ’ s documentary Human Zoos , the story of African pygmy Ota Benga and his captivity in the Bronx Zoo , and how leading political voices at the time ( the New York Times , the Democratic mayor of New York City ) dismissed appeals from black and other clergy to free Ota Benga .
Wallace asks about the present cultural moment .
Race and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As I write , protests are convulsing Louisville , Kentucky , over the death of Breonna Taylor .
How , asks Wallace , is the legacy of scientific racism reflected in today ’ s unrest ?
West has a surprising answer : the inheritors of Darwinian attitudes on race include the modern Alt Right , thugs who openly cite evolution as a justification for their beliefs , and … today ’ s progressive Left : On the liberal progressive side , you see what Planned Parenthood is doing to black babies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leading eugenicist .
And I think among white progressives , a lot of them in their heart of hearts actually think that blacks are less capable than whites and they are getting that from their science .
They won ’ t always admit that .
But some of the patronizing way that they argue shows that they think blacks really can ’ t live up to what other people are doing , which is preposterous .
All this is preposterous !
But the way that they argue shows that they ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s very dehumanizing and false scientific claims .
I think that is true .
You have to ask yourself , given the premise of unguided evolution , why would anyone expect the equality of the human races ?
If the races are equal in their capability , under Darwinism that would be a very surprising .
If the political movements most under Darwinism ’ s sway , Left and Right , were truly “ antiracist , ” that too would be a most surprising result .
Only in a Judeo-Christian perspective , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s image , would inherent racial equality make perfect sense .

Discovery Institute Vice President John West sat down with host Eric Wallace to discuss intelligent design, theistic evolution, and scientific racism. There is some very provocative material here.
Wallace discusses West’s documentary Human Zoos, the story of African pygmy Ota Benga and his captivity in the Bronx Zoo, and how leading political voices at the time (the New York Times, the Democratic mayor of New York City) dismissed appeals from black and other clergy to free Ota Benga.
A Burning Issue
Wallace asks about the present cultural moment. Race and racism are a burning issue this year. As I write, protests are convulsing Louisville, Kentucky, over the death of Breonna Taylor. How, asks Wallace, is the legacy of scientific racism reflected in today’s unrest? West has a surprising answer: the inheritors of Darwinian attitudes on race include the modern Alt Right, thugs who openly cite evolution as a justification for their beliefs, and … today’s progressive Left:
On the liberal progressive side, you see what Planned Parenthood is doing to black babies and targeting black communities. Margaret Sanger was a leading eugenicist. And I think among white progressives, a lot of them in their heart of hearts actually think that blacks are less capable than whites and they are getting that from their science. They won’t always admit that. But some of the patronizing way that they argue shows that they think blacks really can’t live up to what other people are doing, which is preposterous. All this is preposterous! But the way that they argue shows that they’ve imbibed some of this past century’s very dehumanizing and false scientific claims.
I think that is true. You have to ask yourself, given the premise of unguided evolution, why would anyone expect the equality of the human races? If the races are equal in their capability, under Darwinism that would be a very surprising. If the political movements most under Darwinism’s sway, Left and Right, were truly “antiracist,” that too would be a most surprising result. Only in a Judeo-Christian perspective, where all human beings are imprinted with God’s image, would inherent racial equality make perfect sense.
Originally published at Evolution News. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-09-27--Tens of Thousands of Christians Converged on DC and Trashed the City

Did you hear about the large Christian gatherings in Washington , DC this weekend ?
Did you see the news reports about the mayhem ?
The looting ?
The vandalism ?
The calls to “ Burn it down !
” ?
Did you hear the speakers calling for acts of violence and destruction ?
Oh , you didn ’ t ?
That ’ s because tens of thousands of Christians did gather in DC this weekend , but they came to pray for the nation and repent for their sins .
The two main events were The Return , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Franklin Graham ’ s prayer march , which was held from noon to 2:00 PM Saturday afternoon .
Both events attracted tens of thousands , and The Return was watched by a reported global audience of tens of millions .
But there were no angry voices .
No calls for violence .
No fistfights .
Or brawls .
Or looting .
Or shooting at police .
In fact , at The Return , where I participated on Saturday , there was hardly any police presence at all .
It was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see any counter-protesters .
And while a constant theme of the events was the broken condition of America and the urgent need for repentance , that repentance started with the participants , with each of us .
We , the followers of Jesus , have sinned and fallen short .
We who are called to be light of the world and the salt of the earth have not lived up to our high and lofty calling .
That ’ s why The Return began its Saturday morning program with pastors and leaders asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their sin .
Repentance starts with us .
Significantly , Saturday was also the day when President Trump announced his nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Who could have foreseen this ?
These events were planned months in advance , at which time no one had any idea that Justice Ginsburg would pass away , let alone pass away during this sacred season on the biblical calendar .
Even the timing of Trump ’ s announcement seemed propitious .
As I tweeted , “ So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of the Jewish New Year , as the shofar blast is heard , & Amy Coney Barrett is announced as her replacement as shofars were being blasted at The Return event in DC , watched by 10s of millions globally .
Coincidence ?
” On this same day , Saturday , September 26 , 2020 , major prayer gatherings were held in the Philippines and other nations as well .
( An Asian leader told me at The Return that three million Indonesian Christians participated in a prayer event just hours earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Plea for Mercy But this is exactly what we must do .
We are in the midst of a global pandemic , a global shutdown , a time of global shaking — and that means there nothing more important we can do than pray .
All the more does this hold true in America , where deep divisions are literally tearing us apart .
But the goal of these gatherings is not to impress people .
The goal is not to put on a performance and please the crowds .
The goal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Father in heaven .
Only He can turn the hearts of a nation .
And only He can hold back His judgment and wrath .
In Jewish tradition , the constellation sign associated with Tishrei , the seventh ( and current ) month of the biblical calendar ( but the first month of the traditional calendar ) , is a pair of scales , symbolizing the scales of justice .
The symbol of the month of Tishrei is a pair of scales .
How fitting are the scales of justice to this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rosh Hashanah , our good deeds and mitzvos ( commandments ) are weighed against our sins .
If we have more mitzvos than sins , we are inscribed for another year of life .
Obviously , this is not a quantitative evaluation , that is , the number of offenses verses the number of good deeds .
The judgment takes into account the quality of our deeds .
Yet even with the very best quality of deeds , and even when we work our hardest , there is no way America could survive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good deeds against our bad deeds .
How much weight does a single abortion carry , let alone tens of millions ?
How much weight does a single act of sex trafficking carry , let alone tens of thousands ?
That ’ s why we plead for mercy .
That ’ s why we repent so deeply .
That ’ s why , in the synagogues , beginning Sunday night , Jewish prayers will focus on pleas for mercy and lengthy confessions of sin .
There is no boasting of our own righteousness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s why these gatherings in DC , with minimal press coverage and without the drama of the protests and the riots , could well be the thing that saves the nation .
And while the media may not have paid sufficient attention , we trust that God Himself did .
That is what really matters .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter or YouTube .

Did you hear about the large Christian gatherings in Washington, D.C. this weekend? Did you see the news reports about the mayhem? The looting? The vandalism? The calls to “Burn it down!”? Did you hear the speakers calling for acts of violence and destruction? Oh, you didn’t? That’s because tens of thousands of Christians did gather in D.C. this weekend, but they came to pray for the nation and repent for their sins.
The two main events were The Return, which began Friday night and ended Saturday night, and Franklin Graham’s prayer march, which was held from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
Worship Prevailed
Both events attracted tens of thousands, and The Return was watched by a reported global audience of tens of millions. But there were no angry voices. No calls for violence. No fistfights. Or brawls. Or looting. Or shooting at police.
In fact, at The Return, where I participated on Saturday, there was hardly any police presence at all. It was not needed. I didn’t even see any counter-protesters.
Worship prevailed. Prayer prevailed. Humility prevailed. Repentance prevailed.
The goal of The Return and Prayer March 2020 is not to impress people. The goal was to get the attention of our Father in heaven.
And while a constant theme of the events was the broken condition of America and the urgent need for repentance, that repentance started with the participants, with each of us. We, the followers of Jesus, have sinned and fallen short. We who are called to be light of the world and the salt of the earth have not lived up to our high and lofty calling.
That’s why The Return began its Saturday morning program with pastors and leaders asking for God’s mercy and confessing their sin. Repentance starts with us.
Divine Timing
Significantly, Saturday was also the day when President Trump announced his nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Who could have foreseen this? These events were planned months in advance, at which time no one had any idea that Justice Ginsburg would pass away, let alone pass away during this sacred season on the biblical calendar.
Even the timing of Trump’s announcement seemed propitious. As I tweeted, “So, Ruth Bader Ginsburg passes away at the beginning of the Jewish New Year, as the shofar blast is heard, & Amy Coney Barrett is announced as her replacement as shofars were being blasted at The Return event in DC, watched by 10s of millions globally. Coincidence?”
On this same day, Saturday, September 26, 2020, major prayer gatherings were held in the Philippines and other nations as well. (An Asian leader told me at The Return that three million Indonesian Christians participated in a prayer event just hours earlier.)
The Scale of Justice, a Plea for Mercy
But this is exactly what we must do. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, a global shutdown, a time of global shaking — and that means there nothing more important we can do than pray. All the more does this hold true in America, where deep divisions are literally tearing us apart.
But the goal of these gatherings is not to impress people. The goal is not to put on a performance and please the crowds. The goal is to get the attention of our Father in heaven. Only He can turn the hearts of a nation. And only He can hold back His judgment and wrath.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In Jewish tradition, the constellation sign associated with Tishrei, the seventh (and current) month of the biblical calendar (but the first month of the traditional calendar), is a pair of scales, symbolizing the scales of justice.
As one Jewish website explains,
The symbol of the month of Tishrei is a pair of scales. How fitting are the scales of justice to this month! On the Day of Judgment, Rosh Hashanah, our good deeds and mitzvos (commandments) are weighed against our sins. If we have more mitzvos than sins, we are inscribed for another year of life. Obviously, this is not a quantitative evaluation, that is, the number of offenses verses the number of good deeds. The judgment takes into account the quality of our deeds.
Yet even with the very best quality of deeds, and even when we work our hardest, there is no way America could survive a test like this, weighing our good deeds against our bad deeds. How much weight does a single abortion carry, let alone tens of millions? How much weight does a single act of sex trafficking carry, let alone tens of thousands?
That’s why we plead for mercy. That’s why we repent so deeply. That’s why, in the synagogues, beginning Sunday night, Jewish prayers will focus on pleas for mercy and lengthy confessions of sin. There is no boasting of our own righteousness in the sight of a holy God.
That’s why these gatherings in D.C., with minimal press coverage and without the drama of the protests and the riots, could well be the thing that saves the nation. And while the media may not have paid sufficient attention, we trust that God Himself did.
That is what really matters.
Editor’s note: Be sure to watch Dr. Brown’s recent interview with Stream publisher James Robison: Can We Vote for Trump Without Hurting Our Christian Witness?
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--2020-09-27--Edgy, No-Nonsense ‘Well Versed’ Summit Simulcast Sunday, September 27, Will Embolden People to Know,

Edgy, No-Nonsense ‘Well Versed’ Summit Simulcast Sunday, September 27, Will Embolden People to Know, Speak and Influence

Editor ’ s note : Stream founder and publisher James Robison is eager and passionate to share with you this information about a very special event happening this coming Sunday .
Please read below and consider joining them .
Jim and Rosemary Schindler Garlow , founders of Well Versed ministry are hosting a training summit Sunday , September 27 , from the top floor of the Museum of the Bible in Washington , D.C .
The summit is designed to provide knowledge , teach greater articulation skills and stronger persuasion skills regarding biblical principles of governance .
The event will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 5:00 p.m .
ET .
Well Versed ’ s mission is straight-forward .
“ Most people know that the Bible speaks clearly about 1 ) personal matters , 2 ) family matters , and 3 ) church life , ” a statement on their website says .
“ However , the Bible also speaks equally clearly regarding 4 ) civil government .
God originally established government and establishes nations today .
He knows best how government is to function .
Thus , Well Versed ministry is committed to bringing biblical principles of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also open to the public .
The event will cover topics “ that are impacting our nation , communities , businesses , schools , churches and our families right now , ” Garlow said in a press release .
“ This is a no-nonsense , edgy , non-PC , straight-talking , truth-giving SUMMIT designed to give you : 1 ) more knowledge , 2 ) greater articulation skills [ and ] 3 ) stronger persuasion skills.
” Congresswoman Michele Bachmann , Bishop Harry Jackson , Congressman Bob McEwen , Bevelyn Beatty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To receive a link for the simulcast , register at WellVersedWorld.org .
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

Editor’s note: Stream founder and publisher James Robison is eager and passionate to share with you this information about a very special event happening this coming Sunday. Please read below and consider joining them.
Jim and Rosemary Schindler Garlow, founders of Well Versed ministry are hosting a training summit Sunday, September 27, from the top floor of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. The summit is designed to provide knowledge, teach greater articulation skills and stronger persuasion skills regarding biblical principles of governance. The event will be simulcast all day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
Biblical Principles Taught
Well Versed’s mission is straight-forward. “Most people know that the Bible speaks clearly about 1) personal matters, 2) family matters, and 3) church life,” a statement on their website says. “However, the Bible also speaks equally clearly regarding 4) civil government. God originally established government and establishes nations today. He knows best how government is to function. Thus, Well Versed ministry is committed to bringing biblical principles of governance for governmental leaders.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The summit is also open to the public. The event will cover topics “that are impacting our nation, communities, businesses, schools, churches and our families right now,” Garlow said in a press release. “This is a no-nonsense, edgy, non-PC, straight-talking, truth-giving SUMMIT designed to give you: 1) more knowledge, 2) greater articulation skills [and] 3) stronger persuasion skills.”
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Bishop Harry Jackson, Congressman Bob McEwen, Bevelyn Beatty and many others will speak at the event.
To receive a link for the simulcast, register at WellVersedWorld.org.
Watch:
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-27--‘I’m Going to Fight’: Blacklisted Actor Antonio Sabato, Jr., Talks Hollywood, Socialism and Faith

“ Faith [ is ] a very important part of my life — always has been , ” actor , model , director and producer Antonio Sabato , Jr. , told The Stream .
“ If it wasn ’ t for my relationship with Jesus I wouldn ’ t be here right now .
I wouldn ’ t have survived.
” Antonio ’ s new book , Sabato : The Untold Story , was released in late July .
The book tells the story of Antonio ’ s childhood , moving back and forth between the U.S. and Italy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eight-year-old , dealing with a substance abuse problem and being blacklisted in Hollywood for his conservative beliefs .
Antonio also writes about how he unsuccessfully ran for Congress and how socialism is taking hold in America .
Antonio has seen the blacklisting of conservative actors since he moved to California in the 1980s .
He remembers hearing people in Hollywood talk negatively about conservatives , always pushing for a liberal agenda .
When he was young , he thought about becoming a Democrat , but it was only because he was immersed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforced there .
“ If you were conservative or you mentioned conservatism … they give you a look , and there was some sort of conversation that would turn into an argument , but not as bad as now .
Now it ’ s off the charts .
Now it ’ s not even an argument as physical abuse and bullying .
It ’ s hurting , it ’ s physical , you know , whatever it may be .
So it ’ s a very scary moment .
But , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They like to make their own rules.
” Antonio was a successful model and award-winning actor for a decade .
He found his acting parts drying up after he revealed his conservative beliefs by supporting Donald Trump in 2016 and running for Congress in 2018 .
“ I was blacklisted , ” he told Fox News .
“ All my representatives left me , from agents to managers to commercial agents .
I literally had to move , find a new job to survive and take care of my kids.
” Recently , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left has become intolerant .
“ Just because I support different ideals , you ’ re going to put me down ?
That ’ s why I left California .
That ’ s why I ’ m writing my book .
I ’ m going to release it and I ’ m going to talk about everything that has ever happened to me and my family and about how you can be blacklisted in 2019 in Hollywood.
” Many of those in Hollywood are pushing for socialism in America .
Socialism won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen it with my own eyes , ” said Antonio .
He says friends are dealing with socialism in Cuba and Venezuela .
In Venezuela , people who can ’ t escape are trying to live on nothing .
“ No water , no clean , nothing .
People [ are ] dying in the streets .
That ’ s socialism.
” He points to once-thriving cities like Los Angeles , San Francisco , Orlando and New York , now plagued by crime and joblessness .
“ We ’ re getting to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the devil is very much alive right now .
And God is saying , ‘ You know what ?
We got it under control ’ because God is going to win at the end .
But we have to remain faithful .
We have to be eager to show our love for Christ.
” But there ’ s more at stake than politics .
To hear Antonio talk about it , Hollywood hates conservatism because they hate Christ in many conservatives .
“ God is saying to us every day , ‘ You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Me , but to come close to Me , you ’ ve got to go through Christ.
’ And to go through Christ , you have to understand certain laws and dignity and honor and dedication to certain things , you have to give your life to certain things that will change your life ultimately for the best .
… [ T ] hey ’ re very much afraid of Christ as Christ moves mountains and He moves souls .
And when He does , there ’ s no turning back .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazing .
And certain people are not willing to go there because it ’ s a scary thing.
” Because there ’ s so much work to do , and Hollywood won ’ t be endorsing Antonio any time soon , he ’ s starting a studio for actors who have been blacklisted , like himself .
He ’ s already working on one project — a film called Trail Blazers .
Actors like Kevin Sorbo , Scott Baio and Kristy Swanson have worked with Antonio on the movie .
“ So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this and I have a great team of people with me , I have a great production company and we ’ re going to open the studio .
We ’ re going to make it happen for America and the future of this country and the future of our industry .
Hollywood has got to be fair .
It can not be happening where your mouth is shut or you ’ re being blacklisted left and right for your political or spiritual ways of life .
It ’ s got to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it by doing things like this.
” Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

“Faith [is] a very important part of my life — always has been,” actor, model, director and producer Antonio Sabato, Jr., told The Stream. “If it wasn’t for my relationship with Jesus I wouldn’t be here right now. I wouldn’t have survived.”
Antonio’s new book, Sabato: The Untold Story, was released in late July. The book tells the story of Antonio’s childhood, moving back and forth between the U.S. and Italy, nearly being killed by a bomb as an eight-year-old, dealing with a substance abuse problem and being blacklisted in Hollywood for his conservative beliefs. Antonio also writes about how he unsuccessfully ran for Congress and how socialism is taking hold in America.
Blacklisted
Antonio has seen the blacklisting of conservative actors since he moved to California in the 1980s. He remembers hearing people in Hollywood talk negatively about conservatives, always pushing for a liberal agenda.
When he was young, he thought about becoming a Democrat, but it was only because he was immersed in Hollywood and of how it was enforced there. “If you were conservative or you mentioned conservatism … they give you a look, and there was some sort of conversation that would turn into an argument, but not as bad as now. Now it’s off the charts. Now it’s not even an argument as physical abuse and bullying. It’s hurting, it’s physical, you know, whatever it may be. So it’s a very scary moment. But, I think that Hollywood does not like rules. They like to make their own rules.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Antonio was a successful model and award-winning actor for a decade. He found his acting parts drying up after he revealed his conservative beliefs by supporting Donald Trump in 2016 and running for Congress in 2018. “I was blacklisted,” he told Fox News. “All my representatives left me, from agents to managers to commercial agents. I literally had to move, find a new job to survive and take care of my kids.”
He writes:
It doesn’t matter how famous you are as an actor or actress, how many fans you have or how many millions you have made for Hollywood, with your box office success over a life-long career, having a conservative point of view and speaking about it will end your Hollywood-based career no matter who you are.
Recently, Antonio told Fox & Friends that the left has become intolerant. “Just because I support different ideals, you’re going to put me down? That’s why I left California. That’s why I’m writing my book. I’m going to release it and I’m going to talk about everything that has ever happened to me and my family and about how you can be blacklisted in 2019 in Hollywood.”
On the Brink
Many of those in Hollywood are pushing for socialism in America. Socialism won’t work. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” said Antonio. He says friends are dealing with socialism in Cuba and Venezuela. In Venezuela, people who can’t escape are trying to live on nothing. “No water, no clean, nothing. People [are] dying in the streets. That’s socialism.” He points to once-thriving cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando and New York, now plagued by crime and joblessness.
“We’re getting to a place where the devil is working and the devil is very much alive right now. And God is saying, ‘You know what? We got it under control’ because God is going to win at the end. But we have to remain faithful. We have to be eager to show our love for Christ.”
Not Just Politics
But there’s more at stake than politics. To hear Antonio talk about it, Hollywood hates conservatism because they hate Christ in many conservatives. “God is saying to us every day, ‘You’ve got to come close to Me, but to come close to Me, you’ve got to go through Christ.’ And to go through Christ, you have to understand certain laws and dignity and honor and dedication to certain things, you have to give your life to certain things that will change your life ultimately for the best. … [T]hey’re very much afraid of Christ as Christ moves mountains and He moves souls. And when He does, there’s no turning back. It’s beautiful. It’s amazing. And certain people are not willing to go there because it’s a scary thing.”
A New Day
Because there’s so much work to do, and Hollywood won’t be endorsing Antonio any time soon, he’s starting a studio for actors who have been blacklisted, like himself. He’s already working on one project — a film called Trail Blazers. Actors like Kevin Sorbo, Scott Baio and Kristy Swanson have worked with Antonio on the movie.
“So, I’m just going to fight for this and I have a great team of people with me, I have a great production company and we’re going to open the studio. We’re going to make it happen for America and the future of this country and the future of our industry. Hollywood has got to be fair. It cannot be happening where your mouth is shut or you’re being blacklisted left and right for your political or spiritual ways of life. It’s got to stop, and we’re going to do it by doing things like this.”
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-09-27--Poetic Justice Comes to Woke Louisville Unitarians

A few weeks back I wrote about how the Woke religion capturing some of our churches isn ’ t just post-Christian , but anti-Christian .
Because it claims the mantle of the Civil Rights movement ’ s biblical quest for justice , while casting off most of the Bible ’ s moral code , it in fact is an Antichrist .
By discarding the Old Testament , and cherrypicking the New , it assumes a higher authority than Jesus did on earth .
On one issue after another , liberals say , in essence , “ Jesus said unto you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Y.
” Anyone who calls fidelity to apostolic faith or morals “ Pharisaical ” is casting Christ in the shadows , and proclaiming a whole new gospel .
And St. Paul told us vividly what to think of people who do that .
Just to refresh your memory , the key element in this new Antichrist gospel is “ going beyond ” Christ himself , and further than the Church ever dared to : What better way , some Christians seem to think , to emphasize Jesus ’ uniqueness than to push their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wildest extreme ?
Highlight and celebrate Christianity ’ s differences from Judaism , by refusing even to see His works in their Jewish context .
Instead interpret them “ radically , ” and make them an ideology .
Embrace the most counter-intuitive and even irrational implications we can draw , to prove that we honor faith over reason .
When anyone in the Church tries to mitigate the irrational , inhuman , destructive logic of such “ radical ” Christianity , call him “ worldly.
” Compare him to the Pharisees .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ project of pacifism , socialism , open borders and “ radical hospitality , ” or universal celibacy would devastate the human race , say that maybe humanity must lose its life in order to save it .
And abracadabra , presto-changeo , you ’ ve transformed the Savior of mankind into its enemy .
Such a creed isn ’ t just misguided , “ idealistic ” or “ unrealistic.
” It is evil .
It claims for a new , alien creed the authority of Christ , and demotes Him and His church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pharisees — that is , as outmoded elements of a lesser , exhausted Covenant .
Since this creed is evil , when it blows up in the faces of its virtue-signaling votaries , we have every right to laugh at it .
C.S .
Lewis quoted St. Thomas More in his witty The Screwtape Letters : “ The devil … that proud spirit … can not endure to be mocked.
” When sins punish themselves , and culpable folly afflicts the fool , we call that “ poetic justice.
” The first instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears in Aesop ’ s fables .
Here ’ s a classic one , “ The Scorpion and the Frog ” : A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back .
The frog asks , “ How do I know you won ’ t sting me ?
” The scorpion says , “ Because if I do , I will die too.
” The frog is satisfied , and they set out , but in midstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink , knowing they both will drown , but has just enough time to gasp “ Why ?
” Here the scorpion wins capital punishment for lying , betraying his benefactor , and foolishly giving in to his vices .
The frog is punished for gullibility , and making a short term alliance with someone whom he knows is habitually evil .
( What did he think the scorpion was going to do to frogs on the other side of the river ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ His parables .
The story of the Unmerciful Servant , for instance , tells of a man whose master forgave him a massive debt .
But the servant then went and ruthlessly demanded repayment of a small debt from a poor man .
The unmerciful servant ’ s punishment was a classic of the genre : The great Christian poet of the afterlife Dante employed poetic justice when he depicted Hell .
Sinners who gave in to the whirling torrents of lust got tossed about forever in storms , for instance .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let them betray their benefactors stood frozen eternally in ice .
And so on .
Woke Unitarians Get What They Deserve I found a bitter Dantesque twist in a recent story of a Woke , post- and anti-Christian church in Louisville , Kentucky .
Recent violent riots that swept that city after a jury declined to charge police officers in the death of Breonna Taylor .
Louisville ’ s First Unitarian Church spotted an opportunity to virtue signal , and pounced .
Finding a loophole in city law that exempted churches from curfew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it invited rioters in — so they could escape arrest .
Bizpac Review reports : “ So the church has opened this up as a sanctuary ” — a place to get refreshments and legal aid if they need , ” Brother Tim Duncan , a volunteer with the church explained amid the second night of protests… .
“ It is a way of showing that we are with you .
We are a part with you , and we are with the struggle and a struggle that has gone on for centuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is always on the side of the oppressed , ” he later told Courier Journal reporters , standing under a banner at the church reading “ Black Lives Matter.
” About 100 protesters reportedly marched up to the Louisville church when the curfew began , and many made their way inside before the building and grounds were eventually encircled by police .
What happened next is what ’ s funny : The rioters took the place over , and drove out the very church members who ’ d asked them in .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clip . ]
So the self-congratulatory post-Christians who wanted to help violent rioters evade the law found themselves run off trembling into the street .
What happened next is disappointing .
Police circled the building , declared an “ unlawful assembly ” and waited till protesters left .
They didn ’ t arrest these ungrateful scofflaws .
This ending spoils the poetic justice just a bit .
How this story should really end would be : the police throw up their hands and march away .
A local judge elected with help from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ squatters ’ rights , ” and may stay indefinitely .
Eventually , the scared lily-white Unitarian pastor signs over the title to the property to some “ community organizer.
” It ’ s taken over by drug dealers , and burns down a few months later .
The charred ruins left behind stand as a monument to folly — as vast swathes of blue cities really will stand in the wake of the left ’ s savage lawlessness .
That ’ s how I ’ d write it , anyway .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endings .
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 .
”

A few weeks back I wrote about how the Woke religion capturing some of our churches isn’t just post-Christian, but anti-Christian. Because it claims the mantle of the Civil Rights movement’s biblical quest for justice, while casting off most of the Bible’s moral code, it in fact is an Antichrist.
By discarding the Old Testament, and cherrypicking the New, it assumes a higher authority than Jesus did on earth. On one issue after another, liberals say, in essence, “Jesus said unto you X, but I say unto you Y.” Anyone who calls fidelity to apostolic faith or morals “Pharisaical” is casting Christ in the shadows, and proclaiming a whole new gospel. And St. Paul told us vividly what to think of people who do that.
More “Radical” Than Jesus
Just to refresh your memory, the key element in this new Antichrist gospel is “going beyond” Christ himself, and further than the Church ever dared to:
What better way, some Christians seem to think, to emphasize Jesus’ uniqueness than to push their interpretation of His words and deeds to the wildest extreme? Highlight and celebrate Christianity’s differences from Judaism, by refusing even to see His works in their Jewish context. Instead interpret them “radically,” and make them an ideology. Embrace the most counter-intuitive and even irrational implications we can draw, to prove that we honor faith over reason. When anyone in the Church tries to mitigate the irrational, inhuman, destructive logic of such “radical” Christianity, call him “worldly.” Compare him to the Pharisees. If he points out that your pet project of pacifism, socialism, open borders and “radical hospitality,” or universal celibacy would devastate the human race, say that maybe humanity must lose its life in order to save it. And abracadabra, presto-changeo, you’ve transformed the Savior of mankind into its enemy.
Such a creed isn’t just misguided, “idealistic” or “unrealistic.” It is evil. It claims for a new, alien creed the authority of Christ, and demotes Him and His church to the position of Moses and the Pharisees — that is, as outmoded elements of a lesser, exhausted Covenant.
What Makes Justice Poetic?
Since this creed is evil, when it blows up in the faces of its virtue-signaling votaries, we have every right to laugh at it. C.S. Lewis quoted St. Thomas More in his witty The Screwtape Letters: “The devil … that proud spirit … cannot endure to be mocked.” When sins punish themselves, and culpable folly afflicts the fool, we call that “poetic justice.” The first instance we have of that in Western literature appears in Aesop’s fables. Here’s a classic one, “The Scorpion and the Frog”:
A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, “How do I know you won’t sting me?” The scorpion says, “Because if I do, I will die too.” The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown, but has just enough time to gasp “Why?” Replies the scorpion: “It’s my nature…”
Here the scorpion wins capital punishment for lying, betraying his benefactor, and foolishly giving in to his vices. The frog is punished for gullibility, and making a short term alliance with someone whom he knows is habitually evil. (What did he think the scorpion was going to do to frogs on the other side of the river?)
The Parables and Dante
Jesus also employed poetic justice in His parables. The story of the Unmerciful Servant, for instance, tells of a man whose master forgave him a massive debt. But the servant then went and ruthlessly demanded repayment of a small debt from a poor man. The unmerciful servant’s punishment was a classic of the genre:
Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. (Matt. 18: 33-34)
The great Christian poet of the afterlife Dante employed poetic justice when he depicted Hell. Sinners who gave in to the whirling torrents of lust got tossed about forever in storms, for instance. Those whose love proved so cold as to let them betray their benefactors stood frozen eternally in ice. And so on.
Woke Unitarians Get What They Deserve
I found a bitter Dantesque twist in a recent story of a Woke, post- and anti-Christian church in Louisville, Kentucky. Recent violent riots that swept that city after a jury declined to charge police officers in the death of Breonna Taylor. Louisville’s First Unitarian Church spotted an opportunity to virtue signal, and pounced. Finding a loophole in city law that exempted churches from curfew laws meant to stem the riots, it invited rioters in — so they could escape arrest. Bizpac Review reports:
“So the church has opened this up as a sanctuary” — a place to get refreshments and legal aid if they need,” Brother Tim Duncan, a volunteer with the church explained amid the second night of protests… . “It is a way of showing that we are with you. We are a part with you, and we are with the struggle and a struggle that has gone on for centuries, that this God is one who is always on the side of the oppressed,” he later told Courier Journal reporters, standing under a banner at the church reading “Black Lives Matter.” About 100 protesters reportedly marched up to the Louisville church when the curfew began, and many made their way inside before the building and grounds were eventually encircled by police.
What happened next is what’s funny: The rioters took the place over, and drove out the very church members who’d asked them in. And the reporters. [Gross profanity in clip.]
White people have just been threatened with assault and kicked out of the church sanctuary grounds. Almost all press were demanded to leave as well #Louisville #LouisvilleProtests #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/NK1cJVnBU8 — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) September 25, 2020
So the self-congratulatory post-Christians who wanted to help violent rioters evade the law found themselves run off trembling into the street.
What happened next is disappointing. Police circled the building, declared an “unlawful assembly” and waited till protesters left. They didn’t arrest these ungrateful scofflaws.
A Happier Ending
This ending spoils the poetic justice just a bit. How this story should really end would be: the police throw up their hands and march away. A local judge elected with help from George Soros declares that the protesters have “squatters’ rights,” and may stay indefinitely. Eventually, the scared lily-white Unitarian pastor signs over the title to the property to some “community organizer.”
It’s taken over by drug dealers, and burns down a few months later. The charred ruins left behind stand as a monument to folly — as vast swathes of blue cities really will stand in the wake of the left’s savage lawlessness.
That’s how I’d write it, anyway. But I’m a sucker for happy endings.
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--2020-09-27--Rocket Launchers, Righteousness and Mercy

Fighting fire with fire is the rough justice of this world .
We see something we regard as evil and “ If I had a rocket launcher … ” The mobs busting up our cities and burning down neighborhoods would , no doubt , love to get their hands on a rocket launcher or two .
But then again , how many of us good , God-fearing , Bible-believing , washed-in-the-blood Christians wouldn ’ t mind having a couple ourselves just in case .
Or if not a rocket launcher , enough votes to take over .
Put another way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice is Inviting , But Jesus Calls for Righteousness You have to admit that decisive , swift justice is an inviting prospect .
Over the centuries emperors , popes , and Puritans have all succumbed to the idea no less than fascists , mobsters , and communists .
The results in every case have been predictably bloody and tragic .
Nonetheless we hunger and thirst for our kind of justice right now .
By contrast Jesus said , “ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness ” ( Matthew 5:6 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with its cognates ) has gotten snarled up in our disagreements about the doctrine of justification and while those are important debates , there ’ s more to that word .
Righteousness is used , according to The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament , “ for the right conduct of man which follows the will of God and is pleasing to Him , for the rectitude of life before God , for uprightness before His judgment ” ( II.198 ) .
That is , righteousness is a way of life that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will , and God ’ s judgment .
When he discovered that his betrothed , Mary , was pregnant , Joseph had the right to public accuse her of adultery and cast the first stone ( Leviticus 20:10 ; John 8:3-5 ) .
Instead , “ being a righteous man and unwilling to put her to shame , [ he ] resolved to send her away quietly ” ( Matthew 1:19 ) .
Joseph ’ s righteousness was more than legal status .
It defined his decision-making , the way he treated others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God ’ s Law .
Hunger and thirst for this , said Jesus .
Jesus went on : “ Blessed are the merciful , for they will be shown mercy ” ( Matthew 5:7 ) .
Righteousness defines our relationship to God .
We are righteous by grace and by living lives that conform to God ’ s standards and avoid His judgment .
Act With Mercy .
But Mercy is Not Indulgence .
Mercy defines our relationship to others .
Which others ?
Those who are like us and , more important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : fire-bombing rioters , transgender rights advocates , tyrannical governors , anti-Christian neighbors , biased newscasters , racists , traitors , pornographers , and all enemies of the decent and the good .
These are the people to whom God extends mercy .
And if they are the people to whom God extends mercy , can we do otherwise ?
St. Paul reminds us , that as far is God is concerned , we tool “ were estranged and hostile in mind , doing evil deeds ” ( Colossians 1:21 ) .
God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
Mercy is not , of course , indulgence .
Righteousness informs mercy .
The combination then allows us to speak gently and kindly , but also truthfully and directly , confronting the unrighteous , the sinful , the angry and the mean .
My goodness , you say , that will make us unpopular at least , perhaps even hated .
Indeed it might , but Jesus had that covered too : “ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sermon on the Beatitudes , St. Leo the Great ( 400-461 ) told his hearers , “ Recognize , Christian , the worth of your wisdom , and understand to what rewards you are called , and by what methods of discipline you must attain thereto .
Mercy wishes you to be merciful , Righteousness to be righteous , that the Creator may be seen in His creature , and the image of God may be reflected in the mirror of the human heart expressed by the lines of imitation.
” By being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , exhibiting His image to others .
He is the God who in the person of Jesus Christ fought sin and violent hatred with pure righteousness and unstinting mercy .
Having a rocket launcher , enough votes , or perhaps a ring of power to force people back to the good , the true , and the beautiful tempts us .
But we are far better off adopting a stronger , more effective , and godlier policy .
While he didn ’ t write the line , J. R. R. Tolkien would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Hobbit Gandalf notes that some believe “ it is only great power that can hold evil in check , but that is not what I have found .
I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay .
Small acts of kindness and love.
” Or , we might say , small acts of righteousness and mercy — the kind God has always used to change the world .
Dr. James Tonkowich , a senior contributor to The Stream , is a freelance writer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religion and public life .
He is the author of The Liberty Threat : The Attack on Religious Freedom in America Today and Pears , Grapes , and Dates : A Good Life After Mid-Life .
Jim serves as Director of Distance Learning at Wyoming Catholic College and is host of the college ’ s weekly podcast , “ The After Dinner Scholar .
”

Protesting military dictatorships in Central and South America, singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn wrote:
Here comes the helicopter—second time today
Everybody scatters and hopes it goes away
How many kids they’ve murdered only God can say
If I had a rocket launcher… I’d make somebody pay
Fighting fire with fire is the rough justice of this world. We see something we regard as evil and “If I had a rocket launcher …”
The mobs busting up our cities and burning down neighborhoods would, no doubt, love to get their hands on a rocket launcher or two. But then again, how many of us good, God-fearing, Bible-believing, washed-in-the-blood Christians wouldn’t mind having a couple ourselves just in case. Or if not a rocket launcher, enough votes to take over. Put another way, “make somebody pay.”
Swift Justice is Inviting, But Jesus Calls for Righteousness
You have to admit that decisive, swift justice is an inviting prospect. Over the centuries emperors, popes, and Puritans have all succumbed to the idea no less than fascists, mobsters, and communists. The results in every case have been predictably bloody and tragic. Nonetheless we hunger and thirst for our kind of justice right now.
By contrast Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matthew 5:6).
The word “righteousness” (along with its cognates) has gotten snarled up in our disagreements about the doctrine of justification and while those are important debates, there’s more to that word.
Righteousness is used, according to The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, “for the right conduct of man which follows the will of God and is pleasing to Him, for the rectitude of life before God, for uprightness before His judgment” (II.198). That is, righteousness is a way of life that reflects God law, God’s will, and God’s judgment.
When he discovered that his betrothed, Mary, was pregnant, Joseph had the right to public accuse her of adultery and cast the first stone (Leviticus 20:10; John 8:3-5). Instead, “being a righteous man and unwilling to put her to shame, [he] resolved to send her away quietly” (Matthew 1:19).
Joseph’s righteousness was more than legal status. It defined his decision-making, the way he treated others, and his relationship to God and God’s Law.
Hunger and thirst for this, said Jesus.
Jesus went on: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
Righteousness defines our relationship to God. We are righteous by grace and by living lives that conform to God’s standards and avoid His judgment.
Act With Mercy. But Mercy is Not Indulgence.
Mercy defines our relationship to others. Which others? Those who are like us and, more important, those who are not like us: fire-bombing rioters, transgender rights advocates, tyrannical governors, anti-Christian neighbors, biased newscasters, racists, traitors, pornographers, and all enemies of the decent and the good.
These are the people to whom God extends mercy. And if they are the people to whom God extends mercy, can we do otherwise? St. Paul reminds us, that as far is God is concerned, we tool “were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” (Colossians 1:21). God’s mercy stayed his judgment on you.
Mercy is not, of course, indulgence. Righteousness informs mercy. The combination then allows us to speak gently and kindly, but also truthfully and directly, confronting the unrighteous, the sinful, the angry and the mean.
My goodness, you say, that will make us unpopular at least, perhaps even hated.
Indeed it might, but Jesus had that covered too: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).
In his sermon on the Beatitudes, St. Leo the Great (400-461) told his hearers, “Recognize, Christian, the worth of your wisdom, and understand to what rewards you are called, and by what methods of discipline you must attain thereto. Mercy wishes you to be merciful, Righteousness to be righteous, that the Creator may be seen in His creature, and the image of God may be reflected in the mirror of the human heart expressed by the lines of imitation.”
Imitating God
By being righteous and merciful, we imitate God, exhibiting His image to others. He is the God who in the person of Jesus Christ fought sin and violent hatred with pure righteousness and unstinting mercy.
Having a rocket launcher, enough votes, or perhaps a ring of power to force people back to the good, the true, and the beautiful tempts us. But we are far better off adopting a stronger, more effective, and godlier policy.
While he didn’t write the line, J. R. R. Tolkien would have happy that in the movie version of The Hobbit Gandalf notes that some believe “it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”
Or, we might say, small acts of righteousness and mercy — the kind God has always used to change the world.
Dr. James Tonkowich, a senior contributor to The Stream, is a freelance writer, speaker and commentator on spirituality, religion and public life. He is the author of The Liberty Threat: The Attack on Religious Freedom in America Today and Pears, Grapes, and Dates: A Good Life After Mid-Life. Jim serves as Director of Distance Learning at Wyoming Catholic College and is host of the college’s weekly podcast, “The After Dinner Scholar.”