thestream--2020-04-18--Is Protesting the Ongoing Coronavirus Lockdowns an ‘Essential’ Activity?

As lockdowns around the country continue due to the coronavirus , fed-up Americans have started to engage in protests .
They worry that their businesses won ’ t survive if required to stay closed any longer .
Gov .
Roy Cooper of North Carolina signed an executive order shutting down the state , with no end date mentioned .
The libertarian group # ReOpenNC held a protest in Raleigh on Tuesday .
About 100 people showed up , and most of them remained in their cars to comply with social distancing .
But the police showed up and ended the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of # ReOpenNC , told The Federalist she had received permission for the demonstration from the Wake Forest Sheriff ’ s Department and the Raleigh Police Department .
Monica Faith Ussery suffered arrest merely for walking through the parking lot .
The police warned both protesters who were walking and those in their cars .
But when the police arrested Ussery , she was by herself .
Those who had been standing near her dispersed .
The Police Went Beyond the Governor ’ s Order The Raleigh police tweeted that protesting is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order never stated that protesting was a non-essential activity .
It states that public gatherings of more than 10 are prohibited .
The police went above and beyond the governor ’ s order .
In Michigan , Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ( D ) issued arguably the most drastic stay-at-home order in the country .
It bans public and private gatherings , and bans most travel between residences .
It prohibits the purchase of many products deemed non-essential .
Four sheriffs are refusing to enforce parts of the order .
They said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ [ Whitmer ] has created a vague framework of emergency laws that only confuse Michigan citizens , ” the sheriffs wrote .
“ Each of us took an oath to uphold and defend the Michigan Constitution , as well as the U.S. Constitution , and to ensure that your God-given rights are not violated .
We believe we are the last line of defense in protecting your civil liberties.
” Thousands rallied at Michigan ’ s capital city of Lansing on Wednesday to protest .
The “ Operation Gridlock ” demonstration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Whitmer didn ’ t budge , and instead may exacerbate the situation .
She nastily responded afterwards , “ this is the kind of behavior that extends the needs for stay-at-home orders.
” Protests have also taken place in other states , including Kentucky , Utah , Ohio , Virginia and Minnesota .
An abortion protest took place in North Carolina on March 30 at a clinic in Greensboro .
All seven protesters suffered arrest and face charges .
Police told them that their protest constituted a non-essential activity .
Sen. Ted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the abortion protesters in North Carolina was unconstitutional .
Abortion opponents in Michigan have sued Governor Whitmer over her stay-at-home order .
One of the plaintiffs said he was cited by police for protesting outside of a clinic on March 31 .
Ironically , the police told the protesters abortion is considered “ essential ” under the governor ’ s order .
But the First Amendment protest activity was not .
Twitter is chiming in , censoring people for organizing protests .
Police seem only to be cracking down on protests by conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the release of illegal immigrants from a jail due to the Coronavirus was not stopped by police .
And things like installing a new speed trap on a road the state calls “ essential.
” So what does the law say ?
In Jacobson v. Massachusetts , 197 U.S. 11 ( 1905 ) , the Supreme Court ruled that the “ police power ” of the States embraces “ reasonable regulations … as will protect the public health and safety.
” States also have statutes authorizing them to take action during public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Struck Down But the First Amendment protects the right to publicly protest .
It ’ s true that fundamental rights can be overridden during a state of emergency .
However , the government ’ s regulations can not be overly broad or discriminatory .
They can not be so broad that they completely prohibit the right to demonstrate .
They must be narrowly tailored .
This could mean requiring social distancing and face masks but not completely banning a protest .
Legal scholars say a flat-out ban on protests will likely be struck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a letter directed to public officials echoing this on how to straddle this line .
The wide spectrum of co-signers included Americans for Prosperity , Freedom Forum and the National Coalition Against Censorship .
President Trump tweeted his support for protesters in three of the states on Friday .
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee responded to the tweets immediately , saying the protests could lead to violence .
Protesting is a fundamental right of our democratic republic .
It ’ s not one that may be lightly surrendered .
There are several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
Will law enforcement react appropriately , or will there be more overreactions ?
Four sheriffs in Michigan have figured it out .
Any public official or law enforcement agency that hasn ’ t risks losing in court .
It will not be cheap for taxpayers once all the lawsuits start .

As lockdowns around the country continue due to the coronavirus, fed-up Americans have started to engage in protests. They worry that their businesses won’t survive if required to stay closed any longer.
Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina signed an executive order shutting down the state, with no end date mentioned. The libertarian group #ReOpenNC held a protest in Raleigh on Tuesday. About 100 people showed up, and most of them remained in their cars to comply with social distancing.
But the police showed up and ended the protest. Ashley Smith, the co-founder of #ReOpenNC, told The Federalist she had received permission for the demonstration from the Wake Forest Sheriff’s Department and the Raleigh Police Department.
Monica Faith Ussery suffered arrest merely for walking through the parking lot. The police warned both protesters who were walking and those in their cars. But when the police arrested Ussery, she was by herself. Those who had been standing near her dispersed.
The Police Went Beyond the Governor’s Order
The Raleigh police tweeted that protesting is a non-essential activity. But Cooper’s order never stated that protesting was a non-essential activity. It states that public gatherings of more than 10 are prohibited. The police went above and beyond the governor’s order.
Protesting is a non-essential activity. — Raleigh Police (@raleighpolice) April 14, 2020
In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) issued arguably the most drastic stay-at-home order in the country. It bans public and private gatherings, and bans most travel between residences. It prohibits the purchase of many products deemed non-essential. Four sheriffs are refusing to enforce parts of the order. They said they believe she has overstepped her executive power.
Mason County Sheriff, Benzie County Sheriff, Manistee County Sheriff, and Leelanau County Sheriff say they will next strictly enforce @GovWhitmer's Executive Orders pic.twitter.com/CewjVToFDD — Nick Ponton (@nick_ponton) April 15, 2020
“[Whitmer] has created a vague framework of emergency laws that only confuse Michigan citizens,” the sheriffs wrote. “Each of us took an oath to uphold and defend the Michigan Constitution, as well as the U.S. Constitution, and to ensure that your God-given rights are not violated. We believe we are the last line of defense in protecting your civil liberties.”
Gov. Whitmer’s Nasty Response to the Protest
Thousands rallied at Michigan’s capital city of Lansing on Wednesday to protest. The “Operation Gridlock” demonstration was organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition. Whitmer didn’t budge, and instead may exacerbate the situation. She nastily responded afterwards, “this is the kind of behavior that extends the needs for stay-at-home orders.”
Protests have also taken place in other states, including Kentucky, Utah, Ohio, Virginia and Minnesota.
An abortion protest took place in North Carolina on March 30 at a clinic in Greensboro. All seven protesters suffered arrest and face charges. Police told them that their protest constituted a non-essential activity. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) tweeted that arresting the abortion protesters in North Carolina was unconstitutional.
Abortion: Essential. Protesting Abortion: Not.
Abortion opponents in Michigan have sued Governor Whitmer over her stay-at-home order. One of the plaintiffs said he was cited by police for protesting outside of a clinic on March 31. Ironically, the police told the protesters abortion is considered “essential” under the governor’s order. But the First Amendment protest activity was not.
Twitter is chiming in, censoring people for organizing protests.
A radio host was just locked out of her account for trying to organize a protest in Albany.
Do they do this to violent Antifa? @jack @TwitterSupport https://t.co/Zi4iHynXAY — Amanda (@AmandaPresto) April 16, 2020
Police seem only to be cracking down on protests by conservatives. A protest held in California demanding the release of illegal immigrants from a jail due to the Coronavirus was not stopped by police. And things like installing a new speed trap on a road the state calls “essential.”
So “essential” work in NY includes erecting a new speed trap. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2bWWedojFa — Jason Epstein (@Southfive) April 16, 2020
So what does the law say? In Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11 (1905), the Supreme Court ruled that the “police power” of the States embraces “reasonable regulations … as will protect the public health and safety.” States also have statutes authorizing them to take action during public health crises.
Banning Protests Will Likely be Struck Down
But the First Amendment protects the right to publicly protest. It’s true that fundamental rights can be overridden during a state of emergency. However, the government’s regulations cannot be overly broad or discriminatory. They cannot be so broad that they completely prohibit the right to demonstrate. They must be narrowly tailored. This could mean requiring social distancing and face masks but not completely banning a protest. Legal scholars say a flat-out ban on protests will likely be struck down by the courts.
Several organizations issued a letter directed to public officials echoing this on how to straddle this line. The wide spectrum of co-signers included Americans for Prosperity, Freedom Forum and the National Coalition Against Censorship.
President Trump tweeted his support for protesters in three of the states on Friday.
LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
LIBERATE MICHIGAN! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
LIBERATE MINNESOTA! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee responded to the tweets immediately, saying the protests could lead to violence.
Protesting is a fundamental right of our democratic republic. It’s not one that may be lightly surrendered. There are several more protests planned for this weekend around the country. Will law enforcement react appropriately, or will there be more overreactions? Four sheriffs in Michigan have figured it out. Any public official or law enforcement agency that hasn’t risks losing in court. It will not be cheap for taxpayers once all the lawsuits start.
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate. Rachel Alexander is a senior editor of The Stream. Follow her on Twitter at Rach_IC. Follow The Stream at streamdotorg. Send tips to [email protected].


thestream--2020-04-18--Let’s Flatten the Deadly “Hunger Curve”

Let’s Flatten the Deadly “Hunger Curve”

We must protect Americans in the greatest danger from the Coronavirus .
Yes , we honor our fathers and mothers .
We love our neighbors , sick or healthy , as ourselves .
But we also love our freedoms , and the Constitution that guards them .
And we must go even further , and love our fellow man in poor countries far away .
We can not let our zeal for fighting this new disease make us radically short-sighted and selfish .
Our regime is not like China ’ s .
There ’ s a vast at-risk population which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here at home , millions of working class and poor Americans can not afford another month , much less eighteen months or more , of state-imposed austerity .
Beyond our shores , hundreds of millions face the prospect of hunger , and hunger-driven wars .
Ripple effects from the U.S. socioeconomic paralysis threaten to drown them .
When America sneezes , these people catch pneumonia .
The Coronavirus is a real threat and a new one .
But it ’ s far from being the worst cause of death on earth .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the oldest plague of our race .
Tyranny has been the second-greatest killer in modern times .
Historian R.J. Rummel documented in Death by Government that in just 90 years , almost 170 million people were murdered by the regimes whose job it was protect them .
That number doesn ’ t include casualties of war .
So pardon us if we take safety precautions against our own governors and mayors when they attacking our country ’ s Constitution .
That thin paper wall protects us from the dangers of the Tyrannovirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For instance , Feeding America , America ’ s largest hunger-relief network .
It described the impact of our national lockdown as a perfect storm of high demand , low donations , and few volunteers .
In a letter to the White House , the American Farm Bureau offered a solemn warning .
The “ skyrocketing demand ” at foodbanks and food pantries threatens public order .
Governors have deployed the National Guard to keep the peace .
Right now , those same governors are mulling over the White House ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
We can ’ t let them lose sight of the most fundamental moral imperative : to keep food flowing to the hungry .
That means , in practice , liberating the food supply chain so our most vulnerable don ’ t suffer any more than they already have .
The longer local officials wait to move U.S. locales from “ phase one ” ( today ’ s lockdown ) to “ phase two ” ( younger , healthier folks going back to work ) ?
The more we ’ ll prolong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Anarchy Look past the struggling food banks and U.S. supply chains fraying from the pandemic lockdown .
Low income countries are staggering toward the brink .
The World Food Programme ’ s ( WFP ) maintains a food security index .
Today , that index shows African and Middle Eastern countries are the most at-risk for food insecurity .
The WFP is preparing to ramp up operations to feed anywhere from 100-120 million people in more than 80 countries .
The longer the U.S. stays locked inside , the hungrier and angrier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the U.N. have warned us : “ Children are not the face of this pandemic .
But they risk being among its biggest victims.
” Bolshevik revolutionary Leon Trotsky didn ’ t say it .
Alfred Henry Lewis , a novelist from Ohio , made the famous observation : “ There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy.
” Look over history .
See how hunger cracked public order in France in 1789 , and Russia in 1917 .
Dozens of countries in the developing world might face similar chaos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Do we have your attention now ?
Malnutrition and chronic hunger accounts for nearly half of all deaths in children under the age of five in the developing world .
Even before the Coronavirus broke the U.S. economy , 821 million people went to bed hungry at night .
How much worse have things gotten now , with the breadbasket of the world , the United States of America , shackled and staggering ?
We won ’ t know till the new death figures come in , months from now .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africa warns what his country faces .
“ The hard reality facing us all is that Ghana is virtually sitting on a food security time bomb… .
” Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
India reports a mass exodus from farms as stay-at-home orders are enforced .
That means a farm labor shortage which a BBC India correspondent called “ unprecedented.
” Meanwhile , in China , rural populations far removed from the Communist Party elite and its fat bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst governments , the most corruption , and the hungriest people , will feel the harshest impact of America ’ s shutdowns and lockouts .
Likewise , citizens of our worst-governed cities and states will face a bleak future this winter .
The world needs America working again .
So do Americans .
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream .
He is a film producer , author , activist and human rights worker .
You can follow him @ TGCWithJason .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
Jones and Zmirak jointly authored The Race to Save Our Century .

We must protect Americans in the greatest danger from the Coronavirus. Yes, we honor our fathers and mothers. We love our neighbors, sick or healthy, as ourselves. But we also love our freedoms, and the Constitution that guards them. And we must go even further, and love our fellow man in poor countries far away. We cannot let our zeal for fighting this new disease make us radically short-sighted and selfish. Our regime is not like China’s.
There’s a vast at-risk population which few commentators bother to talk about. Here at home, millions of working class and poor Americans cannot afford another month, much less eighteen months or more, of state-imposed austerity. Beyond our shores, hundreds of millions face the prospect of hunger, and hunger-driven wars. Ripple effects from the U.S. socioeconomic paralysis threaten to drown them. When America sneezes, these people catch pneumonia.
The Coronavirus is a real threat and a new one. But it’s far from being the worst cause of death on earth. That “honor” goes to hunger, the oldest plague of our race.
Tyranny has been the second-greatest killer in modern times. Historian R.J. Rummel documented in Death by Government that in just 90 years, almost 170 million people were murdered by the regimes whose job it was protect them. That number doesn’t include casualties of war. So pardon us if we take safety precautions against our own governors and mayors when they attacking our country’s Constitution. That thin paper wall protects us from the dangers of the Tyrannovirus.
Warnings from the Front Lines
The warnings stream in from front-line responders. For instance, Feeding America, America’s largest hunger-relief network. It described the impact of our national lockdown as a perfect storm of high demand, low donations, and few volunteers. In a letter to the White House, the American Farm Bureau offered a solemn warning. The “skyrocketing demand” at foodbanks and food pantries threatens public order. Governors have deployed the National Guard to keep the peace.
Millions of working class and poor Americans cannot afford another month, much less eighteen months or more, of state-imposed austerity. Beyond our shores, hundreds of millions face the prospect of hunger, and hunger-driven wars.
Right now, those same governors are mulling over the White House’s “three-phase” plan for reopening our country. We can’t let them lose sight of the most fundamental moral imperative: to keep food flowing to the hungry. That means, in practice, liberating the food supply chain so our most vulnerable don’t suffer any more than they already have. The longer local officials wait to move U.S. locales from “phase one” (today’s lockdown) to “phase two” (younger, healthier folks going back to work)? The more we’ll prolong the suffering.
Nine Missed Meals Away from Anarchy
Look past the struggling food banks and U.S. supply chains fraying from the pandemic lockdown. Low income countries are staggering toward the brink. The World Food Programme’s (WFP) maintains a food security index. Today, that index shows African and Middle Eastern countries are the most at-risk for food insecurity. The WFP is preparing to ramp up operations to feed anywhere from 100-120 million people in more than 80 countries. The longer the U.S. stays locked inside, the hungrier and angrier those people will become. As officials at the U.N. have warned us: “Children are not the face of this pandemic. But they risk being among its biggest victims.”
Bolshevik revolutionary Leon Trotsky didn’t say it. Alfred Henry Lewis, a novelist from Ohio, made the famous observation: “There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy.” Look over history. See how hunger cracked public order in France in 1789, and Russia in 1917. Dozens of countries in the developing world might face similar chaos, and give way to such evil regimes. Do we have your attention now?
Flatten the Hunger Curve
Malnutrition and chronic hunger accounts for nearly half of all deaths in children under the age of five in the developing world. Even before the Coronavirus broke the U.S. economy, 821 million people went to bed hungry at night. How much worse have things gotten now, with the breadbasket of the world, the United States of America, shackled and staggering? We won’t know till the new death figures come in, months from now. A Cornell Alliance for Science fellow in West Africa warns what his country faces. “The hard reality facing us all is that Ghana is virtually sitting on a food security time bomb… .”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
India reports a mass exodus from farms as stay-at-home orders are enforced. That means a farm labor shortage which a BBC India correspondent called “unprecedented.” Meanwhile, in China, rural populations far removed from the Communist Party elite and its fat bank accounts will also suffer.
Nations with the worst governments, the most corruption, and the hungriest people, will feel the harshest impact of America’s shutdowns and lockouts. Likewise, citizens of our worst-governed cities and states will face a bleak future this winter.
The world needs America working again. So do Americans.
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream. He is a film producer, author, activist and human rights worker. You can follow him @TGCWithJason.
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.
Jones and Zmirak jointly authored The Race to Save Our Century.


thestream--2020-04-18--‘Do Not Put the Lord Your God to the Test’ With COVID-19

You ’ ve heard these words before , taken from the Book of Deuteronomy .
They are especially well known because Jesus quoted them to the devil himself when He was being tempted in the wilderness .
Jesus said , “ Do not put the Lord your God to the test ” ( see Deuteronomy 6:16 , quoted in Matthew 4:7 ) .
But what , exactly , does this mean , and how does it apply to Christians and the coronavirus ?
On Easter Sunday , a pastor in Louisiana defied the state ’ s ban on large gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in celebration .
They were not going to be intimidated by a virus .
The government was not going to shut them down .
Now , it is reported that the church ’ s lawyer , who was present in recent church gatherings , is battling COVID-19 .
Another parishioner ’ s has now died , allegedly of the virus , although the pastor disputes this .
“ God is Larger Than This Dreaded Virus ” is True On March 22 , a highly respected pastor in Virginia defied his state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During the service , he pointed out proudly that there were more than 10 people present , encouraging them to greet one another freely .
He also proclaimed that “ God is larger than this dreaded virus.
” His proclamation was certainly true .
God is infinitely larger than this virus or any virus .
Unfortunately , this greatly loved pastor has since passed away , another victim of COVID-19 .
At present , four other family members have tested positive .
His daughter , one of those infected , is now urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety guidelines .
What is the lesson here ?
We Should Not Put the Lord to the Test Should we cower in fear before a virus ?
Certainly not .
Should we obey every last whim and dictate of the government , even when local administrations are guilty of dangerous overreach ?
Absolutely not , as the Department of Justice recently affirmed as well .
But we should not put the Lord to a test .
In other words , we should not willingly and needlessly put ourselves in harm ’ s way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Matthew ’ s gospel , we read that the devil , apparently in a vision , took Jesus to Jerusalem “ and had him stand on the highest point of the temple .
‘ If you are the Son of God , ’ he said , ‘ throw yourself down .
For it is written : ‘ He will command his angels concerning you , and they will lift you up in their hands , so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
’ ” Amazingly , Satan quoted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as that sounds .
( It ’ s sad but true that the devil knows the Bible a lot better than many Christians do . )
And the devil seemed to have a point .
After all , wasn ’ t it written in Psalm 91:11-12 that God ’ s angels would protect His devoted people , not letting them strike their feet against a stone ?
If Jesus was really God ’ s Son , making Him the most devoted servant of all , then surely this promise applied to Him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was saying .
“ Jump off the pinnacle of the temple , and let the angels catch you.
” Jesus replied , “ It is also written : ‘ Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
’ ” ( See Matthew 4:5-7 ) Do you see the point ?
We Can Having Faith in Dangerous Situations Without Testing God It ’ s one thing if you ’ re preaching the Gospel overseas in an isolated village and suddenly all the villagers come down sick .
Some of them even die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself , doing God ’ s work .
And you have no medical help .
Either God delivers you or you , too , will get sick or even die .
You can certainly look to Him for protection and healing .
There is nothing presumptuous about it .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Or the Lord might send you on a mission to bring the Gospel into a dangerous region .
You know that you could be killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are willing to risk your life for Jesus , and you have counted the cost before embarking on your mission .
It ’ s another thing entirely if you willingly put yourself in the place of danger when you don ’ t have to , then expect God to protect you .
It ’ s even worse when you turn things into a public test , thereby bringing potential reproach on the name of the Lord .
The pastor in Louisiana is obviously bold and unashamed about his faith .
And he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government when he feels his rights are being threatened .
But when he says that he and his people are not afraid to die for Jesus and for freedom , with all respect , I believe he misses the point .
First , there is no need to play with a potentially deadly disease .
Why die prematurely if God has a longer purpose for your life ?
Second , what about the others whom you might infect ?
What about innocent people you might stand next to in a grocery store , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You might say , “ But the Bible commands us to gather together in Hebrews 10:25 , and no one is going to stop me from doing that.
” Actually , the text is calling us not to get into the habit of isolating ourselves .
It is not commanding us to attend every single public service .
Nor is it commanding us to gather in large groups .
And it is certainly not telling us to ignore public safety guidelines .
Really now , do you quote Hebrews 10:25 when your children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to the church service to infect others ?
Or do you wisely stay at home ?
We Must Be People of Both Wisdom and Faith I ’ m all for being bold in our faith , and I ’ ve personally put myself in harm ’ s way to bring the Gospel to others .
And if the Lord gives us a command , we obey it , regardless of the consequences .
But I also understand that it is wrong to put the Lord to the test .
My brand new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Words of Faith , Hope , and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis , begins with two chapters designed to help us overcome panic and fear .
Faith is our foundation .
But the book also includes a chapter titled , “ A Little Wisdom Goes a Long Way.
” May we be people of both wisdom and faith .
And that means not putting our God to the test .
And may these two pastors whom I referenced in this article be best known for their lifelong Gospel work rather than for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is When the World Stops : Words of Faith , Hope , and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis .
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

You’ve heard these words before, taken from the Book of Deuteronomy. They are especially well known because Jesus quoted them to the devil himself when He was being tempted in the wilderness. Jesus said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (see Deuteronomy 6:16, quoted in Matthew 4:7). But what, exactly, does this mean, and how does it apply to Christians and the coronavirus?
On Easter Sunday, a pastor in Louisiana defied the state’s ban on large gatherings, calling his congregation to meet together in celebration. They were not going to be intimidated by a virus. The government was not going to shut them down.
Now, it is reported that the church’s lawyer, who was present in recent church gatherings, is battling COVID-19. Another parishioner’s has now died, allegedly of the virus, although the pastor disputes this.
“God is Larger Than This Dreaded Virus” is True
On March 22, a highly respected pastor in Virginia defied his state’s guidelines, calling his congregation together.
During the service, he pointed out proudly that there were more than 10 people present, encouraging them to greet one another freely. He also proclaimed that “God is larger than this dreaded virus.”
His proclamation was certainly true. God is infinitely larger than this virus or any virus.
Unfortunately, this greatly loved pastor has since passed away, another victim of COVID-19. At present, four other family members have tested positive.
His daughter, one of those infected, is now urging others to follow the state’s safety guidelines.
What is the lesson here?
We Should Not Put the Lord to the Test
Should we cower in fear before a virus? Certainly not.
Should we obey every last whim and dictate of the government, even when local administrations are guilty of dangerous overreach? Absolutely not, as the Department of Justice recently affirmed as well.
But we should not put the Lord to a test. In other words, we should not willingly and needlessly put ourselves in harm’s way and expect a miracle from Him.
We should not willingly and needlessly put ourselves in harm’s way and expect a miracle from Him.
In Matthew’s gospel, we read that the devil, apparently in a vision, took Jesus to Jerusalem “and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Amazingly, Satan quoted the Bible to Jesus, as unbelievable as that sounds. (It’s sad but true that the devil knows the Bible a lot better than many Christians do.)
And the devil seemed to have a point. After all, wasn’t it written in Psalm 91:11-12 that God’s angels would protect His devoted people, not letting them strike their feet against a stone?
If Jesus was really God’s Son, making Him the most devoted servant of all, then surely this promise applied to Him.
“Prove it,” the devil was saying. “Jump off the pinnacle of the temple, and let the angels catch you.”
Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (See Matthew 4:5-7)
Do you see the point?
We Can Having Faith in Dangerous Situations Without Testing God
It’s one thing if you’re preaching the Gospel overseas in an isolated village and suddenly all the villagers come down sick. Some of them even die.
There you are, all by yourself, doing God’s work. And you have no medical help. Either God delivers you or you, too, will get sick or even die.
You can certainly look to Him for protection and healing. There is nothing presumptuous about it.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Or the Lord might send you on a mission to bring the Gospel into a dangerous region. You know that you could be killed because of that mission. But you are willing to risk your life for Jesus, and you have counted the cost before embarking on your mission.
It’s another thing entirely if you willingly put yourself in the place of danger when you don’t have to, then expect God to protect you. It’s even worse when you turn things into a public test, thereby bringing potential reproach on the name of the Lord.
Don’t Miss the Point
The pastor in Louisiana is obviously bold and unashamed about his faith. And he is not afraid to stand up to the government when he feels his rights are being threatened.
But when he says that he and his people are not afraid to die for Jesus and for freedom, with all respect, I believe he misses the point.
First, there is no need to play with a potentially deadly disease. Why die prematurely if God has a longer purpose for your life?
Second, what about the others whom you might infect? What about innocent people you might stand next to in a grocery store, unknowingly transmitting the virus to them?
You might say, “But the Bible commands us to gather together in Hebrews 10:25, and no one is going to stop me from doing that.”
Actually, the text is calling us not to get into the habit of isolating ourselves. It is not commanding us to attend every single public service. Nor is it commanding us to gather in large groups. And it is certainly not telling us to ignore public safety guidelines.
Really now, do you quote Hebrews 10:25 when your children come down with chicken pox, taking them to the church service to infect others? Or do you wisely stay at home?
We Must Be People of Both Wisdom and Faith
I’m all for being bold in our faith, and I’ve personally put myself in harm’s way to bring the Gospel to others. And if the Lord gives us a command, we obey it, regardless of the consequences. But I also understand that it is wrong to put the Lord to the test.
My brand new book, When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis, begins with two chapters designed to help us overcome panic and fear. Faith is our foundation. But the book also includes a chapter titled, “A Little Wisdom Goes a Long Way.”
May we be people of both wisdom and faith. And that means not putting our God to the test.
And may these two pastors whom I referenced in this article be best known for their lifelong Gospel work rather than for these specific, virus-related events.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-04-18--COVID-19 and the Problem of Goodness and Beauty

With the COVID-19 pandemic , there has been a lot of discussion lately about the problem of evil and suffering .
If God is truly good and all-powerful , why does He allow such hurt and pain ?
But in our present moment , there is another question we must consider as well : Why is there good ?
In his book Evil and the Justice of God , N.T .
Wright states the “ problem of good ” succinctly : “ If the world is the chance assembly of accidental phenomena , why is there so much that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is there beauty , love , and laughter ?
” ( p. 19 ) .
Why is There Goodness and Beauty ?
Great question !
After all , if there is no God , why is there beauty and objective morality in the first place ?
We are taken off guard by evil and ugliness , because we expect the world to have goodness and beauty .
But why expect the world to be this way ?
Consider the atheist universe , according to Richard Dawkins in his book River Out of Eden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a universe of electrons and selfish genes , blind physical forces and genetic replication , some people are going to get hurt , other people are going to get lucky , and you won ’ t find any rhyme or reason in it , nor any justice .
The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is , at bottom , no design , no purpose , no evil , no good , nothing but pitiless indifference .
DNA neither knows nor cares .
DNA just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music .
In other words , if there is no God , then we live in a universe without objective morality , beauty and free will .
Our world just is .
But if we ’ re honest , don ’ t we know better ?
Think about it : Beauty : We know there is beauty , which is why we sneak outside of our homes during the quarantine to see the sunset or stars .
Morality : We know there is right and wrong , which is why we condemn the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 without care for others .
Free Will : We know that we make genuine choices about our lives .
After all , we can only praise the choices of people — such as this priest who willingly gave up his ventilator to a young patient , and ultimately lost his life to COVID-19 — if he made an authentic choice that was not a matter of dancing to his DNA .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
In reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beauty and ugliness .
We know the world is not amoral , but that there are both good and evil actions .
And we know that the world operates by physical forces and that people make real choices .
According to Dawkins , the atheist worldview can explain physical forces , but not free will .
It can account for ugliness , but not beauty ( “ pitiless indifference ” ) .
And the atheist worldview can potentially account for our belief in morality , but not the existence of good and evil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The atheist worldview can not explain the dichotomies of beauty and ugliness , good and evil , or free will and physical forces .
Free Will , Morality , and Goodness in the Christian Worldview But Christianity can .
God is a free Being who made us in His image and placed us in a world that operates by physical forces .
God is a moral Being who gives us the choice as to whether or not we will enter into a loving relationship with Him and with others .
God is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflects His character , but that has been marred by sin .
My point here is not to attempt an answer to the problem of evil and suffering .
This is a serious question that requires thoughtful , heartfelt reflection .
Nor am I brushing it under the carpet .
Dr. Clay Jones and I talk about why God might allow COVID-19 in this video .
Rather , my point is to raise “ the problem of good ” and the difficulty it raises for any non-theistic worldview .
I am a Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it offers a compelling reason for why the world contains the dichotomies beauty and ugliness , good and evil , as well as the existence of free will and physical forces .
Yet , as Richard Dawkins notes , the atheist worldview can not adequately account for any of these dichotomies .
When tragedies like COVID-19 hit , both atheists and Christians rightly raise the problem of evil and suffering .
Yet we must not forget the “ problems ” of goodness , beauty and free will .
Any adequate worldview must account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ph.D. , is a professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University , the National Spokesman for Summit Ministries , a best-selling author , popular speaker , and part-time high school teacher .
Follow him on Twitter : @ sean_mcdowell and his blog : seanmcdowell.org .

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a lot of discussion lately about the problem of evil and suffering. If God is truly good and all-powerful, why does He allow such hurt and pain?
Fair question.
But in our present moment, there is another question we must consider as well: Why is there good? In his book Evil and the Justice of God, N.T. Wright states the “problem of good” succinctly: “If the world is the chance assembly of accidental phenomena, why is there so much that we want to praise and celebrate? Why is there beauty, love, and laughter?” (p. 19).
Why is There Goodness and Beauty?
Great question! After all, if there is no God, why is there beauty and objective morality in the first place? We are taken off guard by evil and ugliness, because we expect the world to have goodness and beauty. But why expect the world to be this way? Consider the atheist universe, according to Richard Dawkins in his book River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life:
In a universe of electrons and selfish genes, blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people are going to get lucky, and you won’t find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference. DNA neither knows nor cares. DNA just is. And we dance to its music.
In other words, if there is no God, then we live in a universe without objective morality, beauty and free will. Our world just is.
But if we’re honest, don’t we know better? Think about it:
Beauty: We know there is beauty, which is why we sneak outside of our homes during the quarantine to see the sunset or stars.
Morality: We know there is right and wrong, which is why we condemn the actions of people who have willingly spread COVID-19 without care for others.
Free Will: We know that we make genuine choices about our lives. After all, we can only praise the choices of people — such as this priest who willingly gave up his ventilator to a young patient, and ultimately lost his life to COVID-19 — if he made an authentic choice that was not a matter of dancing to his DNA.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In reality, we all know there is both beauty and ugliness. We know the world is not amoral, but that there are both good and evil actions. And we know that the world operates by physical forces and that people make real choices.
According to Dawkins, the atheist worldview can explain physical forces, but not free will. It can account for ugliness, but not beauty (“pitiless indifference”). And the atheist worldview can potentially account for our belief in morality, but not the existence of good and evil.
Here is the bottom line: The atheist worldview cannot explain the dichotomies of beauty and ugliness, good and evil, or free will and physical forces.
Free Will, Morality, and Goodness in the Christian Worldview
But Christianity can. God is a free Being who made us in His image and placed us in a world that operates by physical forces. God is a moral Being who gives us the choice as to whether or not we will enter into a loving relationship with Him and with others. God is a beautiful Being who created a world that reflects His character, but that has been marred by sin.
My point here is not to attempt an answer to the problem of evil and suffering. This is a serious question that requires thoughtful, heartfelt reflection. Nor am I brushing it under the carpet. Dr. Clay Jones and I talk about why God might allow COVID-19 in this video.
Rather, my point is to raise “the problem of good” and the difficulty it raises for any non-theistic worldview. I am a Christian, in part, because I believe it offers a compelling reason for why the world contains the dichotomies beauty and ugliness, good and evil, as well as the existence of free will and physical forces.
Yet, as Richard Dawkins notes, the atheist worldview cannot adequately account for any of these dichotomies.
When tragedies like COVID-19 hit, both atheists and Christians rightly raise the problem of evil and suffering. Yet we must not forget the “problems” of goodness, beauty and free will. Any adequate worldview must account for all of these.
Sean McDowell, Ph.D., is a professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, the National Spokesman for Summit Ministries, a best-selling author, popular speaker, and part-time high school teacher. Follow him on Twitter: @sean_mcdowell and his blog: seanmcdowell.org.
Originally published at SeanMcDowell.org. Reprinted with permission.
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate.


thestream--2020-04-18--Delta Force General: These Are the Men America Needs Today

His Delta Force missions are legendary : the Iranian hostage crisis , the manhunt for a Colombian drug lord , and the Black Hawk Down rescue operation .
Today , Lt. General ( Ret . )
William “ Jerry ” Boykin serves a higher mission .
An ordained minister , he coaches Christian men and regularly speaks to military leaders nationwide .
“ Be ready at any time , because you never know — and I can give you examples of that , ” said General Boykin in a phone interview .
“ When you ’ re going down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accident on the side of the road , the Lord may tell you to pull off .
You may be the only one who understands : people in that wreck need prayer.
” His current most prominent role is also the most controversial .
In 2012 , the conservative Christian public policy group Family Research Council ( FRC ) brought Boykin on as executive vice president .
Alongside FRC president Tony Perkins , Boykin oversees their leadership team in Washington , D.C. and provides direction for the group ’ s social conservative issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Man to Man , Boykin cuts through cultural confusion to define the current need for true masculinity .
Now he discusses the COVID-19 crisis , five essential elements of manhood , and what U.S. families need in men today .
The interview has been lightly edited for length .
Over your 36-year military career , you ’ ve seen many crises .
What is your assessment of this coronavirus crisis and how long lasting its effects will be ?
General Boykin : I think America has changed forever .
Some of it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative way today .
This thing is bad and , tragically , lives have been lost .
But there ’ s also great potential that God is using this to bring people back to what ’ s important : back to the Word , back to a focus on him .
Look at the number of people that are watching online broadcasts and acknowledging through e-mails or posts on the web that they have come to Christ .
God is clearly in control , and he is using it to build his kingdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in His timing he ’ ll bring an end to this .
Public officials are using military terms , saying we must win against this virus .
Do you see people stepping up and engaging with this as in war ?
Boykin : In some cases , yes .
And in others , no .
The president is stepping up and being the warrior that he clearly is .
And I do see men who are stepping up and trying to be an influence on the culture right now , in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But then I see others that have failed miserably as far as I ’ m concerned , because they don ’ t recognize the nature of this war .
The Southern Poverty Law Center , or SPLC , is one of the most dangerous and malicious organizations in America today .
Rather than trying to help in a chaotic and confusing time , SPLC is only dividing the nation .
On March 18 , the SPLC once again listed Christian organizations on their updated Hate Map .
It ’ s not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s actually making Christians into targets .
And I can show you the evidence if you come to our building here at Family Research Council .
You can see the bullet holes from a deranged shooter who entered our building in 2012 , because we were listed on the SPLC Hate Map .
Years later , with the shooter still serving his 25-year sentence , FRC is still listed !
Southern Poverty Law Center is very dangerous and literally risking people ’ s lives .
With the atmosphere they ’ re creating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a failure of leadership especially at this particular time .
Turning to Man to Man , the book dedication is surprising from an Army General .
You dedicate it to your father and also to your wife , saying , “ both of whom taught me how to be a man.
” What have you learned from your wife about manhood ?
Boykin : My wife is an extraordinary woman .
She ’ s a very strong and capable woman .
I support my wife and daughters wholeheartedly .
And I also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the church , to champion them in the issues that women deal with , especially over the past 30 years of ministry .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
What my wife has done is repeatedly remind me that I am , according to the Bible , the spiritual head of the family .
So she has really not been shy about letting me know her expectations .
She quite frequently lets me know that : Now is a time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the time for you to lead us in prayer .
I would not be at Family Research Council were it not for her .
Even though I knew it , I needed the confirmation from her that this was where we were supposed to be .
She has been a strong influence in my life , encouraging me to be the man that God has called me to be .
Regarding the principles of manhood in your book , it seems like two are most focused on the family and leading at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a man is a provider .
A man provides not only for the financial needs of his family and those around him , but he provides direction .
Just like Joshua : as for me and my house , we will serve the Lord .
He provides identity .
When you go back to the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy , it ’ s all about identity .
Who are you ?
Where did you come from ?
What is the history of your family ?
A man provides it .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to read the Bible and has to know what ’ s going on in the world that we live in .
He has to be able to share that with the people around him — in an authoritative kind of way , not in conspiracy theories and that kind of stuff .
Today , fewer than seven percent of U.S. adults have a biblical worldview .
I believe it ’ s largely because men are not doing their job .
As an instructor , you ought to be reading history right along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I lay down at night , my Bible is right there and I ’ ve got some history book that I read .
Men need to put things in the context of what the Bible says about it , which is the instructor ’ s responsibility .
Also , as an instructor , men have to teach skills , but they also have to teach their children especially to endure hardship .
That ’ s because it toughens them and prepares them for the real world they go to live in .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involve the family , yet are also focused on church and society ?
Boykin : You defend what you hold dear , so a man is a defender .
I took an oath to the Constitution to support and defend it .
For 36 years , I did just that wearing the uniform of the United States Army .
But there are things that I care about today , such as life .
Therefore , I ’ m very pro-life and I actually take steps to try and defend the defenseless .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has got to realize that you can ’ t walk by something that you clearly know is wrong — like a woman being abused — and not do something .
A man has to take action .
A man can not walk by seeing that kind of thing occur and not step up and do all he can to bring it to an end .
Men are also battle buddies , like Joshua and Caleb .
Out of the 12 spies that went in to spy out the land , only two had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethos .
Ten came back and said , “ Boss , we can ’ t do it .
Sure , it ’ s a land of milk and honey , but we look like grasshoppers in the sight of these people that inhabit that land.
” But these two battle buddies were of like mind .
They trusted and loved each other .
They replied , “ Come on , we can take it because God promised it to us.
” A man needs a battle buddy he can share his greatest fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for each other in prayer ; they listen and will not compromise the other ’ s confidence .
Men are not islands .
As iron sharpens iron , so one man strengthens another .
Finally , a man is a chaplain .
At an event or other occasion , you may be the one they call on at any time to pray .
You can ’ t be the instructor or chaplain in your home if you don ’ t know the word of God .
As the spiritual head of the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldview within the children that you influence in your home .
So it ’ s an exhortation to have a structured program to read the word of God every day .
Of those five , which one or two elements do you most often see absent in young men today ?
Boykin : I would say the provider , and it ’ s not just in the physical provision .
I don ’ t see many men that recognize their responsibilities to provide for the spiritual needs , the direction and identity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come up very short in terms of being the instructor .
They get distracted by their hobbies , by other things , and they don ’ t study history .
As instructors , men ought to be helping overcome the lack of American history in our public school system .
Men ought to be teaching about the sacrifices that have been made , about the great things that America has done for the world , about the great leaders that America has produced and provided .
America has made this a better world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the negatives .
We ’ ve got to talk about slavery , too , and how we treated the American Indians .
Those tragic chapters are part of our history , which we should be teaching our children .
They ’ re sure not getting it in the public schools .
This failure is why over 50 percent of today ’ s generation say they are not extremely proud to be Americans .
We ought to all be proud to be Americans .
Men are failing , and particularly failing to teach history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking to be a godly witness during this confusing time ?
Boykin : The best thing that we can do is live our faith .
What people see in you is a whole lot more important to them than what they hear you say .
We need to be ready with God ’ s word , in season and out of season .
Because when a friend is on the cusp of suicide , we may be the very ones that can prevent that .
We may have the rapport to say : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to do this .
There ’ s another way , which is through the blood of Jesus Christ.
” We may be the very ones that lead them to Christ .
But we as Christians have got to be ready and looking for those opportunities that Christ is clearly going to give us .
I recently spoke to a stockbroker friend of mine out in California .
He said his clients are not Christians , but he has had many of them now ask him to pray for them in this confusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredible .
So let people see you living your faith now .
Because it ’ s not going to be long before they ’ re going to be approaching you .
The sixth book by General William “ Jerry ” Boykin , Man to Man is currently available wherever books are sold .
Watch the video below to hear more of his story .
A graduate of the University of Colorado , Josh M. Shepherd covers culture , faith , and public policy issues for media outlets including The Stream and The Federalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

His Delta Force missions are legendary: the Iranian hostage crisis, the manhunt for a Colombian drug lord, and the Black Hawk Down rescue operation.
Today, Lt. General (Ret.) William “Jerry” Boykin serves a higher mission. An ordained minister, he coaches Christian men and regularly speaks to military leaders nationwide.
“Be ready at any time, because you never know — and I can give you examples of that,” said General Boykin in a phone interview. “When you’re going down the highway, if there’s an accident on the side of the road, the Lord may tell you to pull off. You may be the only one who understands: people in that wreck need prayer.”
His current most prominent role is also the most controversial. In 2012, the conservative Christian public policy group Family Research Council (FRC) brought Boykin on as executive vice president. Alongside FRC president Tony Perkins, Boykin oversees their leadership team in Washington, D.C. and provides direction for the group’s social conservative issue advocacy.
In his latest book, Man to Man, Boykin cuts through cultural confusion to define the current need for true masculinity. Now he discusses the COVID-19 crisis, five essential elements of manhood, and what U.S. families need in men today. The interview has been lightly edited for length.
Warriors And Failures During Global Pandemic
Over your 36-year military career, you’ve seen many crises. What is your assessment of this coronavirus crisis and how long lasting its effects will be?
General Boykin: I think America has changed forever. Some of it will be in what we would consider a negative way today. This thing is bad and, tragically, lives have been lost. But there’s also great potential that God is using this to bring people back to what’s important: back to the Word, back to a focus on him.
Look at the number of people that are watching online broadcasts and acknowledging through e-mails or posts on the web that they have come to Christ. God is clearly in control, and he is using it to build his kingdom. When his purposes have been served, in His timing he’ll bring an end to this.
Public officials are using military terms, saying we must win against this virus. Do you see people stepping up and engaging with this as in war?
Boykin: In some cases, yes. And in others, no. The president is stepping up and being the warrior that he clearly is. And I do see men who are stepping up and trying to be an influence on the culture right now, in their neighborhoods, and certainly in their families.
But then I see others that have failed miserably as far as I’m concerned, because they don’t recognize the nature of this war. The Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC, is one of the most dangerous and malicious organizations in America today. Rather than trying to help in a chaotic and confusing time, SPLC is only dividing the nation.
On March 18, the SPLC once again listed Christian organizations on their updated Hate Map. It’s not just denigrating Christian and conservative groups — it’s actually making Christians into targets. And I can show you the evidence if you come to our building here at Family Research Council. You can see the bullet holes from a deranged shooter who entered our building in 2012, because we were listed on the SPLC Hate Map.
Years later, with the shooter still serving his 25-year sentence, FRC is still listed! Southern Poverty Law Center is very dangerous and literally risking people’s lives. With the atmosphere they’re creating with that Hate Map, it’s a failure of leadership especially at this particular time.
Men, Women, And Family Roles
Turning to Man to Man, the book dedication is surprising from an Army General. You dedicate it to your father and also to your wife, saying, “both of whom taught me how to be a man.” What have you learned from your wife about manhood?
Boykin: My wife is an extraordinary woman. She’s a very strong and capable woman.
I support my wife and daughters wholeheartedly. And I also have been very supportive of women in the church, to champion them in the issues that women deal with, especially over the past 30 years of ministry.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
What my wife has done is repeatedly remind me that I am, according to the Bible, the spiritual head of the family. So she has really not been shy about letting me know her expectations. She quite frequently lets me know that: Now is a time for you to step up. Now is the time for you to lead us in prayer.
I would not be at Family Research Council were it not for her. Even though I knew it, I needed the confirmation from her that this was where we were supposed to be. She has been a strong influence in my life, encouraging me to be the man that God has called me to be.
Five Essential Elements of Manhood
Regarding the principles of manhood in your book, it seems like two are most focused on the family and leading at home?
Boykin: To begin with, a man is a provider. A man provides not only for the financial needs of his family and those around him, but he provides direction. Just like Joshua: as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He provides identity. When you go back to the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, it’s all about identity. Who are you? Where did you come from? What is the history of your family? A man provides it.
A man is an instructor. A man has to read the Bible and has to know what’s going on in the world that we live in. He has to be able to share that with the people around him — in an authoritative kind of way, not in conspiracy theories and that kind of stuff. Today, fewer than seven percent of U.S. adults have a biblical worldview. I believe it’s largely because men are not doing their job.
As an instructor, you ought to be reading history right along with your Bible. Personally, before I lay down at night, my Bible is right there and I’ve got some history book that I read. Men need to put things in the context of what the Bible says about it, which is the instructor’s responsibility. Also, as an instructor, men have to teach skills, but they also have to teach their children especially to endure hardship. That’s because it toughens them and prepares them for the real world they go to live in.
Then the other three essential elements of manhood involve the family, yet are also focused on church and society?
Boykin: You defend what you hold dear, so a man is a defender. I took an oath to the Constitution to support and defend it. For 36 years, I did just that wearing the uniform of the United States Army. But there are things that I care about today, such as life. Therefore, I’m very pro-life and I actually take steps to try and defend the defenseless.
But also as a defender, a man has got to realize that you can’t walk by something that you clearly know is wrong — like a woman being abused — and not do something. A man has to take action. A man cannot walk by seeing that kind of thing occur and not step up and do all he can to bring it to an end.
Men are also battle buddies, like Joshua and Caleb. Out of the 12 spies that went in to spy out the land, only two had the warrior’s heart and warrior ethos. Ten came back and said, “Boss, we can’t do it. Sure, it’s a land of milk and honey, but we look like grasshoppers in the sight of these people that inhabit that land.”
But these two battle buddies were of like mind. They trusted and loved each other. They replied, “Come on, we can take it because God promised it to us.” A man needs a battle buddy he can share his greatest fears and concerns with. These men battle for each other in prayer; they listen and will not compromise the other’s confidence. Men are not islands. As iron sharpens iron, so one man strengthens another.
Finally, a man is a chaplain. At an event or other occasion, you may be the one they call on at any time to pray. You can’t be the instructor or chaplain in your home if you don’t know the word of God. As the spiritual head of the family, you are to develop a biblical worldview within the children that you influence in your home. So it’s an exhortation to have a structured program to read the word of God every day.
Opportunity in the Crisis
Of those five, which one or two elements do you most often see absent in young men today?
Boykin: I would say the provider, and it’s not just in the physical provision. I don’t see many men that recognize their responsibilities to provide for the spiritual needs, the direction and identity of their family.
Then many men today come up very short in terms of being the instructor. They get distracted by their hobbies, by other things, and they don’t study history. As instructors, men ought to be helping overcome the lack of American history in our public school system. Men ought to be teaching about the sacrifices that have been made, about the great things that America has done for the world, about the great leaders that America has produced and provided.
America has made this a better world. Certainly we can’t overlook the negatives. We’ve got to talk about slavery, too, and how we treated the American Indians. Those tragic chapters are part of our history, which we should be teaching our children. They’re sure not getting it in the public schools.
This failure is why over 50 percent of today’s generation say they are not extremely proud to be Americans. We ought to all be proud to be Americans. Men are failing, and particularly failing to teach history.
What is your advice to Christians seeking to be a godly witness during this confusing time?
Boykin: The best thing that we can do is live our faith. What people see in you is a whole lot more important to them than what they hear you say. We need to be ready with God’s word, in season and out of season.
Because when a friend is on the cusp of suicide, we may be the very ones that can prevent that. We may have the rapport to say: “You know you don’t have to do this. There’s another way, which is through the blood of Jesus Christ.” We may be the very ones that lead them to Christ. But we as Christians have got to be ready and looking for those opportunities that Christ is clearly going to give us.
I recently spoke to a stockbroker friend of mine out in California. He said his clients are not Christians, but he has had many of them now ask him to pray for them in this confusing, chaotic time. That’s incredible. So let people see you living your faith now. Because it’s not going to be long before they’re going to be approaching you.
The sixth book by General William “Jerry” Boykin, Man to Man is currently available wherever books are sold. Watch the video below to hear more of his story.
A graduate of the University of Colorado, Josh M. Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy issues for media outlets including The Stream and The Federalist. Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-04-18--She Had an Abortion 30 Years Ago. Now, God is Using Her to Save Lives.

As the abortion debate rages , Karen Ellison and her organization Deeper Still are working to change the way our culture thinks about life .
“ I think part of this whole abortion debate has tried to frame it around our identity .
Like if I have to have children , then somehow I am being enslaved in some way , ” she said in a recent interview with The Pure Flix Podcast .
“ Children have become the bad guy in this .
And somehow it takes away from my womanhood or it takes away from my identity.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve taken it to such an extreme degree that it has pitted women against their children and fathers against their children .
We ’ ve become so idolatrous.
” Listen to Ellison , author of the book Healing The Hurt That Won ’ t Heal : Freedom for Abortion-Wounded and Help For The Church They Fear , ” share her story and her quest to help save lives : She highlighted the recent Golden Globe Awards where actress Michelle Williams used her acceptance speech as an opportunity to shout her pro-abortion beliefs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ applause and a standing ovation — a true sign of the times , said Ellison .
“ The louder we shout to try to justify our abortion , the more you drown out the real cry of your heart , ” she said .
“ You want your heart to go numb , you don ’ t want to feel the guilt , you don ’ t want to feel the shame , you don ’ t want to acknowledge the consequences .
… You want to have music so loud that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re having.
” And Ellison knows from personal experience .
When she was 22 years old , she had an abortion .
At the time , she said , there was no national conversation on abortion .
So , despite her Christian faith and Christian upbringing , she found external forces like shame and fear pressuring her to go through with the procedure .
Her experience led her on a path of discovery and she dedicated her life to sharing what true freedom is through Jesus Christ and the forgiveness that only God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
The kingdom of the world does not acknowledge or repent of sin , Ellison points out .
“ The Kingdom of God , however — it ’ s a different kingdom .
In that Kingdom , we are to bring the hidden things into the light .
We ’ re not to keep them in darkness , ” she said .
“ Our approach to that is , first of all , you come with an open heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You acknowledge what your sin is .
And we shed innocent blood .
We took the lives of our children .
We bring that into the light as a confession .
We humbly bring that before the Lord .
And then God , in His gracious wonderfulness — He ’ s so willing to take what used to be our arrogant , in-your-face attitude .
And He will forgive us.
” Ellison ’ s work with Deeper Still aims to help mothers and fathers of aborted children heal .
She said that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their 70s come in when they are ready to face the truth of their decisions .
And she said it is only then , when they want to be honest , that they can truly heal .
“ We ’ ve seen 1,000 women that have come out of extreme bondage and found freedom and found their voice , ” she said .
Ellison ’ s goal is not only to reach the parents of 61 million aborted children so they can experience healing and forgiveness , but to also help the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion-wounded .
She addresses that in her book Healing The Hurt That Won ’ t Heal : Freedom for Abortion-Wounded and Help For The Church They Fear .
“ You may be shamed , you may be condemned .
But we have to get to the point where we don ’ t care and we want to live in the light , we want to live in freedom .
The church needs to create a culture of light and life and healing , ” she said .
“ We want to help empower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a way to talk about this.
” Billy Hallowell has worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade .
He is the director of communications and content for PureFlix.com , the former senior editor at Faithwire.com and the former faith and culture editor at TheBlaze .
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider .
Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows .
You can get a free trial here .

As the abortion debate rages, Karen Ellison and her organization Deeper Still are working to change the way our culture thinks about life.
“I think part of this whole abortion debate has tried to frame it around our identity. Like if I have to have children, then somehow I am being enslaved in some way,” she said in a recent interview with The Pure Flix Podcast. “Children have become the bad guy in this. And somehow it takes away from my womanhood or it takes away from my identity.”
Ellison continued, “But we’ve taken it to such an extreme degree that it has pitted women against their children and fathers against their children. We’ve become so idolatrous.”
Listen to Ellison, author of the book Healing The Hurt That Won’t Heal: Freedom for Abortion-Wounded and Help For The Church They Fear,” share her story and her quest to help save lives:
She highlighted the recent Golden Globe Awards where actress Michelle Williams used her acceptance speech as an opportunity to shout her pro-abortion beliefs.
Williams’ speech was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation — a true sign of the times, said Ellison.
“The louder we shout to try to justify our abortion, the more you drown out the real cry of your heart,” she said. “You want your heart to go numb, you don’t want to feel the guilt, you don’t want to feel the shame, you don’t want to acknowledge the consequences. … You want to have music so loud that you drown out the nightmares that you’re having.”
And Ellison knows from personal experience. When she was 22 years old, she had an abortion.
At the time, she said, there was no national conversation on abortion. So, despite her Christian faith and Christian upbringing, she found external forces like shame and fear pressuring her to go through with the procedure.
Her experience led her on a path of discovery and she dedicated her life to sharing what true freedom is through Jesus Christ and the forgiveness that only God can bring.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The kingdom of the world does not acknowledge or repent of sin, Ellison points out. “The Kingdom of God, however — it’s a different kingdom. In that Kingdom, we are to bring the hidden things into the light. We’re not to keep them in darkness,” she said. “Our approach to that is, first of all, you come with an open heart. You repent for your sin. You acknowledge what your sin is. And we shed innocent blood. We took the lives of our children. We bring that into the light as a confession. We humbly bring that before the Lord. And then God, in His gracious wonderfulness — He’s so willing to take what used to be our arrogant, in-your-face attitude. And He will forgive us.”
Ellison’s work with Deeper Still aims to help mothers and fathers of aborted children heal. She said that she sees men and women from their 20s to their 70s come in when they are ready to face the truth of their decisions. And she said it is only then, when they want to be honest, that they can truly heal.
“We’ve seen 1,000 women that have come out of extreme bondage and found freedom and found their voice,” she said.
Ellison’s goal is not only to reach the parents of 61 million aborted children so they can experience healing and forgiveness, but to also help the church learn how to deal with the abortion-wounded. She addresses that in her book Healing The Hurt That Won’t Heal: Freedom for Abortion-Wounded and Help For The Church They Fear.
“You may be shamed, you may be condemned. But we have to get to the point where we don’t care and we want to live in the light, we want to live in freedom. The church needs to create a culture of light and life and healing,” she said. “We want to help empower the church and give pastors a voice and a way to talk about this.”
Billy Hallowell has worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade. He is the director of communications and content for PureFlix.com, the former senior editor at Faithwire.com and the former faith and culture editor at TheBlaze.
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free trial here.


thestream--2020-04-19--It Would Have Been a Miraculous Cooperation, Samaritan’s Purse and the Liberal Episcopal Cathedral

The cooperation between the liberal Episcopal cathedral and the Evangelical ministry would have been little short of miraculous .
But culture wars derailed it .
Samaritan ’ s Purse already had opened medical tents in Central Park .
( It has also set up one in Cremona , Italy . )
Mount Sinai Hospital asked if the ministry would help to place other tents inside the massive space of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine .
Only days later , the two decided not to proceed with the plans for a field hospital .
They citied a decreased need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Jacob Javits Convention Center was far below capacity .
Clifton Daniel III , dean of the cathedral , told The New York Times that he offered the cathedral ’ s space in March .
Daniel and Samaritan ’ s Purse ’ s longtime CEO Franklin Graham stand at opposite ends on the question of gay marriage , and many other issues .
Across the decades , the cathedral has made its worship space available to a circus , displayed a crucifix that depicted Jesus as a woman , and celebrated a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gods .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Both Daniel and Graham agreed that compassion overrides their considerable disagreements about Christian doctrine .
“ I don ’ t agree with their position on Muslims and gays and a number of other things , but I am willing to work together with them to save lives , ” Daniel told the Times .
“ I feel like it is sort of like the steward on the Titanic as it is sinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count the silverware , you have to get people into lifeboats.
” “ We all need to be working together and put our differences aside , ” Graham told Sarah Pulliam Bailey of The Washington Post .
“ We ’ re not there to talk about politics , we ’ re not there to talk about gay marriage , we ’ re there to save lives.
” Nevertheless , skeptical responses arose from the cultural left .
After Samaritan ’ s Purse established its work in Central Park , Mayor Bill de Blasio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not discriminate based on patients ’ sexual lives .
The city ’ s attorney general declared her office would watch the ministry to “ ensure discrimination does not occur.
” Pundit Jonathan Merritt wrote that New Yorkers were right to be skeptical about the presence of Samaritan ’ s Purse .
The New York Times reported : “ behind the scenes , Episcopal leaders said they were upset by the role played in the project by Samaritan ’ s Purse.
” Its understanding of LGBT matters “ runs counter to that of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tilson , a member of Central Synagogue , encountered similar responses when she asked her fellow congregants to donate boots for a Samaritan ’ s Purse hospital in Central Park .
“ I tend to be a pragmatist , ” said Tilson told Ari Feldman of Forward .
“ I ’ ll have the ideological discussions with them later .
If they ’ re here saving my fellow New Yorkers ’ lives , and not even asking to be paid for it , then I will absolutely help them do that.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Purse a “ Christian fundamentalist group.
” It described Graham as virulently “ anti-LGBTQ and Islam [ o ] phobic.
” “ Group Behind Central Park Coronavirus Tent Hospital Asks Volunteers To Support Anti-Gay Agenda , ” one Gothamist headline crowed .
Apparently having a doctrinal statement is comparable to gay-bashing .
It takes an exceptionally ungenerous imagination to think that Samaritan ’ s Purse presence in New York is driven by a desire to deny medical care to anyone .
Perhaps these abandoned plans were inevitable .
“ Do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness ?
” Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians , long before sexual identity became the core doctrine of some liberal churches .
Still , I had hoped that a joint civil project of compassion and mercy was possible amid such a fraught time of widespread death and fear .

The cooperation between the liberal Episcopal cathedral and the Evangelical ministry would have been little short of miraculous. But culture wars derailed it.
Samaritan’s Purse already had opened medical tents in Central Park. (It has also set up one in Cremona, Italy.) Mount Sinai Hospital asked if the ministry would help to place other tents inside the massive space of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Only days later, the two decided not to proceed with the plans for a field hospital. They citied a decreased need for such care. The field hospital at the Jacob Javits Convention Center was far below capacity.
Working Together
Clifton Daniel III, dean of the cathedral, told The New York Times that he offered the cathedral’s space in March.
Daniel and Samaritan’s Purse’s longtime CEO Franklin Graham stand at opposite ends on the question of gay marriage, and many other issues. Across the decades, the cathedral has made its worship space available to a circus, displayed a crucifix that depicted Jesus as a woman, and celebrated a St. Francis liturgy that invoked ancient Egyptian gods.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Both Daniel and Graham agreed that compassion overrides their considerable disagreements about Christian doctrine. “I don’t agree with their position on Muslims and gays and a number of other things, but I am willing to work together with them to save lives,” Daniel told the Times. “I feel like it is sort of like the steward on the Titanic as it is sinking — now is not the time to count the silverware, you have to get people into lifeboats.”
“We all need to be working together and put our differences aside,” Graham told Sarah Pulliam Bailey of The Washington Post. “We’re not there to talk about politics, we’re not there to talk about gay marriage, we’re there to save lives.”
Skeptical Responses
Nevertheless, skeptical responses arose from the cultural left. After Samaritan’s Purse established its work in Central Park, Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged vigilance to assure that it would not discriminate based on patients’ sexual lives. The city’s attorney general declared her office would watch the ministry to “ensure discrimination does not occur.” Pundit Jonathan Merritt wrote that New Yorkers were right to be skeptical about the presence of Samaritan’s Purse.
The New York Times reported: “behind the scenes, Episcopal leaders said they were upset by the role played in the project by Samaritan’s Purse.” Its understanding of LGBT matters “runs counter to that of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.”
Whitney Tilson, a member of Central Synagogue, encountered similar responses when she asked her fellow congregants to donate boots for a Samaritan’s Purse hospital in Central Park. “I tend to be a pragmatist,” said Tilson told Ari Feldman of Forward. “I’ll have the ideological discussions with them later. If they’re here saving my fellow New Yorkers’ lives, and not even asking to be paid for it, then I will absolutely help them do that.”
The website Gothamist responded hysterically, calling Samaritan’s Purse a “Christian fundamentalist group.” It described Graham as virulently “anti-LGBTQ and Islam[o]phobic.”
“Group Behind Central Park Coronavirus Tent Hospital Asks Volunteers To Support Anti-Gay Agenda,” one Gothamist headline crowed. Apparently having a doctrinal statement is comparable to gay-bashing.
It takes an exceptionally ungenerous imagination to think that Samaritan’s Purse presence in New York is driven by a desire to deny medical care to anyone.
Perhaps Inevitable
Perhaps these abandoned plans were inevitable. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?” Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians, long before sexual identity became the core doctrine of some liberal churches.
Still, I had hoped that a joint civil project of compassion and mercy was possible amid such a fraught time of widespread death and fear.
Douglas LeBlanc, a veteran religion journalist, lives near Charleston, S.C. His last article for The Stream was A Tribute to Rush Limbaugh, Grating and Good-Hearted.


thestream--2020-04-19--Judge Blocks Kansas from Limiting Attendance at Church Services

A federal judge blocked Kansas from limiting attendance at religious services during the coronavirus pandemic Saturday .
Wichita U.S. District Judge John Broomes blocked an order from Democratic Kansas Gov .
Laura Kelly limiting attendance at religious services to ten people or fewer .
Broomes ’ s ruling prevents Kelly ’ s enforcement of the order as long as pastors and congregations observe social distancing , Politico reports .
The decision will remain in effect until May 2 .
“ Churches and religious activities appear to have been singled out among essential functions for stricter treatment , ” the judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not about religion , ” the Kansas governor said in a statement following the decision .
“ This is about a public health crisis.
” The judge ’ s order still requires religious services to abide by social distancing recommendations , such as requiring people to stay 6 feet apart .
Broomes also has a hearing scheduled for Thursday regarding a lawsuit filed by two churches and their pastors against Kelly , Politico reports .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling comes after Attorney General William Barr released a statement on religious practices and social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic saying that that “ even in times of emergency , ” federal law prohibits religious discrimination .
“ Thus , government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity , ” Barr said .
“ For example , if a government allows movie theaters , restaurants , concert halls , and other comparable places of assembly to remain open and unrestricted , it may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , limit their congregation size , or otherwise impede religious gatherings.
” He added : “ Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens.
” Where states have not acted evenhandedly , they must have compelling reason to impose restrictions on places of worship , the attorney general said .
They also must ensure that the restrictions are “ narrowly tailored to advance its compelling interest .
”

A federal judge blocked Kansas from limiting attendance at religious services during the coronavirus pandemic Saturday.
Wichita U.S. District Judge John Broomes blocked an order from Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly limiting attendance at religious services to ten people or fewer.
Broomes’s ruling prevents Kelly’s enforcement of the order as long as pastors and congregations observe social distancing, Politico reports. The decision will remain in effect until May 2.
“Churches and religious activities appear to have been singled out among essential functions for stricter treatment,” the judge wrote in his order.
“This is not about religion,” the Kansas governor said in a statement following the decision. “This is about a public health crisis.”
During this sacred week for many Americans, AG Barr is monitoring govt regulation of religious services. While social distancing policies are appropriate during this emergency, they must be applied evenhandedly & not single out religious orgs. Expect action from DOJ next week! — KerriKupecDOJ (@KerriKupecDOJ) April 12, 2020
The judge’s order still requires religious services to abide by social distancing recommendations, such as requiring people to stay 6 feet apart. Broomes also has a hearing scheduled for Thursday regarding a lawsuit filed by two churches and their pastors against Kelly, Politico reports.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
News of Broomes’s ruling comes after Attorney General William Barr released a statement on religious practices and social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic saying that that “even in times of emergency,” federal law prohibits religious discrimination.
“Thus, government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity,” Barr said.
“For example, if a government allows movie theaters, restaurants, concert halls, and other comparable places of assembly to remain open and unrestricted, it may not order houses of worship to close, limit their congregation size, or otherwise impede religious gatherings.”
He added: “Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens.”
Where states have not acted evenhandedly, they must have compelling reason to impose restrictions on places of worship, the attorney general said. They also must ensure that the restrictions are “narrowly tailored to advance its compelling interest.”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-04-19--NIH Spent Money Testing Cocaine on Honeybees and More Instead of Testing Coronavirus Drugs

We now see clearly that the medical community stood unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic .
There were multiple entities at fault .
One of them was the National Institutes of Health .
Instead of studying drugs for the coronavirus , the agency spent billions on nonessential studies .
If NIH had done the proper testing , could this all have been avoided ?
Would we have had a cure in place when the outbreak started ?
Investigative reporter John Solomon , writing for Just the News , lists some of the waste that has been taking place at NIH in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion a year in funding for medical studies .
But according to Dr. Michael Bracken , a Yale University epidemiologist , up to 87.5 % of that is wasted or inefficient .
He warned about this problem back in July 2016 during a speech he gave at NIH .
“ Waste is more than just a waste of money and resources , ” he said .
“ It can actually be harmful to people ’ s health.
” Bracken says of every 100 research projects , only 50 lead to published findings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant design flaws .
Of the remaining 25 that don ’ t have significant design flaws , half are redundant or unnecessary .
That ’ s how you get to the 87.5 % number .
The NIH admitted in a monthly newsletter that 90 % of its biomedical research is wasted .
Not Enough Money for Coronavirus Research ?
Hardly Just the News correspondent Christine Dolan talked to researchers at NIH who claimed there weren ’ t enough resources to plan for both a flu pandemic and a coronavirus pandemic .
So they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
However , money abounded for all the frivolous studies NIH performed .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
The list of things the agency spent money on , instead of studying drugs for the coronavirus , is appalling .
Solomon notes that it ’ s been 15 years since evidence emerged that chloroquine might be able to treat the coronavirus .
So they ’ ve had plenty of time to shift away from the wasteful spending .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a report in 2016 highlighting much of this waste .
He presciently argued that the funding would be better deployed to find “ treatments for cancer , Alzheimer ’ s disease , and viral infections such as Zika and Ebola.
” Alcohol , Cocaine , Sex , Gambling and Walking All Took Priority Over Coronavirus Research The list of ridiculous studies is too long to cover in one article , but here are some of the most egregious examples .
One study out of the Oregon Health & Science University the NIH @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studied whether alcohol affects the singing of the zebra finch .
NIH funded a researcher at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana $ 242,600 to determine the effects of cocaine on honeybees .
He found that it made them twice as likely to dance .
Researchers at Bowdoin College in Maine spent $ 3.6 million to study the results of giving sex steroids to male goldfish .
They found it made the goldfish more social and swim closer to female goldfish .
A 12-episode soap opera was created at Northeastern University in Boston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
Another study spent $ 3.5 million to analyze why lesbians are obese and gay men are not .
A Yale University and Arizona State University study spent $ 350,000 to determine whether young adults lost more money gambling if they drank alcohol .
Perhaps most insulting of all , the NIH released the results of a study a few days ago , in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic , which made the groundbreaking finding that more walking leads to a longer life .
Enough !
We Need Oversight This wasteful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too long .
People dying in large numbers from COVID-9 should serve as a jarring wake-up call .
NIH needs oversight , perhaps by Congress .
The people who work for us in government are to be good stewards with our money .
With limited government resources , the money should go to crucial matters , not pet projects that only a handful of researchers care about .
Do those responsible for this waste have blood on their hands ?
Maybe .
We ’ ll never know if they would have discovered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Rachel Alexander is a senior editor of The Stream .
Follow her on Twitter at Rach_IC .
Follow The Stream at streamdotorg .
Send tips to rachel.alexander @ stream.org .

We now see clearly that the medical community stood unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. There were multiple entities at fault. One of them was the National Institutes of Health. Instead of studying drugs for the coronavirus, the agency spent billions on nonessential studies. If NIH had done the proper testing, could this all have been avoided? Would we have had a cure in place when the outbreak started?
Investigative reporter John Solomon, writing for Just the News, lists some of the waste that has been taking place at NIH in recent years. NIH gets $40 billion a year in funding for medical studies. But according to Dr. Michael Bracken, a Yale University epidemiologist, up to 87.5% of that is wasted or inefficient. He warned about this problem back in July 2016 during a speech he gave at NIH. “Waste is more than just a waste of money and resources,” he said. “It can actually be harmful to people’s health.”
The NIH admitted in a monthly newsletter that 90% of its biomedical research is wasted.
Bracken says of every 100 research projects, only 50 lead to published findings. And of those 50, half have significant design flaws. Of the remaining 25 that don’t have significant design flaws, half are redundant or unnecessary. That’s how you get to the 87.5% number. The NIH admitted in a monthly newsletter that 90% of its biomedical research is wasted.
Not Enough Money for Coronavirus Research? Hardly
Just the News correspondent Christine Dolan talked to researchers at NIH who claimed there weren’t enough resources to plan for both a flu pandemic and a coronavirus pandemic. So they skipped the clinical trials on treatments for the coronavirus. However, money abounded for all the frivolous studies NIH performed.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The list of things the agency spent money on, instead of studying drugs for the coronavirus, is appalling. Solomon notes that it’s been 15 years since evidence emerged that chloroquine might be able to treat the coronavirus. So they’ve had plenty of time to shift away from the wasteful spending.
Former Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) issued a report in 2016 highlighting much of this waste. He presciently argued that the funding would be better deployed to find “treatments for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and viral infections such as Zika and Ebola.”
Alcohol, Cocaine, Sex, Gambling and Walking All Took Priority Over Coronavirus Research
The list of ridiculous studies is too long to cover in one article, but here are some of the most egregious examples. One study out of the Oregon Health & Science University the NIH funded with $5 million. It studied whether alcohol affects the singing of the zebra finch. NIH funded a researcher at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana $242,600 to determine the effects of cocaine on honeybees. He found that it made them twice as likely to dance.
Researchers at Bowdoin College in Maine spent $3.6 million to study the results of giving sex steroids to male goldfish. They found it made the goldfish more social and swim closer to female goldfish.
A 12-episode soap opera was created at Northeastern University in Boston that featured the love lifes of HIV-infected people. Another study spent $3.5 million to analyze why lesbians are obese and gay men are not.
A Yale University and Arizona State University study spent $350,000 to determine whether young adults lost more money gambling if they drank alcohol.
Perhaps most insulting of all, the NIH released the results of a study a few days ago, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, which made the groundbreaking finding that more walking leads to a longer life.
Enough! We Need Oversight
This wasteful spending by NIH has gone on far too long. People dying in large numbers from COVID-9 should serve as a jarring wake-up call. NIH needs oversight, perhaps by Congress. The people who work for us in government are to be good stewards with our money. With limited government resources, the money should go to crucial matters, not pet projects that only a handful of researchers care about. Do those responsible for this waste have blood on their hands? Maybe. We’ll never know if they would have discovered a cure had they directed the money toward it.
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate.
Rachel Alexander is a senior editor of The Stream. Follow her on Twitter at Rach_IC. Follow The Stream at streamdotorg. Send tips to [email protected].