thestream--2020-12-05--The Role of the Church in a Pandemic

The Role of the Church in a Pandemic

In progressive-controlled states , churches have been virtually shut down this year .
They ’ ve been put under draconian meeting requirements , requiring pastors to become health police .
Ushers are expected virtually to yell at worshipers to pull their masks over their noses , to ensure they socially distance .
Many jurisdictions have dictatorially prevented church members from hugging .
Last summer during the California fires , health departments labeled the air dangerous to breathe , yet churches were ordered to meet outside .
And now with winter upon us , the order is to meet in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encourage Antifa and BLM protestors to gather in ‘ worship ’ to their causes .
On May 31 , Pastor Mike McClure of Calvary Chapel San Jose , along with over 1500 churches in California , promised to open up and never close their doors .
Since that time , his church has quintupled in size .
Since then not a single case of the coronavirus has been traced to any of their services .
But in October , Santa Clara County hit Calvary Chapel with over $ 250,000 in fines .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , pastors from around the nation gathered for a news conference outside his church .
I was privileged to speak these remarks at that press conference .
The Legacy of the Church My name is Neil Mammen .
I ’ m an ordained Evangelical Pastor and president of the Values Advocacy Council ( www.VAC.org ) .
Jesus ’ politicians — His senators , his representatives , and lawmakers , that is , the Pharisees and Sadducees — passed a law saying it was illegal to heal on the Sabbath .
But Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Sabbath , ” and He did .
We can do no less than to emulate Him .
For the last 2000 years , the Church has been the driving force behind changing thousands of laws — laws that no non-believer had to change .
We banned child prostitution , widow burning , stopped the superstitious killing of twins , and ended temple prostitution .
We banned gladiatorial combat , slavery and the abandonment of children and elders .
The Church has long stepped in to be the conscience of the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World And yet it did not limit itself to changing laws .
When the plagues came , the Romans fled the cities , but the persecuted Christians came out of the woodwork to gather the dying , the poor , the broken into their homes and into their churches .
Slave hunters in America hunted escaped slaves , but the churches of the north opened their doors to give them shelter and a hiding place .
When wars broke nations apart , churches were the safe haven where doctors could bring the wounded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We created the first charities , the first hospitals , and the first orphanages .
Humans are made for touching .
We need hugs , we need a shoulder and we need someone to look them in the eyes and say : “ Are you okay ?
” A zoom call or a 6-foot separation zone will not reveal a hidden secret , an abused child , an abused spouse , or a deep depression leading toward suicide .
Studies have shown that the average small church saves their city between $ 140,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counseling , youth groups , support groups , feeding programs , mother ’ s groups , and men ’ s groups .
I know counties wish to saves lives , but it ’ s not working !
Since the COVID shutdown and the church closures : • Calls to hotlines in LA have increased by 8,000 % .
• 25 % of young adults have seriously considered suicide in the past month .
• Suicide and drug overdose deaths in teens and are now far greater than COVID deaths .
• Active duty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army suicides are up 30 % .
• There is a 20 % increase in substance abuse .
• A 41 % increase has been noted in heavy alcohol use by women .
• Domestic violence reporting has gone down , but domestic violence injuries are up by almost 200 % .
The Santa Clara Health Department has repeatedly refused to release suicide statistics for the last 8 months .
( I recommend folks keep calling the Health Department at 408-992-4900 until they block you like they blocked this church , Calvary Chapel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) And yet the county wants to close this church down .
They want to jail this minister , and they want to let the suicide rates continue .
Let me tell the supervisors , every Christian in this county who understands the role of the Church will be watching and will be holding them responsible when the tally comes out .
And it will .
The health director is appointed by the supervisors .
The supervisors are responsible .
If the supervisors of Santa Clara really care about lives , if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Governor Newsom really cares about lives — they will let the most powerful agent of life do what they have always done best .
Minister to the poor , Minister to the suffering , Minister to the sick , and Minister to the lonely .
If you care about life — open up our Churches !
Taking a Stance for Freedom of the Church What happened after that news conference ?
The good news is , Santa Clara County backed off from arresting pastor McClure .
In addition , attendance increased as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church that was actually open .
The bad news is , tne county doubled the fines on the church and began sending “ observers ” to every event at the church , from Bible studies to book clubs to MOPS ( Mothers of Pre-Schoolers ) meetings .
As a result , we are anticipating a wave of new believers from among these observers !
Fines against the church now exceed $ 600,000 , and the county may also be planning other punitive actions .
The church will not pay a dime .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice that in legal expenses by way lawsuits they are destined to lose .
If all churches held their ground that way , their local and state governments would soon back off Constitutionally we are on solid ground .
Now it ’ s just a marketing play , really .
The greater the crowd taking a stance for churches ’ freedom , the greater the effect on our lawmakers and our laws .
For pastor , elders , and other church leaders , you probably have five major concerns about reopening .
1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill the worshipers in our church if we violate the “ health guidelines ” ?
The evidence shows the COVID-19 mortality rate is not anything like the Spanish Flu of a hundred years ago .
Yet the virus is real .
You may wish to install UV antiviral measures in your HVAC system .
You may also suggest that older folks and those at risk stay home .
2 .
If we open up our church , will it be a bad witness to the people in our community ?
I believe this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your church will hate it whether you open it or not .
Others will wait and see what happens .
None of the 1500-plus churches open in California since May has become a super spreader , so I think this is an unlikely scenario .
Meanwhile , people are dying of mental diseases , suicide , and depression .
They ’ re looking for leadership and for pastors with a backbone .
In our church , we ’ ve already had over one hundred baptisms of new visitors .
3 .
Do we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our authorities ?
Jesus did it .
I think that fact puts this to bed .
Remember , the Pharisees and Sadducees , were his lawmakers and judges .
They were his politicians .
He and the apostles felt ready to violate their authorities ’ orders when lives were at stake .
Many pastors have claimed that they can not in good conscience rebel against the state unless the state bans all worship .
If you think about it , that argument only works if people aren ’ t dying or being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depression , and multiple other ailments .
.
Yet statistics clearly show they are .
4 .
Our insurance company may not cover us .
Check with them first .
You may need to find a new insurance company .
I may be able to help you by connecting you with other churches who have a provider in your area .
( My email address is below . )
If you are with an insurance company that will continue to provide coverage for churches who open , please contact me .
5 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our tithes if we are hit with fines ?
My first answer is that you should refuse to pay .
If you do pay , do not expect to get a refund .
The leaders I ’ m working with are pretty sure that when this all washes out , no state will be able to prevail with a constitutionally viable case for church shutdowns or fines .
Just this week , Los Angeles County has indicated that none of its guidelines apply to churches or political events .
With a conservative majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a good bet that these fines will never need paying .
Meanwhile , you can get free legal defense from lawyers at Advocates for Faith & Freedom , Pacific Justice Institute , and with other Christian nonprofit legal associations .
The more plaintiffs added to their lawsuits against state and local governments , the stronger they get .
In fact , the more lawsuits that are filed , the less these jurisdictions will want to move forward with persecuting churches .
The Real Fear You Should Keep in Mind Remember the story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who keeps pestering an evil Judge over and over again until he capitulates and provide her with justice ?
This should be our role model .
We should have so many lawsuits against the government that the government starts to fear ever crossing us .
Staying closed can be more damaging .
I know of churches whose giving was down over 30 % over the summer .
Some churches who were finally permitted to open up their doors discovered they had no congregation left .
Jesus violated His politicians ’ laws just to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community is dying and dying without the Gospel .
That is far worse than a withered hand .
What would Jesus do ?
Would he open up his house to His hurting people ?
Let Your Community Know !
I suggest you contact Advocates for Faith and Freedom .
And I urge you to open up your church .
Let your community know you are there for them .
Invite them for Christmas , for meals , for counseling .
Put up a huge sign or signs saying , “ Are you unhappy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Someone to give you counseling ?
Walk in and talk to a live person.
” Or , “ Are you a mother that needs encouragement ?
We have a support groups .
We are LIVE and OPEN , today and Sunday .
Welcome.
” Make sure they see that on your web page .
Make sure they know you have live services .
There has never been a better time to be Jesus to your community and flagrantly violate the baseless , heartless laws that our politicians have imposed on the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when millions are realizing they need God .
I ’ m betting you will find this to be one of the greatest growing times for your church .
I ’ d like to hear from you , especially if this article helps change your mind about opening your churches .
Please email me .
Neil Mammen is an engineer during the day and teaches the historic and scientific defense of the truth of Christianity at night .
His ministry is called No Blind Faith .
He is an ordained evangelical pastor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesus Is Involved In Politics !
Why Aren ’ t You ?
Why Isn ’ t Your Church ?
and Who is Agent X ?
on how to show that God exists without using the Bible .

In progressive-controlled states, churches have been virtually shut down this year. They’ve been put under draconian meeting requirements, requiring pastors to become health police. Ushers are expected virtually to yell at worshipers to pull their masks over their noses, to ensure they socially distance. Many jurisdictions have dictatorially prevented church members from hugging.
Last summer during the California fires, health departments labeled the air dangerous to breathe, yet churches were ordered to meet outside. And now with winter upon us, the order is to meet in the freezing cold. Yet the same politicians encourage Antifa and BLM protestors to gather in ‘worship’ to their causes.
Taking It Public
On May 31, Pastor Mike McClure of Calvary Chapel San Jose, along with over 1500 churches in California, promised to open up and never close their doors. Since that time, his church has quintupled in size. Since then not a single case of the coronavirus has been traced to any of their services.
But in October, Santa Clara County hit Calvary Chapel with over $250,000 in fines. When they threatened to arrest Mike the next Sunday, pastors from around the nation gathered for a news conference outside his church. I was privileged to speak these remarks at that press conference.
The Legacy of the Church
Good Afternoon,
My name is Neil Mammen. I’m an ordained Evangelical Pastor and president of the Values Advocacy Council (www.VAC.org).
Jesus’ politicians — His senators, his representatives, and lawmakers, that is, the Pharisees and Sadducees — passed a law saying it was illegal to heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus said, “I will still heal on the Sabbath,” and He did. We can do no less than to emulate Him.
For the last 2000 years, the Church has been the driving force behind changing thousands of laws — laws that no non-believers had thought to change. We banned child prostitution, widow burning, stopped the superstitious killing of twins, and ended temple prostitution. We banned gladiatorial combat, slavery and the abandonment of children and elders. The Church has long stepped in to be the conscience of the government.
The Church Does Good for the World
And yet it did not limit itself to changing laws. When the plagues came, the Romans fled the cities, but the persecuted Christians came out of the woodwork to gather the dying, the poor, the broken into their homes and into their churches. Slave hunters in America hunted escaped slaves, but the churches of the north opened their doors to give them shelter and a hiding place. When wars broke nations apart, churches were the safe haven where doctors could bring the wounded and dying to be tended to.
We created the first charities, the first hospitals, and the first orphanages.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Humans are made for touching. We need hugs, we need a shoulder and we need someone to look them in the eyes and say: “Are you okay?” A zoom call or a 6-foot separation zone will not reveal a hidden secret, an abused child, an abused spouse, or a deep depression leading toward suicide.
Studies have shown that the average small church saves their city between $140,000 and $300,000 dollars a year through counseling, youth groups, support groups, feeding programs, mother’s groups, and men’s groups.
Churches Need to Open
I know counties wish to saves lives, but it’s not working! Since the COVID shutdown and the church closures:
The Santa Clara Health Department has repeatedly refused to release suicide statistics for the last 8 months. (I recommend folks keep calling the Health Department at 408-992-4900 until they block you like they blocked this church, Calvary Chapel San Jose, when they called.)
And yet the county wants to close this church down. They want to jail this minister, and they want to let the suicide rates continue.
Watching the Politicians
Let me tell the supervisors, every Christian in this county who understands the role of the Church will be watching and will be holding them responsible when the tally comes out. And it will.
The health director is appointed by the supervisors. The supervisors are responsible. If the supervisors of Santa Clara really care about lives, if the Health Department really cares about lives, if Governor Newsom really cares about lives — they will let the most powerful agent of life do what they have always done best. Minister to the poor, Minister to the suffering, Minister to the sick, and Minister to the lonely.
If you care about life — open up our Churches!
Taking a Stance for Freedom of the Church
What happened after that news conference?
The good news is, Santa Clara County backed off from arresting pastor McClure. In addition, attendance increased as people found out that there was a church that was actually open. The bad news is, the county doubled the fines on the church and began sending “observers” to every event at the church, from Bible studies to book clubs to MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) meetings. As a result, we are anticipating a wave of new believers from among these observers!
Fines against the church now exceed $600,000, and the county may also be planning other punitive actions. The church will not pay a dime. The county should expect to see more than twice that in legal expenses by way of lawsuits they are destined to lose. If all churches held their ground that way, their local and state governments would soon back off
Constitutionally we are on solid ground. Now it’s just a marketing play, really. The greater the crowd taking a stance for churches’ freedom, the greater the effect on our lawmakers and our laws.
Pastors’ and Church Elders’ Concerns
For pastor, elders, and other church leaders, you probably have five major concerns about reopening.
1. Is this a pandemic that could kill the worshipers in our church if we violate the “health guidelines”?
The evidence shows the COVID-19 mortality rate is not anything like the Spanish Flu of a hundred years ago. Yet the virus is real. You may wish to install UV antiviral measures in your HVAC system. You may also suggest that older folks and those at risk stay home.
2. If we open up our church, will it be a bad witness to the people in our community?
I believe this is a canard. Those who hate your church will hate it whether you open it or not. Others will wait and see what happens. None of the 1500-plus churches open in California since May has become a super spreader, so I think this is an unlikely scenario. Meanwhile, people are dying of mental diseases, suicide, and depression. They’re looking for leadership and for pastors with a backbone. In our church, we’ve already had over one hundred baptisms of new visitors.
3. Do we really want to stand in blatant violation of our authorities?
Jesus did it. I think that fact puts this to bed. Remember, the Pharisees and Sadducees, were his lawmakers and judges. They were his politicians. He and the apostles felt ready to violate their authorities’ orders when lives were at stake.
Many pastors have claimed that they cannot in good conscience rebel against the state unless the state bans all worship. If you think about it, that argument only works if people aren’t dying or being permanently damaged from suicide, abuse, depression, and multiple other ailments. Yet statistics clearly show they are.
4. Our insurance company may not cover us.
Check with them first. You may need to find a new insurance company. I may be able to help you by connecting you with other churches who have a provider in your area. (My email address is below.) If you are with an insurance company that will continue to provide coverage for churches who open, please contact me.
5. Are we being a good steward of our tithes if we are hit with fines?
My first answer is that you should refuse to pay. If you do pay, do not expect to get a refund. The leaders I’m working with are pretty sure that when this all washes out, no state will be able to prevail with a constitutionally viable case for church shutdowns or fines.
Just this week, Los Angeles County has indicated that none of its guidelines apply to churches or political events. With a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, it’s a good bet that these fines will never need paying.
Meanwhile, you can get free legal defense from lawyers at Advocates for Faith & Freedom, Pacific Justice Institute, and with other Christian nonprofit legal associations. The more plaintiffs added to their lawsuits against state and local governments, the stronger they get. In fact, the more lawsuits that are filed, the less these jurisdictions will want to move forward with persecuting churches.
The Real Fear You Should Keep in Mind
Remember the story in the Gospel of the poor widow who keeps pestering an evil Judge over and over again until he capitulates and provide her with justice? This should be our role model. We should have so many lawsuits against the government that the government starts to fear ever crossing us.
Staying closed can be more damaging. I know of churches whose giving was down over 30% over the summer. Some churches who were finally permitted to open up their doors discovered they had no congregation left.
Jesus violated His politicians’ laws just to heal a withered hand. Today your community is dying and dying without the Gospel. That is far worse than a withered hand. What would Jesus do? Would he open up his house to His hurting people?
Let Your Community Know!
I suggest you contact Advocates for Faith and Freedom. And I urge you to open up your church. Let your community know you are there for them. Invite them for Christmas, for meals, for counseling.
Put up a huge sign or signs saying, “Are you unhappy? Do you need someone to listen? Someone to give you counseling? Walk in and talk to a live person.” Or, “Are you a mother that needs encouragement? We have a support groups. We are LIVE and OPEN, today and Sunday. Welcome.”
Make sure they see that on your web page. Make sure they know you have live services.
A Time To Grow
There has never been a better time to be Jesus to your community and flagrantly violate the baseless, heartless laws that our politicians have imposed on the people of God. This is precisely the time when millions are realizing they need God.
I’m betting you will find this to be one of the greatest growing times for your church.
I’d like to hear from you, especially if this article helps change your mind about opening your churches. Please email me.
Neil Mammen is an engineer during the day and teaches the historic and scientific defense of the truth of Christianity at night. His ministry is called No Blind Faith. He is an ordained evangelical pastor, and the author of multiple books including Jesus Is Involved In Politics! Why Aren’t You? Why Isn’t Your Church? and Who is Agent X? on how to show that God exists without using the Bible.


thestream--2020-12-05--Acclaimed Director of Animated ‘The Grinch’ Revisits Story of Three Wise Men

For 20 years , husband-wife filmmakers Yarrow and Carrie Cheney have been telling stories on-screen .
This holiday season , their computer animated half-hour special The Three Wise Men premieres via streaming service Amazon Prime .
“ This Christmas project , we hope will bring smiles , joy , and hope , ” said Carrie Cheney , screenwriter of the short film .
“ Everybody ’ s at home .
They ’ re clicking on their TVs to watch stuff .
We believe this film will shine faith and light into the world of streaming.
” Her husband Yarrow Cheney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the world ’ s top animation studios .
Shortly after a years-long stint co-directing 2018 ’ s The Grinch , he parted ways with the studio .
Now the couple are telling stories together again .
Their first project has been to revitalize a film first released in 2006 .
Just out of art school , they spent seven years on their animated adaptation of the Gospels ’ wise men narrative .
“ Fourteen years ago , it couldn ’ t have streamed online , ” said Yarrow .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a sudden , this film is going global at a time when the world needs hope.
” Released for the first time in high definition , The Three Wise Men features narration from the late Andy Griffith ( 1926-2012 ) .
Along with picture and sound improvements , it includes all-new song “ Just A Breath Away ( Noel ) ” by Grammy Award-winning music artist Jonas Myrin .
Myrin ’ s worship songs “ 10,000 Reasons ( Bless the Lord ) ” and “ Our God ” are familiar to churchgoers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with people , ” said Carrie .
“ Friends keep writing me saying , ‘ I don ’ t know why I just started crying.
’ Like the wise men , they may be out-of-towners or come from any background .
“ People who are hungry and seeking truth , they will find it.
” The couple met at famed animation school CalArts , co-founded in 1961 by Walt Disney .
Decades of award-winning Disney and Pixar artists have been trained there .
They dreamed of a particular project .
“ One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specials , ” recalls Yarrow .
“ We grew up on Frosty the Snowman and all those wonderful Rankin-Bass shows .
We said : Someday , let ’ s actually make our own.
” It took shape over years .
“ For a long time , it was us doing a lot of the work by ourselves without a crew around us , ” he noted .
While Carrie worked out the script , Yarrow drew storyboards .
Reel FX , a Dallas-based animation studio , decided to acquire and produce the film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artists working on our vision , ” said Yarrow .
“ They add their artistry and gifts to what you ’ re trying to do.
” Another classic special , 1966 ’ s How the Grinch Stole Christmas , inspired screenwriter Carrie to make it a poem .
“ We were so blessed by the Grinch , which is such a hope-filled story , ” she said .
“ Because of that , we agreed our wise men special should rhyme .
We put the story text from Matthew and Luke up on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s storyboards .
I ’ d look at Christmas hymns and carols , to weave certain phrases into the poem.
” Years later , Yarrow would help lead a team of hundreds to retell the Grinch ’ s redemptive story .
“ As an artist , our film about the three wise men really formed me in many ways , ” said Yarrow .
His resume includes such animated hits as The Iron Giant and Despicable Me .
He moved into directing with The Secret Life of Pets and , starting in 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years producing their full-length animated version .
“ All the animators and team are looking at Christmas lights year-round , even in July , ” he said .
“ I was very comfortable with that because of our wise men special that also took years.
” Carrie points out how his designs make lighting a character in itself .
“ Because of what the story represents , that sense of light and hope was important in The Three Wise Men , ” she said .
“ As I watched him design so much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Here it comes again .
Here comes that light and hope in a secular story .
But it was underneath.
” Reviews of The Grinch noted its explicitly Christian focus in several scenes .
Sacred carols “ Silent Night ” and “ God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen ” are heard at length .
( The film is currently available on Netflix . )
A devout Catholic believer , Yarrow gets energized talking about the animated movie .
“ In the Grinch , you have this sort of faithless person who has isolated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yarrow .
“ He ’ s been hurt and broken to the point that he finds joy ridiculous .
It ’ s pushed him away from Whoville and the Whos .
Then , through love , he has his heart changed .
“ Even though it ’ s not about the birth of Christ , it ’ s a wonderful Christmas story.
” One highlight of their film The Three Wise Men was working with screen legend Andy Griffith .
“ It goes back to how we were trying to create our own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Carrie .
“ In the 60 ’ s and 70 ’ s , those specials had narrators like Fred Astaire and Jimmy Durante .
Who ’ s our Fred Astaire now ?
” The obvious answer hit them : America ’ s beloved star of The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock .
With hope and prayer , they sent the script on to Griffith ’ s agent .
“ We were just a married couple without any studio backing , making a small independent film , ” recalls Yarrow .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ script and discussed it with his wife .
He said , ‘ Cindi , I ’ ve got to do this.
’ ” They traveled to his hometown of Mount Airy , North Carolina to record Griffith .
Today , eight years following his death in 2012 , the short film starring Griffith re-releases via streaming .
As for the Cheneys , they recently inked a contract with Random House to produce an illustrated novel for middle-grade readers .
It ’ s set to release in 2022 .
“ We haven ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creative arts for a while , ” said Carrie .
“ It ’ s been a joy getting back into collaborating on a project — this one about superheroes.
” The couple believe The Three Wise Men speaks directly to the difficulties of a long year .
“ These people were kind of overlooked by the world , ” said Yarrow about Mary and Joseph .
“ They were poor .
They lived up in Nazareth .
And angels from the Lord came with a message of hope .
“ These angels essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fulfilled .
In fact , it ’ s going to be shockingly better than you thought.
” Stream contributor Josh M. Shepherd covers culture , faith , and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist .
Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

For 20 years, husband-wife filmmakers Yarrow and Carrie Cheney have been telling stories on-screen. This holiday season, their computer animated half-hour special The Three Wise Men premieres via streaming service Amazon Prime.
“This Christmas project, we hope will bring smiles, joy, and hope,” said Carrie Cheney, screenwriter of the short film. “Everybody’s at home. They’re clicking on their TVs to watch stuff. We believe this film will shine faith and light into the world of streaming.”
Her husband Yarrow Cheney spent a decade working at Illumination, one of the world’s top animation studios. Shortly after a years-long stint co-directing 2018’s The Grinch, he parted ways with the studio.
Now the couple are telling stories together again. Their first project has been to revitalize a film first released in 2006. Just out of art school, they spent seven years on their animated adaptation of the Gospels’ wise men narrative.
“We believe this film will shine faith and light into the world of streaming.” — Carrie Cheney
“Fourteen years ago, it couldn’t have streamed online,” said Yarrow. “There was no such thing then. All of a sudden, this film is going global at a time when the world needs hope.”
Released for the first time in high definition, The Three Wise Men features narration from the late Andy Griffith (1926-2012).
Along with picture and sound improvements, it includes all-new song “Just A Breath Away (Noel)” by Grammy Award-winning music artist Jonas Myrin.
Myrin’s worship songs “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” and “Our God” are familiar to churchgoers worldwide.
“This song really resonates with people,” said Carrie. “Friends keep writing me saying, ‘I don’t know why I just started crying.’ Like the wise men, they may be out-of-towners or come from any background.
“People who are hungry and seeking truth, they will find it.”
Realizing Their Dream
The couple met at famed animation school CalArts, co-founded in 1961 by Walt Disney. Decades of award-winning Disney and Pixar artists have been trained there.
They dreamed of a particular project. “One of our first conversations was about Christmas TV specials,” recalls Yarrow. “We grew up on Frosty the Snowman and all those wonderful Rankin-Bass shows. We said: Someday, let’s actually make our own.”
It took shape over years. “For a long time, it was us doing a lot of the work by ourselves without a crew around us,” he noted. While Carrie worked out the script, Yarrow drew storyboards.
Reel FX, a Dallas-based animation studio, decided to acquire and produce the film. “Then you have so many artists working on our vision,” said Yarrow. “They add their artistry and gifts to what you’re trying to do.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Another classic special, 1966’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, inspired screenwriter Carrie to make it a poem.
“We were so blessed by the Grinch, which is such a hope-filled story,” she said. “Because of that, we agreed our wise men special should rhyme. We put the story text from Matthew and Luke up on a wall, along with Yarrow’s storyboards. I’d look at Christmas hymns and carols, to weave certain phrases into the poem.”
Years later, Yarrow would help lead a team of hundreds to retell the Grinch’s redemptive story.
How The Grinch’s Heart Grew
“As an artist, our film about the three wise men really formed me in many ways,” said Yarrow.
His resume includes such animated hits as The Iron Giant and Despicable Me. He moved into directing with The Secret Life of Pets and, starting in 2014, The Grinch.
Illumination spent four years producing their full-length animated version. “All the animators and team are looking at Christmas lights year-round, even in July,” he said. “I was very comfortable with that because of our wise men special that also took years.”
Carrie points out how his designs make lighting a character in itself. “Because of what the story represents, that sense of light and hope was important in The Three Wise Men,” she said.
“As I watched him design so much of The Grinch film, I thought: Here it comes again. Here comes that light and hope in a secular story. But it was underneath.”
Reviews of The Grinch noted its explicitly Christian focus in several scenes. Sacred carols “Silent Night” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” are heard at length. (The film is currently available on Netflix.)
A committed Christian along with his wife, Yarrow gets energized talking about the animated movie.
“In the Grinch, you have this sort of faithless person who has isolated himself from the world,” said Yarrow. “He’s been hurt and broken to the point that he finds joy ridiculous. It’s pushed him away from Whoville and the Whos. Then, through love, he has his heart changed.
“Even though it’s not about the birth of Christ, it’s a wonderful Christmas story.”
Angels and Andy Griffith
One highlight of their film The Three Wise Men was working with screen legend Andy Griffith.
“It goes back to how we were trying to create our own version of those old Christmas specials,” said Carrie. “In the 60’s and 70’s, those specials had narrators like Fred Astaire and Jimmy Durante. Who’s our Fred Astaire now?”
The obvious answer hit them: America’s beloved star of The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock.
With hope and prayer, they sent the script on to Griffith’s agent. “We were just a married couple without any studio backing, making a small independent film,” recalls Yarrow. “He later told us he read the script and discussed it with his wife. He said, ‘Cindi, I’ve got to do this.’”
Everything you expected will be fulfilled. In fact, it’s going to be shockingly better than you thought.
They traveled to his hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina to record Griffith. Today, eight years following his death in 2012, the short film starring Griffith re-releases via streaming.
As for the Cheneys, they recently inked a contract with Random House to produce an illustrated novel for middle-grade readers. It’s set to release in 2022.
“We haven’t been able to work together in the creative arts for a while,” said Carrie. “It’s been a joy getting back into collaborating on a project — this one about superheroes.”
The couple believe The Three Wise Men speaks directly to the difficulties of a long year. “These people were kind of overlooked by the world,” said Yarrow about Mary and Joseph. “They were poor. They lived up in Nazareth. And angels from the Lord came with a message of hope.
“These angels essentially said: Everything you expected will be fulfilled. In fact, it’s going to be shockingly better than you thought.”
Stream contributor Josh M. Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy issues for media outlets including The Federalist. Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-12-06--‘Let Your Voices be Heard, Georgia’: First Lady Joins President for Rally in Valdosta

On Saturday evening , President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump addressed a large crowd in Valdosta , GA. @ @ @ @ @ fraud to the American people last Wednesday , he has taken his message on the @ @ @ @ @ of rallies in battleground states .
The Stream has been closely examining evidence for electoral @ @ @ @ @ Day .
See William Briggs ’ remarkable work analyzing the statistical data .
Al Perrotta @ @ @ @ @ , especially this one summarizing the most convincing evidence of fraud .
John Zmirak ’ @ @ @ @ @ Sidney Powell , who is leading the fight to expose Dominion .
And Tom Gilson @ @ @ @ @ why this present battle is so incredibly important to the future of democracy .

On Saturday evening, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump addressed a large crowd in Valdosta, GA. After his speech regarding electoral fraud to the American people last Wednesday, he has taken his message on the road in a planned series of rallies in battleground states.
The Stream has been closely examining evidence for electoral fraud since even before Election Day. See William Briggs’ remarkable work analyzing the statistical data. Al Perrotta’s extraordinary daily updates, especially this one summarizing the most convincing evidence of fraud. John Zmirak’s excellent character piece on Sidney Powell, who is leading the fight to expose Dominion. And Tom Gilson’s crucial message on why this present battle is so incredibly important to the future of democracy.


Atheism’s Empty Soul

Atheists don ’ t have a livable worldview .
I don ’ t say that to gloat .
Several atheists who have been candid with me have told me life is ultimately empty and devoid of meaning .
That doesn ’ t mean they can ’ t feel happy , follow a set of morals , or believe their life is significant in some way .
But their denial of God has serious repercussions .
If you don ’ t believe in a cosmic Creator , you tend to deny the existence of anything supernatural .
There are no angels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worldview , called naturalism , posits that the natural world described by physics and chemistry is all that exists .
A belief in naturalism is neither a neutral nor an insignificant commitment .
Perhaps the most egregious consequence of naturalism is nihilism ( from the Latin word nihil , which means “ nothing ” ) .
Worldview expert James Sire defines nihilism as : Nihilism is a depressing state , but it flows logically from naturalism for three reasons .
First , naturalism leads to nihilism because humans don ’ t have free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denies the existence of spiritual or non-physical entities .
If only physical things exist in the universe , then everything is subject to a cause and effect system that operates according to the laws of physics and chemistry .
Since human beings are also merely physical machines , they are subject to the same forces of cause and effect .
It ’ s impossible to make a decision that is unencumbered by the laws of physics and chemistry on our brain .
We do what we are determined to do .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ philosopher Pierre Jean Georges Cabanis bluntly puts it : “ The brain secretes thought as the liver secretes bile.
” We ’ re just meat machines without the capacity for free will .
Freedom , however , is a key component to a meaningful life .
If we can ’ t act freely , we can ’ t make our lives what we will .
There ’ s no “ I ” to decide and determine our own destiny .
Our “ decisions ” are not significant because they are not ours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ blind physical forces .
We ’ re just along for the ride .
Second , naturalism leads to nihilism because knowledge is unattainable .
Knowledge is justified true belief .
Suppose you believe the Liberty Bell is three feet tall , and it ’ s also true that it ’ s that tall .
You hold a true belief .
Suppose , though , that you came to believe it ’ s three feet tall because you rolled a pair of dice and the sum was three .
You would not have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roll isn ’ t proper justification .
Therefore , though you have a true belief , you would not have knowledge .
The problem for the atheist arises from the fact that their worldview of naturalism views the brain as a wholly material object , subject to the environmental forces of physics and chemistry .
Such forces , however , have no interest in producing reliable cognitive faculties .
Physical forces on a physical object like the brain won ’ t necessarily produce a trustworthy system of independent thought , reason , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be confident in our ability to attain justified true beliefs , we can ’ t have knowledge .
Naturalist J.B.S .
Haldane concedes , “ If my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain , I have no reason for supposing that my beliefs are true .
They may be sound chemically , but that does not make them sound logically.
” Our brains are subject entirely to environmental forces , thereby calling into question whether our cognitive faculties are reliable .
Without confidence of justified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a life devoid of knowledge and bereft of meaning .
That ’ s nihilism .
Third , naturalism leads to nihilism because morality doesn ’ t exist .
The world , according to naturalism , is just there .
Students cheat in school , lions eat zebras , and men rape women .
Life just happens .
There ’ s no way the world is supposed to be because there ’ s no “ supposer.
” God doesn ’ t exist as our objective moral standard , so there ’ s no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ourselves .
Each person acts however they like .
Without morality , there ’ s no possibility to do what is “ good ” or “ noble.
” There ’ s no virtue or vice .
You can ’ t better yourself since there ’ s no ideal to pursue .
Life is a trek with no moral compass and no destination .
But it ’ s worse .
Despite the absence of morality , there ’ s no shortage of guilt .
People have an intuitive sense that they do wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there ’ s no forgiveness .
We ’ re left in a state of guilt without any hope of redemption .
That ’ s ethical nihilism .
The atheist ’ s worldview of naturalism leads to a world devoid of free will , knowledge , and morality .
It leads to nihilism .
The Christian worldview , by contrast , can justify free will , explain knowledge , and define right and wrong .
More importantly , it provides a solution to our moral crimes and frees us from our guilt .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Alan Shlemon is an author and speaker for Stand to Reason .
He trains Christians to share their convictions in a persuasive , yet gracious manner .
He has been a guest on both radio and television , and has spoken to thousands of adults and students across the country at churches , conferences , and college campuses .

Atheists don’t have a livable worldview. I don’t say that to gloat. Several atheists who have been candid with me have told me life is ultimately empty and devoid of meaning. That doesn’t mean they can’t feel happy, follow a set of morals, or believe their life is significant in some way. But their denial of God has serious repercussions.
Naturalism
If you don’t believe in a cosmic Creator, you tend to deny the existence of anything supernatural. There are no angels, demons, or souls. This worldview, called naturalism, posits that the natural world described by physics and chemistry is all that exists.
A belief in naturalism is neither a neutral nor an insignificant commitment. Perhaps the most egregious consequence of naturalism is nihilism (from the Latin word nihil, which means “nothing”). Worldview expert James Sire defines nihilism as:
a denial of the possibility of knowledge, a denial that anything is valuable…. [It] is the negation of everything — knowledge, ethics, beauty, reality. In nihilism no statement has validity; nothing has meaning. Everything is gratuitous, de trop — that is, just there.
Nihilism is a depressing state, but it flows logically from naturalism for three reasons.
Naturalism Means No Free Will
First, naturalism leads to nihilism because humans don’t have free will. The atheist’s worldview denies the existence of spiritual or non-physical entities. If only physical things exist in the universe, then everything is subject to a cause and effect system that operates according to the laws of physics and chemistry.
Since human beings are also merely physical machines, they are subject to the same forces of cause and effect. It’s impossible to make a decision that is unencumbered by the laws of physics and chemistry on our brain. We do what we are determined to do. We are cogs in a cosmic machine. French philosopher Pierre Jean Georges Cabanis bluntly puts it: “The brain secretes thought as the liver secretes bile.” We’re just meat machines without the capacity for free will.
Freedom, however, is a key component to a meaningful life. If we can’t act freely, we can’t make our lives what we will. There’s no “I” to decide and determine our own destiny. Our “decisions” are not significant because they are not ours. Rather, our future is determined by blind physical forces. We’re just along for the ride.
Naturalism Eliminates Knowability
Second, naturalism leads to nihilism because knowledge is unattainable. Knowledge is justified true belief. Suppose you believe the Liberty Bell is three feet tall, and it’s also true that it’s that tall. You hold a true belief. Suppose, though, that you came to believe it’s three feet tall because you rolled a pair of dice and the sum was three. You would not have a justified true belief because a chance dice roll isn’t proper justification. Therefore, though you have a true belief, you would not have knowledge.
The problem for the atheist arises from the fact that their worldview of naturalism views the brain as a wholly material object, subject to the environmental forces of physics and chemistry. Such forces, however, have no interest in producing reliable cognitive faculties. Physical forces on a physical object like the brain won’t necessarily produce a trustworthy system of independent thought, reason, and logical deduction. Since we can’t be confident in our ability to attain justified true beliefs, we can’t have knowledge.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Naturalist J.B.S. Haldane concedes, “If my mental processes are determined wholly by the motions of atoms in my brain, I have no reason for supposing that my beliefs are true. They may be sound chemically, but that does not make them sound logically.”
Our brains are subject entirely to environmental forces, thereby calling into question whether our cognitive faculties are reliable. Without confidence of justified true beliefs, we’re left with a life devoid of knowledge and bereft of meaning. That’s nihilism.
Naturalism Eliminates Morality
Third, naturalism leads to nihilism because morality doesn’t exist. The world, according to naturalism, is just there. Students cheat in school, lions eat zebras, and men rape women. Life just happens. There’s no way the world is supposed to be because there’s no “supposer.” God doesn’t exist as our objective moral standard, so there’s no fixed set of morals that exists outside of ourselves. Each person acts however they like.
Without morality, there’s no possibility to do what is “good” or “noble.” There’s no virtue or vice. You can’t better yourself since there’s no ideal to pursue. Life is a trek with no moral compass and no destination.
But it’s worse. Despite the absence of morality, there’s no shortage of guilt. People have an intuitive sense that they do wrong. But in a world without God, there’s no forgiveness. We’re left in a state of guilt without any hope of redemption. That’s ethical nihilism.
The atheist’s worldview of naturalism leads to a world devoid of free will, knowledge, and morality. It leads to nihilism. The Christian worldview, by contrast, can justify free will, explain knowledge, and define right and wrong. More importantly, it provides a solution to our moral crimes and frees us from our guilt. Christianity makes the best sense of reality.
Alan Shlemon is an author and speaker for Stand to Reason. He trains Christians to share their convictions in a persuasive, yet gracious manner. He has been a guest on both radio and television, and has spoken to thousands of adults and students across the country at churches, conferences, and college campuses.
Originally published at STR.org. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-12-05--Is Loyalty to Trump the New Test of Conservatism?

In my book Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
, I devoted a chapter to the question , “ Since when was loyalty to Trump the dividing line for Christians ?
” We can now ask the question , “ Since when was loyalty to Trump the dividing line for conservatives ?
” Shouldn ’ t loyalty to conservative principles define us , rather than loyalty to a person ?
I ’ ve noticed an interesting trend in which I ’ ve been accused of being a “ leftist , ” to my memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
Normally , the criticisms and attacks come from the left , where I ’ m accused of being a right-wing wacko or a religious fanatic or a Nazi or a homophobe or a bigot or a hater .
( I ’ m sure many of you who share my conservative values are attacked in similar ways .
This is as predictable as it is hackneyed . )
How is it , then , that I ’ m now being called a “ leftist ” ?
At last check , I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing figure ” by Right Wing Watch , with 101 posts related to my name , the last one dating to October .
That ’ s more mentions than were received by Amy Coney Barrett ( 39x ) , Attorney General William Barr ( 43x ) , and Ben Shapiro ( 58x ) , just to name a few .
And since all of them are in the news far more than me ( obviously ! )
, the fact that I ’ m mentioned so much must mean I really am considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the left .
So , I remain in good standing as a vilified , biblically based conservative .
More to the point ( and more seriously ) , I am as adamantly pro-life as ever , as pro-family as ever , as pro-religious freedoms as ever , and as pro-Israel as ever , just to mention my strongest , biblically based conservative principles .
What , then , has changed ?
Why did one FB commenter ( who was hardly alone ) claim that I am now introducing “ left leaning suggestions or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ articles ?
The reason is simple .
As a Trump voter , I have cautioned against putting too much trust in a person , specifically Donald Trump .
I have challenged Christian leaders who have misused the Bible in their support of the president .
I have warned against making exaggerated statements about the elections ( like the claim that Trump actually won by the biggest landslide in electoral history ) .
I have urged us to be more temperate in our rhetoric .
For those transgressions I am branded a leftist ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a flaming Communist ” ) .
Anything less than absolute fealty to Trump means that you have betrayed the conservative cause .
The irony , of course , is that during this same season , I ’ ve continued to write and speak about the same biblically based values that I have embraced for decades .
What I ’ ve Written About Lately In the last 6 weeks , I ’ ve written about a victory against LGBTQ tyranny in our courts and issued a warning about LGBTQ activism in Norway .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Hitler ( and , by extension , his supporters to Nazis ) .
I ’ ve taken issue with former President Obama ’ s exaggerated charges of American racism .
I ’ ve asked if the left will try to prosecute and remove Christians from our society .
I ’ ve pointed out that America still does not like the radical left .
And I ’ ve drawn attention to the Senate Democrats unanimously voting against Amy Coney Barrett .
And even this is not a complete list of articles from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio broadcasts and videos and posts .
Yet , to repeat , because I raise concerns and cautions about our relationship to Trump ( just as I have for the last four years , as a Trump supporter ) , my conservative credentials are being questioned .
How in the world did this happen , not just to me , but to others who have been sharing their stories with me as well ?
The “ logic ” would apparently be that , to the extent you share any view that is held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself must be a leftist .
Where this line of reasoning could go is really quite scary .
( And , for the record , not every value held by people on the left is maniacal and depraved .
Just saying . )
The reason that many of us voted for Donald Trump in 2016 was because he promised to champion values that were important to us , specifically , conservative Christian values .
At that time , we could only hope that he would keep his promises .
The second time we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was because he had kept those promises .
So , our loyalty was first to those principles , and to the extent that Trump stood with those principles , we stood with him , with great appreciation at that .
In that way , he earned our loyalty and support .
Of course , for some of us , it was never a perfect union , since Trump often violated many of our biblical values while fighting for our conservative Christian policies .
Still , we voted for him and stood with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we remain deeply grateful that he held his ground .
And if the election has been stolen from him , we absolutely stand with him for justice .
But the idea that one ’ s conservatism is now measured by how deeply one swears to Trump is wrongheaded and dangerous , especially for people of faith .
We are the ones who are to hold our ground , firm in our convictions , which , we believe , derive from eternal principles .
The political leaders and parties should be evaluated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principles , not by how we line up with them .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

In my book Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?, I devoted a chapter to the question, “Since when was loyalty to Trump the dividing line for Christians?” We can now ask the question, “Since when was loyalty to Trump the dividing line for conservatives?” Shouldn’t loyalty to conservative principles define us, rather than loyalty to a person?
Accused of Being a Leftist
I’ve noticed an interesting trend in which I’ve been accused of being a “leftist,” to my memory, for the first time in my life.
Normally, the criticisms and attacks come from the left, where I’m accused of being a right-wing wacko or a religious fanatic or a Nazi or a homophobe or a bigot or a hater. (I’m sure many of you who share my conservative values are attacked in similar ways. This is as predictable as it is hackneyed.)
How is it, then, that I’m now being called a “leftist”?
A ‘Key Right-Wing Figure’
At last check, I’m still listed as a “key right-wing figure” by Right Wing Watch, with 101 posts related to my name, the last one dating to October. That’s more mentions than were received by Amy Coney Barrett (39x), Attorney General William Barr (43x), and Ben Shapiro (58x), just to name a few. And since all of them are in the news far more than me (obviously!), the fact that I’m mentioned so much must mean I really am considered to be far right by those on the left.
So, I remain in good standing as a vilified, biblically based conservative.
More to the point (and more seriously), I am as adamantly pro-life as ever, as pro-family as ever, as pro-religious freedoms as ever, and as pro-Israel as ever, just to mention my strongest, biblically based conservative principles.
What, then, has changed? Why did one FB commenter (who was hardly alone) claim that I am now introducing “left leaning suggestions or at times left narratives” into my articles?
Betraying the Conservative Cause?
The reason is simple. As a Trump voter, I have cautioned against putting too much trust in a person, specifically Donald Trump. I have challenged Christian leaders who have misused the Bible in their support of the president. I have warned against making exaggerated statements about the elections (like the claim that Trump actually won by the biggest landslide in electoral history). I have urged us to be more temperate in our rhetoric.
For those transgressions I am branded a leftist (or, as I recently noted, “a flaming Communist”). Anything less than absolute fealty to Trump means that you have betrayed the conservative cause.
The irony, of course, is that during this same season, I’ve continued to write and speak about the same biblically based values that I have embraced for decades.
What I’ve Written About Lately
In the last 6 weeks, I’ve written about a victory against LGBTQ tyranny in our courts and issued a warning about LGBTQ activism in Norway. I have criticized those who compare Trump to Hitler (and, by extension, his supporters to Nazis). I’ve taken issue with former President Obama’s exaggerated charges of American racism. I’ve asked if the left will try to prosecute and remove Christians from our society. I’ve pointed out that America still does not like the radical left. And I’ve drawn attention to the Senate Democrats unanimously voting against Amy Coney Barrett. And even this is not a complete list of articles from the last 6 weeks, let alone the radio broadcasts and videos and posts.
Yet, to repeat, because I raise concerns and cautions about our relationship to Trump (just as I have for the last four years, as a Trump supporter), my conservative credentials are being questioned.
How in the world did this happen, not just to me, but to others who have been sharing their stories with me as well?
Loyalty to Principles
The “logic” would apparently be that, to the extent you share any view that is held by anyone on the left, you yourself must be a leftist. Where this line of reasoning could go is really quite scary. (And, for the record, not every value held by people on the left is maniacal and depraved. Just saying.)
The reason that many of us voted for Donald Trump in 2016 was because he promised to champion values that were important to us, specifically, conservative Christian values. At that time, we could only hope that he would keep his promises. The second time we voted for him, in 2020, it was because he had kept those promises.
So, our loyalty was first to those principles, and to the extent that Trump stood with those principles, we stood with him, with great appreciation at that. In that way, he earned our loyalty and support.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Of course, for some of us, it was never a perfect union, since Trump often violated many of our biblical values while fighting for our conservative Christian policies.
Still, we voted for him and stood with him because of the stands he took, and we remain deeply grateful that he held his ground. And if the election has been stolen from him, we absolutely stand with him for justice.
But the idea that one’s conservatism is now measured by how deeply one swears to Trump is wrongheaded and dangerous, especially for people of faith.
We are the ones who are to hold our ground, firm in our convictions, which, we believe, derive from eternal principles. The political leaders and parties should be evaluated by how they line up with those principles, not by how we line up with them.
It’s time for a recalibration.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-12-05--Yes, Church Is Essential!

Yes, Church Is Essential!

During the COVID-19 pandemic , the definition of what constitutes “ essential services ” has been a matter of continued public discussion .
Different emphases and various controversies have erupted across multiple political jurisdictions .
Whether purposely forgotten or just assigned to bureaucratic limbo , churches have mostly had all the appearances of a cultural afterthought — sanctuary worship being placed behind other public gathering points as diverse as grocery stores and alcohol outlets .
In some jurisdictions , government regulation has truly looked ham-handed , insensitive , and even prejudicial .
Oregon singled-out Christian schools for closure before public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispensaries .
San Diego was so lenient on strip clubs that one church decided to open and declare itself a “ family friendly strip club ” in order to protest the bizarre governmental bias .
Last spring , church probably didn ’ t look all that “ essential ” to government , but the subsequent ebb-and-flow of an epidemic inevitably causes people to reflect more upon the phrase , “ essential service.
” Quite arguably , in the minds of today ’ s governance the word “ essential ” has become a synonym @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of “ Maslow ’ s Hierarchy ” of epidemic response .
Maslow ’ s famous diagram considered such things as food , water , and reproduction to be “ first order ” — the “ foundation stones ” at the base of his famous triangle .
However , even Maslow admitted that other needs were still human “ needs ” — unlike some COVID-driven public policy , which seems stuck on the lowest level of the pyramid .
In the immediate , of course , people do need water and they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid a contagious disease .
So , there are good reasons to keep Costco open during a pandemic while shuttering “ non-essential ” institutions and businesses .
But the longer a crisis continues the more other things begin to look essential in nature .
The pyramid hasn ’ t stood up as the hierarchy Maslow thought it was , but it ’ s still useful as a way of thinking about human needs .
We don ’ t approach our needs in that order , and neither should public policy .
‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ At first glance , a mother ’ s love may not be as essential as a toddler ’ s food and water , but the truth is that the longer a child goes without love the more devastating the absence .
Thirteenth century emperor Frederick II reportedly once tried to keep infants alive without affection and without communication — without “ the word , ” a pastor might say .
The infants were dutifully fed and changed .
Yet , all the children involved died , according to a Franciscan monk and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is some doubt whether this horrific experimentation took place , but there is zero doubt of the veracity of its conclusion .
We know from more modern sources that emotional deprivation has serious and potentially lethal , human consequences .
Frederick ’ s experiment is still alluded to in some forms of medical training .
Interestingly , it can become a metaphor applicable even to the Church .
For some people , a trip to Costco might look more important during COVID than a trip to church .
In the immediate sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The longer a community goes without its spiritual , moral and emotional support , thought , the worse off that community gets .
Extend it for six months and there is greater anxiety .
Extend it out a generation or two — deny the moral arguments , the ethical exemplars , the Christian culture of care , the existence of transcendent truth — and you will have serious community breakdown , guaranteed .
If politicians are correct in suggesting that “ it takes a village , ” that village must certainly include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ‘ Immediate ’ Are Not Synonyms We can not continue , therefore , to view “ essential ” as a mere synonym for “ immediate.
” We must think longer term .
This is the issue that Christians must place before their government representatives at all levels .
Government policy is often concerned with the immediately immediate .
If necessary , government would prioritize oxygen over food — and rightly so .
Still , the essential truth remains .
Deny the value of food and people still die — just a bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human needs , Jesus ( like Maslow ) also believed in a hierarchy of sorts .
He knew that not all essential needs are immediate needs .
Hence , Jesus wasn ’ t shy in reminding the Devil what Moses knew — that “ Man shall not live by bread alone , but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God ” ( Matthew 4:4 ) .
Bread is important .
It ’ s just not the only thing that ’ s important .
Hence , for Jesus , an open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been enough — past a point .

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the definition of what constitutes “essential services” has been a matter of continued public discussion. Different emphases and various controversies have erupted across multiple political jurisdictions. Whether purposely forgotten or just assigned to bureaucratic limbo, churches have mostly had all the appearances of a cultural afterthought — sanctuary worship being placed behind other public gathering points as diverse as grocery stores and alcohol outlets.
In some jurisdictions, government regulation has truly looked ham-handed, insensitive, and even prejudicial. Oregon singled-out Christian schools for closure before public ones. British Columbia oddly prioritized marijuana dispensaries. San Diego was so lenient on strip clubs that one church decided to open and declare itself a “family friendly strip club” in order to protest the bizarre governmental bias.
Confusing ‘Essential’ With ‘Immediate’
Last spring, church probably didn’t look all that “essential” to government, but the subsequent ebb-and-flow of an epidemic inevitably causes people to reflect more upon the phrase, “essential service.” Quite arguably, in the minds of today’s governance the word “essential” has become a synonym for “immediate” — in a kind of “Maslow’s Hierarchy” of epidemic response.
Maslow’s famous diagram considered such things as food, water, and reproduction to be “first order” — the “foundation stones” at the base of his famous triangle. However, even Maslow admitted that other needs were still human “needs” — unlike some COVID-driven public policy, which seems stuck on the lowest level of the pyramid.
In the immediate, of course, people do need water and they do need food. And they do need to avoid a contagious disease. So, there are good reasons to keep Costco open during a pandemic while shuttering “non-essential” institutions and businesses. But the longer a crisis continues the more other things begin to look essential in nature.
The pyramid hasn’t stood up as the hierarchy Maslow thought it was, but it’s still useful as a way of thinking about human needs. We don’t approach our needs in that order, and neither should public policy.
‘Man Shall Not Live By Bread Alone’
At first glance, a mother’s love may not be as essential as a toddler’s food and water, but the truth is that the longer a child goes without love the more devastating the absence. Thirteenth century emperor Frederick II reportedly once tried to keep infants alive without affection and without communication — without “the word,” a pastor might say.
The infants were dutifully fed and changed. Yet, all the children involved died, according to a Franciscan monk and contemporary of the Emperor. Admittedly, there is some doubt whether this horrific experimentation took place, but there is zero doubt of the veracity of its conclusion. We know from more modern sources that emotional deprivation has serious and potentially lethal, human consequences.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Frederick’s experiment is still alluded to in some forms of medical training. Interestingly, it can become a metaphor applicable even to the Church. For some people, a trip to Costco might look more important during COVID than a trip to church. In the immediate sense, these people might even be right.
The longer a community goes without its spiritual, moral and emotional support, thought, the worse off that community gets. Extend it for six months and there is greater anxiety. Extend it out a generation or two — deny the moral arguments, the ethical exemplars, the Christian culture of care, the existence of transcendent truth — and you will have serious community breakdown, guaranteed.
If politicians are correct in suggesting that “it takes a village,” that village must certainly include the village church.
‘Essential’ and ‘Immediate’ Are Not Synonyms
We cannot continue, therefore, to view “essential” as a mere synonym for “immediate.” We must think longer term. This is the issue that Christians must place before their government representatives at all levels. Government policy is often concerned with the immediately immediate. If necessary, government would prioritize oxygen over food — and rightly so. Still, the essential truth remains. Deny the value of food and people still die — just a bit slower than with asphyxiation.
As regards human needs, Jesus (like Maslow) also believed in a hierarchy of sorts. He knew that not all essential needs are immediate needs. Hence, Jesus wasn’t shy in reminding the Devil what Moses knew — that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Bread is important. It’s just not the only thing that’s important.
Hence, for Jesus, an open Costco without an open Church would never have been enough — past a point.


thestream--2020-12-05--The Hypocrisy of the Lords of the Lockdown

In 2020 , too many politicians have been caught in the act of violating their own strict COVID-19 healthcare laws !
Have they have forgotten the needs and rights of “ We the people ?
” Maybe they believe their rules are for “ the little people ” and we are just peons of the pandemic .
This Los Angeles County Supervisor was found dining outdoors at her favorite Italian Restaurant just hours after voting to ban outdoor dining at over 31,000 restaurants in her county .
And just like that , bada-bing bada-boom , her lockdown cripples the already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His moral authority took a steep nosedive on November 4 after visiting a classy Napa Valley restaurant , the French Laundry .
Declaring their intimate gathering of a dozen people from three different families was outdoors , Newson flat-out lied .
Photographs show the diners indoors , not practicing social distancing and without masks .
Too stink up the hypocrisy even more , two top officials with the California Medical Association were at Newsom ’ s opulent dining experience .
This hypocritical event represents the attitude of the state ’ s ruling class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decreed new guidance calling the people of California to limit their exposure to those outside their immediate family as the state deals with over 1 million COVID-19 cases and 18,000 deaths .
The Princess of Pandemic Pandering , was caught on camera at the eSalon in San Francisco walking with her mask around her neck in the middle of her wash and blow dry .
Nancy ’ s first response was to claim that she had been setup for a political hit job but reluctantly admitted she was to blame .
This event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city were officially permitted to reopen for outdoor services only .
Due to the backlash , Erica Kious , the owner of eSalon , closed up her business and told Fox News that she ’ s afraid to return to San Francisco after exposing Pelosi ’ s visit to her business .
Hypocrisy can strike back !
On the eve of Thanksgiving , Hancock preached to his Denver citizens the Gospel of isolation .
They were told to stay home and refrain from holiday travel .
Yet on that same day , Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and daughter flying to Mississippi for a family gathering .
Residents of the Mile-High City immediately recognized this height of hypocrisy .
Sirius Radio talk show host , Andrew Wilkow , has a fitting catchphrase for the lords of the lockdown , “ Socialism is for the people , not the Socialist.
” In other words , when it comes to making policies for the peons or redistributing our wealth , leftists are more than ready to tell you what you should do but are seldom ready to do it themselves .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ govern us when he or she can not govern themselves !
Ron F. Hale is a freelance writer and serves as guest preacher and interim pastor .
In 2020 , he was invited to write a chapter in the newly released book , The Right to Believe , published by Vide Press and co-edited a book entitled Victory Over Death : Funeral Messages of Hope and Healing .

Hypocrisy hurts!
In 2020, too many politicians have been caught in the act of violating their own strict COVID-19 healthcare laws! Have they have forgotten the needs and rights of “We the people?” Maybe they believe their rules are for “the little people” and we are just peons of the pandemic.
Sheila Kuehl
This Los Angeles County Supervisor was found dining outdoors at her favorite Italian Restaurant just hours after voting to ban outdoor dining at over 31,000 restaurants in her county. And just like that, bada-bing bada-boom, her lockdown cripples the already hurting food industry in Los Angeles.
Gov. Gavin Newsom
His moral authority took a steep nosedive on November 4 after visiting a classy Napa Valley restaurant, the French Laundry. Declaring their intimate gathering of a dozen people from three different families was outdoors, Newson flat-out lied. Photographs show the diners indoors, not practicing social distancing and without masks. Too stink up the hypocrisy even more, two top officials with the California Medical Association were at Newsom’s opulent dining experience.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
This hypocritical event represents the attitude of the state’s ruling class since the day Newsom’s administration decreed new guidance calling the people of California to limit their exposure to those outside their immediate family as the state deals with over 1 million COVID-19 cases and 18,000 deaths.
Nancy Pelosi
The Princess of Pandemic Pandering, was caught on camera at the eSalon in San Francisco walking with her mask around her neck in the middle of her wash and blow dry. Nancy’s first response was to claim that she had been setup for a political hit job but reluctantly admitted she was to blame. This event happened one day before salons in the city were officially permitted to reopen for outdoor services only.
Due to the backlash, Erica Kious, the owner of eSalon, closed up her business and told Fox News that she’s afraid to return to San Francisco after exposing Pelosi’s visit to her business. Hypocrisy can strike back!
Mayor Michael B. Hancock
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Hancock preached to his Denver citizens the Gospel of isolation. They were told to stay home and refrain from holiday travel. Yet on that same day, Mayor Hancock boarded a jet with his wife and daughter flying to Mississippi for a family gathering. Residents of the Mile-High City immediately recognized this height of hypocrisy.
Sirius Radio talk show host, Andrew Wilkow, has a fitting catchphrase for the lords of the lockdown, “Socialism is for the people, not the Socialist.” In other words, when it comes to making policies for the peons or redistributing our wealth, leftists are more than ready to tell you what you should do but are seldom ready to do it themselves.
It is difficult to trust a politician to govern us when he or she cannot govern themselves!
Ron F. Hale is a freelance writer and serves as guest preacher and interim pastor. In 2020, he was invited to write a chapter in the newly released book, The Right to Believe, published by Vide Press and co-edited a book entitled Victory Over Death: Funeral Messages of Hope and Healing.


thestream--2020-12-06--Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Election Fraud, but the Media Won’t Let You Ask

We ’ re told , over and over , from media outlets and social media platforms , that claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election are “ baseless ” and “ unsubstantiated.
” Twitter flags every article alleging voter fraud , and even stories about allegations of voter fraud .
Hostile news stories may even put “ voter fraud ” in scare quotes .
Despite this relentless media campaign , there is now scads of evidence of fraud .
This evidence is far more robust than anything the media used to keep the Russia collusion hoax alive for years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robust than the uncorroborated and contradictory “ evidence ” the press used to try to destroy Brett Kavanaugh ’ s life .
There was never any evidence , for instance , that Kavanaugh had even met Christine Blasey Ford .
The most visually sensational evidence of election fraud is the time coded security video footage from the State Farm Arena in Georgia .
Democratic counters sent home Republican poll watchers and members of the media , claiming there was going to be a break .
But four stayed behind , and later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to pull cases of ballots from under a table ( which one of them had set up that morning ) and started counting thousands of ballots , for hours .
We have sworn affidavits from the Republicans that they were told to leave .
And on the day in question ( election day , November 3rd ) , the media reported that counting stopped at 10:30 pm .
This is a visual age , and there ’ s nothing like security video showing what looks like nefarious behavior .
But at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for exact details .
Some officials are denying anything untoward happened ( as they would ) .
Perhaps it isn ’ t what it appears to be .
But press “ debunkings ” of the story , so far , consist of quoting election officials — the very ones accused of incompetence — or claiming the containers holding the extra ballots weren ’ t “ suitcases ” but rather … ballot containers .
Big deal .
The fact that they ’ re even disputing such a trifle is suspicious .
In any case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of course , many observers suspected fraud on election night .
We all remember when vote counting in several battleground states suddenly paused .
The media ’ s fishy explanations — a plumbing leak , vote counters needing to sleep , etc .
— only confirmed the suspicion .
But the evidence goes far beyond fishy smells .
The best evidence of electoral fraud is mostly in the form of sworn affidavits and testimony from on-the-record eyewitnesses , whistleblowers , along with ( often confirming ) statistical analyses of events .
Statistics can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far more likely to happen by fraud than by chance , even if it can ’ t tell us how the fraud happened .
Focus on this evidence .
If juicy video evidence appears and stands up to scrutiny , fine .
But don ’ t be distracted by eye-catching visuals .
And don ’ t suppose that a lack of video evidence means much if anything .
Remember , murders happen every day .
We almost never have video of them happening .
Finally , be skeptical of everything .
If some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they would be smart enough to anticipate some of this would be detected .
Thus , they would be smart enough to seed social media with sensational examples of fraud that they know conservatives would pass around and retweet .
And then , when those were debunked , the complicit media would use this to paper over solid , but less catchy evidence .
Try Searching These Phrases on Google , Then on Other Search Engines Here ’ s the reality : the media and social media are suppressing and burying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ articles and stories get buried by Google in near-real time .
Twitter and Facebook have been utterly shameless in censoring and misdirecting users .
You can see the result of this social media “ curating ” by looking for relevant stories on Google , Bing , and Duck Duck Go .
For instance , Google “ Pennsylvania hearing on voter fraud.
” ( Google is by far the worst . )
You ’ ll find many , many “ stories ” describing Trump cancelling his trip to the hearing , and “ rambling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Note how hard it is to find a straightforward news summary of the content of the hearing .
It ’ s almost like Google is trying to keep you from finding such information .
Or , try to Google the excellent summary of suspicious anomalies published recently in the US edition of the ( UK ) Spectator .
I ’ ll even give you the exact title of the piece : “ Reasons why the 2020 election is deeply puzzling.
” Note how long it takes for Google to provide a direct link @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent pieces that make reference to the original , which Google hasn ’ t yet buried ) .
If you didn ’ t have the exact title of the piece , you might as well be searching for a microscopic needle in the mother of all haystacks .
Next , try the same search at Bing , for a different experience .
For a real hoot , search for “ the very best evidence of electoral fraud 2020 ” on several different search engines .
Another example : Search for the phrase “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled the infosphere with that word “ widespread.
” But of course , the best evidence is election fraud is highly concentrated in a handful of cities and counties dominated for decades by Democratic machine politics .
One final example ( we could do this all day ) : Search for “ Donald Trump , electoral fraud speech , December 2 , 2020 ” on any search engine .
Notice the relentless bias .
Here ’ s one version of the video without a biased title ( at least until YouTube pulls this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with search engines ten thousand times to get a sense of how social media and media in general have worked to bury evidence of electoral fraud .
This is , in effect , an information propaganda campaign by virtually the entire establishment in control of the flow of information .
If You Want to Know About Evidence of Election Fraud and Have Only a Few Hours , Start Here But even without this media censorship , how does the average person discriminate between good and bad information ?
In the last few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims have flooded the relevant channels .
These are sticky and more likely to get shared on Twitter than more solid but less sensational information .
And even some sophisticated statistical analysis falls apart on closer inspection .
As a result , it ’ s hard for most people to find reliable sources , and to separate the wheat from the chaff .
So , here ’ s a representative sample for the honest inquirer , who doesn ’ t have countless hours to research the subject .
( We ’ ll update @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to bookmark it — especially since it will likely get buried or labeled on social media . )
There ’ s really no substitute for watching the videos of the state hearings themselves ( links below ) , but this requires many hours and the testimony varies on quality .
Short of that , at least spend a few hours reading the following articles , including summaries of the hearings .
If you do that , you ’ ll know more about the evidence of fraud than anyone that relies on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ ll also know that when media and social media tell you that fraud claims are baseless , they ’ re either lying or negligently uninformed .
Gil Sanders , “ Skeptical of Voter Fraud in 2020 ?
Here ’ s Your Evidence , ” Thomistic Thinker Patrick Basham , “ Reasons why the 2020 presidential election is deeply puzzling , ” The Spectator ( US ) Vote Integrity , “ Anomalies in Vote Counts and Their Effects on Election 2020 ” William M. Briggs , “ Stats I Did For the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Votes ” Al Perrotta , “ Where Did Joe Biden Get His Five Touchdowns From ?
” The Stream Summary of Day one : Fred Lucas , “ Four Takeaways from the Michigan Senate ’ s Election Fraud Hearing , ” The Stream Jack Phillips , “ State Farm Arena Footage Shows Poll Workers Staying Behind Pulling Out Suitcases with Ballots , ” The Epoch Times Al Perrotta , “ # ElectionSteal : Call Me a Crank Who Believes in Liberty , ” The Stream Scott McKay , “ Five Quick Things : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The American Spectator

We’re told, over and over, from media outlets and social media platforms, that claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election are “baseless” and “unsubstantiated.” Twitter flags every article alleging voter fraud, and even stories about allegations of voter fraud. Hostile news stories may even put “voter fraud” in scare quotes.
Despite this relentless media campaign, there are now scads of evidence of fraud. This evidence is far more robust than anything the media used to keep the Russia collusion hoax alive for years. And it’s far more robust than the uncorroborated and contradictory “evidence” the press used to try to destroy Brett Kavanaugh’s life. There was never any evidence, for instance, that Kavanaugh had even met Christine Blasey Ford.
The most visually sensational evidence of election fraud is the time coded security video footage from the State Farm Arena in Georgia. Democratic counters sent home Republican poll watchers and members of the media, claiming there was going to be a break. But four stayed behind, and later, when no one was watching, they appeared to pull cases of ballots from under a table (which one of them had set up that morning) and started counting thousands of ballots, for hours.
We have sworn affidavits from the Republicans that they were told to leave. And on the day in question (election day, November 3rd), the media reported that counting stopped at 10:30 pm.
NEW: The election department sent the ballot counters at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta home at 10:30 p.m., Regina Waller, the Fulton County public affairs manager for elections, tells ABC News. https://t.co/HgCtcXEka3 — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 4, 2020
This is a visual age, and there’s nothing like security video showing what looks like nefarious behavior. But at the moment, we’re still groping for exact details. Some officials are denying anything untoward happened (as they would). Perhaps it isn’t what it appears to be. But press “debunkings” of the story, so far, consist of quoting election officials — the very ones accused of incompetence — or claiming the containers holding the extra ballots weren’t “suitcases” but rather … ballot containers. Big deal. The fact that they’re even disputing such a trifle is suspicious.
In any case, this is prima facie evidence.
Of course, many observers suspected fraud on election night. We all remember when vote counting in several battleground states suddenly paused. The media’s fishy explanations — a plumbing leak, vote counters needing to sleep, etc. — only confirmed the suspicion.
But the evidence goes far beyond fishy smells. The best evidence of electoral fraud is mostly in the form of sworn affidavits and testimony from on-the-record eyewitnesses, whistleblowers, along with (often confirming) statistical analyses of events. Statistics can help us tell if some event is far more likely to happen by fraud than by chance, even if it can’t tell us how the fraud happened.
Focus on this evidence. If juicy video evidence appears and stands up to scrutiny, fine. But don’t be distracted by eye-catching visuals.
And don’t suppose that a lack of video evidence means much if anything. Remember, murders happen every day. We almost never have video of them happening.
Finally, be skeptical of everything. If some Democrats committed fraud in the November election, they would be smart enough to anticipate some of this would be detected. Thus, they would be smart enough to seed social media with sensational examples of fraud that they know conservatives would pass around and retweet. And then, when those were debunked, the complicit media would use this to paper over solid, but less catchy evidence.
Try Searching These Phrases on Google, Then on Other Search Engines
Here’s the reality: the media and social media are suppressing and burying the best evidence. We’ve watched articles and stories get buried by Google in near-real time. Twitter and Facebook have been utterly shameless in censoring and misdirecting users.
You can see the result of this social media “curating” by looking for relevant stories on Google, Bing, and Duck Duck Go. For instance, Google “Pennsylvania hearing on voter fraud.” (Google is by far the worst.) You’ll find many, many “stories” describing Trump cancelling his trip to the hearing, and “rambling” when he called in instead. Note how hard it is to find a straightforward news summary of the content of the hearing. It’s almost like Google is trying to keep you from finding such information.
Or, try to Google the excellent summary of suspicious anomalies published recently in the US edition of the (UK) Spectator. I’ll even give you the exact title of the piece: “Reasons why the 2020 election is deeply puzzling.” Note how long it takes for Google to provide a direct link the article itself (as opposed to recent pieces that make reference to the original, which Google hasn’t yet buried). If you didn’t have the exact title of the piece, you might as well be searching for a microscopic needle in the mother of all haystacks.
Next, try the same search at Bing, for a different experience.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
For a real hoot, search for “the very best evidence of electoral fraud 2020” on several different search engines.
Another example: Search for the phrase “widespread election fraud.” The press has filled the infosphere with that word “widespread.” But of course, the best evidence is election fraud is highly concentrated in a handful of cities and counties dominated for decades by Democratic machine politics.
One final example (we could do this all day): Search for “Donald Trump, electoral fraud speech, December 2, 2020” on any search engine. Notice the relentless bias.
Here’s one version of the video without a biased title (at least until YouTube pulls this version).
Now multiply this experience with search engines ten thousand times to get a sense of how social media and media in general have worked to bury evidence of electoral fraud. This is, in effect, an information propaganda campaign by virtually the entire establishment in control of the flow of information.
If You Want to Know About Evidence of Election Fraud and Have Only a Few Hours, Start Here
But even without this media censorship, how does the average person discriminate between good and bad information? In the last few weeks, a ton of bogus and misguided claims have flooded the relevant channels. These are sticky and more likely to get shared on Twitter than more solid but less sensational information. And even some sophisticated statistical analysis falls apart on closer inspection.
As a result, it’s hard for most people to find reliable sources, and to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
So, here’s a representative sample for the honest inquirer, who doesn’t have countless hours to research the subject. (We’ll update this piece periodically, so you might want to bookmark it — especially since it will likely get buried or labeled on social media.)
There’s really no substitute for watching the videos of the state hearings themselves (links below), but this requires many hours and the testimony varies on quality. Short of that, at least spend a few hours reading the following articles, including summaries of the hearings. If you do that, you’ll know more about the evidence of fraud than anyone that relies on their Twitter feed or CNN for information.
You’ll also know that when media and social media tell you that fraud claims are baseless, they’re either lying or negligently uninformed.
Means, Motives, Opportunities
Michael Pakaluk, “It’s Not Over,” The Catholic Thing
Edward Feser, “Means, Motives, and Opportunity,” Ed Feser
Gil Sanders, “Skeptical of Voter Fraud in 2020? Here’s Your Evidence,” Thomistic Thinker
Tell-Tale Statistical Anomalies
Michael Del Rosso, “Show the Graphs, Mr. President,” The Stream
Patrick Basham, “Reasons why the 2020 presidential election is deeply puzzling,” The Spectator (US)
Vote Integrity, “Anomalies in Vote Counts and Their Effects on Election 2020”
William M. Briggs, “Stats I Helped With In Sidney Powell’s Michigan Kraken”
William M. Briggs, “Stats I Did For the Sidney Powell Suits: 150 Thousand Missing Votes”
Whistleblowers on disappearing and backdated ballots
Daniel Payne, “Whistleblowers allege ballots illegally crossed state lines, ballot backdating, digital manipulation,” Just the News
Al Perrotta, “Where Did Joe Biden Get His Five Touchdowns From?” The Stream
State Hearings
Pennsylvania
Summary: Charlie Spiering, “Highlights of Pennsylvania Republicans’ Hearing on Election Irregularities,” Breitbart
Video of hearing
Arizona
Summary
Video of hearing
Michigan
Summary of Day one: Fred Lucas, “Four Takeaways from the Michigan Senate’s Election Fraud Hearing,” The Stream
Video of hearing on December 1
Video of hearing on December 2
Georgia
Video of hearing on December 3
Jack Phillips, “State Farm Arena Footage Shows Poll Workers Staying Behind Pulling Out Suitcases with Ballots,” The Epoch Times
A Few Good Commentaries
Al Perrotta, “#ElectionSteal: Call Me a Crank Who Believes in Liberty,” The Stream
Scott McKay, “Five Quick Things: No, You are not Crazy,” The American Spectator
Kerry Wakefield, “The Big Steal,” The Spectator (Australia)