thestream--2020-04-24--Is the Antichrist About to Be Revealed?

Is the Antichrist About to Be Revealed?

I recently wrote that practical obedience to God today is far more important than speculation about the mark of the beast tomorrow .
I have also made clear that I do not believe that COVID-19 is one of the plagues from the Book of Revelation .
At the same time , a number of recent developments help illustrate how quickly a false Messianic figure could emerge on the earth .
We ’ re seeing these developments in both religious and secular circles .
Prepare to read some shocking quotes .
But first , let me set the stage .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Can Be Set As I have stated , I do not believe that a potential COVID-19 vaccine , replete with microchip , is the mark of the beast .
And I do not believe that the virus is part of a larger , nefarious plot hatched by a clandestine one-world government cabal .
( For more on all this , see my new book . )
Yet the events surrounding the coronavirus have demonstrated how quickly the status quo can be overturned , how dramatically the fortunes of nations can shift , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arise .
And what if there was a worldwide economic collapse , accompanied by plague and famine ?
Is it too far-fetched to imagine that a powerful , problem-solving leader could gain an international following ?
To say it again , I do not believe we are at that point .
But I do believe that , in front of our eyes , we ’ re seeing how quickly the table can be set , even from an entirely secular point of view .
All the more does this become feasible when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned His disciples , saying “ Be careful that no one leads you astray !
For many will come in My name , saying , ‘ I am the Messiah , ’ and will lead many astray ” ( Matthew 24:4–5 TLV ) .
He also warned that , “ Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray ” ( Matthew 24:11 , TLV ) .
So , from a Christian perspective , before the true Messiah ( = Christ ) will return in the clouds of heaven , there will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will deceive many .
And this leads us to the promised , shocking quotes .
Iran ’ s Supreme Leader Says Muslim Scholars Have Met the Mahdi In the Islamic world , the belief in the Mahdi , the hidden Imam waiting to be revealed ( especially according to Shi ’ ite belief ) , could easily prepare the way for a counterfeit Messianic figure .
To be sure , Muslims believe that Jesus is the Messiah ( although , quite plainly , they do not believe in the Jesus of the Bible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mahdi is not the Messiah .
On the other hand , since he functions in Islamic lore as the end-time redeemer , he could be the perfect counterfeit-Christ type of figure .
And here ’ s where it gets very interesting : there are Muslim leaders today who claim to have met the Mahdi numerous times .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Writing in the Jerusalem Post on January 20 , Brian Schrauger explained that the Mahdi “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12th of 12 Imams who are successors to Mohammed .
Said to have been born in 879 CE , the Imam Mahdi is believed by Shi ’ a Muslims to still be alive , but hidden from mankind in ‘ occultation ’ until a time of such upheaval on the earth that only his reappearance will rescue mankind and , in fact , usher in an age of global peace ; Islamic peace , that is ; a kind of peace in which all mankind is living in submission to the Allah of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Pledge to Him in Person ” And Schrauger can provide documentation for every single claim he has made .
In the words of Iran ’ s Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamanei , “ The Iranian nation , enjoys a great privilege today : the atmosphere of the country is an atmosphere of Imam Mahdi.
” And , Khamanei states , “ many of our great scholars have personally met with this beloved [ Imam ] of hearts of the admirers during his occultation ; many have made a pledge to him in person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heartwarming words ; many have been caressed by him and many others have received his kindness , care , and love.
” The Islamic Mahdi is here .
He is known to many insiders .
And he is about to be revealed .
And remember : this article was written before Iran was smitten with COVID-19 .
What are the leaders thinking today ?
Leading Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Claims Another Rabbi has Met the Messiah A February 20 headline in Israel Today stated that , “ Israeli Rabbi Says He ’ s Already Holding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Israel ’ s biggest rabbis are all afraid to leave the country lest they miss Messiah ’ s coming.
” The article , by Ryan Jones , cited a three-hour radio interview in which Rabbi Yaakov Zisholtz said that Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky “ recently told him that he ( Kanievsky ) is already in direct contact with the Messiah.
” Rabbi Kanievsky , now in his early 90s , is considered to be the leading authority in the ultra-Orthodox ( haredi ) community in Israel , and he has often spoken of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming .
But it seems he is saying even more today .
The process of redemption is about to start happening very quickly and at a fast pace .
It is important that people remain calm and steady to act properly in the right time .
There is a potential Messiah in every generation and there are righteous men who know precisely who it is .
This is , of course , true in this generation .
Getting the word out now that the Messiah is closer than ever is a matter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you heard of Gog and Magog ?
That is what is going to happen very soon .
Right now , the situation is explosive more than you can possibly imagine .
Everyone needs to know whether they are on the inside or if they are going to be left out .
Yes , these are the words of an ultra-Orthodox rabbi in Israel .
Not those of an evangelical Christian , Bible in hand , with end-time prophecies heavily underlined .
Rabbi Zisholtz was careful to say he couldn ’ t promise anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bar with specific predictions and events .
And again , he claimed that certain religious Jews knew exactly who the Messiah was and have even met with him .
Israel ’ s Health Minister Hoped to See the Messiah Before Passover Adding to all this was the statement of Israel ’ s Health Minister , Yaakov Litzman , himself ultra-Orthodox .
As reported in HaAretz on March 26 and with reference to COVID-19 , Litzman said , “ We are praying and hoping that the Messiah will arrive before Passover , the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Messiah will come and bring us out as [ God ] brought us out of Egypt .
Soon we will go out in freedom and the Messiah will come and redeem us from all the troubles of the world.
” The Messiah would be the cure to the coronavirus .
And he would come ( meaning , be publicly revealed , since in Jewish thought , he could already be here ) by Passover .
Well , Passover ended on April 16 .
And , in case you missed the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come .
Ironically , Litzman himself contracted the virus , although he has since recovered .
And for a number of reasons , including heavy criticism of his handling of the crisis , he is reportedly considering quitting .
False Messiahs Will Come : Let ’ s Keep Our Focus on the Second Coming But all this talk about the Mahdi being here , ready to be revealed , along with the traditional Jewish Messiah being here , ready to be revealed , underscores the point I have been making .
It would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure to arise and deceive many .
And so , while I believe the table has not yet been set for this grand finale , it could clearly be set on very short notice .
Let us , then , keep our focus on the Second Coming of the true Christ ( = Messiah ) .
But let us not forget the warnings about that false Messiah ( = antichrist ) who will come first .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Stops : Words of Faith , Hope , and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis .
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

I recently wrote that practical obedience to God today is far more important than speculation about the mark of the beast tomorrow. I have also made clear that I do not believe that COVID-19 is one of the plagues from the Book of Revelation. At the same time, a number of recent developments help illustrate how quickly a false Messianic figure could emerge on the earth. We’re seeing these developments in both religious and secular circles.
Prepare to read some shocking quotes. But first, let me set the stage.
We’re Seeing How Quickly the Table Can Be Set
As I have stated, I do not believe that a potential COVID-19 vaccine, replete with microchip, is the mark of the beast. And I do not believe that the virus is part of a larger, nefarious plot hatched by a clandestine one-world government cabal. (For more on all this, see my new book.) Yet the events surrounding the coronavirus have demonstrated how quickly the status quo can be overturned, how dramatically the fortunes of nations can shift, and how a call for one-world cooperation can arise.
And what if there was a worldwide economic collapse, accompanied by plague and famine? Is it too far-fetched to imagine that a powerful, problem-solving leader could gain an international following?
To say it again, I do not believe we are at that point. But I do believe that, in front of our eyes, we’re seeing how quickly the table can be set, even from an entirely secular point of view.
Before the true Messiah (= Christ) will return in the clouds of heaven, there will be counterfeit Messiahs (= antichrists) who will deceive many.
All the more does this become feasible when we add in religious beliefs.
Jesus famously warned His disciples, saying “Be careful that no one leads you astray! For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will lead many astray” (Matthew 24:4–5 TLV). He also warned that, “Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” (Matthew 24:11, TLV).
So, from a Christian perspective, before the true Messiah (= Christ) will return in the clouds of heaven, there will be counterfeit Messiahs (= antichrists) who will deceive many.
And this leads us to the promised, shocking quotes.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Says Muslim Scholars Have Met the Mahdi
In the Islamic world, the belief in the Mahdi, the hidden Imam waiting to be revealed (especially according to Shi’ite belief), could easily prepare the way for a counterfeit Messianic figure.
To be sure, Muslims believe that Jesus is the Messiah (although, quite plainly, they do not believe in the Jesus of the Bible). So, technically speaking, the Mahdi is not the Messiah. On the other hand, since he functions in Islamic lore as the end-time redeemer, he could be the perfect counterfeit-Christ type of figure.
And here’s where it gets very interesting: there are Muslim leaders today who claim to have met the Mahdi numerous times.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Writing in the Jerusalem Post on January 20, Brian Schrauger explained that the Mahdi “is Islam’s messiah, the 12th of 12 Imams who are successors to Mohammed. Said to have been born in 879 CE, the Imam Mahdi is believed by Shi’a Muslims to still be alive, but hidden from mankind in ‘occultation’ until a time of such upheaval on the earth that only his reappearance will rescue mankind and, in fact, usher in an age of global peace; Islamic peace, that is; a kind of peace in which all mankind is living in submission to the Allah of the Koran.”
“Many Have Made a Pledge to Him in Person”
He continues:
Crazy to Western ears, this messianic creed is the raison d’être for the Islamic Republic of Iran according to its founders and leaders. It is also the basis of Tehran’s foreign and military policies; and it is impossible to overemphasize the Iran regime’s visceral commitment to it. The Imam Mahdi is invoked in every public gathering, both civil and military; he is the singular inspiration for every policy, every tactic, every mission; indeed, he is nothing less than the regime’s reason for its existence and, as such, its singular and unwavering motivation for the future.
And Schrauger can provide documentation for every single claim he has made.
“Many of our great scholars have personally met with this beloved [Imam] of hearts of the admirers during his occultation.” — Ayatollah Khamanei
In the words of Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamanei, “The Iranian nation, enjoys a great privilege today: the atmosphere of the country is an atmosphere of Imam Mahdi.” And, Khamanei states, “many of our great scholars have personally met with this beloved [Imam] of hearts of the admirers during his occultation; many have made a pledge to him in person; many have heard from him some heartwarming words; many have been caressed by him and many others have received his kindness, care, and love.”
The Islamic Mahdi is here. He is known to many insiders. And he is about to be revealed. And remember: this article was written before Iran was smitten with COVID-19. What are the leaders thinking today?
But there’s more.
Leading Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Claims Another Rabbi has Met the Messiah
A February 20 headline in Israel Today stated that, “Israeli Rabbi Says He’s Already Holding Meetings With Messiah.” The subtitle: “Israel’s biggest rabbis are all afraid to leave the country lest they miss Messiah’s coming.”
The article, by Ryan Jones, cited a three-hour radio interview in which Rabbi Yaakov Zisholtz said that Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky “recently told him that he (Kanievsky) is already in direct contact with the Messiah.”
Rabbi Kanievsky, now in his early 90s, is considered to be the leading authority in the ultra-Orthodox (haredi) community in Israel, and he has often spoken of the nearness of the Messiah’s coming. But it seems he is saying even more today.
According to Rabbi Zisholtz:
The process of redemption is about to start happening very quickly and at a fast pace. It is important that people remain calm and steady to act properly in the right time. There is a potential Messiah in every generation and there are righteous men who know precisely who it is. This is, of course, true in this generation. Getting the word out now that the Messiah is closer than ever is a matter of life and death. Haven’t you heard of Gog and Magog? That is what is going to happen very soon. Right now, the situation is explosive more than you can possibly imagine. Everyone needs to know whether they are on the inside or if they are going to be left out.
Yes, these are the words of an ultra-Orthodox rabbi in Israel. Not those of an evangelical Christian, Bible in hand, with end-time prophecies heavily underlined.
Rabbi Zisholtz was careful to say he couldn’t promise anything. But he was certainly raising the bar with specific predictions and events. And again, he claimed that certain religious Jews knew exactly who the Messiah was and have even met with him.
Israel’s Health Minister Hoped to See the Messiah Before Passover
Adding to all this was the statement of Israel’s Health Minister, Yaakov Litzman, himself ultra-Orthodox. As reported in HaAretz on March 26 and with reference to COVID-19, Litzman said, “We are praying and hoping that the Messiah will arrive before Passover, the time of our redemption. I am sure that the Messiah will come and bring us out as [God] brought us out of Egypt. Soon we will go out in freedom and the Messiah will come and redeem us from all the troubles of the world.”
The Messiah would be the cure to the coronavirus. And he would come (meaning, be publicly revealed, since in Jewish thought, he could already be here) by Passover.
It would not take much for a counterfeit Messianic figure to arise and deceive many.
Well, Passover ended on April 16. And, in case you missed the news, the expected Jewish Messiah did not come.
Ironically, Litzman himself contracted the virus, although he has since recovered. And for a number of reasons, including heavy criticism of his handling of the crisis, he is reportedly considering quitting.
False Messiahs Will Come: Let’s Keep Our Focus on the Second Coming
But all this talk about the Mahdi being here, ready to be revealed, along with the traditional Jewish Messiah being here, ready to be revealed, underscores the point I have been making. It would not take much for a counterfeit Messianic figure to arise and deceive many.
And so, while I believe the table has not yet been set for this grand finale, it could clearly be set on very short notice.
Let us, then, keep our focus on the Second Coming of the true Christ (= Messiah). But let us not forget the warnings about that false Messiah (= antichrist) who will come first.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-04-24--Uncertainty About COVID-19 Warrants Our Humility

COVID-19 is so new and information is changing so rapidly that it is difficult to separate fact from fiction and truth from partial truth .
Like everyone else , I ’ m just trying to make sense of the evolving information .
Many of us have been monitoring the daily reports measuring the number of deaths relative to the number of cases .
We ’ ve been treated to crash courses in lay epidemiology via daily press briefings and voluminous articles .
We understand that the administration and state governments have been trying to “ flatten the curve ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The main purpose , as has now been clarified , is to reduce the velocity of the contagion so that our hospitals and necessary equipment are not overwhelmed , which would result in more deaths .
Though many didn ’ t grasp this initially , flattening the curve doesn ’ t greatly reduce the overall number of deaths , except for those saved by reducing the burden on hospitals and others saved by lifesaving therapeutic treatments and vaccines developed with the extra time flattening provides .
Many have suggested that the estimated death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numerator ( number of deaths ) has been exaggerated and the denominator ( number of people infected ) has been understated .
They say the numerator was inflated because many deaths actually caused by the flu were attributed to COVID-19 , and because every death of a person with the virus in their system was treated as a death caused by the virus even though some other accompanying illness may have been the proximate cause .
The denominator was likely understated because so many people had the disease before we were aware it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and never got tested ; and many who were symptomatic assumed they had the flu .
Several recent studies have confirmed , through randomized antibody testing , that in certain locations , exponentially more people were infected than we ’ d assumed .
Stanford University researchers found that Santa Clara County in California had between 50 and 80 times more infections than officials were reporting .
A separate antibody study showed that the number of coronavirus infections in Los Angeles County could be 28 to 55 times higher than the official count .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million New Yorkers may have been infected — more than 10 times the state ’ s confirmed cases to date .
Obviously , we ’ ll know more when antibody testing is conducted throughout the country .
But these tests strongly indicate that the virus is less lethal by orders of magnitude than previously known .
Many argue that this emerging data proves we overreacted by shutting down our economy and wreaking such financial devastation .
If we knew in December what we think we know now , this may have been true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the data analyzed , however , we won ’ t be sure of the virus ’ lethality .
I suspect it will be more than that of the flu .
If so , and it is in fact as contagious as we fear , we might think twice before making final judgments as to what should or shouldn ’ t have been done .
I think the critics ’ skepticism is based on their distrust of other experts who have ginned up fear over apocalyptic climate change based on computer models .
Knowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people are justifiably suspicious of what now appear be wildly erroneous coronavirus models that scared the world into a global economic shutdown .
People are still debating whether these initial models factored in mitigation measures , but we can certainly fault modelers for their absolutism and arrogance , and we can use this experience to challenge the credibility of climate change modelers on their projections .
So where does it leave us ?
While there is still much we don ’ t know , I am less cynical than some about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow the spread .
If I weren ’ t , I ’ d be freely moving about in public without fear of catching the virus .
I do believe we have slowed the spread and saved lives .
But I am also very saddened by the immeasurable economic devastation and suffering .
While some may be too readily dismissing the threat of the virus , others are unspeakably insensitive to the financial disruption and pain people are experiencing , and callous about mitigating it .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And No Fear .
We have to be prudent moving forward .
Even with these new findings on lethality , we have nowhere near approached herd immunity , so the virus is still highly contagious .
We don ’ t want to immediately reopen every aspect of our society if it would cause the virus to rebound , which would make the economic pain we ’ ve already suffered pointless — and much worse .
So , I think the administration is wise in recommending a phased-in approach and deferring , when practicable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the more we learn and the more testing we have , the better we ’ ll be able to combat the virus if it resurfaces in the fall and in subsequent years .
Scientists will be armed with more widespread antibody tests as well as tests to determine whether people have the disease so that contact tracing can be used to find who they might have infected .
Officials will also have developed efficient systems and strategies for preventing flare-ups from igniting full-blown outbreaks .
We can then employ a more targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause economic devastation , as research confirms that the virus is far more deadly to certain groups : the elderly and those with certain underlying health conditions .
Until we develop herd immunity , less vulnerable groups can freely move about , and more vulnerable ones can self-isolate .
As we reflect on this crisis , we must also reflect on our precious constitutional liberties and consider how quickly they can be compromised in actual or perceived national emergencies .
While individuals and businesses deserve to receive relief funds from the government because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities , we must now soberly consider our national debt and the existential threat it represents to the republic .
Perhaps we will become more responsible about our out-of-control federal spending , which can only be rectified by entitlement reform — a subject we can no longer afford to avoid .
Pray for America and those hurting from this pandemic .
David Limbaugh is a writer , author and attorney .
His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity : Why the Democrats Must Not Win .
Follow him on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

COVID-19 is so new and information is changing so rapidly that it is difficult to separate fact from fiction and truth from partial truth. Like everyone else, I’m just trying to make sense of the evolving information.
Many of us have been monitoring the daily reports measuring the number of deaths relative to the number of cases. We’ve been treated to crash courses in lay epidemiology via daily press briefings and voluminous articles.
We understand that the administration and state governments have been trying to “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus by slowing its spread. The main purpose, as has now been clarified, is to reduce the velocity of the contagion so that our hospitals and necessary equipment are not overwhelmed, which would result in more deaths.
Flattening the Curve
Though many didn’t grasp this initially, flattening the curve doesn’t greatly reduce the overall number of deaths, except for those saved by reducing the burden on hospitals and others saved by lifesaving therapeutic treatments and vaccines developed with the extra time flattening provides.
Many have suggested that the estimated death rates have been grossly overstated because the numerator (number of deaths) has been exaggerated and the denominator (number of people infected) has been understated.
They say the numerator was inflated because many deaths actually caused by the flu were attributed to COVID-19, and because every death of a person with the virus in their system was treated as a death caused by the virus even though some other accompanying illness may have been the proximate cause.
The denominator was likely understated because so many people had the disease before we were aware it was circulating here; many were asymptomatic and never got tested; and many who were symptomatic assumed they had the flu. Several recent studies have confirmed, through randomized antibody testing, that in certain locations, exponentially more people were infected than we’d assumed.
Stanford University researchers found that Santa Clara County in California had between 50 and 80 times more infections than officials were reporting. A separate antibody study showed that the number of coronavirus infections in Los Angeles County could be 28 to 55 times higher than the official count. A just-released study estimates that some 2.7 million New Yorkers may have been infected — more than 10 times the state’s confirmed cases to date.
Obviously, we’ll know more when antibody testing is conducted throughout the country. But these tests strongly indicate that the virus is less lethal by orders of magnitude than previously known.
Overreacting to Data
Many argue that this emerging data proves we overreacted by shutting down our economy and wreaking such financial devastation. If we knew in December what we think we know now, this may have been true. Until comprehensive testing is performed and the data analyzed, however, we won’t be sure of the virus’ lethality. I suspect it will be more than that of the flu. If so, and it is in fact as contagious as we fear, we might think twice before making final judgments as to what should or shouldn’t have been done.
I think the critics’ skepticism is based on their distrust of other experts who have ginned up fear over apocalyptic climate change based on computer models. Knowing how much disinformation those experts have spread, people are justifiably suspicious of what now appear be wildly erroneous coronavirus models that scared the world into a global economic shutdown.
People are still debating whether these initial models factored in mitigation measures, but we can certainly fault modelers for their absolutism and arrogance, and we can use this experience to challenge the credibility of climate change modelers on their projections.
So where does it leave us?
Now What?
While there is still much we don’t know, I am less cynical than some about the mitigation measures we’ve employed to slow the spread. If I weren’t, I’d be freely moving about in public without fear of catching the virus. I do believe we have slowed the spread and saved lives.
But I am also very saddened by the immeasurable economic devastation and suffering. While some may be too readily dismissing the threat of the virus, others are unspeakably insensitive to the financial disruption and pain people are experiencing, and callous about mitigating it.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
We have to be prudent moving forward. Even with these new findings on lethality, we have nowhere near approached herd immunity, so the virus is still highly contagious. We don’t want to immediately reopen every aspect of our society if it would cause the virus to rebound, which would make the economic pain we’ve already suffered pointless — and much worse. So, I think the administration is wise in recommending a phased-in approach and deferring, when practicable, to state authorities.
I trust that the more we learn and the more testing we have, the better we’ll be able to combat the virus if it resurfaces in the fall and in subsequent years. Scientists will be armed with more widespread antibody tests as well as tests to determine whether people have the disease so that contact tracing can be used to find who they might have infected. Officials will also have developed efficient systems and strategies for preventing flare-ups from igniting full-blown outbreaks.
We can then employ a more targeted approach against the virus that will not cause economic devastation, as research confirms that the virus is far more deadly to certain groups: the elderly and those with certain underlying health conditions. Until we develop herd immunity, less vulnerable groups can freely move about, and more vulnerable ones can self-isolate.
National Emergencies
As we reflect on this crisis, we must also reflect on our precious constitutional liberties and consider how quickly they can be compromised in actual or perceived national emergencies. While individuals and businesses deserve to receive relief funds from the government because it forced them to suspend their economic activities, we must now soberly consider our national debt and the existential threat it represents to the republic. Perhaps we will become more responsible about our out-of-control federal spending, which can only be rectified by entitlement reform — a subject we can no longer afford to avoid.
Pray for America and those hurting from this pandemic.
David Limbaugh is a writer, author and attorney. His latest book is Guilty by Reason of Insanity: Why the Democrats Must Not Win. Follow him on Twitter @davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


thestream--2020-04-24--For the Woman Who Desperately Wants to be Called ‘Mama’

For the woman who desperately wants to be called “ Mama , ” please know : You are not alone .
You are not a failure .
You are not less of a woman because you can ’ t conceive .
You are not less of a wife because you can ’ t give birth .
You are not less lovable or beautiful or valuable because no baby grows in your womb .
God has not forgotten you .
God is not punishing you .
God doesn ’ t love you less than He loves women with children .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He feels every stab of pain in your childless heart and wants nothing more than for you to feel peace and joy again .
But for you , now , this is the way to peace .
This is the way to joy .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
I know that sounds like cold comfort , when all you want is a baby kicking in your womb .
And I don ’ t pretend to understand why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t know why this cross and not another .
I can ’ t give you a reason for why we have to ache and long and break ourselves to achieve what others do with the ease of breathing , all the while feeling alone , unseen , never enough .
But I do know God brings beauty out of brokenness .
He uses everything .
He wastes nothing .
If we let Him , He takes every hurt , every loss , every struggle and weaves it into the story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of our journey to a home where there is no brokenness .
Only life .
I also know I wouldn ’ t be the mother of a black-haired toddler , with eyes like the sea , without this cross .
Infertility led me to him .
He wasn ’ t the baby I expected .
But God knew he was the baby I needed .
God also knew I was the mother he needed and the friend his birth parents needed .
I don ’ t know what you need .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beg for a baby .
Rachel and Hannah did .
You can too .
But don ’ t despair .
He knows what He is about .
If you hold tight to Him , in time , you ‘ ll know , too .
And it will be perfect .
“ A writer by both habit and trade , ” Emily Stimpson Chapman has written several books , including The Catholic Girl ’ s Guide to the Single Year and a guide to Christian hospitality , The Catholic Table .
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rehabbing a house , infertility , adopting a baby , and other subjects on her website The Catholic Table .

For the woman who desperately wants to be called “Mama,” please know:
You are not alone. You are not a failure. You are not less of a woman because you can’t conceive. You are not less of a wife because you can’t give birth. You are not less lovable or beautiful or valuable because no baby grows in your womb.
God has not forgotten you. God is not punishing you. God doesn’t love you less than He loves women with children.
He Sees You
He sees you. He grieves with you. He feels every stab of pain in your childless heart and wants nothing more than for you to feel peace and joy again.
But for you, now, this is the way to peace. This is the way to joy.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I know that sounds like cold comfort, when all you want is a baby kicking in your womb. And I don’t pretend to understand why you and I carry this cross. I don’t know why this cross and not another. I can’t give you a reason for why we have to ache and long and break ourselves to achieve what others do with the ease of breathing, all the while feeling alone, unseen, never enough.
But I do know God brings beauty out of brokenness. He uses everything. He wastes nothing. If we let Him, He takes every hurt, every loss, every struggle and weaves it into the story of our salvation. He makes it part of our journey to a home where there is no brokenness. Only life.
God Knew
I also know I wouldn’t be the mother of a black-haired toddler, with eyes like the sea, without this cross. Infertility led me to him. He wasn’t the baby I expected. But God knew he was the baby I needed. God also knew I was the mother he needed and the friend his birth parents needed.
I don’t know what you need. But God does. Cry, weep, and beg for a baby. Rachel and Hannah did. You can too. But don’t despair. He knows what He is about. If you hold tight to Him, in time, you‘ll know, too. And it will be perfect.
“A writer by both habit and trade,” Emily Stimpson Chapman has written several books, including The Catholic Girl’s Guide to the Single Year and a guide to Christian hospitality, The Catholic Table. You can read her reflections on hospitality, marriage, rehabbing a house, infertility, adopting a baby, and other subjects on her website The Catholic Table.


thestream--2020-04-24--DHS Study Shows Potential of Heat, Humidity to Kill Coronavirus

A new Department of Homeland Security study shows that heat , humidity , and sunlight could help to kill the coronavirus , offering a potential literal ray of hope against the pandemic as summer nears .
“ Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus both [ on ] surfaces and in the air , ” Bill Bryan , the head of the DHS science and technology directorate , said Thursday at the White House press briefing .
“ We ’ ve seen a similar effect with both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the temperature or humidity or both is generally less favorable to the virus.
” Bryan pointed to displayed charts that showed on surfaces with temperature between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit , and 20 % humidity , the half-life of the coronavirus was 18 hours .
When humidity was cranked up to 80 % , the half-life dropped to six hours .
With temperature at 95 degrees and 80 % humidity , the half-life of the virus was only one hour .
It even worked with no sunlight .
Support The Stream : Serving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Faith .
And No Fear .
Bryan said the test was done on nonporous surfaces such as door handles and stainless steel .
“ As the temperature increases , as the humidity increases , with no sun involved , you can see how drastically that half-life goes down on that virus , ” Bryan said .
“ The virus is dying at a much more rapid pace just from exposure to higher temperatures and just from exposure to humidity.
” Bryan stressed that this is not a reason to stop social distancing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be done .
President Donald Trump was enthusiastic that outdoors might be preferred to indoors .
“ I think a lot of people are going to go outside all of a sudden .
People that didn ’ t want to go outside , they ’ ll be going , ” Trump said .
Even before Bryan ’ s presentation , Vice President Mike Pence said the White House coronavirus task force looked forward to early summer .
“ Our task force actually believes , Mr. President , that if we continue these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states implement their policies , including phased reopenings that will preserve those gains , we do believe that by early summer we can be in a much better place as a nation with much of this coronavirus pandemic behind us , ” Pence said .
Pence said that 16 states have released formal reopening plans — 13 of those since the Trump administration issued its three-phase “ Opening up America ” guidelines for governors last week .
“ To your point , Mr. President , states are beginning to make those plans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged to see so many states embrace the phased approach to reopen their economies.
” However , in response to a question , Trump again expressed his anger with Georgia ’ s Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp for allowing spas , salons , tattoo parlors , and other similar businesses where germs can easily spread to reopen .
“ I want the states to open more than he does , ” Trump said , adding , “ I wasn ’ t happy with it and I wasn ’ t happy with Brian Kemp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy , and I could have done something about it if I wanted to , but I ’ m saying let the governors do it .
But I wasn ’ t happy with Brian Kemp.
” On another front , many hospitals across the country feeling financial strain from the COVID-19 virus heard welcome news .
“ Given the unique burden on hospitals , we are now encouraging states to restart elective surgeries wherever possible , either statewide or on a county-by-county basis , ” Pence said .
“ We recognize the role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals .
We will be working with states to enable that.
” Fred Lucas ( @ FredLucasWH ) is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “ The Right Side of History ” podcast .

A new Department of Homeland Security study shows that heat, humidity, and sunlight could help to kill the coronavirus, offering a potential literal ray of hope against the pandemic as summer nears.
“Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus both [on] surfaces and in the air,” Bill Bryan, the head of the DHS science and technology directorate, said Thursday at the White House press briefing. “We’ve seen a similar effect with both temperature and humidity as well where increasing the temperature or humidity or both is generally less favorable to the virus.”
Bryan pointed to displayed charts that showed on surfaces with temperature between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, and 20% humidity, the half-life of the coronavirus was 18 hours.
When humidity was cranked up to 80%, the half-life dropped to six hours. With temperature at 95 degrees and 80% humidity, the half-life of the virus was only one hour. It even worked with no sunlight.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Bryan said the test was done on nonporous surfaces such as door handles and stainless steel.
“As the temperature increases, as the humidity increases, with no sun involved, you can see how drastically that half-life goes down on that virus,” Bryan said. “The virus is dying at a much more rapid pace just from exposure to higher temperatures and just from exposure to humidity.”
Bryan stressed that this is not a reason to stop social distancing in summer months, and that continued testing will be done.
President Donald Trump was enthusiastic that outdoors might be preferred to indoors.
“I think a lot of people are going to go outside all of a sudden. People that didn’t want to go outside, they’ll be going,” Trump said.
Even before Bryan’s presentation, Vice President Mike Pence said the White House coronavirus task force looked forward to early summer.
“Our task force actually believes, Mr. President, that if we continue these mitigation efforts in the days ahead as states implement their policies, including phased reopenings that will preserve those gains, we do believe that by early summer we can be in a much better place as a nation with much of this coronavirus pandemic behind us,” Pence said.
Pence said that 16 states have released formal reopening plans — 13 of those since the Trump administration issued its three-phase “Opening up America” guidelines for governors last week.
“To your point, Mr. President, states are beginning to make those plans,” Pence said. “We are encouraged to see so many states embrace the phased approach to reopen their economies.”
However, in response to a question, Trump again expressed his anger with Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp for allowing spas, salons, tattoo parlors, and other similar businesses where germs can easily spread to reopen.
“I want the states to open more than he does,” Trump said, adding, “I wasn’t happy with it and I wasn’t happy with Brian Kemp. I wasn’t at all happy, and I could have done something about it if I wanted to, but I’m saying let the governors do it. But I wasn’t happy with Brian Kemp.”
On another front, many hospitals across the country feeling financial strain from the COVID-19 virus heard welcome news.
“Given the unique burden on hospitals, we are now encouraging states to restart elective surgeries wherever possible, either statewide or on a county-by-county basis,” Pence said. “We recognize the role elective surgeries play in finances for local hospitals. We will be working with states to enable that.”
Fred Lucas (@FredLucasWH) is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “The Right Side of History” podcast.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-04-24--Short of Another Great Awakening, America May Split Up … Or Worse

Conservative political scientist F.H .
Buckley wrote a provocative book .
The title says it all : American Secession .
As he wrote at Fox News : If you despise most of your fellow Americans , don ’ t be surprised if they tire of you .
If you want to cancel our history and heroes , maybe you ’ re telling them they need their own country .
If you pretend that your policies trump the constitutional rules of the game , maybe you just want your own country , separate from America .
But if that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s time for you to chill .
Buckley sees clearly that the left is the major villain here .
Engorged with all the power it wielded while Obama was in office , along with its total conquest of our media and academia , the left could not accept Trump ’ s 2016 victory as legitimate .
You know , the way the South couldn ’ t accept the victory of Lincoln in 1860 without a single Southern electoral vote .
But today ’ s Democrats realized what 1860s Democrats didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when most of the private firearms in the country , and sympathies of the military , are with your opponents .
Instead , the left branded itself as the “ Resistance , ” as if Trump voters were Wehrmacht soldiers who ’ d marched down Pennsylvania Avenue after a winning invasion .
The left elites hunkered down and resolved to sabotage our government and punish GOP voters , to teach them an unforgettable lesson .
Vote wrong , and the country will suffer .
Bad proles !
Bad !
They sent a message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , with the extra force of the lockdown : We ’ re absolutely ruthless in our grasp at power .
We ’ re willing to lie , hurt the country , slander the innocent as traitors , rapists or racists , and call our opponents murderers for disagreeing with us .
You Christians and conservatives won ’ t go that far .
So you will lose .
You might as well make things easier on yourself and America , and admit it .
As The Borg used to say on Star Trek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your Kids What else can it mean when Harvard conducts a conference whose agenda is banning homeschooling ?
When Harvard magazine publishes an article warning that parents are unfit to teach their own children , lest they pass on their bigoted religions ?
They think we ’ re unfit parents , and want to pass laws which , if we violate them , would lose us parental custody .
Can we live in the same country as people like that ?
Can they share one with us ?
Fit Parents Don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because let ’ s be candid .
People who take their kids to Drag Queen Story Hour so sex industry professionals can sexualize them , and plant the seeds of gender dysphoria in their minds … are these fit parents to us ?
I don ’ t think so .
I wouldn ’ t just outlaw Drag Queen Story Hour .
If I could win over the voters , I ’ d declare it child abuse , and grounds for losing custody of children .
I ’ d treat likewise any “ gender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the kind of explicit sex education offered at many public schools ?
That ’ s child abuse too .
The teachers who offer it ought to be placed on the sex offender registry , kept hundreds of feet from children .
The Common Ground : Now No Man ’ s Land Is there a truce possible between two halves of the country , when each side thinks the other so morally depraved they ’ re a threat to innocent kids , even their own ?
It ’ s not about having different religions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids to church or not , or to synagogues , and agreed to differ .
That ’ s how a healthy , pluralist society works .
It ’ s about not wanting any form of sharia ( Muslim or Catholic or Darwinist ) that imposes blind faith in its creed as a precondition for full American citizenship , including parental rights .
But the men who founded our country , and governed it till around 1960 , used to agree on basic truths of natural law , knowable by reason .
They agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its mores anchored our view of the common good .
They agreed that unborn life is sacred , marriage is between one man and one woman , and homosexuality is an unfortunate aberration : at worst a deadly sin , at best a heavy cross .
Certainly nothing comparable to a person ’ s race or religion , which we must respect .
They agreed that children ’ s innocence ought to be protected , and parents ’ rights deferred to — except in really extreme cases of physical or sexual abuse .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t believe any of these things .
And they think that parenting by our beliefs amounts to abuse in itself .
And we think the same way about their beliefs .
How will this end peacefully ?
Just two ways .
They convert us , or we convert them .
America can not continue like this , half-slave , and half-free .
Each half thinks the other half is enslaved to wicked madness .
One side is right , the other is wrong .
There ’ s no happy middle ground any more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1860 .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Either America will fall to the forces of materialism and hedonism , and liquidate the dissenters , so we become a “ normal ” country as doomed as Belgium… .
Or , we will see a Great Awakening of faith , of the kind that brought America together in the 1750s and 60s , and made our independence plausible in the first place .
( See Eric Metaxas ’ powerful new book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitefield ’ s preaching helped create the American nation . )
There ’ s no third option that doesn ’ t involve something a lot like the Spanish Civil War .
Get praying , folks .
Pray like your life depends on it .
It does .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .

Conservative political scientist F.H. Buckley wrote a provocative book. The title says it all: American Secession. As he wrote at Fox News:
If you despise most of your fellow Americans, don’t be surprised if they tire of you. If you want to cancel our history and heroes, maybe you’re telling them they need their own country. If you pretend that your policies trump the constitutional rules of the game, maybe you just want your own country, separate from America. But if that’s not really what you want, perhaps it’s time for you to chill.
Buckley sees clearly that the left is the major villain here. Engorged with all the power it wielded while Obama was in office, along with its total conquest of our media and academia, the left could not accept Trump’s 2016 victory as legitimate. You know, the way the South couldn’t accept the victory of Lincoln in 1860 without a single Southern electoral vote.
The Left Chose Sabotage, Not Secession
But today’s Democrats realized what 1860s Democrats didn’t. Open secession backfires. Especially when most of the private firearms in the country, and sympathies of the military, are with your opponents.
Instead, the left branded itself as the “Resistance,” as if Trump voters were Wehrmacht soldiers who’d marched down Pennsylvania Avenue after a winning invasion. The left elites hunkered down and resolved to sabotage our government and punish GOP voters, to teach them an unforgettable lesson. Vote wrong, and the country will suffer. Bad proles! Bad!
Either America will fall to the forces of materialism and hedonism, and liquidate the dissenters, so we become a “normal” country as lost as doomed as Belgium… . Or, we will see a Great Awakening.
They sent a message, which they’re still sending now, with the extra force of the lockdown:
We’re absolutely ruthless in our grasp at power. We’re willing to lie, hurt the country, slander the innocent as traitors, rapists or racists, and call our opponents murderers for disagreeing with us. You Christians and conservatives won’t go that far. So you will lose. You might as well make things easier on yourself and America, and admit it.
As The Borg used to say on Star Trek:
Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
We’re Coming to Take Your Kids
What else can it mean when Harvard conducts a conference whose agenda is banning homeschooling? When Harvard magazine publishes an article warning that parents are unfit to teach their own children, lest they pass on their bigoted religions? They think we’re unfit parents, and want to pass laws which, if we violate them, would lose us parental custody.
Can we live in the same country as people like that? Can they share one with us?
Fit Parents Don’t Subject Their Kids to the Sex Industry
Because let’s be candid. People who take their kids to Drag Queen Story Hour so sex industry professionals can sexualize them, and plant the seeds of gender dysphoria in their minds … are these fit parents to us?
I don’t think so. I wouldn’t just outlaw Drag Queen Story Hour. If I could win over the voters, I’d declare it child abuse, and grounds for losing custody of children. I’d treat likewise any “gender transition” treatment of children. And the kind of explicit sex education offered at many public schools? That’s child abuse too. The teachers who offer it ought to be placed on the sex offender registry, kept hundreds of feet from children.
The Common Ground: Now No Man’s Land
Is there a truce possible between two halves of the country, when each side thinks the other so morally depraved they’re a threat to innocent kids, even their own? It’s not about having different religions. For 200 years we took our kids to church or not, or to synagogues, and agreed to differ. That’s how a healthy, pluralist society works. It’s about not wanting any form of sharia (Muslim or Catholic or Darwinist) that imposes blind faith in its creed as a precondition for full American citizenship, including parental rights.
But the men who founded our country, and governed it till around 1960, used to agree on basic truths of natural law, knowable by reason. They agreed that a basic, tolerant Christianity with its mores anchored our view of the common good. They agreed that unborn life is sacred, marriage is between one man and one woman, and homosexuality is an unfortunate aberration: at worst a deadly sin, at best a heavy cross. Certainly nothing comparable to a person’s race or religion, which we must respect. They agreed that children’s innocence ought to be protected, and parents’ rights deferred to — except in really extreme cases of physical or sexual abuse.
Great Awakening, Fundamental Transformation, or Civil War
Well, now our rulers don’t believe any of these things. And they think that parenting by our beliefs amounts to abuse in itself. And we think the same way about their beliefs. How will this end peacefully?
Just two ways. They convert us, or we convert them. America cannot continue like this, half-slave, and half-free. Each half thinks the other half is enslaved to wicked madness. One side is right, the other is wrong. There’s no happy middle ground any more, as there wasn’t in 1860.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Either America will fall to the forces of materialism and hedonism, and liquidate the dissenters, so we become a “normal” country as doomed as Belgium… . Or, we will see a Great Awakening of faith, of the kind that brought America together in the 1750s and 60s, and made our independence plausible in the first place. (See Eric Metaxas’ powerful new book Seven More Men to learn how George Whitefield’s preaching helped create the American nation.)
There’s no third option that doesn’t involve something a lot like the Spanish Civil War.
Get praying, folks. Pray like your life depends on it. It does.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.


thestream--2020-04-25--50 Questions for Christians: ‘How Important Are the Ten Commandments?’

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison ’ s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian .
Read the series intro here .
“ How important are the Ten Commandments ?
” asks Guy Harrison .
Short answer , from the Christians ’ perspective : Very .
They ’ re the only text written by the finger of God .
They ’ ve guided the moral thinking of all Western civilization .
Well , that was easy .
But Harrison keeps turning short questions into longer ones — it wouldn ’ t be much of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so our answer must go longer , too .
( Sigh . )
Turns out he ’ s really interested in another question anyway : Why do we want the Ten Commandments enshrined as law ?
“ Christians often wonder why non-Christians don ’ t get it , why everyone , regardless of their religious status , wouldn ’ t want these laws celebrated and imposed everywhere.
” Good question — if it really were a question .
I don ’ t know anyone who wants them imposed everywhere , at least not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christians seeking theocracy .
I suppose one could even find examples ( there are examples for everything ) .
But they ’ re rare , and they ’ re way out on the fringe .
In fact Harrison doesn ’ t seem take such theocracy fears too seriously .
But he still doesn ’ t like the Ten Commandments .
None of them .
Not even one .
His big problem with the first three is their supposed threat to religious liberty , as they command worship of one God only .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immune after all . )
He can relax on that score .
Christians still believe in freedom of religion and thought ; in fact , it was Christians who developed that principle as practiced in the modern world .
The final commandment , against coveting , is out of the law ’ s reach .
We could no more pass a law against coveting than we could pass one against wishing you had a better house .
But I repeat myself .
There ’ s just no theocracy wrapped in these stone tablets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lots of other reasons to dislike them .
Sabbath , Parents , and “ You Shall Not Murder ” Harrison doesn ’ t like the Sabbath law .
“ I think it ’ s wise to shut down and recharge the body .
But I certainly wouldn ’ t want other people to comply with my view on this.
” Fine .
There have been blue laws in this country , but none that required people to rest , or to go to worship .
Speaking of which , Christians “ don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems to have originally intended.
” It ’ s okay .
Jesus specifically relaxed this command .
It was the only one of the Ten for which He did that .
He even explained why : “ The Sabbath was made for man , not man for the Sabbath.
” Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
Harrison doesn ’ t like the command to honor father and mother .
Some parents don ’ t deserve it , he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deserve equal honor .
The fact remains that it does a soul good to find whatever good he can find in his parents , and acknowledge that much in them .
We see much more evil done in this world by those who have rejected their parents than by those who have honored them too highly .
Harrison is confused by the sixth commandment , “ Thou shalt not kill.
” Modern translations say , “ You shall not murder ; ” that is , you shall not kill except under rare judicially-supervised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his objections , except for one that fits better under just war theory .
He ’ s not the least confused by the next one , though : “ Thou shalt not commit adultery.
” Or at least he doesn ’ t think he ’ s confused .
To him it ’ s bad law , period , “ not appropriate in any society that places a high value on freedom and privacy.
” And a low value ( I would add ) on relational satisfaction , couples ’ emotional health , marital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relational health , and everyone ’ s economic well being .
Not to mention spiritual health .
Maybe he ’ s confused after all .
Our intrepid yet confused atheist friend has less problem with commandments eight and nine , against stealing and bearing false witness — except he wants it known there are exceptions , “ and it ’ s not clear if God would allow case-by-case judgments.
” I guess the rule is , only pass a law if included every possible variation of case law in it .
Moses never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mountain !
And finally , there ’ s the command against coveting .
He defines it wrong : “ to want , desire , or crave something ; ” he left out the part about it being something that belongs to someone else .
And he ’ s confused ( again ) about whether it ’ s okay to offer to want your neighbor ’ s car , and then offer to buy it .
That ’ s not complicated .
It ’ s no secret : Commerce is actually encouraged in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem when you let desire ruin your attitude — and especially if you start thinking earthly things will satisfy what only God can .
But Harrison has one more firecracker to throw in the fire : Firecracker ?
Dud .
Suppose I said , “ That ’ s my neighbor ’ s wife there , sitting in his car.
” Who would say , “ You sexist !
You ’ re calling her the man ’ s property , just like his car !
” I ’ ll tell you who would say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find something wrong there .
Someone so motivated he didn ’ t care how bad it made him look .
Or does Harrison have another problem ?
He doesn ’ t think the neighbor ’ s wife doesn ’ t belong on the list .
Does that mean he thinks it ’ s okay to covet her after all ?
“ These are only some of the problems with the Ten Commandments , ” he says , “ that skeptics think of when the topic comes up.
” If they thought about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might realize they weren ’ t problems after all .
He says his purpose here is to help believers “ better understand ” why many people have issues with the Ten Commandments .
Understanding is good .
Don ’ t you wish he ’ d try a little harder to return the favor ?
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream , and the author of A Christian Mind : Thoughts on Life and Truth in Jesus Christ and Critical Conversations : A Christian Parent ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the lead editor of True Reason : Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism .

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison’s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian. Read the series intro here.
“How important are the Ten Commandments?” asks Guy Harrison. Short answer, from the Christians’ perspective: Very. They’re the only text written by the finger of God. They’ve guided the moral thinking of all Western civilization.
Well, that was easy. But Harrison keeps turning short questions into longer ones — it wouldn’t be much of a book otherwise, would it? — so our answer must go longer, too. (Sigh.) Turns out he’s really interested in another question anyway: Why do we want the Ten Commandments enshrined as law? “Christians often wonder why non-Christians don’t get it, why everyone, regardless of their religious status, wouldn’t want these laws celebrated and imposed everywhere.”
Theocracy Anxiety
Good question — if it really were a question. I don’t know anyone who wants them imposed everywhere, at least not all of them. Rumors abound of Christians seeking theocracy. I suppose one could even find examples (there are examples for everything). But they’re rare, and they’re way out on the fringe. In fact Harrison doesn’t seem take such theocracy fears too seriously. But he still doesn’t like the Ten Commandments. None of them. Not even one.
His big problem with the first three is their supposed threat to religious liberty, as they command worship of one God only. (Maybe he’s not so theocracy-anxiety immune after all.) He can relax on that score. Christians still believe in freedom of religion and thought; in fact, it was Christians who developed that principle as practiced in the modern world.
I’ll tell you who would say it: Someone who was really motivated to find something wrong there. Someone so motivated he didn’t care how bad it made him look.
The final commandment, against coveting, is out of the law’s reach. We could no more pass a law against coveting than we could pass one against wishing you had a better house. But I repeat myself.
There’s just no theocracy wrapped in these stone tablets. Of course he’s got lots of other reasons to dislike them.
Sabbath, Parents, and “You Shall Not Murder”
Harrison doesn’t like the Sabbath law. “I think it’s wise to shut down and recharge the body. But I certainly wouldn’t want other people to comply with my view on this.” Fine. There have been blue laws in this country, but none that required people to rest, or to go to worship. Speaking of which, Christians “don’t do it on the day God seems to have originally intended.” It’s okay. Jesus specifically relaxed this command. It was the only one of the Ten for which He did that. He even explained why: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Harrison doesn’t like the command to honor father and mother. Some parents don’t deserve it, he says. I would agree that not all parents deserve equal honor. The fact remains that it does a soul good to find whatever good he can find in his parents, and acknowledge that much in them. We see much more evil done in this world by those who have rejected their parents than by those who have honored them too highly.
Harrison is confused by the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” Modern translations say, “You shall not murder;” that is, you shall not kill except under rare judicially-supervised circumstances. That covers just about all his objections, except for one that fits better under just war theory.
Adultery, Stealing, Lying
He’s not the least confused by the next one, though: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Or at least he doesn’t think he’s confused. To him it’s bad law, period, “not appropriate in any society that places a high value on freedom and privacy.” And a low value (I would add) on relational satisfaction, couples’ emotional health, marital stability, children’s emotional and relational health, and everyone’s economic well being. Not to mention spiritual health. Maybe he’s confused after all.
Our intrepid yet confused atheist friend has less problem with commandments eight and nine, against stealing and bearing false witness — except he wants it known there are exceptions, “and it’s not clear if God would allow case-by-case judgments.” I guess the rule is, only pass a law if included every possible variation of case law in it. Moses never could have carried those tablets down the mountain!
Coveting Confusion?
And finally, there’s the command against coveting. He defines it wrong: “to want, desire, or crave something;” he left out the part about it being something that belongs to someone else. And he’s confused (again) about whether it’s okay to offer to want your neighbor’s car, and then offer to buy it. That’s not complicated. It’s no secret: Commerce is actually encouraged in the Bible. It’s only a problem when you let desire ruin your attitude — and especially if you start thinking earthly things will satisfy what only God can.
But Harrison has one more firecracker to throw in the fire:
The worst part of this commandment is the fact that wives and servant-slaves are listed along with oxen, asses, and whatever else one’s neighbor may own. … hopefully you live in a society that is advanced enough to recognized that women should not be the property of men. This commandment shows how blatantly sexist and outdated parts of the Bible are.
Firecracker? Dud. Suppose I said, “That’s my neighbor’s wife there, sitting in his car.” Who would say, “You sexist! You’re calling her the man’s property, just like his car!”
I’ll tell you who would say it: Someone who was really motivated to find something wrong there. Someone so motivated he didn’t care how bad it made him look.
Or does Harrison have another problem? He doesn’t think the neighbor’s wife doesn’t belong on the list. Does that mean he thinks it’s okay to covet her after all?
Someone’s Not Thinking Here
“These are only some of the problems with the Ten Commandments,” he says, “that skeptics think of when the topic comes up.” If they thought about it another moment or two, they might realize they weren’t problems after all.
He says his purpose here is to help believers “better understand” why many people have issues with the Ten Commandments. Understanding is good. Don’t you wish he’d try a little harder to return the favor?
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream, and the author of A Christian Mind: Thoughts on Life and Truth in Jesus Christ and Critical Conversations: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Discussing Homosexuality with Teens, and the lead editor of True Reason: Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism.


thestream--2020-04-25--There Is No “Pro-Life” Position on the China Virus

During the crisis caused by the virus China unleashed on the world , we ’ ve seen some pro-lifers stumble .
No doubt they ’ re eager to keep their vital cause relevant to current events .
So they claim that there is a “ pro-life ” position on the lockdown .
They embrace maximum restrictions on business , to “ save every life ” possible .
That ’ s exactly how pro-infanticide New York Governor Mario Cuomo talks , too .
( Even as he forces nursing homes to take in virus patients , which could kill thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that those of us who fear government tyranny , and the hunger , chaos , and suicides linked to an economic depression are being “ callous ” or even “ anti-life.
” Now it ’ s possible to be callous and anti-life on the subject of the virus .
Joe Biden ’ s chief medical advisor Ezekiel Emanuel favors passive euthanasia of the elderly , denying life-saving medicines to people over 75 .
Of course that ’ s evil , because it ’ s a direct , intentional attack on the innocent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to re-open the economy while minimizing threats to the vulnerable .
The Seamless Garment Still Smothers Us But hardcore lockdown virus hawks who claim that theirs is the only pro-life position go much further .
They ’ re smothering the pro-life message under a smelly , polyester leftover from the 70s .
That is , the “ Seamless Garment.
” You find Seamless Garment workers all over the U.S. Bishops ’ conference .
They also show up in hipster churches of every denomination .
The Seamless Garment works as a poison pill cooked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It turns the pro-life message into a reckless Utopian program .
Then it holds unborn children hostage to every other demand on the left ’ s agenda .
The Seamless Garment lumped together the intentional killing of more than a million unborn babies a year with every other phenomenon that might conceivably shorten some humans ’ lives , from poor child nutrition to smog , from NATO missiles to Reagan ’ s aid to the anti-Communist contras .
In essence , they said , if you aren ’ t a pacifist who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders , and police using only rubber bullets , you can not oppose abortion .
Either embrace our outrageous , implausible , and likely suicidal utopianism , or let us go on murdering a million children per year .
And in a sense the strategy worked .
Almost no sincere pro-lifers were willing to adopt all the crackpot items on this Christmas wishlist , but its very existence gives crucial political cover to the likes of Joe Biden , Tim Kaine and Nancy Pelosi .
The so-called “ consistent ” pro-life position , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and demanding , unworldly agenda , that you can ’ t blame them for falling short on one or two items of the full glory of God .
As Democrats , they can ’ t surrender abortion , but hey , look how much better they are than Republicans at federal grants for transgender illegal aliens !
Why should pro-lifers fall for this tactic when it comes to discussing efforts to weather this virus crisis ?
But that ’ s exactly what they ’ re doing .
That ’ s what it means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poverty the government ’ s imposing on America against the potential lives saved by quarantining the country for indefinite months or years .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
The pro-life movement emerged from the grassroots for a very specific purpose .
That is , to fight the direct , intentional killing of the innocent permitted or inflicted by the government .
That ’ s it .
So there is indeed a pro-life position on abortion , euthanasia , genocide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on smoking , motorcycle helmets , gun laws , face masks , or hydroxychloroquine .
Imagine if pro-choicers decided to cripple their own movement by falsely endorsing “ choice ” on every political question .
Such a pro-choice “ Seamless Negligee ” would have to favor : The list could go on and on .
There are countless situations where liberals flout the principle of “ choice ” for what they consider the common good .
Does anyone ( outside of libertarian message boards ) accuse them of being “ inconsistently pro-choice ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fall for something like that .
Make such an argument to them , and they ’ ll just laugh you off .
They know that they ’ re a political movement with a clear political goal .
So are we .
Or at least we should be .
I think some pro-lifers get off track by imagining that they belong to a spiritual movement first , which dabbles a bit in politics .
The truth is something more like the opposite .
The pro-life movement is driven by spiritual motives , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was .
But at the heart of each we find clear political goals , and demands for legal justice for the vulnerable .
That makes them political movements , first and foremost .
Some writers like Karen Swallow Prior call for us to effectively bow out of politics .
That ’ s what it would mean to refuse the aid of allies some find unsavory ( as she finds Donald Trump ) .
Instead , we should focus on “ changing the culture ” or something .
It ’ s hard not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ white moderates ” wanted the Civil Rights movement to do .
Martin Luther King held that position in contempt .
He was right , and the white moderates were wrong .
Read his famous “ Letter from Birmingham Jail ” and plug in “ abortion ” for “ segregation.
” The parallels are so exact , it ’ s eerie .
Even down to the Civil Rights movement ’ s willingness to work with allies on the left whom some found unsavory .
Prior ’ s is the kind of blunder you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking justice for the invisible church of the saints .
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream .
He is a film producer , author , activist and human rights worker .
You can follow him @ TGCWithJason .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
Together , Jones and Zmirak wrote The Race to Save Our Century .

During the crisis caused by the virus China unleashed on the world, we’ve seen some pro-lifers stumble. No doubt they’re eager to keep their vital cause relevant to current events. So they claim that there is a “pro-life” position on the lockdown.
They embrace maximum restrictions on business, to “save every life” possible. That’s exactly how pro-infanticide New York Governor Andrew Cuomo talks, too. (Even as he forces nursing homes to take in virus patients, which could kill thousands of vulnerable seniors.) Such people claim that those of us who fear government tyranny, and the hunger, chaos, and suicides linked to an economic depression are being “callous” or even “anti-life.”
Now it’s possible to be callous and anti-life on the subject of the virus. Joe Biden’s chief medical advisor Ezekiel Emanuel favors passive euthanasia of the elderly, denying life-saving medicines to people over 75. Of course that’s evil, because it’s a direct, intentional attack on the innocent. Favoring that is very different from seeking to re-open the economy while minimizing threats to the vulnerable.
There is a pro-life position on abortion, euthanasia, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. But not on smoking, motorcycle helmets, gun laws, face masks, or hydroxychloroquine.
The Seamless Garment Still Smothers Us
But hardcore lockdown virus hawks who claim that theirs is the only pro-life position go much further. They’re smothering the pro-life message under a smelly, polyester leftover from the 70s. That is, the “Seamless Garment.” You find Seamless Garment workers all over the U.S. Bishops’ conference. They also show up in hipster churches of every denomination.
The Seamless Garment works as a poison pill cooked up to keep pro-abortion Democrats in power. It turns the pro-life message into a reckless Utopian program. Then it holds unborn children hostage to every other demand on the left’s agenda. The Seamless Garment
lumped together the intentional killing of more than a million unborn babies a year with every other phenomenon that might conceivably shorten some humans’ lives, from poor child nutrition to smog, from NATO missiles to Reagan’s aid to the anti-Communist contras. In essence, they said, if you aren’t a pacifist who favors absolutely unlimited welfare programs, open borders, and police using only rubber bullets, you cannot oppose abortion. … Either embrace our outrageous, implausible, and likely suicidal utopianism, or let us go on murdering a million children per year. And in a sense the strategy worked. Almost no sincere pro-lifers were willing to adopt all the crackpot items on this Christmas wishlist, but its very existence gives crucial political cover to the likes of Joe Biden, Tim Kaine and Nancy Pelosi. The so-called “consistent” pro-life position, they suggest, is such a rigorous and demanding, unworldly agenda, that you can’t blame them for falling short on one or two items of the full glory of God. As Democrats, they can’t surrender abortion, but hey, look how much better they are than Republicans at federal grants for transgender illegal aliens!
The Pro-Choice Seamless Negligee
Why should pro-lifers fall for this tactic when it comes to discussing efforts to weather this virus crisis? But that’s exactly what they’re doing. That’s what it means to denounce efforts to balance the artificial poverty the government’s imposing on America against the potential lives saved by quarantining the country for indefinite months or years.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The pro-life movement emerged from the grassroots for a very specific purpose. That is, to fight the direct, intentional killing of the innocent permitted or inflicted by the government. That’s it. So there is indeed a pro-life position on abortion, euthanasia, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. But not on smoking, motorcycle helmets, gun laws, face masks, or hydroxychloroquine.
Imagine if pro-choicers decided to cripple their own movement by falsely endorsing “choice” on every political question. Such a pro-choice “Seamless Negligee” would have to favor:
A landlord’s choice not to rent to people of a race he doesn’t like.
A worker’s choice to work at less than the legal minimum wage.A healthy person’s choice to sell a kidney or a lung on the open market.
A woman’s choice to sell her services as a prostitute.A consumer’s choice not to purchase health insurance.
A religious order’s choice not to fund abortion pills for its employees.
The list could go on and on. There are countless situations where liberals flout the principle of “choice” for what they consider the common good. Does anyone (outside of libertarian message boards) accuse them of being “inconsistently pro-choice”?
A Political Movement, Not a Church
Of course pro-choicers are too canny to fall for something like that. Make such an argument to them, and they’ll just laugh you off. They know that they’re a political movement with a clear political goal.
So are we. Or at least we should be. I think some pro-lifers get off track by imagining that they belong to a spiritual movement first, which dabbles a bit in politics. The truth is something more like the opposite.
The pro-life movement is driven by spiritual motives, just as much of the Civil Rights movement was. But at the heart of each we find clear political goals, and demands for legal justice for the vulnerable. That makes them political movements, first and foremost.
Some writers like Karen Swallow Prior call for us to effectively bow out of politics. That’s what it would mean to refuse the aid of allies some find unsavory (as she finds Donald Trump). Instead, we should focus on “changing the culture” or something. It’s hard not to laugh. That’s precisely what “white moderates” wanted the Civil Rights movement to do.
Martin Luther King held that position in contempt. He was right, and the white moderates were wrong. Read his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and plug in “abortion” for “segregation.” The parallels are so exact, it’s eerie. Even down to the Civil Rights movement’s willingness to work with allies on the left whom some found unsavory.
Prior’s is the kind of blunder you make when you mistake a political movement seeking justice for the invisible church of the saints.
Jason Jones is a senior contributor to The Stream. He is a film producer, author, activist and human rights worker. You can follow him @TGCWithJason.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.
Together, Jones and Zmirak wrote The Race to Save Our Century.


thestream--2020-04-25--Reconciliation After the Oklahoma City Bombing Tragedy: Remarkable Interview

The Oklahoma City Bombing was the worst act of domestic terrorism in American history .
Yet amidst the horror of @ @ @ @ @ of a young woman killed in the bombing and the father of Timothy McVeigh have @ @ @ @ @ Sean interviews Jeanne Bishop , author of the new book Grace from the Rubble , @ @ @ @ @ forgiveness and redemption can be told .
Sean McDowell , Ph.D. , is a professor @ @ @ @ @ University , the National Spokesman for Summit Ministries , a best-selling author , popular speaker @ @ @ @ @ teacher .
Follow him on Twitter : @ sean_mcdowell and his blog : seanmcdowell.org .

The Oklahoma City Bombing was the worst act of domestic terrorism in American history. Yet amidst the horror of this tragedy, the father of a young woman killed in the bombing and the father of Timothy McVeigh have forged an unlikely friendship. Sean interviews Jeanne Bishop, author of the new book Grace from the Rubble, so this remarkable story of forgiveness and redemption can be told.
Sean McDowell, Ph.D., is a professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, the National Spokesman for Summit Ministries, a best-selling author, popular speaker, and part-time high school teacher. Follow him on Twitter: @sean_mcdowell and his blog: seanmcdowell.org.


thestream--2020-04-25--Faith in a Time of High Anxiety

Faith in a Time of High Anxiety

In 1977 Mel Brooks released a comedy entitled High Anxiety .
Even though Brooks played the leading role , the film did not do as well as expected .
Why ?
In 1977 people did not find anxiety funny… they still don ’ t .
In fact , “ High Anxiety ” is probably a good name for what we are going through today .
It is a frightening time .
Not only are we in the midst of a worldwide pandemic , but we have also purposefully shut down the economy .
As a result , many are out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be .
Add to this mix the anxiety of isolation associated with the need for social distancing , and an argument could be made that we are putting society at risk from chronic stress both psychologically and physically .
As one author writes , “ The challenge is that anxiety has become as contagious as COVID-19.
” Yet , I would suggest there is something much more significant going on here than a medical pandemic .
One of the fundamental cornerstones of our current secular culture is being exposed .
That idea is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ernest Henley ’ s poem Invictus : We believe that we are in control , the masters of our own destiny .
Then , an event like this comes along , and as a society , we must confess we have no control over our current circumstances .
At best , we can only control our reactions to the situation in which we find ourselves .
While this often happens to individuals because of a loss of a loved one or the diagnoses of an incurable disease , I can not think of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has happened on such a large scale .
As Christians , how should we see this ?
The Apostle James speaks to this very issue : Now listen , you who say , “ Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city , spend a year there , carry on business and make money.
” Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow .
What is your life ?
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes .
Instead , you ought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord ’ s will , we will live and do this or that.
” As it is , you boast in your arrogant schemes .
All such boasting is evil .
( James 4:13-16 ) We must embrace one of the cornerstones of the Christian worldview , God is in control of all things and is working everything out according to His plan for our good and his glory .
( Rom .
8:28 ; James 1:2–4 ) This does not mean we are passive .
We actively seek out God ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strive toward fulfilling God ’ s call on our lives to bring more flourishing to his creation .
Yet , we must hold these plans loosely , being prepared to change them depending on the circumstances .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
In the “ Sermon on the Mount , ” Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our lives .
( Matt 6:25-34 ) Then he tells us how to accomplish this seemingly impossible feat , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his righteousness.
” The problem with the men in James ’ story is not what they are doing ; it is why .
I hope some of you sang In Christ Alone this week .
Stuart Townend ends the first verse with these lines : We love him because he first loved us .
( 1 John 4:19 ) Standing in the love of Christ is the source of all the motivation we need to do what he has called us to do .
To become an interdependent part of what God is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has given us an excellent opportunity to do two things .
First , examine our own lives .
What is truly motivating our behavior , what is the reason for our striving ?
Have idols like success , wealth or significance become the focus of our lives ?
Second , there has never been a better time to share the only real antidote to fear and the anxiety it brings , standing in the love of Christ .
My friend Randy Newman once said , “ Never pass up the opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opportunity , what are we going to do with it ?
Hugh Whelchel is Executive Director of the Institute for Faith , Work & Economics and author of How Then Should We Work ?
Rediscovering the Biblical Doctrine of Work .
Hugh has a Master of Arts in Religion and brings over 30 years of diverse business experience to his leadership at IFWE .
This article is republished with permission from the Institute for Faith , Work & Economics ( www.tifwe.org ) .
IFWE is a Christian research organization committed to advancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society .
Visit https : //tifwe.org/subscribe to subscribe to the free IFWE Daily Blog .

In 1977 Mel Brooks released a comedy entitled High Anxiety. Even though Brooks played the leading role, the film did not do as well as expected. Why? In 1977 people did not find anxiety funny… they still don’t.
In fact, “High Anxiety” is probably a good name for what we are going through today. It is a frightening time. Not only are we in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, but we have also purposefully shut down the economy. As a result, many are out of work, and others soon may be. Add to this mix the anxiety of isolation associated with the need for social distancing, and an argument could be made that we are putting society at risk from chronic stress both psychologically and physically. As one author writes, “The challenge is that anxiety has become as contagious as COVID-19.”
Yet, I would suggest there is something much more significant going on here than a medical pandemic. One of the fundamental cornerstones of our current secular culture is being exposed. That idea is embodied in the last stanza of William Ernest Henley’s poem Invictus:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
We believe that we are in control, the masters of our own destiny. Then, an event like this comes along, and as a society, we must confess we have no control over our current circumstances. At best, we can only control our reactions to the situation in which we find ourselves.
While this often happens to individuals because of a loss of a loved one or the diagnoses of an incurable disease, I cannot think of an example within my lifetime where this has happened on such a large scale.
A Christian Response to Anxiety
As Christians, how should we see this? The Apostle James speaks to this very issue:
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16)
We must embrace one of the cornerstones of the Christian worldview, God is in control of all things and is working everything out according to His plan for our good and his glory. (Rom. 8:28; James 1:2–4) This does not mean we are passive. We actively seek out God’s will in everything we do and diligently strive toward fulfilling God’s call on our lives to bring more flourishing to his creation. Yet, we must hold these plans loosely, being prepared to change them depending on the circumstances.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our lives. (Matt 6:25-34) Then he tells us how to accomplish this seemingly impossible feat, “…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.”
The problem with the men in James’ story is not what they are doing; it is why.
I hope some of you sang In Christ Alone this week. Stuart Townend ends the first verse with these lines:
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all — Here in the love of Christ I stand.
We love him because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19) Standing in the love of Christ is the source of all the motivation we need to do what he has called us to do. To become an interdependent part of what God is doing in the world.
Our Call to Action
The COVID-19 pandemic has given us an excellent opportunity to do two things.
First, examine our own lives. What is truly motivating our behavior, what is the reason for our striving? Have idols like success, wealth or significance become the focus of our lives?
Second, there has never been a better time to share the only real antidote to fear and the anxiety it brings, standing in the love of Christ.
My friend Randy Newman once said, “Never pass up the opportunity to have a significant conversation.” We have the opportunity, what are we going to do with it?
Hugh Whelchel is Executive Director of the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics and author of How Then Should We Work? Rediscovering the Biblical Doctrine of Work. Hugh has a Master of Arts in Religion and brings over 30 years of diverse business experience to his leadership at IFWE.
This article is republished with permission from the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics (www.tifwe.org). IFWE is a Christian research organization committed to advancing biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society. Visit https://tifwe.org/subscribe to subscribe to the free IFWE Daily Blog.
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate.