thestream--2020-11-28--Updates on Sidney Powell, the SCOTUS Ruling, and Iran Killing

I had hoped that my staff and I could take a couple of days off without having any major news erupt .
That turned out to be like being a shepherd taking a break from watching his flock by night and thinking , “ What could possibly happen ?
” I ’ m sure we ’ ll have much more detail and commentary on these stories , but just to bring you up to speed , while we were all cooking and eating our turkeys , this all happened : The Trump team presented stunning testimony on alleged voter fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sworn witnesses attesting to outrageous things they saw and were barred from seeing .
Here ’ s possibly the most explosive evidence .
Sidney Powell also filed her separate lawsuit in Georgia , and it ’ s detailed , voluminous and makes 30 allegations of voter fraud .
For those who dismiss claims of tampering with vote software , the lawsuit also details other irregularities , including thousands of people receiving absentee ballots they didn ’ t request and over 20,000 ballots allegedly cast by people who had moved out of state .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more of a threat to Biden ’ s media-driven coronation than the vote software issue .
And here are several articles with more background on the lawsuit in Georgia : • Sidney Powell Suit Makes 30 Allegations in Bid to Invalidate Georgia Election Results ( from Epoch Times ) • Attorney Sidney Powell files lawsuit seeking Georgia election results be decertified , awarded to Trump ( from Fox News ) • Sidney Powell Shoves Her Chips ‘ All in ’ With Georgia Complaint Alleging Rigged Election — Part One ( from RedState ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ abuse of power ” by some of the same people who cheered on a rogue FBI ’ s attempt to entrap , smear , destroy , bankrupt and imprison Flynn for doing nothing illegal , and who defended the out-of-control judge who refused to stop prosecuting Flynn even after the DOJ dropped the charges .
Here ’ s something that ’ s truly worth giving thanks for : Wednesday night , in a 5-4 ruling , the Supreme Court slapped down New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s coronavirus restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Cuomo ’ s edicts were not only more severe than other jurisdictions hit hard by the pandemic , and stricter than necessary , but they were also discriminatory and in violation of the First Amendment .
Attorneys for Jewish groups had argued that Cuomo made the discrimination clear when he specifically threatened to close down the synagogues of Orthodox Jewish groups .
In the majority opinion , Justice Gorsuch pointed out that Cuomo made exceptions for all sorts of secular businesses that he deemed “ essential , ” but not for places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same safety protocols .
Gorsuch wrote , “ That is exactly the kind of discrimination the First Amendment forbids.
” Not surprisingly , Cuomo , who ’ s spent much of his workday in raging tyrant mode lately , brushed off the SCOTUS ruling as if it didn ’ t apply to him and was nothing but the Justices expressing their philosophy ( and Democrats claim Trump acts like a dictator ! )
He then ( you guessed it ) attacked Trump , blaming him for the ruling because it was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played a decisive role .
And thank God for that !
We finally have someone who will overcome the margin of John Roberts and protect the Constitution .
Cuomo is probably right about one thing : if Ruth Bader Ginsburg had still been on the Court , and with Chief Justice Roberts again siding with the liberals against freedom of religion , the ruling would have gone the other way .
But he ’ s dead wrong about this being conservative partisanship .
The only shocking thing about this ruling is that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever Roberts is all should have sided with the conservatives on this open-and-shut case of blatant religious discrimination .
Justice Gorsuch hit the nail on the head when he wrote , “ There is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops , but shutter churches , synagogues and mosques.
” The idea that anyone , no matter their political leanings , could ascend as high as the Supreme Court and not understand something so basic about the First Amendment is staggering .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution by acting like a religious bigot is not an expression of personal philosophy .
It ’ s a stone cold fact .
Any judge who can ’ t recognize that should either go back to law school or find another line of work .
Mohsen Fahrizade , the leader of Iran ’ s military nuclear program that Israel says is working on developing nuclear weapons , was assassinated by machine gun fire .
At this writing , it ’ s unknown who took him out .
But you can always count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with outrage whenever anyone hits Iran , and this time , it was former CIA Director John Brennan .
He tweeted that it was a “ criminal act and highly reckless ” and urged Iran ’ s leaders to “ wait for the return of responsible American leadership on the global stage & to resist the urge to respond against perceived culprits.
” If you ’ re getting a weird feeling of déjà vu , you ’ re not the only one .
Journalist Glenn Greenwald pointed out that urging a hostile power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over before retaliating is exactly the same thing that Michael Flynn allegedly said to Russia , for which Brennan and his fellow Trump-haters accused him of violating the Logan Act ( which bars private citizens from trying to conduct foreign policy ) and tried to destroy and imprison him .
Are we actually going to start enforcing the Logan Act now , or is that one of the many laws that go down the memory hole if the Democrats get back in ?
Because if we are enforcing it , then at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company in prison .
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events .
A New York Times best-selling author , he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN .

I had hoped that my staff and I could take a couple of days off without having any major news erupt. That turned out to be like being a shepherd taking a break from watching his flock by night and thinking, “What could possibly happen?”
I’m sure we’ll have much more detail and commentary on these stories, but just to bring you up to speed, while we were all cooking and eating our turkeys, this all happened:
The Trump team presented stunning testimony on alleged voter fraud before the Pennsylvania Senate, with multiple sworn witnesses attesting to outrageous things they saw and were barred from seeing. Here’s possibly the most explosive evidence.
Sidney Powell also filed her separate lawsuit in Georgia, and it’s detailed, voluminous and makes 30 allegations of voter fraud. For those who dismiss claims of tampering with vote software, the lawsuit also details other irregularities, including thousands of people receiving absentee ballots they didn’t request and over 20,000 ballots allegedly cast by people who had moved out of state. Here’s why that could be more of a threat to Biden’s media-driven coronation than the vote software issue.
And here are several articles with more background on the lawsuit in Georgia:
Sidney Powell Suit Makes 30 Allegations in Bid to Invalidate Georgia Election Results (from Epoch Times)
Attorney Sidney Powell files lawsuit seeking Georgia election results be decertified, awarded to Trump (from Fox News)
Sidney Powell Shoves Her Chips ‘All in’ With Georgia Complaint Alleging Rigged Election — Part One (from RedState)
Oh, and President Trump pardoned Michael Flynn.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The pardon was hilariously slammed as an “abuse of power” by some of the same people who cheered on a rogue FBI’s attempt to entrap, smear, destroy, bankrupt and imprison Flynn for doing nothing illegal, and who defended the out-of-control judge who refused to stop prosecuting Flynn even after the DOJ dropped the charges.
SCOTUS Ruling
Here’s something that’s truly worth giving thanks for: Wednesday night, in a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court slapped down New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s coronavirus restrictions on houses of worship. The SCOTUS found that Cuomo’s edicts were not only more severe than other jurisdictions hit hard by the pandemic, and stricter than necessary, but they were also discriminatory and in violation of the First Amendment.
Attorneys for Jewish groups had argued that Cuomo made the discrimination clear when he specifically threatened to close down the synagogues of Orthodox Jewish groups. In the majority opinion, Justice Gorsuch pointed out that Cuomo made exceptions for all sorts of secular businesses that he deemed “essential,” but not for places of worship, even if they followed the same safety protocols. Gorsuch wrote, “That is exactly the kind of discrimination the First Amendment forbids.”
We finally have someone who will overcome the margin of John Roberts and protect the Constitution.
Not surprisingly, Cuomo, who’s spent much of his workday in raging tyrant mode lately, brushed off the SCOTUS ruling as if it didn’t apply to him and was nothing but the Justices expressing their philosophy (and Democrats claim Trump acts like a dictator!) He then (you guessed it) attacked Trump, blaming him for the ruling because it was the first in which Justice Amy Coney Barrett played a decisive role. And thank God for that! We finally have someone who will overcome the margin of John Roberts and protect the Constitution.
Cuomo is probably right about one thing: if Ruth Bader Ginsburg had still been on the Court, and with Chief Justice Roberts again siding with the liberals against freedom of religion, the ruling would have gone the other way. But he’s dead wrong about this being conservative partisanship. The only shocking thing about this ruling is that it was not unanimous. The liberals and whatever Roberts is all should have sided with the conservatives on this open-and-shut case of blatant religious discrimination.
Justice Gorsuch hit the nail on the head when he wrote, “There is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops, but shutter churches, synagogues and mosques.” The idea that anyone, no matter their political leanings, could ascend as high as the Supreme Court and not understand something so basic about the First Amendment is staggering. The Court ruling that Gov. Cuomo violated the Constitution by acting like a religious bigot is not an expression of personal philosophy. It’s a stone cold fact. Any judge who can’t recognize that should either go back to law school or find another line of work.
Iran Killing and the Logan Act
Mohsen Fahrizade, the leader of Iran’s military nuclear program that Israel says is working on developing nuclear weapons, was assassinated by machine gun fire. At this writing, it’s unknown who took him out.
But you can always count on former Obama Administration officials to quiver with outrage whenever anyone hits Iran, and this time, it was former CIA Director John Brennan. He tweeted that it was a “criminal act and highly reckless” and urged Iran’s leaders to “wait for the return of responsible American leadership on the global stage & to resist the urge to respond against perceived culprits.”
If you’re getting a weird feeling of déjà vu, you’re not the only one. Journalist Glenn Greenwald pointed out that urging a hostile power to wait until a new Administration took over before retaliating is exactly the same thing that Michael Flynn allegedly said to Russia, for which Brennan and his fellow Trump-haters accused him of violating the Logan Act (which bars private citizens from trying to conduct foreign policy) and tried to destroy and imprison him.
Are we actually going to start enforcing the Logan Act now, or is that one of the many laws that go down the memory hole if the Democrats get back in? Because if we are enforcing it, then at least now, Brennan can keep John Kerry company in prison.
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events. A New York Times best-selling author, he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN.
Originally published at MikeHuckabee.com. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-11-28--If Voters Had Known About 8 Stories Media Ignored, Trump Would Have Won, Says Media Watchdog

The head of a media watchdog organization says the media ’ s failure to cover eight stories may be the reason President Donald Trump lost the election .
“ The media can talk all day long about Donald Trump and all day long about things that he ’ s doing wrong , ” Brent Bozell , founder and president of the Media Research Center , said on a call Tuesday unveiling a poll the center commissioned , “ Special Report : The Stealing of the Presidency , 2020.
” “ It is absolutely unequivocal , the evidence that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I underscore deliberately , made it a point not to tell the public about these stories that nobody can question , ” Bozell said .
“ And now we ’ re showing the evidence that it cost Donald Trump the election.
” The Media Research Center asked voters about eight news stories the center considered “ important topics that our ongoing analysis had shown the liberal news media had failed to cover properly , ” according to a report by Rich Noyes , the research director at the Media Research Center .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the Biden-Harris ticket , including Sen. Kamala Harris ’ liberal viewpoints and the sexual assault allegation former Vice President Joe Biden faced , and five positive stories about the Trump administration , including 33.1 % economic growth and the Middle East peace deals .
In whole , the survey found that 17 % of people who cast their ballot for Biden “ would have changed their vote if they had been aware of one or more of these important stories , ” according to Noyes .
If the eight stories had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won every single contested race in America , ” Bozell said .
“ Of the six contested races , he would have won every single one , and he would have had at least 311 electoral votes.
” The Media Research Center commissioned the Polling Co. to survey 1,750 people who voted for Biden in seven swing states : Arizona , Georgia , Michigan , Nevada , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
Six of these states appear to have been won by Biden , with North Carolina being the exception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people who voted for Biden did not know of at least one of the eight stories .
For example , the survey found that 35.4 % of people who voted for Biden did not know about the allegations from Tara Reade , who said Biden sexually assaulted her in the 1990s .
In a May statement , Biden said the allegations from Reade were false .
“ I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago , ” Biden said .
“ They aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Noyes also noted that the lack of media reporting on the Trump administration ’ s success appears to have had an impact on voters .
“ The five pre-election jobs reports from June 5 to October 2 showed a record 11,161,000 jobs were created in the extraordinary snapback from the pandemic recession , ” Noyes wrote , adding : Adam Brandon , president of FreedomWorks , a grassroots political organization , who joined Bozell on the call , said that the survey ’ s findings illustrate the media ’ s influence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ media was not objective in following this race , ” Brandon said .
“ This was a complete failure of the fourth state at the national level .
I believe their polling results alone should embarrass and embarrass them enough to start to relook at their model.
” Of people who voted for Biden , 45.1 % said they did not know about the questioned business dealings of Hunter Biden , the son of Joe Biden , where the the New York Post alleged in a Oct. 14 piece that an email on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s laptop indicated Hunter Biden had introduced a Ukrainian business executive from Burisma to his dad .
Hunter Biden served on the board of the Ukraine-based natural gas company .
One polling question read , “ At the time you cast your vote for president , were you aware that evidence exists , including bank transactions the FBI is currently investigating , that directly links Joe Biden and his family to a corrupt financial arrangement between a Chinese company with connections to the Chinese Communist Party that was secretly intended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of dollars in profits ?
” Among respondents who voted for Biden , 45.1 % said they were unaware of this .
During the final presidential debate in October , Biden defended his son , saying , “ Nothing was unethical ” about Hunter Biden ’ s position on the board of Burisma .
“ My son has not made money from China .
The only guy who has made money from China was this guy , ” Joe Biden said .
Of Biden voters , 9.4 % said they wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known , “ flipping all six of the swing states he won to Trump , giving the president 311 electoral votes , ” according to the Media Research Center .
“ The scandal , I think , points to perhaps the largest scandal in history where the government is concerned where the allegation was that the vice president of the United States was , in fact , lining his pockets with shady business deals with Chinese communist companies , ” Bozell said .
“ The Biden laptop purportedly confirms all of that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ same media that were going hog wild [ during ] the Kavanaugh hearings when there was no evidence of it would go crazy over this one.
” Rachel del Guidice ( @ LRacheldG ) is a reporter for The Daily Signal .
She is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville , Forge Leadership Network , and The Heritage Foundation ’ s Young Leaders Program .

The head of a media watchdog organization says the media’s failure to cover eight stories may be the reason President Donald Trump lost the election.
“The media can talk all day long about Donald Trump and all day long about things that he’s doing wrong,” Brent Bozell, founder and president of the Media Research Center, said on a call Tuesday unveiling a poll the center commissioned, “Special Report: The Stealing of the Presidency, 2020.”
“It is absolutely unequivocal, the evidence that it was the national news movement that deliberately, and I underscore deliberately, made it a point not to tell the public about these stories that nobody can question,” Bozell said. “And now we’re showing the evidence that it cost Donald Trump the election.”
The Media Research Center asked voters about eight news stories the center considered “important topics that our ongoing analysis had shown the liberal news media had failed to cover properly,” according to a report by Rich Noyes, the research director at the Media Research Center.
The eight themes included three negative ones about the Biden-Harris ticket, including Sen. Kamala Harris’ liberal viewpoints and the sexual assault allegation former Vice President Joe Biden faced, and five positive stories about the Trump administration, including 33.1% economic growth and the Middle East peace deals.
In whole, the survey found that 17% of people who cast their ballot for Biden “would have changed their vote if they had been aware of one or more of these important stories,” according to Noyes.
If the eight stories had been reported on, “Trump would have won every single contested race in America,” Bozell said. “Of the six contested races, he would have won every single one, and he would have had at least 311 electoral votes.”
The Media Research Center commissioned the Polling Co. to survey 1,750 people who voted for Biden in seven swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Six of these states appear to have been won by Biden, with North Carolina being the exception.
The survey found that 82% of people who voted for Biden did not know of at least one of the eight stories.
For example, the survey found that 35.4% of people who voted for Biden did not know about the allegations from Tara Reade, who said Biden sexually assaulted her in the 1990s.
In a May statement, Biden said the allegations from Reade were false. “I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago,” Biden said. “They aren’t true. This never happened.”
Noyes writes:
If they had known about Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegations, 8.9% told us they would have changed their vote—either switching to Trump or a third-party candidate, not voting for any presidential candidate, or not voting at all. By itself, this would have flipped all six of the swing states won by Biden (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin), giving the president a win with 311 Electoral College votes.
Noyes also noted that the lack of media reporting on the Trump administration’s success appears to have had an impact on voters.
“The five pre-election jobs reports from June 5 to October 2 showed a record 11,161,000 jobs were created in the extraordinary snapback from the pandemic recession,” Noyes wrote, adding:
Yet a large number of Biden voters (39.4%) said they didn’t know about this achievement. If they had, 5.4% said they would have changed their vote; this would have swung Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to Trump, who would have won with 295 electoral votes.
Adam Brandon, president of FreedomWorks, a grassroots political organization, who joined Bozell on the call, said that the survey’s findings illustrate the media’s influence.
“It’s very clear the media was not objective in following this race,” Brandon said. “This was a complete failure of the fourth state at the national level. I believe their polling results alone should embarrass and embarrass them enough to start to relook at their model.”
Of people who voted for Biden, 45.1% said they did not know about the questioned business dealings of Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden, where the the New York Post alleged in a Oct. 14 piece that an email on what is believed to be the younger Biden’s laptop indicated Hunter Biden had introduced a Ukrainian business executive from Burisma to his dad. Hunter Biden served on the board of the Ukraine-based natural gas company.
One polling question read, “At the time you cast your vote for president, were you aware that evidence exists, including bank transactions the FBI is currently investigating, that directly links Joe Biden and his family to a corrupt financial arrangement between a Chinese company with connections to the Chinese Communist Party that was secretly intended to provide the Biden family with tens of millions of dollars in profits?”
Among respondents who voted for Biden, 45.1% said they were unaware of this.
During the final presidential debate in October, Biden defended his son, saying, “Nothing was unethical” about Hunter Biden’s position on the board of Burisma. “My son has not made money from China. The only guy who has made money from China was this guy,” Joe Biden said.
Of Biden voters, 9.4% said they wouldn’t have voted for Biden had they known, “flipping all six of the swing states he won to Trump, giving the president 311 electoral votes,” according to the Media Research Center.
“The scandal, I think, points to perhaps the largest scandal in history where the government is concerned where the allegation was that the vice president of the United States was, in fact, lining his pockets with shady business deals with Chinese communist companies,” Bozell said.
“The Biden laptop purportedly confirms all of that. So you would have thought that the same media that were going hog wild [during] the Kavanaugh hearings when there was no evidence of it would go crazy over this one.”
Rachel del Guidice (@LRacheldG) is a reporter for The Daily Signal. She is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Forge Leadership Network, and The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program.
Copyright 2019 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-11-28--I’m Glad the Democrats Cheated, Whether or Not We Can Prove It in Time to #StopTheSteal

I know that many of you are shocked and mortified by charges that a conspiracy of Democrats tried to steal the presidential election .
If true , it ’ s certainly sobering .
But it shouldn ’ t be surprising .
All across our country , Democrats have viciously abused their public offices in crucial ways through the past four years .
In 2020 , they escalated , of course .
Their flouting of legal norms and flaunting of raw power then exposed them as embracing Anarcho-Tyranny .
From 2016-19 the Left : • Claimed with zero evidence that Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump .
• Spied on Trump ’ s campaign , then lied to secret FISA courts to use that data to go on a witch hunt against the president and his team .
• Insisted , with zero evidence , that Trump somehow “ colluded ” with Putin ’ s Russia to win the 2016 election .
• Refused to cooperate with Republicans on the most basic issues of governance , claiming that Trump was illegitimate .
• Trumped up prosecutions against entirely innocent members of the Trump campaign and administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Mike Flynn .
• Falsely accused Brett Kavanaugh of rape , based on the shaky , inconsistent , and uncorroborated testimony of an employee of the abortion industry .
• Impeached President Trump and tried to remove him from office , based on a single phone call inquiring into the Biden family ’ s corrupt dealings with Ukraine .
Those have since been proven real ( and Trump ’ s inquiry appropriate ) by the Hunter Biden laptop .
That was exculpatory evidence which enemies of the president in his own FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Lie , Sidney Powell documented that hiding such evidence from defendants is standard operating procedure for biased federal prosecutors .
Let ’ s move on to 2020 .
In the past year , Democrats have added a whole new catalog of crimes against the Republic .
In various states and offices they have : • Violated state constitutions locking citizens in their homes and suppressing public worship .
• Committed negligent homicide by dumping COVID patients on the helpless , locked in and vulnerable residents of nursing homes .
• Permitted rioters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property and terrorize millions of citizens , withholding police protection , then dropping thousands of charges against the rioters .
• Illegally prosecuted citizens for defending themselves against those rioters , whose politics they preferred .
• Tried to impose an unconstitutional religious test to keep Amy Coney Barrett off the Supreme Court .
• Used the pretext of the COVID virus to mail out hundreds of thousands of insecure ballots to citizens who never requested them .
They used the tired claim of “ racism ” to weaken or vitiate any ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After all this , when Democrats conducted a dodgy election , where Joe Biden came from behind in the middle of the night with sudden , massive vote spikes in just a few strategic states , they expected us to swallow it .
Maybe they thought we were sufficiently beaten down , hammered into the learned helplessness of Venezuelans or Cubans .
They were wrong .
Even with TV networks and major newspapers censoring the proof of Joe Biden ’ s corruption before the vote , and then the evidence of Democrat vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to silence half the country , we haven ’ t caved .
There ’ s more grit left in Americans than our “ masters ” suspected .
Fox News is losing millions every week since it decided to turn on its viewers .
Little newspapers like The Epoch Times , and scrappy networks like One America News and Newsmax , are surging .
Americans don ’ t take too well to the rolled-up newspaper swung across the snout .
We don ’ t cringe and quiver .
Instead , we bite .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” writers and outlets reprimanding us .
National Review is desperate , for some reason , to stop us from asking probing questions about the 2020 race .
It joined the lynch mob that tried to humiliate and discredit Rudolph Giuliani , Jenna Ellis , Sidney Powell , and Lin Wood .
But then its top editors were also among the first to go after Nicholas Sandmann , based on 30 seconds of doctored CNN footage .
I never expected much better .
I think the folks at NR never accepted the Trumpian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relieved that Donald Trump “ lost , ” and happy to get back to playing for the Washington Generals — whose job it is to go out against the Globetrotters and lose gracefully , every time .
What If We Prove the Steal But That Doesn ’ t Stop It ?
But what if ?
What if we prove to our own satisfaction that this election was stolen , but courts disregard the proof ?
What if judges and hack election officials drag the process out , till it ’ s too late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Then the Constitutional thing to do will be to inaugurate Joe Biden , even though he ’ s trailing behind him stuffed ballot boxes , and Dominion ’ s hacked thumb drives keep falling out of his pockets .
What would that do to the country ?
God can bring good from that evil .
It would teach the half of America that voted for Donald Trump to radically distrust their government .
As we should have been doing for a long , long time .
The Democrats spent four years pretending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d have to spend four more knowing that Biden did .
His name would go into the history books with an asterisk beside it .
Any GOP senators worth whizzing on if they caught fire would fight Biden tooth and nail .
We should replicate , gesture for gesture , the sabotage and “ resistance ” the Democrats showed Trump , without any good reason except that they disagreed with his voters .
I hope we don ’ t have to go through that .
Biden would do a lot of damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto the Senate via two crucial runoff races in Georgia .
( By the way , will that state conduct them using the same crooked software and lax security that marked the presidential race ?
Only our insistence on fighting the Steal will stop that . )
The Left : Illegitimate and Lawless Since 1973 On the positive side , conservatives would be forced to face the facts : The left has been operating and governing illegitimately for decades .
The most important example is abortion .
Every honest legal scholar , left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wade was decided dishonestly .
There is no right of bodily privacy in the Constitution which grants mothers the right to kill their offspring .
The only way the left has kept on pretending otherwise has been by savaging Supreme Court appointees like Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh .
And by appointing biased activists like Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Now if they take the Senate , the Democrats promise to pack the court with six , eight , or ten new biased activists .
That shows you how much they care about legitimacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s gay marriage decision , and its recent decision pretending that the 1965 Civil Rights Act was meant to protect transgender rights , are equally clear examples .
For the sake of peace , we have gone along and pretended that these decisions , while incorrect , were “ legitimate.
” The left cheated fair and square .
They get to do that .
But we don ’ t .
We don ’ t even get to complain , without the hall monitors on “ the right ” shushing us , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No Laws at All Accepting any of that was a mistake .
The next Republican president should treat illegitimate Supreme Court decisions , which flout the Constitution , with the same contempt that Lincoln showed for the Dredd Scott decision .
He openly said he would do all he could to undermine that decision , and so he did .
And so must we , at least on abortion , an issue of life and death .
If we do see the White House stolen , we need to make it clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , only as the alternative to a destructive civil war .
We do not accept these leaders .
We will flout unjust laws and try to frustrate evil policies , stopping only short of violence .
Like the Maccabees , will not cooperate and will not comply .
Illegitimate politics based on fraud , raw power , and censorship are un-American and evil .
We will resist , and with God ’ s help , we will prevail .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
He is co-author with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

I know that many of you are shocked and mortified by charges that a conspiracy of Democrats tried to steal the presidential election. If true, it’s certainly sobering. But it shouldn’t be surprising. All across our country, Democrats have viciously abused their public offices in crucial ways through the past four years. In 2020, they escalated, of course. Their flouting of legal norms and flaunting of raw power then exposed them as embracing Anarcho-Tyranny. From 2016-19 the Left:
Claimed with zero evidence that Russia hacked our voting machines, to elect Donald Trump.
Spied on Trump’s campaign, then lied to secret FISA courts to use that data to go on a witch hunt against the president and his team.
Insisted, with zero evidence, that Trump somehow “colluded” with Putin’s Russia to win the 2016 election.
Refused to cooperate with Republicans on the most basic issues of governance, claiming that Trump was illegitimate.
Trumped up prosecutions against entirely innocent members of the Trump campaign and administration, from Carter Page and George Papadopolous to General Mike Flynn.
Falsely accused Brett Kavanaugh of rape, based on the shaky, inconsistent, and uncorroborated testimony of an employee of the abortion industry.
Impeached President Trump and tried to remove him from office, based on a single phone call inquiring into the Biden family’s corrupt dealings with Ukraine. Those have since been proven real (and Trump’s inquiry appropriate) by the Hunter Biden laptop. That was exculpatory evidence which enemies of the president in his own FBI illegally concealed from him. In Licensed to Lie, Sidney Powell documented that hiding such evidence from defendants is standard operating procedure for biased federal prosecutors.
2020: A Busy Year for Tyrants
Let’s move on to 2020. In the past year, Democrats have added a whole new catalog of crimes against the Republic. In various states and offices they have:
Violated state constitutions locking citizens in their homes and suppressing public worship.
Committed negligent homicide by dumping COVID patients on the helpless, locked in and vulnerable residents of nursing homes.
Permitted rioters to destroy billions of dollars in private property and terrorize millions of citizens, withholding police protection, then dropping thousands of charges against the rioters.
Illegally prosecuted citizens for defending themselves against those rioters, whose politics they preferred.
Tried to impose an unconstitutional religious test to keep Amy Coney Barrett off the Supreme Court.
Used the pretext of the COVID virus to mail out hundreds of thousands of insecure ballots to citizens who never requested them. They used the tired claim of “racism” to weaken or vitiate any ballot security measures to fight voter fraud.
Treating America Like Kidnapped Patty Hearst
After all this, when Democrats conducted a dodgy election, where Joe Biden came from behind in the middle of the night with sudden, massive vote spikes in just a few strategic states, they expected us to swallow it. Maybe they thought we were sufficiently beaten down, hammered into the learned helplessness of Venezuelans or Cubans.
The Democrats spent four years pretending that Trump stole his office. We’d have to spend four more knowing that Biden did.
They were wrong. Even with TV networks and major newspapers censoring the proof of Joe Biden’s corruption before the vote, and then the evidence of Democrat vote fraud after it, and social media trying to silence half the country, we haven’t caved. There’s more grit left in Americans than our “masters” suspected. Fox News is losing millions every week since it decided to turn on its viewers. Little newspapers like The Epoch Times, and scrappy networks like One America News and Newsmax, are surging. Americans don’t take too well to the rolled-up newspaper swung across the snout. We don’t cringe and quiver. Instead, we bite.
Tame, Pet Conservatives Yapping Like Chihuahuas
Sure, there are tame “conservative” writers and outlets reprimanding us. National Review is desperate, for some reason, to stop us from asking probing questions about the 2020 race. It joined the lynch mob that tried to humiliate and discredit Rudolph Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell, and Lin Wood. But then its top editors were also among the first to go after Nicholas Sandmann, based on 30 seconds of doctored CNN footage. I never expected much better.
I think the folks at NR never accepted the Trumpian turn in our politics. They were relieved that Donald Trump “lost,” and happy to get back to playing for the Washington Generals — whose job it is to go out against the Globetrotters and lose gracefully, every time.
What If We Prove the Steal But That Doesn’t Stop It?
But what if? What if we prove to our own satisfaction that this election was stolen, but courts disregard the proof? What if judges and hack election officials drag the process out, till it’s too late to get real electors in crucial states? Then the Constitutional thing to do will be to inaugurate Joe Biden, even though he’s trailing behind him stuffed ballot boxes, and Dominion’s hacked thumb drives keep falling out of his pockets. What would that do to the country?
God can bring good from that evil. It would teach the half of America that voted for Donald Trump to radically distrust their government. As we should have been doing for a long, long time. The Democrats spent four years pretending that Trump stole his office. We’d have to spend four more knowing that Biden did. His name would go into the history books with an asterisk beside it. Any GOP senators worth whizzing on if they caught fire would fight Biden tooth and nail. We should replicate, gesture for gesture, the sabotage and “resistance” the Democrats showed Trump, without any good reason except that they disagreed with his voters.
I hope we don’t have to go through that. Biden would do a lot of damage, even if we manage to hold onto the Senate via two crucial runoff races in Georgia. (By the way, will that state conduct them using the same crooked software and lax security that marked the presidential race? Only our insistence on fighting the Steal will stop that.)
The Left: Illegitimate and Lawless Since 1973
On the positive side, conservatives would be forced to face the facts: The left has been operating and governing illegitimately for decades. The most important example is abortion. Every honest legal scholar, left and right, knows that Roe v. Wade was decided dishonestly. There is no right of bodily privacy in the Constitution which grants mothers the right to kill their offspring.
The only way the left has kept on pretending otherwise has been by savaging Supreme Court appointees like Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh. And by appointing biased activists like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Now if they take the Senate, the Democrats promise to pack the court with six, eight, or ten new biased activists. That shows you how much they care about legitimacy or the law.
The Supreme Court’s gay marriage decision, and its recent decision pretending that the 1965 Civil Rights Act was meant to protect transgender rights, are equally clear examples. For the sake of peace, we have gone along and pretended that these decisions, while incorrect, were “legitimate.” The left cheated fair and square. They get to do that. But we don’t. We don’t even get to complain, without the hall monitors on “the right” shushing us, because we embarrass them.
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Unjust Laws Are No Laws at All
Accepting any of that was a mistake. The next Republican president should treat illegitimate Supreme Court decisions, which flout the Constitution, with the same contempt that Lincoln showed for the Dredd Scott decision. He openly said he would do all he could to undermine that decision, and so he did. And so must we, at least on abortion, an issue of life and death.
If we do see the White House stolen, we need to make it clear that we submit to this regime under protest, only as the alternative to a destructive civil war. We do not accept these leaders. We will flout unjust laws and try to frustrate evil policies, stopping only short of violence. Like the Maccabees, will not cooperate and will not comply. Illegitimate politics based on fraud, raw power, and censorship are un-American and evil. We will resist, and with God’s help, we will prevail.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-11-28--Six Things to Do When Life Ain’t Perfect

There is sometimes an expectation that since God loves us , and since we have responded in faith , then life should be pretty much perfect from now on .
But then what follows in our experience is , well , far from ideal .
When we realize that things are far from perfect we might be surprised .
We might even fall to pieces .
Life is a reality check .
Paul ’ s concluding words to the Christians in Philippi are also a reality check .
The fact is , that things are far from perfect .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the apostle Paul ’ s life was hardly flawless .
Here we are given the reason for the letter .
It is a thank you note from Paul for the gift the Christians in Philippians sent him because he was in prison .
Yes , this encouraging letter was written while Paul was in troubling circumstances .
He might even be executed !
We have good reason to believe that he eventually was executed following another imprisonment .
Paul ’ s life was far from the dreamy experience we seem to expect Christians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picnic .
In Philippians chapter 4 we are also reminded that the Christian church is far from perfect , since Christian people are far from perfect .
In verses 2 and 3 we discover that there are troubled relationships .
Euodia and Syntyche are two leaders who are evidently mature Christians .
Yet they are not getting along .
They are not the flawless people we seem to expect Christians to be .
Getting along was no picnic .
As a side note , if you ever find a perfect church , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bother telling me about it .
I don ’ t want to wreck the perfection by showing up .
Here we have evidence , of less than than perfect people in less than perfect circumstances .
In fact you could say , messy people in messy circumstances .
Perhaps you can relate … .
So how do we handle the mess ?
First , we do the best we can : Euodia and Syntyche are to iron out their differences and be reconciled .
We can wonder if Paul in our day would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others to iron out our differences and be reconciled .
At any rate , we are to just do the best we can as individuals and faith communities and to help each other out the best we can too .
Most translations go with “ rejoice ” or “ be glad , ” but I like those that say “ celebrate.
” It can be hard to just switch our emotions , to suddenly just go from grumpy to joyful .
It is not as if our emotions respond like a light to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of going home grumpy from a hard day at work .
We may still be grumpy when we get home , which is no fun for our loved ones .
But if you go home to a celebration , a birthday celebration for example , your emotions may well catch up to your celebrations .
When we regularly celebrate Jesus , celebrating all that is real and true in Jesus , then our awful emotions will eventually catch up with the awesome facts .
How often have you heard a sermon on gentleness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very often , for I have not often preached on it .
I suspect that across our land there are many sermons on holiness , and very few on gentleness .
Yet gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit .
Gentleness is an important mark of following Jesus .
I promise to speak about it more often .
Perhaps we should all promise to grow into it more .
We give our anxiety to God through prayer : Simply turning off worry can feel like an impossible thing to do .
It likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much encouraged to simply turn it off , but rather to trade it in .
Through prayer we trade it in for peace .
We focus our minds on good things .
I like Eugene Peterson ’ s rendition of the next few verses : We are so good at being focused .
Unfortunately , we focus on the dirt .
We focus on the negative .
We focus on what is worst about others , and ourselves .
News and social media often doesn ’ t help in this regard .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is good , in God , in life , in our world , in our church , in others , and yes , even in ourselves .
We learn contentment with the reality of things : I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me ; indeed , you were concerned for me , but had no opportunity to show it .
Not that I am referring to being in need ; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ little , and I know what it is to have plenty .
In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry , of having plenty and of being in need .
I can do all things through him who strengthens me .
In any case , it was kind of you to share my distress .
— Philippians 4:10-14 ( NRSV ) Here we are , back to a reminder that Paul ’ s situation was from from ideal as he sits in prison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of life .
Yet Paul could speak of being content .
Yes , things could be better .
But yes , things will be better .
The reality is that being a Christian is no guarantee of a perfect life .
The reality is that in Jesus there is the guarantee of God ’ s perfect love .
As bad as things could get , they can ’ t do anything but get better yet .
Messiness is Nothing New Things are less than ideal in our day .
We have been living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should not act surprised .
In fact we have been sheltered .
Messiness is nothing new .
One of the books I read this summer was A Journal of the Plague Year , written by a citizen who continued all the while in London , by Daniel Dafoe .
This book is a memoir about a plague that hit London , England , in the 1600s .
It put our current plague into perspective .
Thanks to advances in society , we are in a much better situation now than then .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life gets messy .
Following Jesus does not excuse us from that .
In fact , as Paul also knew , following Jesus could get you into a bigger mess .
Sadly , many believers around the world today know that all too well , as persecution continues to plague many Christ followers .
Let us not fall to pieces when life is less than ideal , when the people around us , including ourselves , are less than perfect .
Let us do the best we can , celebrate Jesus , grow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through prayer , focus on the good , and learn contentment .
May we not fall to pieces , but as we walk with Jesus , let us watch how God picks up the pieces .
Clarke is the pastor of Calvary Baptist in Cobourg , Ontario .
He blogs at clarkedixon.wordpress.com .

There is sometimes an expectation that since God loves us, and since we have responded in faith, then life should be pretty much perfect from now on. But then what follows in our experience is, well, far from ideal. When we realize that things are far from perfect we might be surprised. We might even fall to pieces.
Life is a reality check. Paul’s concluding words to the Christians in Philippi are also a reality check. The fact is, that things are far from perfect.
In Philippians chapter 4 we are reminded that the apostle Paul’s life was hardly flawless. Here we are given the reason for the letter. It is a thank you note from Paul for the gift the Christians in Philippians sent him because he was in prison. Yes, this encouraging letter was written while Paul was in troubling circumstances. He might even be executed! We have good reason to believe that he eventually was executed following another imprisonment. Paul’s life was far from the dreamy experience we seem to expect Christians to have. His existence was no picnic.
The Christian church is far from perfect, since Christian people are far from perfect.
In Philippians chapter 4 we are also reminded that the Christian church is far from perfect, since Christian people are far from perfect. In verses 2 and 3 we discover that there are troubled relationships. Euodia and Syntyche are two leaders who are evidently mature Christians. Yet they are not getting along. They are not the flawless people we seem to expect Christians to be. Getting along was no picnic.
As a side note, if you ever find a perfect church, where everyone is perfect, don’t bother telling me about it. I don’t want to wreck the perfection by showing up.
Here we have evidence, of less than than perfect people in less than perfect circumstances. In fact you could say, messy people in messy circumstances. Perhaps you can relate … .
So how do we handle the mess?
First, we do the best we can:
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. – Philippians 4:2-3 (NRSV)
Euodia and Syntyche are to iron out their differences and be reconciled. We can wonder if Paul in our day would encourage the Anglicans and the Baptists among others to iron out our differences and be reconciled. At any rate, we are to just do the best we can as individuals and faith communities and to help each other out the best we can too.
We celebrate God:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. — Philippians 4:4 (NRSV)
Most translations go with “rejoice” or “be glad,” but I like those that say “celebrate.” It can be hard to just switch our emotions, to suddenly just go from grumpy to joyful. It is not as if our emotions respond like a light to the flick of a switch. Think of going home grumpy from a hard day at work. We may still be grumpy when we get home, which is no fun for our loved ones. But if you go home to a celebration, a birthday celebration for example, your emotions may well catch up to your celebrations. When we regularly celebrate Jesus, celebrating all that is real and true in Jesus, then our awful emotions will eventually catch up with the awesome facts.
We grow in gentleness:
Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. — Philippians 4:5 (NRSV)
How often have you heard a sermon on gentleness? If you attend Calvary, not very often, for I have not often preached on it. I suspect that across our land there are many sermons on holiness, and very few on gentleness. Yet gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. Gentleness is an important mark of following Jesus. I promise to speak about it more often. Perhaps we should all promise to grow into it more.
We give our anxiety to God through prayer:
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:6-7 (NRSV)
Simply turning off worry can feel like an impossible thing to do. It likely is. Thankfully, we are not so much encouraged to simply turn it off, but rather to trade it in. Through prayer we trade it in for peace.
We focus our minds on good things.
I like Eugene Peterson’s rendition of the next few verses:
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. — Philippians 4:8,9 (The Message)
We are so good at being focused. Unfortunately, we focus on the dirt. We focus on the negative. We focus on what is worst about others, and ourselves. News and social media often doesn’t help in this regard. Let us learn to think on all that is good, in God, in life, in our world, in our church, in others, and yes, even in ourselves.
We learn contentment with the reality of things:
I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress. — Philippians 4:10-14 (NRSV)
Here we are, back to a reminder that Paul’s situation was from from ideal as he sits in prison, dependent on others for the basic necessities of life. Yet Paul could speak of being content. Yes, things could be better. But yes, things will be better. The reality is that being a Christian is no guarantee of a perfect life. The reality is that in Jesus there is the guarantee of God’s perfect love. As bad as things could get, they can’t do anything but get better yet.
Messiness is Nothing New
Things are less than ideal in our day. We have been living through an incredibly messy year. We should not act surprised. In fact we have been sheltered. Messiness is nothing new. One of the books I read this summer was A Journal of the Plague Year, written by a citizen who continued all the while in London, by Daniel Dafoe. This book is a memoir about a plague that hit London, England, in the 1600s. It put our current plague into perspective. Thanks to advances in society, we are in a much better situation now than then.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The first Christians knew what Paul knew; life gets messy. Following Jesus does not excuse us from that. In fact, as Paul also knew, following Jesus could get you into a bigger mess. Sadly, many believers around the world today know that all too well, as persecution continues to plague many Christ followers.
Let us not fall to pieces when life is less than ideal, when the people around us, including ourselves, are less than perfect. Let us do the best we can, celebrate Jesus, grow in gentleness, trade anxiety for peace through prayer, focus on the good, and learn contentment. May we not fall to pieces, but as we walk with Jesus, let us watch how God picks up the pieces.
(The full reflection can be seen as part of this “online worship expression”)
Clarke is the pastor of Calvary Baptist in Cobourg, Ontario. He blogs at clarkedixon.wordpress.com.
Originally published on Clarke’s blog. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-11-28--What It Means to Be Thankful

What It Means to Be Thankful

On November 11 , 1620 , a group of weary travelers ended their 66-day journey across the stormy Atlantic Ocean and arrived at what we now know as Plymouth , Massachusetts .
The voyage was difficult , but the travelers ’ trials had only begun .
The harsh New England winter eventually claimed 45 of the 102 Mayflower passengers .
In spite of the great loss and continued struggle , one year after their arrival the Pilgrims gave thanks for what God had given them .
This was their prayer : O Lord our God and heavenly Father , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hast provided meate and drinke for the nourishment of our weake bodies .
Grant us peace to use them reverently , as from Thy hands , with thankful hearts : let Thy blessing rest upon these Thy good creatures , to our comfort and sustentation : and grant we humbly beseech Thee , good Lord , that as we doe hunger and thirst for this food of our bodies , so our soules may earnestly long after the food of eternal life , through Jesus Christ , our Lord and Saviour , Amen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving thanks .
Even though the Pilgrims had lost so much during the first winter and were battered and weary , they understood that everything they had received—every “ perfect gift ” —had come from the perfect Gift Giver , so they looked to the new harvest and gave thanks .
The Pilgrims could have celebrated their own hard work and perseverance , but they didn ’ t .
They celebrated God .
It was the right thing to do .
Paul reminds us , “ Whatever you do in word or deed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lord Jesus , giving thanks through Him to God the Father ” ( Col. 3:17 ) .
The Pilgrims were thankful for this harvest because they knew it was a gift from God , but it didn ’ t stop there .
They also sought God ’ s direction and guidance to use these resources for his glory even while plagued with struggles and uncertainty .
They prayed , “ Grant us peace to use them reverently , as from Thy hands , with thankful hearts.
” We too seek to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s given us , regardless of life ’ s circumstances .
When we turn to God with little or with much and focus on using the gifts we have to build his kingdom , we don ’ t become distracted by despair or doubt .
Instead , we become overwhelmed with thanksgiving .
For the Pilgrims , the harvest meant survival .
They knew the true story of reality included more than this physical world , though .
They kept their focus on the only things that would sustain them regardless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Heaven beyond it .
They pleaded to God for their souls to never grow satisfied with anything but Christ .
These were a people who embodied Paul ’ s words : “ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us ” ( Rom .
8:18 ) .
We Can Give Thanks Too This last year has been hard for Americans .
It was a year of COVID-19 lockdowns , masks , a struggling economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a contentious presidential election .
It ’ s been a year in which many might find it hard to be thankful .
However , just as the Pilgrims were able to give thanks in the face of trials , we can be grateful too since we have so much to be thankful for even in these tough times .
We remind ourselves that everything we have is a gift from God to be used for God , and that our hope is not found in the things of this world but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ master ’ s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University , and is now a speaker with Stand to Reason .
He also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and at Beacon Hill Classical Academy , where he teaches discipleship .
Originally published at Stand to Reason .
Used with permission .

On November 11, 1620, a group of weary travelers ended their 66-day journey across the stormy Atlantic Ocean and arrived at what we now know as Plymouth, Massachusetts. The voyage was difficult, but the travelers’ trials had only begun. The harsh New England winter eventually claimed 45 of the 102 Mayflower passengers.
Just as the Pilgrims were able to give thanks in the face of trials, we can be grateful too since we have so much to be thankful for even in these tough times.
In spite of the great loss and continued struggle, one year after their arrival the Pilgrims gave thanks for what God had given them. This was their prayer:
O Lord our God and heavenly Father, which of Thy unspeakable mercy towards us, hast provided meate and drinke for the nourishment of our weake bodies. Grant us peace to use them reverently, as from Thy hands, with thankful hearts: let Thy blessing rest upon these Thy good creatures, to our comfort and sustentation: and grant we humbly beseech Thee, good Lord, that as we doe hunger and thirst for this food of our bodies, so our soules may earnestly long after the food of eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, Amen.
This prayer is a model for giving thanks. Even though the Pilgrims had lost so much during the first winter and were battered and weary, they understood that everything they had received—every “perfect gift”—had come from the perfect Gift Giver, so they looked to the new harvest and gave thanks. The Pilgrims could have celebrated their own hard work and perseverance, but they didn’t. They celebrated God.
Content in Every Circumstance
It was the right thing to do. Paul reminds us, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col. 3:17).
The Pilgrims were thankful for this harvest because they knew it was a gift from God, but it didn’t stop there. They also sought God’s direction and guidance to use these resources for his glory even while plagued with struggles and uncertainty. They prayed, “Grant us peace to use them reverently, as from Thy hands, with thankful hearts.”
Again, I’m reminded of Paul’s words:
I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:11–13)
We too seek to do God’s will with the gifts he’s given us, regardless of life’s circumstances. When we turn to God with little or with much and focus on using the gifts we have to build his kingdom, we don’t become distracted by despair or doubt. Instead, we become overwhelmed with thanksgiving.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
For the Pilgrims, the harvest meant survival. They knew the true story of reality included more than this physical world, though. They kept their focus on the only things that would sustain them regardless of their circumstance—Jesus, his cross, and Heaven beyond it. They pleaded to God for their souls to never grow satisfied with anything but Christ.
These were a people who embodied Paul’s words: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18).
We Can Give Thanks Too
This last year has been hard for Americans. It was a year of COVID-19 lockdowns, masks, a struggling economy, rioting, looting, topped off by a contentious presidential election. It’s been a year in which many might find it hard to be thankful.
However, just as the Pilgrims were able to give thanks in the face of trials, we can be grateful too since we have so much to be thankful for even in these tough times. We remind ourselves that everything we have is a gift from God to be used for God, and that our hope is not found in the things of this world but in Christ alone.
Jonathan Noyes holds a master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and is now a speaker with Stand to Reason. He also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and at Beacon Hill Classical Academy, where he teaches discipleship.
Originally published at Stand to Reason. Used with permission.


thestream--2020-11-28--Canada Confronts the Question, Is Human Life Expendable?

Is human life expendable ?
This is the question behind Canada ’ s Medical Assistance in Dying ( MAID ) laws and its attempted revisions under Bill C-7 this October .
Bill C-14 became law in 2016 , making it legal for people with “ reasonably foreseeable ” deaths to receive a physician ’ s “ assistance ” in dying .
That bill included a number safeguards to narrow down those who would qualify .
Among them was a 10-day reflection period .
In 2019 , however , a Quebec Superior Court Judge ruled that the “ reasonably foreseeable ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government has thus been forced to introduce Bill C-7 , which swings the door open much wider .
Justin Trudeau could have challenged the Quebec ruling , but his failure to do so meant that the Criminal Code had to be amended once more .
If Bill C-7 does not pass by December 18 of this year , it means that Canada would have dual legislation .
One system would apply to Quebec , the other to the rest of the country .
Bill C-7 says those who suffer solely from mental illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t so sure , however .
The language is vague .
Those experiencing “ physical or psychological suffering that is intolerable to them and that can not be relieved under conditions that they consider acceptable ” may seek euthanasia .
With the “ reasonably foreseeable ” clause removed , it ’ s hard to see why “ psychological suffering ” would not inevitably apply to the mentally ill as well .
The Quebec Superior Court overruled the terminal illness safeguard , saying it discriminated against those who were suffering but whose condition was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are bound to make the same equality-based case .
Bill C-7 would also remove a reflection period .
This means people can receive a diagnosis and lethal injection within a 24-hour period .
It also permits those who are “ incompetent ” to receive lethal injection if they ’ ve previously been approved .
But these are people who can not confirm their previous stance .
Serious Concerns About the Government Action Critics call this some of the loosest assisted dying legislation in the world .
Persons with disabilities are raising concerns about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Disabilities says : It has not been uncommon for doctors to recommend MAID to those who are disabled or suffering from severe conditions .
42-year-old Roger Foley made headlines in 2018 after suing a London , Ontario hospital .
He said they ’ d refused to offer him home health care services and instead recommended assisted suicide .
A year earlier , a Newfoundland mother demanded doctors apologize after they suggested her 25-year-old daughter , Candice Elson , receive assistance in suicide .
The doctors refused .
They called her “ selfish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ frequent flier.
” By this they meant that her regular visits hospital visits were a drain on the system .
Stories like these bring to startling clarity many of the original concerns people had with MAID .
If Bill C-7 is passed in December , the wedge driven between human sanctity and expendability could become a wall .
MAID was passed under the banner of helping people to “ die with dignity.
” For many physicians , though , as well as for many sick and disabled people , Bill C-7 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devalue human life even more ?
Or will officials take a late , but needed , stand against this trend ?
It ’ s hard to tell at this point .
Assisted suicide raises a host of moral dilemmas by itself , chief of which is the message it sends about human value .
Laws like these assume that human life is only valuable if enjoyable or useful to society in some way , not intrinsically valuable in and of itself .
In any case , Canadians who value life need to remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to “ stand on guard ” for life , through love and truth .
Angelos Kyriakides is a freelance writer who lives in Maple Ridge , British Columbia , outside Vancouver .
He has previously served as an urban missionary and youth pastor in Canada ’ s poorest postal code , Vancouver ’ s downtown Eastside , for just under a decade .
His passion is to build up the Body of Christ with truthful perspectives about current events and make Christian faith real in the hearts of today ’ s generation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah , and their two small children who always make life a joyful adventure .

Is human life expendable? This is the question behind Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) laws and its attempted revisions under Bill C-7 this October. Bill C-14 became law in 2016, making it legal for people with “reasonably foreseeable” deaths to receive a physician’s “assistance” in dying. That bill included a number safeguards to narrow down those who would qualify. Among them was a 10-day reflection period.
Canada’s Controversial Proposed Legislation
In 2019, however, a Quebec Superior Court Judge ruled that the “reasonably foreseeable” clause contradicted the Canadian Charter. The government has thus been forced to introduce Bill C-7, which swings the door open much wider. Justin Trudeau could have challenged the Quebec ruling, but his failure to do so meant that the Criminal Code had to be amended once more. If Bill C-7 does not pass by December 18 of this year, it means that Canada would have dual legislation. One system would apply to Quebec, the other to the rest of the country.
Bill C-7 says those who suffer solely from mental illness will not qualify. Critics aren’t so sure, however. The language is vague. Those experiencing “physical or psychological suffering that is intolerable to them and that cannot be relieved under conditions that they consider acceptable” may seek euthanasia. With the “reasonably foreseeable” clause removed, it’s hard to see why “psychological suffering” would not inevitably apply to the mentally ill as well.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The Quebec Superior Court overruled the terminal illness safeguard, saying it discriminated against those who were suffering but whose condition was not terminal. Those with mental illness are bound to make the same equality-based case.
Bill C-7 would also remove a reflection period. This means people can receive a diagnosis and lethal injection within a 24-hour period. It also permits those who are “incompetent” to receive lethal injection if they’ve previously been approved. But these are people who cannot confirm their previous stance.
Serious Concerns About the Government Action
Critics call this some of the loosest assisted dying legislation in the world. Persons with disabilities are raising concerns about the bill. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities says:
CCD opposes government action to decriminalize assisted suicide because of the serious potential for abuse and the negative image of people with disabilities that would be produced if people with disabilities are killed with state sanction.
Dr. Ramona Coelho, a family physician in London, Ontario agrees:
The message that C-7 sends to those with chronic illnesses or disabilities is that their lives are not worth living and that they would be better off dead. As physicians, we fear that this system would quickly change from one that gives people a choice to die, to one that coerces people to die.
It has not been uncommon for doctors to recommend MAID to those who are disabled or suffering from severe conditions. 42-year-old Roger Foley made headlines in 2018 after suing a London, Ontario hospital. He said they’d refused to offer him home health care services and instead recommended assisted suicide.
A year earlier, a Newfoundland mother demanded doctors apologize after they suggested her 25-year-old daughter, Candice Elson, receive assistance in suicide. The doctors refused. They called her “selfish” and referred to Candice as a “frequent flier.” By this they meant that her regular visits hospital visits were a drain on the system. Stories like these bring to startling clarity many of the original concerns people had with MAID.
The Moral Dilemma
If Bill C-7 is passed in December, the wedge driven between human sanctity and expendability could become a wall. MAID was passed under the banner of helping people to “die with dignity.” For many physicians, though, as well as for many sick and disabled people, Bill C-7 is an even steeper decline. Will Canada devalue human life even more? Or will officials take a late, but needed, stand against this trend? It’s hard to tell at this point.
Assisted suicide raises a host of moral dilemmas by itself, chief of which is the message it sends about human value. Laws like these assume that human life is only valuable if enjoyable or useful to society in some way, not intrinsically valuable in and of itself.
In any case, Canadians who value life need to remember the words of our anthem. They need to “stand on guard” for life, through love and truth.
Angelos Kyriakides is a freelance writer who lives in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, outside Vancouver. He has previously served as an urban missionary and youth pastor in Canada’s poorest postal code, Vancouver’s downtown Eastside, for just under a decade. His passion is to build up the Body of Christ with truthful perspectives about current events and make Christian faith real in the hearts of today’s generation. He lives with his wife, Sarah, and their two small children who always make life a joyful adventure.


thestream--2020-11-29--L.A. County’s Latest Lockdown Order Exempts Protests and Religious Services

Los Angeles County ’ s Friday coronavirus order exempts protests and religious services as cases rise in the densely populated area .
The temporary order , which is set to last three weeks , bars all public and private gatherings with individuals outside of one ’ s own household , but allows the “ constitutionally protected rights ” to protest and attend religious service , according to KTLA .
The mandate also slashes the allowed occupancy of essential retail , non-essential retail , personal care facilities , libraries , outdoor gyms , museums , aquariums , recreational facilities and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We know we are asking a lot from so many who have been sacrificing for months on end and we hope that L.A. County residents continue following Public Health safety measures that we know can slow the spread , ” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told KTLA .
“ Acting with collective urgency right now is essential if we want to put a stop to this surge , ” she continued .
“ Please remain home as much as possible and do not gather with others not in your household for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camps are also mandated to close if they have more than three COVID-19 cases , and gatherings at playgrounds , card rooms and outdoor dining restaurants have been banned altogether , according to KTLA .
Outdoor activity participants are required to masked and must all be part of the same household , .
Thousands of Los Angeles residents gathered en masse to celebrate Joe Biden ’ s projection to win the presidency earlier in November , according to CBSLA .
The rally followed months of nationwide racial equity protests and riots after George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order comes two days after the Supreme Court ruled that Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s statewide restrictions on religious services were “ discriminatory ” and violated the First Amendment .
Los Angeles County is under “ Threat Level Red ” with nearly 388,000 virus cases and approximately 7,600 deaths , according to a local government webpage .

Los Angeles County’s Friday coronavirus order exempts protests and religious services as cases rise in the densely populated area.
The temporary order, which is set to last three weeks, bars all public and private gatherings with individuals outside of one’s own household, but allows the “constitutionally protected rights” to protest and attend religious service, according to KTLA. The mandate also slashes the allowed occupancy of essential retail, non-essential retail, personal care facilities, libraries, outdoor gyms, museums, aquariums, recreational facilities and other businesses, the local outlet reported.
“We know we are asking a lot from so many who have been sacrificing for months on end and we hope that L.A. County residents continue following Public Health safety measures that we know can slow the spread,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told KTLA.
“Acting with collective urgency right now is essential if we want to put a stop to this surge,” she continued. “Please remain home as much as possible and do not gather with others not in your household for the next three weeks.”
Two months ago, it was projected that one in every 880 L.A. County residents were infected with COVID-19. Now, it’s estimated it's one in every 145. We have to act now to slow the spread. Please stay home as much as possible. — MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) November 27, 2020
Schools and day camps are also mandated to close if they have more than three COVID-19 cases, and gatherings at playgrounds, card rooms and outdoor dining restaurants have been banned altogether, according to KTLA. Outdoor activity participants are required to masked and must all be part of the same household,.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Thousands of Los Angeles residents gathered en masse to celebrate Joe Biden’s projection to win the presidency earlier in November, according to CBSLA. The rally followed months of nationwide racial equity protests and riots after George Floyd died in May.
Thousands out in Los Angeles to celebrate the electoral loss of Trump and demand he pack his bags & concede. #YoureFiredTrump #ByeByeTrump pic.twitter.com/jTS9lAlxYH — Refuse Fascism Los Angeles (@RefuseFascismLA) November 7, 2020
The Friday order comes two days after the Supreme Court ruled that Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s statewide restrictions on religious services were “discriminatory” and violated the First Amendment.
Los Angeles County is under “Threat Level Red” with nearly 388,000 virus cases and approximately 7,600 deaths, according to a local government webpage.
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thestream--2020-11-29--Becoming a King: Christian Men, You Have Permission to be Men

What caught my attention first was Randall Wallace ’ s endorsement .
Screenwriter for the film Braveheart , Wallace said he ’ s “ always reluctant to write blurbs for books , ” and “ I don ’ t like to sign my name to things that don ’ t matter , ” but , “ This matters.
” If he says it , I ’ m inclined to believe it .
Yet I wondered anyway .
I ’ ve read many books in the genre of Christian manhood .
The title told me this was another : Becoming a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heart of a Man .
John Eldredge , whose Wild at Heart introduced me to the genre , wrote the foreword .
So my first question while reading it was , “ Would this say anything new ?
” More importantly , “ What would it say to me ?
” Both of those are wrong questions for purposes of a review .
It need not matter to you whether a book says something new to me .
I could have asked instead whether Morgan Snyder , the author , was a reliable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order of Eldredge , or Gordon Dalbey , or Michael Thompson .
If so , then Wallace would be right : This book would definitely matter .
It would matter because in this world we live in , where “ toxic masculinity ” sometimes means something real , sometimes something totally spurious , it ’ s hard to find great guidance on what it means to be a man following Christ .
Maybe your church , or better yet , your own father , is the exception .
Maybe you ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us have , though , so every solid new contribution to that instruction is welcome .
It ’ s only learned if we live it , but we need great teaching even to know what we should be trying to learn and trying to live .
So what is biblical manhood ?
Just read some of the chapter titles and you ’ ll see how Snyder ’ s answer cuts straight across cultural prejudices : “ Becoming Powerful.
” “ Becoming True.
” “ Becoming a Generalist.
” “ Becoming a Warrior.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t sound very churchy , does it ?
That ’ s okay .
We ’ re not called to be churchy , but to be the men we were born to be .
“ Becoming Powerful ” ?
Really ?
Is that okay ?
Yes .
Not for ourselves ; not more name , for money , or mere accomplishment .
But not against ourselves , either .
God calls us to “ become [ men ] who can delight the heart of God through what he does with power bestowed.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desires placed within us were meant for good.
” We were meant to be givers and protectors of life , which includes living life fully ourselves , not controlled by shame or fear , but going deep , enjoying the freedom of sonship to the Father .
Powerful ?
Yes , when it means power to fight “ the particular plan of evil against your life.
” And when it means becoming powerful through wholeheartedness , which can only be through discovering and living out our true identities in Christ .
So yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not unchristian .
I ’ ve discovered myself from Scripture that greatness can be humble , and humility can be great .
“ Kingdom humility is harnessed strength , not passivity or absence of strength , ” says Snyder .
“ God has set within us an indescribable power , yet that power can be harnessed for good only when it is brought ever-increasingly under his rule and care.
” But it ’ s all very counter-cultural .
Words like “ fight , ” and “ power , ” and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polite conversation these days .
And what about wisdom ?
Snyder says we ought to make it our pursuit .
That ’ s cutting against the grain , too , though .
“ A culture that values progress over wisdom will never be satisfied , ” he says .
A wisdom-centered view , he says , “ will require us to abandon our culture ’ s playbook for how to succeed and win in the game of life.
” If we find it , he says , it will be through living in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the present moment , and That last has to do with moving slower , not faster .
It reminds me of a cell phone ad slogan , I saw once : “ Never slow down.
” Now , that ’ s the American way !
No , it ’ s unwise .
So is this business of not expecting shortcuts .
“ Doesn ’ t God seem profoundly comfortable avoiding shortcuts ?
” he asks .
That ’ s certainly not in our culture ’ s playbook .
And it doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t even have to be in your church ’ s playbook , or your family ’ s .
If you ’ re building your identity and purpose in alignment with God ’ s own plan and purpose for you , go for it !
You have permission .
Go For It Men , It ’ s Okay !
Permission .
That one word answers the question I had when I started in on this book .
The culture says manhood is “ toxic.
” False manhood may be , but not true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Fighting ” and “ warrior ” may be dirty words in most churches , but wouldn ’ t you just love to join in the battle ?
The right battle , that is , where you stand for something that ’ s not just worth fighting for , but worth dying for ?
It ’ s all in choosing the right battles , and being wise with what weapons we use and how we wield them .
We need wisdom .
We need to know our own identities , so we know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the war that won ’ t end until Jesus returns .
And we need the humility of letting our power flow under the harness of God ’ s rule over our lives .
There ’ s a moment or two when Snyder goes off course , especially in affirming Richard Rohr as mentor to another man .
I only suggest you concentrate on the great majority of the book .
My heart wants to be in the battle that way .
Doesn ’ t yours ?
Snyder has reminded me again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ] permission.
” And again with emphasis : “ Men , you have his permission.
” Randall Wallace was right : It matters .
Men , read this book .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the recently released Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

What caught my attention first was Randall Wallace’s endorsement. Screenwriter for the film Braveheart, Wallace said he’s “always reluctant to write blurbs for books,” and “I don’t like to sign my name to things that don’t matter,” but, “This matters.” If he says it, I’m inclined to believe it.
Yet I wondered anyway. I’ve read many books in the genre of Christian manhood. The title told me this was another: Becoming a King: The Path to Restoring the Heart of a Man. John Eldredge, whose Wild at Heart introduced me to the genre, wrote the foreword. So my first question while reading it was, “Would this say anything new?” More importantly, “What would it say to me?”
Both of those are wrong questions for purposes of a review. It need not matter to you whether a book says something new to me. I could have asked instead whether Morgan Snyder, the author, was a reliable guide to biblical manhood, on the order of Eldredge, or Gordon Dalbey, or Michael Thompson. If so, then Wallace would be right: This book would definitely matter.
It would matter because in this world we live in, where “toxic masculinity” sometimes means something real, sometimes something totally spurious, it’s hard to find great guidance on what it means to be a man following Christ.
Maybe your church, or better yet, your own father, is the exception. Maybe you’ve been getting great mentoring and modeling. Few of us have, though, so every solid new contribution to that instruction is welcome. It’s only learned if we live it, but we need great teaching even to know what we should be trying to learn and trying to live.
Being a Man of God
So what is biblical manhood? Just read some of the chapter titles and you’ll see how Snyder’s answer cuts straight across cultural prejudices: “Becoming Powerful.” “Becoming True.” “Becoming a Generalist.” “Becoming a Warrior.” “Becoming a King.” Doesn’t sound very churchy, does it? That’s okay. We’re not called to be churchy, but to be the men we were born to be.
“Becoming Powerful”? Really? Is that okay? Yes. Not for ourselves; not more name, for money, or mere accomplishment. But not against ourselves, either. God calls us to “become [men] who can delight the heart of God through what he does with power bestowed.”
We can even believe that the “desires placed within us were meant for good.” We were meant to be givers and protectors of life, which includes living life fully ourselves, not controlled by shame or fear, but going deep, enjoying the freedom of sonship to the Father.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Powerful? Yes, when it means power to fight “the particular plan of evil against your life.” And when it means becoming powerful through wholeheartedness, which can only be through discovering and living out our true identities in Christ.
So yes, it’s okay. It’s not unchristian. I’ve discovered myself from Scripture that greatness can be humble, and humility can be great. “Kingdom humility is harnessed strength, not passivity or absence of strength,” says Snyder. “God has set within us an indescribable power, yet that power can be harnessed for good only when it is brought ever-increasingly under his rule and care.”
Counter-Cultural Masculinity
But it’s all very counter-cultural. Words like “fight,” and “power,” and even “evil” are hardly fit for polite conversation these days. And what about wisdom? Snyder says we ought to make it our pursuit. That’s cutting against the grain, too, though. “A culture that values progress over wisdom will never be satisfied,” he says.
A wisdom-centered view, he says, “will require us to abandon our culture’s playbook for how to succeed and win in the game of life.” If we find it, he says, it will be through living in “Five Habitats”:
No shortcuts Embracing failure Choosing the lowest seat Living in the present moment, and Speed of soul
That last has to do with moving slower, not faster. It reminds me of a cell phone ad slogan, I saw once: “Never slow down.” Now, that’s the American way! No, it’s unwise. So is this business of not expecting shortcuts. “Doesn’t God seem profoundly comfortable avoiding shortcuts?” he asks. That’s certainly not in our culture’s playbook.
And it doesn’t have to be. It doesn’t even have to be in your church’s playbook, or your family’s. If you’re building your identity and purpose in alignment with God’s own plan and purpose for you, go for it! You have permission.
Go For It Men, It’s Okay!
Permission. That one word answers the question I had when I started in on this book. The culture says manhood is “toxic.” False manhood may be, but not true masculinity under God’s control. “Fighting” and “warrior” may be dirty words in most churches, but wouldn’t you just love to join in the battle? The right battle, that is, where you stand for something that’s not just worth fighting for, but worth dying for?
It’s all in choosing the right battles, and being wise with what weapons we use and how we wield them. We need wisdom. We need to know our own identities, so we know where we fit in the grand story of the war that won’t end until Jesus returns. And we need the humility of letting our power flow under the harness of God’s rule over our lives.
There’s a moment or two when Snyder goes off course, especially in affirming Richard Rohr as mentor to another man. I only suggest you concentrate on the great majority of the book.
My heart wants to be in the battle that way. Doesn’t yours? Snyder has reminded me again, “Men you have his [God’s] permission.” And again with emphasis: “Men, you have his permission.”
Randall Wallace was right: It matters. Men, read this book.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the recently released Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.