thestream--2020-08-10--Where the Gospels Came From*

Where the Gospels Came From*

Have you ever wondered where the Gospels came from ?
Here ’ s how skeptics would answer if you asked them .
Not every skeptic agrees with all of it , but the general picture is accurate up until near the end .
I ’ d call it satire if I didn ’ t have sources for all of it .
The “ easy to write a character ?
” part near the close doesn ’ t come from atheists or skeptics , though .
I wish it would have , but I ’ m not aware of any who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Gospels .
It ’ s adapted from research done for my book Too Good to be False .
Where the Gospels Came From : The Skeptics ’ Answer Those poor ancient people .
They didn ’ t even know they were ancient .
They didn ’ t know enough science to know that they didn ’ t know it !
And our problem starts there .
They didn ’ t know virgins don ’ t have babies .
They didn ’ t know that people don ’ t die and rise again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miracle !
They were all gullible that way .
The Jews in particular had their own God who did special things just for them .
They were getting impatient for him to do it again , too , after being under Roman rule for way too long .
Thus they had this idea of a “ messiah ” who would deliver them ; in fact , they even had candidate “ messiahs.
” None of them delivered , though .
Not even Jesus .
There was a “ messiah ” Jesus ; we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that much , at least .
He certainly wasn ’ t a God , though .
He just roamed the countryside , attracting some followers and preaching something-or-other , it ’ s hard to tell just what .
Whatever it was , his followers went all in with him , thinking he was going to be their king .
But then he got himself executed .
Killed on a cross .
What were they going to do now ?
They did what a lot of people do when they go all in for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to make it come true after all .
Now , in order to make a dead man their king , they had to make him “ alive ” again .
And that ’ s how they came up with this idea of a resurrection .
This was no great feat of imagination .
All they had to do was borrow a handy nearby resurrecting-god story .
They probably got it from Mithraism , a mystery religion that conveniently appeared on the scene a century or two after they borrowed from it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Plus , they didn ’ t know that dead people stay dead .
They didn ’ t have science .
Still it was crazy enough that they had to shore up their own self-deception by getting a lot of people agreeing with them .
So they went out and made converts .
This is all science , by the way ; they call it cognitive dissonance theory .
We ’ ve known about it for a little over 50 years .
Back then , though , they had no idea it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychologically and make themselves feel better .
They didn ’ t know they were nut jobs .
So that ’ s what kicked off the story-telling .
The stories had to grow , though , partly because they had to build a tale of a man worth resurrecting , and partly because that ’ s what stories do when you pass them around by word of mouth .
They grow .
They change .
And wow , did they ever change !
They got passed all around the Mediterranean .
It was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s the one where one child thinks of something to whisper in the next child ’ s ear , who whispers it to the next , and on around the circle until it come back to the first one .
That ’ s when they all find out just how much it changed , and everyone gets a good laugh .
The Gospels are funny that way , too .
Changed .
Laughable .
So that ’ s where the story came from .
Stories , actually , several of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe , North Africa , and Asia Minor , through multiple languages , multiple sets of background religions .
They got embellished , they got “ improved , ” until finally four unknown someones took the versions they received after all this Telephone Gaming and wrote them down .
The one we call “ Mark ” probably did it first .
“ Matthew ” and “ Luke ” borrowed bits from him , bits from each other , and bits from other long-lost sources .
Each one wrote it down the way it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theological or political point he wanted to make , and based on whatever versions of the legend he had access to work with .
Finally , “ John ” came last , after the legend had grown enough to make Jesus into God Almighty .
So that ’ s where we truly modern people think Jesus came from : A group of nut jobs , trying to restore their balance after their purely human “ Jesus ” got killed , then casting their “ resurrection ” story to the four winds so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four Gospels we have today .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
And just look how messed up these Gospels are : They don ’ t even agree on how many angels were at the tomb !
How are the Christians going to solve that ?
That kind of thing is all we need to prove the whole thing is just one scrambled legend after another .
That , plus it ’ s got miracles in it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So that ’ s our explanation .
Apparently stories like Jesus are easy to come up with — so easy , these ancients could do it with a Telephone Game .
Well , okay , it took a little extra imagination .
Not enough to make it hard , though , right ?
Just a touch of creativity , that ’ s all .
Miracles may be easy ; any child can tell a magic story .
Jesus himself , though ?
That ’ s where our story-scrambler did an amazing thing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ only character ever who taught perfect self-sacrificial love , even toward enemies , and lived out that love with perfect consistency , all the way to the point of an agonizing — yet voluntary — death .
The legend-growing process produced a character whose unparalleled wisdom continues to be studied , revered , and followed by billions 2,000 years later .
Maybe the scrambler was that wise .
Consistent , too : Jesus comes out having the same unique character all the way through all four versions of his story .
Our scrambler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the cross on which he died .
It invented someone who taught and lived a life of self-denial and holiness , and has inspired multiple millions to do the same ever since — and did it by building on the early disciples ’ self-serving deceit of a “ resurrection.
” It Has To Be Easy ; Otherwise We ’ d Have to Believe It Pretty good work for a Telephone Game , don ’ t you think ?
Or maybe stories like this are just easy .
Maybe this is exactly the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corrupted , scrambled word-of-mouth traditions started by nut cases to give you every time !
Especially ancient nut cases , who didn ’ t even know they were ancient .
Granted , no other literary genius has ever written a character as purely good , as perfectly consistent , and as uniquely one-of-a-kind as Jesus .
Not even close ; not even in the neighborhood .
Still , it must be easy .
We ’ ve got to explain this Jesus story somehow .
Otherwise we ’ d have to admit it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the just-released Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality , on which this article is based .

Have you ever wondered where the Gospels came from? Here’s how skeptics would answer if you asked them. Not every skeptic agrees with all of it, but the general picture is accurate up until near the end. I’d call it satire if I didn’t have sources for all of it.
The “easy to write a character?” part near the close doesn’t come from atheists or skeptics, though. I wish it would have, but I’m not aware of any who’s written on this aspect of the Gospels. It’s adapted from research done for my book Too Good to be False.
Where the Gospels Came From: The Skeptics’ Answer
Those poor ancient people. They didn’t even know they were ancient. They didn’t know enough science to know that they didn’t know it! And our problem starts there. They didn’t know virgins don’t have babies. They didn’t know that people don’t die and rise again. Why, it would take a miracle!
They were all gullible that way. The Jews in particular had their own God who did special things just for them. They were getting impatient for him to do it again, too, after being under Roman rule for way too long. Thus they had this idea of a “messiah” who would deliver them; in fact, they even had candidate “messiahs.” None of them delivered, though. Not even Jesus.
There was a “messiah” Jesus; we skeptics will agree with the Christians on that much, at least. He certainly wasn’t a God, though. He just roamed the countryside, attracting some followers and preaching something-or-other, it’s hard to tell just what. Whatever it was, his followers went all in with him, thinking he was going to be their king. But then he got himself executed. Killed on a cross. What were they going to do now?
Nut Jobs and a Made-Up Resurrection
They did what a lot of people do when they go all in for a belief that fails: They found a way to make it come true after all. Now, in order to make a dead man their king, they had to make him “alive” again. And that’s how they came up with this idea of a resurrection.
This was no great feat of imagination. All they had to do was borrow a handy nearby resurrecting-god story. They probably got it from Mithraism, a mystery religion that conveniently appeared on the scene a century or two after they borrowed from it. (Funny how that works.) Plus, they didn’t know that dead people stay dead. They didn’t have science.
Still it was crazy enough that they had to shore up their own self-deception by getting a lot of people agreeing with them. So they went out and made converts.
This is all science, by the way; they call it cognitive dissonance theory. We’ve known about it for a little over 50 years. Back then, though, they had no idea it was all just a way to deceive themselves psychologically and make themselves feel better. They didn’t know they were nut jobs.
The Telephone Game
So that’s what kicked off the story-telling. The stories had to grow, though, partly because they had to build a tale of a man worth resurrecting, and partly because that’s what stories do when you pass them around by word of mouth. They grow. They change.
And wow, did they ever change! They got passed all around the Mediterranean. It was the Telephone Game taken to the max. That’s the one where one child thinks of something to whisper in the next child’s ear, who whispers it to the next, and on around the circle until it come back to the first one. That’s when they all find out just how much it changed, and everyone gets a good laugh. The Gospels are funny that way, too. Changed. Laughable.
Pretty good work for a Telephone Game, don’t you think? Or maybe stories like this are just easy.
So that’s where the story came from. Stories, actually, several of them, considering how they circulated all over Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor, through multiple languages, multiple sets of background religions. They got embellished, they got “improved,” until finally four unknown someones took the versions they received after all this Telephone Gaming and wrote them down.
Four Unknown Writers, Four Versions
The one we call “Mark” probably did it first. “Matthew” and “Luke” borrowed bits from him, bits from each other, and bits from other long-lost sources. Each one wrote it down the way it made sense to him, with whatever theological or political point he wanted to make, and based on whatever versions of the legend he had access to work with. Finally, “John” came last, after the legend had grown enough to make Jesus into God Almighty.
So that’s where we truly modern people think Jesus came from: A group of nut jobs, trying to restore their balance after their purely human “Jesus” got killed, then casting their “resurrection” story to the four winds so it could morph and get corrupted into the four Gospels we have today.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
And just look how messed up these Gospels are: They don’t even agree on how many angels were at the tomb! How are the Christians going to solve that? That kind of thing is all we need to prove the whole thing is just one scrambled legend after another. That, plus it’s got miracles in it — totally distasteful to modern minds.
So that’s our explanation. Apparently stories like Jesus are easy to come up with — so easy, these ancients could do it with a Telephone Game.
Easy to Write a Character Like Jesus?
Well, okay, it took a little extra imagination. Not enough to make it hard, though, right? Just a touch of creativity, that’s all. Miracles may be easy; any child can tell a magic story. Jesus himself, though? That’s where our story-scrambler did an amazing thing.
Somehow this scrambler came up with the only character ever who taught perfect self-sacrificial love, even toward enemies, and lived out that love with perfect consistency, all the way to the point of an agonizing — yet voluntary — death.
We’ve got to explain this Jesus story somehow. Otherwise we’d have to admit it was true.
The legend-growing process produced a character whose unparalleled wisdom continues to be studied, revered, and followed by billions 2,000 years later. Maybe the scrambler was that wise. Consistent, too: Jesus comes out having the same unique character all the way through all four versions of his story.
Our scrambler produced a character who forgave his enemies from the cross on which he died. It invented someone who taught and lived a life of self-denial and holiness, and has inspired multiple millions to do the same ever since — and did it by building on the early disciples’ self-serving deceit of a “resurrection.”
It Has To Be Easy; Otherwise We’d Have to Believe It
Pretty good work for a Telephone Game, don’t you think? Or maybe stories like this are just easy. Maybe this is exactly the kind of story you’d expect corrupted, scrambled word-of-mouth traditions started by nut cases to give you every time! Especially ancient nut cases, who didn’t even know they were ancient.
Granted, no other literary genius has ever written a character as purely good, as perfectly consistent, and as uniquely one-of-a-kind as Jesus. Not even close; not even in the neighborhood. Still, it must be easy. We’ve got to explain this Jesus story somehow. Otherwise we’d have to admit it was true.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the just-released Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality, on which this article is based.


thestream--2020-08-10--Biden VP Pick Shortlist: Kamala Harris

Biden VP Pick Shortlist: Kamala Harris

Joe Biden joked Sunday that he had chosen his running mate .
“ Who ?
” asked Fox New ’ s Steve Doocey .
“ You , ” Biden said .
Newsflash , it ain ’ t gon na be Doocey .
However , reports are circulating that Biden has narrowed his choices to California Senator Kamala Harris and former National Security Adviser Susan Rice .
Biden has long insisted he was going to pick a woman of color .
That ’ s only part of the story .
The nation is filled with honorable and accomplished women of color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional qualities for Democrats to let her on the ticket : • She needs to be a progressive eager to “ fundamentally transform ” the United States of America • She needs to be willing to say or do anything to gain or keep power .
And on both counts , Rice and Harris fit like a pair of yoga tights .
If they ’ re potentially going to be one heartbeat away from the presidency , we should take a closer look .
First up , the junior senator from California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About Kamala Harris ?
What do we know about Kamala Harris ?
She is very dangerous .
It is Kamala Harris , who as California ’ s Attorney General , brought criminal charges against David Daleiden for exposing Planned Parenthood ’ s baby-selling operation .
She is willing to imprison journalists who expose her political allies .
We ’ re told Trump is a threat to a free press if he tweets that CNN ’ s Jim Acosta is a loser .
Kamala Harris actively tried to put a journalist who threatened her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d do with the full force of the presidency .
She is very ambitious .
It is Kamala Harris who bedded the very powerful … and very married … California politician Willie Brown , giving her career a boost .
Working women of America , you down with that ?
She ’ s also reportedly behind efforts to sabotage other females up for the VP job .
So much for sisterhood .
She is very selfish .
Kamala Harris kept an innocent man on death row , and was accused by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of keeping prisoners locked up after they were eligible for parole in order to have cheap labor for the state .
She also laughs off her own marijuana use , while being responsible for jailing countless marijuana offenders .
She is unrepentant .
Kamala Harris strongly insinuated in a June 2019 Democratic debate that Joe Biden was a racist .
Politico reported that Biden pal and co-chair of his VP vetting committee Sen. Chris Dodd has issues with Harris .
First , he ’ s still concerned about how Harris implied Biden was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t expressed any regret .
This being 2020 , the Woke then jumped on Dodd , complaining Harris is being held to a standard that wouldn ’ t apply to a man .
( Forgetting that Joe Biden wouldn ’ t even be considering Harris if she were a man .
Meanwhile , isn ’ t it the height of tokenism to pick a woman of color that people of color don ’ t even like ?
But I get ahead of myself . )
Please Support The Stream : Equipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
She has a glass jaw .
Harris was supposed to be a leading contender for the nomination .
She was actually flying high after smacking Joe Biden around with the “ racist ” charge .
And then , in a matter of about 60 seconds , fellow candidate Tulsi Gabbard destroyed her in a debate .
Blew her up .
Ended her without breaking a sweat .
She is nasty .
She didn ’ t try to rebuke Gabbard .
Instead , she and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She is really nasty .
She ’ s so cold she ’ d freeze the petals in the Rose Garden .
Recall how snotty , arrogant and petulant she was towards Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings .
Harris also declared Kavanaugh a rapist .
Even though as a former prosecutor , she knew darn well Christie Blasey Ford ’ s accusation had more holes than a cheese grater .
She is unlikable .
Don ’ t believe me ?
Ask Democratic voters .
The more they saw of her in Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the less they liked her .
Don ’ t believe Democratic voters ?
How about her hometown newspaper ?
The Sacramento Bee urges Biden to pick Rep. Karen Bass over Sen. Harris .
If your own peeps would prefer a Castro-loving communist to you , you ’ ve got people issues .
She Went All In on Jussie Smollett hoax She is very , very dumb .
Harris was all in 100 % on Jussie Smollett ’ s hate crime hoax .
If she could be fooled by something so obviously faked , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China and Putin going to be able to pull over on her ?
Or she is very , very cynical .
She figured it was bogus , but went along with the hoax anyway .
An abominable hoax that ripped at our racial tensions , sent Chicago police scurrying , and slandered every white MAGA person in America .
Or there is another option : She was in on the Smollett hoax .
She ’ s personally tight with Smollett .
She is a mentor to the inept and dishonest Cook County prosecutor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she quickly used the hoax to help propel a federal lynching law that had little to do with lynching .
But even if we give her every the benefit of the doubt , did she ever apologize to Trump supporters or anyone else for perpetuating Smollett ’ s lie ?
As sure as lemonade on a sunny summer day , Joe Biden ’ s VP will be President of the United States before long if Biden wins in November .
Has Sen. Harris shown any of the skills necessary to lead the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring the country together ?
Has she shown a servant ’ s heart or only served her own interests , that of her political sponsors , and the radical left ?
On the plus side , Kamala Harris hasn ’ t lied about the murder of four Americans or been neck deep in a seditious conspiracy against the duly elected President of the United States .
We ’ ll meet Susan Rice next .
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author , with @ JZmirak , of The Politically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow him at @ StreamingAl .
And if you aren ’ t already , please follow The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

Democratic presidential Joe Biden has made his pick: It’s California Senator Kamala Harris. The former Vice President tweeted out the decision this afternoon. Biden describe Harris as a “fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants.”
I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 11, 2020
In a second tweet, Biden mentioned how she had worked closely with his late son Beau, when both were Attorneys General.
Back when Kamala was Attorney General, she worked closely with Beau. I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse. I was proud then, and I'm proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 11, 2020
Biden has long insisted he was going to pick a woman of color. That’s only part of the story. The nation is filled with honorable and accomplished women of color. Biden’s nominee needed two additional qualities for Democrats to let her on the ticket:
She needs to be a progressive eager to “fundamentally transform” the United States of America She needs to be willing to say or do anything to gain or keep power.
And on both counts, Harris fit like a pair of yoga tights.
Given that 69% of the American public believes Biden will not serve out his term, if elected, we should take a closer look at the junior senator from California, Kamala Harris.
What Do We Know About Kamala Harris?
What do we know about Kamala Harris?
She is very dangerous. It is Kamala Harris, who as California’s Attorney General, brought criminal charges against David Daleiden for exposing Planned Parenthood’s baby-selling operation. She is willing to imprison journalists who expose her political allies. We’re told Trump is a threat to a free press if he tweets that CNN’s Jim Acosta is a loser. Kamala Harris actively tried to put a journalist who threatened her interests behind bars. Imagine what she’d do with the full force of the presidency.
She is very ambitious. It is Kamala Harris who bedded the very powerful … and very married … California politician Willie Brown, giving her career a boost. Working women of America, you down with that? She’s also reportedly behind efforts to sabotage other females up for the VP job. So much for sisterhood.
She is very selfish. Kamala Harris kept an innocent man on death row, and was accused by the Daily Beast and Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard of keeping prisoners locked up after they were eligible for parole in order to have cheap labor for the state. She also laughs off her own marijuana use, while being responsible for jailing countless marijuana offenders.
She is unrepentant. Kamala Harris strongly insinuated in a June 2019 Democratic debate that Joe Biden was a racist. Politico reported that Biden pal and co-chair of his VP vetting committee Sen. Chris Dodd has issues with Harris. First, he’s still concerned about how Harris implied Biden was a racist. Second, that she hasn’t expressed any regret. This being 2020, the Woke then jumped on Dodd, complaining Harris is being held to a standard that wouldn’t apply to a man. (Forgetting that Joe Biden wouldn’t even be considering Harris if she were a man. Meanwhile, isn’t it the height of tokenism to pick a woman of color that people of color don’t even like? But I get ahead of myself.)
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
She has a glass jaw. Harris was supposed to be a leading contender for the nomination. She was actually flying high after smacking Joe Biden around with the “racist” charge. And then, in a matter of about 60 seconds, fellow candidate Tulsi Gabbard destroyed her in a debate. Blew her up. Ended her without breaking a sweat.
She is nasty. She didn’t try to rebuke Gabbard. Instead, she and her campaign went straight to the gutter.
She is really nasty. She’s so cold she’d freeze the petals in the Rose Garden. Recall how snotty, arrogant and petulant she was towards Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings. Harris also declared Kavanaugh a rapist. Even though as a former prosecutor, she knew darn well Christine Blasey Ford’s accusation had more holes than a cheese grater.
She is unlikable. Don’t believe me? Ask Democratic voters. The more they saw of her in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, the less they liked her. Don’t believe Democratic voters? How about her hometown newspaper? The Sacramento Bee urges Biden to pick Rep. Karen Bass over Sen. Harris. If your own peeps would prefer a Castro-loving communist to you, you’ve got people issues.
She Went All In on Jussie Smollett hoax
She is very, very dumb. Harris was all in 100% on Jussie Smollett’s hate crime hoax. If she could be fooled by something so obviously faked, obviously ridiculous, what is Iran, China and Putin going to be able to pull over on her?
Or she is very, very cynical. She figured it was bogus, but went along with the hoax anyway. An abominable hoax that ripped at our racial tensions, sent Chicago police scurrying, and slandered every white MAGA person in America.
Or there is another option: She was in on the Smollett hoax. She’s personally tight with Smollett. She is a mentor to the inept and dishonest Cook County prosecutor Kim Foxx. And seems curious how she quickly used the hoax to help propel a federal lynching law that had little to do with lynching.
But even if we give her every the benefit of the doubt, did she ever apologize to Trump supporters or anyone else for perpetuating Smollett’s lie?
Your Next President?
All told, has Sen. Harris shown any of the skills necessary to lead the country, prosper our country, let alone bring the country together? Has she shown a servant’s heart or only served her own interests, that of her political sponsors, and the radical left? Each voter has to look closely at her record, and know the answer.
For as sure as lemonade on a sunny summer day, Sen. Harris will be President of the United States before long if Biden wins in November.
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-08-10--‘If Any Generation Needed the Gospel Voice, It is Now’: California Church Holds Services, Despite Ce

‘If Any Generation Needed the Gospel Voice, It is Now’: California Church Holds Services, Despite Cease and Desist Letter

“ A lot of people who are talking about this in the media ask the question , ‘ What right does Grace Community Church have to open in the midst of this mandate ? '
” Thomas More attorney Jenna Ellis told The Stream .
“ Well , that ’ s not the appropriate question .
The question , of course , is what power does the city and state and county have to force churches to close ?
And the bottom line is they don ’ t. ” Even so , lack of power didn ’ t stop Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and desist ” order to Grace Community Church and its pastor , John MacArthur , for holding church services .
The July 29 order threatened the church and Pastor MacArthur personally with a $ 1,000 fine per day and up to 90 days in jail .
Ellis ’ s team at Thomas More is representing Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church .
How It All Began For 63 years , Grace Community Church , in Sun Valley , Calif. , has been serving their community .
For 51 of those years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When COVID-19 hit , MacArthur and his elder board decided , like many churches , to offer live-stream services only .
But the models for the pandemic didn ’ t turn out as first advertised .
For three weeks , MacArthur preached to an empty church .
By the fourth week , his parishioners began to return .
More and more people began showing back up for services .
“ The … crowd just kept growing every week as they began to realize that the statistics weren ’ t what they thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said MacArthur .
“ Our elders put out a statement on that two weeks ago , just our stand .
‘ We ’ re going to have church and you ’ re welcome to come.
’ And they started coming.
” That statement on their website was dated July 24 .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Within days , Grace Community Church and MacArthur received the cease and desist order .
Not only that , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatened to shut off water and power to the church if they don ’ t comply .
Health workers from the county even came to church to observe the service , on a number of occasions , presumably to make sure masks were worn and people were “ socially distanced.
” But the statistics don ’ t match up with the projections , MacArthur explained .
“ Now , if we felt that people were dying from COVID , it would ’ ve been one thing .
But on this situation , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t worship .
You can ’ t sing , you have to wear masks.
’ And obviously … he was stepping into the very worship and expression of the church.
” MacArthur ’ s church of 7,000 people have yet to have anyone ill with COVID .
MacArthur explained why his church members felt that they could return to church .
“ At the time we opened , there were 8,500 deaths in California of 40 million people .
That ’ s .02 % .
” He continued : So that means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not dying from this .
And by the way , half of those 8,500 or more than half were over 80 years of age .
So if you ’ re under 80 years of age , it was 99.99 % .
So we didn ’ t buy the narrative anymore .
It just wasn ’ t anything like it , you know , even the people in the health area were saying hospitals , many hospitals were virtually empty .
It wasn ’ t what they said it would be and our people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they just started to come back realizing we had no one in our church that we knew of who was sick from COVID .
And that ’ s a large congregation .
No one had that we knew of in our church had been hospitalized .
So it just didn ’ t make sense .
And people had been interacting in smaller groups because it ’ s , the church basically is where they have developed their friendship .
So they were getting together and I just think they felt safe and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and MacArthur , the intrusion by the state and local government is much more than just making sure people are safe .
“ Constitutionally , it ’ s absolutely targeted discrimination at this point against churches and against the free exercise of religion and the freedom of association.
” Ellis pointed out that churches are specifically protected through the First Amendment .
However , protesters can march without masks or socially distancing .
“ They ’ re turning a blind eye to political protests .
… It ’ s an unconstitutional overreach.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obvious , ” said MacArthur .
From August 2 through August 7 , there were days and nights of protests without any thought to social distancing .
The very week MacArthur ’ s church received the order , those protests were taking place with “ no restraints.
” MacArthur will continue to preach .
“ God does his best work through us when we struggle and when we ’ re weak we ’ re really strong .
So there ’ s no fear here.
” MacArthur has asked for prayers for his church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pray that we will remain faithful and that the Lord Jesus Christ will be honored .
… We pray for the salvation of our leaders .
We don ’ t hate them .
They ’ re not our enemies , they ’ re the mission field.
” He also wants to be an example for other churches to follow .
“ My passion and desire is to set an example , to get other pastors , to be willing to say , look , the governor is not the head of the church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the church .
Jesus Christ is the head of the church and whatever harm might be done by a virus is inconsequential when compared with the harm that can be done when the church loses its profile as a shining light , when it loses its voice in the world .
If any generation ever needed the gospel voice , it is now.
” Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

“A lot of people who are talking about this in the media ask the question, ‘What right does Grace Community Church have to open in the midst of this mandate?'” Thomas More attorney Jenna Ellis told The Stream. “Well, that’s not the appropriate question. The question, of course, is what power does the city and state and county have to force churches to close? And the bottom line is they don’t.”
Even so, lack of power didn’t stop Los Angeles county from issuing a “cease and desist” order to Grace Community Church and its pastor, John MacArthur, for holding church services. The July 29 order threatened the church and Pastor MacArthur personally with a $1,000 fine per day and up to 90 days in jail. Ellis’s team at Thomas More is representing Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church in a lawsuit filed after the cease and desist order was issued.
The Los Angeles County Superior Court announced Thursday that there was no order prohibiting Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Church from holding indoor church services. Ellis reacted to the news in a statement:
We are pleased with the outcome today. Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff correctly found there is no court order prohibiting Grace Community Church from holding indoor services. LA County continues to harass and target Pastor MacArthur. Having failed to get a court order to shut down the church they have sought three times, they’re going to try again by hauling us back into court. Ironically, LA County said in its application for contempt that, ‘Grace Church cannot thumb its nose at the court when decisions don’t go its way,’ yet that’s precisely what LA County is now doing themselves. We will simply continue to defend our client’s constitutionally protected rights because church is essential.
How It All Began
For 63 years, Grace Community Church, in Sun Valley, Calif., has been serving their community. For 51 of those years, John MacArthur has been the lead pastor. When COVID-19 hit, MacArthur and his elder board decided, like many churches, to offer live-stream services only. But the models for the pandemic didn’t turn out as first advertised. For three weeks, MacArthur preached to an empty church. By the fourth week, his parishioners began to return. More and more people began showing back up for services. “The … crowd just kept growing every week as they began to realize that the statistics weren’t what they thought they were going to be,” said MacArthur. “Our elders put out a statement on that two weeks ago, just our stand. ‘We’re going to have church and you’re welcome to come.’ And they started coming.” That statement on their website was dated July 24.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Within days, Grace Community Church and MacArthur received the cease and desist order. Not only that, but the mayor, Eric Garcetti, has threatened to shut off water and power to the church if they don’t comply. Health workers from the county even came to church to observe the service, on a number of occasions, presumably to make sure masks were worn and people were “socially distanced.”
Stats Don’t Match the Projections
But the statistics don’t match up with the projections, MacArthur explained. “Now, if we felt that people were dying from COVID, it would’ve been one thing. But on this situation, the governor started saying, ‘You can’t worship. You can’t sing, you have to wear masks.’ And obviously … he was stepping into the very worship and expression of the church.” MacArthur’s church of 7,000 people have yet to have anyone ill with COVID.
MacArthur explained why his church members felt that they could return to church. “At the time we opened, there were 8,500 deaths in California of 40 million people. That’s .02%.” He continued:
So that means you had a 99.98% chance of not dying from this. And by the way, half of those 8,500 or more than half were over 80 years of age. So if you’re under 80 years of age, it was 99.99%. So we didn’t buy the narrative anymore. It just wasn’t anything like it, you know, even the people in the health area were saying hospitals, many hospitals were virtually empty. It wasn’t what they said it would be and our people made those decisions on their own, and they just started to come back realizing we had no one in our church that we knew of who was sick from COVID. And that’s a large congregation. No one had that we knew of in our church had been hospitalized. So it just didn’t make sense. And people had been interacting in smaller groups because it’s, the church basically is where they have developed their friendship. So they were getting together and I just think they felt safe and they started coming back.
Targeted Discrimination
For Ellis and MacArthur, the intrusion by the state and local government is much more than just making sure people are safe. “Constitutionally, it’s absolutely targeted discrimination at this point against churches and against the free exercise of religion and the freedom of association.” Ellis pointed out that churches are specifically protected through the First Amendment. However, protesters can march without masks or socially distancing. “They’re turning a blind eye to political protests. … It’s an unconstitutional overreach.”
“The hypocrisy of it is patently obvious,” said MacArthur. From August 2 through August 7, there were days and nights of protests without any thought to social distancing. The very week MacArthur’s church received the order, those protests were taking place with “no restraints.”
A Shining Example
MacArthur will continue to preach. “God does his best work through us when we struggle and when we’re weak we’re really strong. So there’s no fear here.”
MacArthur has asked for prayers for his church and himself during this situation. “Pray that we will remain faithful and that the Lord Jesus Christ will be honored. … We pray for the salvation of our leaders. We don’t hate them. They’re not our enemies, they’re the mission field.”
He also wants to be an example for other churches to follow. “My passion and desire is to set an example, to get other pastors, to be willing to say, look, the governor is not the head of the church. The CDC is not the head of the church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and whatever harm might be done by a virus is inconsequential when compared with the harm that can be done when the church loses its profile as a shining light, when it loses its voice in the world. If any generation ever needed the gospel voice, it is now.”
Watch how MacArthur welcomed his church Sunday:
John MacArthur: “Welcome to our ‘peaceful protest’”: pic.twitter.com/knjNkwZ5x6 — Phil Johnson (@Phil_Johnson_) August 9, 2020
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-08-10--Sen. Ron Johnson Subpoenas FBI Director Christopher Wray for All Crossfire Hurricane Documents

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson , the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , subpoenaed FBI Director Christopher Wray last week for all documents related to Crossfire Hurricane , the investigation of the Trump campaign ’ s possible ties to Russia .
The subpoena , issued on Aug. 6 , calls for Wray to produce all of the documents related to the probe by Aug. 20 .
Johnson is also demanding that Wray hand over all records that the FBI provided the Justice Department ’ s office of the inspector general for its scathing report on Crossfire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday that he intends to subpoena Jonathan Winer , a former State Department official who served as a key liaison between dossier author Christopher Steele and State Department officials before the 2016 election .
Winer arranged a meeting for Steele at Foggy Bottom in October 2016 and was also a background source for multiple news articles that contained Steele ’ s unverified allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia .
Johnson and several other Senate Republicans are investigating various decision that the FBI made in its probe of the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Steele dossier .
A report from the Department of Justice ( DOJ ) inspector general issued Dec. 9 said that the FBI failed to disclose damning information about the Steele dossier in applications for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) orders against former Trump aide Carter Page in 2016 and 2017 .
The bureau relied heavily on the dossier , authored by Christopher Steele , to argue that Page was acting as an agent of Russia .
The FBI failed to verify any of the core allegations against Page and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Republican lawmakers have long expressed frustration with Wray over the production of documents related to Crossfire Hurricane .
House Republicans have threatened multiple times to subpoena the Trump appointee but never pulled the trigger .
One question Republicans have raised is why information about Crossfire Hurricane has taken years to disclose .
They have also noted that most of the evidence that has been turned over has proved embarrassing for the FBI .
Text @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigator on Crossfire Hurricane , and Lisa Page , an FBI lawyer during the probe , revealed that the pair exchanged anti-Trump text messages while working on the investigation .
On Sunday , Sen. Lindsey Graham , another Republican digging into the origins of Crossfire Hurricane , released a declassified FBI memo of a Feb. 14 , 2018 , briefing provided to the Senate Intelligence Committee regarding the primary source for Steele .
The memo said that the FBI had no reason to believe that Steele fabricated any information in the dossier .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate panel , noting that Steele ’ s source , Igor Danchenko , told the FBI in January 2017 that he did not recognize some of the information in the dossier that Steele attributed to him .
Danchenko told the FBI that he provided Steele with “ rumor and speculation ” about Donald Trump and members of the campaign .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , @ @ @ @ @ @

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, subpoenaed FBI Director Christopher Wray last week for all documents related to Crossfire Hurricane, the investigation of the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia.
The subpoena, issued on Aug. 6, calls for Wray to produce all of the documents related to the probe by Aug. 20.
Johnson is also demanding that Wray hand over all records that the FBI provided the Justice Department’s office of the inspector general for its scathing report on Crossfire Hurricane.
The Wisconsin Republican also announced on Monday that he intends to subpoena Jonathan Winer, a former State Department official who served as a key liaison between dossier author Christopher Steele and State Department officials before the 2016 election. Winer arranged a meeting for Steele at Foggy Bottom in October 2016 and was also a background source for multiple news articles that contained Steele’s unverified allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Johnson and several other Senate Republicans are investigating various decision that the FBI made in its probe of the Trump campaign, as well as the origins of the Steele dossier.
A report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) inspector general issued Dec. 9 said that the FBI failed to disclose damning information about the Steele dossier in applications for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) orders against former Trump aide Carter Page in 2016 and 2017.
The bureau relied heavily on the dossier, authored by Christopher Steele, to argue that Page was acting as an agent of Russia. The FBI failed to verify any of the core allegations against Page and other Trump associates.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Republican lawmakers have long expressed frustration with Wray over the production of documents related to Crossfire Hurricane. House Republicans have threatened multiple times to subpoena the Trump appointee but never pulled the trigger.
One question Republicans have raised is why information about Crossfire Hurricane has taken years to disclose. They have also noted that most of the evidence that has been turned over has proved embarrassing for the FBI.
Text messages between Peter Strzok, the lead investigator on Crossfire Hurricane, and Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer during the probe, revealed that the pair exchanged anti-Trump text messages while working on the investigation.
On Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, another Republican digging into the origins of Crossfire Hurricane, released a declassified FBI memo of a Feb. 14, 2018, briefing provided to the Senate Intelligence Committee regarding the primary source for Steele.
The memo said that the FBI had no reason to believe that Steele fabricated any information in the dossier. Graham accused the FBI of lying to the Senate panel, noting that Steele’s source, Igor Danchenko, told the FBI in January 2017 that he did not recognize some of the information in the dossier that Steele attributed to him.
Danchenko told the FBI that he provided Steele with “rumor and speculation” about Donald Trump and members of the campaign.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-08-10--Who’s Really Hurting God?

Who’s Really Hurting God?

I find myself in the odd position of being grateful this summer for both Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Donald Trump .
The two celebrity politicians may have more in common than we realize .
First , AOC did the unexpected — she put Saint Damien of Molokai in the news , accusing the martyr and Hawaiian hero of being part of our problems — representative of “ patriarchy and white supremacist culture ” — and so she wants his statue out of the Capitol rotunda .
Meanwhile , we should all aspire to love with the kind of selfless love that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Belgian priest served in a leper colony , helping people that were not only cast out , but actively feared , due to the contagious nature of their horrible disease .
Clearly , he should be a saint for these pandemic times !
In a sense , there ’ s something very grim about the very phrase “ social distancing.
” By all means , do it , as it ’ s necessary to keep ourselves and others healthy — but do not let the necessary barriers separate us from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For his part , Donald Trump has now infamously talked about hurting God .
He , of course , was making a case for his reelection — and , it would seem , giving a gift to Joe Biden , who can now use his Catholicism to his advantage because of the president ’ s over-the-top characterization .
And yet , the fact of the matter is that we do hurt God .
We hurt God with our sins .
And , goodness , politics and all the things that surround it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the problem with what President Trump said is that it is not only the evil of legal abortion — which Joe Biden has come to embrace with all the enthusiasm of the most radical elements of his party — that hurts God .
Cruelty and contempt hurt God .
Immorality hurts God .
There are degrees , to be sure , and distinctions .
And they are important .
But so is integrity and humility in leadership .
The fact of the matter is that we all hurt God .
Times for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Good Friday this year did us some real damage .
Typically in churches on that holy day , there are annual read-throughs of the Passion of Jesus Christ , a focused reminder that it ’ s not some crowd from two millennia ago — “ them ” — who crucified Christ .
It ’ s us , the people who Christ dies for , sinning today .
That is the most brutal and humbling reality .
And right now , this should be at the top of our minds .
Please Support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
These are times for an examination of conscience , personally and culturally .
Whatever one ’ s beliefs , we ’ ve been given a treasure in life itself .
What have we been doing with it ?
Are our priorities straight ?
We ’ ve got one shot at this , and time is running out .
That ’ s a political question , too .
In this culture of cancellation , how many of us wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has become our politics ?
Demand better choices .
This isn ’ t entertainment .
We ’ re here to be good stewards of great gifts .
Repent and renew .
Rebuild .
With a new respect for life and a willingness to rejoice in , not be repulsed by , differences .
We can learn from one another if we would have a little mercy .
A writer recently dubbed AOC the future of the Catholic Church .
Breaking news , though : The future of the Catholic Church is Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us about now .
It ’ s dangerous to expect from politics what politics has no business providing .
This is a culture that makes saviors of politicians .
So , thanks to AOC and DJT for pointing in the direction of God , whatever their intentions .
Contempt destroys .
Grateful creatures , on the other hand , move forward with hope .
Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute , editor-at-large of National Review magazine and author of the new book A Year With the Mystics : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also chair of Cardinal Dolan ’ s pro-life commission in New York .
She can be contacted at klopez @ nationalreview.com .

I find myself in the odd position of being grateful this summer for both Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Donald Trump. The two celebrity politicians may have more in common than we realize. First, AOC did the unexpected — she put Saint Damien of Molokai in the news, accusing the martyr and Hawaiian hero of being part of our problems — representative of “patriarchy and white supremacist culture” — and so she wants his statue out of the Capitol rotunda.
A Saint for These Pandemic Times
Meanwhile, we should all aspire to love with the kind of selfless love that Father Damien possessed. In 19th-century Hawaii, the Belgian priest served in a leper colony, helping people that were not only cast out, but actively feared, due to the contagious nature of their horrible disease.
Clearly, he should be a saint for these pandemic times! In a sense, there’s something very grim about the very phrase “social distancing.” By all means, do it, as it’s necessary to keep ourselves and others healthy — but do not let the necessary barriers separate us from the love of God and our fellow humans.
We All Hurt God
For his part, Donald Trump has now infamously talked about hurting God. He, of course, was making a case for his reelection — and, it would seem, giving a gift to Joe Biden, who can now use his Catholicism to his advantage because of the president’s over-the-top characterization. And yet, the fact of the matter is that we do hurt God. We hurt God with our sins. And, goodness, politics and all the things that surround it are certainly ridden with sin.
But the problem with what President Trump said is that it is not only the evil of legal abortion — which Joe Biden has come to embrace with all the enthusiasm of the most radical elements of his party — that hurts God. Cruelty and contempt hurt God. Immorality hurts God. There are degrees, to be sure, and distinctions. And they are important. But so is integrity and humility in leadership. The fact of the matter is that we all hurt God.
Times for an Examination of Conscience
Maybe the locked churches on Good Friday this year did us some real damage. Typically in churches on that holy day, there are annual read-throughs of the Passion of Jesus Christ, a focused reminder that it’s not some crowd from two millennia ago — “them” — who crucified Christ. It’s us, the people who Christ dies for, sinning today. That is the most brutal and humbling reality. And right now, this should be at the top of our minds.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
These are times for an examination of conscience, personally and culturally. Whatever one’s beliefs, we’ve been given a treasure in life itself. What have we been doing with it? Are our priorities straight? We’ve got one shot at this, and time is running out. That’s a political question, too. In this culture of cancellation, how many of us wouldn’t like to cancel this reality TV show that has become our politics?
Demand better choices. This isn’t entertainment. We’re here to be good stewards of great gifts. Repent and renew. Rebuild. With a new respect for life and a willingness to rejoice in, not be repulsed by, differences. We can learn from one another if we would have a little mercy.
Moving Forward With Hope
A writer recently dubbed AOC the future of the Catholic Church. Breaking news, though: The future of the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ. And his example could help us about now. It’s dangerous to expect from politics what politics has no business providing. This is a culture that makes saviors of politicians. So, thanks to AOC and DJT for pointing in the direction of God, whatever their intentions. Contempt destroys. Grateful creatures, on the other hand, move forward with hope.
Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute, editor-at-large of National Review magazine and author of the new book A Year With the Mystics: Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living. She is also chair of Cardinal Dolan’s pro-life commission in New York. She can be contacted at [email protected].


thestream--2020-08-10--This Pro-Lifer Who Was Arrested for Writing ‘Black Preborn Lives Matter’ Says His Rights Were Violat

This Pro-Lifer Who Was Arrested for Writing ‘Black Preborn Lives Matter’ Says His Rights Were Violated

A pro-life activist who DC police arrested Saturday said that his “ first amendment rights were violated ” during an interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Students for Life of America member Warner DePriest and Executive Director Kristan Hawkins discussed why two of the organization ’ s members were arrested for writing “ Black preborn lives matter ” on the sidewalk in front of the clinic .
“ My niece and nephew sidewalk-chalk their arts and crafts hour in the District of Columbia every single day .
This was viewpoint discrimination , ” DePriest told the DCNF .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ first amendment rights were violated.
” DePriest said he is part of a sidewalk advocacy group within the Students for Life of America that helps expectant mothers and couples find pregnancy resources .
“ There are other options to the death culture of Planned Parenthood , ” he said in the interview .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The arrests came after Mayor Bowser commissioned the “ Black Lives Matter ” slogan to be painted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Activists painted “ Defund the Police ” next to the mural , making the phrase appear “ Black Lives Matter = Defund the Police.
” Bowser ’ s government allowed “ Defund the Police ” to remain , The Washington Post reported .
No arrests were made .
“ It ’ s very clear that the mayor does not like our speech , ” Hawkins said in the interview .
“ She was the honored guest at Planned Parenthood when they opened up their brand new shiny building … She is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kaur Dhillon , who is the CEO of the Center for American Liberty , previously told the DCNF , “ I think it ’ s going to become clear as legal proceedings , which are probably inevitable , proceed on this matter that the city and it ’ s law enforcement have violated clearly established First Amendment precedent that bars treating similarly situated circumstances of free speech differently.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

A pro-life activist who DC police arrested Saturday said that his “first amendment rights were violated” during an interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Students for Life of America member Warner DePriest and Executive Director Kristan Hawkins discussed why two of the organization’s members were arrested for writing “Black preborn lives matter” on the sidewalk in front of the clinic.
“My niece and nephew sidewalk-chalk their arts and crafts hour in the District of Columbia every single day. This was viewpoint discrimination,” DePriest told the DCNF. “I’m outraged. My first amendment rights were violated.”
DePriest said he is part of a sidewalk advocacy group within the Students for Life of America that helps expectant mothers and couples find pregnancy resources.
“There are other options to the death culture of Planned Parenthood,” he said in the interview.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The arrests came after Mayor Bowser commissioned the “Black Lives Matter” slogan to be painted on the streets of DC earlier this summer. Activists painted “Defund the Police” next to the mural, making the phrase appear “Black Lives Matter = Defund the Police.” Bowser’s government allowed “Defund the Police” to remain, The Washington Post reported. No arrests were made.
“It’s very clear that the mayor does not like our speech,” Hawkins said in the interview. “She was the honored guest at Planned Parenthood when they opened up their brand new shiny building … She is a friend of Planned Parenthood.”
Attorney Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, who is the CEO of the Center for American Liberty, previously told the DCNF, “I think it’s going to become clear as legal proceedings, which are probably inevitable, proceed on this matter that the city and it’s law enforcement have violated clearly established First Amendment precedent that bars treating similarly situated circumstances of free speech differently.”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-08-11--The Mask of the Beast? A Discussion on Faith and Masks

My most recent article titled “ Offended by Faith : The Pandemic has Exposed an Unbelieving Church ” has created quite a stir among the pro and anti-maskers .
Interestingly , the article really wasn ’ t about masks at all .
It was about faith .
In fact , I made it quite clear that we should use both wisdom and faith in these treacherous times : It never ceases to amaze me how triggered people zero in on the narrative they want to attack , all while blowing past qualifiers and clarifiers that would address their concerns if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I can ’ t tell you how often people become unglued just by the title of one of my articles .
They arrive at conclusions that are unfounded because they didn ’ t read past the first sentence .
Spoiler alert : I wear a mask if the situation demands it .
See the pic to prove it .
I ’ m not a card-carrying anti-masker .
I ’ m definitely not a pro-masker either .
I ’ m watching the carnage pile up all over social media as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethics , crazy conspiracy theories ( and some possible true ones ) and accusations that pro-maskers are killing America and anti-maskers are killing grandma .
It ’ s ridiculous to point nasty , crooked fingers at the uncovered calling them selfish , unloving and reckless .
Not only is that statement generally untrue and the motive fairly disingenuous , the logic behind it simply doesn ’ t work .
It ’ s equally ridiculous to presume those who wear masks are fearful by default and surrendering to the anti-Christ .
No , these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and no , America isn ’ t going to become communist because we wear them .
I would encourage you to read an article I wrote on the spiritual reality surrounding the 2020 crisis .
Yes , I do believe witchcraft is behind it , but wearing a mask doesn ’ t mean we are surrendering to that spirit .
This bizarre conversation between pro and anti-maskers that has overtaken our culture must be refocused onto what is most important .
I don ’ t think anybody can deny that the entire world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The purpose of my recent articles on the subject is to awaken the shaken to the supreme opportunity to shine our lights into a desperate and dark situation .
Be honest .
Christians are worrying , nervous , fearful and scrambling to do whatever they can to be safe from this invisible threat .
This isn ’ t true of all Believers , of course .
It ’ s true of a whole lot of them though .
I don ’ t know how often I hear blood-bought Believers urgently warning people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lock down while rarely hearing them proclaim the power of the blood that bought them .
I ’ m dumbfounded .
The lack of a faith-driven spiritual response is a problem .
If our joy , peace and confidence in Jesus has been impacted , we must respond in repentance .
In the midst of a threat , abundant life is still ours .
Joy unspeakable and full of glory .
Peace that passes all understanding .
We are more than conquerors , the head and not the tail , above and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and scorpions .
We have authority over all the power of the enemy .
That will preach .
The sad reality is that a lot of Christians simply don ’ t believe that Jesus heals or protects today .
Some believe that he can , but they doubt that he will .
Miracles are rare .
Wonders of old can be taught in Sunday School but they really don ’ t occur today .
They boldly defend the power of the enemy by confessing that nobody is safe , Christian or non-Christian .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than hope .
Hope is posturing ourselves by sitting back and waiting for God to do something we ’ d like him to do .
Faith is altogether different .
It ’ s active .
There ’ s an attitude driving it .
It ’ s demanding .
It ’ s expectant .
It ’ s militant .
Vibrant faith results in people speaking to mountains , shouting from rooftops , casting out demons , decreeing the Word of God and refusing to allow common sense , human wisdom or anything else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many default to hope ( or hopelessness ) and live pretty much the same way as the unredeemed do .
Truths of Scripture are somehow dismissed as unreliable : The sick may recover would be a better translation according to the belief system of many Christians .
In fact , they tend to get quite mad at those who stand in faith on the Word of God , especially regarding healing .
Accusations of “ holier than thou ” and “ spiritual pride ” are hurled at those who simply state they believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are many reasons people are not healed .
This article isn ’ t the place to dive into a deep discussion on the topic .
Suffice it to say the reasons include one or more of the following : unbelief , fear , sin , lukewarmness , receiving communion in an unworthy manner , not understanding our authority , curses , lies we ’ ve adopted , ignorance of the Word , misunderstanding timing , lack of fervency , trusting in doctors more than God , etc .
Another reason is what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a hidden treasure that often must be sought after .
The Holy Spirit will lead us as we discover truths , repent of wrong thinking and work to grow in faith .
The treasure map is the unknown .
It ’ s the journey .
There may be no sin , no doubt and no clear reason why sickness remains .
So , we seek , pray and stand as God progressively brings revelation to our situation .
Those who are sick should not live in condemnation , but they should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joy and great expectation .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
If someone is not healed , it doesn ’ t necessarily mean they are less spiritual .
It simply means they are somewhere in the middle of their journey on their personal treasure map .
That being said , please hear me .
Faith demands that we stare sickness in the eye and fight .
We can ’ t allow the “ chances ” of healing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cause us to doubt , to stand down or to rely solely on worldly remedies .
No !
We decree truth !
We stand as warriors !
We declare that Jesus took all of our sickness on the cross !
We proclaim that healing is ours !
It ’ s this type of boldness the world needs to see !
The Call to All If you don ’ t remember anything else in this article , please remember the following .
This is what is burning in my spirit .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Declare the goodness and power of God !
Stop declaring the deadly power of a virus !
The church should be commandeering the media , social and otherwise , with faith-filled messages to those who are haunted by fears of sickness and death !
We are anointed to proclaim good news , liberty and healing !
Are you doing that every day on Facebook and Twitter ?
You must !
Especially during this opportunistic season !
The world should be witnessing a supernatural explosion as we radiate the power of the Holy Spirit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom and healing can be theirs !
Christians , stop with the faithless drivel about the power of masks or the threat of COVID .
OK , sure , make your point and be safe , but please stop giving the enemy more power than he already has .
Speak life !
If the world wants scientific data on whether masks are beneficial or not , they can do their own research .
What they need from you and me , however , is powerfully anointed , deeply profound and supernaturally charged revelation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all is to rise up in fearless faith , with smiles on our faces and fire in our eyes as we proclaim to a worried and dying world that Jesus has conquered death , hell and the grave !
There is a love that eliminates all fear !
This is the message .
This is the cry of my heart .
We should be preaching Jesus !
Where are the social warriors who will share verses that ignite faith ?
Where are the Believers who truly embrace the healing power of Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be shaken by the enemy ?
Where are the firebrands who will push back the darkness and laugh at the threats ?
This is your mandate , Christian .
This is your call .
It ’ s time you stop repeating all of the news stories and reports that spread fear .
It ’ s time to burn hot with the truth of the Word and show the world just what it is to be a sign and a wonder in the earth !
John is a sought out teacher , prophetic messenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books , is a regular contributor to Charisma Magazine , and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer ( IHOP ) in Kansas City .
He has planted two churches and has initiated two city prayer movements and a school of ministry .

My most recent article titled “Offended by Faith: The Pandemic has Exposed an Unbelieving Church” has created quite a stir among the pro and anti-maskers. Interestingly, the article really wasn’t about masks at all. It was about faith.
In fact, I made it quite clear that we should use both wisdom and faith in these treacherous times:
Wash your hands. Wear a mask if called for. Go to the doctor if needed. Do your due diligence. But don’t put your faith in such things.
It never ceases to amaze me how triggered people zero in on the narrative they want to attack, all while blowing past qualifiers and clarifiers that would address their concerns if they only took time to read them.
I can’t tell you how often people become unglued just by the title of one of my articles. They arrive at conclusions that are unfounded because they didn’t read past the first sentence.
Spoiler alert: I wear a mask if the situation demands it. See the pic to prove it. I’m not a card-carrying anti-masker. I’m definitely not a pro-masker either.
Social Media Carnage
I’m watching the carnage pile up all over social media as a result of verbal assaults, judgments on morality and ethics, crazy conspiracy theories (and some possible true ones) and accusations that pro-maskers are killing America and anti-maskers are killing grandma.
It’s ridiculous to point nasty, crooked fingers at the uncovered calling them selfish, unloving and reckless. Not only is that statement generally untrue and the motive fairly disingenuous, the logic behind it simply doesn’t work. It’s equally ridiculous to presume those who wear masks are fearful by default and surrendering to the anti-Christ. No, these aren’t masks of the beast and no, America isn’t going to become communist because we wear them.
I would encourage you to read an article I wrote on the spiritual reality surrounding the 2020 crisis. Yes, I do believe witchcraft is behind it, but wearing a mask doesn’t mean we are surrendering to that spirit.
This bizarre conversation between pro and anti-maskers that has overtaken our culture must be refocused onto what is most important.
Unbelief Has Been Exposed
I don’t think anybody can deny that the entire world has been shaken by the virus. The purpose of my recent articles on the subject is to awaken the shaken to the supreme opportunity to shine our lights into a desperate and dark situation.
Declare the goodness and power of God!
Stop declaring the deadly power of a virus!
Be honest. Christians are worrying, nervous, fearful and scrambling to do whatever they can to be safe from this invisible threat. This isn’t true of all Believers, of course. It’s true of a whole lot of them though. I don’t know how often I hear blood-bought Believers urgently warning people to wear masks, to socially distance and to lock down while rarely hearing them proclaim the power of the blood that bought them. I’m dumbfounded.
The lack of a faith-driven spiritual response is a problem. If our joy, peace and confidence in Jesus has been impacted, we must respond in repentance. In the midst of a threat, abundant life is still ours. Joy unspeakable and full of glory. Peace that passes all understanding. We are more than conquerors, the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. We trample on serpents and scorpions. We have authority over all the power of the enemy. That will preach.
The sad reality is that a lot of Christians simply don’t believe that Jesus heals or protects today. Some believe that he can, but they doubt that he will. Miracles are rare. Wonders of old can be taught in Sunday School but they really don’t occur today. They boldly defend the power of the enemy by confessing that nobody is safe, Christian or non-Christian.
Faith or Hope?
What many Christians call faith is little more than hope. Hope is posturing ourselves by sitting back and waiting for God to do something we’d like him to do. Faith is altogether different. It’s active. There’s an attitude driving it. It’s demanding. It’s expectant. It’s militant.
Vibrant faith results in people speaking to mountains, shouting from rooftops, casting out demons, decreeing the Word of God and refusing to allow common sense, human wisdom or anything else to stop them.
Faith crushes fear. Faith destroys worry. Faith demands results. Faith pleases God.
Instead, too many default to hope (or hopelessness) and live pretty much the same way as the unredeemed do. Truths of Scripture are somehow dismissed as unreliable:
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17-18 (ESV)
The sick may recover would be a better translation according to the belief system of many Christians.
In fact, they tend to get quite mad at those who stand in faith on the Word of God, especially regarding healing. Accusations of “holier than thou” and “spiritual pride” are hurled at those who simply state they believe Jesus paid the price for sickness.
The Treasure Map
There are many reasons people are not healed. This article isn’t the place to dive into a deep discussion on the topic. Suffice it to say the reasons include one or more of the following: unbelief, fear, sin, lukewarmness, receiving communion in an unworthy manner, not understanding our authority, curses, lies we’ve adopted, ignorance of the Word, misunderstanding timing, lack of fervency, trusting in doctors more than God, etc.
Another reason is what I call the treasure map. Healing is a hidden treasure that often must be sought after. The Holy Spirit will lead us as we discover truths, repent of wrong thinking and work to grow in faith. The treasure map is the unknown. It’s the journey. There may be no sin, no doubt and no clear reason why sickness remains. So, we seek, pray and stand as God progressively brings revelation to our situation. Those who are sick should not live in condemnation, but they should be earnestly seeking the treasure of healing with joy and great expectation.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
If someone is not healed, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are less spiritual. It simply means they are somewhere in the middle of their journey on their personal treasure map.
That being said, please hear me. Faith demands that we stare sickness in the eye and fight. We can’t allow the “chances” of healing or our own failed experiences with sickness to cause us to doubt, to stand down or to rely solely on worldly remedies. No! We decree truth! We stand as warriors! We declare that Jesus took all of our sickness on the cross! We proclaim that healing is ours! It’s this type of boldness the world needs to see!
The Call to All
If you don’t remember anything else in this article, please remember the following. This is what is burning in my spirit. This is the real purpose of my writing.
Declare the goodness and power of God! Stop declaring the deadly power of a virus!
The church should be commandeering the media, social and otherwise, with faith-filled messages to those who are haunted by fears of sickness and death!
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18-19 (ESV)
We are anointed to proclaim good news, liberty and healing! Are you doing that every day on Facebook and Twitter? You must! Especially during this opportunistic season!
The world should be witnessing a supernatural explosion as we radiate the power of the Holy Spirit and decree with passion that peace, freedom and healing can be theirs!
Christians, stop with the faithless drivel about the power of masks or the threat of COVID. OK, sure, make your point and be safe, but please stop giving the enemy more power than he already has. Speak life!
If the world wants scientific data on whether masks are beneficial or not, they can do their own research. What they need from you and me, however, is powerfully anointed, deeply profound and supernaturally charged revelation! Preach, preacher!
Rise Up!
The call to all is to rise up in fearless faith, with smiles on our faces and fire in our eyes as we proclaim to a worried and dying world that Jesus has conquered death, hell and the grave! There is a love that eliminates all fear!
This is the message. This is the cry of my heart. We should be preaching Jesus!
Where are the social warriors who will share verses that ignite faith? Where are the Believers who truly embrace the healing power of Jesus? Where are those who refuse to be shaken by the enemy? Where are the firebrands who will push back the darkness and laugh at the threats?
This is your mandate, Christian. This is your call. It’s time you stop repeating all of the news stories and reports that spread fear. It’s time to burn hot with the truth of the Word and show the world just what it is to be a sign and a wonder in the earth!
John is a sought out teacher, prophetic messenger and revivalist. He has authored ten books, is a regular contributor to Charisma Magazine, and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. He has planted two churches and has initiated two city prayer movements and a school of ministry.


thestream--2020-08-11--Grammar Is Racist, Math Is Racist, and So Are You

Have you heard the latest ?
Grammar has now been deemed racist , as has math .
And should you dare question these new insights , then you ’ re racist too .
Obviously !
Fact checkers have challenged the claim that , last month , “ Rutgers University declared grammar to be racist.
” But such claims have been made before .
As explained on the university ’ s Tacoma-based website , “ Racism is the normal condition of things .
Linguistic and writing research has shown clearly for many decades that there is no inherent ‘ standard ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These two facts make it very difficult to justify placing people in hierarchies or restricting opportunities and privileges because of the way people communicate in particular versions of English.
” But there ’ s more .
As reported by Prof. Walter Williams last September , “ Just when we thought colleges could not spout loonier ideas , we have a new one from American University .
They hired a professor to teach other professors to grade students based on their ‘ labor ’ rather than their writing ability.
” The newly-hired professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interestingly enough , has also served as a professor at the aforementioned University of Washington in Tacoma .
Williams notes that , “ Inoue believes that a person ’ s writing ability should not be assessed , in order to promote ‘ anti-racist ’ objectives .
Inoue taught American University ’ s faculty members that their previous practices of grading writing promoted white language supremacy.
” Inoue is also affiliated with Arizona State University , where he serves as “ a professor and the associate dean for Academic Affairs , Equity , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Arts at Arizona State University .
His research focuses on antiracist and social justice theory and practices in writing assessments.
” Reflective of Prof. Inoue ’ s work is a lecture on , “ Creating Antiracist Writing Assessment Ecologies in Writing Courses.
” All clear .
So , while the headline about Rutgers may have been inaccurate , there have , indeed , been claims that “ grammar is racist.
” To be sure , students who are deprived of solid educational opportunities in their earlier years will likely have poorer grammatical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of those students are people of color .
But one of the purposes of education is to correct the errors we picked up through our environment and upbringing as well as to sharpen our skills in reading , writing , comprehending and communicating .
To declare proper grammar racist is as wrongheaded as it is counterproductive .
As for math , a story posted August 9 on Campus Reform announced that , “ Math professors and academics at top universities , including Harvard and the University of Illinois , discussed the ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter .
They asserted that the statement ‘ 2 plus 2 equals 4 ’ is rooted in Western definitions of mathematics.
” As Ben Zeisloft reported , “ Laurie Rubel , who teaches math education at Brooklyn College , says that the idea of math being cultural neutral is a ‘ myth , ’ and that asking whether 2 plus 2 equals 4 ‘ reeks of white supremacist patriarchy.
’ ” To quote her in full : She added , “ the idea that math ( or data ) is culturally neutral or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
i ’ m ready to move on with that understanding .
who ’ s coming with me ?
” These sentiments were confirmed by other professors and graduate students , as cited by Zeisloft .
But of course !
How could we miss something so obvious ?
It ’ s as clear as 2+2=4 .
( Oops !
I just exposed my inherent racism .
Of course , my use of proper grammar throughout this article already revealed my innate white supremacism . )
But this claim that math is somehow racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee Ohanian , writing for the Hoover Institution , students in Seattle schools “ will be taught how ‘ Western Math ’ is used as a tool of power and oppression , and that it disenfranchises people and communities of color .
They will be taught that ‘ Western Math ’ limits economic opportunities for people of color .
They will be taught that mathematics knowledge has been withheld from people of color.
” In response , Ohanian commented , “ If you are struggling to understand the logic of this , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of me , I don ’ t know how the Pythagorean theorem , for example , or Euclidean geometry , more broadly , oppress people or communities of color , or how these foundations of mathematics have been appropriated by Western culture.
” ( For the alleged racist way in which data is processed and used in America , see here and here . )
But the claims that grammar and math are racist should come as no surprise .
That ’ s because subjects like geography were already branded misogynist several decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ feminist geography ” arose .
And so , under the guise of objectivity , an extreme form of subjective scholarship began to arise on our campuses , continuing in different forms to this day .
As conveniently summarized on Wikipedia , “ Feminist geography emerged in the 1970s , when members of the women ’ s movement called on academia to include women as both producers and subjects of academic work .
Feminist geographers aim to incorporate positions of race , class , ability , and sexuality into the study of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discipline has been subject to several controversies.
” ( Who would have thought ? )
There was a day when education started with the so-called three-R ’ s , Reading , [ w ] Riting and ‘ Rithmetic .
Today , the three R ’ s might better be described as Revisionist , Radical and Ridiculous .
Am I exaggerating ?
I say we do our best to provide solid education for all of our citizens , thereby leveling much of the playing field , rather than chase academic chimeras .
Dr. Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

Have you heard the latest? Grammar has now been deemed racist, as has math. And should you dare question these new insights, then you’re racist too. Obviously!
Fact checkers have challenged the claim that, last month, “Rutgers University declared grammar to be racist.” But such claims have been made before.
As noted in a February 21, 2017 article,
The University of Washington produced an “antiracist” poster which insists American grammar is “racist” and an “unjust language structure,” promising to prioritize rhetoric over “grammatical ‘correctness.’”
As explained on the university’s Tacoma-based website, “Racism is the normal condition of things. Linguistic and writing research has shown clearly for many decades that there is no inherent ‘standard’ of English. Language is constantly changing. These two facts make it very difficult to justify placing people in hierarchies or restricting opportunities and privileges because of the way people communicate in particular versions of English.”
Grading Based on ‘Labor’
But there’s more. As reported by Prof. Walter Williams last September, “Just when we thought colleges could not spout loonier ideas, we have a new one from American University. They hired a professor to teach other professors to grade students based on their ‘labor’ rather than their writing ability.”
The newly-hired professor is Asao B. Inoue, who, interestingly enough, has also served as a professor at the aforementioned University of Washington in Tacoma.
Williams notes that, “Inoue believes that a person’s writing ability should not be assessed, in order to promote ‘anti-racist’ objectives. Inoue taught American University’s faculty members that their previous practices of grading writing promoted white language supremacy.”
Inoue is also affiliated with Arizona State University, where he serves as “a professor and the associate dean for Academic Affairs, Equity, and Inclusion in the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts at Arizona State University. His research focuses on antiracist and social justice theory and practices in writing assessments.”
To declare proper grammar racist is as wrongheaded as it is counterproductive.
Reflective of Prof. Inoue’s work is a lecture on, “Creating Antiracist Writing Assessment Ecologies in Writing Courses.” All clear.
So, while the headline about Rutgers may have been inaccurate, there have, indeed, been claims that “grammar is racist.”
To be sure, students who are deprived of solid educational opportunities in their earlier years will likely have poorer grammatical skills when they reach college. And many of those students are people of color.
But one of the purposes of education is to correct the errors we picked up through our environment and upbringing as well as to sharpen our skills in reading, writing, comprehending and communicating. To declare proper grammar racist is as wrongheaded as it is counterproductive.
Math ‘Reeks of White Supremacist Patriarchy’
As for math, a story posted August 9 on Campus Reform announced that, “Math professors and academics at top universities, including Harvard and the University of Illinois, discussed the ‘Eurocentric’ roots of American mathematics on Twitter. They asserted that the statement ‘2 plus 2 equals 4’ is rooted in Western definitions of mathematics.”
As Ben Zeisloft reported, “Laurie Rubel, who teaches math education at Brooklyn College, says that the idea of math being cultural neutral is a ‘myth,’ and that asking whether 2 plus 2 equals 4 ‘reeks of white supremacist patriarchy.’”
To quote her in full:
along with the “of course math is neutral because 2+2=4” trope are the related (and creepy) “math is pure” and “protect math.” reeks of white supremacist patriarchy. i’d rather think on nurturing people & protecting the planet (with math in service of them goals).
She added, “the idea that math (or data) is culturally neutral or in any way objective is a MYTH. i’m ready to move on with that understanding. who’s coming with me?”
These sentiments were confirmed by other professors and graduate students, as cited by Zeisloft.
But of course!
How could we miss something so obvious? It’s as clear as 2+2=4. (Oops! I just exposed my inherent racism. Of course, my use of proper grammar throughout this article already revealed my innate white supremacism.)
But this claim that math is somehow racist is also not new.
Western Math and Feminist Geography
According to Lee Ohanian, writing for the Hoover Institution, students in Seattle schools “will be taught how ‘Western Math’ is used as a tool of power and oppression, and that it disenfranchises people and communities of color. They will be taught that ‘Western Math’ limits economic opportunities for people of color. They will be taught that mathematics knowledge has been withheld from people of color.”
In response, Ohanian commented, “If you are struggling to understand the logic of this, you are not alone. For the life of me, I don’t know how the Pythagorean theorem, for example, or Euclidean geometry, more broadly, oppress people or communities of color, or how these foundations of mathematics have been appropriated by Western culture.” (For the alleged racist way in which data is processed and used in America, see here and here.)
I say we do our best to provide solid education for all of our citizens, thereby leveling much of the playing field, rather than chase academic chimeras.
But the claims that grammar and math are racist should come as no surprise. That’s because subjects like geography were already branded misogynist several decades ago, out of which the field of “feminist geography” arose. And so, under the guise of objectivity, an extreme form of subjective scholarship began to arise on our campuses, continuing in different forms to this day.
As conveniently summarized on Wikipedia, “Feminist geography emerged in the 1970s, when members of the women’s movement called on academia to include women as both producers and subjects of academic work. Feminist geographers aim to incorporate positions of race, class, ability, and sexuality into the study of geography.”
Not surprisingly, “The discipline has been subject to several controversies.” (Who would have thought?)
Let’s Provide a Solid Education for All
There was a day when education started with the so-called three-R’s, Reading, [w]Riting and ‘Rithmetic.
Today, the three R’s might better be described as Revisionist, Radical and Ridiculous. Am I exaggerating?
I say we do our best to provide solid education for all of our citizens, thereby leveling much of the playing field, rather than chase academic chimeras.
It’s as simple as ABC.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.