thestream--2020-09-14--Best-Selling ‘Christian’ Author Francis Jonah Peddles Cruel, Idolatrous, Occult Deceit

He has today ’ s top-selling books in Amazon ’ s rankings for Prayer , Men ’ s Christian Living , Christian Stewardship , Christian History , and Baptist Christianity .
He has the top-ranked Kindle books in Christian Church Leadership , Christian Prayer , Episcopalian Christianity , Spiritual Meditations .
As an Amazon author , I know what this means : He ’ s selling books by the thousands .
His name is Francis Jonah , and his work is profoundly occult and unbiblical .
And in many ways , cruel .
Just because Amazon lists it in those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any of them , yet there ’ s no denying he tries to make his books look Christian .
They ’ re chock-full of Scripture , and reviewers fawn over his teachings as if he were giving them the word of God .
But he mangles the Word of God , sometimes by misquoting ( “ You reap what you say ” ) , more often by ignoring its plain meaning and reading his own message into it .
Something is very , very wrong .
Several things , actually .
Jonah makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than our route to a relational connection with God .
His work is occultic .
He virtually makes us gods ourselves .
And the whole thing , for all its optimism and hope , is really quite cruel .
First , Jonah gets faith completely wrong .
He says ( page 91 , Speaking Things Into Existence : How To Make Your Words Come To Pass ) , “ Faith always works .
The reason faith always works is simple .
Faith is a law .
Laws always work .
The law of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The law of electricity always works .
Faith is also a law , and when operated properly , it will work.
” To support that he quotes from Romans 3:27 : “ Where is boasting then ?
It is excluded .
By what law ?
of works ?
Nay : but by the law of faith.
” There ’ s nothing in that passage even remotely hinting that faith operates in way that ’ s analogous to the “ laws ” of nature .
Instead , Paul is comparing the Hebrew moral and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Christian life .
Treating it Jonah ’ s way makes faith a force , which we can wield like scientists or … sorcerers .
He says ( page 43 ) , “ We live by faith .
That powerful force that is able to change negative circumstances .
The force that is able to drive demons away .
That force that is able to drive sicknesses away .
That force that is able to make limbs grow and create new organs.
” This is utterly wrong .
Faith is no “ force.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all .
Only God does .
True faith calls on God , trusting in His character , submissive to His will , and expectant that He will work — by His own will and power .
Not ours .
Second , his work is occultic .
It is of the essence of the occult to “ control ” spiritual “ powers.
” So when Jonah writes this ( page 16 ) , “ If you master the principle of calling situations and circumstances what you want them to be , you will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very powerful level , ” he ’ s promoting occult principles .
Whose power is he talking about there ?
Ours ?
Is this godly ?
Does this sound like the humility God led Paul to in 2 Cor .
10 , “ My power is perfected in weakness ” ?
No , this is more mage-like , more wizardish , than Christian .
In another book he features a reader ’ s deluded appreciation for his work : “ After the keys given to me by Dr. Francis I received a direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream and showed me how to tackle a situation in my life.
” This is outrageously unbiblical .
What is Jonah claiming for himself ?
That he can travel into others ’ dreams ?
That he has wisdom to give guidance to people he doesn ’ t even know ?
How much more likely is it that this reader was deceived by an evil spirit ?
!
“ You Will Be Like God ” And third , he wants us to think we ’ re gods .
He writes ( page 8 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was created with words , you can also create your own world with your words .
… Words control life and death .
If you master words , your master life and death .
If you master words , you master your world.
” Or as Satan told Eve , “ You will be like God.
” To further his claim , Jonah abuses Matthew 26:53 ( page 75 ) : “ In this verse , Jesus reveals that he can pray to release a certain number of angels .
It means that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we need .
Why don ’ t you release 500 angels the next time you pray on a specific assignment ?
” There is no hint in Jesus ’ message from the Cross that we have the same ability to “ release as many angels as we need.
” But there is an example : Jesus released no angels .
He suffered instead , so that He could fulfill what was right , in love , for all people .
Here ’ s part of what makes it cruel .
Jonah says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s right for others .
Quite the opposite , actually : His method ( page 35 ) is “ a formula designed by God to ensure the success of those who use it .
Let nothing stop you from using it .
You will have what you say .
Instead of I am broke , say ‘ I am rich ’ .
… Let us stop saying what we have and start saying what we want.
” Why is Jonah ’ s message cruel ?
Because it ’ s false .
He denies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are almost certain to disappoint .
Because he twists the promises of the Gospel , he promises what he can ’ t deliver .
That ’ s evidenced , for example , in this claim ( page 49 ) : “ When you call cancer a little disease comparable to headache , they will laugh you to scorn .
Such people shouldn ’ t be your problem else you will continue to struggle in life.
” Tell that to someone dying of cancer .
Tell them it ’ s a little disease like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they only did what Francis Jonah says .
That ’ s magic .
And magic doesn ’ t work .
Only the Gospel works .
Francis Jonah preaches a self-idolatrous , Bible-abusive , occult , cruel message .
And Christians by the thousands are eating it up .
Something is very , very wrong here .
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 @ @ @ @ @

He has today’s top-selling books in Amazon’s rankings for Prayer, Men’s Christian Living, Christian Stewardship, Christian History, and Baptist Christianity. He has the top-ranked Kindle books in Christian Church Leadership, Christian Prayer, Episcopalian Christianity, Spiritual Meditations. As an Amazon author, I know what this means: He’s selling books by the thousands.
His name is Francis Jonah, and his work is profoundly occult and unbiblical. And in many ways, cruel.
Just because Amazon lists it in those categories doesn’t mean it fits any of them, yet there’s no denying he tries to make his books look Christian. They’re chock-full of Scripture, and reviewers fawn over his teachings as if he were giving them the word of God. But he mangles the Word of God, sometimes by misquoting (“You reap what you say”), more often by ignoring its plain meaning and reading his own message into it.
Something is very, very wrong. Several things, actually. Jonah makes faith a force we control, rather than our route to a relational connection with God. His work is occultic. He virtually makes us gods ourselves. And the whole thing, for all its optimism and hope, is really quite cruel.
Faith is Not a Force
First, Jonah gets faith completely wrong. He says (page 91, Speaking Things Into Existence: How To Make Your Words Come To Pass), “Faith always works. The reason faith always works is simple. Faith is a law. Laws always work. The law of gravity works all the time. … The law of electricity always works. Faith is also a law, and when operated properly, it will work.”
To support that he quotes from Romans 3:27: “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” There’s nothing in that passage even remotely hinting that faith operates in way that’s analogous to the “laws” of nature. Instead, Paul is comparing the Hebrew moral and ritual law to the principles surrounding faith in Christian life.
Treating it Jonah’s way makes faith a force, which we can wield like scientists or … sorcerers. He says (page 43), “We live by faith. That powerful force that is able to change negative circumstances. The force that is able to drive demons away. That force that is able to drive sicknesses away. That force that is able to make limbs grow and create new organs.”
This is utterly wrong. Faith is no “force.” In itself it has no power at all. Only God does. True faith calls on God, trusting in His character, submissive to His will, and expectant that He will work — by His own will and power. Not ours.
Methods Borrowed from the Occult
Second, his work is occultic. It is of the essence of the occult to “control” spiritual “powers.” So when Jonah writes this (page 16), “If you master the principle of calling situations and circumstances what you want them to be, you will be operating in [sic] a very powerful level,” he’s promoting occult principles.
What is Jonah claiming for himself? And how much more likely is it that this reader was deceived by an evil spirit?!
Whose power is he talking about there? Ours? Is this godly? Does this sound like the humility God led Paul to in 2 Cor. 10, “My power is perfected in weakness”? No, this is more mage-like, more wizardish, than Christian.
In another book he features a reader’s deluded appreciation for his work: “After the keys given to me by Dr. Francis I received a direct message where he came himself in a dream and showed me how to tackle a situation in my life.” This is outrageously unbiblical.
What is Jonah claiming for himself? That he can travel into others’ dreams? That he has wisdom to give guidance to people he doesn’t even know? How much more likely is it that this reader was deceived by an evil spirit?!
“You Will Be Like God”
And third, he wants us to think we’re gods. He writes (page 8), “If God’s world was created with words, you can also create your own world with your words. … Words control life and death. If you master words, your master life and death. If you master words, you master your world.”
Or as Satan told Eve, “You will be like God.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
To further his claim, Jonah abuses Matthew 26:53 (page 75): “In this verse, Jesus reveals that he can pray to release a certain number of angels. It means that our prayers can release as many angels as we need. Why don’t you release 500 angels the next time you pray on a specific assignment?”
There is no hint in Jesus’ message from the Cross that we have the same ability to “release as many angels as we need.” But there is an example: Jesus released no angels. He suffered instead, so that He could fulfill what was right, in love, for all people.
Self-Centered and Cruel
Here’s part of what makes it cruel. Jonah says little to nothing about doing what’s right for others.
Quite the opposite, actually: His method (page 35) is “a formula designed by God to ensure the success of those who use it. Let nothing stop you from using it. You will have what you say. Instead of I am broke, say ‘I am rich’. … Let us stop saying what we have and start saying what we want.”
Why is Jonah’s message cruel? Because it’s false. He denies reality. He raises false expectations that are almost certain to disappoint. Because he twists the promises of the Gospel, he promises what he can’t deliver.
That’s evidenced, for example, in this claim (page 49): “When you call cancer a little disease comparable to headache, they will laugh you to scorn. Such people shouldn’t be your problem else you will continue to struggle in life.”
Tell that to someone dying of cancer. Tell them it’s a little disease like a headache and they could be cured if they only did what Francis Jonah says. That’s magic. And magic doesn’t work. Only the Gospel works.
Francis Jonah preaches a self-idolatrous, Bible-abusive, occult, cruel message. And Christians by the thousands are eating it up.
Something is very, very wrong here.
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.


thestream--2020-09-15--Trump’s Labor Department Seeks to Clean Up Left-Wing Abuses of Pensions

For pension beneficiaries across the country , the recent proposals by the Department of Labor are a positive step towards ensuring that accountability and fiscal responsibility take precedence over any other considerations .
Two new rules are currently being weighed .
The first , for which the Department is currently in the process of sorting through public comment , concerns the role of environmental , social , and governance ( ESG ) investments in ERISA-backed pension funds .
The second takes aim at “ proxy voting , ” examining the outsized roles that proxy advisory firms have in investment decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economically beneficial to pensioners .
These rules rightly reaffirm a fiduciary ’ s obligation to prioritize financial returns over alternative investment strategies in the management of ERISA-managed pension fund assets .
As a former Treasurer of the State of Ohio and Mayor of Cincinnati , I have had firsthand experience overseeing a pension system and I take seriously the responsibility of a fund ’ s management team to provide financial security to the men and women who rely on their pension or 401K for a secure retirement .
Last November , SEC Chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ was the concern that [ shareholders ’ ] financial investments — including their retirement funds — were being steered by third parties to promote individual agendas , rather than to further their primary goals of being able to have enough money to lessen the fear of ‘ running out ’ in retirement or to leave money to their children or grandchildren.
” In putting forth these two regulations , the Department of Labor is taking clear steps to also address this concern .
In the case of the first rule , fiduciary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider ESG investments when they add value to a fund .
When such investments will not improve the financial performance of the fund , or the decision to invest in them is based on political motives , they should be forgone .
According to a study by the Pacific Research Institute , ESG funds were “ 43.9 % smaller compared to an investment in a broader , S & P 500 index fund , ” after 10 years .
As ESG strategies become more fashionable , there is cause for concern that financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top of asset managers ’ considerations .
The question of pensioner ’ s financial interests is further addressed in the recent proposed rule by the DOL .
The proxy system has long been taken advantage of by outside actors without fiduciary responsibilities , preventing sound advice from reaching the nation ’ s pension and investment funds and retail shareholders .
There is currently a duopoly in the system , in which two companies , Institutional Shareholder Services ( ISS ) and Glass Lewis , control the overwhelming majority of the proxy advisory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to adhere to fiduciary duty like ERISA plan managers , and abdicating authority over proxy voting in such a way violates fund managers obligation to plan participants .
More Should be Done The proposed rule is a good step in the right direction by the Department of Labor , but more should be done around proxy advisors ’ role in a process called automatic or robo-voting .
Some fund managers allow proxy advisors to vote their proxies , often without the ability or impulse to consider the recommendation .
In other words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consideration of the impact to the fund .
Such a practice disenfranchises pensioners and should be curbed .
The Securities and Exchange Commission issued guidance on this front to asset managers in June of this year , and DOL should adopt this guidance as a part of the rule .
Pensions should be , and once were , apolitical entities .
At the Institute for Pension Fund Integrity , where I sit on the board , we are singularly focused on that objective — getting politics out of pensions and protecting the financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I applaud the Department of Labor ’ s efforts to further codify the most basic tenet of fiduciary duty : investment decisions should be governed by considering risk and returns , not the political agenda of a third party .
As I have previously noted , “ public pension funds are already underfunded and underperforming.
” Let us not exacerbate the issue by appeasing the special interest groups to the detriment of private sector labor workers and retirees across the country .
Pension fund managers need to be reminded that they are charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacrificed a portion of their wages every payday with the expectation that their money would be handled with care , not used to promote the interests of political actors .
The proposed rule changes are an important step towards fulfilling these obligations .
Ken Blackwell served as Treasurer of State of Ohio and as a member of the U.S. Department of Labor Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans .
He is a trustee of the Institute for Pension Fund Integrity .

For pension beneficiaries across the country, the recent proposals by the Department of Labor are a positive step towards ensuring that accountability and fiscal responsibility take precedence over any other considerations.
Two New Rules
Two new rules are currently being weighed. The first, for which the Department is currently in the process of sorting through public comment, concerns the role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investments in ERISA-backed pension funds. The second takes aim at “proxy voting,” examining the outsized roles that proxy advisory firms have in investment decisions and examining whether their recommendations are always economically beneficial to pensioners.
These rules rightly reaffirm a fiduciary’s obligation to prioritize financial returns over alternative investment strategies in the management of ERISA-managed pension fund assets. As a former Treasurer of the State of Ohio and Mayor of Cincinnati, I have had firsthand experience overseeing a pension system and I take seriously the responsibility of a fund’s management team to provide financial security to the men and women who rely on their pension or 401K for a secure retirement.
Third-Party Agendas
Last November, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton remarked that a chief complaint “was the concern that [shareholders’] financial investments — including their retirement funds — were being steered by third parties to promote individual agendas, rather than to further their primary goals of being able to have enough money to lessen the fear of ‘running out’ in retirement or to leave money to their children or grandchildren.” In putting forth these two regulations, the Department of Labor is taking clear steps to also address this concern.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In the case of the first rule, fiduciary duty obliges pension fund managers to only consider ESG investments when they add value to a fund. When such investments will not improve the financial performance of the fund, or the decision to invest in them is based on political motives, they should be forgone. According to a study by the Pacific Research Institute, ESG funds were “43.9% smaller compared to an investment in a broader, S&P 500 index fund,” after 10 years. As ESG strategies become more fashionable, there is cause for concern that financial returns will be replaced by politics at the top of asset managers’ considerations.
The question of pensioner’s financial interests is further addressed in the recent proposed rule by the DOL. The proxy system has long been taken advantage of by outside actors without fiduciary responsibilities, preventing sound advice from reaching the nation’s pension and investment funds and retail shareholders. There is currently a duopoly in the system, in which two companies, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, control the overwhelming majority of the proxy advisory market. These firms are not obligated to adhere to fiduciary duty like ERISA plan managers, and abdicating authority over proxy voting in such a way violates fund managers obligation to plan participants.
More Should be Done
The proposed rule is a good step in the right direction by the Department of Labor, but more should be done around proxy advisors’ role in a process called automatic or robo-voting. Some fund managers allow proxy advisors to vote their proxies, often without the ability or impulse to consider the recommendation. In other words, fund managers blindly vote the recommendation without consideration of the impact to the fund. Such a practice disenfranchises pensioners and should be curbed. The Securities and Exchange Commission issued guidance on this front to asset managers in June of this year, and DOL should adopt this guidance as a part of the rule.
Politics-Free Pensions
Pensions should be, and once were, apolitical entities. At the Institute for Pension Fund Integrity, where I sit on the board, we are singularly focused on that objective — getting politics out of pensions and protecting the financial security of America’s workforce. I applaud the Department of Labor’s efforts to further codify the most basic tenet of fiduciary duty: investment decisions should be governed by considering risk and returns, not the political agenda of a third party. As I have previously noted, “public pension funds are already underfunded and underperforming.” Let us not exacerbate the issue by appeasing the special interest groups to the detriment of private sector labor workers and retirees across the country.
Pension fund managers need to be reminded that they are charged with acting on behalf of individuals who sacrificed a portion of their wages every payday with the expectation that their money would be handled with care, not used to promote the interests of political actors. The proposed rule changes are an important step towards fulfilling these obligations.
Ken Blackwell served as Treasurer of State of Ohio and as a member of the U.S. Department of Labor Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans. He is a trustee of the Institute for Pension Fund Integrity.


thestream--2020-09-15--The Sexual Revolution, Not Racism or Capitalism, Ruins the Lives of the Poor

Jennifer Roback Morse is a scholar , wife , mom , and author .
She founded perhaps the best comprehensive pro-life , pro-family thinktank , the Ruth Institute .
Her work documents the devastating impact of the Sexual Revolution on society ’ s weakest , most vulnerable people , especially children .
The Stream ’ s John Zmirak interviewed her about her sobering book , The Sexual State : How Elite Ideologies Are Destroying Lives and Why the Church Was Right All Along .
John Zmirak : You founded the Ruth Institute .
Can you please explain its mission ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an international interfaith coalition defending the family and building a civilization of love .
In your book The Sexual State you make a bold claim : the Sexual Revolution is a totalitarian movement .
Why do you say that ?
The key insight is that the goals of the Sexual Revolution are Utopian fantasies .
The Revolutionaries promote the belief that a good and decent society should do everything possible to separate sex from babies , separate both sex and babies from marriage , and eliminate all distinctions between men and women .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sex actually does make babies .
Children do need their parents .
Life-long marriage between their parents does protect the needs of children .
Men and women are really different .
The Revolutionaries can demand unlimited power , once they have convinced people that these high-minded but impossible goals are non-negotiable and unambiguously good .
After all , doing the impossible takes a lot of power to achieve as well as a lot of propaganda to sustain .
These fantasies also require a scapegoat , someone to blame when the impossible fails to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You compare the Sexual Revolution with literal political revolutions , like the Russian Revolution and the French Revolution .
What inspired you to make this comparison ?
As I studied the Sexual Revolution , several similarities with the Bolshevik Revolution began to emerged in my mind .
First , the ideological formula for these revolutions is exactly the same .
An impossible ideal requires massive amounts of power and propaganda , plus a preferred scapegoat .
That equals social chaos and increased concentrations of wealth and privilege .
Second , the body count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just considering the aborted babies alone .
Add in the suicides , depression , unhappiness , loneliness and all the other consequences of family breakdown and sexual license .
It is a staggering toll .
Finally , the concentrations of power into the hands of the Sexual Revolutionary ruling class , the intolerance of dissent , the use of “ reeducation ” programs .
All these features are strikingly similar to communist regimes and movements around the world .
Are you saying the Sexual Revolution was a Marxist movement ?
Close but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marx and Engels despised the nuclear family .
However , there are plenty of non-Marxists who are big supporters of the Sexual Revolution .
John D. Rockefeller III and Henry Kissinger were not Marxists in any meaningful sense .
They were , however , big advocates of population control policies .
And without the rest of the Sexual Revolution never would have gotten off the ground .
They were dreadful elitists too , of course .
I think it is better to see the Sexual Revolution as a free-standing ideology , all on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or offshoot of something else .
Talk about some of the “ idealists ” who helped launch the Sexual Revolution .
What were their most outrageous claims ?
My favorite wack-job would be Wilhelm Reich , who actually wrote a book entitled The Sexual Revolution .
His basic belief was that children are “ entitled ” to have sex .
He went downhill from there .
He also claimed to have discovered a biological energy called “ orgone.
” In 1940 he started building “ orgone accumulators , ” devices that his patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits .
The FDA took a dim view of his claims .
He died in prison for consumer fraud .
In your work , you point up the yawning gap between these sexual ideologies and the truths of human nature — social , biological , and moral .
What are some of the most significant ?
I recently interviewed Paul Kengor about his book The Devil and Karl Marx .
He said something so true and profound that it took my breath away .
He said , “ All totalitarian ideologies try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they could change human nature so that we could abolish private property and still have economic prosperity .
The Sexual Revolutionaries take a direct aim at the most basic facts of human nature .
The Sexual Revolutionaries despise the fact that men and women are different and that sex makes babies , which in turn creates legitimate demands on parents to behave responsibly .
As a woman with a doctorate , I was expected to place my children in daycare and have absolutely no negative feelings about that .
God spared me from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by sending me an incredibly needy first child who could not possibly have survived daycare .
I took the professional “ hits ” involved in stepping off the career path laid out for me .
When you see women dropping off their infants at day care , with tears streaming down her cheeks , and she thinks she must toughen up and do it anyway , that is the power of the Revolutionary war against human nature .
The Sexual Revolutionaries hate the human body and its limitations .
They hate the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recreate the world .
In this respect , they really are a Gnostic death cult .
In the Russian Revolution , there were winners and losers .
Who are the winners in the Sexual Revolution ?
Who are the losers ?
At the Ruth Institute , we describe those who are harmed as “ victims ” and hopefully “ survivors ” of the Sexual Revolution .
The Survivors include : • People with all sorts of health problems from contraception , abortion and casual sex .
The Survivors also include all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” from the hook-up culture or the LGBT subculture .
That is , people who participated in it , and walked away from it because it made them miserable .
We can also include those whom I call the “ Heartbroken Career Women.
” I mean women who made their educations and careers their top priority and were not able to have as many children as they wanted .
This is a widespread phenomenon in virtually every developed country .
Figure 1 in this study is devastating .
Behind this sterile chart are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scapegoats Whom the Revolutionaries Target Who are the kulaks and the Gulag prisoners of the Sexual Revolution ?
The kulaks were the scapegoats for the Soviet system .
The current scapegoats are Christians who are holding out for traditional sexual morality .
“ If only you Christians would stop making everyone feel guilty , we could all have a lifetime of guilt-free , problem-free sex.
” The Gulag prisoners are the people who are silenced : Children of divorce are not allowed to complain .
Their parents are happy , so they must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spouses abandoned them without cause .
These people are not allowed to complain , their spouses have “ moved on ; ” why can ’ t they ?
The people whose health has been ruined or whose contraception hurt them .
They are supposed to be satisfied with a payout from Big Pharma and a gag order .
All these people are socially invisible .
They are blamed for the suffering inflicted on them by the Revolution .
Your group holds an annual conference for the “ Survivors of the Sexual Revolution.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past speakers , and their video testimonies ?
Yes , we conceived the idea of a Summit for Survivors of the Sexual Revolution as a way of bringing people together .
We gather experts on the various subject matters , survivors of the sexual revolution , and activists who are trying to accomplish some positive change .
Last year , we featured “ Survivors of Divorce ” and “ Survivors of the LGBT Subculture.
” The witnesses were unbelievably powerful .
We had an adult woman whose parents divorced when she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abandoned him for another man , and a woman who is both a child of divorce and an abandoned spouse .
This year , we discussed surviving survivng childhood sexual abuse , pornography and the LGBT subculture .
And if I do say so myself , my talk on how “ The Global Ruling Class Likes Pedophilia ” was a real eye-opener .
I have also interviewed a number of Survivors on my video podcast , The Dr. J Show .
I wrote at The Stream that the real suffering of poor people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sexual Revolution is being hijacked by radical groups like Black Lives Matter .
Instead of acknowledging the real damage done by elite ideologies like Sexual Liberation , these groups seek a scapegoat , a conspiracy theory .
There is no doubt in my mind that the Sexual Revolution has been destructive to the poor of all races .
The revolutionaries do not wish to look too closely at the consequences of the policies and practices they have advocated .
( Once they start asking questions , they are on their way out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Marxists in that respect too . )
Diverting people ’ s attention , including their own , away from family breakdown is essential to keeping the fantasy ideology alive .
These groups talk about “ systemic racism.
” Is there some other systemic problem in our society , and how would you describe it ?
If 5 % or 10 % of children are born to unmarried parents , you can say that perhaps those people are somehow unusually irresponsible or immoral .
When over half of first births are to unmarried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that anymore .
That is a systemic problem .
There are cultural , economic and social forces that are systematically steering people toward destructive life choices .
So , yes , we sure do have some systematic problems , quite apart from anything we might say about race .
What can we do ?
How can we help ?
Support the victims and survivors of the Sexual Revolution .
Give them a chance to talk .
Take them seriously .
Educate yourself about these issues .
And , within your sphere of influence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can join forces with the Ruth Institute , by subscribing to our newsletter , our YouTube channel and our audio podcast .
And you can help our work , including our work of recovering from Hurricane Laura , by making a monetary contribution .
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 @ @ @

Jennifer Roback Morse is a scholar, wife, mom, and author. She founded perhaps the best comprehensive pro-life, pro-family thinktank, the Ruth Institute. Her work documents the devastating impact of the Sexual Revolution on society’s weakest, most vulnerable people, especially children. The Stream’s John Zmirak interviewed her about her sobering book, The Sexual State: How Elite Ideologies Are Destroying Lives and Why the Church Was Right All Along.
John Zmirak: You founded the Ruth Institute. Can you please explain its mission?
Jennifer Morse: The Ruth Institute is an international interfaith coalition defending the family and building a civilization of love.
In your book The Sexual State you make a bold claim: the Sexual Revolution is a totalitarian movement. Why do you say that?
The key insight is that the goals of the Sexual Revolution are Utopian fantasies. The Revolutionaries promote the belief that a good and decent society should do everything possible to separate sex from babies, separate both sex and babies from marriage, and eliminate all distinctions between men and women.
But all these goals are impossible. Sex actually does make babies. Children do need their parents. Life-long marriage between their parents does protect the needs of children. Men and women are really different.
The Revolutionaries can demand unlimited power, once they have convinced people that these high-minded but impossible goals are non-negotiable and unambiguously good. After all, doing the impossible takes a lot of power to achieve as well as a lot of propaganda to sustain. These fantasies also require a scapegoat, someone to blame when the impossible fails to materialize.
Sex Bolsheviks Have Taken Over
You compare the Sexual Revolution with literal political revolutions, like the Russian Revolution and the French Revolution. What inspired you to make this comparison?
As I studied the Sexual Revolution, several similarities with the Bolshevik Revolution began to emerged in my mind. First, the ideological formula for these revolutions is exactly the same. An impossible ideal requires massive amounts of power and propaganda, plus a preferred scapegoat. That equals social chaos and increased concentrations of wealth and privilege.
The body count of the Sexual Revolution is enormous, just considering the aborted babies alone. Add in the suicides, depression, unhappiness, loneliness and all the other consequences of family breakdown and sexual license. It is a staggering toll.
Second, the body count of the Sexual Revolution is enormous, just considering the aborted babies alone. Add in the suicides, depression, unhappiness, loneliness and all the other consequences of family breakdown and sexual license. It is a staggering toll.
Finally, the concentrations of power into the hands of the Sexual Revolutionary ruling class, the intolerance of dissent, the use of “reeducation” programs. All these features are strikingly similar to communist regimes and movements around the world.
Malthusian Billionaires of the World, Unite!
Are you saying the Sexual Revolution was a Marxist movement?
Close but not exactly. It is quite true that Marx and Engels despised the nuclear family. However, there are plenty of non-Marxists who are big supporters of the Sexual Revolution. John D. Rockefeller III and Henry Kissinger were not Marxists in any meaningful sense. They were, however, big advocates of population control policies. And without the rest of the Sexual Revolution never would have gotten off the ground. They were dreadful elitists too, of course. I think it is better to see the Sexual Revolution as a free-standing ideology, all on its own, not a special case or offshoot of something else.
Defending Children’s “Right” to Get Molested
Talk about some of the “idealists” who helped launch the Sexual Revolution. What were their most outrageous claims?
My favorite wack-job would be Wilhelm Reich, who actually wrote a book entitled The Sexual Revolution. His basic belief was that children are “entitled” to have sex. He went downhill from there. He also claimed to have discovered a biological energy called “orgone.” In 1940 he started building “orgone accumulators,” devices that his patients sat inside to harness the reputed health benefits. The FDA took a dim view of his claims. He died in prison for consumer fraud.
Hating Creation, Hating the Creator
In your work, you point up the yawning gap between these sexual ideologies and the truths of human nature — social, biological, and moral. What are some of the most significant?
I recently interviewed Paul Kengor about his book The Devil and Karl Marx. He said something so true and profound that it took my breath away. He said, “All totalitarian ideologies try to change human nature.” The Marxists believed they could change human nature so that we could abolish private property and still have economic prosperity.
The Sexual Revolutionaries take a direct aim at the most basic facts of human nature. The Sexual Revolutionaries despise the fact that men and women are different and that sex makes babies, which in turn creates legitimate demands on parents to behave responsibly.
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As a woman with a doctorate, I was expected to place my children in daycare and have absolutely no negative feelings about that. God spared me from going too far down that path, by sending me an incredibly needy first child who could not possibly have survived daycare. I took the professional “hits” involved in stepping off the career path laid out for me. When you see women dropping off their infants at day care, with tears streaming down her cheeks, and she thinks she must toughen up and do it anyway, that is the power of the Revolutionary war against human nature.
The Sexual Revolutionaries hate the human body and its limitations. They hate the world as it actually is and are out to recreate the world. In this respect, they really are a Gnostic death cult.
Survivors of the Sexual Revolution
In the Russian Revolution, there were winners and losers. Who are the winners in the Sexual Revolution? Who are the losers?
At the Ruth Institute, we describe those who are harmed as “victims” and hopefully “survivors” of the Sexual Revolution. The Survivors include:
Children of divorce.
Abandoned spouses.
Reluctantly single parents.
Post-abortive women. And
People with all sorts of health problems from contraception, abortion and casual sex.
The Survivors also include all the people I would describe as “refugees” from the hook-up culture or the LGBT subculture. That is, people who participated in it, and walked away from it because it made them miserable. We can also include those whom I call the “Heartbroken Career Women.” I mean women who made their educations and careers their top priority and were not able to have as many children as they wanted. This is a widespread phenomenon in virtually every developed country. Figure 1 in this study is devastating. Behind this sterile chart are millions of heartbroken women.
Dissidents and Scapegoats Whom the Revolutionaries Target
Who are the kulaks and the Gulag prisoners of the Sexual Revolution?
The kulaks were the scapegoats for the Soviet system. The current scapegoats are Christians who are holding out for traditional sexual morality. “If only you Christians would stop making everyone feel guilty, we could all have a lifetime of guilt-free, problem-free sex.”
The Gulag prisoners are the people who are silenced: Children of divorce are not allowed to complain. Their parents are happy, so they must be happy. Likewise, people whose spouses abandoned them without cause. These people are not allowed to complain, their spouses have “moved on;” why can’t they? The people whose health has been ruined or whose contraception hurt them. They are supposed to be satisfied with a payout from Big Pharma and a gag order. All these people are socially invisible. They are blamed for the suffering inflicted on them by the Revolution.
How We Survived
Your group holds an annual conference for the “Survivors of the Sexual Revolution.” Can you share with us some of the past speakers, and their video testimonies?
Yes, we conceived the idea of a Summit for Survivors of the Sexual Revolution as a way of bringing people together. We gather experts on the various subject matters, survivors of the sexual revolution, and activists who are trying to accomplish some positive change. Last year, we featured “Survivors of Divorce” and “Survivors of the LGBT Subculture.” The witnesses were unbelievably powerful. We had an adult woman whose parents divorced when she was five. Also a man whose wife abandoned him for another man, and a woman who is both a child of divorce and an abandoned spouse.
This year, we discussed surviving survivng childhood sexual abuse, pornography and the LGBT subculture. And if I do say so myself, my talk on how “The Global Ruling Class Likes Pedophilia” was a real eye-opener.
I have also interviewed a number of Survivors on my video podcast, The Dr. J Show.
I wrote at The Stream that the real suffering of poor people, especially black people, thanks to the Sexual Revolution is being hijacked by radical groups like Black Lives Matter. Instead of acknowledging the real damage done by elite ideologies like Sexual Liberation, these groups seek a scapegoat, a conspiracy theory.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Sexual Revolution has been destructive to the poor of all races. The revolutionaries do not wish to look too closely at the consequences of the policies and practices they have advocated. (Once they start asking questions, they are on their way out of their movement. They are similar to Marxists in that respect too.) Diverting people’s attention, including their own, away from family breakdown is essential to keeping the fantasy ideology alive.
Real Systemic Problem, Real Answers
These groups talk about “systemic racism.” Is there some other systemic problem in our society, and how would you describe it?
If 5% or 10% of children are born to unmarried parents, you can say that perhaps those people are somehow unusually irresponsible or immoral. When over half of first births are to unmarried parents, you can’t say that anymore. That is a systemic problem. There are cultural, economic and social forces that are systematically steering people toward destructive life choices. So, yes, we sure do have some systematic problems, quite apart from anything we might say about race.
What can we do? How can we help?
Support the victims and survivors of the Sexual Revolution. Give them a chance to talk. Take them seriously. Educate yourself about these issues. And, within your sphere of influence, advocate for better policies and practices. You can join forces with the Ruth Institute, by subscribing to our newsletter, our YouTube channel and our audio podcast. And you can help our work, including our work of recovering from Hurricane Laura, by making a monetary contribution.
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--2020-09-15--Christian, Guard Your Heart From the News!

If you watch the news , have you thought about how it might be negatively affecting your love for God and others ?
I hope so , because in my experience , watching the news without wisdom is one of the key ways Christians fail to protect their hearts .
I have seen this in my own life and in the lives of other Christians .
Let me explain .
Since the pandemic hit back in March , I have been watching a ton of news .
I have always enjoyed keeping up with current events , including politics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it is an election year , I have been watching more than ever .
Because I want to get both sides of the debate , I regularly watch CNN and Fox News .
Recently I began to notice , more than ever , that watching the news is discouraging me from cultivating a heart oriented in love towards others .
Consider an example .
One of the big stories last week on Fox News was about how Nancy Pelosi , Speaker of the House , visited a hair salon without wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be closed due to Coronavirus-related ordinances .
Many commentators and columnists criticized her for being elitist and hypocritical .
The point of this blog is not to defend or condemn her .
From my perspective , hypocrisy should be pointed out on both sides of the political aisle .
Hypocrisy is not unique to one political party .
It is a human problem that seems to manifest itself powerfully in politics .
How Does It Affect You ?
My point is to ask how watching such coverage affects us as Christians .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ does it affect me ?
To be honest , when I watch such coverage , it doesn ’ t make me think , “ I should pray for her .
She is made in God ’ s image and Jesus died for her just as much as he did for me .
Given what Jesus and Paul said about the human heart — in Mark 7 and Romans 3 — I better look deeply at my own tendency towards hypocrisy before condemning hers.
” To be honest , I find myself feeling disgusted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political sides .
I find myself getting angry .
I certainly don ’ t find myself being encouraged to grow in love and compassion .
This type of coverage is not unique to one side of the aisle , by the way .
It happens on both sides .
“ Above all else , ” said King Solomon , “ guard your heart , for it is the wellspring of life ” ( Proverbs 4:23 ) .
It ’ s hard to imagine how Solomon could have emphasized the importance of guarding our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for God and others is far more important than who wins the next election .
My point here is simply to encourage Christians to think about how watching and reading the news might be affecting their hearts .
If I am honest , I realize that it has certainly had a negative effect on mine .
Will you take a look within ?
Does that mean we shouldn ’ t watch the news ?
Not necessarily .
For me , it means being very attentive to the way the news is presented .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regardless of which side of the aisle it is on , I turn it off .
And it means I ask myself a question regularly , “ Is this encouraging me to love God and love others ?
” If not , there are better ways to spend my time .
As Solomon said , above all else , we must guard our hearts .
This means weeding out anything that discourages us from cultivating a loving heart towards God and others .
Sean McDowell , Ph.D. , is a professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Spokesman for Summit Ministries , a best-selling author , popular speaker and part-time high school teacher .
Follow him on Twitter : @ sean_mcdowell and his blog : SeanMcDowell.org .

If you watch the news, have you thought about how it might be negatively affecting your love for God and others? I hope so, because in my experience, watching the news without wisdom is one of the key ways Christians fail to protect their hearts.
I have seen this in my own life and in the lives of other Christians. Let me explain.
Since the pandemic hit back in March, I have been watching a ton of news. I have always enjoyed keeping up with current events, including politics. But when COVID-19 hit, and given that it is an election year, I have been watching more than ever. Because I want to get both sides of the debate, I regularly watch CNN and Fox News.
Hypocrisy and Politics
Recently I began to notice, more than ever, that watching the news is discouraging me from cultivating a heart oriented in love towards others. Consider an example. One of the big stories last week on Fox News was about how Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, visited a hair salon without wearing a mask, even though it was supposed to be closed due to Coronavirus-related ordinances.
Many commentators and columnists criticized her for being elitist and hypocritical. The point of this blog is not to defend or condemn her. From my perspective, hypocrisy should be pointed out on both sides of the political aisle. Hypocrisy is not unique to one political party. It is a human problem that seems to manifest itself powerfully in politics.
How Does It Affect You?
My point is to ask how watching such coverage affects us as Christians. How does it affect you? How does it affect me? To be honest, when I watch such coverage, it doesn’t make me think, “I should pray for her. She is made in God’s image and Jesus died for her just as much as he did for me. Given what Jesus and Paul said about the human heart — in Mark 7 and Romans 3 — I better look deeply at my own tendency towards hypocrisy before condemning hers.”
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To be honest, I find myself feeling disgusted. I find myself wanting to take political sides. I find myself getting angry. I certainly don’t find myself being encouraged to grow in love and compassion. This type of coverage is not unique to one side of the aisle, by the way. It happens on both sides.
Guard Your Heart
“Above all else,” said King Solomon, “guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23). It’s hard to imagine how Solomon could have emphasized the importance of guarding our hearts more strongly.
Cultivating a heart for God and others is far more important than who wins the next election.
My point here is simply to encourage Christians to think about how watching and reading the news might be affecting their hearts. If I am honest, I realize that it has certainly had a negative effect on mine. Will you take a look within?
Watching News with Wisdom
Does that mean we shouldn’t watch the news? Not necessarily. For me, it means being very attentive to the way the news is presented. If a program is demeaning or dehumanizing, regardless of which side of the aisle it is on, I turn it off. And it means I ask myself a question regularly, “Is this encouraging me to love God and love others?”
If not, there are better ways to spend my time. As Solomon said, above all else, we must guard our hearts. This means weeding out anything that discourages us from cultivating a loving heart towards God and others.
(For the record, I do recognize the place of righteous anger. As we see in the Psalms, there is a time for anger and outcry at injustice and hypocrisy. My focus here is to push back against the “cancel culture” narrative that fosters leading with anger towards others without concern for (1) Looking within first, and (2) Asking how such a response affects our own hearts.)
Sean McDowell, Ph.D., is a professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, the National Spokesman for Summit Ministries, a best-selling author, popular speaker and part-time high school teacher. Follow him on Twitter: @sean_mcdowell and his blog: SeanMcDowell.org.
Originally published at SeanMcDowell.org. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-09-15--Military Photo of the Day: On the Philippine Sea

A U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion ( LCAC ) operates during a recent training exercise with U.S. Marines in @ @ @ @ @ you to Lance Cpl .
Kolby Leger for capturing this breathtaking image .

A U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) operates during a recent training exercise with U.S. Marines in the Philippine Sea.
Thank you to Lance Cpl. Kolby Leger for capturing this breathtaking image.
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thestream--2020-09-17--The First English-Speaking Totalitarian State? Victoria, Australia Looks Like a Trial Run for Americ

The First English-Speaking Totalitarian State? Victoria, Australia Looks Like a Trial Run for America

Amid ongoing lockdowns in Australia due to COVID-19 , the state of Victoria has stood out .
Premier Daniel Andrews has been widely criticized for draconian lockdowns .
Instead of “ flattening the curve ” or sparing hospitals , Andrews is holding the state he governs hostage to the goal of eliminating the virus .
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott , accused Andrews of running a “ health dictatorship.
” Current Prime Minister Scott Morrison attacked Andrews ’ plan as a road to nowhere .
He insisted that Victoria bear more of the economic toll the indefinite lockdown will cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapper Illy complained that “ the Murdoch press [ is ] ganging up on Dan Andrews.
” However , criticism comes from more than conservative politicians or newspapers .
Apart from the usual suspects , Lord Mayor of Melbourne , Sally Capp has criticized Andrew ’ s measures as harmful to businesses .
She warned “ our city is on its knees , with business hanging on by a thread.
” Jim Penman , owner of Jim ’ s Mowing and other services also sounded off .
He said “ the only thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trashing the Victorian economy.
” Penman directed his contractors to defy the lockdown , as he will pay their fines .
Now , he takes on the state government in a multimillion dollar lawsuit .
Even the chairman of Andrew ’ s Victorian COVID-19 Advisory Group , has urged for restrictions to be eased .
He argues that the restrictions have caused too many unintended consequences .
Likewise , the chair of the Australian Retailers Association , Paul Zahra warned that Victoria ’ s current policies could wipe out 50 % of small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignored a staged reopening strategy that would have limited economic damage .
Locking the Poor in their Apartments ABC , the leftist government outlet , has also criticized Andrews .
His policies created wretched conditions in quarantine hotels .
The food , for instance was often near or past expiring .
Muslim residents ’ requests for Halal were ignored .
Likewise , residents of public housing towers in Melbourne were locked in by police .
They were not allowed to leave under any pretense .
They could not go out to buy groceries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever was provided .
Most egregiously , a pregnant woman was arrested for organizing a legal protest against the lockdown via Facebook event .
Zoe-Lee Buhler of Ballarat was handcuffed .
Police seized her electronic devices due to “ incitement.
” Her “ crime ” ?
Organizing an anti-lockdown protest , which would have included masks and social distancing .
She may face jail time ranging from 4 to 15 years .
Her brother started a GoFundMe for her legal fees .
However , typical of GoFundMe , the company shut it down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America are shoots from the very same tree .
Both were established under the British crown .
Both have a common law tradition and constitution .
However , differences grow from there .
In the United States , the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms through the Second Amendment .
Some people still own guns in Australia .
But the government largely confinest that to rural areas and sport shooters .
Following the Port Arthur Massacre , Prime Minister John Howard enacted a mandatory gun buyback .
( In the U.S. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O ’ Rourke to “ seize your guns.
” ) No Second Amendment , No First The U.S. Constitution ’ s First Amendment guarantees the freedom of religion , speech and the right to assemble peacefully .
Forcing Muslims to eat food that violates their beliefs and arresting organizers of peaceful assemblies clearly trashes those freedoms .
Through the Second Amendment , Americans have a guarantor of their liberties .
As Jason Jones and John Zmirak explain , the Second Amendment originated to protect Protestants from religious persecution in England .
The free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other rights of the First Amendment , stand as inextricably linked .
All of them depend upon the Second .
An armed citizenry functions as a fail-safe should a tyrannical government overstep its boundaries .
It is an important link to understand , as these freedoms can quickly erode .
So we ’ re seeing in Victoria , Australia .
The threats to personal liberty down under aren ’ t all predicated on the pretext of fighting COVID .
Recent laws seek to force priests to violate their conscience , mandating disclosure of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Folau had to go through court for months after being wrongfully fired when he expressed his religious views .
Section 18c of the 1975 Racial Discrimination act is often used to punish “ intolerant ” or “ hate ” speech .
Commentator Andrew Bolt was penalized for breaching the act when he speculated that some whites identified as Aboriginal for personal gain .
In the U.S. we ’ d see such laws as a clear affront to constitutional rights .
But what if the Democrats win in November ?
Would the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two or four new justices added to “ pack the court ” ) still care about such quaint , 18th century holdovers ?
Democrat mobs are tearing down our Founders ’ statues , with no condemnation by Joe Biden or Kamala Harris .
That doesn ’ t inspire much confidence , does it ?

Amid ongoing lockdowns in Australia due to COVID-19, the state of Victoria has stood out. Premier Daniel Andrews has been widely criticized for draconian lockdowns. Instead of “flattening the curve” or sparing hospitals, Andrews is holding the state he governs hostage to the goal of eliminating the virus.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, accused Andrews of running a “health dictatorship.” Current Prime Minister Scott Morrison attacked Andrews’ plan as a road to nowhere. He insisted that Victoria bear more of the economic toll the indefinite lockdown will cost at the federal level. Noted Australian rapper Illy complained that “the Murdoch press [is] ganging up on Dan Andrews.” However, criticism comes from more than conservative politicians or newspapers.
Half of Small Businesses Gone
Apart from the usual suspects, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp has criticized Andrew’s measures as harmful to businesses. She warned “our city is on its knees, with business hanging on by a thread.” Jim Penman, owner of Jim’s Mowing and other services also sounded off. He said “the only thing [Andrews] is good at is trashing the Victorian economy.” Penman directed his contractors to defy the lockdown, as he will pay their fines. Now, he takes on the state government in a multimillion dollar lawsuit.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Even the chairman of Andrew’s Victorian COVID-19 Advisory Group, has urged for restrictions to be eased. He argues that the restrictions have caused too many unintended consequences. Likewise, the chair of the Australian Retailers Association, Paul Zahra warned that Victoria’s current policies could wipe out 50% of small businesses. He says Andrews’ government ignored a staged reopening strategy that would have limited economic damage.
Locking the Poor in their Apartments
ABC, the leftist government outlet, has also criticized Andrews. His policies created wretched conditions in quarantine hotels. The food, for instance was often near or past expiring. Muslim residents’ requests for Halal were ignored. Likewise, residents of public housing towers in Melbourne were locked in by police. They were not allowed to leave under any pretense. They could not go out to buy groceries. They were also forced to eat whatever was provided.
Handcuffing Citizens for Organizing Protests
Most egregiously, a pregnant woman was arrested for organizing a legal protest against the lockdown via Facebook event.
Zoe-Lee Buhler of Ballarat was handcuffed. Police seized her electronic devices due to “incitement.” Her “crime”? Organizing an anti-lockdown protest, which would have included masks and social distancing. She may face jail time ranging from 4 to 15 years. Her brother started a GoFundMe for her legal fees. However, typical of GoFundMe, the company shut it down.
It Can Happen Here
Australia and America are shoots from the very same tree. Both were established under the British crown. Both have a common law tradition and constitution. However, differences grow from there.
In the United States, the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms through the Second Amendment. Some people still own guns in Australia. But the government largely confinest that to rural areas and sport shooters. Following the Port Arthur Massacre, Prime Minister John Howard enacted a mandatory gun buyback. (In the U.S., Joe Biden has promised to deputize Beto O’Rourke to “seize your guns.”)
No Second Amendment, No First
The U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees the freedom of religion, speech and the right to assemble peacefully. Forcing Muslims to eat food that violates their beliefs and arresting organizers of peaceful assemblies clearly trashes those freedoms.
An armed citizenry functions as a fail-safe should a tyrannical government overstep its boundaries
Through the Second Amendment, Americans have a guarantor of their liberties. As Jason Jones and John Zmirak explain, the Second Amendment originated to protect Protestants from religious persecution in England. The free exercise of religion, and all the other rights of the First Amendment, stand as inextricably linked. All of them depend upon the Second. An armed citizenry functions as a fail-safe should a tyrannical government overstep its boundaries. It is an important link to understand, as these freedoms can quickly erode. So we’re seeing in Victoria, Australia.
Punishing Churches and Dissident Speech
The threats to personal liberty down under aren’t all predicated on the pretext of fighting COVID. Recent laws seek to force priests to violate their conscience, mandating disclosure of crimes told during confession.
Sportsman Israel Folau had to go through court for months after being wrongfully fired when he expressed his religious views. Section 18c of the 1975 Racial Discrimination act is often used to punish “intolerant” or “hate” speech. Commentator Andrew Bolt was penalized for breaching the act when he speculated that some whites identified as Aboriginal for personal gain.
In the U.S. we’d see such laws as a clear affront to constitutional rights. But what if the Democrats win in November? Would the Supreme Court they’d appoint (perhaps with two or four new justices added to “pack the court”) still care about such quaint, 18th century holdovers? Democrat mobs are tearing down our Founders’ statues, with no condemnation by Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. That doesn’t inspire much confidence, does it?
Bruce Dunn is a Dallas-based consultant who has written on religious and cultural topics. A Southern California native, and recent graduate of Villanova University (B.S.) Mr. Dunn currently resides in the Dallas metroplex where he works on infrastructure projects and is an active member of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano.


thestream--2020-09-17--‘Endured Six Months of Closures’: Josh Hawley Calls on DOJ to Protect Religious Liberties

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley called on the Department of Justice Thursday to file a suit in protection of American religious liberty as coronavirus restrictions on houses of worship continue .
“ The American people have endured six months of closures and restrictions on their houses of worship , ” Hawley wrote in a letter to Attorney General William Barr .
“ Over that period , they have faced countless harms : missed holidays and religious celebrations , canceled weddings , and unattended funerals , to say nothing of the painful absence of regular worship.
” “ These continued violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he continued .
“ I ask that the Department file suit against these jurisdictions and others to uphold Americans ’ rights.
” The senator also emphasized that many states allow restaurants and gyms to operate at 50 % capacity while continuing to limit attendance at houses of worship .
“ In San Francisco , California , for example , churches continue to be under orders limiting religious services to twelve people , and only if done outdoors , while gyms have been allowed to let patrons inside , ” Hawley said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , churches are subject to a specially burdensome 25 percent capacity limitation , while restaurants and other businesses are allowed up to 50 percent of capacity.
” Hawley similarly asked the DOJ in June to launch a “ full civil rights investigation ” into violations of “ free exercise and free speech rights of religious Americans ” in June , saying that state officials have favored protests while targeting religious freedom .
“ Under the First Amendment , state officials must not treat religious persons and groups worse than others , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over another , ” Hawley wrote to the DOJ in June .
“ State officials have violated the free speech and free exercise rights of religious Americans by treating religious gatherings and speech differently than the speech and mass gatherings of protests.
” The DOJ , which did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation , has pushed back against restrictions on religious liberty during the coronavirus pandemic on multiple occasions .
AG Barr said in an early April statement that “ even in times of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discrimination .
Barr also promised that the DOJ would be watching for any state or local government that “ singles out , targets , or discriminates against any house of worship for special restrictions.
” Since this statement was issued , the DOJ has intervened in multiple cases of government crackdowns on churches and pastors , specifically in Nevada , California , Oklahoma , Illinois , Virginia , and Mississippi .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley called on the Department of Justice Thursday to file a suit in protection of American religious liberty as coronavirus restrictions on houses of worship continue.
“The American people have endured six months of closures and restrictions on their houses of worship,” Hawley wrote in a letter to Attorney General William Barr. “Over that period, they have faced countless harms: missed holidays and religious celebrations, canceled weddings, and unattended funerals, to say nothing of the painful absence of regular worship.”
“These continued violations of the First Amendment are outrageous,” he continued. “I ask that the Department file suit against these jurisdictions and others to uphold Americans’ rights.”
The senator also emphasized that many states allow restaurants and gyms to operate at 50% capacity while continuing to limit attendance at houses of worship.
“In San Francisco, California, for example, churches continue to be under orders limiting religious services to twelve people, and only if done outdoors, while gyms have been allowed to let patrons inside,” Hawley said. “In many parts of Washington State, churches are subject to a specially burdensome 25 percent capacity limitation, while restaurants and other businesses are allowed up to 50 percent of capacity.”
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Hawley similarly asked the DOJ in June to launch a “full civil rights investigation” into violations of “free exercise and free speech rights of religious Americans” in June, saying that state officials have favored protests while targeting religious freedom.
“Under the First Amendment, state officials must not treat religious persons and groups worse than others, and they must not favor one kind of speech over another,” Hawley wrote to the DOJ in June. “State officials have violated the free speech and free exercise rights of religious Americans by treating religious gatherings and speech differently than the speech and mass gatherings of protests.”
The DOJ, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation, has pushed back against restrictions on religious liberty during the coronavirus pandemic on multiple occasions. AG Barr said in an early April statement that “even in times of emergency,” federal law prohibits religious discrimination.
Barr also promised that the DOJ would be watching for any state or local government that “singles out, targets, or discriminates against any house of worship for special restrictions.”
Since this statement was issued, the DOJ has intervened in multiple cases of government crackdowns on churches and pastors, specifically in Nevada, California, Oklahoma, Illinois, Virginia, and Mississippi.
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--2020-09-17--BLM: The Modern-Day Bloodletting Movement

The initials fit .
Black Lives Matter is a modern Blood Letting Movement , only more horrific .
Is that over the top ?
I wish .
Bloodletting used to to be a main go-to method for treating disease .
It meant exactly what the name implies : letting blood out of a patient .
The practice goes back to earliest recorded history .
The ancient world ’ s most famous physicians , Hippocrates and Galen , did it .
Barber-surgeons ( it was all one profession ) kept on doing it , well into the 19th century .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Western world ( and possibly elsewhere ) have thought bloodletting was a great way to treat disease .
The idea — at least in the classical world — was that disease was caused by an imbalance of the four “ humours , ” blood , phlegm , and black and yellow bile .
Reducing blood volume would restore that balance , they thought .
We think it ’ s barbaric , because we know it did much more harm than good .
But George Washington ’ s surgeons ( for instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of malice .
They just had a badly mistaken view of the healthy human person , and how health can go wrong .
Now we see it as barbarous , so I fear even the mention of it will disturb some readers .
There is a point , though .
We have a modern bloodletting movement operating today .
It even uses the same initials .
The analogy with Black Lives Matter is almost perfect .
BLM is a literal blood-letting movement , for starters .
It has provoked deadly riots .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I see two strong parallels : First , it ’ s born out of a mistaken view of humanness .
Second , that mistaken view leads to doing more harm than good .
It ’ s not a perfect analogy .
It breaks down badly on the level of culpability .
The old bloodletters could claim innocence , not having had much reason to know better .
BLM activists can ’ t claim the same .
BLM was born out of Marxism and queer theory .
So it sees the ultimate human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic equality , coupled with unfettered sexual freedom .
That , it appears , is what it takes for humans to reach their highest heights .
Meanwhile it ’ s strangely silent on matters of virtue , other than a simplistic view of justice focused entirely on racism .
Even that has nothing to do with action or intention , just skin color .
Whites are racist , period .
American institutions are systemically racist .
Where in BLM do we hear of virtues like love for all ?
Of courage ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do we even hear of aesthetic goods like beauty and order ?
Is there any positive vision of a good family , a good city , a good country ?
Do they ever even speak of interracial harmony ?
BLM leaders want to “ disrupt ” the nuclear family , as if any good could come from that .
They are unabashedly Black-centric — which is fine , to an extent .
But when that becomes the only allowable vision of good ( as it has tended to do lately ) , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all .
This is not a sound vision of healthy humanness .
The “ four humours ” view of health led straight toward destructive bloodletting .
Likewise , BLM ’ s mistaken view of healthy humanness leads unerringly toward wrong treatments for our problems today .
We have problems , no doubt .
Racial tension is undeniably a huge , divisive issue in America .
Blacks and whites do have different experiences , on the whole , a fact we must face just as squarely .
But BLM has a wrong vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This leads to a cure that ’ s even worse than the disease — because it is guaranteed to stoke anger , hatred , divisiveness , and too often violence as well .
The BLM movement wants social and economic equality , and as long as that doesn ’ t suddenly arise , the solution is to stir up anger over it .
This is not a vision of a healthy society .
These activists want racism to end , but they ’ ve pronounced whites incurably racist no matter what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their wrongness ; but hopelessness is no way to motivate real change .
They want to replace existing systems of justice and law , and ( based on what we ’ re seeing in many cities ) replace them with street thuggery .
They don ’ t want harmony , they want payback ; and payback will do as much good for community and country as bloodletting did for patients .
BLM Should Know Better Maybe you think , “ Bloodletting is disgusting .
It ’ s horrifying !
They should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Really ?
How ?
Up until William Harvey in the early 17th century , we didn ’ t even know that blood circulates , much less the reason that it does .
Those doctors meant well , and we can credit them at least for that , even though their ignorance led them to do great harm in their well-meaning .
BLM has not such excuse .
They have Martin Luther King , Jr. as their better example , and they ’ re undoing a lot of the progress he made toward reconciling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blood , they ’ re doing a lot more harm than good with it , and they really ought to know better .
Do you find it disgusting ?
Horrifying ?
You should .
We all should .
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 .

The initials fit. Black Lives Matter is a modern Blood Letting Movement, only more horrific.
Is that over the top? I wish.
Bloodletting used to to be a main go-to method for treating disease. It meant exactly what the name implies: letting blood out of a patient. The practice goes back to earliest recorded history. The ancient world’s most famous physicians, Hippocrates and Galen, did it. Barber-surgeons (it was all one profession) kept on doing it, well into the 19th century.
In fact for most of history, physicians in the Western world (and possibly elsewhere) have thought bloodletting was a great way to treat disease.
The Unhappy History
The idea — at least in the classical world — was that disease was caused by an imbalance of the four “humours,” blood, phlegm, and black and yellow bile. Reducing blood volume would restore that balance, they thought. We think it’s barbaric, because we know it did much more harm than good. But George Washington’s surgeons (for instance) didn’t do it out of malice. They just had a badly mistaken view of the healthy human person, and how health can go wrong.
Now we see it as barbarous, so I fear even the mention of it will disturb some readers. There is a point, though. We have a modern bloodletting movement operating today. It even uses the same initials. The analogy with Black Lives Matter is almost perfect.
They’re letting blood, and doing a lot more harm than good with it. It’s truly disgusting, truly horrifying. They really ought to know better.
BLM is a literal blood-letting movement, for starters. It has provoked deadly riots. But the connection is even closer than that. I see two strong parallels: First, it’s born out of a mistaken view of humanness. Second, that mistaken view leads to doing more harm than good.
It’s not a perfect analogy. It breaks down badly on the level of culpability. The old bloodletters could claim innocence, not having had much reason to know better. BLM activists can’t claim the same.
Parallel 1: A Misguided View of Healthy Humanness
BLM was born out of Marxism and queer theory. So it sees the ultimate human good as a combination of radical social and economic equality, coupled with unfettered sexual freedom. That, it appears, is what it takes for humans to reach their highest heights.
Meanwhile it’s strangely silent on matters of virtue, other than a simplistic view of justice focused entirely on racism. Even that has nothing to do with action or intention, just skin color. Whites are racist, period. American institutions are systemically racist.
Where in BLM do we hear of virtues like love for all? Of courage? Of humility? Of temperance? Where do we even hear of aesthetic goods like beauty and order? Is there any positive vision of a good family, a good city, a good country? Do they ever even speak of interracial harmony?
BLM leaders want to “disrupt” the nuclear family, as if any good could come from that. They are unabashedly Black-centric — which is fine, to an extent. But when that becomes the only allowable vision of good (as it has tended to do lately), it becomes intolerable for others, and totalitarian for all.
This is not a sound vision of healthy humanness.
Parallel 2: The Wrong Treatment
The “four humours” view of health led straight toward destructive bloodletting. Likewise, BLM’s mistaken view of healthy humanness leads unerringly toward wrong treatments for our problems today.
We have problems, no doubt. Racial tension is undeniably a huge, divisive issue in America. Blacks and whites do have different experiences, on the whole, a fact we must face just as squarely. But BLM has a wrong vision of the ultimate good we should seek. This leads to a cure that’s even worse than the disease — because it is guaranteed to stoke anger, hatred, divisiveness, and too often violence as well.
The BLM movement wants social and economic equality, and as long as that doesn’t suddenly arise, the solution is to stir up anger over it. This is not a vision of a healthy society.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
These activists want racism to end, but they’ve pronounced whites incurably racist no matter what they do. Whites are therefore hopelessly stuck in their wrongness; but hopelessness is no way to motivate real change.
They want to replace existing systems of justice and law, and (based on what we’re seeing in many cities) replace them with street thuggery.
They don’t want harmony, they want payback; and payback will do as much good for community and country as bloodletting did for patients.
BLM Should Know Better
Maybe you think, “Bloodletting is disgusting. It’s horrifying! They should have known better!” I answer, Really? How? Up until William Harvey in the early 17th century, we didn’t even know that blood circulates, much less the reason that it does. Those doctors meant well, and we can credit them at least for that, even though their ignorance led them to do great harm in their well-meaning.
BLM has not such excuse. They have Martin Luther King, Jr. as their better example, and they’re undoing a lot of the progress he made toward reconciling the races.
They’re letting blood, they’re doing a lot more harm than good with it, and they really ought to know better. Do you find it disgusting? Horrifying? You should. We all should.
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.


thestream--2020-09-17--Pastors Promote Workplace Training as Alternative to ‘Divisiveness’

A group of minority pastors is asking employers to adopt a new training program that counters the narrative promoted by Black Lives Matter activists .
The group , called Conservative Clergy of Color , developed a six-step “ Getting to All Lives Matter ” in what it calls a fact-based program that operates on the “ assumption all Americans want to build a better society.
” The group wants to offer the program to both government workplaces and those in the private sector , Bishop Aubrey Shines , founder of Conservative Clergy of Color , said Wednesday at a virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacted numerous corporations , simply saying we have an alternative as it relates to this type of divisiveness that we are seeing unfolding , unfortunately lived out , in our agencies .
Not just federal agencies , ” said Shines , of Tampa-based Glory to God Ministries , or G2G .
“ We are seeing it in the athletic realm , in various corporations that are indoctrinating employees to what we believe is something that has no historical basis , that requires historical revisionists to speak to these types of issues , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in light of the demonstrations and riots sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police , adopted diversity training programs based on “ white fragility ” theories presuming an “ implicit bias , ” according to Conservative Clergy of Color .
Both such training and the lecture circuit on anti-racism issues reportedly has become lucrative for white academics .
The six steps in the program offered by Shines ’ group are : • How responsible is the media ?
• What ’ s working , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be tried .
The Rev .
Francisco Vega , an Atlanta pastor with Awakening and Reformation Center , said the conservative clergy ’ s curriculum will challenge notions of the liberal view known as critical race theory .
“ We have to deviate from the rhetoric of critical race theory , which is now being coined as critical social justice , ” Vega said at the press conference .
“ It is really embedded through Marxism and European socialistic ideas.
” “ And , really , we need to remember American exceptionalism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Vega said .
“ I believe that will bring a better perspective of honor and respectability among whites and African Americans and Latinos.
” The Rev .
M.J. Reid , of Detroit , said he sees little reason for the divisive narrative that groups such as the main Black Lives Matter organization push .
“ We understand that many people that are in corporate America also sit in pews , ” said Reid , a pastor at The River Church .
“ It is so important that our pastors , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer an alternative to the narrative that is being pushed by certain groups [ and ] we can ’ t really quantify what [ their ] goal is besides anarchy and divisiveness.
” “ The purpose of this curriculum , ” he said of the clergy ’ s program , “ is to put tools in the hands of leaders [ and ] anyone who is an influencer , to give the information that will counteract and diffuse this chaotic state we see America go into more and more.
” Shines said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that was to be expected : Fred Lucas is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “ The Right Side of History ” podcast .
Lucas is also the author of “ Tainted by Suspicion : The Secret Deals and Electoral Chaos of Disputed Presidential Elections.
” Send an email to Fred .

A group of minority pastors is asking employers to adopt a new training program that counters the narrative promoted by Black Lives Matter activists.
The group, called Conservative Clergy of Color, developed a six-step “Getting to All Lives Matter” in what it calls a fact-based program that operates on the “assumption all Americans want to build a better society.”
The group wants to offer the program to both government workplaces and those in the private sector, Bishop Aubrey Shines, founder of Conservative Clergy of Color, said Wednesday at a virtual press conference.
“We have already contacted numerous corporations, simply saying we have an alternative as it relates to this type of divisiveness that we are seeing unfolding, unfortunately lived out, in our agencies. Not just federal agencies,” said Shines, of Tampa-based Glory to God Ministries, or G2G.
“We are seeing it in the athletic realm, in various corporations that are indoctrinating employees to what we believe is something that has no historical basis, that requires historical revisionists to speak to these types of issues,” he said.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Many corporations, particularly in light of the demonstrations and riots sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, adopted diversity training programs based on “white fragility” theories presuming an “implicit bias,” according to Conservative Clergy of Color.
Both such training and the lecture circuit on anti-racism issues reportedly has become lucrative for white academics.
The six steps in the program offered by Shines’ group are:
Why the ‘All Lives Matter’ approach means stronger teams.
“How we get race wrong.”
How responsible is the media?
Fact-based talk on equity and opportunity.
What’s working, what didn’t, and what should be tried.
Focused minds and open hearts.
The Rev. Francisco Vega, an Atlanta pastor with Awakening and Reformation Center, said the conservative clergy’s curriculum will challenge notions of the liberal view known as critical race theory.
“We have to deviate from the rhetoric of critical race theory, which is now being coined as critical social justice,” Vega said at the press conference. “It is really embedded through Marxism and European socialistic ideas.”
“And, really, we need to remember American exceptionalism and all of the one becoming the whole,” Vega said. “I believe that will bring a better perspective of honor and respectability among whites and African Americans and Latinos.”
The Rev. M.J. Reid, of Detroit, said he sees little reason for the divisive narrative that groups such as the main Black Lives Matter organization push.
“We understand that many people that are in corporate America also sit in pews,” said Reid, a pastor at The River Church. “It is so important that our pastors, especially in communities of color, begin to offer an alternative to the narrative that is being pushed by certain groups [and] we can’t really quantify what [their] goal is besides anarchy and divisiveness.”
“The purpose of this curriculum,” he said of the clergy’s program, “is to put tools in the hands of leaders [and] anyone who is an influencer, to give the information that will counteract and diffuse this chaotic state we see America go into more and more.”
Shines said his organization has seen “pushback,” but that was to be expected:
In the words of Booker T. Washington, ‘There is a group of individuals that need race problems to continue. Why?’ He asks and answers the question. He said, ‘It keeps them lucrative. It keeps them prominent.’ We are seeing pushback because we are upsetting the narrative, not because we are pushing an agenda. We are simply saying, ‘Look at the facts.’
Fred Lucas is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “The Right Side of History” podcast. Lucas is also the author of “Tainted by Suspicion: The Secret Deals and Electoral Chaos of Disputed Presidential Elections.” Send an email to Fred.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-09-17--Cuties Shouldn’t Surprise Us: The Filth We Already Consume Hurts Children

You know why prepubescent girls are twerking , with pouty-lip faces , wearing skintight micro-shorts and sparkly bralettes ?
Because their moms and dads are fans of Beyonce and JLo and Shakira , et al , and they have paid attention , and now they are big fans .
They ’ ve learned that being sexy makes a woman “ successful ” and “ powerful.
” They ’ ve learned that their bodies should be on display , to be consumed by men .
Lots of cleavage .
Extra points for pole dancing .
You know why prepubescent girls are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promiscuity ?
Because their moms and dads behaved that way , so they and their siblings all have different fathers .
Because their father has not been around .
Because they have had few to zero examples of how a gentleman and a lady ought to behave .
Because they have no idea that genuine love is not sexual activity .
They ’ ve been taught to disdain purity and instructed to think of themselves primarily as a “ sexual being.
” Every pop culture icon they see and hear glamorizes a sexually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They themselves are now also loyal consumers .
It ’ s on their iTunes , their Prime watchlist , on their phones and tablets , and they live on a steady diet of this garbage .
The assault on their own moral character is thorough , to say the least .
Netflix releases its pedo-film Cuties and people are rightly outraged .
But I wonder if the young girls are confused .
What ’ s the problem with girls twerking or flashing their breasts ?
That ’ s female empowerment , right ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unspeakably wretched song , “ WAP ” is a huge hit right now .
If you can not connect the dots , it ’ s because you are part of the problem .
35 million streaming views and counting of the above-mentioned filth .
Yes , the song is pure filth .
It ’ s not entertainment , it ’ s filth .
And in our culture , filth sells big time .
Filth makes you filthy rich .
The girls are seeing all this and taking notes .
Their parents are downloading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it must be good .
Their parents aren ’ t stopping them from buying the filth , either .
It must be okay , right ?
No , don ’ t even try the excuse that some things are okay for adults but not okay for kids .
If the adults are consuming filth it means filth is acceptable .
More than that , it means filth is desirable ; a worthy pursuit ; a good use of real talent ; an acceptable product to produce and purchase .
It means there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , or to those who consume it .
If reducing a woman to the “ power ” of her sexual anatomy ( by a vulgar , demeaning name ) brings accolades , money , and notoriety , then it must be a good thing .
A few years ago it was a cheap , porno-novel called Shades of Grey .
Women across the country gobbled it up and made it a huge best-seller .
Smut certainly sells .
The books became movies that grossed hundreds of millions of dollars .
The girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apparently , bondage is cool and rape is sexy if the guy ’ s wealthy , handsome and tormented .
Raunchy , bondage-sex with a little domestic abuse thrown in is irresistibly romantic .
Learn the lesson well , girls .
Forget COVID , folks .
The real pandemic killing us is pornography .
As a woman and a mother , I am completely livid about Cuties and the sexualization of our young daughters .
But frankly , Netflix is low-hanging fruit on this villainous tree .
Netflix does what it does because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace with what we used to call debauchery .
There ’ s already a healthy appetite for young flesh .
How many Cuties fathers are out there viewing perverted filth on Pornhub ?
That a website like Pornhub is even allowed to exist in our society is inexplicably vile .
Shutting down that online hellhole should be as no-brainer as it gets for anyone with a shred of decency .
Yet it remains , day after day , selling women , selling girls , for consumption by predators .
Pornhub sells videos of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being trafficked and held captive .
Minors .
Girls .
Somebody ’ s daughter .
Editor ’ s note : The screenshot below shared by anti-trafficking activist Laila Mickelwait on Twitter to expose Pornhub ’ s and Google ’ s complicity in the abuse of prepubescent children contains disturbing and vulgar content .
Somebody tell me why the United States of America permits this wicked “ business ” to operate for another nano-second !
SHUT .
IT .
DOWN .
NOW .
We ’ ve no right to marvel at the audacity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is the logical fruit of a society that regularly consumes pornography under many veils .
Hollywood celebrates and elevates the likes of Cardi B and her vulgar , filthy “ music ” and people all over America buy it .
Hollywood makes iconic gods and goddesses out of “ artists ” who sell sex as power and fulfillment because people can ’ t get enough .
It sells only because people buy .
Young girls are watching , listening and learning well .
They are both consumer and product already .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the adults who are obligated to preserve their innocence and protect them from corruption .
And I ’ m not talking about Netflix .
Jennifer Hartline is a senior contributor to The Stream .
You can follow her at @ jenniehartline .

You know why prepubescent girls are twerking, with pouty-lip faces, wearing skintight micro-shorts and sparkly bralettes? Because their moms and dads are fans of Beyonce and JLo and Shakira, et al, and they have paid attention, and now they are big fans. They’ve learned that being sexy makes a woman “successful” and “powerful.” They’ve learned that their bodies should be on display, to be consumed by men. Lots of cleavage. Extra points for pole dancing.
You know why prepubescent girls are already firmly on the road to sexual promiscuity? Because their moms and dads behaved that way, so they and their siblings all have different fathers. Because their father has not been around. Because they have had few to zero examples of how a gentleman and a lady ought to behave. Because they have no idea that genuine love is not sexual activity. They’ve been taught to disdain purity and instructed to think of themselves primarily as a “sexual being.”
Every pop culture icon they see and hear glamorizes a sexually decadent, selfish, lascivious lifestyle. They themselves are now also loyal consumers. It’s on their iTunes, their Prime watchlist, on their phones and tablets, and they live on a steady diet of this garbage. The assault on their own moral character is thorough, to say the least.
If the adults are consuming filth it means filth is acceptable.
Netflix releases its pedo-film Cuties and people are rightly outraged. But I wonder if the young girls are confused. What’s the problem with girls twerking or flashing their breasts? That’s female empowerment, right? I mean, Cardi B’s unspeakably wretched song, “WAP” is a huge hit right now.
If you cannot connect the dots, it’s because you are part of the problem.
35 million streaming views and counting of the above-mentioned filth. Yes, the song is pure filth. It’s not entertainment, it’s filth. And in our culture, filth sells big time. Filth makes you filthy rich.
The girls are seeing all this and taking notes. Their parents are downloading it and listening to it, so it must be good. Their parents aren’t stopping them from buying the filth, either. It must be okay, right?
No, don’t even try the excuse that some things are okay for adults but not okay for kids. If the adults are consuming filth it means filth is acceptable. More than that, it means filth is desirable; a worthy pursuit; a good use of real talent; an acceptable product to produce and purchase. It means there is no harm done to those who make it, or to those who consume it.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
If reducing a woman to the “power” of her sexual anatomy (by a vulgar, demeaning name) brings accolades, money, and notoriety, then it must be a good thing.
A few years ago it was a cheap, porno-novel called Shades of Grey. Women across the country gobbled it up and made it a huge best-seller. Smut certainly sells. The books became movies that grossed hundreds of millions of dollars. The girls saw all that and took notes. Apparently, bondage is cool and rape is sexy if the guy’s wealthy, handsome and tormented. Raunchy, bondage-sex with a little domestic abuse thrown in is irresistibly romantic. Learn the lesson well, girls.
Filth is Killing Us
Forget COVID, folks. The real pandemic killing us is pornography. As a woman and a mother, I am completely livid about Cuties and the sexualization of our young daughters. But frankly, Netflix is low-hanging fruit on this villainous tree. Netflix does what it does because the culture at large has already made peace with what we used to call debauchery. There’s already a healthy appetite for young flesh.
How many Cuties fathers are out there viewing perverted filth on Pornhub? That a website like Pornhub is even allowed to exist in our society is inexplicably vile. Shutting down that online hellhole should be as no-brainer as it gets for anyone with a shred of decency. Yet it remains, day after day, selling women, selling girls, for consumption by predators. Pornhub sells videos of girls being raped. Girls who are being trafficked and held captive. Minors. Girls. Somebody’s daughter.
Editor’s note: The screenshot below shared by anti-trafficking activist Laila Mickelwait on Twitter to expose Pornhub’s and Google’s complicity in the abuse of prepubescent children contains disturbing and vulgar content.
Somebody tell me why the United States of America permits this wicked “business” to operate for another nano-second! SHUT. IT. DOWN. NOW.
Stop Consuming the Filth
We’ve no right to marvel at the audacity of Netflix to release a film like Cuties. It is the logical fruit of a society that regularly consumes pornography under many veils. Hollywood celebrates and elevates the likes of Cardi B and her vulgar, filthy “music” and people all over America buy it. Hollywood makes iconic gods and goddesses out of “artists” who sell sex as power and fulfillment because people can’t get enough. It sells only because people buy.
Young girls are watching, listening and learning well. They are both consumer and product already. The blame for that rests entirely with the adults who are obligated to preserve their innocence and protect them from corruption. And I’m not talking about Netflix.
Jennifer Hartline is a senior contributor to The Stream. You can follow her at @jenniehartline.