thestream--2020-08-01--50 Questions for Christians #22: Did Jesus Even Exist?

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison ’ s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian .
Read the series intro here .
I ’ ve been looking forward to this one !
Guy P. Harrison wants to know if we can be sure Jesus ever actually existed .
Maybe so — lots of scholars think so , as Harrison notes .
Or maybe they ’ re wrong .
Maybe “ some Jewish people just made it all up.
” It ’ s a story , he reminds us , and he ’ s “ skeptical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proof that a man named Jesus existed.
” So I have a couple questions for Mr. Harrison .
This will be a different take on Jesus ’ historicity than any he ’ s ever seen before , I promise .
It ’ s not the first good approach to “ Jesus myth ” theories to come along ; far from it .
But it ’ s one the skeptics haven ’ t answered yet , because they haven ’ t even seen it yet ; the book on it is coming out just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Testament have assured me that this approach is new .
And by the way , that means it ’ s going to be new for you , too , the reader .
So here ’ s my question .
What if we take this “ story ” thing seriously ?
This will be new to the skeptics ( and most of the rest of us ) so let ’ s take it slow and easy for starters .
Let ’ s begin with three obvious facts , on which no one could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain obvious for long , but we do need to start there .
First , skeptics and Christians alike agree that there ’ s a story of Jesus .
It comes to us in four interdependent versions , the four Gospels .
Skeptics think the story is legendary , believers see it as true .
Either way , we ’ re safe in calling it a story .
Second , everyone agrees that the story has a main character , Jesus .
Third , everyone agrees that stories come from somewhere .
Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words , that explains how it came to be .
That was the easy part .
( Really easy . )
Now , though , it gets interesting : What ’ s the backstory that explains the Gospels ?
Two Backstories to “ Explain ” the Story Harrison proposes a backstory based on the hypothesis that Jesus never existed .
He says maybe , “ some Jewish people just made it all up.
” That ’ s a really uncommon view , though even among skeptics .
Harrison doesn ’ t really believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there actually was a man named Jesus .
He was a pretty impressive person and all , they say .
He taught , He gathered followers , and He made quite a stir around Galilee and Judea — until He went and got Himself killed .
His followers were devastated .
They ’ d thought He was going to be their Messiah , their King !
Somehow , though , ( it ’ s called cognitive dissonance reduction , but we can skip the details here ) , they decided He could still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they needed was to invent a resurrection for Him !
So they did that , and they padded His story with miracles , too , to support his supernatural kingliness .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
And then they started telling others about Him , who told others , who told still more .
The story spread by word of mouth , all across the Mediterranean region .
It spread so far , it even turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s the game where one child whispers something into the next child ’ s ear , who whispers it to the next , and it goes around the circle until it comes back to the first child , and everyone laughs at how it changed .
It ’ s by this kind of process — I call it the “ Story Scrambler ” — that skeptics think the real , very human Jesus morphed into the God-man Christians believe in .
Skeptics love to point out minor inconsistencies between the Gospels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up during the legend ’ s travel and growth .
Different Gospels tell about different numbers of angels at the tomb that first Easter morning , for example .
Even more than that , though , the skeptics rely on their assumption that where there are miracles , there must be legend , never fact , because ( as “ everyone knows ” ) miracles don ’ t happen .
Now , so far I haven ’ t said a thing most skeptics would disagree with .
I ’ ve been busy setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stories always come from somewhere , and skeptics think the Telephone Game and oral tradition can account for the imperfections ( like miracles ) and inconsistencies .
There ’ s one thing the skeptics ’ explanation can ’ t account for , though — and it ’ s not what you ’ d call a small factor in the story .
It ’ s the character of Jesus .
Does their backstory really explain Jesus the way the Gospels present Him ?
Jesus ’ character in the story is manifestly not scrambled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the single most superb example of self-sacrificial love the world has ever seen — the One whom Bonhoeffer called “ the Man for others.
” Who else do you know of with His kind of power who only ( only ! )
used it for others .
What genius novelist has ever invented such a selfless , giving character as Jesus ?
Their Backstory Doesn ’ t Explain the Way He Preached That ’ s one unlikely “ legendary ” aspect of Jesus ’ character .
There ’ s more .
Across all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways that no Jewish rabbi , priest , or even prophet would ever speak .
The prophets said , “ Thus says the Lord ; ” Jesus never did .
Instead he said , “ But I say unto you.
” Both He and the prophets spoke as if with the authority of God , but the prophets always made it clear they were speaking on someone else ’ s ( God ’ s ) behalf .
Jesus spoke on His own behalf — yet with the same divine authority .
To call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like saying it would be unexpected for Donald Trump to suddenly go work as Nancy Pelosi ’ s apprentice .
It ’ s an understatement too huge for words — and yet all four accounts are absolutely consistent in it .
Jesus ’ character cries in contradiction of the skeptics ’ Story Scrambler theories .
I could add even more , though .
He ’ s perfectly wise .
He lives in perfect communion with the Father .
His leadership is nothing short of spectacular .
Here ’ s the sum of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Gospels , is the only story of a perfect human character that ’ s ever been told .
That ’ s what you find when you take it seriously as a story .
And something that extraordinary needs an explanation .
Where did this character Jesus come from ?
He ’ s Too Good to be False Story scramblers do not produce perfect characters — especially not in four consistent versions .
The skeptics ’ “ explanation ” for Jesus simply doesn ’ t explain Him .
The only possible conclusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a scrambler after all .
The legend theory makes no sense , so where else could the story have come from ?
The skeptics have no other ideas on offer , but believers do : The Gospels tell the reliable , faithful , and true account of the one perfect Man who ’ s ever walked the earth .
Or as I have put it in my own new book detailing all this ( on a level written for lay persons ) , Jesus is Too Good to be False .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know why I said in the opening line , “ I ’ ve been looking forward to this one !
” Check out the endorsements and early reviews , please .
If you ’ ve ever had reason to doubt Jesus ’ full reality , I promise you this will help , like no book you ’ ve read before .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the new Too Good To Be False : How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison’s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian. Read the series intro here. I’ve been looking forward to this one!
Guy P. Harrison wants to know if we can be sure Jesus ever actually existed. Maybe so — lots of scholars think so, as Harrison notes. Or maybe they’re wrong. Maybe “some Jewish people just made it all up.” It’s a story, he reminds us, and he’s “skeptical of stories about Jesus serving as the proof that a man named Jesus existed.”
So I have a couple questions for Mr. Harrison. This will be a different take on Jesus’ historicity than any he’s ever seen before, I promise. It’s not the first good approach to “Jesus myth” theories to come along; far from it. But it’s one the skeptics haven’t answered yet, because they haven’t even seen it yet; the book on it is coming out just today. Many serious students of the New Testament have assured me that this approach is new. And by the way, that means it’s going to be new for you, too, the reader.
So here’s my question. What if we take this “story” thing seriously?
This will be new to the skeptics (and most of the rest of us) so let’s take it slow and easy for starters. Let’s begin with three obvious facts, on which no one could possibly disagree. It won’t remain obvious for long, but we do need to start there.
The Easy Part: Jesus’ Story Is a Story
First, skeptics and Christians alike agree that there’s a story of Jesus. It comes to us in four interdependent versions, the four Gospels. Skeptics think the story is legendary, believers see it as true. Either way, we’re safe in calling it a story.
Second, everyone agrees that the story has a main character, Jesus.
Third, everyone agrees that stories come from somewhere. Every story has a backstory, in other words, that explains how it came to be.
That was the easy part. (Really easy.) Now, though, it gets interesting: What’s the backstory that explains the Gospels?
Two Backstories to “Explain” the Story
Harrison proposes a backstory based on the hypothesis that Jesus never existed. He says maybe, “some Jewish people just made it all up.” That’s a really uncommon view, though even among skeptics. Harrison doesn’t really believe it himself.
Most skeptical scholars think there actually was a man named Jesus. He was a pretty impressive person and all, they say. He taught, He gathered followers, and He made quite a stir around Galilee and Judea — until He went and got Himself killed. His followers were devastated. They’d thought He was going to be their Messiah, their King! Somehow, though, (it’s called cognitive dissonance reduction, but we can skip the details here), they decided He could still be their King after all: All they needed was to invent a resurrection for Him! So they did that, and they padded His story with miracles, too, to support his supernatural kingliness.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
And then they started telling others about Him, who told others, who told still more. The story spread by word of mouth, all across the Mediterranean region. It spread so far, it even turned into a huge multicultural Telephone Game. That’s the game where one child whispers something into the next child’s ear, who whispers it to the next, and it goes around the circle until it comes back to the first child, and everyone laughs at how it changed.
It’s by this kind of process — I call it the “Story Scrambler” — that skeptics think the real, very human Jesus morphed into the God-man Christians believe in.
Skeptics love to point out minor inconsistencies between the Gospels as evidence showing how facts got messed up during the legend’s travel and growth. Different Gospels tell about different numbers of angels at the tomb that first Easter morning, for example.
Even more than that, though, the skeptics rely on their assumption that where there are miracles, there must be legend, never fact, because (as “everyone knows”) miracles don’t happen.
Their Backstory Doesn’t Explain Jesus’ Perfect Love
Now, so far I haven’t said a thing most skeptics would disagree with. I’ve been busy setting up for my next question instead. Stories always come from somewhere, and skeptics think the Telephone Game and oral tradition can account for the imperfections (like miracles) and inconsistencies.
There’s one thing the skeptics’ explanation can’t account for, though — and it’s not what you’d call a small factor in the story. It’s the character of Jesus. Does their backstory really explain Jesus the way the Gospels present Him?
There’s one thing the skeptics’ explanation can’t account for, though — and it’s not what you’d call a small factor in the story. It’s the character of Jesus.
Jesus’ character in the story is manifestly not scrambled. Across all four Gospels, He is the single most superb example of self-sacrificial love the world has ever seen — the One whom Bonhoeffer called “the Man for others.” Who else do you know of with His kind of power who only (only!) used it for others. What genius novelist has ever invented such a selfless, giving character as Jesus?
Their Backstory Doesn’t Explain the Way He Preached
That’s one unlikely “legendary” aspect of Jesus’ character. There’s more. Across all four Gospels He speaks with authority in ways that no Jewish rabbi, priest, or even prophet would ever speak. The prophets said, “Thus says the Lord;” Jesus never did. Instead he said, “But I say unto you.”
Both He and the prophets spoke as if with the authority of God, but the prophets always made it clear they were speaking on someone else’s (God’s) behalf. Jesus spoke on His own behalf — yet with the same divine authority. To call that unexpected in a Jewish story is like saying it would be unexpected for Donald Trump to suddenly go work as Nancy Pelosi’s apprentice. It’s an understatement too huge for words — and yet all four accounts are absolutely consistent in it.
Jesus’ character cries in contradiction of the skeptics’ Story Scrambler theories. I could add even more, though. He’s perfectly wise. He lives in perfect communion with the Father. His leadership is nothing short of spectacular.
Here’s the sum of it: Jesus’ story, as depicted in the Gospels, is the only story of a perfect human character that’s ever been told. That’s what you find when you take it seriously as a story. And something that extraordinary needs an explanation. Where did this character Jesus come from?
He’s Too Good to be False
Story scramblers do not produce perfect characters — especially not in four consistent versions. The skeptics’ “explanation” for Jesus simply doesn’t explain Him. The only possible conclusion is that Jesus didn’t come from a scrambler after all.
The legend theory makes no sense, so where else could the story have come from? The skeptics have no other ideas on offer, but believers do: The Gospels tell the reliable, faithful, and true account of the one perfect Man who’s ever walked the earth.
Or as I have put it in my own new book detailing all this (on a level written for lay persons), Jesus is Too Good to be False.
The book releases today. And now you know why I said in the opening line, “I’ve been looking forward to this one!” Check out the endorsements and early reviews, please. If you’ve ever had reason to doubt Jesus’ full reality, I promise you this will help, like no book you’ve read before.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the new Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-08-02--Patricia Heaton: ‘Handing Everything Over to God Changed My Life’

Christians , celebrity-watchers , and those interested in sharp storytelling will find a winner in Your Second Act : Inspiring Stories of Reinvention .
That ’ s the new book by Patricia Heaton .
Heaton is a talented actress , known for her starring role as Debra Barone in the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond ( 1996–2005 ) .
She also played Frances “ Frankie ” Heck on the ABC sitcom The Middle .
The three-time Emmy Award winner ’ s latest show was Carla ’ s Second Act on CBS .
A devout Catholic , Heaton openly lives her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being pro-life can be a feminist issue , ” she has chaired Feminists for Life .
She opposes euthanasia and the death penalty , too , and is deeply involved in charity work for World Vision .
She ’ s also radiant , which doesn ’ t hurt .
The message of Your Second Act ?
That when we open ourselves up to God dreams can come true .
It doesn ’ t matter what phase of life we ’ re in .
Nor even what challenge we are taking on .
Second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be about self-fulfillment or service to others.
” Julia Child and Martha Stewart were both in their 40s before building their empires .
Former businessmen and Wall Street traders have been known to end up happy inside monasteries or convents .
Heaton tells her story with eloquence , humor , and real insight .
She ’ s the perspicacious , well-read daughter of Chuck Heaton , a sportswriter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer .
She knows how to tell not only a joke , but a story .
She also is the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dynamic and central her faith proves for her , without seeming hectoring or pedantic .
“ I suffer from an early childhood malady that ’ s more common than you ’ ve been led to believe , ” Heaton wrote in her previous book , Motherhood & Hollywood , “ I call it Way Too Normal and Happy Upbringing Syndrome.
” Born and raised in a suburban Cleveland , Heaton was one of five kids in a Catholic family .
Heaton initially wanted to follow her father into journalism .
But she could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was meant to be an actor .
In 1980 she went to New York .
In Second Act she describes her arrival : “ No agent , no manager , no head shots , and no acting classes .
Just a little bit of raw talent and a whole lot of raw passion.
” She trusted her instincts , but kept slamming into brick walls .
“ When the steps you are taking only make sense to you , when you go against everyone ’ s better judgment because you simply can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your passion pushes you to seek your fortunes in a place you ’ ve never been before , maybe that is what you ’ ll have to do.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Frustrated by lack of success in New York , she moved to Los Angeles .
There she took a week-long church trip to Mexico to work as a missionary .
On that trip , Heaton prayed .
She asked God what He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act changed her life .
“ For the first time in forever , I experienced peace .
It was an unbelievable peace that I can ’ t even describe .
Unbeknownst to me , God was working on my heart on Mexico.
” She realized that she could be happy just working in the orphanage they ’ d visited on the trip .
She prayed , “ Lord , I give it all for you .
I get it now .
Here is the acting .
I will stop the acting if that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do .
I ’ m happy to go back and work in the orphanage.
” Heaton writes that she “ could physically feel a transformation inside of me .
It wasn ’ t an easy prayer , and I felt it in the depths of my being.
” She had a vision of a rod bending , a symbol of her headstrong will and pride “ softening as I made my diction to surrender.
” She then “ immediately felt light and truly free inside .
It ’ s like an exchange took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he gave me rest in my soul.
” In an interview with Stephen Colbert , Heaton spoke of how making God her first priority changed her life .
And her career : I got really frustrated [ early on ] because like I literally came out of the womb going ‘ look at me , look at me , look at me , ’ you know ?
And I had nothing to do with it ; it ’ s the way I was made .
And then I was here for nine years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t get arrested … I couldn ’ t make anything happen .
And I was so angry at God .
[ W ] hen I came back [ from Mexico ] I had this huge sense of peace that I ’ d never had before .
I realized that I had been making the acting career the center of my life .
And you know as a Catholic , there ’ s only one thing that can be the center of your life and that ’ s your faith .
And I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And I think God was withholding everything until … He made sure that He was the center of my life and not the career .
Because look , the career comes and goes .
Wise , funny and spiritually rich , Your Second Act is a wonderful read in these trying times .
Those wondering how to carry on would do well to heed Heaton : “ You just say a prayer to your guardian angel and head out the door.
” Mark Judge is a writer and filmmaker in Washington , D.C @

Christians, celebrity-watchers, and those interested in sharp storytelling will find a winner in Your Second Act: Inspiring Stories of Reinvention. That’s the new book by Patricia Heaton.
Heaton is a talented actress, known for her starring role as Debra Barone in the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005). She also played Frances “Frankie” Heck on the ABC sitcom The Middle. The three-time Emmy Award winner’s latest show was Carla’s Second Act on CBS.
Living Her Faith Out Loud
A devout Catholic, Heaton openly lives her faith. Since she believes that “being pro-life can be a feminist issue,” she has chaired Feminists for Life. She opposes euthanasia and the death penalty, too, and is deeply involved in charity work for World Vision. She’s also radiant, which doesn’t hurt.
The message of Your Second Act? That when we open ourselves up to God dreams can come true. It doesn’t matter what phase of life we’re in. Nor even what challenge we are taking on. Second acts, Heaton notes, “can be about self-fulfillment or service to others.” Julia Child and Martha Stewart were both in their 40s before building their empires. Former businessmen and Wall Street traders have been known to end up happy inside monasteries or convents.
A Winning Walk of Faith
Heaton tells her story with eloquence, humor, and real insight. She’s the perspicacious, well-read daughter of Chuck Heaton, a sportswriter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. She knows how to tell not only a joke, but a story. She also is the best kind of apologist. She explains how dynamic and central her faith proves for her, without seeming hectoring or pedantic.
“I suffer from an early childhood malady that’s more common than you’ve been led to believe,” Heaton wrote in her previous book, Motherhood & Hollywood, “I call it Way Too Normal and Happy Upbringing Syndrome.” Born and raised in a suburban Cleveland, Heaton was one of five kids in a Catholic family. Heaton initially wanted to follow her father into journalism. But she could not ignore the deep sense that she was meant to be an actor.
Starting Out Raw
In 1980 she went to New York. In Second Act she describes her arrival: “No agent, no manager, no head shots, and no acting classes. Just a little bit of raw talent and a whole lot of raw passion.” She trusted her instincts, but kept slamming into brick walls. “When the steps you are taking only make sense to you, when you go against everyone’s better judgment because you simply cannot function on this planet otherwise, when your passion pushes you to seek your fortunes in a place you’ve never been before, maybe that is what you’ll have to do.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Frustrated by lack of success in New York, she moved to Los Angeles. There she took a week-long church trip to Mexico to work as a missionary. On that trip, Heaton prayed. She asked God what He really wanted from her.
Asking God for Directions
That simple act changed her life. “For the first time in forever , I experienced peace. It was an unbelievable peace that I can’t even describe. Unbeknownst to me, God was working on my heart on Mexico.” She realized that she could be happy just working in the orphanage they’d visited on the trip. She prayed, “Lord, I give it all for you. I get it now. Here is the acting. I will stop the acting if that’s what you want me to do. I’m happy to go back and work in the orphanage.”
Heaton writes that she “could physically feel a transformation inside of me. It wasn’t an easy prayer, and I felt it in the depths of my being.” She had a vision of a rod bending, a symbol of her headstrong will and pride “softening as I made my diction to surrender.” She then “immediately felt light and truly free inside. It’s like an exchange took place. I gave God control and he gave me rest in my soul.”
In an interview with Stephen Colbert, Heaton spoke of how making God her first priority changed her life. And her career:
I got really frustrated [early on] because like I literally came out of the womb going ‘look at me, look at me, look at me,’ you know? And I had nothing to do with it; it’s the way I was made. And then I was here for nine years in New York. I couldn’t get arrested … I couldn’t make anything happen. And I was so angry at God. … [W]hen I came back [from Mexico] I had this huge sense of peace that I’d never had before. I realized that I had been making the acting career the center of my life. And you know as a Catholic, there’s only one thing that can be the center of your life and that’s your faith. And I think I wasn’t doing that. And I think God was withholding everything until … He made sure that He was the center of my life and not the career. Because look, the career comes and goes.
Wise, funny and spiritually rich, Your Second Act is a wonderful read in these trying times. Those wondering how to carry on would do well to heed Heaton: “You just say a prayer to your guardian angel and head out the door.”
Mark Judge is a writer and filmmaker in Washington, D.C.


thestream--2020-08-02--Is the PC Culture Dictated by White Elites?

In today ’ s woke culture , it is politically correct to expose white supremacy everywhere in our culture .
But wouldn ’ t it be ironic if the ones driving PC culture were actually white elites ?
According to a major study released in October , 2018 , most Americans share an aversion to PC culture , with certain groups of Americans demonstrating an extreme aversion to this toxic culture .
( I just became aware of the study last week and found it extremely relevant , leading to this article . )
The study was titled “ Hidden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Polarized Landscape , ” and , as explained by Prof. Yascha Mounk in The Atlantic , the study was “ based on a nationally representative poll with 8,000 respondents , 30 one-hour interviews , and six focus groups conducted from December 2017 to September 2018.
” The “ Hidden Tribes ” report is 160 pages long , so I can only summarize some of the findings here .
But , as outside groups ( like Antifa ) increasingly dominate the current protest-riot movement , it ’ s worth revisiting this study .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions : Who is bothered most by PC culture ?
Who is advocating for radical change ?
Who are the ones setting the tone for what is acceptable and what is not ?
According to the study , as of 2018 , while 25 percent of Americans were traditional or devoted conservatives , only 8 percent were progressive activists .
As for the 67 percent who did not fall into either of these categories , they were dubbed the “ exhausted majority.
” As Mounk wrote , “ Among the general population , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political correctness is a problem in our country.
’ Even young people are uncomfortable with it , including 74 percent ages 24 to 29 , and 79 percent under age 24 .
On this particular issue , the woke are in a clear minority across all ages.
” And Yet the Woke Tribe Drives Even Greater Political Correctness Since the study was completed , the BLM movement has risen to greater prominence and the Democratic party as a whole has lurched further left , raising the bar all the more for political correctness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less Americans find the PC culture offensive , since much of the country is heading in a more PC direction .
On the other hand , because that culture has become so extreme , finding its expression in the cancel culture , there is an increasing pushback even from very liberal circles .
In the words of Bill Maher , addressing Bari Weiss , who recently resigned from the New York Times , “ Bari , the fact that you — they call you a centrist or right-winger !
I mean , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl living in San Francisco is not a liberal … who is these days ?
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
As Weiss explained , “ What cancel culture is about is not criticism .
It is about punishment .
It is about making a person radioactive .
It is about taking away their job.
” And then , with tremendous insight , she said , “ It ’ s not just about punishing the sinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punishing the person for being insufficiently pure .
It ’ s about this sort of secondary boycott of people who would deign to speak to that person or appear on a platform with that person .
And we see just very obviously where that kind of politics gets us .
If conversation with people that we disagree with becomes impossible , what is the way that we solve conflict ?
… It ’ s violence.
” Exactly .
And if liberals like Maher and Weiss feel this way , how about the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more exhausted is the “ exhausted majority ” today ?
Turning back to the study , Mounk noted that , “ Whites are ever so slightly less likely than average to believe that political correctness is a problem in the country : 79 percent of them share this sentiment .
Instead , it is Asians ( 82 percent ) , Hispanics ( 87 percent ) , and American Indians ( 88 percent ) who are most likely to oppose political correctness.
” Who would have guessed ?
Among all ethnicities surveyed , American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PC culture .
It appears that many woke people know what matters to these Native Americans more than they do themselves .
As for African Americans , while they were not as strongly opposed to PC attitudes as the other groups listed , still , “ Three quarters of African Americans oppose political correctness.
” So Who is Pushing Idea that Political Correctness Has Been Embraced Who , then , is driving the narrative ?
Who , then , is pushing the PC ideas ?
Who , then , is creating the feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has thoroughly embraced PC culture and that only a minority oppose it ?
Mounk summarizes the findings of the report : “ Compared with the rest of the ( nationally representative ) polling sample , progressive activists are much more likely to be rich , highly educated — and white .
They are nearly twice as likely as the average to make more than $ 100,000 a year .
They are nearly three times as likely to have a postgraduate degree .
And while 12 percent of the overall sample in the study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of progressive activists are .
With the exception of the small tribe of devoted conservatives , progressive activists are the most racially homogeneous group in the country.
” Put another way , these are “ the kinds of people , in other words , who are in charge of universities , edit the nation ’ s most important newspapers and magazines , and advise Democratic political candidates on their campaigns.
” I say that we expose this kind of white supremacy — this , rich , highly-educated , elitist supremacy — joining together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tiny minority attempting to its impose its will on everyone else .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitteror YouTube .

In today’s woke culture, it is politically correct to expose white supremacy everywhere in our culture. But wouldn’t it be ironic if the ones driving PC culture were actually white elites?
According to a major study released in October, 2018, most Americans share an aversion to PC culture, with certain groups of Americans demonstrating an extreme aversion to this toxic culture. (I just became aware of the study last week and found it extremely relevant, leading to this article.)
The study was titled “Hidden Tribes: A Study of America’s Polarized Landscape,” and, as explained by Prof. Yascha Mounk in The Atlantic, the study was “based on a nationally representative poll with 8,000 respondents, 30 one-hour interviews, and six focus groups conducted from December 2017 to September 2018.”
80% Believe Political Correctness is a Problem
The “Hidden Tribes” report is 160 pages long, so I can only summarize some of the findings here. But, as outside groups (like Antifa) increasingly dominate the current protest-riot movement, it’s worth revisiting this study.
Our goal will be to answer the questions: Who is bothered most by PC culture? Who is advocating for radical change? Who are the ones setting the tone for what is acceptable and what is not?
According to the study, as of 2018, while 25 percent of Americans were traditional or devoted conservatives, only 8 percent were progressive activists. As for the 67 percent who did not fall into either of these categories, they were dubbed the “exhausted majority.”
As Mounk wrote, “Among the general population, a full 80 percent believe that ‘political correctness is a problem in our country.’ Even young people are uncomfortable with it, including 74 percent ages 24 to 29, and 79 percent under age 24. On this particular issue, the woke are in a clear minority across all ages.”
And Yet the Woke Tribe Drives Even Greater Political Correctness
Since the study was completed, the BLM movement has risen to greater prominence and the Democratic party as a whole has lurched further left, raising the bar all the more for political correctness. So, one might think that less Americans find the PC culture offensive, since much of the country is heading in a more PC direction.
On the other hand, because that culture has become so extreme, finding its expression in the cancel culture, there is an increasing pushback even from very liberal circles.
In the words of Bill Maher, addressing Bari Weiss, who recently resigned from the New York Times, “Bari, the fact that you — they call you a centrist or right-winger! I mean, if a hip, millennial, Jewish bisexual girl living in San Francisco is not a liberal … who is these days?”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
As Weiss explained, “What cancel culture is about is not criticism. It is about punishment. It is about making a person radioactive. It is about taking away their job.”
And then, with tremendous insight, she said, “It’s not just about punishing the sinner, it’s not just about punishing the person for being insufficiently pure. It’s about this sort of secondary boycott of people who would deign to speak to that person or appear on a platform with that person. And we see just very obviously where that kind of politics gets us. If conversation with people that we disagree with becomes impossible, what is the way that we solve conflict?… It’s violence.”
Exactly. And if liberals like Maher and Weiss feel this way, how about the rest of America? How much larger and more exhausted is the “exhausted majority” today?
Minorities Dislike PC Culture Even More
Turning back to the study, Mounk noted that, “Whites are ever so slightly less likely than average to believe that political correctness is a problem in the country: 79 percent of them share this sentiment. Instead, it is Asians (82 percent), Hispanics (87 percent), and American Indians (88 percent) who are most likely to oppose political correctness.”
Who would have guessed? Among all ethnicities surveyed, American Indians have the biggest problem with the PC culture. It appears that many woke people know what matters to these Native Americans more than they do themselves.
As for African Americans, while they were not as strongly opposed to PC attitudes as the other groups listed, still, “Three quarters of African Americans oppose political correctness.”
So Who is Pushing the Idea that Political Correctness Has Been Embraced?
Who, then, is driving the narrative? Who, then, is pushing the PC ideas? Who, then, is creating the feeling that America, as a whole, has thoroughly embraced PC culture and that only a minority oppose it?
Mounk summarizes the findings of the report: “Compared with the rest of the (nationally representative) polling sample, progressive activists are much more likely to be rich, highly educated — and white. They are nearly twice as likely as the average to make more than $100,000 a year. They are nearly three times as likely to have a postgraduate degree. And while 12 percent of the overall sample in the study is African American, only 3 percent of progressive activists are. With the exception of the small tribe of devoted conservatives, progressive activists are the most racially homogeneous group in the country.”
Put another way, these are “the kinds of people, in other words, who are in charge of universities, edit the nation’s most important newspapers and magazines, and advise Democratic political candidates on their campaigns.”
I say that we expose this kind of white supremacy — this, rich, highly-educated, elitist supremacy — joining together as a nation to push back against a tiny minority attempting to its impose its will on everyone else.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitteror YouTube.


thestream--2020-08-02--That’s the Power of Love

That’s the Power of Love

“ John Lewis believed in the Lord , he believed in humanity and he believed in America .
He ’ s been called an American saint , a believer willing to give up everything , even life itself , to bear witness to the truth that drove him all his life .
That we could build a world of peace and justice , harmony and dignity and love .
And the first crucial step on that journey was the recognition that all people are born in the image of God , and carry a spark of the divine in them.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush , a Republican , talking about longtime Democratic Rep. John Lewis , an early civil-rights activist who walked with Martin Luther King Jr. himself .
The lesson of Lewis ’ life , President Bush said , “ is that we must all keep ourselves open to hearing the call of love .
The call of service .
And the call to sacrifice for others.
” Acknowledging the obvious , he said , “ Listen , John and I had our disagreements , of course , ” and then added : “ but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the America I believe in , differences of opinion are inevitable elements and evidence of democracy in action.
” Obviously , too , that is not a given anymore in the America we all live in .
Differences of opinion and online culture , for one , don ’ t mix well .
But when President Bush talked about sacrifice , service and the call to love , I couldn ’ t help but think of Rebecca Kiessling .
She ’ s an adoptive mother whose heart was torn out of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sons died .
Kiessling had to make the call to the boys ’ birth mother to let her know the terrible news .
They had been struggling with drug addiction and some of the behaviors that addiction can exacerbate .
Adoption is a miracle .
It is just about the ultimate in love , sacrifice and service , at just about any angle you look at it , not least from the perspective of the birth mother .
We should not talk about these women as if they have walked away from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it were a bad habit .
These women love their children so much that they give them a better life .
They carry them and give birth to them , and their very bodies , their whole existence , will never be the same again — even as they will not be the ones to console and counsel those beautiful children .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Adoptive families reflect the gratuitous love God has for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love beyond what is naturally , obviously theirs , their responsibility .
Whether a child came to you through biology or adoption , every ounce of your love is required , and it may not always be enough .
All parents who truly love are heroic .
As a father friend of mine recently put it : “ You can only do so much , but you still do all you can .
You can ’ t give up on your children , but you can ’ t make it all better.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not given up on — not by their birth mother , not by their adoptive family .
But sometimes we are strangled by the miseries of this world , as evil has its way with us .
Compassion From the Depths of Our Being George W. Bush used to talk about compassionate conservatism .
That phrase must sound like an exotic fantasy to some , considering the political rhetoric of the times .
Compassion involves something much beyond mere niceties .
In truth , it comes from the depths of our being .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart , of the struggling , of the casualties of evil in the world .
We are called to do so with some trembling even , recognizing the spark of the divine in everyone — especially the most vulnerable .
( The Good Book says something about widows and orphans , after all . )
Kyler and Caleb ’ s birth mother and adoptive parents loved greatly , in the most sacred ways .
That ’ s what George W. Bush was talking about , writ large .
The mission is love .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a pandemic in a presidential election year .
Maybe especially , in fact .
Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute , editor-at-large of National Review magazine and author of the new book A Year With the Mystics : Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living .
She is also chair of Cardinal Dolan ’ s pro-life commission in New York .
She can be contacted at klopez @ nationalreview.com .

“John Lewis believed in the Lord, he believed in humanity and he believed in America. He’s been called an American saint, a believer willing to give up everything, even life itself, to bear witness to the truth that drove him all his life. That we could build a world of peace and justice, harmony and dignity and love. And the first crucial step on that journey was the recognition that all people are born in the image of God, and carry a spark of the divine in them.”
That was former president George W. Bush, a Republican, talking about longtime Democratic Rep. John Lewis, an early civil-rights activist who walked with Martin Luther King Jr. himself. The lesson of Lewis’ life, President Bush said, “is that we must all keep ourselves open to hearing the call of love. The call of service. And the call to sacrifice for others.”
Acknowledging the obvious, he said, “Listen, John and I had our disagreements, of course,” and then added: “but in the America John Lewis fought for and the America I believe in, differences of opinion are inevitable elements and evidence of democracy in action.”
Obviously, too, that is not a given anymore in the America we all live in. Differences of opinion and online culture, for one, don’t mix well.
The Call to Love
But when President Bush talked about sacrifice, service and the call to love, I couldn’t help but think of Rebecca Kiessling. She’s an adoptive mother whose heart was torn out of her chest this summer, when her two sons died. Kiessling had to make the call to the boys’ birth mother to let her know the terrible news. They had been struggling with drug addiction and some of the behaviors that addiction can exacerbate.
Adoption is a miracle. It is just about the ultimate in love, sacrifice and service, at just about any angle you look at it, not least from the perspective of the birth mother. We should not talk about these women as if they have walked away from a responsibility or given up something as if it were a bad habit. These women love their children so much that they give them a better life. They carry them and give birth to them, and their very bodies, their whole existence, will never be the same again — even as they will not be the ones to console and counsel those beautiful children.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Adoptive families reflect the gratuitous love God has for us. Their hearts are stretched to love beyond what is naturally, obviously theirs, their responsibility. Whether a child came to you through biology or adoption, every ounce of your love is required, and it may not always be enough. All parents who truly love are heroic. As a father friend of mine recently put it: “You can only do so much, but you still do all you can. You can’t give up on your children, but you can’t make it all better.”
Eighteen-year-old Kyler and 20-year-old Caleb Kiessling were not given up on — not by their birth mother, not by their adoptive family. But sometimes we are strangled by the miseries of this world, as evil has its way with us.
Compassion From the Depths of Our Being
George W. Bush used to talk about compassionate conservatism. That phrase must sound like an exotic fantasy to some, considering the political rhetoric of the times. Compassion involves something much beyond mere niceties. In truth, it comes from the depths of our being. We respond to the cries of the heart, of the struggling, of the casualties of evil in the world. We are called to do so with some trembling even, recognizing the spark of the divine in everyone — especially the most vulnerable. (The Good Book says something about widows and orphans, after all.)
Kyler and Caleb’s birth mother and adoptive parents loved greatly, in the most sacred ways. That’s what George W. Bush was talking about, writ large. The mission is love. The rest is a distraction. Even during a pandemic in a presidential election year. Maybe especially, in fact.
Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute, editor-at-large of National Review magazine and author of the new book A Year With the Mystics: Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living. She is also chair of Cardinal Dolan’s pro-life commission in New York. She can be contacted at [email protected].


thestream--2020-08-02--#TheStadiumRevival: Revival Continues in California Despite Recent Restrictions. But Is It Legitimat

#TheStadiumRevival: Revival Continues in California Despite Recent Restrictions. But Is It Legitimate?

Recently , a few news outlets asked , “ What ’ s going on in California ?
” That question prompted me to write these articles ( you can view the first one here . )
With the beach gatherings , along with Pastor ’ s Jack Hibbs ’ , Rob McCoy , and John MacArthur ’ s bold stances , we decided to launch a Saturday night service in Lancaster , California , at JetHawk Stadium on July 25th .
It ’ s being tagged the Stadium Revival .
To get you up to speed : Although the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to come together , word quickly spread and approximately 1,000 people show up every Saturday .
We are not collecting names for a database or trying to elevate our church ; it ’ s simply a time to elevate Christ .
It ’ s an incredible event that will run through September 2020 ( God willing ) .
This second weekend we witnessed even more salvations , recommitments , and powerful personal testimonies leading to 30 baptisms , 29 of which were spontaneous .
This move of God simply shows how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uplifted … and even convicted .
The message can be seen here and if you subscribe to us on YouTube here or Facebook you can see the full service .
For those asking , what we are doing is not connected to Bethel in any way .
Although I know Sean Feucht , for example , and appreciate him leading worship in obscure places ( would be to God that more would step up to the plate ) , God is doing something different in our area .
My messages are focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a call back to God … back to truth , holiness , and the fear of the Lord .
As a matter of fact , if God doesn ’ t change my plans , next week ’ s message is : “ There is No Fear of God in This Place.
” Conservatives think I ’ m too charismatic , and charismatics think I ’ m too conservative , but God will be my final judge .
I have one desire : To see the Spirit of the living God revive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To encourage believers and convict sinners , and to build the local church .
There is Always a Word Spoken Against Revival Sadly , some are coming against these events throughout California .
This is not uncommon .
Every book I have read on revival always has a word spoken against it .
George Whitefield had to retreat to the open fields to preach , and John Wesley was criticized often .
Revival stirs the waters … dead churches are convicted about their barrenness , and carnal Christians are deeply challenged .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God .
However , while revivals may grow from pure motives and humble beginnings , they can be quenched by bizarre behavior or by leaders who lack character , or by those who take the glory and promote themselves .
God calls us to be concerned , prayerful , and surrendered to Him .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
We easily ignore Scripture when we embrace views outside of God ’ s revealed Word .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural trends , and can be easily led by false teachings .
Jeremiah 23:16 sheds even more light on the need to discern , “ Thus says the LORD of hosts : ‘ Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you .
They make you worthless ; they speak a vision of their own heart , not from the mouth of the LORD ’ .
” We are to discern truth from error , light from darkness , and right from wrong .
But not all leaders in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many are sincere and open to the work of the Holy Spirit and understand that “ experiences ” can not supersede the Word .
God ’ s Word is the foundation on which all truth stands ( cf .
1 Timothy 3:15 ) .
What is true revival , and is California experiencing it ?
As stated last week , a genuine revival is God reviving His people — “ Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee ?
” ( Psalm 85:6 KJV ) .
He fills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an even greater presence of His Spirit , and repentance is often a mark of true revival .
Christians can embrace one of two extremes concerning the word “ revival.
” At one extreme are those who embrace pure emotionalism and hysteria — “ if it ’ s odd it ’ s God ” — all weird behavior is excused .
The other extreme lacks a living , vibrant spiritual life .
The church feels dead , cold , and lifeless .
Talk of reviving the things of God ( revival ) is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can hinder the work of the Holy Spirit and genuine Christian growth .
Those truly filled with the Spirit reflect the personality and nature of God .
Someone truly filled with the Spirit though bold , is often not bizarre .
We can not dismiss the truly miraculous works of God that happen daily , nor can we minimize the incredible power of God to radically change lives through the power of the Spirit .
However , in our zeal and excitement we often minimize the need for discernment .
A discerning person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Word , nature , and character .
That said , the short answer is yes .
I believe what we are seeing in California is genuine ( in most cases ) .
Is there genuine fruit ?
Does the experience align with God ’ s Word ?
Is the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 present : love , joy , peace , long-suffering , kindness , goodness , faithfulness , gentleness , and self-control ?
A true , genuine experience with the Holy Spirit will produce godly fruit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to promote those things that are pure and righteous .
Join me in praying : “ God , please keep the revival fires burning from California to all 50 states and beyond .
You are our only hope.
” And don ’ t forget to check out our live feed next Saturday at 7 pm PST on both Facebook and YouTube .
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network .
His program , Regaining Lost Ground , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us that although times change , truth does not .
His books , blogs , and sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com .

Recently, a few news outlets asked, “What’s going on in California?” That question prompted me to write these articles (you can view the first one here.) With the beach gatherings, along with Pastor’s Jack Hibbs’, Rob McCoy, and John MacArthur’s bold stances, we decided to launch a Saturday night service in Lancaster, California, at JetHawk Stadium on July 25th. It’s being tagged the Stadium Revival.
30 Baptisms Last Night
To get you up to speed: Although the event was primarily for our local body as a way to come together, word quickly spread and approximately 1,000 people show up every Saturday. We are not collecting names for a database or trying to elevate our church; it’s simply a time to elevate Christ. It’s an incredible event that will run through September 2020 (God willing).
This second weekend we witnessed even more salvations, recommitments, and powerful personal testimonies leading to 30 baptisms, 29 of which were spontaneous. This move of God simply shows how hungry people are to be encouraged and uplifted … and even convicted. The message can be seen here and if you subscribe to us on YouTube here or Facebook you can see the full service.
For those asking, what we are doing is not connected to Bethel in any way. Although I know Sean Feucht, for example, and appreciate him leading worship in obscure places (would be to God that more would step up to the plate), God is doing something different in our area. My messages are focused on the simple message of repentance. It’s a call back to God … back to truth, holiness, and the fear of the Lord. As a matter of fact, if God doesn’t change my plans, next week’s message is: “There is No Fear of God in This Place.”
Conservatives think I’m too charismatic, and charismatics think I’m too conservative, but God will be my final judge. I have one desire: To see the Spirit of the living God revive dead churches and convict causal bystanders. To encourage believers and convict sinners, and to build the local church.
There is Always a Word Spoken Against Revival
Sadly, some are coming against these events throughout California. This is not uncommon. Every book I have read on revival always has a word spoken against it. George Whitefield had to retreat to the open fields to preach, and John Wesley was criticized often. Revival stirs the waters … dead churches are convicted about their barrenness, and carnal Christians are deeply challenged.
What many have experienced are valid moves of God. However, while revivals may grow from pure motives and humble beginnings, they can be quenched by bizarre behavior or by leaders who lack character, or by those who take the glory and promote themselves. God calls us to be concerned, prayerful, and surrendered to Him.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
We easily ignore Scripture when we embrace views outside of God’s revealed Word. When we default to our old nature or cultural trends, and can be easily led by false teachings. Jeremiah 23:16 sheds even more light on the need to discern, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the LORD’.”
We are to discern truth from error, light from darkness, and right from wrong. But not all leaders in revival movements are false and misleading. Many are sincere and open to the work of the Holy Spirit and understand that “experiences” cannot supersede the Word. God’s Word is the foundation on which all truth stands (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15).
Is California Experiencing Genuine Revival?
What is true revival, and is California experiencing it? As stated last week, a genuine revival is God reviving His people — “Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee?” (Psalm 85:6 KJV). He fills us with joy, love, and an even greater presence of His Spirit, and repentance is often a mark of true revival.
Christians can embrace one of two extremes concerning the word “revival.” At one extreme are those who embrace pure emotionalism and hysteria — “if it’s odd it’s God” — all weird behavior is excused. The other extreme lacks a living, vibrant spiritual life. The church feels dead, cold, and lifeless. Talk of reviving the things of God (revival) is either dismissed or ridiculed. Both extremes can hinder the work of the Holy Spirit and genuine Christian growth. Those truly filled with the Spirit reflect the personality and nature of God. Someone truly filled with the Spirit though bold, is often not bizarre.
We cannot dismiss the truly miraculous works of God that happen daily, nor can we minimize the incredible power of God to radically change lives through the power of the Spirit. However, in our zeal and excitement we often minimize the need for discernment. A discerning person considers supernatural experiences in light of God’s Word, nature, and character.
That said, the short answer is yes. I believe what we are seeing in California is genuine (in most cases). Is there genuine fruit? Does the experience align with God’s Word? Is the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 present: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? A true, genuine experience with the Holy Spirit will produce godly fruit and obedience to God. It seeks to promote those things that are pure and righteous.
Join me in praying: “God, please keep the revival fires burning from California to all 50 states and beyond. You are our only hope.” And don’t forget to check out our live feed next Saturday at 7 pm PST on both Facebook and YouTube.
Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network. His program, Regaining Lost Ground, points us back to God and reminds us that although times change, truth does not. His books, blogs, and sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com.


thestream--2020-08-02--DC Police Reveal Why They Arrested Teens Writing Pro-Life Messages in Chalk

The Washington , D.C. Metropolitan Police Department arrested two students Saturday morning for defacing property after they wrote pro-life messages in chalk , MPD told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Students for Life of America and the Frederick Douglass Foundation had planned to write the words “ BLACK PREBORN LIVES MATTER ” on the sidewalk outside an abortion clinic in Washington , D.C. Saturday morning , according to a Students for Life press release .
The group also said it obtained a permit for the event .
Video footage captured by the Daily Caller News Foundation shows police arresting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion clinic .
The students said they chalked outside the abortion clinic every week as part of an effort to persuade women not to get abortions .
MPD spokeswoman Alaina Gertz told the DCNF that the students were arrested for “ the defacing of private/public property.
” She said the students were “ both citation released ” and referred the DCNF to a description of what “ Defacing public or private property ” means .
Both advocacy groups had sent a July 20 letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser requesting permission to paint the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to “ to celebrate the beautiful children with endless potential who are the future of their community and deserve the opportunity to make their mark in the world.
” Neither Bowser nor MPD immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the permit .
The incident took place in the 1200 block of 4th Street , Northeast , MPD confirmed .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Chalking messages is a common method of advocacy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and police brutality have erupted across the nation .
Bowser had the slogan “ Black Lives Matter ” painted on a D.C. street in massive yellow letters in early June .
The DCNF asked MPD whether graffiti on the streets of D.C. done in the name of George Floyd or Black Lives Matter also counted as defacing of private/public property .
MPD did not immediately respond to this question .
Protestors and rioters throughout the nation have chalked messages on streets and buildings against police , police brutality and racism .
As recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First sued Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen as well as 14 other university administrators and nine members of the State Board of Regents , saying the school sought to restrict free speech by prohibiting chalking .

The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department arrested two students Saturday morning for defacing property after they wrote pro-life messages in chalk, MPD told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Students for Life of America and the Frederick Douglass Foundation had planned to write the words “BLACK PREBORN LIVES MATTER” on the sidewalk outside an abortion clinic in Washington, D.C. Saturday morning, according to a Students for Life press release. The group also said it obtained a permit for the event.
Pro-life students were arrested for writing “Black Pre-born Lives Matter” outside a Washington DC Planned Parenthood with chalk. pic.twitter.com/C3n1fSWUqw — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 1, 2020
Video footage captured by the Daily Caller News Foundation shows police arresting two students for chalking messages outside the abortion clinic. The students said they chalked outside the abortion clinic every week as part of an effort to persuade women not to get abortions.
MPD spokeswoman Alaina Gertz told the DCNF that the students were arrested for “the defacing of private/public property.” She said the students were “both citation released” and referred the DCNF to a description of what “Defacing public or private property” means.
Both advocacy groups had sent a July 20 letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser requesting permission to paint the words “Black Pre-Born Lives Matter” in order to “to celebrate the beautiful children with endless potential who are the future of their community and deserve the opportunity to make their mark in the world.”
Neither Bowser nor MPD immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the permit.
The incident took place in the 1200 block of 4th Street, Northeast, MPD confirmed.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Chalking messages is a common method of advocacy, particularly as protests and riots against racism and police brutality have erupted across the nation. Bowser had the slogan “Black Lives Matter” painted on a D.C. street in massive yellow letters in early June.
The DCNF asked MPD whether graffiti on the streets of D.C. done in the name of George Floyd or Black Lives Matter also counted as defacing of private/public property. MPD did not immediately respond to this question.
Protestors and rioters throughout the nation have chalked messages on streets and buildings against police, police brutality and racism.
As recently as January 2020, the nonprofit Speech First sued Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen as well as 14 other university administrators and nine members of the State Board of Regents, saying the school sought to restrict free speech by prohibiting chalking.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-08-03--The Stealth ‘Green New Deal’

The Stealth ‘Green New Deal’

We are three months from the Presidential election , and the stakes for the future of America have never been higher .
The COVID-19 global pandemic knocked America ’ s robust economy back on its heels .
As states cautiously re-open , President Trump has been laser-focused on supporting small businesses and getting our nation to work .
However , in Washington , D.C. , with 51 million people out of work , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Democrats , and their connected cronies have abused SBA loans .
They have snuck numerous provisions into emergency bills under the cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Democrats ’ plans is their embracing the previously dismissed “ Green New Deal , ” which was a radical environmental proposal from self-described socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) and Senator Ed Markey ( D-MA ) .
Rep. Jim Clyburn ( D-SC ) , the third-ranking House Democrat , was too honest by admitting his party wants to use billions in COVID-19 rescue funds to “ restructure things to fit our vision.
” Democrats are showing their cards of enacting this left-wing dream legislation in pieces through the tax code .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and conservatives must carefully watch the latest developments .
Democrats are focused on tax bills because they only take a simple 51-majority vote in the Senate , utilizing “ budget reconciliation ” rules .
First , this was tried with the so-called “ Moving Forward Act ” a $ 1.5 trillion spending bill full of radical environmentalist plans .
Also , there were additional disturbing provisions in the highway reauthorization pork-barrel bill , including green-tax credits , which extends and expands credits for wealthy homeowners with solar panels , storage devices , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2025 .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Once presented as “ temporary ” tax incentives , it is clear Democrats never want these green handouts to affluent taxpayers and highly-profitable renewable energy companies to end .
The truth is , America does not need new environmental regulation .
We , along with other industrialized nations , can lower carbon emissions and still generate massive growth .
Dozens of the world ’ s largest companies have reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major oil companies report their methane emissions have declined by 40 percent while oil production is steadily increasing .
America needs free-market innovation , not manipulative tax code changes , and job-killing policies , especially during a pandemic !
As Ryan Ellis of the Center for a Free Economy correctly observes , as COVID-19-related legislation continues to be rushed through Congress this year , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Trump must stop all sneaky “ Green New Deal ” tax provisions .
We are not out of this pandemic , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Using disaster and death to enact an extreme agenda must stop .
Let ’ s re-elect President Trump , make real progress on ending the pandemic , and get Americans back to work .
Ken Blackwell is an advisor to the Family Research Council in Washington , D.C .
He serves on the boards of the Club For Growth and the National Taxpayers Union .

We are three months from the Presidential election, and the stakes for the future of America have never been higher.
The COVID-19 global pandemic knocked America’s robust economy back on its heels. As states cautiously re-open, President Trump has been laser-focused on supporting small businesses and getting our nation to work. However, in Washington, D.C., with 51 million people out of work, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrats, and their connected cronies have abused SBA loans. They have snuck numerous provisions into emergency bills under the cover of COVID-19.
The Green New Deal
The most terrifying sign of Democrats’ plans is their embracing the previously dismissed “Green New Deal,” which was a radical environmental proposal from self-described socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), the third-ranking House Democrat, was too honest by admitting his party wants to use billions in COVID-19 rescue funds to “restructure things to fit our vision.”
Democrats are showing their cards of enacting this left-wing dream legislation in pieces through the tax code. It is time to sound the alarm, and conservatives must carefully watch the latest developments.
Focusing on Tax Bills
Democrats are focused on tax bills because they only take a simple 51-majority vote in the Senate, utilizing “budget reconciliation” rules. First, this was tried with the so-called “Moving Forward Act” a $1.5 trillion spending bill full of radical environmentalist plans. Also, there were additional disturbing provisions in the highway reauthorization pork-barrel bill, including green-tax credits, which extends and expands credits for wealthy homeowners with solar panels, storage devices, energy-efficient windows, and geothermal converters until 2025.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Once presented as “temporary” tax incentives, it is clear Democrats never want these green handouts to affluent taxpayers and highly-profitable renewable energy companies to end.
The truth is, America does not need new environmental regulation. We, along with other industrialized nations, can lower carbon emissions and still generate massive growth. Dozens of the world’s largest companies have reduced carbon emissions by 12 percent, and major oil companies report their methane emissions have declined by 40 percent while oil production is steadily increasing. America needs free-market innovation, not manipulative tax code changes, and job-killing policies, especially during a pandemic!
Don’t Rush It
As Ryan Ellis of the Center for a Free Economy correctly observes, as COVID-19-related legislation continues to be rushed through Congress this year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Trump must stop all sneaky “Green New Deal” tax provisions.
We are not out of this pandemic, but the American people can overcome any obstacle. Using disaster and death to enact an extreme agenda must stop. Let’s re-elect President Trump, make real progress on ending the pandemic, and get Americans back to work.
Ken Blackwell is an advisor to the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. He serves on the boards of the Club For Growth and the National Taxpayers Union.


thestream--2020-08-03--Evangelist Alveda King on Racial Climate: ‘We’re Just One Race’

The Stream ’ s Nancy Flory recently spoke with Evangelist Alveda King , Martin Luther King , Jr ’ s niece , who also participated in the civil rights movement in the 1960s .
Because of her involvement during that time , Evangelist King has a unique perspective on race relations and the racial climate today .
Evangelist King , along with writer Ginger Howard , has a book coming out next month called We ’ re Not Colorblind .
Here ’ s what Evangelist King had to say about what ’ s happening in America today and what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I wanted to talk to you about race relations .
You come from an activist family .
I wanted to get your take on today ’ s racial climate .
Where does this anger come from ?
Can you speak to that ?
Alveda King : Well , the word of God tells us to be angry , and to sin not , because when a nation is not united in Christ and serving God together and repenting , then there is an opportunity for anger to be present without resolution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ became president , there was a comeback to God to read 2 Chronicles 7:14 .
Today there are two Scriptures , certainly 2 Chronicles 7:14 , and Acts 17:26-28 .
Of one blood God created all people to live together on the face of the earth , so we are created in the image and likeness of God .
When we are in our flesh , or emotions , or wills or minds , [ and ] our soul [ is ] without the temperance of the mercy of God in Christ , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then when we have so many disagreements .
The Stream : Can you speak to what you see as the difference between civil rights protests and the protests that we see today ?
Alveda King : Well , yes , you may have heard the quote from Martin Luther King , Jr. , my uncle .
‘ We must learn to live together as brothers , ’ I ’ ll add as sisters , ‘ or perish together as fools.
’ In the 1960s , I was a teenager .
I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went to jail for fair housing , open housing , in Louisville , Kentucky .
Now at that time , segregation , Jim Crow laws , and all of that were being corrected and revisited .
That was part of what we were doing with segregation .
That was accepted in America .
Slavery was no longer accepted , but segregation was , so even the police officers were arresting black people who tried to vote doing very brutal things to them at that time — to us — because actually [ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in those days .
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Today , many of those things are illegal in America .
When we see the National Guard or the state troopers come out today , they are there to protect all American citizens , not to treat any of us as if we were stuck in classes , and they are trying to keep us safe and protected today .
So , that ’ s one difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America .
It is not .
Earlier , slavery was legal in America .
It is not .
Today those are not .
However , there is another wrong and evil that does exist today .
It is still legal to kill little babies in the womb .
And so you see a lot of protests there against that .
And I ’ m part of that protecting the sanctity of life .
So that ’ s the difference between the time of slavery in 1800 and the 1900s of Jim Crow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least on paper , we all supposed to be treated as equals .
But , as long as we ’ re suppressing that little class of babies in the womb , we have not arrived .
The Stream : What do you see today that concerns you when it comes to race relations ?
Alveda King : People just don ’ t understand that we ’ re not separate races .
There is no white race , black race , red race , yellow race .
There is the human race .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ likeness of God .
Every nation , every tongue , and every tribe .
You know , with Darwin , and some of the other socialists saying that there was a superior race and one race is better than other races — all of that was socially engineered .
It is not the truth .
Science and philosophy agree with God that there is one human race .
And so as long as people say , ‘ My race needs to get along with your race , ’ then that person is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not even skin color that makes you racist .
It ’ s a lack of understanding that there is only one race and that puts us into a category .
We ’ re human beings of the human race .
So , until we get that understanding , then the racial misunderstanding continues .
People will say , ‘ Well , we need to do racial reconciliation .
Let me wash your feet and tell you how sorry I am.
’ I said , ‘ Well do you know that we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , yeah , maybe , but let me just wash your feet.
’ And I said ‘ No , until we really hear that , unless you let me wash your feet as well and I tell you how sorry I am too .
And then we all go to God together and say ‘ We were wrong , God , we ’ re not separate races , please forgive us.
’ If we can ’ t do that it becomes just ceremony .
The Stream : While your uncle ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was involved in , came out of the church , this one seems to be coming out of something else .
What do you think that is ?
Alveda King : There ’ s a movement today with organizations , like Black Lives Matter .
That ’ s all socially engineered .
It ’ s not out of the church , as the movement was in the 1900s .
And even in the 1800s .
The abolitionists .
Because there was a time in America not only could African-Americans not vote and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cetera , the women could not either .
So you had Christian abolitionists and Christian suffragists like Harriet Tubman , Susan B. Anthony , Frederick Douglas , on and on and on .
Abraham Lincoln ended up as a president in support of that kind of change and transformation .
And in the 1900s , you had the movement still coming out of the church in what ’ s called the movement of the ’ 50s : ’ 53 to ’ 68 with Martin Luther King .
That ’ s when you might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they were taking a knee in prayer and repentance and asking for God ’ s help .
In the 21st century , it ’ s more out of socialism or humanism and not of divine guidance or direction from God .
The Stream : How can diverse people began to come together ?
You say they ’ re one race .
But for those people who don ’ t necessarily think that way , how can we come together ?
How can we begin to have relationships with each other ?
Alveda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the understanding and the commitment in our conversations and our behavior .
Just even a conversation .
I ’ m writing a book with , we just finished writing it , my friend Ginger Howard , a Caucasian lady .
We look at our differences .
And when we were writing the book , it was such a challenge not to say , ‘ Well , my race said , ’ and ‘ It wasn ’ t your race .
It was… .
’ So we practiced it all the time we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did well .
And because we did , we ’ ve been able to write that book and it ’ s called We ’ re Not Colorblind .
It ’ ll be out mid-August .
The Stream : What is the answer to this chaos that we ’ re seeing in the world today , this chaos , the looting , the violence , the murder , what is the answer ?
Alveda King : We must be bold enough , those of us who believe that Jesus is the answer to any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue that needs help .
Because we believe that , we have to be able in love to communicate it and not be afraid to do so .
And so somebody says , ‘ Well , I ’ m not a Christian .
I don ’ t want to hear that.
’ I said , ‘ Well , obviously you do .
I just want you to know what Christ did for me .
And if he ’ ll do it for me , he will do it for anyone.
’ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to — without condemnation , without judging others , without trying to force a biblical world view on anyone — [ exemplify ] Christ by exemplifying humility and genuine love and affection for humanity .
As we demonstrate that , people will be inclined to listen a little more avidly .
Parts of this interview have been edited for clarity .
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

The Stream’s Nancy Flory recently spoke with Evangelist Alveda King, Martin Luther King, Jr’s niece, who also participated in the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Because of her involvement during that time, Evangelist King has a unique perspective on race relations and the racial climate today. Evangelist King, along with writer Ginger Howard, has a book coming out next month called We’re Not Colorblind. Here’s what Evangelist King had to say about what’s happening in America today and what we should do about it.
The Stream: I wanted to talk to you about race relations. You come from an activist family. I wanted to get your take on today’s racial climate. Where does this anger come from? Can you speak to that?
Alveda King: Well, the word of God tells us to be angry, and to sin not, because when a nation is not united in Christ and serving God together and repenting, then there is an opportunity for anger to be present without resolution. [When] President Donald John Trump became president, there was a comeback to God to read 2 Chronicles 7:14. Today there are two Scriptures, certainly 2 Chronicles 7:14, and Acts 17:26-28. Of one blood God created all people to live together on the face of the earth, so we are created in the image and likeness of God. When we are in our flesh, or emotions, or wills or minds, [and] our soul [is] without the temperance of the mercy of God in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, then when we have so many disagreements.
The Stream: Can you speak to what you see as the difference between civil rights protests and the protests that we see today?
Alveda King: Well, yes, you may have heard the quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., my uncle. ‘We must learn to live together as brothers,’ I’ll add as sisters, ‘or perish together as fools.’ In the 1960s, I was a teenager. I was a youth organizer. I marched and went to jail for fair housing, open housing, in Louisville, Kentucky. Now at that time, segregation, Jim Crow laws, and all of that were being corrected and revisited. That was part of what we were doing with segregation. That was accepted in America. Slavery was no longer accepted, but segregation was, so even the police officers were arresting black people who tried to vote doing very brutal things to them at that time — to us — because actually [I was] marching and experienced police brutality in those days.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Today, many of those things are illegal in America. When we see the National Guard or the state troopers come out today, they are there to protect all American citizens, not to treat any of us as if we were stuck in classes, and they are trying to keep us safe and protected today. So, that’s one difference where at one time segregation was legal in America. It is not. Earlier, slavery was legal in America. It is not. Today those are not. However, there is another wrong and evil that does exist today. It is still legal to kill little babies in the womb. And so you see a lot of protests there against that. And I’m part of that protecting the sanctity of life. So that’s the difference between the time of slavery in 1800 and the 1900s of Jim Crow and segregation and the 21st century. At least on paper, we all supposed to be treated as equals. But, as long as we’re suppressing that little class of babies in the womb, we have not arrived.
The Stream: What do you see today that concerns you when it comes to race relations?
Alveda King: People just don’t understand that we’re not separate races. There is no white race, black race, red race, yellow race. There is the human race. We are created in the image and likeness of God. Every nation, every tongue, and every tribe. You know, with Darwin, and some of the other socialists saying that there was a superior race and one race is better than other races — all of that was socially engineered. It is not the truth. Science and philosophy agree with God that there is one human race. And so as long as people say, ‘My race needs to get along with your race,’ then that person is a racist. I tell people it’s not even skin color that makes you racist. It’s a lack of understanding that there is only one race and that puts us into a category. We’re human beings of the human race.
So, until we get that understanding, then the racial misunderstanding continues. People will say, ‘Well, we need to do racial reconciliation. Let me wash your feet and tell you how sorry I am.’ I said, ‘Well do you know that we’re the same race?’ ‘Well, yeah, maybe, but let me just wash your feet.’ And I said ‘No, until we really hear that, unless you let me wash your feet as well and I tell you how sorry I am too. And then we all go to God together and say ‘We were wrong, God, we’re not separate races, please forgive us.’ If we can’t do that it becomes just ceremony.
The Stream: While your uncle’s civil rights movement, the one that he was involved in, came out of the church, this one seems to be coming out of something else. What do you think that is?
Alveda King: There’s a movement today with organizations, like Black Lives Matter. That’s all socially engineered. It’s not out of the church, as the movement was in the 1900s. And even in the 1800s. The abolitionists. Because there was a time in America not only could African-Americans not vote and have certain rights own properties, et cetera, the women could not either. So you had Christian abolitionists and Christian suffragists like Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglas, on and on and on. Abraham Lincoln ended up as a president in support of that kind of change and transformation. And in the 1900s, you had the movement still coming out of the church in what’s called the movement of the ’50s: ’53 to ’68 with Martin Luther King. That’s when you might even see people take a knee, but they were taking a knee in prayer and repentance and asking for God’s help. In the 21st century, it’s more out of socialism or humanism and not of divine guidance or direction from God.
The Stream: How can diverse people began to come together? You say they’re one race. But for those people who don’t necessarily think that way, how can we come together? How can we begin to have relationships with each other?
Alveda King: We have to begin with the understanding and the commitment in our conversations and our behavior. Just even a conversation. I’m writing a book with, we just finished writing it, my friend Ginger Howard, a Caucasian lady. We look at our differences. And when we were writing the book, it was such a challenge not to say, ‘Well, my race said,’ and ‘It wasn’t your race. It was… .’ So we practiced it all the time we were writing and we got there and we did well. And because we did, we’ve been able to write that book and it’s called We’re Not Colorblind. It’ll be out mid-August.
The Stream: What is the answer to this chaos that we’re seeing in the world today, this chaos, the looting, the violence, the murder, what is the answer?
Alveda King: We must be bold enough, those of us who believe that Jesus is the answer to any problem, any human condition, any issue that needs help. Because we believe that, we have to be able in love to communicate it and not be afraid to do so. And so somebody says, ‘Well, I’m not a Christian. I don’t want to hear that.’ I said, ‘Well, obviously you do. I just want you to know what Christ did for me. And if he’ll do it for me, he will do it for anyone.’ I’m an evangelist. But we have to — without condemnation, without judging others, without trying to force a biblical world view on anyone — [exemplify] Christ by exemplifying humility and genuine love and affection for humanity. As we demonstrate that, people will be inclined to listen a little more avidly.
Parts of this interview have been edited for clarity.
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-08-03--Military Photo of the Day: A Father’s Love

A Wyoming Air National Guard airman hugs his son after returning home from a deployment to Southwest Asia at Cheyenne @ @ @ @ @ July 21 , 2020 .
What a great photo to start the week .
Welcome @ @ @ @ @ you for your service .
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A Wyoming Air National Guard airman hugs his son after returning home from a deployment to Southwest Asia at Cheyenne Air National Guard Base on July 21, 2020.
What a great photo to start the week. Welcome home, hero! Thank you for your service.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.