thestream--2020-03-25--‘Open by Easter’? Trump Wants Nation Shut by Coronavirus ‘Raring to Go’

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants the U.S. economy back up and running by Easter Sunday on April 12 , as the economy has taken a major hit from the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We are opening up this incredible country .
I would love to have it open by Easter , ” Trump said during a Fox News virtual town hall in the Rose Garden , sitting alongside host Bill Hemmer and taking questions remotely from Fox News host Harris Faulkner .
“ I would love to have it open by Easter .
I will tell you that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have that , ” Trump said , repeating himself .
“ It ’ s such an important day for other reasons .
But I ’ ll make it an important day for this , too .
I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter.
” Asked whether that was in fact possible , Trump said , “ Absolutely.
” While the federal government has provided assistance to state and local governments and has issued guidelines about public health and social distancing , it has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdowns or restrictions on businesses and the closing of schools , businesses , and other public facilities .
However , as president , Trump has a bully pulpit to encourage businesses and state and local governments to reopen .
Help us champion truth , freedom , limited government and human dignity .
Support The Stream » Trump stressed the consequences for keeping the economy shuttered are more dire than the present circumstances under the coronavirus .
“ You are going to have suicides by the thousands ” if the economy remains closed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 % drop in gross domestic product would mean massive job losses , closed businesses , and personal depression resulting from personal isolation .
Trump said that doesn ’ t mean it will be the same as before when Americans do return to work .
“ We can socially distance ourselves and go to work , ” he said .
The president discussed how experts told him about the need to take strong action .
“ They came in , and they said , ‘ Sir , we ’ re going to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said .
“ Are you serious about this ?
” He noted that the economy has never shut down to this degree for prior disease outbreaks .
“ We lose thousands and thousands of people a year to the flu .
We don ’ t turn the country off , ” the president said .
“ We lose much more than that to automobile accidents .
We didn ’ t call up the automobile companies and say , ‘ Stop making cars.
’ … We have to get back to work.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , in the state where almost half of all U.S. coronavirus cases are located , complained about not getting enough ventilators from the Federal Emergency Management Agency .
“ I look at actions , not words … FEMA says , ‘ We ’ re sending 400 ventilators.
’ Really ?
” Cuomo said .
“ What am I going to do with 400 ventilators when I need 30,000 ?
You pick the 26,000 who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators.
” Early in the town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addressed Cuomo ’ s remarks , saying that more ventilators are going out .
“ We ’ re doing just that .
We ’ re in the process of literally sending the entire national stockpile out .
I want the people of New York to know we ’ re putting a priority on the state , ” Pence said .
Trump responded later , somewhat differently .
He said Cuomo had the chance to order 16,000 ventilators in 2015 for a pandemic response in the future , but declined to do so .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re building them medical centers , and he was complaining about it , ” the president said “ We ’ re doing definitely more for them than anyone else .
He was talking about the ventilators .
But he should have ordered the ventilators .
”

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants the U.S. economy back up and running by Easter Sunday on April 12, as the economy has taken a major hit from the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are opening up this incredible country. I would love to have it open by Easter,” Trump said during a Fox News virtual town hall in the Rose Garden, sitting alongside host Bill Hemmer and taking questions remotely from Fox News host Harris Faulkner.
“I would love to have it open by Easter. I will tell you that right now. I would love to have that,” Trump said, repeating himself. “It’s such an important day for other reasons. But I’ll make it an important day for this, too. I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter.”
Asked whether that was in fact possible, Trump said, “Absolutely.”
While the federal government has provided assistance to state and local governments and has issued guidelines about public health and social distancing, it has been state and local governments that have ordered lockdowns or restrictions on businesses and the closing of schools, businesses, and other public facilities.
However, as president, Trump has a bully pulpit to encourage businesses and state and local governments to reopen.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Trump stressed the consequences for keeping the economy shuttered are more dire than the present circumstances under the coronavirus.
“You are going to have suicides by the thousands” if the economy remains closed, Trump said, noting predictions of a 25% drop in gross domestic product would mean massive job losses, closed businesses, and personal depression resulting from personal isolation.
Trump said that doesn’t mean it will be the same as before when Americans do return to work.
“We can socially distance ourselves and go to work,” he said.
The president discussed how experts told him about the need to take strong action.
“They came in, and they said, ‘Sir, we’re going to have to close the country,’” Trump said. “Are you serious about this?”
He noted that the economy has never shut down to this degree for prior disease outbreaks.
“We lose thousands and thousands of people a year to the flu. We don’t turn the country off,” the president said. “We lose much more than that to automobile accidents. We didn’t call up the automobile companies and say, ‘Stop making cars.’ … We have to get back to work.”
Earlier in the day, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in the state where almost half of all U.S. coronavirus cases are located, complained about not getting enough ventilators from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“I look at actions, not words … FEMA says, ‘We’re sending 400 ventilators.’ Really?” Cuomo said. “What am I going to do with 400 ventilators when I need 30,000? You pick the 26,000 who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators.”
Early in the town hall event, Vice President Mike Pence addressed Cuomo’s remarks, saying that more ventilators are going out.
“We’re doing just that. We’re in the process of literally sending the entire national stockpile out. I want the people of New York to know we’re putting a priority on the state,” Pence said.
Trump responded later, somewhat differently. He said Cuomo had the chance to order 16,000 ventilators in 2015 for a pandemic response in the future, but declined to do so.
“We’re building them hospitals. We’re building them medical centers, and he was complaining about it,” the president said “We’re doing definitely more for them than anyone else. He was talking about the ventilators. But he should have ordered the ventilators.”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-03-25--Putting Coronavirus Danger in Perspective — Three Steps

My piece yesterday with William Briggs and Jay Richards received a lot of questions .
We suggest , based on the numbers from Italy , that the coronavirus may be less deadly than has been feared .
Rather than answer every question , let me try to put the danger from the virus in perspective .
There are , I think , three steps to doing that .
Step 1 : Let go of the idea that authority and expertise are guarantees of truth .
When the public presses for answers to urgent questions , the answers that come may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts who first gave the answers tried to qualify them with caveats .
They might say “ our best guess is… ” or “ there is growing evidence that.
” Those hedges get lost in the shuffle .
Get used to the fact that limited and imperfect information is what we have in times like these , because that is a fact .
Step 2 : Learn to recognize the kinds of questions that can ’ t be answered accurately .
We all want to know how many people in our region or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We want to how many will be infected , or whether we will become infected .
If in Google you trust , then you ’ ll get answers .
But just think for a moment .
Without testing everyone daily , how would anyone know for sure how many are infected ?
And even if knew that , how could anyone know for sure how the virus will spread ?
The answers we get vary widely because they ’ re all guestimates .
They depend heavily on assumptions , most of which are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want the answer .
Picture an eighty-year old man , Charles .
He has a weakened immune system and is hospitalized with pneumonia-like symptoms .
A nurse takes a swab sample from Charles ’ throat on Tuesday .
That sample tests positive for coronavirus and pneumococcus ( bacterial infection ) on Thursday .
By that point Charles is in critical condition .
Sadly , he dies in the early hours of Friday .
Did the virus cause his death ?
We want the answer to be simple , but it just isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re asking whether Charles would now be alive if the virus had not been present .
But the honest truth is , we don ’ t know .
Step 3 : Use what we really do know .
We know when people die .
And with extensive testing for COVID-19 in people with respiratory conditions , we know how many of these people die with the virus in their bodies .
We also know how many people die each month , on average , when there is no pandemic .
Now combine these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 , which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls “ the most severe pandemic in recent history.
” We now see that these are just not the same pandemic .
The big circles in the diagram below represent the whole population of Italy today ( left ) and the whole population of the United States back in 1918 ( right ) .
Inside these big circles are two small circles .
One represents the fraction of the whole population that dies in a normal pandemic-free month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represents the fraction of the whole population that died as the respective pandemics were peaking .
Areas of the circles represent the actual proportions for the two cases .
The scale is a bit smaller on the right .
That ’ s because the U.S. population was just over 100 million in 1918 , whereas the Italian population is just over 60 million now .
Help us champion truth , freedom , limited government and human dignity .
Support The Stream » There are several obvious differences .
First , while the unfilled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same size on left and right , the solid circle on the left is much smaller than the one on the right .
Furthermore , the solid one on the right is much larger than the normal monthly deaths circle .
The solid circle on the left is tiny in comparison .
What does this mean ?
What does the data tell us ?
Well , based on what we know ( death counts ) the Spanish flu caused a huge surge in deaths .
That is , one or more months had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the coronavirus , this hasn ’ t happened .
And keep in mind , this is Italy , where the current pandemic has been most extreme .
The other obvious difference is that the tiny solid circle on the left overlaps the normal monthly deaths circle , while the one on the right is off on its own .
I drew the diagram this way to represent an important fact .
Italians whose deaths are attributed to coronavirus averaged 78.5 years , and the vast majority of them have other underlying health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spanish flu hit children under 5 especially hard , among other normally healthy segments of the population .
According to the CDC , “ the high mortality in healthy people , including those in the 20-40 year age group , was a unique feature of this pandemic.
” This picture holds up wherever we look .
The state of Washington has had a disproportionately high number of coronavirus-associated deaths .
But at 110 deaths for the past month , this is a smidgen of the state ’ s normal monthly death count of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the current pandemic — the city of Wuhan in China , where 2,700 deaths were attributed to coronavirus in the worst month — the normal death count , at 6,500 , is much larger .
Now the recent social-distancing efforts are based on the assumption that we ’ re seeing a repeat of the pandemic of 1918 .
But , if COVID-19 is as deadly as the Spanish flu virus , why has there not been a single example of a major population that experienced a true surge in deaths from COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers that aren ’ t squishy — suggests that COVID-19 is mostly affecting people who are nearing the end of their lives for reasons that have nothing to do with coronavirus .
The question we want to answer is this : Are the COVID-associated deaths are on top of normal ones or just part of normal ones ?
At the moment , we don ’ t know .
The best guess is that the coronavirus deaths overlap the normal ones .
But by how much ?
Again , we don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not in dispute .
The question here is whether the best evidence supports our fear that whole populations could be decimated by COVID-19 .
Thankfully , the answer to that is clearly no .
Douglas Axe is Maxwell Professor of Molecular Biology at Biola University , director of Biologic Institute and author of Undeniable : How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life Is Designed ( HarperOne ) .
Follow him on Twitter @ DougAxe .

My piece yesterday with William Briggs and Jay Richards received a lot of questions. We suggest, based on the numbers from Italy, that the coronavirus may be less deadly than has been feared. Rather than answer every question, let me try to put the danger from the virus in perspective.
There are, I think, three steps to doing that.
Step 1: Let go of the idea that authority and expertise are guarantees of truth.
When the public presses for answers to urgent questions, the answers that come may not be reliable. Even if the experts who first gave the answers tried to qualify them with caveats. They might say “our best guess is…” or “there is growing evidence that.” Those hedges get lost in the shuffle.
Get used to the fact that limited and imperfect information is what we have in times like these, because that is a fact.
Step 2: Learn to recognize the kinds of questions that can’t be answered accurately.
We all want to know how many people in our region or our country are infected with coronavirus. We want to know how many will be infected, or whether we will become infected. If in Google you trust, then you’ll get answers.
But just think for a moment. Without testing everyone daily, how would anyone know for sure how many are infected? And even if we knew that, how could anyone know for sure how the virus will spread? The answers we get vary widely because they’re all guestimates. They depend heavily on assumptions, most of which are unstated or ignored — because we just want the answer.
We’re asking whether Charles would now be alive if the virus had not been present. But the honest truth is, we don’t know.
Picture an eighty-year old man, Charles. He has a weakened immune system and is hospitalized with pneumonia-like symptoms. A nurse takes a swab sample from Charles’ throat on Tuesday. That sample tests positive for coronavirus and pneumococcus (bacterial infection) on Thursday. By that point Charles is in critical condition. Sadly, he dies in the early hours of Friday. Did the virus cause his death? We want the answer to be simple, but it just isn’t. In effect, we’re asking whether Charles would now be alive if the virus had not been present. But the honest truth is, we don’t know.
Step 3: Use what we really do know.
We know when people die. And with extensive testing for COVID-19 in people with respiratory conditions, we know how many of these people die with the virus in their bodies. We also know how many people die each month, on average, when there is no pandemic.
Now combine these solid numbers with the same information from the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls “the most severe pandemic in recent history.” We now see that these are just not the same pandemic. The big circles in the diagram below represent the whole population of Italy today (left) and the whole population of the United States back in 1918 (right). Inside these big circles are two small circles. One represents the fraction of the whole population that dies in a normal pandemic-free month. The other (solid black) represents the fraction of the whole population that died as the respective pandemics were peaking.
COVID-19 data from Worldometer; Spanish flu data from history.com.
Areas of the circles represent the actual proportions for the two cases. The scale is a bit smaller on the right. That’s because the U.S. population was just over 100 million in 1918, whereas the Italian population is just over 60 million now.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
There are several obvious differences. First, while the unfilled circles representing normal monthly deaths are the same size on left and right, the solid circle on the left is much smaller than the one on the right. Furthermore, the solid one on the right is much larger than the normal monthly deaths circle. The solid circle on the left is tiny in comparison. What does this mean?
What does the data tell us?
Well, based on what we know (death counts) the Spanish flu caused a huge surge in deaths. That is, one or more months had an extremely high number of deaths. With the coronavirus, this hasn’t happened. And keep in mind, this is Italy, where the current pandemic has been most extreme.
The other obvious difference is that the tiny solid circle on the left overlaps the normal monthly deaths circle, while the one on the right is off on its own. I drew the diagram this way to represent an important fact. Italians whose deaths are attributed to coronavirus averaged 78.5 years, and the vast majority of them have other underlying health problems. In stark contrast, the Spanish flu hit children under 5 especially hard, among other normally healthy segments of the population. According to the CDC, “the high mortality in healthy people, including those in the 20-40 year age group, was a unique feature of this pandemic.”
The question here is whether the best evidence supports our fear that whole populations could be decimated by COVID-19. Thankfully, the answer to that is clearly no.
This picture holds up wherever we look. The state of Washington has had a disproportionately high number of coronavirus-associated deaths. But at 110 deaths for the past month, this is a smidgen of the state’s normal monthly death count of 5,400. And for the first epicenter of the current pandemic — the city of Wuhan in China, where 2,700 deaths were attributed to coronavirus in the worst month — the normal death count, at 6,500, is much larger.
Now the recent social-distancing efforts are based on the assumption that we’re seeing a repeat of the pandemic of 1918. But, if COVID-19 is as deadly as the Spanish flu virus, why has there not been a single example of a major population that experienced a true surge in deaths from COVID-19?
All the solid evidence — the numbers that aren’t squishy — suggests that COVID-19 is mostly affecting people who are nearing the end of their lives for reasons that have nothing to do with coronavirus. The question we want to answer is this: Are the COVID-associated deaths are on top of normal ones or just part of normal ones? At the moment, we don’t know. The best guess is that the coronavirus deaths overlap the normal ones. But by how much? Again, we don’t know.
Every life matters. That’s not in dispute. The question here is whether the best evidence supports our fear that whole populations could be decimated by COVID-19. Thankfully, the answer to that is clearly no.
Douglas Axe is Maxwell Professor of Molecular Biology at Biola University, director of Biologic Institute and author of Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life Is Designed (HarperOne). Follow him on Twitter @DougAxe.


thestream--2020-03-25--Abused and Alone, Nepal Girl Finds Hope Through RescueLIFE

At 7 years old , Sweta Shah from Nepal watched her mother douse herself in kerosene and burn to death .
At 11 , her father began raping her .
Sweta was desperate to get away .
Sweta discovered Wi-Fi at a relative ’ s house .
That ’ s how she met a man online who lured her to the border of India .
He ’ d promised a better life .
“ He told me I would have a better chance of survival in India , ” Sweta told LIFE Today ’ s RescueLIFE in an interview .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can help you get a job and you ’ ll be earning money .
You won ’ t have to put up with all of this.
’ That ’ s why I went to the border.
” It was there that Sweta met people from RescueLIFE .
They convinced her not to go to India .
“ [ W ] hen I told them my story they believed me and that was such a relief .
I am very happy that this organization helped me.
” Now Sweta , 18 , lives at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glad that RescueLIFE was there .
“ Something bad would have happened [ to ] me if they weren ’ t there to stop me.
” She hopes to help others who have suffered like she has .
“ My heart is to help those who have had many sufferings like I have gone through .
I want to be a spokesperson for the poor and hurting.
” LIFE Today ’ s RescueLIFE outreach combats the human trafficking problem by reaching , rescuing and restoring .
“ RescueLIFE is LIFE ’ s way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s love in the darkest places on earth , where children , teens and young women are forced into sex trafficking for the purpose of exploitation .
Their rights are violated , and their toxic environments deny them the opportunity to reach their full , God-given potential.
” RescueLIFE goes into villages , reaching , educating and preventing children from becoming victims , rescuing those who have been victimized and restoring them by “ providing an environment where their hearts , minds and bodies can be restored to the beauty God designed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of human trafficking will be overtaken by God ’ s love and light .
Please consider giving today to RescueLIFE to combat human trafficking worldwide .
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

At 7 years old, Sweta Shah from Nepal watched her mother douse herself in kerosene and burn to death. At 11, her father began raping her. Sweta was desperate to get away.
Sweta discovered Wi-Fi at a relative’s house. That’s how she met a man online who lured her to the border of India. He’d promised a better life. “He told me I would have a better chance of survival in India,” Sweta told LIFE Today’s RescueLIFE in an interview. “He told me, ‘I can help you get a job and you’ll be earning money. You won’t have to put up with all of this.’ That’s why I went to the border.”
‘They Believed Me’
It was there that Sweta met people from RescueLIFE. They convinced her not to go to India. “[W]hen I told them my story they believed me and that was such a relief. I am very happy that this organization helped me.”
Now Sweta, 18, lives at a safe house. She’s glad that RescueLIFE was there. “Something bad would have happened [to] me if they weren’t there to stop me.” She hopes to help others who have suffered like she has. “My heart is to help those who have had many sufferings like I have gone through. I want to be a spokesperson for the poor and hurting.”
LIFE Today’s RescueLIFE Outreach
LIFE Today’s RescueLIFE outreach combats the human trafficking problem by reaching, rescuing and restoring. “RescueLIFE is LIFE’s way to shine the light of God’s love in the darkest places on earth, where children, teens and young women are forced into sex trafficking for the purpose of exploitation. Their rights are violated, and their toxic environments deny them the opportunity to reach their full, God-given potential.”
RescueLIFE goes into villages, reaching, educating and preventing children from becoming victims, rescuing those who have been victimized and restoring them by “providing an environment where their hearts, minds and bodies can be restored to the beauty God designed for them.” RescueLIFE believes that the evil of human trafficking will be overtaken by God’s love and light. Please consider giving today to RescueLIFE to combat human trafficking worldwide.
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-03-26--Joy Break: Man Sings Through a Nursing Home Window to His Wife Who Has Alzheimer’s

When we turn on our televisions or smart phones we are bombarded with news that brings us down .
Where are all the good stories ?
They ’ re still there .
Here ’ s one that we hope will bless you .
80-year-old John Kline has spent time each day with his wife , Ann , who has Alzheimer ’ s , at John Knox Manor Nursing home .
When the statewide order limiting visitation at nursing homes went into effect last week , Kline didn ’ t stop visiting her .
He just went outside her window .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grace ” has gone viral .
He wanted to sing to her so she ’ d remember him .
“ I ’ ve always said how much I love her , ’ til death do us part , ” Kline told the Montgomery Advertiser late last week .
“ But I ’ m trying to make the statement that no matter what happens , there ’ s no reason to give up on love .
If she gets where she doesn ’ t know me , I will still go see her , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Help us champion truth , freedom , limited government and human dignity .
Support The Stream » Kline spends about 15 minutes each day serenading her from her window , according to Fox News .
He sings church hymns and songs from the 1950s to help her remember him and their life together .
In a recent post on Facebook , Kline said that their visits weren ’ t a “ pain , ” but “ through a pane.
” “ No visitors to John Knox Manor Nursing Home , ” he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so you probably won ’ t want to listen .
I cut it off at 45 seconds .
I love my Sweet Ann and look forward to spending eternity with her .
God bless you for even looking — and if you listened , well that was because you wanted to hear Ann.
” The video has received 77,000 views and close to 2,000 shares on Facebook since Kline posted it last Thursday .
Through a Pane–not a Pain .
No visitors to John Knox Manor Nursing Home .
Not my best singing–so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I cut it off at 45 seconds .
I love my Sweet Ann and look forward to spending eternity with her .
God bless you for even looking–and if you listened , well that was because you wanted to hear Ann .
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

When we turn on our televisions or smart phones we are bombarded with news that brings us down. Where are all the good stories? They’re still there. Here’s one that we hope will bless you.
80-year-old John Kline has spent time each day with his wife, Ann, who has Alzheimer’s, at John Knox Manor Nursing home in Montgomery, Alabama. When the statewide order limiting visitation at nursing homes went into effect last week, Kline didn’t stop visiting her. He just went outside her window. And his serenading her with “Amazing Grace” has gone viral.
He wanted to sing to her so she’d remember him. “I’ve always said how much I love her, ’til death do us part,” Kline told the Montgomery Advertiser late last week. “But I’m trying to make the statement that no matter what happens, there’s no reason to give up on love. If she gets where she doesn’t know me, I will still go see her, because I will still know her.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Kline spends about 15 minutes each day serenading her from her window, according to Fox News. He sings church hymns and songs from the 1950s to help her remember him and their life together.
In a recent post on Facebook, Kline said that their visits weren’t a “pain,” but “through a pane.”
“No visitors to John Knox Manor Nursing Home,” he wrote. “Not my best singing — so you probably won’t want to listen. I cut it off at 45 seconds. I love my Sweet Ann and look forward to spending eternity with her. God bless you for even looking — and if you listened, well that was because you wanted to hear Ann.” The video has received 77,000 views and close to 2,000 shares on Facebook since Kline posted it last Thursday. Watch:
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-03-26--Military Photo of the Day: Soaring Over Iceland

The U.S. Air Force teams up with the Royal Norwegian Air Force to conduct a policing mission over Keflavik , @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .
Thank you to Master Sgt .
Matthew Plew for capturing this breathtaking @ @ @ @ @ truth , freedom , limited government and human dignity .
Support The Stream »

The U.S. Air Force teams up with the Royal Norwegian Air Force to conduct a policing mission over Keflavik, Iceland, on March 16, 2020.
Thank you to Master Sgt. Matthew Plew for capturing this breathtaking image.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-03-26--With Sex Abuser Jean Vanier, There Were Problem Signs for Years

Editor ’ s Note : Though largely unknown to Americans , Vanier ’ s fall from modern day saint to creepy sexual predator is painfully relevant to us all .
We tend to ignore or dismiss the weaknesses in our heroes when they accomplish so much good .
Until that is , those faults are no longer undeniable and great damage has been done .
The lesson for us moving forward is : What can we learn from what we missed ?
In Vanier ’ s case , his departure from orthodoxy and lack of spiritual oversight should have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian and Catholic , Jean Vanier was a household name .
A dozen Catholic schools were named for him while still alive .
He won all manner of worldly awards .
The list begins with the Order of Canada and the Templeton Prize — and the admiration that comes with them .
In November 2004 , despite having been born in Switzerland and living most of his life in France , a CBC poll put him at No .
12 on a list of Greatest Canadians .
His New York Times obituary in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of People on the Margins.
” Having read a couple of his early books , I was moved by the man ’ s gentle vision for caring for people with mental disabilities .
Many times I heard the founding myth of L ’ Arche .
That ’ s the international federation of group homes for the handicapped he started in 1964 in Trosly-Breuil , outside Paris .
I was in awe in his presence at two different conferences in the mid- ’ 80s .
At the latter , I met and spoke with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a room , or strode casually up to a lectern before a crowd , his regal face beamed .
His tall frame seemed to radiate peace .
For a child of elite political privilege , he seemed legit , to say the least .
But we now know that he was a serial sexual abuser .
It is indisputable that , from 1970 to 2005 , he skillfully leveraged his “ living saint ” reputation to manipulate and sexually abuse six adult women .
This he did under the cover of spiritual direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Report issued by L ’ Arche International on February 22 , 2020 .
In retrospect , there were certain tells that got past most admirers .
In retrospect they seem obvious .
First , none of his 30 books were ever published by orthodox Catholic publishers .
No , only small niche publishers or left-tilting houses like Paulist Press , Twenty-Third Publishers , Franciscan Media .
That is , the sort popular with the graying , liberal National Catholic Reporter crowd .
Since the news broke , I am amazed at how few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States have ever heard of him .
And while Vanier declined to be interviewed on EWTN radio , with its international audience , he accepted hundreds of secular radio interviews and NPRish podcasts .
For example , he had a wince-inducing 2007 discussion with Kristy Tippett about “ pleasure and desire.
” Second , Jean Vanier had no love for Catholic teaching .
Certainly not in concrete terms regarding chastity .
Most of the off-hand references to the Catholic Church in his books and talks chide the Church for being rule-based , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Examples abound in his work .
In a 2016 radio interview on the CBC , he seemed sympathetic to doctor-assisted suicide .
When asked about it by journalist John Paul Meehan , Vanier doubled-down and clarified his dissent from Catholic teaching .
Neither cleric nor evangelist , Vanier was a vaguely Catholic “ humanitarian ” who remained diffident toward doctrine .
Theology was either dangerous to him , or just irrelevant .
The Church was the problem to the degree it failed to live up to his standard of care for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L ’ Arche , the emotional appeal of his talks and the photo-op endorsement of popes seemed to prove his point .
He Leaned on His Own Understanding of Good and Evil Third , again with 20/20 hindsight , there was an obvious motive to avoid elaborating on the very “ rules ” he was secretly violating over and over .
He carefully collaborated with fellow heterodox figures only .
He facilitated fawning documentaries about himself , like the treacly “ Jean Vanier : the Sacrament of Tenderness.
” His biggest boosters tend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Take for example , his best known protégé , Father Henri Nouwen ; the stoutly liberal Ron Rolheiser , OMI ; or the fawning biographer of both Vanier and Nouwen , Professor Michael Higgins .
Essentially a one-book man , Vanier returned often to the same vague themes : vulnerability , the need for community , anguish , “ becoming human , ” ( never quite defined apart from platitudes ) , weakness , brokenness , fear and the like .
Your typical Vanier book preaches service over faith , humility over truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compassion over doctrine , the journey over the destination — all hallmarks of his thinking , all false alternatives .
Vanier chose the single life , which we saw as an heroic example of celibacy lived out for the sake of the Kingdom .
Not as a cover to bed hurt women under the guise of spiritual direction .
This direction included bizarre and frankly demonic language about “ this is Jesus and Mary , ” and the “ rest of the world does not understand.
” Turns out , he learned all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although one victim testified that the latter was “ more brutal.
” One of his last books , Life ’ s Great Questions shows how far he had strayed .
Take Communism , for instance .
After assuring the reader that “ this is not a book about answers , ” he writes , without irony : “ It is astonishing how detached we can become from reality .
Communism , for example , is , in and of itself , a beautiful vision of people living together , sharing their life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vanier asks , “ Can we say that evil originated by a rupture in heaven between God and His angels ?
I can not say .
Humanity has been looking into this question forever , but we never get satisfying answers .
Wisdom is to be very humble .
We don ’ t know too much .
But perhaps it does not matter.
” Who are his heroes ?
Any mention of the saints or doctors of the Church ?
Sorry , no .
Apart from a nod to social justice activist Dorothy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mandela , the Hindu Vanadana Shiva , the Muslim Malala Yousafzai , the Jewish Etty Hillesum , the Pashtun Abdul Ghaffār Khān , and the Buddhist Aung San Suu Kyi .
This kind of careful virtue-signalling reflects a lifelong reluctance to be identified with orthodox Christianity .
L ’ Arche ’ s Priorities in Hiring an “ International Leader ” are Telling Fourth , if L ’ Arche gave the impression of being Catholic in theory and ecumenical in practice , even that is gone .
According to a 2017 leadership candidate memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its priorities .
That memo was sent to L ’ Arche members around the world from the International Nomination Committee .
Its prime International Leader candidate in 2017 is Stephan Posner , a Jewish businessman who ran into L ’ Arche later in life .
That the father-of-four Posner is separated from his wife and openly lives with “ his partner Yael ” was no obstacle to him getting the job .
Help us champion truth , freedom , limited government and human dignity .
Support The Stream » The bona fides for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her leadership role at the big LGBTQ2 Jesuit parish in Seattle , which , well , says it all .
A word search finds no mention of the words Church , Scripture , Catholic , Jesus , Christ , Christian , or Gospel , but “ encounter ” appears five times , “ Jesuit ” appears five times and “ spiritual ” nine times .
You get the picture .
A few months before he died , Vanier did a televised bedside interview .
The two off-camera interviewers are Anne Gerken and Pauline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young L ’ Arche staffers .
It ’ s called “ 10 Rules for Life.
” A few of his Rules : “ We ’ re all here , ’ he calmly intones , “ but we ’ re just local people , passengers in a journey ; we get into the train , we get out of the train , the train goes on .
Humanity has been going on for millions of years .
And here we are today in the year 2000-and-whatever-it-is , and the world will continue when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , plausible deniability here about grooming is easy to find .
( Fish for victims when he knows he ’ s on camera ? )
And yet , he keeps nudging the conversation into a kind of ambiguous no man ’ s land that , over time , could be used to identify a point of entry for the psychological hold he was skilled at gaining .
In the Gerken/Dejoie session , one detects the same spirit of — what is it ?
subsurface flirtation ?
— that characterizes his Krista Tippett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About You ” One woman who detected something amiss with Vanier was Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty , the Russian-born author and co-founder of the Madonna House ministry .
She was instrumental in the conversion of a young Thomas Merton .
In a personal letter dated August 27 , 1974 — four years after the earliest known of Vanier ’ s offenses — Catherine , in the midst of effusive affirmations , voices an unnamed concern .
It ’ s a bit cryptic .
Doherty was known for her gift for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Jean Vanier , she saw “ fragmentation , ” she wrote , something off and yet “ intangible ” that “ bothers ” her .
She recommends that he “ rest ” and “ spare himself.
” Perhaps there are other letters extant .
But this one is telling .
She was awarded the Order of Canada in 1976 for her service to the poor around the world .
Vanier won the same medal in 1986 , the year after she died .
Fast forward to 2008 , when the greatest mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morgentaler , was also given the Order of Canada .
The staff at Madonna House wasted no time in returning Catherine ’ s medal in protest .
Vanier , cultivating what journalist David Warren has called an aggressively benign look , hemmed and hawed about the need to be compassionate , and kept his .
Ideally positioned to be a powerful spokesman for the pro-life movement — as his acquaintance St .
Mother Teresa of Calcutta was , every chance she got — Vanier simply wasn ’ t into it .
Not that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just kept the whole uncomfortableness at a safe barge-pole distance .
Absent any new revelations , Jean Vanier died as he lived : unrepentant while trading on mercy , remote and superficial while projecting closeness and depth .
God willing , the important work of L ’ Arche will somehow continue to serve the most vulnerable among us .
His victims , and the faithful who admired him , deserved far better .
One of his honors came in 2010 from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada , when asteroid 8604 was named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a celestial something that moves virtually undetected and , if not spotted early , is capable of inflicting great damage ?
Of his many accolades , perhaps Asteroid Vanier is the most fitting .
Patrick Coffin is the author of The Contraception Deception and the founder of Coffin Nation , a culture-restoring community in 25 countries .
For more on lessons to be drawn from Vanier ’ s tragic deception , see “ When Our Heroes Turn Out to Be Monsters ” from Stream senior editor David Mills .

Editor’s Note: Though largely unknown to Americans, Vanier’s fall from modern day saint to creepy sexual predator is painfully relevant to us all. We tend to ignore or dismiss the weaknesses in our heroes when they accomplish so much good. Until that is, those faults are no longer deniable and great damage has been done. The lesson for us moving forward is: What can we learn from what we missed? In Vanier’s case, his departure from orthodoxy and lack of spiritual oversight should have been obvious clues.
If you grew up Canadian and Catholic, Jean Vanier was a household name. A dozen Catholic schools were named for him while still alive. He won all manner of worldly awards. The list begins with the Order of Canada and the Templeton Prize — and the admiration that comes with them.
In November 2004, despite having been born in Switzerland and living most of his life in France, a CBC poll put him at No. 12 on a list of Greatest Canadians. His New York Times obituary in May 2019 lionized him as “Savior of People on the Margins.”
Having read a couple of his early books, I was moved by the man’s gentle vision for caring for people with mental disabilities. Many times I heard the founding myth of L’Arche. That’s the international federation of group homes for the handicapped he started in 1964 in Trosly-Breuil, outside Paris. I was in awe in his presence at two different conferences in the mid-’80s. At the latter, I met and spoke with him briefly.
When Vanier lit up a room, or strode casually up to a lectern before a crowd, his regal face beamed. His tall frame seemed to radiate peace. For a child of elite political privilege, he seemed legit, to say the least.
But we now know that he was a serial sexual abuser.
It is indisputable that, from 1970 to 2005, he skillfully leveraged his “living saint” reputation to manipulate and sexually abuse six adult women. This he did under the cover of spiritual direction, according to the refreshingly blunt Summary Report issued by L’Arche International on February 22, 2020.
Hindsight is 20/20
In retrospect, there were certain tells that got past most admirers. In retrospect they seem obvious.
First, none of his 30 books were ever published by orthodox Catholic publishers. No, only small niche publishers or left-tilting houses like Paulist Press, Twenty-Third Publishers, Franciscan Media. That is, the sort popular with the graying, liberal National Catholic Reporter crowd. Since the news broke, I am amazed at how few of my conservative Catholic friends in the United States have ever heard of him.
And while Vanier declined to be interviewed on EWTN radio, with its international audience, he accepted hundreds of secular radio interviews and NPRish podcasts. For example, he had a wince-inducing 2007 discussion with Kristy Tippett about “pleasure and desire.”
Neither cleric nor evangelist, Vanier was a vaguely Catholic “humanitarian” who remained diffident toward doctrine.
Second, Jean Vanier had no love for Catholic teaching. Certainly not in concrete terms regarding chastity. Most of the off-hand references to the Catholic Church in his books and talks chide the Church for being rule-based, non-inclusive, rigid or what have you. Examples abound in his work. In a 2016 radio interview on the CBC, he seemed sympathetic to doctor-assisted suicide. When asked about it by journalist John Paul Meehan, Vanier doubled-down and clarified his dissent from Catholic teaching.
Neither cleric nor evangelist, Vanier was a vaguely Catholic “humanitarian” who remained diffident toward doctrine. Theology was either dangerous to him, or just irrelevant. The Church was the problem to the degree it failed to live up to his standard of care for the mentally handicapped. The global reach of L’Arche, the emotional appeal of his talks and the photo-op endorsement of popes seemed to prove his point.
He Leaned on His Own Understanding of Good and Evil
Third, again with 20/20 hindsight, there was an obvious motive to avoid elaborating on the very “rules” he was secretly violating over and over. He carefully collaborated with fellow heterodox figures only. He facilitated fawning documentaries about himself, like the treacly “Jean Vanier: the Sacrament of Tenderness.” His biggest boosters tend be more sentimentalist and less doctrinal. Take for example, his best known protégé, Father Henri Nouwen; the stoutly liberal Ron Rolheiser, OMI; or the fawning biographer of both Vanier and Nouwen, Professor Michael Higgins.
Essentially a one-book man, Vanier returned often to the same vague themes: vulnerability, the need for community, anguish, “becoming human,” (never quite defined apart from platitudes), weakness, brokenness, fear and the like. Your typical Vanier book preaches service over faith, humility over truth, the heart over the mind, compassion over doctrine, the journey over the destination — all hallmarks of his thinking, all false alternatives.
Vanier chose the single life, which we saw as an heroic example of celibacy lived out for the sake of the Kingdom. Not as a cover to bed hurt women under the guise of spiritual direction. This direction included bizarre and frankly demonic language about “this is Jesus and Mary,” and the “rest of the world does not understand.”
Turns out, he learned all of it from his disgraced Dominican mentor, although one victim testified that the latter was “more brutal.”
Odd Choices of Heroes
One of his last books, Life’s Great Questions shows how far he had strayed. Take Communism, for instance. After assuring the reader that “this is not a book about answers,” he writes, without irony: “It is astonishing how detached we can become from reality. Communism, for example, is, in and of itself, a beautiful vision of people living together, sharing their life and wealth.”On the devil, Vanier asks, “Can we say that evil originated by a rupture in heaven between God and His angels? I cannot say. Humanity has been looking into this question forever, but we never get satisfying answers. Wisdom is to be very humble. We don’t know too much. But perhaps it does not matter.”
Who are his heroes? Any mention of the saints or doctors of the Church? Sorry, no. Apart from a nod to social justice activist Dorothy Day, he praises the Communist Nelson Mandela, the Hindu Vanadana Shiva, the Muslim Malala Yousafzai, the Jewish Etty Hillesum, the Pashtun Abdul Ghaffār Khān, and the Buddhist Aung San Suu Kyi. This kind of careful virtue-signalling reflects a lifelong reluctance to be identified with orthodox Christianity.
L’Arche’s Priorities in Hiring an “International Leader” are Telling
Fourth, if L’Arche gave the impression of being Catholic in theory and ecumenical in practice, even that is gone. According to a 2017 leadership candidate memo the organization today makes no bones about its priorities.
That memo was sent to L’Arche members around the world from the International Nomination Committee. Its prime International Leader candidate in 2017 is Stephan Posner, a Jewish businessman who ran into L’Arche later in life. That the father-of-four Posner is separated from his wife and openly lives with “his partner Yael” was no obstacle to him getting the job.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The bona fides for Stacy Cates-Carney as Vice International leader emphasize her leadership role at the big LGBTQ2 Jesuit parish in Seattle, which, well, says it all. A word search finds no mention of the words Church, Scripture, Catholic, Jesus, Christ, Christian, or Gospel, but “encounter” appears five times, “Jesuit” appears five times and “spiritual” nine times. You get the picture.
Vanier’s “10 Rules for Life”
A few months before he died, Vanier did a televised bedside interview. The two off-camera interviewers are Anne Gerken and Pauline Dejoie — both, unsurprisingly, attractive young L’Arche staffers. It’s called “10 Rules for Life.”
A few of his Rules:
Rule One: Accept the Reality of Your Body. As subject matters go, a fitting start for an expert manager of admiring females. Watch for yourself. What does this pseudo-profundity even mean? Rule Nine: Listen to Your Deepest Desire and Follow It. If you want to know where this New Agey “follow your bliss” advice can lead to, ask an addict. Rule Ten: Remember That You’ll Die One Day. Here is the most depressing part of all. Here he is, in poor health at 90 years of age. And what’s his message? The salvation given by Jesus? Regrets in life? Sins to avoid? Purgatory? Again, sorry. His message is almost agnostic, and it side-steps the transcendent altogether.
“We’re all here,’ he calmly intones, “but we’re just local people, passengers in a journey; we get into the train, we get out of the train, the train goes on. Humanity has been going on for millions of years. And here we are today in the year 2000-and-whatever-it-is, and the world will continue when I’m no longer there.”
That’s it. Roll credits.
Of course, plausible deniability here about grooming is easy to find. (Fish for victims when he knows he’s on camera?) And yet, he keeps nudging the conversation into a kind of ambiguous no man’s land that, over time, could be used to identify a point of entry for the psychological hold he was skilled at gaining. In the Gerken/Dejoie session, one detects the same spirit of — what is it? subsurface flirtation? — that characterizes his Krista Tippett interview.
“I Have Been Worried About You”
One woman who detected something amiss with Vanier was Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty, the Russian-born author and co-founder of the Madonna House ministry. She was instrumental in the conversion of a young Thomas Merton. In a personal letter dated August 27, 1974 — four years after the earliest known of Vanier’s offenses — Catherine, in the midst of effusive affirmations, voices an unnamed concern. It’s a bit cryptic.
Doherty was known for her gift for reading the signs of the time. In Jean Vanier, she saw “fragmentation,” she wrote, something off and yet “intangible” that “bothers” her. She recommends that he “rest” and “spare himself.” Perhaps there are other letters extant. But this one is telling. She was awarded the Order of Canada in 1976 for her service to the poor around the world. Vanier won the same medal in 1986, the year after she died.
Fast forward to 2008, when the greatest mass murderer in Canadian history, abortionist Henry Morgentaler, was also given the Order of Canada. The staff at Madonna House wasted no time in returning Catherine’s medal in protest. Vanier, cultivating what journalist David Warren has called an aggressively benign look, hemmed and hawed about the need to be compassionate, and kept his.
Ideally positioned to be a powerful spokesman for the pro-life movement — as his acquaintance St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was, every chance she got — Vanier simply wasn’t into it. Not that he was a pro-abortion ideologue. He just kept the whole uncomfortableness at a safe barge-pole distance.
His Most Fitting Accolade
Absent any new revelations, Jean Vanier died as he lived: unrepentant while trading on mercy, remote and superficial while projecting closeness and depth. God willing, the important work of L’Arche will somehow continue to serve the most vulnerable among us. His victims, and the faithful who admired him, deserved far better.
One of his honors came in 2010 from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, when asteroid 8604 was named Vanier. What is an asteroid but a celestial something that moves virtually undetected and, if not spotted early, is capable of inflicting great damage?
Of his many accolades, perhaps Asteroid Vanier is the most fitting.
Patrick Coffin is the author of The Contraception Deception and the founder of Coffin Nation, a culture-restoring community in 25 countries.
For more on lessons to be drawn from Vanier’s tragic deception, see “When Our Heroes Turn Out to Be Monsters” from Stream senior editor David Mills.


thestream--2020-03-26--VA Gov. Northam Criminalizes Gatherings Larger Than 10, Even For Religious Services, As Part Of Coro

VA Gov. Northam Criminalizes Gatherings Larger Than 10, Even For Religious Services, As Part Of Coronavirus Restrictions

Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam criminalized gatherings of more than 10 people , even if they ’ re attending a religious service .
The Democrat announced Monday that , effective Tuesday at midnight , “ all public and private in person gatherings of 10 or more individuals are prohibited ” in the state of Virginia .
Guidance issued by the governor ’ s office regarding the order notes that religious institutions are not excluded from this order .
Northam ’ s announcement is further expanded in Executive Order 53 , which placed temporary restrictions on restaurants , recreational and entertainment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as closed K-12 schools throughout the state due to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Virginians are strongly encouraged to seek alternative means of attending religious services , such as virtually or via ‘ drive-through ’ worship , ” the guidance says .
“ Places of worship that do conduct in-person services must limit gatherings to 10 people , to comply with the statewide 10-person ban.
” Help us champion truth , freedom , limited government and human dignity .
Support The Stream » Violation of this order will be considered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Class 1 misdemeanor is punishable by confinement in jail for up to 12 months and a fine of up to $ 2,500 , or both .
Northam ’ s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , a Democrat , amended her order that banned gatherings of more than 50 people , saying that churches were excluded from being subject to penalties for violating the order .
Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine , a Republican , also exempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order .
“ We did not order religious organizations to close , but my message to EVERYONE is that this is serious .
When you are coming together , whether in a church or wherever – this is dangerous , ” DeWine tweeted Sunday .

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam criminalized gatherings of more than 10 people, even if they’re attending a religious service.
The Democrat announced Monday that, effective Tuesday at midnight, “all public and private in person gatherings of 10 or more individuals are prohibited” in the state of Virginia. Guidance issued by the governor’s office regarding the order notes that religious institutions are not excluded from this order.
Northam’s announcement is further expanded in Executive Order 53, which placed temporary restrictions on restaurants, recreational and entertainment gatherings, and non-essential retail businesses, as well as closed K-12 schools throughout the state due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Virginians are strongly encouraged to seek alternative means of attending religious services, such as virtually or via ‘drive-through’ worship,” the guidance says. “Places of worship that do conduct in-person services must limit gatherings to 10 people, to comply with the statewide 10-person ban.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Violation of this order will be considered a Class 1 misdemeanor. In Virginia, a Class 1 misdemeanor is punishable by confinement in jail for up to 12 months and a fine of up to $2,500, or both.
Northam’s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, amended her order that banned gatherings of more than 50 people, saying that churches were excluded from being subject to penalties for violating the order. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, also exempted churches from his state’s stay-at-home order.
“We did not order religious organizations to close, but my message to EVERYONE is that this is serious. When you are coming together, whether in a church or wherever – this is dangerous,” DeWine tweeted Sunday.
We did not order religious organizations to close, but my message to EVERYONE is that this is serious. When you are coming together, whether in a church or wherever – this is dangerous. — Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) March 22, 2020
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--2020-04-16--Everyone Vote By Mail Due to the Coronavirus? Or Will it Increase Voter Fraud Too Much?

Democrats want the presidential election conducted completely by mail .
They say this will save lives by keeping people socially-distanced .
It will help older and sicker citizens feel safe in voting .
Several Democratic U.S. senators have drafted a bill to assist states carry it out .
It is the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act ( NDEBA ) of 2020 .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren goes even further .
She proposes that a mail-in ballot be automatically sent to every registered voter in the country .
Voting and saving lives .
That ’ s all the Democrats want , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s still a good idea , right ?
Again , no .
Several states postponed their presidential primary elections due to the coronavirus .
They are encouraging people to vote by mail .
No one really objected .
Social distancing is still in effect .
No one worries about fraud because Donald Trump will win the Republican primary and Joe Biden will win the Democratic primary .
What ’ s controversial is making everyone vote by mail in the general election .
It ’ s not needed .
By early November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People will be getting out again .
If people can go to the restaurants and the shops , they can go to the polls .
Worse than not needed , it would undermine our democracy .
The election will be so contentious between Trump and Biden that voter fraud is expected .
Fraudsters typically target swing states .
The six key swing states — Michigan , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , Florida , North Carolina and Arizona — already allow fairly broad access to voting by mail .
That is one reason Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases .
How would voting by mail make voter fraud easier ?
By not requiring an ID .
All a fraudster has to do is get ballots from people who aren ’ t voting , or who think they ’ re being helped with voting .
That ’ s called “ ballot harvesting.
” Anyone can return a signed and sealed ballot to election officials .
The GOP is skeptical that the ballots were really filled out by the person the ballot was intended for .
The party suspects that some activists aggressively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one way votes are counted from dead people .
Trump opposes voting by mail .
“ Mail-in voting is a terrible thing , ” he said .
“ You get thousands and thousands of people sitting in somebody ’ s living room signing ballots all over the place.
” The mainstream media asserts that there is little fraud with vote by mail .
They claim Trump is pushing false claims of mail-in vote fraud .
They frequently point to just one example to claim it ’ s rare .
It conveniently involves a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of election fraud , such as this one created by the Heritage Foundation .
It contains numerous criminal fraud convictions related to voting by mail .
It doesn ’ t even claim to be a comprehensive list .
There are probably far more crimes .
Trump ’ s re-election team also provided a list of mail-in vote fraud to CNN ’ s Jim Acosta after he expressed skepticism .
Voting by Mail Fraud Produces the Most Common Voting Fraud Richard L. Hasen , an elections expert and University of California law professor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such [ vote ] fraud in the United States involves absentee ballots.
” Charles Stewart III of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology agreed .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
In 2018 , four women in Texas were prosecuted for requesting Democratic ballots in the names of elderly voters .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said a former Democratic Party leader paid the women .
The four submitted applications with forged signatures , changed some of the information on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the voters .
They then either intercepted the ballots as they came in the mail or pretended to help the elderly voters fill them out .
The Attorney General ’ s Office called it major organized crime .
The office said the women were part of a larger group that was filling out hundreds or even thousands of ballots .
An author writing at Inside Sources last week explained how she made up a fake name and easily got a ballot to vote by mail .
She says states don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if an American citizen with a particular birth date exists .
Catherine Engelbrecht , founder of True the Vote told me , “ Forcing the country into an all mail ballot election would cause unprecedented levels of chaos , which is the whole idea .
Every ballot that doesn ’ t reach the intended voter , that is rejected due to a technicality in penmanship , that is illegally harvested , that isn ’ t delivered in time , that is fraudulently cast … every one dilutes the voice of America by robbing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard.
” True the Vote was targeted by the IRS ’ s Lois Lerner in order to destroy them .
I ’ d never even heard of them until the IRS targeted them .
What does that tell you ?
Republicans also don ’ t like the federal government interfering with state election laws .
It goes against their Tenth Amendment views of federalism .
Congressional Democrats tried to include an expansion of voting by mail in the recent $ 2 trillion stimulus package .
The Brennan Center for Justice , a strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nationwide expansion would cost $ 2 billion , but only $ 400 million was approved for the purpose .
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said it was “ disgusting ” that Democrats would hold up the coronavirus stimulus bill in order to change election law .
Texas Sen. John Cornyn pushed back against the effort .
Since people “ can go to the grocery store , they can go to the polls , ” he said .
Five states — Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah , and Washington — already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail .
In two-thirds of states , voters can request an early ballot without providing a reason .
Mail-in ballots favor Republicans over Democrats , because more elderly people use them than anyone else , and that demographic skews Republican .
( I discovered that while working as the attorney for the Maricopa County Elections Department . )
Democratic vote fraud could erase this difference and possibly tip elections to Democratic candidates .
As Trump warned on Fox & Friends , if the entire country voted by mail , “ you ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country again.
” Rachel Alexander is a senior editor of The Stream .
Follow her on Twitter at Rach_IC .
Follow The Stream at streamdotorg .
Send tips to rachel.alexander @ stream.org .

Democrats want the presidential election conducted completely by mail. They say this will save lives by keeping people socially-distanced. It will help older and sicker citizens feel safe in voting.
Several Democratic U.S. senators have drafted a bill to assist states carry it out. It is the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act (NDEBA) of 2020. Sen. Elizabeth Warren goes even further. She proposes that a mail-in ballot be automatically sent to every registered voter in the country.
Voting and saving lives. That’s all the Democrats want, right? Well, no. But it’s still a good idea, right? Again, no.
What’s Controversial
Several states postponed their presidential primary elections due to the coronavirus. They are encouraging people to vote by mail. No one really objected. Social distancing is still in effect. No one worries about fraud because Donald Trump will win the Republican primary and Joe Biden will win the Democratic primary.
What’s controversial is making everyone vote by mail in the general election. It’s not needed. By early November, social distancing should be mostly gone. People will be getting out again. If people can go to the restaurants and the shops, they can go to the polls.
Worse than not needed, it would undermine our democracy. The election will be so contentious between Trump and Biden that voter fraud is expected.
Fraudsters typically target swing states. The six key swing states — Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, North Carolina and Arizona — already allow fairly broad access to voting by mail. That is one reason Florida has had so many high-profile voter fraud cases.
How would voting by mail make voter fraud easier? By not requiring an ID. All a fraudster has to do is get ballots from people who aren’t voting, or who think they’re being helped with voting. That’s called “ballot harvesting.” Anyone can return a signed and sealed ballot to election officials.
The GOP is skeptical that the ballots were really filled out by the person the ballot was intended for. The party suspects that some activists aggressively collect numerous ballots. This is also one way votes are counted from dead people.
President Trump Strongly Opposes It
Trump opposes voting by mail. “Mail-in voting is a terrible thing,” he said. “You get thousands and thousands of people sitting in somebody’s living room signing ballots all over the place.”
Republicans should fight very hard when it comes to state wide mail-in voting. Democrats are clamoring for it. Tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, doesn’t work out well for Republicans. @foxandfriends — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 8, 2020
GET RID OF BALLOT HARVESTING, IT IS RAMPANT WITH FRAUD. THE USA MUST HAVE VOTER I.D., THE ONLY WAY TO GET AN HONEST COUNT! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2020
The mainstream media asserts that there is little fraud with vote by mail. They claim Trump is pushing false claims of mail-in vote fraud. They frequently point to just one example to claim it’s rare. It conveniently involves a GOP congressional candidate.
They ignore lists of election fraud, such as this one created by the Heritage Foundation. It contains numerous criminal fraud convictions related to voting by mail. It doesn’t even claim to be a comprehensive list. There are probably far more crimes. Trump’s re-election team also provided a list of mail-in vote fraud to CNN’s Jim Acosta after he expressed skepticism.
Voting by Mail Fraud Produces the Most Common Voting Fraud
Richard L. Hasen, an elections expert and University of California law professor, said “the most common type of such [vote] fraud in the United States involves absentee ballots.” Charles Stewart III of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology agreed.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In 2018, four women in Texas were prosecuted for requesting Democratic ballots in the names of elderly voters. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said a former Democratic Party leader paid the women.
The four submitted applications with forged signatures, changed some of the information on the applications, and resubmitted them without knowledge of the voters. They then either intercepted the ballots as they came in the mail or pretended to help the elderly voters fill them out.
The Attorney General’s Office called it major organized crime. The office said the women were part of a larger group that was filling out hundreds or even thousands of ballots.
An author writing at Inside Sources last week explained how she made up a fake name and easily got a ballot to vote by mail. She says states don’t have any way to check and see if an American citizen with a particular birth date exists.
Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of True the Vote told me, “Forcing the country into an all mail ballot election would cause unprecedented levels of chaos, which is the whole idea. Every ballot that doesn’t reach the intended voter, that is rejected due to a technicality in penmanship, that is illegally harvested, that isn’t delivered in time, that is fraudulently cast … every one dilutes the voice of America by robbing legitimate voters of their opportunity to be heard.” True the Vote was targeted by the IRS’s Lois Lerner in order to destroy them. I’d never even heard of them until the IRS targeted them. What does that tell you?
Republicans also don’t like the federal government interfering with state election laws. It goes against their Tenth Amendment views of federalism.
Democratic Trick
Congressional Democrats tried to include an expansion of voting by mail in the recent $2 trillion stimulus package. The Brennan Center for Justice, a strong proponent of voting by mail, says a nationwide expansion would cost $2 billion, but only $400 million was approved for the purpose. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said it was “disgusting” that Democrats would hold up the coronavirus stimulus bill in order to change election law.
Texas Sen. John Cornyn pushed back against the effort. Since people “can go to the grocery store, they can go to the polls,” he said.
Five states — Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, and Washington — already mandate that all elections be conducted by mail. In two-thirds of states, voters can request an early ballot without providing a reason.
Voter Fraud v. More GOP Votes
Mail-in ballots favor Republicans over Democrats, because more elderly people use them than anyone else, and that demographic skews Republican. (I discovered that while working as the attorney for the Maricopa County Elections Department.) Democratic vote fraud could erase this difference and possibly tip elections to Democratic candidates. As Trump warned on Fox & Friends, if the entire country voted by mail, “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
CALL TO ACTION: COVID-19 is causing massive disruptions in life. The Stream’s parent organization, LIFE Outreach International, is helping send a first wave of help. LIFE’s local mission partners are already distributing thousands of surgical masks, gloves and other sanitary supplies to first responders, hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, other partners have focused on distributing as many meals as possible to help those who need food. You can help with these efforts. Click here to donate.
Rachel Alexander is a senior editor of The Stream. Follow her on Twitter at Rach_IC. Follow The Stream at streamdotorg. Send tips to [email protected].


thestream--2020-04-16--November 2020: The Reichstag Fire Election

In September 2016 , The Claremont Review of Books called the upcoming race “ The Flight 93 Election , ” because America had been hijacked , and was being flown like a Kamikaze plane .
That was right then .
But now it ’ s four years later , and we face a different problem .
With our rights getting seized and our Constitution de facto suspended , we ’ re living through our own version of Germany ’ s Reichstag fire .
Enemies of that country ’ s constitution used that real event to gin up a public panic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked in a column a few weeks ago , “ Are you paranoid enough ?
” And the answer has come back .
It ’ s “ No.
” That reply was official .
We submitted it through proper channels to the relevant elites .
They got back to us really promptly .
It was absolute and definitive , as if on official letterhead .
What do I mean ?
Well , in case you don ’ t recall , my column reviewed a powerful new media documentary by journalist Mike Cernovich .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here ’ s a snippet of what I said about it then : The response to Hoaxed answered my question , all right .
Within a few weeks of its premiere on Amazon Prime , the company banned the film .
No explanation given .
Amazon simply … pulled it .
( I ’ ve reached out to Mr. Cernovich for the backstory , and when he gets back to me I ’ ll publish that interview here . )
You can still see the film on iTunes , Vudu , and Youtube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t bet the farm that it won ’ t vanish from those venues too .
The Woke execs at Big Tech firms like to march in lockstep .
When a media expose revealing bias gets … censored , what should that tell us ?
That everything ’ s hunky-dory ?
How comfortable are we that as brick and mortar stores go bankrupt thanks to this lockdown , Amazon ’ s raking in billions ?
That it ’ s even becoming our normal , go-to place for getting our daily necessities ?
Do we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controlling not just the information but the food and toilet paper supply ?
That question seems a lot less crazy today than it would have on March 1 , doesn ’ t it ?
When some of our real stores re-open , let ’ s make a special effort to wean ourselves off Amazon , shall we ?
And maybe ask President Trump to give that company a really close look under antitrust laws .
It might be time to break that behemoth up into 20 or 30 pieces .
What Would Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how blue state governors and mayors are acting ?
Nothing I didn ’ t already point to days ago , when I warned of the Tyrannovirus .
Closing drive-in church services .
Keeping abortion clinics open .
Sending cops to bust people fishing alone in their boats .
It ’ s all like some paranoid montage from a terrible end-of-days screenplay .
All these civil rights of religion and assembly are getting trashed far beyond the actual guidelines for social distancing .
This with a Republican in the White House .
Can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would play out , if Joe Biden wins ?
We were already fighting for incredibly high stakes this November .
We faced a left that refused to surrender power in 2016 and attempted a slow motion coup .
Now we see in the bleak light of day just how vicious and lawless these people are willing to be .
The next time a bat or a biologist transmits a deadly virus from China to Chinatown … .
How many rights will we even have left ?
Will the people who sent a SWAT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to keep General Mike Flynn in prison , even allow judicial appeals ?
Again , these seemed like crazy questions , as far back as March 1 .
No more .
They Never Just Give You Your Rights Back Every American needs to read a book , just one book , to prepare himself for what we ’ re facing today .
It ’ s Crisis and Leviathan , by Robert Higgs .
It chronicles how real crises , spontaneous or manufactured , serve the permanent , irreversible growth of big government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized by the feds or the states might help weather the storm , but the government rarely gives them back , and never without a fight .
Here ’ s a prime example : the military draft , a huge confiscation of liberty , was introduced to fight World War II .
It was still going strong into the 1970s .
When Democrats like Gov .
Andrew Cuomo talk about the “ new normal , ” they ’ re thinking of massive societal changes the size of that one .
They never let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
And what will America look like , if panicked citizens let elites strip away our constitutional protections , as we desperately claw for safety ?
I predict we ’ ll look a lot like a comparable European country , with a very similar culture .
We ’ ll go the way of Germany , where a single political elite squashes any serious dissent with an iron fist , labeling criticism of immigration policy “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their ideas .
What we see in Germany today , we ’ ll see over here under President Biden , in less than a year .
Remember that Barack Obama , who just endorsed Biden , promised to “ fundamentally transform ” America into a “ normal country , ” like those in Western Europe .
The following news comes from Paul Joseph Watson , who ’ s linked to the controversial Alex Jones .
I ’ ve checked his information with a mainstream German news site , though , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is how the democratic constitutional German government is handling peaceful critics of its virus lockdown policy : A German medical lawyer who criticized the coronavirus lockdown law was arrested and taken to a psychiatric ward , where she says she was violently abused by authorities .
Beate Bahner published a press release on April 3rd decrying the German lockdown laws as “ flagrantly unconstitutional , infringing to an unprecedented extent many of the fundamental rights of citizens.
” “ These measures are not justified by the Infection Prevention Act , hurriedly amended just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asserted .
“ Long-term restrictions on leaving home and meeting others , based on high-death-rate modelled scenarios , which fail to take account of actual critical expert opinions , and the complete shutdown of businesses and shops with no proof that they pose any risk of infection , are thoroughly unlawful.
” Bahner called for a nationwide protest on Easter Sunday to “ end the tyranny at once , ” before Heidelberg Police announced that they would seek to prosecute her for inciting Germans to break the law .
The authorities didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dumped her at a psychiatric hospital , like a Soviet dissident .
Then they treated her “ like a terrorist , ” according to Bahner , who managed to contact her sister .
What time is it in America ?
And where will the hands on the clock be after the next inauguration , come January ?
That ’ s up to us .
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 @ @ @ @

In September 2016, The Claremont Review of Books called the upcoming race “The Flight 93 Election,” because America had been hijacked, and was being flown like a Kamikaze plane. That was right then. But now it’s four years later, and we face a different problem. With our rights getting seized and our Constitution de facto suspended, we’re living through our own version of Germany’s Reichstag fire. Enemies of that country’s constitution used that real event to gin up a public panic, and annul individual rights.
I asked in a column a few weeks ago, “Are you paranoid enough?” And the answer has come back. It’s “No.”
That reply was official. We submitted it through proper channels to the relevant elites. They got back to us really promptly. It was absolute and definitive, as if on official letterhead.
Question Censorship? Get Censored
What do I mean? Well, in case you don’t recall, my column reviewed a powerful new media documentary by journalist Mike Cernovich. The film’s called Hoaxed. Here’s a snippet of what I said about it then:
In Hoaxed, Cernovich offers a detailed, fine-grained picture of how “legacy” broadcast and print media now cooperate with social media giants to massively bias coverage of news. Not just of straight up politics, but even world events.
The response to Hoaxed answered my question, all right. Within a few weeks of its premiere on Amazon Prime, the company banned the film. No explanation given. Amazon simply … pulled it. (I’ve reached out to Mr. Cernovich for the backstory, and when he gets back to me I’ll publish that interview here.)
You can still see the film on iTunes, Vudu, and Youtube … for the moment. Don’t bet the farm that it won’t vanish from those venues too. The Woke execs at Big Tech firms like to march in lockstep.
When a media expose revealing bias gets … censored, what should that tell us?
Break Up Big Amazon?
That everything’s hunky-dory? How comfortable are we that as brick and mortar stores go bankrupt thanks to this lockdown, Amazon’s raking in billions? That it’s even becoming our normal, go-to place for getting our daily necessities? Do we want one company that censors dissenting ideas controlling not just the information but the food and toilet paper supply? That question seems a lot less crazy today than it would have on March 1, doesn’t it?
When some of our real stores re-open, let’s make a special effort to wean ourselves off Amazon, shall we? And maybe ask President Trump to give that company a really close look under antitrust laws. It might be time to break that behemoth up into 20 or 30 pieces.
What Would Biden Do?
What can I really say about how blue state governors and mayors are acting? Nothing I didn’t already point to days ago, when I warned of the Tyrannovirus. Closing drive-in church services. Keeping abortion clinics open. Sending cops to bust people fishing alone in their boats. It’s all like some paranoid montage from a terrible end-of-days screenplay.
All these civil rights of religion and assembly are getting trashed far beyond the actual guidelines for social distancing. This with a Republican in the White House. Can you even imagine how the next crisis would play out, if Joe Biden wins?
Do we want one company that censors dissenting ideas controlling not just the information but the food and toilet paper supply? That question seems a lot less crazy today than it would have on March 1, doesn’t it?
We were already fighting for incredibly high stakes this November. We faced a left that refused to surrender power in 2016 and attempted a slow motion coup. Now we see in the bleak light of day just how vicious and lawless these people are willing to be. The next time a bat or a biologist transmits a deadly virus from China to Chinatown … . How many rights will we even have left? Will the people who sent a SWAT team to arrest Roger Stone, and want to put General Mike Flynn in prison, even allow judicial appeals?
Again, these seemed like crazy questions, as far back as March 1. No more.
They Never Just Give You Your Rights Back
Every American needs to read a book, just one book, to prepare himself for what we’re facing today. It’s Crisis and Leviathan, by Robert Higgs. It chronicles how real crises, spontaneous or manufactured, serve the permanent, irreversible growth of big government power. The “emergency” powers seized by the feds or the states might help weather the storm, but the government rarely gives them back, and never without a fight.
Here’s a prime example: the military draft, a huge confiscation of liberty, was introduced to fight World War II. It was still going strong into the 1970s. When Democrats like Gov. Andrew Cuomo talk about the “new normal,” they’re thinking of massive societal changes the size of that one. They never let a crisis “go to waste.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
And what will America look like, if panicked citizens let elites strip away our constitutional protections, as we desperately claw for safety?
I predict we’ll look a lot like a comparable European country, with a very similar culture. We’ll go the way of Germany, where a single political elite squashes any serious dissent with an iron fist, labeling criticism of immigration policy “hate speech,” and imprisoning people for their ideas. What we see in Germany today, we’ll see over here under President Biden, in less than a year. Remember that Barack Obama, who just endorsed Biden, promised to “fundamentally transform” America into a “normal country,” like those in Western Europe.
America, Fundamentally Transformed
The following news comes from Paul Joseph Watson, who’s linked to the controversial Alex Jones. I’ve checked his information with a mainstream German news site, though, and it all seems to be correct. This is how the democratic constitutional German government is handling peaceful critics of its virus lockdown policy:
A German medical lawyer who criticized the coronavirus lockdown law was arrested and taken to a psychiatric ward, where she says she was violently abused by authorities. Beate Bahner published a press release on April 3rd decrying the German lockdown laws as “flagrantly unconstitutional, infringing to an unprecedented extent many of the fundamental rights of citizens.” “These measures are not justified by the Infection Prevention Act, hurriedly amended just a few days ago,” she asserted. “Long-term restrictions on leaving home and meeting others, based on high-death-rate modelled scenarios, which fail to take account of actual critical expert opinions, and the complete shutdown of businesses and shops with no proof that they pose any risk of infection, are thoroughly unlawful.” Bahner called for a nationwide protest on Easter Sunday to “end the tyranny at once,” before Heidelberg Police announced that they would seek to prosecute her for inciting Germans to break the law.
Psychiatric Prison for Dissenters
The authorities didn’t take Bahner to jail. They dumped her at a psychiatric hospital, like a Soviet dissident. Then they treated her “like a terrorist,” according to Bahner, who managed to contact her sister.
“I asked to be allowed to sit down and was shown to a bench. Then I asked to have the handcuffs taken off, since it was actually I who had requested police protection,” she recounted. “But instead, I was thrown to the floor again, having my head hurled onto the stone floor from a meter height, which nobody reacted to. Then I was forced to spend the night lying on the floor in some high-security Guantanamo psychiatric clinic…there was no toilet, no sink, though they did allow me water, and there was a bell I could ring, though they ignored it after the third time I pressed it.”
Bahner’s lawyer issued a public complaint, noting:
Bahner is in the company of over 50 well-known experts in criticising the nationwide lockdown; I would be glad to furnish you with a list of their names. If it really is the case lawyers critical of government measures can now be intimidated using the state legal apparatus or psychiatry, and can be professionally and socially destroyed, then it is five minutes to midnight in this country.
What time is it in America? And where will the hands on the clock be after the next inauguration, come January? That’s up to us.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.


thestream--2020-04-16--The Shutdown, the Sabbath and a Weekly Divine Reset

As inconvenient as this period of enforced shutdown has been , it has also been a time of reflection , a time of growth , a time of deepening .
Some are even referring to it as a time of “ divine reset , ” and it is changing their lives for the better .
What if God intended for us to have a divine reset every week ?
What if that was one of the very purposes of the Sabbath ?
To be clear , my goal here is not to debate whether it is “ mandatory ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less do I want to debate whether it is appropriate for a Christian to set aside Sunday , rather than Saturday ( or any other day ) , for the Sabbath .
A Sacred Challenge to Honor the God-Given “ Sanctuary in Time ” Instead , I want to present an invitation to you .
A sacred challenge .
An open door .
The Jewish thinker Abraham Joshua Heschel classically described the Sabbath as “ sanctuary in time , ” noting that , “ The Sabbaths are our great cathedrals , the Jewish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly , did he mean ?
He noted that , “ One of the most distinguished words in the Bible is the word kadosh , holy ; a word which more than any other is representative of the mystery and majesty of the divine .
Now what was the first holy object in the history of the world ?
Was it a mountain ?
Was it an altar ?
” This is a great question : What is the first thing in the Bible described as “ holy ” ?
Heschel answers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unique occasion at which the distinguished word kadosh is used for the first time : in the Book of Genesis at the end of the story of creation .
How extremely significant is the fact that it is applied to time : ‘ And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.
’ There is no reference in the record of creation to any object in space that would be endowed with the quality of holiness.
” So , it is a day , a period of time , which is called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest enter into its holiness .
It is , in that sense , a “ sanctuary in time.
” What does this mean for us today ?
I ’ m Home Now More Than I Have Been At Any Point in Decades During this enforced shutdown period , all my traveling engagements have been cancelled for a period of several months .
This means that , more than any time in my life in decades , I am home on the weekends ( along with some weekdays ) rather than being on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the road about 200 days ( including 7 international trips ) .
This was in addition to doing my daily live radio program .
And writing more than 250 articles .
And producing more than 450 videos ( including our daily show ) .
And publishing 5 books .
And answering endless emails .
And doing endless interviews .
Support The Stream : Serving the Body During This Crisis With Facts .
Faith .
And No Fear .
You know the routine .
You are busy too .
Your life can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hobbies and responsibilities and personal needs .
When you add things up at the end of the year , there has been a lot of activity but not a lot of rest .
I mean real rest .
Reflective rest .
Refreshing rest .
Renewing rest .
The kind of rest that invigorates and recharges .
I ’ m talking about the kind of rest when you get your head clear .
When you get your priorities straight .
When you rise above the fray of the busyness of life and see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheryl Miller in her book on the Sabbath titled Rhythms of Rest , “ Rest provides fine-tuning for hearing God ’ s messages amidst the static of life.
” Exactly .
Right now , I am doing my best to seize this unique moment in history when we are forced to shut down so many of our normal activities .
I am seeking God for deep and lasting changes in my own life and for fresh and clear directives for future ministry .
And I am not only seeking to be more productive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still .
Waiting .
Listening .
Resting .
Out of that will come deepening .
Renewing .
Refreshing .
After the Shutdown We ’ ll Still Need Weekly Shutdowns But what happens when the shutdown ends ?
What happens when , if God wills , I start traveling again ?
The key is a weekly reset , a mini-shutdown of sorts .
A Sabbath rest .
Can we see this as a gift from God rather than a burden ?
In the 1970s , a friend of mine had a professor at Wheaton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week .
One week , to his surprise , he had an hour open and decided to do something completely spontaneous .
The next day , he joyfully told his students about his experience and said , “ This was so wonderful that I have decided to schedule one hour a week for something spontaneous.
” I smile as I write this , but I believe you get the point .
Let us do our best to schedule a divine reset in our lives on a regular basis .
Perhaps , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God Himself called it holy .
Perhaps , as we do , we can live out the lessons we are learning during this crisis .
Let us find this “ sanctuary in time , ” and let us benefit from it the rest of our lives .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is When the World Stops : Words of Faith , Hope , and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis .
Connect with him on @ @ @ @ @ @

As inconvenient as this period of enforced shutdown has been, it has also been a time of reflection, a time of growth, a time of deepening. Some are even referring to it as a time of “divine reset,” and it is changing their lives for the better. What if God intended for us to have a divine reset every week? What if that was one of the very purposes of the Sabbath?
To be clear, my goal here is not to debate whether it is “mandatory” for Christians to observe the Sabbath. Even less do I want to debate whether it is appropriate for a Christian to set aside Sunday, rather than Saturday (or any other day), for the Sabbath.
A Sacred Challenge to Honor the God-Given “Sanctuary in Time”
Instead, I want to present an invitation to you. A sacred challenge. An open door.
The Jewish thinker Abraham Joshua Heschel classically described the Sabbath as “sanctuary in time,” noting that, “The Sabbaths are our great cathedrals, the Jewish equivalent of sacred architecture.”
What, exactly, did he mean?
He noted that, “One of the most distinguished words in the Bible is the word kadosh, holy; a word which more than any other is representative of the mystery and majesty of the divine. Now what was the first holy object in the history of the world? Was it a mountain? Was it an altar?”
What is the first thing in the Bible described as “holy”?
This is a great question: What is the first thing in the Bible described as “holy”?
Heschel answers, “It is, indeed, a unique occasion at which the distinguished word kadosh is used for the first time: in the Book of Genesis at the end of the story of creation. How extremely significant is the fact that it is applied to time: ‘And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.’ There is no reference in the record of creation to any object in space that would be endowed with the quality of holiness.”
So, it is a day, a period of time, which is called holy. Those who enter into Sabbath rest enter into its holiness. It is, in that sense, a “sanctuary in time.” What does this mean for us today?
I’m Home Now More Than I Have Been At Any Point in Decades
During this enforced shutdown period, all my traveling engagements have been cancelled for a period of several months. This means that, more than any time in my life in decades, I am home on the weekends (along with some weekdays) rather than being on the road.
Last year, I was on the road about 200 days (including 7 international trips). This was in addition to doing my daily live radio program. And writing more than 250 articles. And producing more than 450 videos (including our daily show). And publishing 5 books. And answering endless emails. And doing endless interviews.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
You know the routine. You are busy too. Your life can be non-stop as well with work and kids and hobbies and responsibilities and personal needs.
When you add things up at the end of the year, there has been a lot of activity but not a lot of rest.
Real Rest Recharges Us
I mean real rest. Reflective rest. Refreshing rest. Renewing rest. The kind of rest that invigorates and recharges.
I’m talking about the kind of rest when you get your head clear. When you get your priorities straight. When you rise above the fray of the busyness of life and see the big picture.
I’m talking about a divine reset on a weekly basis.
As expressed by Sheryl Miller in her book on the Sabbath titled Rhythms of Rest, “Rest provides fine-tuning for hearing God’s messages amidst the static of life.” Exactly.
I’m talking about the kind of rest when you get your head clear. When you get your priorities straight. When you rise above the fray of the busyness of life and see the big picture.
Right now, I am doing my best to seize this unique moment in history when we are forced to shut down so many of our normal activities. I am seeking God for deep and lasting changes in my own life and for fresh and clear directives for future ministry.
And I am not only seeking to be more productive. I am seeking to be more still. Waiting. Listening. Resting.
Out of that will come deepening. Renewing. Refreshing.
After the Shutdown We’ll Still Need Weekly Shutdowns
But what happens when the shutdown ends? What happens when, if God wills, I start traveling again? The key is a weekly reset, a mini-shutdown of sorts. A Sabbath rest.
Can we see this as a gift from God rather than a burden?
In the 1970s, a friend of mine had a professor at Wheaton College who literally scheduled every hour of the week.
One week, to his surprise, he had an hour open and decided to do something completely spontaneous.
The next day, he joyfully told his students about his experience and said, “This was so wonderful that I have decided to schedule one hour a week for something spontaneous.”
I smile as I write this, but I believe you get the point.
Let us do our best to schedule a divine reset in our lives on a regular basis. Perhaps, as we do, we will learn why God Himself called it holy. Perhaps, as we do, we can live out the lessons we are learning during this crisis.
Let us find this “sanctuary in time,” and let us benefit from it the rest of our lives.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.