9/11: 19 Years On

It ’ s been 19 years since that awful morning when Usama bin Laden ’ s fiendishly brilliant plan unfolded .
Nineteen Arab Muslims hijacked four American passenger planes in order to wage jihad fi sabil Allah .
“ Jihad in the path of Allah.
” Two were guided into the World Trade Center towers .
One was flown into the Pentagon .
Another , probably intended for the White House , was brought down by its heroic passengers in rural Pennsylvania .
Three thousand Americans were killed that day as a direct result .
Hundreds more heroic firemen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapsed as they were inside them , trying to save lives .
UBL is truly an individual who changed the course of history .
Not , of course , for the better .
Bin Laden was sent to meet his maker by SEAL Team Six in 2011 — no doubt rudely surprised at being greeted not by 72 adoring huris but by the demons of Hell .
But what about his global legacy ?
How has the world changed , thanks to the 9/11 attacks ?
Most obviously , it kicked off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that that has entailed .
Bin Ladin ’ s strategy was for al-Qa ` idah to attack the “ far enemy , ” not its “ near enemies , ” the region ’ s rulers .
This gave us the Department of Homeland Security .
It also led to DHS ’ annoying yet incompetent stepchild , the Transportation Security Administration .
The U.S. military reoriented its focus from conventional to unconventional warfare .
Perhaps not a good idea if you hope to counter aspiring hegemon China , with its massive conventional arsenal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause for the second Bush Administration to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq .
Sending U.S. troops to deprive UBL of the former as a staging area made sense .
What makes no sense whatsoever is that thousands of Americans are still there .
And that we have spent perhaps $ 1 trillion trying to get a people with the highest support for shari ` a on Earth to like Elmo .
Invading Iraq made no sense at all .
Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator .
But he opposed Islamic fundamentalists and jihadists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped the Kurds , also destabilized the region .
Most importantly , it greatly strengthened the ayatollahs ruling Iran .
It also unleashed , although it did not cause , ISIS .
That organization is even more dangerous than AQ .
Even if its territorial caliphate has been destroyed .
Bush ’ s wars of conquest were followed by Obama ’ s extensive drone one .
So , by 15 years after 9/11 , conventional wisdom in Washington DC was to support foreign wars .
Especially ones in the Islamic world .
Call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex .
The Deep State .
The Establishment .
The song remains the same .
The U.S. is not only the world ’ s policeman , but the world ’ s social worker , tutor , arbiter , scold and wokeness advisor .
Our government ’ s job is not only to solve domestic problems .
It ’ s to fix things in other countries .
Especially ones full of people who clearly don ’ t understand their own religion .
And whether they like it or not .
Oh , and making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine , too .
Forever wars are good for business , not just resumes .
The fourth major effect of 9/11 is one that UBL would most approve .
Sympathy for Islam in the West has skyrocketed .
There are now far more Muslims , and mosques , in the U.S. than on September 10 , 2001 .
American Muslims quadrupled , thanks largely to Obama Administration giving them immigration preference .
They number at least 3 million , up from about 900,000 19 years ago .
And they are served by at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track to become the second-largest religious group in a decade or so .
This has had political effects .
Islamic activists like Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are now in Congress .
Any criticism of Islam is now deemed “ far right ” and “ hate speech ” by the media .
The idea that Islam is a protected “ race ” has become entrenched on the Left .
Antifa and BLM thugs are joining forces with Islamic ones .
So we see a “ terrorist intersectionality ” developing .
Most European countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , notably France , Germany , Sweden and the UK ( Although some , such as Hungary , have resisted . )
Bin Laden is surely grimacing , if not smiling , from that fiery pit where he ’ s roasting .
The Coming of the Twelfth Imam Finally , the 9/11 attacks and their aftermath ratcheted up eschatological fervor in the Islamic world .
And this is , if anything , only increasing .
Not just in Iran , but in the Sunni world .
Large percentages of Muslims in many countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Islam ’ s warrior messiah .
A Bangladeshi terrorist leader has claimed to be him .
Turkish government officials have said they are working to prepare his way .
( See my blog posts on this topic . )
Of course , the entire Islamic Republic of Iran is in John the Baptist mode for the coming of their version , the Twelfth Imam .
There were even some who thought Bin Laden the Mahdi .
And as the Muslim year 1500 approaches — 2076 in our calendar — such beliefs will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mahdist jihad would make those of ISIS look like child ’ s play .
All in all , the last 19 years have been a net positive in the clash of civilizations for the Islamic side .
Islam is stronger , certainly as an ideology , within the U.S. ( and many European countries ) .
On the international scene , it remains the only religion with global international representation — the Organization of Islamic Cooperation — which has , in addition , leveraged “ Islamophobia ” into a potent political weapon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and has had some notable successes .
The UAE-Israel peace deal .
A united Sunni front against Iran .
Rapprochement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia .
The ability to call an Islamic spade a spade .
No new foreign wars in the Middle East , South Asia or Islamic Africa .
So perhaps the tide is turning in our favor .
But if Joe Biden is elected , the 20th anniversary of 9/11 will likely be much more grim for America and the West .
Timothy Furnish holds a Ph.D. in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He is a former U.S. Army Arabic linguist and , later , civilian consultant to U.S. Special Operations Command .
He ’ s the author of books on the Middle East and Middle-earth ; a history professor ; and sometime media opiner ( as , for example , on Fox News Channel ’ s War Stories : Fighting ISIS ) .

It’s been 19 years since that awful morning when Usama bin Laden’s fiendishly brilliant plan unfolded. Nineteen Arab Muslims hijacked four American passenger planes in order to wage jihad fi sabil Allah. “Jihad in the path of Allah.” Two were guided into the World Trade Center towers. One was flown into the Pentagon. Another, probably intended for the White House, was brought down by its heroic passengers in rural Pennsylvania.
Three thousand Americans were killed that day as a direct result. Hundreds more heroic firemen, EMTs and policemen perished when the Towers collapsed as they were inside them, trying to save lives.
UBL is truly an individual who changed the course of history. Not, of course, for the better.
Bin Laden was sent to meet his maker by SEAL Team Six in 2011 — no doubt rudely surprised at being greeted not by 72 adoring huris but by the demons of Hell. But what about his global legacy? How has the world changed, thanks to the 9/11 attacks?
The War on Terror
Most obviously, it kicked off the “war on terror” with all that that has entailed. Bin Ladin’s strategy was for al-Qa`idah to attack the “far enemy,” not its “near enemies,” the region’s rulers. This gave us the Department of Homeland Security. It also led to DHS’ annoying yet incompetent stepchild, the Transportation Security Administration. The U.S. military reoriented its focus from conventional to unconventional warfare. Perhaps not a good idea if you hope to counter aspiring hegemon China, with its massive conventional arsenal.
Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
The 9/11 attacks were also the proximate cause for the second Bush Administration to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq. Sending U.S. troops to deprive UBL of the former as a staging area made sense. What makes no sense whatsoever is that thousands of Americans are still there. And that we have spent perhaps $1 trillion trying to get a people with the highest support for shari`a on Earth to like Elmo.
Invading Iraq made no sense at all. Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator. But he opposed Islamic fundamentalists and jihadists. And overthrowing him, while it helped the Kurds, also destabilized the region. Most importantly, it greatly strengthened the ayatollahs ruling Iran. It also unleashed, although it did not cause, ISIS. That organization is even more dangerous than AQ. Even if its territorial caliphate has been destroyed.
Obama’s Drone War
Bush’s wars of conquest were followed by Obama’s extensive drone one. So, by 15 years after 9/11, conventional wisdom in Washington DC was to support foreign wars. Especially ones in the Islamic world. Call it what you will. The military-industrial complex. The Deep State. The Establishment. The song remains the same. The U.S. is not only the world’s policeman, but the world’s social worker, tutor, arbiter, scold and wokeness advisor. Our government’s job is not only to solve domestic problems. It’s to fix things in other countries. Especially ones full of people who clearly don’t understand their own religion. And whether they like it or not. Oh, and making money by selling them weapons is perfectly fine, too. Forever wars are good for business, not just resumes.
Sympathy for Islam
The fourth major effect of 9/11 is one that UBL would most approve. Sympathy for Islam in the West has skyrocketed. There are now far more Muslims, and mosques, in the U.S. than on September 10, 2001. American Muslims quadrupled, thanks largely to Obama Administration giving them immigration preference. They number at least 3 million, up from about 900,000 19 years ago. And they are served by at least 2,000 mosques.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Muslims are on track to become the second-largest religious group in a decade or so. This has had political effects. Islamic activists like Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are now in Congress. Any criticism of Islam is now deemed “far right” and “hate speech” by the media. The idea that Islam is a protected “race” has become entrenched on the Left. Antifa and BLM thugs are joining forces with Islamic ones. So we see a “terrorist intersectionality” developing. Most European countries have been even more welcoming to Islam, notably France, Germany, Sweden and the UK (Although some, such as Hungary, have resisted.) Bin Laden is surely grimacing, if not smiling, from that fiery pit where he’s roasting.
The Coming of the Twelfth Imam
Finally, the 9/11 attacks and their aftermath ratcheted up eschatological fervor in the Islamic world. And this is, if anything, only increasing. Not just in Iran, but in the Sunni world. Large percentages of Muslims in many countries expect the imminent arrival of the Mahdi, Islam’s warrior messiah.
A Bangladeshi terrorist leader has claimed to be him. Turkish government officials have said they are working to prepare his way. (See my blog posts on this topic.) Of course, the entire Islamic Republic of Iran is in John the Baptist mode for the coming of their version, the Twelfth Imam. There were even some who thought Bin Laden the Mahdi. And as the Muslim year 1500 approaches — 2076 in our calendar — such beliefs will reach a fever pitch. A full-blown Mahdist jihad would make those of ISIS look like child’s play.
Net Positive for Islam
All in all, the last 19 years have been a net positive in the clash of civilizations for the Islamic side. Islam is stronger, certainly as an ideology, within the U.S. (and many European countries). On the international scene, it remains the only religion with global international representation — the Organization of Islamic Cooperation — which has, in addition, leveraged “Islamophobia” into a potent political weapon.
President Trump is working against this trend, and has had some notable successes. The UAE-Israel peace deal. A united Sunni front against Iran. Rapprochement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The ability to call an Islamic spade a spade. No new foreign wars in the Middle East, South Asia or Islamic Africa. So perhaps the tide is turning in our favor. But if Joe Biden is elected, the 20th anniversary of 9/11 will likely be much more grim for America and the West.
Timothy Furnish holds a Ph.D. in Islamic, World and African history. He is a former U.S. Army Arabic linguist and, later, civilian consultant to U.S. Special Operations Command. He’s the author of books on the Middle East and Middle-earth; a history professor; and sometime media opiner (as, for example, on Fox News Channel’s War Stories: Fighting ISIS).


thestream--2020-09-11--The Depravity of a Culture That Celebrates the Sexploitation of Young Girls

Now that the new Netflix movie Cuties is available for viewing , we know that it is far worse than we imagined .
Yet there are movie critics and movie stars who are celebrating this trash rather than denouncing it .
What has happened to our culture ?
Have we lost all vestige of a conscience ?
In the words of Kyle Hooten on Twitter , “ Cuties just released and it ’ s WAY worse than anybody expected .
Netflix just published soft-core child pornography , and they ’ ll probably get away with it.
” Jason Howerton ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m dead serious , people should go to prison for this .
‘ Lawfully defines as pedophilia ’ and look at the media ratings .
All of you are going to hell .
# Cuties.
” As my wife Nancy asked when I sent her some links , “ How can this even be legal ?
?
?
?
” How indeed .
Before the movie came out , but based on initial reports , I asked , “ At what point does this stop ?
At what point does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough ’ when it comes to the assault on our children ?
At what point do we stand up as a nation and put a stop to this attack on innocence ?
” Now that the movie is out , with a sickening segment posted for viewing on social media ( viewer discretion advised ) , we must say , “ Enough !
” as loudly and clearly as we can .
A good place to start would be canceling Netflix subscriptions .
As Robby Starbuck tweeted , “ The 11 year old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot those scenes in front of a director , a DP , a gaffer , their parents , a choreographer , a MUA , a hair person , a camera assistant , a wardrobe person , extras and more .
Not one adult protected them .
# CancelNetflix.
” Yes , these are young girls dancing sexually in the presence of adults ( no doubt to be viewed online with glee by sexual perverts ) .
Young girls who could be your daughters or granddaughters .
Young girls being exploited for profit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enough !
Some Actually Celebrate This Child Exploitation Yet , despite this outrage , one which is uniting social liberals with social conservatives , the movie has its admirers .
In the words of actress Tessa Thompson , “ # CUTIES is a beautiful film .
It gutted me at @ sundancefest .
It introduces a fresh voice at the helm .
She ’ s a French Senegalese Black woman mining her experiences .
The film comments on the hyper-sexualization of preadolescent girls .
Disappointed to see the current discourse .
😞 ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fathers and others grieved over “ the hyper-sexualization of preadolescent girls , ” failing to realize that they are being exploited in this very movie .
In other words , the movie does not simply tell a sad story about young girls being sexually exploited ( many would argue it celebrates their sexploitation ) .
The movie itself exploits the children .
But rather than being brokenhearted over the contents of the movie , Thompson is “ disappointed ” to see the negative reaction to the flick .
This is turning morality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Film Industry Yet Thompson is not alone , and what I am about to report provides a glimpse into the morally confused bubble in which many in the film industry live .
On the Rotten Tomatoes website , viewers gave the movie a rating of 3 % an incredibly low ( but rightly deserved ) score .
( As of this writing , there were 1,047 viewer ratings . )
But film critics gave it a score of 88 % , a very good rating .
( This was based on 32 reviews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
This sums up the perversion of much of the film industry – the lack of morality , the lack of conscience , the lack of family awareness .
And what is the critics ’ description of the film ?
“ A thoughtful look at the intricacies of girlhood in the modern age , Cuties is a coming-of-age film that confronts its themes with poignancy and nuance.
” Only one word comes to mind to describe my reaction to their words : sick .
No wonder America is so morally lost .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s Not Just the Film Critics Who Are Sick Yet , the truth be told , I ’ m not in the least bit surprised .
Not when a sexually degrading , vulgar song can be the number one hit in the nation ( and in other nations ) .
Not when there is an epidemic of porn sweeping the land , affecting the religious and non-religious alike .
Not when our legislators pass laws protecting sexually aggressive adults ( who have sex with younger teens ) .
Not when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gay bars .
So , it is not just the film critics who are sick .
It is not just those who exploited those young girls in Cuties ( this includes their parents , who allowed it ) who are sick .
No , our whole nation is sick , drowning in a sea of depravity .
It is that serious .
There is no hyperbole in my words .
And so , while canceling our Netflix subscriptions is a good place to start — in recent weeks , the series Lucifer was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — it can only be a starting point .
This is a time for deep personal reflection .
A time for searching of soul and heart .
A time of sweeping repentance .
In short , either we have a massive spiritual and moral awakening , or we perish .
What will it be ?
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Now that the new Netflix movie Cuties is available for viewing, we know that it is far worse than we imagined. Yet there are movie critics and movie stars who are celebrating this trash rather than denouncing it. What has happened to our culture? Have we lost all vestige of a conscience?
In the words of Kyle Hooten on Twitter, “Cuties just released and it’s WAY worse than anybody expected. Netflix just published soft-core child pornography, and they’ll probably get away with it.”
Jason Howerton’s tweet was even more emphatic: “I’m dead serious, people should go to prison for this. ‘Lawfully defines as pedophilia’ and look at the media ratings. All of you are going to hell. #Cuties.”
As my wife Nancy asked when I sent her some links, “How can this even be legal????” How indeed.
Enough!
Before the movie came out, but based on initial reports, I asked, “At what point does this stop? At what point does our society say, ‘Enough is enough’ when it comes to the assault on our children? At what point do we stand up as a nation and put a stop to this attack on innocence?”
Now that the movie is out, with a sickening segment posted for viewing on social media (viewer discretion advised), we must say, “Enough!” as loudly and clearly as we can.
A good place to start would be canceling Netflix subscriptions. As Robby Starbuck tweeted, “The 11 year old girls who were sexually exploited filming Cuties shot those scenes in front of a director, a DP, a gaffer, their parents, a choreographer, a MUA, a hair person, a camera assistant, a wardrobe person, extras and more. Not one adult protected them. #CancelNetflix.”
Yes, these are young girls dancing sexually in the presence of adults (no doubt to be viewed online with glee by sexual perverts). Young girls who could be your daughters or granddaughters. Young girls being exploited for profit. And Netflix distributes this without consequences? Enough!
Some Actually Celebrate This Child Exploitation
Yet, despite this outrage, one which is uniting social liberals with social conservatives, the movie has its admirers.
In the words of actress Tessa Thompson, “#CUTIES is a beautiful film. It gutted me at @sundancefest. It introduces a fresh voice at the helm. She’s a French Senegalese Black woman mining her experiences. The film comments on the hyper-sexualization of preadolescent girls. Disappointed to see the current discourse. 😞”
So Thompson is disappointed to see mothers and fathers and others grieved over “the hyper-sexualization of preadolescent girls,” failing to realize that they are being exploited in this very movie.
it is not just the film critics who are sick.
In other words, the movie does not simply tell a sad story about young girls being sexually exploited (many would argue it celebrates their sexploitation). The movie itself exploits the children. But rather than being brokenhearted over the contents of the movie, Thompson is “disappointed” to see the negative reaction to the flick. This is turning morality upside down.
The Perversion of the Film Industry
Yet Thompson is not alone, and what I am about to report provides a glimpse into the morally confused bubble in which many in the film industry live.
On the Rotten Tomatoes website, viewers gave the movie a rating of 3% an incredibly low (but rightly deserved) score. (As of this writing, there were 1,047 viewer ratings.) But film critics gave it a score of 88%, a very good rating. (This was based on 32 reviews.) They really loved the film!
This sums up the perversion of much of the film industry – the lack of morality, the lack of conscience, the lack of family awareness.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
And what is the critics’ description of the film? “A thoughtful look at the intricacies of girlhood in the modern age, Cuties is a coming-of-age film that confronts its themes with poignancy and nuance.”
Only one word comes to mind to describe my reaction to their words: sick.
No wonder America is so morally lost. These critics are our guides and our prophets.
It’s Not Just the Film Critics Who Are Sick
Yet, the truth be told, I’m not in the least bit surprised. Not when a sexually degrading, vulgar song can be the number one hit in the nation (and in other nations). Not when there is an epidemic of porn sweeping the land, affecting the religious and non-religious alike. Not when our legislators pass laws protecting sexually aggressive adults (who have sex with younger teens). Not when we celebrate 11-year-old drag queens dancing in gay bars.
So, it is not just the film critics who are sick. It is not just those who exploited those young girls in Cuties (this includes their parents, who allowed it) who are sick. No, our whole nation is sick, drowning in a sea of depravity.
It is that serious. There is no hyperbole in my words.
And so, while canceling our Netflix subscriptions is a good place to start — in recent weeks, the series Lucifer was trending at the top of the charts — it can only be a starting point.
This is a time for deep personal reflection. A time for searching of soul and heart. A time of sweeping repentance.
In short, either we have a massive spiritual and moral awakening, or we perish. What will it be?
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-09-12--How Do We Know There’s a God? Evidence From the Universe

The national daily championing freedom , smaller government and human dignity .
The Stream offers a rich and lively source @ @ @ @ @ inspiration and conservative commentary while challenging the worst in the mainstream media .

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thestream--2020-09-12--50 Questions #27: ‘Why Did God Sacrifice His Son?’

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison ’ s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian .
Read the series intro here .
Why did God sacrifice His Son ?
This isn ’ t just Guy P. Harrison ’ s question .
Lots of atheists ask it , and not always with what you might call the greatest respect .
I get the confusion , though .
It ’ s a vocabulary thing .
They don ’ t understand some very basic , very important words : Harrison calls it a “ simple question.
” It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have to go back so far to start over again with the basics .
I have only a little space here to explain , but I ’ ll give it a go .
God is Trinity .
Harrison and other atheists find that hard to understand , so they try to wedge mockery into it .
Christians see it as hard to understand , and say , “ If you want a God you can understand fully , you want a God who ought to bow the knee and worship you .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the real God instead.
” God is holy .
For most of us , that might be even harder to get .
It ’ s His only attribute that gets the emphasis of three-times repetition : “ Holy , Holy , Holy , is the Lord God Almighty.
” Among other things , it means He ’ s different , separate , not like us , in infinitely important ways .
He ’ s the Creator , King , and Judge of all .
He ’ s pure and undefiled , without sin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God is love .
He created us for eternal relationship with Him .
He is just .
When humans broke relationship with Him through sin , His holiness demanded that we be separate from Him forever .
His justice prevents Him from brushing it aside as if it didn ’ t matter .
Justice does not allow massive wrong to be treated as a minor nothing .
God endows humans with the great worth of being created , uniquely among all that He has made , in His own image , meaning above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make informed choices between good and evil , right and wrong .
Humans sin .
We choose wrongly .
And if there ’ s one thing that ’ s even further from many persons ’ understanding than God ’ s triune nature or His holiness , it ’ s human sin .
We think it ’ s a little thing , just minor stuff .
Compare one of us to another , and it may look that way , but not compared to God ’ s perfect purity , His holy nature , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spot of a blemish can be found .
In light of who He is , no sin is little .
He says “ the wages of sin is death ” ( Romans 6:23 ) , which in spiritual terms means separation from God .
Whether we realize it or not , that also means being separate from the eternal source and fountainhead of all goodness , love , and joy .
That death is a requirement of God ’ s justice .
He can ’ t just look the other way .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing , perfect substitute , One who has no sin of His own to die for , One whose sacrifice can have infinite effect because He is Himself infinite .
This is what Jesus died for : so that God could be “ just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ Jesus ” ( Romans 3:26 ) .
In other words , because Christ ’ s death pays the penalty for sin , God can forgive us without denying His own justice .
This is spelled out in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially the first six chapters , culminating in the rest of the sentence I cut short earlier : “ The wages of sin is death , but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord ” ( Romans 6:23 ) .
Skeptics and atheists mock this .
They say if it ’ s wrong to sacrifice to other gods , it ’ s wrong to sacrifice to God .
But they know neither the Son nor the Father ; neither the One sacrificed nor the One looking on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the door opens again for the triune God ’ s desire for relationship with His infinitely beloved creation .
They don ’ t know about perfect holiness , love , or justice .
Or they try to mash the Christian message into their non-Christian view of reality .
It doesn ’ t work that way , but then , why should it ?
This reality is different ; this reality is also very real .
A Unitarian-Universalist pastor , a cousin of mine , once told me the Resurrection was a “ goofy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but what if it happened anyway ?
” Jesus ’ resurrection followed His death .
He conquered that one last great enemy we all face .
This was an event in history , and if the Resurrection happened , so did the crucifixion .
Skeptics would be wise to stop trying to make it make sense from within their own worldview .
The reality of the Cross and the Resurrection turns all other worldviews upside down .
The question we should all be asking in view of that is , “ How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How can I love Him now , too ?
” Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the recently released Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison’s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian. Read the series intro here.
Why did God sacrifice His Son? This isn’t just Guy P. Harrison’s question. Lots of atheists ask it, and not always with what you might call the greatest respect. I get the confusion, though. It’s a vocabulary thing. They don’t understand some very basic, very important words:
God
Trinity
Holiness
Love
Justice
Human worth
Human sin
Harrison calls it a “simple question.” It would be, if we didn’t have to go back so far to start over again with the basics. I have only a little space here to explain, but I’ll give it a go.
God’s Nature
God is Trinity. Harrison and other atheists find that hard to understand, so they try to wedge mockery into it. Christians see it as hard to understand, and say, “If you want a God you can understand fully, you want a God who ought to bow the knee and worship you. We’ll do our best dealing the real God instead.”
God is holy. For most of us, that might be even harder to get. It’s His only attribute that gets the emphasis of three-times repetition: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty.” Among other things, it means He’s different, separate, not like us, in infinitely important ways. He’s the Creator, King, and Judge of all. He’s pure and undefiled, without sin or even sin’s possibility.
God is love. He created us for eternal relationship with Him.
He is just. When humans broke relationship with Him through sin, His holiness demanded that we be separate from Him forever. His justice prevents Him from brushing it aside as if it didn’t matter. Justice does not allow massive wrong to be treated as a minor nothing.
Human Worth, Human Sin
God endows humans with the great worth of being created, uniquely among all that He has made, in His own image, meaning above all that we have the ability to make informed choices between good and evil, right and wrong.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Humans sin. We choose wrongly. And if there’s one thing that’s even further from many persons’ understanding than God’s triune nature or His holiness, it’s human sin. We think it’s a little thing, just minor stuff. Compare one of us to another, and it may look that way, but not compared to God’s perfect purity, His holy nature, where not even the hint of a spot of a blemish can be found. In light of who He is, no sin is little. He says “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), which in spiritual terms means separation from God. Whether we realize it or not, that also means being separate from the eternal source and fountainhead of all goodness, love, and joy.
God’s Solution
That death is a requirement of God’s justice. He can’t just look the other way. But He can allow a substitute — a willing, perfect substitute, One who has no sin of His own to die for, One whose sacrifice can have infinite effect because He is Himself infinite. This is what Jesus died for: so that God could be “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:26). In other words, because Christ’s death pays the penalty for sin, God can forgive us without denying His own justice.
This is spelled out in the Bible’s book of Romans, especially the first six chapters, culminating in the rest of the sentence I cut short earlier: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
The Great Reality, The Great Decision
Skeptics and atheists mock this. They say if it’s wrong to sacrifice to other gods, it’s wrong to sacrifice to God. But they know neither the Son nor the Father; neither the One sacrificed nor the One looking on as holiness is satisfied, and as the door opens again for the triune God’s desire for relationship with His infinitely beloved creation. They don’t know about perfect holiness, love, or justice. Or they try to mash the Christian message into their non-Christian view of reality. It doesn’t work that way, but then, why should it?
This reality is different; this reality is also very real. A Unitarian-Universalist pastor, a cousin of mine, once told me the Resurrection was a “goofy doctrine.” I answered, “Okay, but what if it happened anyway?” Jesus’ resurrection followed His death. He conquered that one last great enemy we all face. This was an event in history, and if the Resurrection happened, so did the crucifixion.
Skeptics would be wise to stop trying to make it make sense from within their own worldview. The reality of the Cross and the Resurrection turns all other worldviews upside down. The question we should all be asking in view of that is, “How could God love me so much? How can I love Him now, too?”
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the recently released Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-09-12--How Marxists Infiltrate Churches, Using ‘Front’ Groups Opposing ‘Racism’ or ‘War’

A movement led by “ trained Marxists , ” Black Lives Matter , now dominates the headlines , and thugs fighting in its name control several U.S. cities .
So we need to understand Marx .
Was he an idealist ?
A lover of the poor ?
A brilliant economist ?
A ‘ man for others ’ ?
Or something much , much darker … a Gnostic who just “ wanted to watch the world burn ” ?
If Marx was in the grips of dark spirits when he drew up his system , what does that say of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embrace and parrot the slogans of Marxist groups , like BLM ?
To find out , The Stream interviewed conservative scholar Paul Kengor .
We talked about his powerful new book , The Devil and Karl Marx .
This is Part Two of the interview .
Read Part One here .
John Zmirak : Did Karl Marx ever exhibit genuine concern for the poor who lived around him ?
Was Marx ’ s family life what we ’ d expect from a humanitarian who sacrificed his life in trying to help the poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how he treated his parents , his wife , and his children ?
Did he ever do an honest day ’ s work for an honest day ’ s pay ?
Paul Kengor : Quite the contrary .
The man could not have kept a roof over his family ’ s head if not for his top sap and sugar-daddy , Friedrich Engels .
Engels subsidized Marx and his family throughout his life .
He did so courtesy of his inheritance from his wealthy capitalist father .
Marx drained his own parents ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him off .
Marx refused to work , let alone bathe or groom himself .
Both his mother and wife expressed the wish that “ Karl would earn some capital rather than just write about capital.
” His wife constantly went begging for money to relatives and whoever else because Marx wouldn ’ t earn any .
Marx said that a day didn ’ t go by that his wife didn ’ t wish she were in her grave with the children — “ such is her misery.
” Part of that misery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the family nursemaid .
She was a young girl named “ Lenchen , ” whom Marx impregnated behind his wife ’ s back .
Marx refused to pay Lenchen a penny — she lived with the family as effectively an indentured servant .
He also refused to acknowledge that the child was his , or pay a penny of child support .
Engels came to the rescue again , claiming paternity and financial responsibility for the child in order to save Marx ’ s marriage and reputation .
Engels himself didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he didn ’ t believe in the institution ) nor for his own reputation .
The child was named Freddy , after Friedrich Engels .
Further on in the book , you look at Lenin , Trotsky , and other builders of the Soviet and other communist states .
They seemed obsessed with eradicating religion .
Even after the Orthodox Church in Russia had no political power , and they ’ d seized all its treasures , the persecution continued .
Based on Marx ’ s work , what is it about socialism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that makes it see faith in God as a threat ?
That ’ s an issue I return to repeatedly .
God was a threat to the system they wanted to build .
The Judeo-Christian foundation had to be completed razed in order to build their world , their society , their atheistic-material system anew , with their own definitions of reality and their own new truths .
Marx said that “ Communism begins where atheism begins.
” Marx declared religion “ the opium of the people.
” He said that “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all criticism.
” Marx in a letter to Arnold Ruge called for the “ ruthless criticism of all that exists.
” Marx had a favorite quote from Goethe ’ s Faust , “ Everything that exists deserves to perish.
” Guess who said that ?
Answer : Mephistopheles , the demon/devil character .
Beyond ruthless and relentless criticism , there was ruthless and relentless abolition .
The word “ abolition ” is omnipresent throughout Marx ’ s writings .
As Robert Payne noted , the word almost seems to jump off every page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Marx wanted to burn down the house .
The ideology behind Black Lives Matter is Marxist .
Its founders have boasted about that , calling themselves “ trained Marxists.
” Do you see the street riots , the demands to abolish police , the defenses of looting , as flowing from Marx ?
Here ’ s a key parallel that I see , and it flows from what I noted in my previous answer .
Look at the anti-statue movement .
At angry leftist mobs marching into towns and tearing down statues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grant and Abraham Lincoln to Washington and Jefferson and Teddy Roosevelt and Christopher Columbus and Francis Scott Key and Saint Junipero Serra and Saint Louis and , good grief , even Frederick Douglass , the wonderful black abolitionist .
That tear-down mentality really reflects Marx ’ s nihilistic attitude .
Here are some very telling lines from the Communist Manifesto .
Marx said that communism seeks nothing less than to “ abolish the present state of things.
” Marx and Engels close the Manifesto with this stunning goal : “ They [ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions.
” Marx and Engels finished with this line : “ Communists everywhere support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political order of things.
” Surely they would cheer on the revolutionary movement in our streets today that literally tears down the existing social and political order of things .
Given how openly anti-Christian and anti-Jewish Marxism is , how do Christians get fooled ?
How did so many Marxists infiltrate Protestant and Catholic churches ?
What slogans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dupe people of faith ?
Which are they using today ?
The one section of my book that I really wish every Christian would read is part four , “ Infiltration and Manipulation.
” It is the longest part .
It deals with the genuinely shocking levels of infiltration and manipulation by communists of the Religious Left , particularly the mainline Protestant denominations .
They had alarming , tragic success duping the religious Left .
That came especially through appeals to “ social justice , ” to peace , to opposing war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most successful communist front-groups in hoodwinking liberal Christians were the American League Against War and Fascism and the American Peace Mobilization .
Note the brilliant sloganeering here : Who , after all , could oppose a “ peace mobilization ?
” Who , after all , could oppose an organization that ’ s against war and fascism ?
I see you ’ re alluding to Black Lives Matter , whose founders , Patrisse Cullors and Alicia Garza , are self-admitted “ trained Marxist organizers.
” That ’ s their ( in Patrisse ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And Patrisse shrewdly understands the power of a name .
Who would possibly say that black lives don ’ t matter ?
I wouldn ’ t , you wouldn ’ t , only a cretin would .
To name her organization Black Lives Matter is absolutely brilliant .
And with the way that leftists aggressively weaponize their rhetoric , they frame anyone against the organization , Black Lives Matter , as being against the goal of black lives mattering .
A fellow columnist of mine at The American Spectator , Ben Hall , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had enormous success in drawing in religious Left Christians .
So did organizations like the American League Against War and Fascism and the American Peace Mobilization .
I ’ ll finish here with another appeal to nuance .
I know , John , that conservative Christians will want to assert that BLM is a “ Marxist organization.
” I should write something carefully walking through that .
Communist Party USA is a Marxist organization .
The Revolutionary Communist Party is a Marxist organization .
So is People ’ s World and the Socialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more accurately as founded by two people with self-admitted Marxist influences , who have personally expressed some Marxist goals and ambitions , and who have created a larger movement based on issues like stopping police violence against African Americans .
That ’ s an issue that anyone and everyone can rally behind .
And yet , just read the “ About ” section at the BLM website , and you ’ ll see issues that go way beyond that — issues like disrupting “ the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure.
” I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized the cause and the case of the Scottsboro boys , which was another genuine racial injustice .
Here was another example of communist organizers smartly seizing upon an issue that everyone could support .
They ’ re very shrewd at doing that .
Anyway , that ’ s a longer conversation we could have another time .
I could say much more .

A movement led by “trained Marxists,” Black Lives Matter, now dominates the headlines, and thugs fighting in its name control several U.S. cities. So we need to understand Marx. Was he an idealist? A lover of the poor? A brilliant economist? A ‘man for others’? Or something much, much darker … a Gnostic who just “wanted to watch the world burn”? If Marx was in the grips of dark spirits when he drew up his system, what does that say of his followers today? Of churchmen who blindly embrace and parrot the slogans of Marxist groups, like BLM?
To find out, The Stream interviewed conservative scholar Paul Kengor. We talked about his powerful new book, The Devil and Karl Marx. This is Part Two of the interview. Read Part One here.
John Zmirak: Did Karl Marx ever exhibit genuine concern for the poor who lived around him? Was Marx’s family life what we’d expect from a humanitarian who sacrificed his life in trying to help the poor and needy? Can you talk about how he treated his parents, his wife, and his children? Did he ever do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay?
Paul Kengor: Quite the contrary. The man could not have kept a roof over his family’s head if not for his top sap and sugar-daddy, Friedrich Engels. Engels subsidized Marx and his family throughout his life. He did so courtesy of his inheritance from his wealthy capitalist father.
Marx drained his own parents’ inheritance. They finally had to cut him off. Marx refused to work, let alone bathe or groom himself. Both his mother and wife expressed the wish that “Karl would earn some capital rather than just write about capital.” His wife constantly went begging for money to relatives and whoever else because Marx wouldn’t earn any. Marx said that a day didn’t go by that his wife didn’t wish she were in her grave with the children — “such is her misery.”
Part of that misery came from Marx cheating on his wife with the family nursemaid. She was a young girl named “Lenchen,” whom Marx impregnated behind his wife’s back. Marx refused to pay Lenchen a penny — she lived with the family as effectively an indentured servant. He also refused to acknowledge that the child was his, or pay a penny of child support. Engels came to the rescue again, claiming paternity and financial responsibility for the child in order to save Marx’s marriage and reputation. Engels himself didn’t give a whit for marriage (he didn’t believe in the institution) nor for his own reputation. The child was named Freddy, after Friedrich Engels.
Why Persecute Christians?
Further on in the book, you look at Lenin, Trotsky, and other builders of the Soviet and other communist states. They seemed obsessed with eradicating religion. Even after the Orthodox Church in Russia had no political power, and they’d seized all its treasures, the persecution continued. Based on Marx’s work, what is it about socialism (the system they were building) that makes it see faith in God as a threat?
That’s an issue I return to repeatedly. God was a threat to the system they wanted to build. The Judeo-Christian foundation had to be completed razed in order to build their world, their society, their atheistic-material system anew, with their own definitions of reality and their own new truths.
Marx said that “Communism begins where atheism begins.” Marx declared religion “the opium of the people.” He said that “the criticism of religion is the beginning of all criticism.” Marx in a letter to Arnold Ruge called for the “ruthless criticism of all that exists.”
Marx had a favorite quote from Goethe’s Faust, “Everything that exists deserves to perish.” Guess who said that? Answer: Mephistopheles, the demon/devil character.
Beyond ruthless and relentless criticism, there was ruthless and relentless abolition. The word “abolition” is omnipresent throughout Marx’s writings. As Robert Payne noted, the word almost seems to jump off every page of the Manifesto:
And after he has “abolished” property, family, and nations, and all existing societies, Marx shows little interest in creating a new society on the ruins of the old. … He had written in a poem to Jenny [his wife] that he would throw a gauntlet at the world, and watch it crumble. Comforted by her love, he would wander through the kingdom of ruins, his words glowing with action, his heart like the heart of God. The Communist Manifesto was the gauntlet he threw at the world.
It was indeed. Marx wanted to burn down the house.
Black Lives Matter: A Front Group?
The ideology behind Black Lives Matter is Marxist. Its founders have boasted about that, calling themselves “trained Marxists.” Do you see the street riots, the demands to abolish police, the defenses of looting, as flowing from Marx?
Here’s a key parallel that I see, and it flows from what I noted in my previous answer. Look at the anti-statue movement. At angry leftist mobs marching into towns and tearing down statues of everyone and everything from Ulysses S. Grant and Abraham Lincoln to Washington and Jefferson and Teddy Roosevelt and Christopher Columbus and Francis Scott Key and Saint Junipero Serra and Saint Louis and, good grief, even Frederick Douglass, the wonderful black abolitionist. That tear-down mentality really reflects Marx’s nihilistic attitude.
Here are some very telling lines from the Communist Manifesto. Marx said that communism seeks nothing less than to “abolish the present state of things.” Marx and Engels close the Manifesto with this stunning goal: “They [the Communists] openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions.” Marx and Engels finished with this line: “Communists everywhere support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political order of things.”
Surely they would cheer on the revolutionary movement in our streets today that literally tears down the existing social and political order of things.
Infiltrating Churches via Leftist Christians
Given how openly anti-Christian and anti-Jewish Marxism is, how do Christians get fooled? How did so many Marxists infiltrate Protestant and Catholic churches? What slogans, rhetoric, and arguments did they use to dupe people of faith? Which are they using today?
The one section of my book that I really wish every Christian would read is part four, “Infiltration and Manipulation.” It is the longest part. It deals with the genuinely shocking levels of infiltration and manipulation by communists of the Religious Left, particularly the mainline Protestant denominations. They had alarming, tragic success duping the religious Left. That came especially through appeals to “social justice,” to peace, to opposing war, to opposing fascism.
Who would possibly say that black lives don’t matter? I wouldn’t, you wouldn’t, only a cretin would.
The two most successful communist front-groups in hoodwinking liberal Christians were the American League Against War and Fascism and the American Peace Mobilization. Note the brilliant sloganeering here: Who, after all, could oppose a “peace mobilization?” Who, after all, could oppose an organization that’s against war and fascism?
I see you’re alluding to Black Lives Matter, whose founders, Patrisse Cullors and Alicia Garza, are self-admitted “trained Marxist organizers.”That’s their (in Patrisse’s words) “ideological framework.” And Patrisse shrewdly understands the power of a name. Who would possibly say that black lives don’t matter? I wouldn’t, you wouldn’t, only a cretin would. To name her organization Black Lives Matter is absolutely brilliant. And with the way that leftists aggressively weaponize their rhetoric, they frame anyone against the organization, Black Lives Matter, as being against the goal of black lives mattering.
A fellow columnist of mine at The American Spectator, Ben Hall, wrote a piece on how BLM has had enormous success in drawing in religious Left Christians. So did organizations like the American League Against War and Fascism and the American Peace Mobilization.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I’ll finish here with another appeal to nuance. I know, John, that conservative Christians will want to assert that BLM is a “Marxist organization.” I should write something carefully walking through that. Communist Party USA is a Marxist organization. The Revolutionary Communist Party is a Marxist organization. So is People’s World and the Socialist Workers Party.
I would describe BLM more accurately as founded by two people with self-admitted Marxist influences, who have personally expressed some Marxist goals and ambitions, and who have created a larger movement based on issues like stopping police violence against African Americans. That’s an issue that anyone and everyone can rally behind. And yet, just read the “About” section at the BLM website, and you’ll see issues that go way beyond that — issues like disrupting “the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure.”
I’ve written about how communists in the 1930s seized the cause and the case of the Scottsboro boys, which was another genuine racial injustice. Here was another example of communist organizers smartly seizing upon an issue that everyone could support. They’re very shrewd at doing that.
Anyway, that’s a longer conversation we could have another time. I could say much more.


thestream--2020-09-12--San Francisco Gym Owners Infuriated to Learn Government Gyms Have Been Open for Months

For months , most gyms in San Francisco have been closed , the result of a city order preventing them from opening their doors as a public safety measure during the COVID-19 pandemic .
But not all gyms .
It was recently revealed that some gyms — city-owned ones — have been open for months , allowing city employees to take full advantage by exercising during these stressful times .
Local gym owners , understandably , sounded a bit unhappy when the discovery was brought to their attention .
“ It ’ s shocking , it ’ s infuriating , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told a Bay Area network .
“ Even though they ’ re getting exposed , there are no repercussions , no ramifications ?
It ’ s shocking.
” The episode drives home the banality of hashtags that say “ We ’ re All in This Together.
” As one gym owner pointed out , there are clearly separate rules for some .
“ It just demonstrates that there seems to be some kind of a double standard between what city employees are allowed to do and what the residents of San Francisco are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karraker , owner of MX3 Fitness in the Castro .
Perhaps in response to outrage over this and similar revelations , San Francisco announced that it would open indoor hair and nail salons , gyms , and hotels next week .
Gym owners have every right to be angry , but double standards have been the rule of 2020 , not the exception .
It began with government officials deciding which businesses were “ essential ” and would be allowed to remain open .
It was pretty confusing .
Protesting was a non-essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Naturally nobody , except other businesses , wanted to suggest liquor stores were not essential .
( If there ’ s a lesson that runs through American history , it ’ s not to mess too much with Americans ’ booze . )
But time and again what we really saw was commerce that helped the government or was politically convenient to lawmakers was deemed essential .
The hypocrisy didn ’ t end there , however .
From House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s secret salon visit to New York City Mayor Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercise ” defense to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s “ I am the face of this city ” declaration and beyond , we saw public officials carve out exceptions for themselves during state-enforced lockdowns .
Meanwhile , businesses attempting to peaceably offer those very same goods and services would face severe repercussions — fines , permanent closure , or even jail — if they tried .
As I explained last week , these scandals make great hay politically because humans despise hypocrisy .
But there ’ s a much bigger lesson to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy expands and free markets recede , privileges increasingly become the province of those in power or those who have proximity to power .
This could be seen starkly in communist Russia , where the Party elite ( called the nomenklatura ) had special privileges that afforded them a lifestyle that contrasted sharply with the poverty of the masses .
As the Los Angeles Times reported in 1986 : Members of the so-called nomenklatura , numbering perhaps a million , have special holiday retreats , access to special medical facilities and—most resented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sell imported and Soviet-made goods that are simply not available in the regular stores .
Many also have cars and chauffeurs .
As a practical matter , the privileges are hereditary , since children of the elite have an inside track on admission to the top universities—graduation from which guarantees them good jobs and a place on the nomenklatura list .
As the lockdowns move America closer to a command economy ( perhaps closer than we ’ ve ever been ) , what we are seeing in these stories is the rise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ Power tends to corrupt , and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
” There ’ s a reason Americans despise orders that allow some people to work out but not others .
They are deeply un-American .
Egalitarianism , in the sense of equal treatment under the law , is part of the fiber of America .
It ’ s embedded in our Constitution , and it ’ s an idea you ’ ll find defended on both the right and the left .
Fewer things are likely to irritate Americans more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s an aversion that galvanized some of the most famous political movements in history , from abolitionism to women ’ s suffrage to civil rights .
The lockdowns have been disastrous , but if they have helped remind Americans of the utterly un-egalitarian results of expanding the state ’ s tentacles into free markets , perhaps they ’ ve done a small bit of good .
Jonathan Miltimore is the Managing Editor of FEE.org .
His writing/reporting has been the subject of articles in TIME magazine , The Wall Street Journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the Star Tribune .

For months, most gyms in San Francisco have been closed, the result of a city order preventing them from opening their doors as a public safety measure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But not all gyms.
It was recently revealed that some gyms — city-owned ones — have been open for months, allowing city employees to take full advantage by exercising during these stressful times.
Local gym owners, understandably, sounded a bit unhappy when the discovery was brought to their attention.
“It’s shocking, it’s infuriating,” Daniele Rabkin from Crossfit Golden Gate told a Bay Area network. “Even though they’re getting exposed, there are no repercussions, no ramifications? It’s shocking.”
The episode drives home the banality of hashtags that say “We’re All in This Together.” As one gym owner pointed out, there are clearly separate rules for some.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“It just demonstrates that there seems to be some kind of a double standard between what city employees are allowed to do and what the residents of San Francisco are allowed to do,” said Dave Karraker, owner of MX3 Fitness in the Castro.
Perhaps in response to outrage over this and similar revelations, San Francisco announced that it would open indoor hair and nail salons, gyms, and hotels next week.
2020: The Year of Double Standards
Gym owners have every right to be angry, but double standards have been the rule of 2020, not the exception.
It began with government officials deciding which businesses were “essential” and would be allowed to remain open. It was pretty confusing.
Protesting was a non-essential activity, until it was essential. Naturally nobody, except other businesses, wanted to suggest liquor stores were not essential. (If there’s a lesson that runs through American history, it’s not to mess too much with Americans’ booze.) But time and again what we really saw was commerce that helped the government or was politically convenient to lawmakers was deemed essential.
The hypocrisy didn’t end there, however.
From House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s secret salon visit to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “I need exercise” defense to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s “I am the face of this city” declaration and beyond, we saw public officials carve out exceptions for themselves during state-enforced lockdowns.
"I’m the public face of this city. I’m on national media and I’m out in the public eye,” Chicago Mayor Lightfoot explained after it was revealed she got a haircut amid Chicago's lockdown. There's a reason public officials speak this way. https://t.co/qFt50R90yz — Jon Miltimore (@miltimore79) September 4, 2020
“I need exercise to be able to stay healthy and make decisions,” Mayor Bill de Blasio explained to NYers who weren't allowed to go to gyms like him. There's a reason public officials speak this way. https://t.co/qFt50R90yz — Jon Miltimore (@miltimore79) September 4, 2020
Meanwhile, businesses attempting to peaceably offer those very same goods and services would face severe repercussions — fines, permanent closure, or even jail — if they tried.
Command Economies and Privilege
As I explained last week, these scandals make great hay politically because humans despise hypocrisy. But there’s a much bigger lesson to be learned: as government control over the economy expands and free markets recede, privileges increasingly become the province of those in power or those who have proximity to power.
This could be seen starkly in communist Russia, where the Party elite (called the nomenklatura) had special privileges that afforded them a lifestyle that contrasted sharply with the poverty of the masses. As the Los Angeles Times reported in 1986:
Members of the so-called nomenklatura, numbering perhaps a million, have special holiday retreats, access to special medical facilities and—most resented by ordinary Russians—access to special stores that sell imported and Soviet-made goods that are simply not available in the regular stores. Many also have cars and chauffeurs. As a practical matter, the privileges are hereditary, since children of the elite have an inside track on admission to the top universities—graduation from which guarantees them good jobs and a place on the nomenklatura list.
As the lockdowns move America closer to a command economy (perhaps closer than we’ve ever been), what we are seeing in these stories is the rise of an American nomenklatura.
As Lord Acton said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
American Equality
There’s a reason Americans despise orders that allow some people to work out but not others. They are deeply un-American.
Egalitarianism, in the sense of equal treatment under the law, is part of the fiber of America. It’s embedded in our Constitution, and it’s an idea you’ll find defended on both the right and the left.
Fewer things are likely to irritate Americans more than nakedly unequal treatment of individuals. It’s an aversion that galvanized some of the most famous political movements in history, from abolitionism to women’s suffrage to civil rights.
The lockdowns have been disastrous, but if they have helped remind Americans of the utterly un-egalitarian results of expanding the state’s tentacles into free markets, perhaps they’ve done a small bit of good.
Jonathan Miltimore is the Managing Editor of FEE.org. His writing/reporting has been the subject of articles in TIME magazine, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, and the Star Tribune.
Originally published on FEE.org.


thestream--2020-09-12--Confronting the ‘Witchcraft’ of BLM Leaders Stirred Up Some Demonic Responses

For several weeks now , we have been warning about the Jezebelic spirit behind the BLM movement .
Last week , we posted a video and an article documenting how BLM leaders were literally calling on spirits of the dead ( hat tip to Abe Hamilton at AFA ) , asking these spirits to rise up and empower BLM ’ s actions .
Talk about the kingdom of darkness !
This past Sunday night , I joined California pastor Rob McCoy to talk about a range of issues leading up to the elections , including the true nature of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Right Wing Watch ( RWW ) , a radical leftwing organization , which posted a full report on their homepage with a link on their Facebook page .
No comments are allowed on their homepage , but the comments on the Facebook page were quite revealing .
The Facebook caption read : “ Anti-LGBTQ activist and author Michael Brown calls the Black Lives Matter movement ‘ anti-Christ.
’ He says four more years of Trump will give the church time to usher in revival and awakening.
” ( My actual words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Right Wing Watch homepage , were : “ And four more years of Donald Trump ’ s not going to save America .
At best , that ’ s a wedge in the door , where the church can really cry out to God , truly repent , truly engage in the Gospel , and usher in revival and awakening because that ’ s the hope of the nation.
” ) But what followed next is what garnered the most attention .
It was the header under the Facebook graphic , stating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Out Names of the Dead Is ‘ Witchcraft.
’ ” This is what stirred things up .
As of this writing , of the 103 comments posted on Facebook , only two of them questioned the BLM practice , while others were quick to justify it , comparing it to prayers to Jesus ( who , in their eyes , is dead ) , to Roman Catholic prayers to the saints or to calling out the names of those killed on 9/11 .
Here are some of the more passionate posts : • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind like this … you know BLM supporters are doing it right !
• So fighting for equality is Satanic now ?
If that ’ s the case then I ’ m a Satanist .
• These morons should have to work real jobs , not just make up hateful [ expletive ] to sell to lunatics .
• Another [ expletive ] nut case .
Where do they come from ?
• Have you ever noticed that it ’ s the most evil-minded bigots and cranks who call other people anti-Christ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total nut job .
So , calling on the spirits of the dead is perfectly sane and rational .
Exposing the practice is insane and irrational .
All clear !
Others posted homosexual comments too crude to repeat , while others attacked Christian practices ( including Roman Catholic practices ) : • But calling on God , Jesus or the Saints , all of whom are dead or made up , to intercede on one ’ s behalf is religion !
Got it .
😩 • And talking to an invisible being in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ madness .
So ?
… With an Attempt at Witchcraft Humor For others , it was time to bring up the infamous Salem Witch Trials , while others couldn ’ t resist some of their own witchcraft humor : • I bet he misses Salem and the Witch Trails .
• Well a hex on him .
• [ Expletive ] .
You .
Mikey .
Brown !
That was a Satanic spell to get Mikey to soil himself .
Did it work ?
• Seriously ?
Is this clown so ignorant that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is he just another grifter playing to suckers who are that ignorant ?
• Funny how fast Christians went from “ love thy neighbor as thy self ” to “ kill all the witches ” in a fascist heartbeat .
Amazing what power and money does .
• Holdovers from medieval times .
These people are the modern equivalents of those who thought burning at the stake saved heretic souls .
Others needed to be even clearer with their threats : • Yeah pal , keep it up and they will be calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lions back to the collisium [ sic ] for a buffet .
Not surprisingly , the last comment , calling for the lions to kill and eat Christians , was one of the most liked .
And not surprisingly , based on the caption and headline , the readers , already quite hostile to Christian conservatives , assumed I was a racist and a fascist , someone who wanted to “ kill all the witches.
” Isn ’ t it remarkable how people can get worked up into a frenzy based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of every day online , with people from all backgrounds , both fundamentalist and atheist , rightwing and leftwing , getting worked up and manipulated by misleading headlines and quotes .
What is revealing here is the complete support for BLM leaders who call on spirits of the dead .
That I dare brand this as “ witchcraft ” — by which I meant invoking demonic forces for empowerment — was the great sin in their eyes .
Can you see now why we have been emphasizing the spiritual nature of this battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really is part of “ Jezebel ’ s War with America ” ?
The hornets nest has been stirred .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

For several weeks now, we have been warning about the Jezebelic spirit behind the BLM movement. Last week, we posted a video and an article documenting how BLM leaders were literally calling on spirits of the dead (hat tip to Abe Hamilton at AFA), asking these spirits to rise up and empower BLM’s actions. Talk about the kingdom of darkness!
“Right Wing Watch” Triggered
This past Sunday night, I joined California pastor Rob McCoy to talk about a range of issues leading up to the elections, including the true nature of the BLM movement. This caught the attention of Right Wing Watch (RWW), a radical leftwing organization, which posted a full report on their homepage with a link on their Facebook page.
No comments are allowed on their homepage, but the comments on the Facebook page were quite revealing.
The Facebook caption read: “Anti-LGBTQ activist and author Michael Brown calls the Black Lives Matter movement ‘anti-Christ.’ He says four more years of Trump will give the church time to usher in revival and awakening.” (My actual words, which are quoted in the article on the Right Wing Watch homepage, were: “And four more years of Donald Trump’s not going to save America. At best, that’s a wedge in the door, where the church can really cry out to God, truly repent, truly engage in the Gospel, and usher in revival and awakening because that’s the hope of the nation.”)
“Witchcraft” Stirred Up Passionate Responses
But what followed next is what garnered the most attention. It was the header under the Facebook graphic, stating, “Michael Brown Says BLM Calling Out Names of the Dead Is ‘Witchcraft.’” This is what stirred things up.
As of this writing, of the 103 comments posted on Facebook, only two of them questioned the BLM practice, while others were quick to justify it, comparing it to prayers to Jesus (who, in their eyes, is dead), to Roman Catholic prayers to the saints or to calling out the names of those killed on 9/11.
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Here are some of the more passionate posts:
When you make a racist lose his mind like this … you know BLM supporters are doing it right!
“Great Caesar’s Ghost” he IS insane!
So fighting for equality is Satanic now? If that’s the case then I’m a Satanist.
These morons should have to work real jobs, not just make up hateful [expletive] to sell to lunatics.
Another [expletive] nut case. Where do they come from?
Have you ever noticed that it’s the most evil-minded bigots and cranks who call other people anti-Christ and witches? This guy’s a total nut job.
So, calling on the spirits of the dead is perfectly sane and rational. Exposing the practice is insane and irrational. All clear!
Others posted homosexual comments too crude to repeat, while others attacked Christian practices (including Roman Catholic practices):
But calling on God, Jesus or the Saints, all of whom are dead or made up, to intercede on one’s behalf is religion! Got it. 😩
And talking to an invisible being in the sky and asking for favors is madness. So?
… With an Attempt at Witchcraft Humor
For others, it was time to bring up the infamous Salem Witch Trials, while others couldn’t resist some of their own witchcraft humor:
I bet he misses Salem and the Witch Trails.
Well a hex on him.
[Expletive]. You. Mikey. Brown! That was a Satanic spell to get Mikey to soil himself. Did it work?
Seriously? Is this clown so ignorant that he actually believes in witches, or is he just another grifter playing to suckers who are that ignorant?
Funny how fast Christians went from “love thy neighbor as thy self” to “kill all the witches” in a fascist heartbeat. Amazing what power and money does.
Holdovers from medieval times. These people are the modern equivalents of those who thought burning at the stake saved heretic souls.
Others needed to be even clearer with their threats:
Yeah pal, keep it up and they will be calling your name.
Time to bring the lions back to the collisium [sic] for a buffet.
Worked Into a Frenzy — Based on Misinformation
Not surprisingly, the last comment, calling for the lions to kill and eat Christians, was one of the most liked. And not surprisingly, based on the caption and headline, the readers, already quite hostile to Christian conservatives, assumed I was a racist and a fascist, someone who wanted to “kill all the witches.” Isn’t it remarkable how people can get worked up into a frenzy based on misinformation?
But that happens every moment of every day online, with people from all backgrounds, both fundamentalist and atheist, rightwing and leftwing, getting worked up and manipulated by misleading headlines and quotes. What is revealing here is the complete support for BLM leaders who call on spirits of the dead. That I dare brand this as “witchcraft” — by which I meant invoking demonic forces for empowerment — was the great sin in their eyes.
Can you see now why we have been emphasizing the spiritual nature of this battle? Can you see how deeply this really is part of “Jezebel’s War with America”? The hornets nest has been stirred.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-09-12--Goodyear Dispute Exposes Unspoken Dogma

Goodyear Dispute Exposes Unspoken Dogma

Goodyear Tires got in trouble after a baldly biased slide leaked from one of its diversity training sessions .
The controversy was short-lived : Just two days after President Trump tweeted “ Don ’ t buy GOODYEAR TIRES ” on August 18 , the firm amended its policy , putting employees ’ pro-law enforcement advocacy on par with calls for “ racial justice and equity.
” Still , the response by company CEO Rich Kramer and others indicates an unspoken dogma — that social justice advocates can do no wrong — which has become the norm among America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commentators focused on the company ’ s panning of “ MAGA Attire , ” the real controversy turned on the double standard that permitted support for “ Black Lives Matter ” and “ LBGT Pride ” but not for “ Blue Lives Matter.
” It took two official memos in as many days for Kramer to announce that supporting law enforcement was also acceptable .
But the logic behind that decision is opaque .
From a business perspective , it ’ s understandable that the firm wanted to quickly appease upset customers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ acted consistently with its self-stated goals of tolerance and inclusion .
Is It ‘ Zero Tolerance ’ or Not ?
The first memo deserves scrutiny apart from the second because it ’ s a snapshot of the company ’ s unrefined views on social advocacy .
There , Kramer states that because the firm “ has zero tolerance for any forms of harassment or discrimination , ” employees are supposed to avoid expressing support for political campaigns at work .
Of course , neither Black Lives Matter nor Blue Lives Matter are directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what further principle could distinguish the former as acceptable but the latter unacceptable ?
The memo indicates that the company ’ s judgment against political campaigning extends to “ similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues.
” That ambiguous standard fails to absolve the company of viewpoint bias .
If anything , it suggests Goodyear thought support for Blue Lives Matter could constitute harassment and discrimination in a way support for Black Lives Matter couldn ’ t .
If that ’ s accurate , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why .
Adding to confusion is that the standard exempts social justice causes from its zero tolerance policy .
This carve out could be for one of two reasons .
Perhaps the company thinks any harassment or discrimination arising from social justice advocacy is tolerable given the good it would achieve .
Or , maybe the firm thinks such advocacy can not possibly lead to harassment or discrimination .
The first undermines the company ’ s stated zero tolerance aim , while the second strains credulity .
It should be basic knowledge that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just last month , the Washington Post reported that BLM protesters “ heckled ” a woman sitting in D.C. ’ s Adams Morgan neighborhood after she failed to raise a clenched fist along with them .
In a video of the incident , what appear to be mostly white protesters lean over the woman , chanting “ White silence is violence !
” The Post quoted the woman — herself a BLM supporter — as saying later , “ I felt like I was under attack.
” That social justice sloganeering can menace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the days after George Floyd ’ s death intensified calls to combat racism , conservative legal scholar Robert P. George encouraged his followers on social media , writing in part : “ Do not allow yourself to be shamed into saying things you don ’ t believe or expressing yourself inauthentically — by , for example , embracing movements or endorsing slogans about which you have reservations.
” While an academic like George recognizes popular misgivings about social justice activism , others are unaware of how widespread those misgivings are .
Interviewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Akron sociologist underestimated public opposition to Black Lives Matter .
As she put it , “ The notion that Republicans aren ’ t in support of the Black Lives Matter movement is probably demonstrably false.
” But a quick look at polling data from Civiqs showed that on August 25 — soon after her quote was published — Republican opposition to the movement stood at 78 % , while Americans ’ overall opposition was at 38 % .
All this is not to invalidate the sentiments or goals of social justice advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporate heads , academics , journalists and other influencers often fail to acknowledge that such advocacy can be unpopular , let alone be harmful or mistaken .
When elites do point to these shortcomings , they will often be conservatives , libertarians , or those strongly committed to classical liberalism .
Anyone who persists in the fantasy that race , sex , or equity-based activists can do no wrong — or worse , get to call all the shots — will surely continue to alienate rather than persuade their fellow citizens .
Lewis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apologetics from Biola University and writes on faith in the public square .

Goodyear Tires got in trouble after a baldly biased slide leaked from one of its diversity training sessions. The controversy was short-lived: Just two days after President Trump tweeted “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES” on August 18, the firm amended its policy, putting employees’ pro-law enforcement advocacy on par with calls for “racial justice and equity.” Still, the response by company CEO Rich Kramer and others indicates an unspoken dogma — that social justice advocates can do no wrong — which has become the norm among America’s cultural elites.
While many journalists and commentators focused on the company’s panning of “MAGA Attire,” the real controversy turned on the double standard that permitted support for “Black Lives Matter” and “LBGT Pride” but not for “Blue Lives Matter.” It took two official memos in as many days for Kramer to announce that supporting law enforcement was also acceptable.
But the logic behind that decision is opaque. From a business perspective, it’s understandable that the firm wanted to quickly appease upset customers. That’s different from whether it acted consistently with its self-stated goals of tolerance and inclusion.
Is It ‘Zero Tolerance’ or Not?
The first memo deserves scrutiny apart from the second because it’s a snapshot of the company’s unrefined views on social advocacy. There, Kramer states that because the firm “has zero tolerance for any forms of harassment or discrimination,” employees are supposed to avoid expressing support for political campaigns at work.
Of course, neither Black Lives Matter nor Blue Lives Matter are directly tied to electoral politics. So, what further principle could distinguish the former as acceptable but the latter unacceptable? The memo indicates that the company’s judgment against political campaigning extends to “similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues.”
That ambiguous standard fails to absolve the company of viewpoint bias. If anything, it suggests Goodyear thought support for Blue Lives Matter could constitute harassment and discrimination in a way support for Black Lives Matter couldn’t. If that’s accurate, the company owes its diverse stakeholders an explanation why.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Adding to confusion is that the standard exempts social justice causes from its zero tolerance policy. This carve out could be for one of two reasons. Perhaps the company thinks any harassment or discrimination arising from social justice advocacy is tolerable given the good it would achieve. Or, maybe the firm thinks such advocacy cannot possibly lead to harassment or discrimination. The first undermines the company’s stated zero tolerance aim, while the second strains credulity.
It should be basic knowledge that social justice advocacy can constitute harassment. Just last month, the Washington Post reported that BLM protesters “heckled” a woman sitting in D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood after she failed to raise a clenched fist along with them. In a video of the incident, what appear to be mostly white protesters lean over the woman, chanting “White silence is violence!” The Post quoted the woman — herself a BLM supporter — as saying later, “I felt like I was under attack.”
Misgivings About Activism
That social justice sloganeering can menace isn’t a late realization. In the days after George Floyd’s death intensified calls to combat racism, conservative legal scholar Robert P. George encouraged his followers on social media, writing in part: “Do not allow yourself to be shamed into saying things you don’t believe or expressing yourself inauthentically — by, for example, embracing movements or endorsing slogans about which you have reservations.”
While an academic like George recognizes popular misgivings about social justice activism, others are unaware of how widespread those misgivings are. Interviewed about the Goodyear controversy, one University of Akron sociologist underestimated public opposition to Black Lives Matter. As she put it, “The notion that Republicans aren’t in support of the Black Lives Matter movement is probably demonstrably false.” But a quick look at polling data from Civiqs showed that on August 25 — soon after her quote was published — Republican opposition to the movement stood at 78%, while Americans’ overall opposition was at 38%.
All this is not to invalidate the sentiments or goals of social justice advocates. But it’s clear that corporate heads, academics, journalists and other influencers often fail to acknowledge that such advocacy can be unpopular, let alone be harmful or mistaken. When elites do point to these shortcomings, they will often be conservatives, libertarians, or those strongly committed to classical liberalism. Anyone who persists in the fantasy that race, sex, or equity-based activists can do no wrong — or worse, get to call all the shots — will surely continue to alienate rather than persuade their fellow citizens.
Lewis Waha holds an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University and writes on faith in the public square.


thestream--2020-09-12--Thinking Critically About Critical Race Theory

I suspect you ’ ve been a bit surprised — and maybe even confused — about the ongoing social chaos starting with George Floyd ’ s death .
You ’ re not alone .
A lot of people are .
Clearly , Floyd ’ s death was tragic , even horrific .
All decent people acknowledge that .
But the tsunami of accusations about America ’ s “ systemic racism ” and “ white privilege ” that followed has caught a lot of Christians off guard .
What ’ s going on here ?
Is our culture this corrupt ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those are the questions many are asking .
It may surprise you to learn that this mayhem isn ’ t really about racism per se but about something much larger — indeed , an entire worldview — and you need to understand it .
The worldview is known as Critical Theory and it ’ s actually been around a long time .
Critical Theory divides the world into two groups : the oppressors and the oppressed .
Those groups are made up of smaller cultural groups defined by race , sex , sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When this worldview focuses on race , it ’ s called Critical Race Theory ( CRT ) .
CRT divides people into groups by race , the white oppressors and the oppressed non-whites .
According to CRT , the fundamental problem with America is its “ whiteness , ” its caste system based on skin color .
The lighter your skin , the closer you are to the top of the system .
Since the United States was founded by white men , racism has been woven into the tapestry of the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to corrupt every aspect of American life .
Our “ original sin , ” then , according to CRT , is whiteness .
A culture ’ s “ salvation ” from that fall begins when the oppressors become “ woke ” — when they see and repent from their own sins as oppressors and begin to dismantle the inherently oppressive structures of their culture .
Since whites can ’ t see their own racism ( according to CRT ) , they need to learn to see the world through the CRT lens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible .
For CRT , then , salvation comes through law , not grace .
Forgiveness only comes after complete and ongoing capitulation .
Ultimately , CRT is rooted in a blend of two worldviews : Marxism ( the oppressor/oppressed element ) and secular humanism ( the belief that humanity is capable of self-fulfillment and rescue by self-effort apart from God ) .
However , once God is removed , so is any objective standard defining what it means to live a fulfilled , moral life .
Without that anchor , we quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule , in other words .
This poses a problem for the Critical Race theorist .
CRT ’ s whole framework is ethical .
Oppression is wrong .
But why is oppression wrong ?
Why does every black life matter ?
In a world without God , these “ ethics ” are nothing more than personal preferences , mere opinions .
Christianity says our fundamental problem is sin .
True original sin places all humanity on equal footing .
No one is exempt .
“ All have sinned , ” Paul said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of God.
” Yes , sin includes racism , discrimination and bigotry , but it includes much more .
Yes , oppressors are sinners , but so are the oppressed , in their own ways .
CRT ’ s solution succeeds only in causing more division .
Instead of dividing people by race , though , Christianity unifies people — we are all fallen image-bearers , and we can all be equal in Christ : “ There is neither Jew nor Greek , there is neither slave nor free man , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are all one in Christ Jesus.
” Christianity provides the best reasons to believe that oppression is wrong .
Every human being is made in the image of God .
“ God created man in His own image , in the image of God He created him ; male and female He created them.
” It ’ s not the color of our skin or any other physical characteristic that gives people value , worth and dignity .
Rather , being made in the image of God is the great equalizer .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ultimately , CRT is incompatible with Christianity .
This isn ’ t to say racism and oppression don ’ t exist .
They do .
Bigotry abounds among fallen people of every race , and multitudes are really hurting .
As Christians , we fight for both justice and mercy .
Micah reminds us , “ What does the Lord require of you but to do justly , to love mercy , and to walk humbly with your God ?
” We do the hard work of humbly applying biblical truth to all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we encounter it , while pointing people to Jesus , the ultimate unifier .
I hope this adds some clarity to the social chaos going on .
I know there are still questions , but there ’ s no need to yoke ourselves to any Marxist , man-centered philosophy to find the answers .
Jonathan Noyes holds a master ’ s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University , and is now a speaker with Stand to Reason .
He also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teaches discipleship .
Originally published at Stand to Reason .
Used with permission .

I suspect you’ve been a bit surprised — and maybe even confused — about the ongoing social chaos starting with George Floyd’s death. You’re not alone. A lot of people are.
Clearly, Floyd’s death was tragic, even horrific. All decent people acknowledge that. But the tsunami of accusations about America’s “systemic racism” and “white privilege” that followed has caught a lot of Christians off guard.
What’s going on here? Is our culture this corrupt? Are all white people really racist? Those are the questions many are asking.
The Worldview
It may surprise you to learn that this mayhem isn’t really about racism per se but about something much larger — indeed, an entire worldview — and you need to understand it. The worldview is known as Critical Theory and it’s actually been around a long time.
Critical Theory divides the world into two groups: the oppressors and the oppressed. Those groups are made up of smaller cultural groups defined by race, sex, sexual preference, gender identity, etc. When this worldview focuses on race, it’s called Critical Race Theory (CRT). CRT divides people into groups by race, the white oppressors and the oppressed non-whites.
According to CRT, the fundamental problem with America is its “whiteness,” its caste system based on skin color. The lighter your skin, the closer you are to the top of the system. Since the United States was founded by white men, racism has been woven into the tapestry of the American experiment from the beginning, and it continues to corrupt every aspect of American life. Our “original sin,” then, according to CRT, is whiteness.
CRT “Salvation”
A culture’s “salvation” from that fall begins when the oppressors become “woke” — when they see and repent from their own sins as oppressors and begin to dismantle the inherently oppressive structures of their culture. Since whites can’t see their own racism (according to CRT), they need to learn to see the world through the CRT lens. Only then will racial equality be possible.
For CRT, then, salvation comes through law, not grace. Forgiveness only comes after complete and ongoing capitulation.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Ultimately, CRT is rooted in a blend of two worldviews: Marxism (the oppressor/oppressed element) and secular humanism (the belief that humanity is capable of self-fulfillment and rescue by self-effort apart from God). However, once God is removed, so is any objective standard defining what it means to live a fulfilled, moral life. Without that anchor, we quickly drift into subjectivism and relativism — feelings rule, in other words.
This poses a problem for the Critical Race theorist. CRT’s whole framework is ethical. Oppression is wrong. But why is oppression wrong? Why does every black life matter? In a world without God, these “ethics” are nothing more than personal preferences, mere opinions.
A Better Alternative — Christianity
There’s a better alternative to CRT — Christianity.
Christianity says our fundamental problem is sin. True original sin places all humanity on equal footing. No one is exempt. “All have sinned,” Paul said, “and fall short of the glory of God.” Yes, sin includes racism, discrimination and bigotry, but it includes much more. Yes, oppressors are sinners, but so are the oppressed, in their own ways.
Being made in the image of God is the great equalizer.
CRT’s solution succeeds only in causing more division. Instead of dividing people by race, though, Christianity unifies people — we are all fallen image-bearers, and we can all be equal in Christ: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Christianity provides the best reasons to believe that oppression is wrong. Every human being is made in the image of God. “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
It’s not the color of our skin or any other physical characteristic that gives people value, worth and dignity. Rather, being made in the image of God is the great equalizer. This is where racial unity must begin.
Jesus — The Ultimate Unifier
Ultimately, CRT is incompatible with Christianity. This isn’t to say racism and oppression don’t exist. They do. Bigotry abounds among fallen people of every race, and multitudes are really hurting.
As Christians, we fight for both justice and mercy. Micah reminds us, “What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” We do the hard work of humbly applying biblical truth to all areas of life, opposing oppression when we encounter it, while pointing people to Jesus, the ultimate unifier.
I hope this adds some clarity to the social chaos going on. I know there are still questions, but there’s no need to yoke ourselves to any Marxist, man-centered philosophy to find the answers.
Jonathan Noyes holds a master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and is now a speaker with Stand to Reason. He also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and at Beacon Hill Classical Academy, where he teaches discipleship.
Originally published at Stand to Reason. Used with permission.


thestream--2020-09-13--‘Child Porn’: Tulsi Gabbard Cancels Netflix Subscription Over Cuties

Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said Friday evening that she canceled her Netflix account over Cuties , calling the newly released film “ child porn.
” “ @ netflix child porn ‘ Cuties ’ will certainly whet the appetite of pedophiles & help fuel the child sex trafficking trade , ” Gabbard tweeted .
“ 1 in 4 victims of trafficking are children .
It happened to my friend ’ s 13 year old daughter.
” “ Netflix , you are now complicit , ” she added with the hashtag “ Cancel Netflix.
” “ Canceled netflix this morning when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter user told Gabbard , to which Gabbard replied , “ Me too.
” “ Cuties ” not only includes many close up shots of little girls ’ crotches and buttocks , but also depicts them viewing pornography and discussing sexual acts and shows one girl photographing her genitalia , among other explicit scenes , a review by the Daily Caller News Foundation found .
Netflix defended the film in a statement to the DCNF late Thursday evening , saying , “ Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up — and we ’ d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie , ” a Netflix spokeswoman said .
Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF regarding Gabbard ’ s comments .

Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said Friday evening that she canceled her Netflix account over Cuties, calling the newly released film “child porn.”
“@netflix child porn ‘Cuties’ will certainly whet the appetite of pedophiles & help fuel the child sex trafficking trade,” Gabbard tweeted. “1 in 4 victims of trafficking are children. It happened to my friend’s 13 year old daughter.”
“Netflix, you are now complicit,” she added with the hashtag “Cancel Netflix.”
https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1304587833584226305?s=20
“Canceled netflix this morning when I saw this s***,” a Twitter user told Gabbard, to which Gabbard replied, “Me too.”
“Cuties” not only includes many close up shots of little girls’ crotches and buttocks, but also depicts them viewing pornography and discussing sexual acts and shows one girl photographing her genitalia, among other explicit scenes, a review by the Daily Caller News Foundation found.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Netflix defended the film in a statement to the DCNF late Thursday evening, saying, “Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children.”
“It’s an award winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up — and we’d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie,” a Netflix spokeswoman said.
Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF regarding Gabbard’s comments.
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