thestream--2020-05-26--Chicago Mayor Sent Police to Shut Down Sunday Services

Courtney Lewis , the pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Chicago , was in the middle of his sermon when he heard loud banging on front doors .
It was the police .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot had dispatched three squad cars and two unmarked cars along with a representative from the mayor ’ s office .
Pastor Lewis said the intent was to shut down their Sunday services .
It was “ like the Soviet-style KGB , ” he said .
“ The only thing she hasn ’ t done yet is beat the doors down and arrest our members.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Locked Pastor Lewis tells the Todd Starnes Radio Show that the men of the church were instructed not to open the doors during the services — per protocol .
The officers were in fact denied entry .
“ Thankfully our doors were locked as a normal safety precaution we take each service to protect our members from the escalating gun violence in Chicago , ” the pastor said .
A church usher , who is typically positioned outside the building during the services , saw the mayor ’ s goon force attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Even more disturbing , an individual in an unmarked car with tinted windows was seen filming and photographing church members as they arrived to worship Jesus Christ .
“ The mayor wants to educate everyone into compliance — which means intimidate , ” the pastor said .
Rev .
Lewis wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney John Lausch pleading for help and protection against the city ’ s Democrat mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read the Letter of Grievance .
Following the Laws of God Before the Laws of Man He said the church has gone out of its way to follow CDC guidelines by having online services , outdoor services and engaging in social distancing .
All church members must also have their temperature taken before entering the sanctuary .
“ We are trying to follow the laws of man as much as reasonably possible but when the laws of man conflict with the laws of God I as a pastor have a duty to follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
“ We will not be intimidated by this overhanded government bully , but we are requesting the assistance of our president and our Justice Department in correcting this grave miscarriage of the law.
” Pastor Lewis said Christian pastors are under attack in Chicago and they need help .
“ All we are seeking is the same consideration and trust that is being tendered toward the liquor stores , abortion clinics and Walmart , ” he told the Todd Starnes Show .
Todd Starnes is a columnist , commentator , author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest book is Culture Jihad : How to Stop the Left From Killing a Nation .

Courtney Lewis, the pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Chicago, was in the middle of his sermon when he heard loud banging on front doors. It was the police.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot had dispatched three squad cars and two unmarked cars along with a representative from the mayor’s office.
Pastor Lewis said the intent was to shut down their Sunday services. It was “like the Soviet-style KGB,” he said. “The only thing she hasn’t done yet is beat the doors down and arrest our members.”
Service Continued Since the Doors Were Locked
Pastor Lewis tells the Todd Starnes Radio Show that the men of the church were instructed not to open the doors during the services — per protocol. The officers were in fact denied entry. “Thankfully our doors were locked as a normal safety precaution we take each service to protect our members from the escalating gun violence in Chicago,” the pastor said.
A church usher, who is typically positioned outside the building during the services, saw the mayor’s goon force attempt to enter the building and began taking photographs.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Even more disturbing, an individual in an unmarked car with tinted windows was seen filming and photographing church members as they arrived to worship Jesus Christ.
“The mayor wants to educate everyone into compliance — which means intimidate,” the pastor said.
Rev. Lewis wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney John Lausch pleading for help and protection against the city’s Democrat mayor and her jackbooted thugs. Click to read the Letter of Grievance.
Following the Laws of God Before the Laws of Man
He said the church has gone out of its way to follow CDC guidelines by having online services, outdoor services and engaging in social distancing. All church members must also have their temperature taken before entering the sanctuary.
“We are trying to follow the laws of man as much as reasonably possible but when the laws of man conflict with the laws of God I as a pastor have a duty to follow the laws of God,” he wrote. “We will not be intimidated by this overhanded government bully, but we are requesting the assistance of our president and our Justice Department in correcting this grave miscarriage of the law.”
Pastor Lewis said Christian pastors are under attack in Chicago and they need help.
“All we are seeking is the same consideration and trust that is being tendered toward the liquor stores, abortion clinics and Walmart,” he told the Todd Starnes Show.
Todd Starnes is a columnist, commentator, author and radio talk show host. His latest book is Culture Jihad: How to Stop the Left From Killing a Nation.


thestream--2020-05-26--Trump Says He Has a Chance ‘to Break the Deep State,’ Teases New Revelations From Declassification

President Donald Trump on Sunday hailed recent disclosures of information regarding government surveillance of the Trump campaign , saying that it has afforded him a chance to “ break ” the so-called “ deep state.
” In an interview with journalist Sharyl Attkisson , Trump suggested that additional information is going to come out about the surveillance efforts .
“ Other things are going to come out , too .
And a lot of other things are going to come out , but you don ’ t even need other things , ” he said .
“ I would like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump added .
Trump went on to accuse the “ deep state ” of trying to derail his presidency through the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government .
“ If it keeps going the way it ’ s going , I have a chance to break the deep state , ” Trump said .
“ It ’ s a vicious group of people .
It ’ s very bad for our country .
And that ’ s never happened before.
” Trump called former FBI Director James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe a “ bad guy.
” Trump praised Richard Grenell , the acting director of national intelligence , for declassifying and releasing a slew of documents related to investigations of the Trump campaign .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
“ Richard Grenell is a superstar .
He had guts , he had courage to do what he did , ” Trump said .
He also said he has high hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes over for Grenell on Tuesday .
“ We have another superstar going in as you know , John Ratcliffe.
” Earlier this month , Grenell declassified a list of Obama administration officials who requested intelligence reports regarding Michael Flynn .
In April , Grenell declassified footnotes from a Justice Department inspector general ’ s report which showed that the FBI had evidence in 2017 that Russian intelligence operatives fed disinformation to Christopher Steele , the author of the anti-Trump dossier .
Grenell said Saturday the he is working on declassifying other documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Flynn .
“ When you look at what Richard Grenell has done in eight weeks , these people didn ’ t do anything for two and a half years .
They should have been exposing this.
” Trump criticized Dan Coats , who served as director of national intelligence through August 2019 .
“ Coats , he sat there , ” Trump said .
“ He didn ’ t do anything.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

President Donald Trump on Sunday hailed recent disclosures of information regarding government surveillance of the Trump campaign, saying that it has afforded him a chance to “break” the so-called “deep state.”
In an interview with journalist Sharyl Attkisson, Trump suggested that additional information is going to come out about the surveillance efforts.
“Other things are going to come out, too. And a lot of other things are going to come out, but you don’t even need other things,” he said.
“I would like to see it move much faster,” Trump added.
Trump went on to accuse the “deep state” of trying to derail his presidency through the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government.
“If it keeps going the way it’s going, I have a chance to break the deep state,” Trump said.
“It’s a vicious group of people. It’s very bad for our country. And that’s never happened before.”
Trump called former FBI Director James Comey a “dirty cop,” and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe a “bad guy.”
Trump praised Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, for declassifying and releasing a slew of documents related to investigations of the Trump campaign.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“Richard Grenell is a superstar. He had guts, he had courage to do what he did,” Trump said.
He also said he has high hopes for Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe, who takes over for Grenell on Tuesday.
“We have another superstar going in as you know, John Ratcliffe.”
Earlier this month, Grenell declassified a list of Obama administration officials who requested intelligence reports regarding Michael Flynn.
In April, Grenell declassified footnotes from a Justice Department inspector general’s report which showed that the FBI had evidence in 2017 that Russian intelligence operatives fed disinformation to Christopher Steele, the author of the anti-Trump dossier.
Grenell said Saturday the he is working on declassifying other documents related to the FBI’s investigation of Flynn.
“When you look at what Richard Grenell has done in eight weeks, these people didn’t do anything for two and a half years. They should have been exposing this.”
Trump criticized Dan Coats, who served as director of national intelligence through August 2019.
“Coats, he sat there,” Trump said. “He didn’t do anything.”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-05-26--How to Shake That Denethor Feeling

How to Shake That Denethor Feeling

I was telling some new evangelical friends the other day why they should be reading Tolkien .
Apart from that writer ’ s vast imagination and rich human wisdom , he played a key role in Christian history .
According to C.S .
Lewis , it was a long talk with his close friend Tolkien that first convinced him that God might exist .
Thus started Lewis ’ journey , which culminated in him becoming the most powerful Christian apologist in a hundred years .
How many millions have been won or kept for Christ by Lewis ’ books ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , subtle , steadfast influence that God used to make that possible .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The exquisite care with which Tolkien “ sub-created ” his world gives it the richness and depth of real-world history .
( Indeed , Stream contributor Tim Furnish argues that the author meant us to read his books the way we do ancient chronicles , rather than novels . )
That craftsmanship allows us to assimilate and benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is profoundly Christian .
Tolkien ’ s works are set in the imaginary pre-history of man , before the rise of China , Sumer , or Egypt .
But they look back to what scripture tells us of the Creation , and forward to the full truth about God Himself that Jesus would reveal in His own person , and teachings .
There are everywhere in Tolkien ’ s stories little hints or glimpses of grace .
Turning points in the story where inexplicable mercy — Frodo sparing Gollum ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisive in the victory over evil .
Unlike the first histories man actually would produce , in Babylon or Egypt , humility and simplicity can triumph over pride .
Why else make hobbits , such simple and honest folk , the bearers of a cross as heavy as the Ring ?
What culture without Revelation would ever think that the meek could inherit the earth ?
These stories are set in that long twilight period between man ’ s fall and God ’ s outreach to Abraham , among gentiles we might think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Melchizedek .
But Tolkien lets the eternal truths of God ’ s own nature , unveiled in Christ , infuse the stories at crucial moments .
That ’ s why they exert such a subtle , sustaining power over so many of us , who read them in our formative years , and return to them in tough times .
Times like these .
They ’ re not quite as brutal , of course , as the First World War where Tolkien fought in the trenches .
Or the siege of Britain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Tolkien was writing The Lord of the Rings .
The Enemy Controls What We See But our times are painful in different ways .
Bombs aren ’ t falling on our cities , but a million unborn children die each year in our suburbs .
Veterans and grandparents are dying needlessly by the thousands in the quiet despair of locked-down nursing homes , seeded with deadly virus by hypocrites in government .
These same petty tyrants lock down our churches and ban our livelihoods .
They stoke a famine that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who depend on America for their food .
A lying , fawning , faux-moralistic media holds up a thousand fun house mirrors to make the Cuomos , the Whitmers , the Wolfs and Newsomes look like heroes , “ saving lives.
” Was the propaganda imposed on conquered Frenchmen , Danes , Greeks , or Poles any more outrageous ?
It was much less subtle or effective .
The Enemy sharpens his tools , and learns from his errors .
And I ’ m getting worn down , I ’ ll admit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the Palantir of the media each day .
If you ’ ve read The Lord of the Rings or watched the movies , you know what I mean .
The Palantiri were seeing stones made by the Elves that allowed men to see far off .
To watch the movements of enemies and friends , and share thoughts from thousands of miles away .
It was Tolkien ’ s Internet .
But in his world only the wise , experienced , and duly authorized were supposed to use the stones .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They could easily mislead you , and make you the dupe of an enemy who also held such a stone .
The partial picture he ’ d provide you might drive you to despair .
In The Return of the King , we learn that Denethor , Steward of Gondor , has picked up the seeing-stone in his city , Minas Tirith .
He uses it , he thinks , for good — to keep track of the dark lord Sauron ’ s military movements .
But Denethor ’ s not strong enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holds one of the stones .
Sauron carefully edits what Denethor can see .
He shows him pictures distorted and exaggerated .
He slants the “ news ” to make himself seem even more powerful than he is .
To drive Denethor to desperation and despair .
And if you remember the story , Denethor succumbs .
He comes to believe that the fight for goodness depends solely on him and his city .
And that the fight is doomed , since evil is too powerful .
He might as well abandon the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his life “ like the heathen kings of old ” by self-immolation , along with his wounded son Faramir .
That could be the fate of any of us , if we stare into the Palantir which the Enemy controls for long enough .
At least if we think that the fight depends on us alone , and our feeble powers .
The vast , kaleidoscopic panorama of betrayal , deception , and hunger for power we see can easily crush us .
That Palantir in Your Pocket Most of us can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ re everywhere .
They buzz in our pockets , with incessant “ notifications ” of still more wickedness , more news of men who switched sides and now oppose us — or have simply given up .
Let ’ s each of us pray for the strength and hope that comes with knowing that the fight doesn ’ t hinge on us .
That each of us is at the very best a humble hobbit tasked with trudging under our burden .
The One who created the world and redeemed it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He hasn ’ t abandoned us .
We must not abandon Him .
Meanwhile , those of us whose job it is to scan the Palantir and try to respond to it ?
We could sure use your prayers .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .

I was telling some new evangelical friends the other day why they should be reading Tolkien. Apart from that writer’s vast imagination and rich human wisdom, he played a key role in Christian history. According to C.S. Lewis, it was a long talk with his close friend Tolkien that first convinced him that God might exist.
Thus started Lewis’ journey, which culminated in him becoming the most powerful Christian apologist in a hundred years. How many millions have been won or kept for Christ by Lewis’ books? Yet it was Tolkien’s rich, subtle, steadfast influence that God used to make that possible.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The exquisite care with which Tolkien “sub-created” his world gives it the richness and depth of real-world history. (Indeed, Stream contributor Tim Furnish argues that the author meant us to read his books the way we do ancient chronicles, rather than novels.)
That craftsmanship allows us to assimilate and benefit from the author’s own worldview, which is profoundly Christian. Tolkien’s works are set in the imaginary pre-history of man, before the rise of China, Sumer, or Egypt. But they look back to what scripture tells us of the Creation, and forward to the full truth about God Himself that Jesus would reveal in His own person, and teachings.
Glimpses of Grace
There are everywhere in Tolkien’s stories little hints or glimpses of grace. Turning points in the story where inexplicable mercy — Frodo sparing Gollum’s life, for instance — later prove decisive in the victory over evil. Unlike the first histories man actually would produce, in Babylon or Egypt, humility and simplicity can triumph over pride.
Why else make hobbits, such simple and honest folk, the bearers of a cross as heavy as the Ring? What culture without Revelation would ever think that the meek could inherit the earth? These stories are set in that long twilight period between man’s fall and God’s outreach to Abraham, among gentiles we might think of as the ancestors of Job and Melchizedek. But Tolkien lets the eternal truths of God’s own nature, unveiled in Christ, infuse the stories at crucial moments.
That’s why they exert such a subtle, sustaining power over so many of us, who read them in our formative years, and return to them in tough times. Times like these. They’re not quite as brutal, of course, as the First World War where Tolkien fought in the trenches. Or the siege of Britain in World War II, which went on while Tolkien was writing The Lord of the Rings.
The Enemy Controls What We See
But our times are painful in different ways. Bombs aren’t falling on our cities, but a million unborn children die each year in our suburbs. Veterans and grandparents are dying needlessly by the thousands in the quiet despair of locked-down nursing homes, seeded with deadly virus by hypocrites in government.
These same petty tyrants lock down our churches and ban our livelihoods. They stoke a famine that’s set to kill millions of helpless strangers who depend on America for their food. A lying, fawning, faux-moralistic media holds up a thousand fun house mirrors to make the Cuomos, the Whitmers, the Wolfs and Newsomes look like heroes, “saving lives.” Was the propaganda imposed on conquered Frenchmen, Danes, Greeks, or Poles any more outrageous? It was much less subtle or effective. The Enemy sharpens his tools, and learns from his errors.
Self-Reliance Leads to Suicide
And I’m getting worn down, I’ll admit. It’s my job to stare into the Palantir of the media each day. If you’ve read The Lord of the Rings or watched the movies, you know what I mean. The Palantiri were seeing stones made by the Elves that allowed men to see far off. To watch the movements of enemies and friends, and share thoughts from thousands of miles away. It was Tolkien’s Internet.
But in his world only the wise, experienced, and duly authorized were supposed to use the stones. That’s because they were dangerous. They could easily mislead you, and make you the dupe of an enemy who also held such a stone. The partial picture he’d provide you might drive you to despair. In The Return of the King, we learn that Denethor, Steward of Gondor, has picked up the seeing-stone in his city, Minas Tirith. He uses it, he thinks, for good — to keep track of the dark lord Sauron’s military movements.
Like the Heathen Kings
But Denethor’s not strong enough to contend with Sauron, who also holds one of the stones. Sauron carefully edits what Denethor can see. He shows him pictures distorted and exaggerated. He slants the “news” to make himself seem even more powerful than he is. To drive Denethor to desperation and despair. And if you remember the story, Denethor succumbs. He comes to believe that the fight for goodness depends solely on him and his city. And that the fight is doomed, since evil is too powerful. He might as well abandon the last shreds of dignity, and end his life “like the heathen kings of old” by self-immolation, along with his wounded son Faramir.
Sauron slants the “news” to make himself seem even more powerful than he is. To drive Denethor to desperation and despair.
That could be the fate of any of us, if we stare into the Palantir which the Enemy controls for long enough. At least if we think that the fight depends on us alone, and our feeble powers. The vast, kaleidoscopic panorama of betrayal, deception, and hunger for power we see can easily crush us.
That Palantir in Your Pocket
Most of us can’t avoid the Palantirs these days. They’re everywhere. They buzz in our pockets, with incessant “notifications” of still more wickedness, more news of men who switched sides and now oppose us — or have simply given up.
Let’s each of us pray for the strength and hope that comes with knowing that the fight doesn’t hinge on us. That each of us is at the very best a humble hobbit tasked with trudging under our burden. The One who created the world and redeemed it is the final, decisive power. He hasn’t abandoned us. We must not abandon Him.
Meanwhile, those of us whose job it is to scan the Palantir and try to respond to it? We could sure use your prayers.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.


thestream--2020-05-26--No, Prof. Pinker, Belief in an Afterlife is Not a ‘Malignant Delusion’

A May 20 Washington Post op-ed claimed that evangelical Christians are behind the Republican push to reopen the nation .
In response , Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker tweeted on May 21 , “ Belief in an afterlife is a malignant delusion , since it devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer , safer , and happier .
Exhibit A : What ’ s really behind Republicans wanting a swift reopening ?
Evangelicals.
” ( The tweet has since been removed . )
Prof. Pinker , a self-described atheist , is wrong on all points .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brilliant Harvard scientist with a large Twitter following and still be seriously wrong about the meaning of life . )
The first thing we should point out is this is simply Pinker ’ s opinion .
He has no empirical evidence of any kind that there is no afterlife .
We might just as well say , “ Denial of an afterlife is a malignant delusion.
” What makes one statement right and the other statement wrong ?
What empirical , verifiable , scientific proof ?
To be sure , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Including where people undergoing surgery were aware of details taking place in and around the hospital .
Details that were unknowable to them .
In such cases , the people involved were aware of being outside their bodies , where they witnessed loved ones talking in other rooms or doctors performing specific procedures .
This points to the existence of a soul , as does the phenomenon of human consciousness .
And those of who have experienced God ’ s supernatural grace in this life have no reason to doubt His promises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for argument ’ s sake , let ’ s say that neither believers in an afterlife nor deniers of an afterlife can “ prove ” their beliefs to be true .
What about the rest of Pinker ’ s tweet ?
He claimed that belief in an afterlife “ devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer , safer , and happier.
” To the contrary , for evangelicals — the target of the tweet — belief in an afterlife is part of a larger belief system that affirms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is a belief system that says we are created in the image of God , thereby endowed with purpose and dignity .
And it is a belief system that says what we do in this world has eternal implications .
Far from “ devaluing ” the meaning of life , this belief greatly enhances it .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
In contrast , a consistent atheistic belief greatly devalues human life since , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a flea and have no more purpose or destiny than a rock .
After all , if we are simply the freak end products of an unguided , random , totally naturalistic system , what makes us special ?
Why should our desires be taken seriously or our goals be endowed with significance ?
As for our thoughts , they simply represent neurons firing in our brain .
Why put so much stock in them ?
We simply represent the survival of the fittest .
And rather than being divinely designed or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it this far .
That ’ s it .
This doesn ’ t mean that an atheist can not be a loving or caring or altruistic person .
Certainly not .
Nor does it mean that an atheist can not have some sense of purpose in life .
But being consistent atheist means acknowledging that nothing in this world has any ultimate purpose or order .
It just is .
Talk about devaluing life .
The Forefront of Care for Others That ’ s why , for millennia now , Christians have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life , of alleviating suffering , or working sacrificially for the well-being of others .
As Thomas Williams points out , “ Historically , Christian belief in eternal life has rarely resulted in disengagement from the common task of bettering the world and looking out for the needs of others .
Nor is belief in the afterlife the exclusive domain of evangelicals , but forms part of the common creed of all orthodox Christians .
“ To take just one example , the Catholic Church asserts explicitly that belief in eternity should spur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of human society in this life.
” That ’ s why Samaritan ’ s Purse rushed to New York City to treat victims of COVID-19 .
This is what Christians do .
( I ’ m sure there were plenty of compassionate caregivers in the city who were atheists .
I ’ m simply making a larger point . )
And where , pray tell , are the atheist equivalents of World Vision , or World Relief , or Compassion International , or Operation Blessing , just to name a few ?
Christians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions around the world .
This is because of the value of each life .
As for Christians willing to sacrifice their lives for a higher good because they believe in eternal life , that is hardly a devaluing of life .
Rather , it is adding nobility and honor to life .
Evangelicals Pushing the End of the Shutdown What about the claim of the WaPo editorial by Gary Abernathy that prompted Pinker ’ s tweet ?
Abernathy wrote , “ The coronavirus ?
Christian fundamentalism is often fatalistic .
As far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passes quickly , suffering is temporary and worrying solves nothing .
That ’ s not a view that comports well with long stretches of earthly time spent waiting out business closures or stay-at-home orders .
It should be no surprise that a person ’ s deepest beliefs about the world influence how they measure the risks they ’ re willing to take.
” Aside from his grossly inaccurate claim that , “ Christian fundamentalism is often fatalistic , ” he has totally misread the reasons why so many Republicans are pushing for opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date , Democrat-led states have been hit harder than Republican-led states , because of which the perceptions of those living in those states will differ .
Second , Republicans are more likely to resist what they feel is governmental overreach , so it is only natural that there will be more pushback .
And third , in quite a few Democrat-led cities and states , there has been discriminatory treatment of churches to the point that abortion clinics and liquor stores were considered essential , but not church gatherings .
In fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the green light to reopen ahead of churches .
Of course there will be pushback .
But why engage in rational discourse when demonizing evangelicals ( and other Christians ) is so much easier ?
I urge the Washington Post and Prof. Pinker to give this some serious , in-depth thought .
There is more to life than you seem to realize .
And there is more to the Christian faith than you understand .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Stops : Words of Faith , Hope , and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis .
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

A May 20 Washington Post op-ed claimed that evangelical Christians are behind the Republican push to reopen the nation. In response, Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker tweeted on May 21, “Belief in an afterlife is a malignant delusion, since it devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer, safer, and happier. Exhibit A: What’s really behind Republicans wanting a swift reopening? Evangelicals.” (The tweet has since been removed.)
Prof. Pinker, a self-described atheist, is wrong on all points. (Practical lesson: You can be a brilliant Harvard scientist with a large Twitter following and still be seriously wrong about the meaning of life.)
The first thing we should point out is this is simply Pinker’s opinion. He has no empirical evidence of any kind that there is no afterlife.
We might just as well say, “Denial of an afterlife is a malignant delusion.”
What makes one statement right and the other statement wrong? What empirical, verifiable, scientific proof?
What Proof?
To be sure, there are fascinating studies relating to near death experiences. Including where people undergoing surgery were aware of details taking place in and around the hospital. Details that were unknowable to them. In such cases, the people involved were aware of being outside their bodies, where they witnessed loved ones talking in other rooms or doctors performing specific procedures.
This points to the existence of a soul, as does the phenomenon of human consciousness.
And those of who have experienced God’s supernatural grace in this life have no reason to doubt His promises about the world to come.
But, for argument’s sake, let’s say that neither believers in an afterlife nor deniers of an afterlife can “prove” their beliefs to be true. What about the rest of Pinker’s tweet?
Devaluing Lives?
He claimed that belief in an afterlife “devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer, safer, and happier.”
To the contrary, for evangelicals — the target of the tweet — belief in an afterlife is part of a larger belief system that affirms the unique value of human life. It is a belief system that says we are created in the image of God, thereby endowed with purpose and dignity. And it is a belief system that says what we do in this world has eternal implications. Far from “devaluing” the meaning of life, this belief greatly enhances it.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In contrast, a consistent atheistic belief greatly devalues human life since, in reality, we are no more valuable than a flea and have no more purpose or destiny than a rock.
After all, if we are simply the freak end products of an unguided, random, totally naturalistic system, what makes us special? Why should our desires be taken seriously or our goals be endowed with significance? As for our thoughts, they simply represent neurons firing in our brain. Why put so much stock in them?
We simply represent the survival of the fittest. And rather than being divinely designed or fashioned, we just happened to make it this far. That’s it.
This doesn’t mean that an atheist cannot be a loving or caring or altruistic person. Certainly not. Nor does it mean that an atheist cannot have some sense of purpose in life. But being consistent atheist means acknowledging that nothing in this world has any ultimate purpose or order. It just is. Talk about devaluing life.
The Forefront of Care for Others
That’s why, for millennia now, Christians have been at the forefront of caring for human life, of alleviating suffering, or working sacrificially for the well-being of others.
As Thomas Williams points out, “Historically, Christian belief in eternal life has rarely resulted in disengagement from the common task of bettering the world and looking out for the needs of others. Nor is belief in the afterlife the exclusive domain of evangelicals, but forms part of the common creed of all orthodox Christians.
“To take just one example, the Catholic Church asserts explicitly that belief in eternity should spur Christians on to work for the good of human society in this life.”
That’s why Samaritan’s Purse rushed to New York City to treat victims of COVID-19. This is what Christians do. (I’m sure there were plenty of compassionate caregivers in the city who were atheists. I’m simply making a larger point.) And where, pray tell, are the atheist equivalents of World Vision, or World Relief, or Compassion International, or Operation Blessing, just to name a few?
Christians also lead the way in establishing educational institutions around the world. This is because of the value of each life.
As for Christians willing to sacrifice their lives for a higher good because they believe in eternal life, that is hardly a devaluing of life. Rather, it is adding nobility and honor to life.
Evangelicals Pushing the End of the Shutdown
What about the claim of the WaPo editorial by Gary Abernathy that prompted Pinker’s tweet?
Abernathy wrote, “The coronavirus? Christian fundamentalism is often fatalistic. As far as many evangelicals are concerned, life passes quickly, suffering is temporary and worrying solves nothing. That’s not a view that comports well with long stretches of earthly time spent waiting out business closures or stay-at-home orders. It should be no surprise that a person’s deepest beliefs about the world influence how they measure the risks they’re willing to take.”
Aside from his grossly inaccurate claim that, “Christian fundamentalism is often fatalistic,” he has totally misread the reasons why so many Republicans are pushing for opening up their states.
First, to date, Democrat-led states have been hit harder than Republican-led states, because of which the perceptions of those living in those states will differ.
Second, Republicans are more likely to resist what they feel is governmental overreach, so it is only natural that there will be more pushback.
And third, in quite a few Democrat-led cities and states, there has been discriminatory treatment of churches to the point that abortion clinics and liquor stores were considered essential, but not church gatherings. In fact, in Los Angeles, casinos have been given the green light to reopen ahead of churches. Of course there will be pushback.
But why engage in rational discourse when demonizing evangelicals (and other Christians) is so much easier?
I urge the Washington Post and Prof. Pinker to give this some serious, in-depth thought. There is more to life than you seem to realize. And there is more to the Christian faith than you understand.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is When the World Stops: Words of Faith, Hope, and Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-05-27--Can We Conduct a Calm and Winsome Dialog Over the Reichstag Virus?

We ’ re all upset .
We ’ re all on edge .
Everybody feels threatened by the permanent , universal emergency that the left discovered five minutes after the effort to impeach President Trump failed .
( It was utterly invisible to them before that .
They were too busy drinking Mai Tais in Chinatown . )
So here ’ s a model conversation one could have with someone who supports blue state lockdowns and blames Trump for a “ failed response ” to the virus crisis .
Witness this fanciful talk between a white female Democrat , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a white male Republican from Texas , “ Obadiah.
” Since no one ’ s meeting in person , assume this takes place on Facebook .
KAREN : I can ’ t believe my sister-in-law friended you .
Your last post was extremely offensive .
You should take it down .
There ARE community standards on Facebook , you know .
People have gotten their accounts suspended for less .
OBADIAH : You mean the post I shared from The Stream , about the virus as “ China ’ s Pearl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That kind of racist stereotyping helps no one .
In times like this we need national unity .
We need to come together , listen to the experts , believe Science , and stay home till Dr. Fauci develops a vaccine .
And Bill Gates provides us the tech for contact tracing .
OBADIAH : I ’ m sure China would be happy to help with both .
Maybe we can borrow their Social Credit system , too .
Instead of ruthless capitalism .
KAREN : Not sure if you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
OBADIAH : We could even invite the Chinese Communist Party to come over here and restore order .
Run a provisional government for us .
They already censor our media , via Google and the WHO .
Believe Science .
Do Not Anger Science .
Sacrifice Infants and Old Folks to Science .
KAREN : So you want cranks in tinfoil hats to have the freedom to go on Youtube and urge people to drink fishtank cleaner ?
OBADIAH : Actually , yes .
Even though that never happened .
“ Science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a tiny cabal of the Important People working in secret , following one set of protocols , waiting for an Approved list of results , then issuing their verdict .
Science is as wild and woolly as capitalism , with thousands of people competing .
Then trying to publicize their results , and convince their peers that they ’ re right .
That ’ s how knowledge advances , by people having arguments .
KAREN : Maybe in normal times , in a perfect world that might be okay .
But welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m sorry , you ’ re right .
After the Reichstag Virus , we have to suspend the Constitution indefinitely .
No freedom of worship , or assembly , or movement .
Governors ruling by decree .
Elaborate plans to micromanage every citizen , till China stops sending us viruses .
That ’ s the American Way .
KAREN : We all have to stay home together .
The stakes are life and death .
OBADIAH : The stakes are always life and death .
And not just in Science , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinics are essential , so they stayed open .
Our churches are closed . )
And religion .
Eternal life and death , in the latter case .
KAREN : OMG , so you ’ re one of those .
Never mind , go handle some snakes or finger some beads .
OBADIAH : Perhaps I could light that votive candle Gwyneth Paltrow is peddling .
In front of an icon of St. Barack Obama , virgin and martyr .
OBADIAH : As productive as this interchange is proving , I think I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whoopi Goldberg is interviewing epidemiologist Greta Thunberg over on MSNBC .
Because Science .
The same Science that says there are 47 genders , unborn babies are just “ tissue , ” and you can change your sex by having your nether parts carved up .
Or just deciding you identify as a woman , a Genderqueer , or maybe as a platypus .
KAREN : Go ahead and crack jokes .
It ’ s part of White Privilege .
Don ’ t worry that people are dying because of your ridiculous reality-TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than vulnerable people .
OBADIAH : Yeah , he ’ s committing “ human sacrifice , ” right ?
That ’ s what The Atlantic said about Red State governors letting healthy people go to work .
Not when Blue State governors like Cuomo dumped virus patients on nursing homes , and closed the beaches to keep the starfish safe .
Science !
KAREN : Those people in nursing homes were going to die soon anyway .
That ’ s what really old people do .
They … die .
Governor Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping New Yorkers safe .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
OBADIAH : He kept his mother Matilda safe , shuffling her between multimillion-dollar mansions .
But other elderly New Yorkers are dying like flies .
Especially compared to those in Florida .
If you ’ re going to blame Trump for the national death toll , why exempt Cuomo from his state death toll ?
And give no credit to Ron DeSantis for keeping his so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deserved protection the most were the elderly .
Cuomo threw them under the bus .
Then backed it up over them , just to be on the safe side .
As Biden ’ s chief virus advisor Ezekiel Emanuel recommended .
He doesn ’ t think people over 75 should even get life-saving medicine .
Maybe he ’ s working for Cuomo too .
Maybe Biden needs to move into one of those nursing homes .
Who will be his vice-president , though ?
I vote for Jussie Smollett .
KAREN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t it ?
That ’ s how this country was founded in 1619 .
OBADIAH : Keep that up , you might win a Pulitzer Prize , Karen .
No , I wouldn ’ t say that racism , anti-black or anti-white , is driving this divide .
I think it ’ s a whole lot simpler .
Bill Maher last year said America needed a recession , so Trump would lose .
So you all could get back to “ fundamentally transforming ” America .
For instance by opening its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not him ) would certainly suffer .
But the price was worth paying .
And now you ’ ve got one .
A burgeoning Depression , in fact .
One that will starve millions of Africans and Asians dependent on U.S. food exports .
You lockdown hawks don ’ t really care .
You ’ re too busy snitching on people fishing alone on their boats in Lake Michigan .
You want to batter , bruise , ruin , and imprison your fellow citizens .
Till they act like Patty Hearst , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll learn to love Big Brother .
Or the Hall Monitor from Hell .
KAREN : [ Files a Breach of Community Standards report to Facebook . ]

We’re all upset. We’re all on edge. Everybody feels threatened by the permanent, universal emergency that the left discovered five minutes after the effort to impeach President Trump failed. (It was utterly invisible to them before that. They were too busy drinking Mai Tais in Chinatown.) So here’s a model conversation one could have with someone who supports blue state lockdowns and blames Trump for a “failed response” to the virus crisis.
Witness this fanciful talk between a white female Democrat, “Karen,” from New York City, and a white male Republican from Texas, “Obadiah.” Since no one’s meeting in person, assume this takes place on Facebook.
Obadiah vs. Karen
KAREN: I can’t believe my sister-in-law friended you. Your last post was extremely offensive. You should take it down. There ARE community standards on Facebook, you know. People have gotten their accounts suspended for less.
OBADIAH: You mean the post I shared from The Stream, about the virus as “China’s Pearl Harbor Attack“?
KAREN: Yes. That kind of racist stereotyping helps no one. In times like this we need national unity. We need to come together, listen to the experts, believe Science, and stay home till Dr. Fauci develops a vaccine. And Bill Gates provides us the tech for contact tracing.
OBADIAH: I’m sure China would be happy to help with both. Maybe we can borrow their Social Credit system, too. Instead of ruthless capitalism.
KAREN: Not sure if you’re being sarcastic, but yes! LOL.
OBADIAH: We could even invite the Chinese Communist Party to come over here and restore order. Run a provisional government for us. They already censor our media, via Google and the WHO.
Believe Science. Do Not Anger Science. Sacrifice Infants and Old Folks to Science.
KAREN: So you want cranks in tinfoil hats to have the freedom to go on Youtube and urge people to drink fishtank cleaner?
OBADIAH: Actually, yes. Even though that never happened. “Science” is not some Gnostic insight attained by a tiny cabal of the Important People working in secret, following one set of protocols, waiting for an Approved list of results, then issuing their verdict. Science is as wild and woolly as capitalism, with thousands of people competing. Then trying to publicize their results, and convince their peers that they’re right. That’s how knowledge advances, by people having arguments.
After the Reichstag Virus, we have to suspend the Constitution indefinitely. No freedom of worship, or assembly, or movement. Governors ruling by decree. Elaborate plans to micromanage every citizen, till China stops sending us viruses.
KAREN: Maybe in normal times, in a perfect world that might be okay. But welcome to the New Normal.
OBADIAH: I’m sorry, you’re right. After the Reichstag Virus, we have to suspend the Constitution indefinitely. No freedom of worship, or assembly, or movement. Governors ruling by decree. Elaborate plans to micromanage every citizen, till China stops sending us viruses. That’s the American Way.
KAREN: We all have to stay home together. The stakes are life and death.
OBADIAH: The stakes are always life and death. And not just in Science, but in politics. (Your abortion clinics are essential, so they stayed open. Our churches are closed.) And religion. Eternal life and death, in the latter case.
KAREN: OMG, so you’re one of those. Never mind, go handle some snakes or finger some beads.
OBADIAH: Perhaps I could light that votive candle Gwyneth Paltrow is peddling. In front of an icon of St. Barack Obama, virgin and martyr.
KAREN: I knew you were a racist.
OBADIAH: As productive as this interchange is proving, I think I might need to go. Medical journalist Whoopi Goldberg is interviewing epidemiologist Greta Thunberg over on MSNBC. Because Science. The same Science that says there are 47 genders, unborn babies are just “tissue,” and you can change your sex by having your nether parts carved up. Or just deciding you identify as a woman, a Genderqueer, or maybe as a platypus.
Human Sacrifice in Albany
KAREN: Go ahead and crack jokes. It’s part of White Privilege. Don’t worry that people are dying because of your ridiculous reality-TV president, who loves the stock market more than vulnerable people.
OBADIAH: Yeah, he’s committing “human sacrifice,” right? That’s what The Atlantic said about Red State governors letting healthy people go to work. Not when Blue State governors like Cuomo dumped virus patients on nursing homes, and closed the beaches to keep the starfish safe. Science!
KAREN: Those people in nursing homes were going to die soon anyway. That’s what really old people do. They … die. Governor Cuomo did nothing wrong. He’s keeping New Yorkers safe.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
OBADIAH: He kept his mother Matilda safe, shuffling her between multimillion-dollar mansions. But other elderly New Yorkers are dying like flies. Especially compared to those in Florida. If you’re going to blame Trump for the national death toll, why exempt Cuomo from his state death toll? And give no credit to Ron DeSantis for keeping his so low?
The one group that needed and deserved protection the most were the elderly. Cuomo threw them under the bus. Then backed it up over them, just to be on the safe side. As Biden’s chief virus advisor Ezekiel Emanuel recommended. He doesn’t think people over 75 should even get life-saving medicine. Maybe he’s working for Cuomo too. Maybe Biden needs to move into one of those nursing homes. Who will be his vice-president, though? I vote for Jussie Smollett.
KAREN: It all comes back to racism, doesn’t it? That’s how this country was founded in 1619.
The Democrats’ “Stockholm Syndrome” Campaign
OBADIAH: Keep that up, you might win a Pulitzer Prize, Karen. No, I wouldn’t say that racism, anti-black or anti-white, is driving this divide. I think it’s a whole lot simpler. Bill Maher last year said America needed a recession, so Trump would lose. So you all could get back to “fundamentally transforming” America. For instance by opening its borders. Maher said some people (not him) would certainly suffer. But the price was worth paying.
And now you’ve got one. A burgeoning Depression, in fact. One that will starve millions of Africans and Asians dependent on U.S. food exports. You lockdown hawks don’t really care. You’re too busy snitching on people fishing alone on their boats in Lake Michigan. You want to batter, bruise, ruin, and imprison your fellow citizens. Till they act like Patty Hearst, and side with their captors. They’ll learn to love Big Brother. Or the Hall Monitor from Hell.
KAREN: [Files a Breach of Community Standards report to Facebook.]
OBADIAH: [Account suspended.]
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. The Stream


thestream--2020-05-27--COVID-19: The Sign of a Wounded World

COVID-19: The Sign of a Wounded World

“ Where is God in all this ?
” wailed my friend who was worried about the pandemic .
“ Did God create this virus ?
” I explained that a virus is morally neutral , like a tiger .
A tiger stalks and kills a deer .
It ’ s bad for the deer but good for the tiger .
A virus , in its natural setting is neither good or bad .
In fact , if we lived naturally , viruses would be necessary parts of our complicated immune system .
A virus in the wrong place for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however — like the tiger — can cause havoc .
“ Theodicy ” is the exercise in answering the perennial riddle , “ How can a God who is all good and all powerful allow evil ?
If he were all good he would want to stop it .
If he were all powerful he could stop it .
Therefore he must either not be all powerful or not be all good.
” When confronted with the problem the atheist might well say , “ It ’ s not theodicy , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would see the evil in the world and believe in a God who is all good and all powerful.
” The present pandemic is a reminder that the world we live in does present us with a puzzle .
While we can accept that a tiger killing a deer is simply good for the tiger but bad for the deer , we should go on to press the question , “ But why did God create a world where tigers kill and eat deer ?
Why did God create a world where viruses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Why don ’ t viruses create life instead of death ?
” When faced with the tragedies of life the pessimist sees nothing but danger , disaster and death .
In their view , human beings are selfish , petty , violent and stupid .
Furthermore , they see themselves and their fellow man headed for destruction , yet being happily unaware of the looming disaster .
They ’ re not re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic .
They ’ re dancing on the decks until dawn , ignoring the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Some Christians say mankind is totally depraved , without a glimmer of goodness , even the good things we do are no more than window dressing — caramel candy coating on a poisoned apple .
Therefore the pandemic might provoke the prophets of doom to preach a message of God ’ s judgment on our folly .
“ Dark , dark , dark !
They all go into the dark !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our lives they might say we deserve to have death staring us down and stalking us .
The traditional Christian view is that God created the world and it is good .
In the ancient creation story , when he was done , God stepped out and viewed his handiwork and said , “ That ’ s good !
” Or as the old gospel preacher said , “ God don ’ t make no junk !
” God ’ s world is good , but that goodness has been soiled .
God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has been broken .
His wonderful world is wounded .
This is why “ nature is red in tooth and claw.
” This is why the tiger hunts the fawn and a virus lays us low .
The whole of creation is cracked and those weaknesses are simply part of the way things are .
But the traditional Christian view not only says the world is wounded , but that it can be healed .
God has given mankind the intellect and energy to work with him to bind up the broken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light to the darkness , rescue the shipwrecked , cure diseases , protect the vulnerable , rehabilitate the wounded and patch up the problems of our broken world .
Light at the End of the Tunnel The pandemic has brought goodness out of all of us if we have eyes to see it and arms to embrace it .
Isolation has made us slow down and treasure simpler things .
We ’ ve learned to value doctors , nurses , truck drivers , cleaners and supermarket workers .
We ’ ve come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , immunologists and medical technicians who have skills and knowledge most of us can never begin to comprehend .
We ’ ve learned to value some of the precious things we ’ ve taken for granted — quality time with family , the luxury to travel and follow our dreams , the enjoyment and reward of hard work and enterprise and the security of a society that can absorb some punches and body blows , then work together to come up with solutions .
God ’ s world may be wounded , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and powerfully good .
And if God ’ s wounded world is good , then so are all the people in it .
He made us in his image , and although that image is marred and scarred , He also put the plan in place to redeem , restore and re-create us .
All we have to do is accept that plan , recognize the risks , then roll up our sleeves and get on with the business of working with him to mend this broken world , speak the good news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can heal .
Dwight Longenecker is a Catholic priest working in South Carolina .
His new book is Immortal Combat : Confronting the Heart of Darkness .

“Where is God in all this?” wailed my friend who was worried about the pandemic. “Did God create this virus?”
I explained that a virus is morally neutral, like a tiger. A tiger stalks and kills a deer. It’s bad for the deer but good for the tiger. A virus, in its natural setting is neither good or bad. In fact, if we lived naturally, viruses would be necessary parts of our complicated immune system. A virus in the wrong place for the wrong people at the wrong time, however — like the tiger — can cause havoc.
Idiocy or Theodicy
“Theodicy” is the exercise in answering the perennial riddle, “How can a God who is all good and all powerful allow evil? If he were all good he would want to stop it. If he were all powerful he could stop it. Therefore he must either not be all powerful or not be all good.”
When confronted with the problem the atheist might well say, “It’s not theodicy, it’s idiocy. Only an idiot would see the evil in the world and believe in a God who is all good and all powerful.”
While we can accept that a tiger killing a deer is simply good for the tiger but bad for the deer, we should go on to press the question, “But why did God create a world where tigers kill and eat deer?
The present pandemic is a reminder that the world we live in does present us with a puzzle. While we can accept that a tiger killing a deer is simply good for the tiger but bad for the deer, we should go on to press the question, “But why did God create a world where tigers kill and eat deer? Why did God create a world where viruses cause diseases that kill hundreds of thousands? Why don’t viruses create life instead of death?”
Dancing in the Dark
When faced with the tragedies of life the pessimist sees nothing but danger, disaster and death. In their view, human beings are selfish, petty, violent and stupid. Furthermore, they see themselves and their fellow man headed for destruction, yet being happily unaware of the looming disaster. They’re not re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. They’re dancing on the decks until dawn, ignoring the fact that they are dancing in the dark.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Some Christians say mankind is totally depraved, without a glimmer of goodness, even the good things we do are no more than window dressing — caramel candy coating on a poisoned apple.
Therefore the pandemic might provoke the prophets of doom to preach a message of God’s judgment on our folly. “Dark, dark, dark! They all go into the dark!” Seeing the vanity and luxury of our lives they might say we deserve to have death staring us down and stalking us.
A Wounded World
The traditional Christian view is that God created the world and it is good. In the ancient creation story, when he was done, God stepped out and viewed his handiwork and said, “That’s good!” Or as the old gospel preacher said, “God don’t make no junk!”
God’s world is good, but that goodness has been soiled. God’s work is perfect, but it has been broken. His wonderful world is wounded. This is why “nature is red in tooth and claw.” This is why the tiger hunts the fawn and a virus lays us low. The whole of creation is cracked and those weaknesses are simply part of the way things are.
But the traditional Christian view not only says the world is wounded, but that it can be healed. God has given mankind the intellect and energy to work with him to bind up the broken hearted, heal the wounds, bring light to the darkness, rescue the shipwrecked, cure diseases, protect the vulnerable, rehabilitate the wounded through drug rehab orlando and patch up the problems of our broken world.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
The pandemic has brought goodness out of all of us if we have eyes to see it and arms to embrace it. Isolation has made us slow down and treasure simpler things. We’ve learned to value doctors, nurses, truck drivers, cleaners and supermarket workers. We’ve come to appreciate medical researchers, scientists and statisticians, immunologists and medical technicians who have skills and knowledge most of us can never begin to comprehend.
We’ve learned to value some of the precious things we’ve taken for granted — quality time with family, the luxury to travel and follow our dreams, the enjoyment and reward of hard work and enterprise and the security of a society that can absorb some punches and body blows, then work together to come up with solutions.
God’s world may be wounded, but beneath it all, it is deeply and powerfully good. And if God’s wounded world is good, then so are all the people in it. He made us in his image, and although that image is marred and scarred, He also put the plan in place to redeem, restore and re-create us.
All we have to do is accept that plan, recognize the risks, then roll up our sleeves and get on with the business of working with him to mend this broken world, speak the good news and bind up the wounds so they can heal.
Dwight Longenecker is a Catholic priest working in South Carolina. His new book is Immortal Combat: Confronting the Heart of Darkness.


thestream--2020-05-27--Military Photo of the Day: Fire Suppression Training

U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter pilots conduct fire suppression training at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on May 12 @ @ @ @ @ to Julian Temblador for capturing this image .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians @ @ @ @ @ Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .

U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter pilots conduct fire suppression training at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on May 12, 2020.
Thank you to Julian Temblador for capturing this image.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-05-28--‘No Detectable Surge’ in COVID-19 Following Wisconsin’s Controversial Primary, Study Finds

Authors of a new study conducted by researchers at the World Health Organization and Stanford University say there is no evidence of increased transmission of COVID-19 in Wisconsin following the state ’ s April 7 primary election .
The study , published on medRxiv , an online medical research platform operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory , BMJ ( a medical publisher ) , and Yale University , states that data suggest Wisconsin ’ s high-profile vote was a low-risk activity .
“ We analyze confirmed cases and new hospitalizations in Wisconsin in the weeks surrounding the April 7 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a surge in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission , ” the authors write .
SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19 .
The researchers allowed for a virus incubation period of 10-15 days , noting that most cases would not be reported until April 17 .
The findings , which have not yet undergone peer review , are significant because the Badger State came under scrutiny following the decision to hold on-site elections over the objection of the Gov .
Tony Evers ( D ) .
Many said it was irresponsible and dangerous to hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
“ It ’ s obvious how voting in public amid a pandemic is not compatible with safety , ” Leah Litman , an assistant professor of law at the University of Michigan , wrote in The Atlantic .
The Republican-controlled legislature disagreed , however , and their decision was narrowly upheld ( 5-4 ) by the state ’ s Supreme Court .
Nevertheless , the state ’ s decision became a lightning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ire of former President Barack Obama .
“ No one should be forced to choose between their right to vote and their right to stay healthy like the debacle in Wisconsin this week , ” Obama tweeted .
Tensions continued in the weeks following the election and grew when national media outlets reported that more than 50 Wisconsinites had been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus after casting ballots .
Despite the fears and the anecdotal cases , researchers said hospitalizations for COVID-19 “ steadily declined throughout April , ” falling from 101 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 .
Wisconsin this week will stop asking COVID-19 patients if they were at the polls on election day .
Researchers said the results of their study are clear .
“ Taken together , there is no evidence to date that there was a surge of infections due to the April 7 , 2020 election in Wisconsin , ” the authors state .
“ Taken together , it appears the voting in Wisconsin on April 7 was a low-risk activity.
” The findings , which have yet to be reported , are important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from the state-enforced lockdowns that have resulted in widespread economic distress and have taken a toll on the psyches of Americans and others around the world .
Nations such as Denmark , Germany , and the Czech Republic have recently reopened their economies after instituting lockdowns in March .
As of May 4 , none of the countries had shown signs of a “ second wave ” of the virus which has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people worldwide .
Despite optimistic signs , fears remain high and much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some extent , this is to be expected .
Individual liberty and collective security are fundamental ideas humans have wrestled with and debated over for thousands of years .
Fear has long been freedom ’ s greatest enemy .
As we grapple with COVID-19 , humans must ask themselves a familiar question .
“ Is the promise of a perfectly secure world worth the price of our individual rights ?
” asks my colleague Sean Malone in the most recent Out of Frame .
( Marvel fans especially should watch it . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ humans increasingly are beginning to answer no .

Authors of a new study conducted by researchers at the World Health Organization and Stanford University say there is no evidence of increased transmission of COVID-19 in Wisconsin following the state’s April 7 primary election.
The study, published on medRxiv, an online medical research platform operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, BMJ (a medical publisher), and Yale University, states that data suggest Wisconsin’s high-profile vote was a low-risk activity.
“We analyze confirmed cases and new hospitalizations in Wisconsin in the weeks surrounding the April 7, 2020 election, and find no evidence of a surge in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission,” the authors write.
SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19. The researchers allowed for a virus incubation period of 10-15 days, noting that most cases would not be reported until April 17.
The findings, which have not yet undergone peer review, are significant because the Badger State came under scrutiny following the decision to hold on-site elections over the objection of the Gov. Tony Evers (D).
Many said it was irresponsible and dangerous to hold elections during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“It’s obvious how voting in public amid a pandemic is not compatible with safety,” Leah Litman, an assistant professor of law at the University of Michigan, wrote in The Atlantic.
The Republican-controlled legislature disagreed, however, and their decision was narrowly upheld (5-4) by the state’s Supreme Court.
Nevertheless, the state’s decision became a lightning rod for critics, even capturing the ire of former President Barack Obama.
“No one should be forced to choose between their right to vote and their right to stay healthy like the debacle in Wisconsin this week,” Obama tweeted.
Tensions continued in the weeks following the election and grew when national media outlets reported that more than 50 Wisconsinites had been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus after casting ballots.
Despite the fears and the anecdotal cases, researchers said hospitalizations for COVID-19 “steadily declined throughout April,” falling from 101 on April 3 to just 14 on April 18.
Image credit: medRxiv | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0
Wisconsin this week will stop asking COVID-19 patients if they were at the polls on election day. Researchers said the results of their study are clear.
“Taken together, there is no evidence to date that there was a surge of infections due to the April 7, 2020 election in Wisconsin,” the authors state. “Taken together, it appears the voting in Wisconsin on April 7 was a low-risk activity.”
The findings, which have yet to be reported, are important because many nations are seeking to transition away from the state-enforced lockdowns that have resulted in widespread economic distress and have taken a toll on the psyches of Americans and others around the world.
Nations such as Denmark, Germany, and the Czech Republic have recently reopened their economies after instituting lockdowns in March. As of May 4, none of the countries had shown signs of a “second wave” of the virus which has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people worldwide.
Despite optimistic signs, fears remain high and much of the world remains in lockdown. To some extent, this is to be expected. Individual liberty and collective security are fundamental ideas humans have wrestled with and debated over for thousands of years. Fear has long been freedom’s greatest enemy.
As we grapple with COVID-19, humans must ask themselves a familiar question.
“Is the promise of a perfectly secure world worth the price of our individual rights?” asks my colleague Sean Malone in the most recent Out of Frame. (Marvel fans especially should watch it.)
Recent events in Wisconsin and Europe suggest humans increasingly are beginning to answer no.


thestream--2020-05-27--An Open Letter to My Daughters: What Does Freedom Mean to You?

What a rich and full life we have shared up until now .
Over the past 20-plus years , I have watched you grow into the beautiful young women you are today .
From dressing you up as toddlers to helping you identify your dreams as teenagers and then pursue them as young adults , I took great joy in watching you come to believe that life was your stage and you , its playwright .
In spite of all the blessing , I fear I may have failed you .
Somehow in between dance competitions , soccer practices , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I may have neglected to instill into you a fierce devotion to the one thing that made all of our self-actualizing pursuits possible .
That one thing is freedom .
I do not fault you for the national prosperity you were born into ; it was where and when God placed you in human history .
But be aware , girls : with inherited prosperity comes a beguiling invitation to reap where you did not sow , and harvest where you did not plant .
This in itself is not evil , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know to appreciate the blessings you reaped unless you first esteemed the sacrifice of the sower who went before you ?
As a nation and as a family , we have eaten the Bread of Opportunity to our heart ’ s content and drank the Cup of Peace and Prosperity for our fill of The American Dream .
I must now question whether the overindulgence has led us into a deep coma of comfort .
I am confronted by hard questions like , “ Did I become intoxicated with the thought that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that somehow our generations would escape the worst of humanity ’ s ills with just the smell of smoke , yet never truly going through the fire itself ?
Did I cash in on freedom ’ s blessings without having paid freedom ’ s price ?
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Up until today , your young lives have barely even smelled the smoke , and you are now three generations removed from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depression .
You have not been called upon to fight for the most basic and essential cornerstone upon which all the others are built .
Freedom , to you , is a given , not a gift .
A birthright for which you must decide its value .
May God Empower You to Choose Wisely I entreat Almighty God that He will empower you to choose wisely and to choose well .
That none of you will be “ unholy like Esau , who sold his birthright for a single meal .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desired the blessing , he was rejected , for he found no chance to repent , though he sought it with tears ” ( Hebrews 12 : 16-17 ) .
Esau ’ s birthright enabled him to enjoy all the position and privilege of the firstborn , entitling him to a double portion of the paternal inheritance .
As the eldest , Esau already possessed what he needed to protect him , promote him , empower him , and endow him to live his life unhindered .
He had everything , except tragically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : the birthright itself .
Esau was too busy pursuing what Esau wanted that when he came in from the field , “ he was exhausted ” ( Genesis 25:30 ) .
How often does our chasing of self-aggrandizing pursuits bring us to exhaustion as well !
It made Esau hungry , vulnerable , and susceptible to arguably the worst decision of his life .
In a weak moment rooted in temporal , appetite-appeasing yet transient satisfaction , he declared , “ I am about to die ; of what use is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like that , Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup .
What a cheap exchange for so costly a pearl of great price !
The Birthright of Your Freedom I close this letter with an earnest challenge : What is the birthright of your freedom worth to you ?
When the status-quo of your world is threatened — and it will be — what price are you willing to pay to ensure freedom is preserved for you and the ones who come after you ?
Would you so easily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace , prosperity , and passing pleasure ?
Anything to make your immediate hunger for “ normal ” satiated ?
And what if that exchange came at the cost of dismantling the foundation ?
In the words of Benjamin Franklin , “ Those who would give up essential liberty , to purchase a little temporary safety , deserve neither liberty nor safety.
” My sincere hope is that this will not be you , my daughters .
You have grace to stand .
You have hearts to discern .
Because of Christ Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be “ of those who shrink back and are destroyed , but of those who have faith and preserve their souls ” ( Hebrews 10:39 ) .
You will be like Jacob — not Esau — laying hold and holding fast to the birthright and the blessing .
And to freedom , which is always worth fighting for .
Annemarie McLean is a four-girl mom , freelance writer , and co-founder of Brave & Beautiful , a ministry focused on challenging young women to live purpose-driven lives full of courage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2012 , she also founded 3D Missions , an international outreach taking the Gospel to the nations through the performing arts .
Annemarie holds a journalism degree from Oral Roberts University , with post-graduate work in organizational leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University .

Dearest Daughters,
What a rich and full life we have shared up until now. Over the past 20-plus years, I have watched you grow into the beautiful young women you are today. From dressing you up as toddlers to helping you identify your dreams as teenagers and then pursue them as young adults, I took great joy in watching you come to believe that life was your stage and you, its playwright.
In spite of all the blessing, I fear I may have failed you. Somehow in between dance competitions, soccer practices, swim meets, and musical theater rehearsals, I may have neglected to instill into you a fierce devotion to the one thing that made all of our self-actualizing pursuits possible. That one thing is freedom.
The American Dream
I do not fault you for the national prosperity you were born into; it was where and when God placed you in human history. But be aware, girls: with inherited prosperity comes a beguiling invitation to reap where you did not sow, and harvest where you did not plant. This in itself is not evil, though perhaps addictive. For how would you know to appreciate the blessings you reaped unless you first esteemed the sacrifice of the sower who went before you?
As a nation and as a family, we have eaten the Bread of Opportunity to our heart’s content and drank the Cup of Peace and Prosperity for our fill of The American Dream. I must now question whether the overindulgence has led us into a deep coma of comfort. I am confronted by hard questions like, “Did I become intoxicated with the thought that good times would roll on forever, and that somehow our generations would escape the worst of humanity’s ills with just the smell of smoke, yet never truly going through the fire itself? Did I cash in on freedom’s blessings without having paid freedom’s price?”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Up until today, your young lives have barely even smelled the smoke, and you are now three generations removed from the great fires of world war and global depression. You have not been called upon to fight for the most basic and essential cornerstone upon which all the others are built. Freedom, to you, is a given, not a gift. A birthright for which you must decide its value.
May God Empower You to Choose Wisely
I entreat Almighty God that He will empower you to choose wisely and to choose well. That none of you will be “unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears” (Hebrews 12: 16-17). Esau’s birthright enabled him to enjoy all the position and privilege of the firstborn, entitling him to a double portion of the paternal inheritance. As the eldest, Esau already possessed what he needed to protect him, promote him, empower him, and endow him to live his life unhindered.
He had everything, except tragically, the value of the ONE thing: the birthright itself. Esau was too busy pursuing what Esau wanted that when he came in from the field, “he was exhausted” (Genesis 25:30). How often does our chasing of self-aggrandizing pursuits bring us to exhaustion as well! It made Esau hungry, vulnerable, and susceptible to arguably the worst decision of his life. In a weak moment rooted in temporal, appetite-appeasing yet transient satisfaction, he declared, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” And just like that, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup. What a cheap exchange for so costly a pearl of great price!
The Birthright of Your Freedom
I close this letter with an earnest challenge: What is the birthright of your freedom worth to you? When the status-quo of your world is threatened — and it will be — what price are you willing to pay to ensure freedom is preserved for you and the ones who come after you? Would you so easily exchange it for the promise of continued peace, prosperity, and passing pleasure? Anything to make your immediate hunger for “normal” satiated? And what if that exchange came at the cost of dismantling the foundation? In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
My sincere hope is that this will not be you, my daughters. You have grace to stand. You have hearts to discern. Because of Christ Jesus, when the time comes, you will not be “of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10:39). You will be like Jacob — not Esau — laying hold and holding fast to the birthright and the blessing. And to freedom, which is always worth fighting for.
Be brave always,
Mom
Annemarie McLean is a four-girl mom, freelance writer, and co-founder of Brave & Beautiful, a ministry focused on challenging young women to live purpose-driven lives full of courage and character, while developing Christ-centered inner beauty. In 2012, she also founded 3D Missions, an international outreach taking the Gospel to the nations through the performing arts. Annemarie holds a journalism degree from Oral Roberts University, with post-graduate work in organizational leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University.


thestream--2020-05-27--Conservative Christians Nothing But Power-Worshippers, Claims Tone-Deaf Bestseller

Katherine Stewart has spent years studying American Christianity , prior to writing her best-selling anti-Christian screed The Power Worshippers : Inside the Dangerous Rise of Christian Nationalism .
Years .
And still she thinks conservative Christianity is nothing but politics and power , nothing but reactionary bigotry , nothing but manipulating religious language to worm our way into theocratic control .
If she ’ s right , we ’ re in trouble .
No one knows better than we do how Jesus hated hypocrisy .
But in fact she ’ s totally tone-deaf .
She ’ s so caught up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she can hear no other music — least of all the music of Christian life and values .
I first ran across her book through an interview she did with atheist blogger Valerie Tarico .
In it she spoke of “ version of dominionism ” she calls “ Christian nationalism.
” And she places this “ dangerous ” movement right in the heart of conservative Christianity .
It ’ s no side street , not off on the fringe ; it ’ s every believing evangelical and Catholic .
For Stewart , conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both equal nothing but politics .
As she told Tarico , “ It shares features , ” she ways , “ with forms of religious nationalism around the world , where leaders bind themselves to religious conservatives to solidify a more authoritarian form of power.
” Two of her examples : Iran and Turkey .
Tone-Deaf to Anything but Politics and Power And its core motivation is neither spiritual nor moral : Hence the title of her book .
Conservative Christian believers don ’ t worship God .
We worship power .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to be sure , and some leaders have wrong motivations .
My Catholic friends own the same as true of their religion .
Still there ’ s no better group in the world to identify wrong motives as wrong .
It was Christianity , after all — following the Hebrew prophets ’ lead — that first showed the world that humility is higher than arrogance , and that true greatness follows upon true servanthood .
Katherine Stewart is tone-deaf to that .
She ’ s annoyed that Catholic hospitals won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some states , more than 40 percent of hospitals are Catholic .
For her that ’ s Catholics grabbing hold of power .
It never occurs to her that there ’ s something good about starting hospitals , for which Catholics might be granted some credit .
Or does she think they founded all those hospitals after Roe v. Wade , to control the women ’ s health care market ?
Her story of Christian strategist Bill Dallas illustrates it well .
He ’ d grown up with an “ alcoholic and depressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ self-doubts were all-consuming.
” He grew up to be successful in business but not in family : “ His life was focused on being ‘ the bad boy party animal of the Bay Area.
’ ” And ultimately not in business , either : He was convicted of embezzlement and money laundering , and served time in San Quentin .
There he “ deepened his connection to his faith , ” as Stewart gingerly puts it .
That faith launched him on a turnaround .
He left prison “ mentally , physically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He quit his “ OCD behaviors.
” He found a way to make a living , determined to pay back not only what he ’ d stolen but also his fines , one of which was $ 750,000 .
And the only good Stewart can think to say of all that is that change in Dallas ’ s life is that it put him “ in the cockpit of Christian nationalism ’ s taxpayer-subsidized , data-driven voter turnout machine.
” Christian nationalism is all nationalism , zero “ Christian , ” in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people who identify as Christian oppose the movement.
” And conservatives ’ doctrines are “ modern , ” she says , despite their “ purported origins in ancients texts.
” When she speaks of our “ biblical ” values , it ’ s always in scare quotes .
It ’ s because our values really aren ’ t biblical ; instead they ’ ve been “ carefully shaped ” to “ serve the emotional needs … of adherents , the organizational needs of … clerical leaders , and the political needs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Early in the book she ’ d said she ’ s “ not interested in judging other people ’ s religious beliefs.
” Don ’ t see that as contradictory , though .
For her it ’ s perfectly consistent , as she doesn ’ t see evangelical activism as religious .
Rather , “ Christian nationalism is … a device for mobilizing ( and often manipulating ) large segments of the population and concentrating power in the hands of a new elite.
” So what do we say to all this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to refute a word of it .
Others may need to hear a rebuttal , but not the majority of Stream readers .
I only need ask , Does any conservative Christian reading this recognize any of it ?
Does your church , your small group , exist only for political purposes ?
Is it earthly power that you worship ?
Is that all your devotional life is about ?
Does Jesus Christ mean nothing to you , but only Donald Trump ’ s re-election ?
That ’ s how Katherine Stewart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t driven by faith or love , but by hatred , bigotry , and a need for theocratic power .
She thinks that makes us “ dangerous.
” No , that makes her tone deaf .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
I know evangelicalism from the inside , and while I ’ m well aware of our many weaknesses , I also know our primary motivation is to know and to follow God through Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fathom how anyone could miss that reality .
It ’ d be like hearing the Hallelujah Chorus and thinking it ’ s only drums beating .
It ’ s absolute tone deafness .
Either that , or it ’ s someone inside whose head there are drums beating , beating , beating the message that all of life is political , that every public act is an act of power , and no one who disagrees with her could possibly have any drive except hate .
Which she knows with certainty , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll Learn to Hear the Music Instead Yet there are lessons here for us .
First , this book is an attack on American Christianity — on our churches , our spiritual lives , our moral and social values , and our worship of God in Jesus Christ .
It ’ s a best-selling attack .
We can ’ t let its lies hinder us from moving forward with courage , persistence , and love .
Second , Katherine Stewart ’ s tone-deafness to spiritual realities should remind us now intensely spiritual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would try to impress her by acting more spiritually ; she ’ d be deaf to that , too , even if our actions were genuine .
Rather we need to undergird our activism all the more with prayer and genuine worship — worshiping God , not ( as she charges ) any earthly power .
Pray for the tone-deaf , that they might hear the real music .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream , and the author of A Christian Mind : Thoughts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Critical Conversations : A Christian Parent ’ s Guide to Discussing Homosexuality with Teens , and the lead editor of True Reason : Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism .

Katherine Stewart has spent years studying American Christianity, prior to writing her best-selling anti-Christian screed The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Christian Nationalism. Years. And still she thinks conservative Christianity is nothing but politics and power, nothing but reactionary bigotry, nothing but manipulating religious language to worm our way into theocratic control.
If she’s right, we’re in trouble. No one knows better than we do how Jesus hated hypocrisy. But in fact she’s totally tone-deaf. She’s so caught up in the strident drumbeat of politics, she can hear no other music — least of all the music of Christian life and values.
I first ran across her book through an interview she did with atheist blogger Valerie Tarico. In it she spoke of “version of dominionism” she calls “Christian nationalism.” And she places this “dangerous” movement right in the heart of conservative Christianity. It’s no side street, not off on the fringe; it’s every believing evangelical and Catholic.
For Stewart, conservative Christianity equals religious nationalism, and they both equal nothing but politics. As she told Tarico,
Christian nationalism involves the claim that the foundation of legitimate government in the U.S. is bound up with a reactionary understanding of a particular religion. So it is an anti-democratic political ideology, as well as a device for mobilizing people and concentrating political power.
“It shares features,” she ways, “with forms of religious nationalism around the world, where leaders bind themselves to religious conservatives to solidify a more authoritarian form of power.” Two of her examples: Iran and Turkey.
Tone-Deaf to Anything but Politics and Power
And its core motivation is neither spiritual nor moral:
It is a mistake to think that the culture war is driving the politics, that this is just a grass-roots expression of social discontent. So-called culture war issues have been cultivated and exploited for securing a certain kind of political power.
Hence the title of her book. Conservative Christian believers don’t worship God. We worship power.
Pray for the tone-deaf, that they might hear the real music.
Now admittedly, evangelicalism is a mixed group, to be sure, and some leaders have wrong motivations. My Catholic friends own the same as true of their religion. Still there’s no better group in the world to identify wrong motives as wrong. It was Christianity, after all — following the Hebrew prophets’ lead — that first showed the world that humility is higher than arrogance, and that true greatness follows upon true servanthood.
Katherine Stewart is tone-deaf to that.
Tone-Deaf on Ministries of Mercy
She’s annoyed that Catholic hospitals won’t do abortions, especially since, in some states, more than 40 percent of hospitals are Catholic. For her that’s Catholics grabbing hold of power. It never occurs to her that there’s something good about starting hospitals, for which Catholics might be granted some credit.
Or does she think they founded all those hospitals after Roe v. Wade, to control the women’s health care market?
Tone-deaf.
Tone-Deaf on Lives Changed
Her story of Christian strategist Bill Dallas illustrates it well. He’d grown up with an “alcoholic and depressive” father. As a teenager his “self-doubts were all-consuming.” He grew up to be successful in business but not in family: “His life was focused on being ‘the bad boy party animal of the Bay Area.’” And ultimately not in business, either: He was convicted of embezzlement and money laundering, and served time in San Quentin.
There he “deepened his connection to his faith,” as Stewart gingerly puts it. That faith launched him on a turnaround. He left prison “mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually fit.” He quit his “OCD behaviors.” He found a way to make a living, determined to pay back not only what he’d stolen but also his fines, one of which was $750,000.
And the only good Stewart can think to say of all that is that change in Dallas’s life is that it put him “in the cockpit of Christian nationalism’s taxpayer-subsidized, data-driven voter turnout machine.”
Tone-deaf.
Tone-Deaf on Beliefs
Christian nationalism is all nationalism, zero “Christian,” in her barely concealed view. “A great many people who identify as Christian oppose the movement.” And conservatives’ doctrines are “modern,” she says, despite their “purported origins in ancients texts.”
When she speaks of our “biblical” values, it’s always in scare quotes. It’s because our values really aren’t biblical; instead they’ve been “carefully shaped” to “serve the emotional needs … of adherents, the organizational needs of … clerical leaders, and the political needs and ambitions of … funders.”
Funny thing: Early in the book she’d said she’s “not interested in judging other people’s religious beliefs.” Don’t see that as contradictory, though. For her it’s perfectly consistent, as she doesn’t see evangelical activism as religious. Rather, “Christian nationalism is … a device for mobilizing (and often manipulating) large segments of the population and concentrating power in the hands of a new elite.”
Don’t Bother Refuting the Tone-Deaf
So what do we say to all this? I don’t see a need to refute a word of it. Others may need to hear a rebuttal, but not the majority of Stream readers. I only need ask, Does any conservative Christian reading this recognize any of it? Does your church, your small group, exist only for political purposes? Is it earthly power that you worship? Is that all your devotional life is about? Does Jesus Christ mean nothing to you, but only Donald Trump’s re-election?
That’s how Katherine Stewart sees you. You and I aren’t driven by faith or love, but by hatred, bigotry, and a need for theocratic power. She thinks that makes us “dangerous.” No, that makes her tone deaf.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I know evangelicalism from the inside, and while I’m well aware of our many weaknesses, I also know our primary motivation is to know and to follow God through Jesus Christ.
It’s hard to fathom how anyone could miss that reality. It’d be like hearing the Hallelujah Chorus and thinking it’s only drums beating. It’s absolute tone deafness.
Either that, or it’s someone inside whose head there are drums beating, beating, beating the message that all of life is political, that every public act is an act of power, and no one who disagrees with her could possibly have any drive except hate. Which she knows with certainty, because they disagree with her.
Pray They’ll Learn to Hear the Music Instead
Yet there are lessons here for us. First, this book is an attack on American Christianity — on our churches, our spiritual lives, our moral and social values, and our worship of God in Jesus Christ. It’s a best-selling attack. We can’t let its lies hinder us from moving forward with courage, persistence, and love.
Second, Katherine Stewart’s tone-deafness to spiritual realities should remind us now intensely spiritual this struggle actually is. Not that we would try to impress her by acting more spiritually; she’d be deaf to that, too, even if our actions were genuine. Rather we need to undergird our activism all the more with prayer and genuine worship — worshiping God, not (as she charges) any earthly power.
Pray for the tone-deaf, that they might hear the real music.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream, and the author of A Christian Mind: Thoughts on Life and Truth in Jesus Christ and Critical Conversations: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Discussing Homosexuality with Teens, and the lead editor of True Reason: Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism.