thestream--2020-11-13--Abortion Victims: Where Are the Bodies?

Abortion Victims: Where Are the Bodies?

I have been in the pro-life movement for over 10 years , and sometimes I think I have seen abortion from every angle .
I ’ ve seen gut-wrenching videos of abortions in progress .
I ’ ve seen footage of a late-term abortionist hammering scissors into a bloody wound in a baby ’ s skull , blood pulsing everywhere .
I ’ ve seen thousands of pictures .
I contributed a written reflection to a book of photographs of abortion victims .
But every so often , somebody says something that suddenly snaps everything into focus once again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
It was last summer , at a conference hosted by Protect Life Michigan .
I was speaking on why men should join the pro-life movement .
One of the other speakers was my friend Dr. Monica Miller from Citizens for a Pro-Life Society .
During a panel on abortion victim photography , someone asked us for a question we could ask that would highlight the magnitude of what abortion has cost us .
Monica paused for a moment .
Then she responded .
“ Where do you put sixty-five million bodies ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t about reproductive rights .
It isn ’ t about healthcare .
It is about people .
Those people have bodies .
And those bodies go somewhere after they have been poisoned , dismembered and suctioned into bloody slurry .
Where do they go ?
Philosophers have asked through the ages : Where do we go after we die ?
With abortion , the question we need to ask is similar : Where do they go after we kill them ?
Going Through the Dumpsters Monica Miller knows of what she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnificent memoir Abandoned : The Untold Story of the Abortion Wars is titled , simply , “ Bodies.
” She describes going through a dumpster in an alley behind an abortion clinic , retrieving garbage bags .
And she describes what they found : The bag was stuffed with an unrecognizable material … I turned it over in my hands , trying to make sense of it .
At last my eyes recognized a shape crammed tightly against the plastic .
It jumped out at me — an arm , disconnected from anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it for what it was .
And then my eyes distinguished another arm , and then a severed foot , a full inch in length .
I had been staring at arms but did not see arms .
I had no prior context by which my brain could recognize them .
They were the dismembered limbs of a completely torn and mutilated body and , up until that day , my eyes had never been confronted with such a reality .
It was as if an alien word had been spoken , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand until , after much straining , I finally comprehended the message .
Someone was trying to speak to me through the silent , shocking vestige of this broken body .
The baby was a little boy .
After reassembling him , Miller began to photograph him .
The pro-life activist with her , Joe Scheidler , couldn ’ t watch long .
“ I can ’ t look at him anymore.
” He was , Miller wrote , “ a hideous parody of a living baby.
” Over the years , Miller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the babies she retrieved from dumpsters .
Even The New York Times would run a series of her photos .
Through Miller ’ s work , these voiceless victims speak from the dumpsters and the trash cans .
Joe Scheidler , the “ Godfather of Direct Pro-Life Action , ” described the same scene in his 2016 memoir Racketeer for Life .
After going through the dumpsters , he wrote , the garbage bags of babies were taken to his garage .
There was a clear bag full of fluid in one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and looked through the fluid .
Then she shifted the bag , and a severed arm appeared .
It was a baby boy of at least six months gestation , cut to pieces by the abortionist .
We took him and laid out his broken body on a paper towel.
” The chapter describing that scene is titled “ To Bury the Dead.
” But before the children were laid to rest , Scheidler , Miller and other pro-lifers did something extraordinary .
On May 6 , 1987 , they carried the aborted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the abortion clinic where they had been killed .
They laid the babies tenderly on long tables , and held a press conference .
The pro-abortion press erupted .
Not because the babies had been killed , of course .
But because they had been seen .
They had , in some strange way , escaped from the trash to tell their stories .
I know many pro-life activists who have come face to face with the aborted dead .
They often look haunted when they talk about it .
There is something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodies of murdered children that were murdered legally .
It is even stranger to have held babies that abortion activists insist are not babies .
The abortion industry essentially survives by gaslighting the public .
We tell them what we have seen , and they swear it isn ’ t true ; that we haven ’ t seen what we ’ ve seen .
Who are you going to believe , us or your lying eyes ?
I remember the first time I went through a dumpster behind an abortion clinic .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a garbage bag , and it was covered in blood .
My brain froze with an unanswerable question : Is this baby blood , or mommy blood ?
We couldn ’ t tell , of course .
It was impossible .
The bags were filled with blood-spattered papers ; crimson , flaking suction curettes ; tubes with bits of flesh stuck to the sides , left there by the babies that had to disintegrate to get suctioned through .
Folded into a blue terrycloth , there was even a tiny , translucent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoulder , and the fingers were spread out .
Waving goodbye ?
Gone so soon ?
Between all of the garbage bags , I think there were the scraps and spatters of over fifty abortions .
Roughly two kindergarten classes in plastic bags .
Lifetimes shoved into dumpsters .
The fruit of the womb yanked free and thrown away to rot .
Tiny heads split open like overripe cherries .
A nightmare not on Elm Street , but on our street — with a far , far higher kill count .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written before , too , of the little boy I saw in the jar .
He ’ d been retrieved from a dumpster and was floating in formaldehyde .
There was no name on the jar , because he was an orphan and he ’ d been orphaned on purpose .
There was only the location of the clinic where he was killed .
Plus a phone number in case someone wanted to make an appointment to kill his brothers or sisters .
I held him , and felt him move in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to think : His mother doesn ’ t know I ’ m looking at her son .
His father might not know he exists .
But he ’ s here — his body , anyways .
Irrefutable evidence that he was briefly with us , and belonged to people who didn ’ t want him .
Where do you put sixty-five million bodies ?
It is a question nobody wants to consider .
Because when we do , we know .
We flush them down toilets .
We stuff them down drains .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ waste containers .
We tie them up in garbage bags with blood-spattered junk mail .
We put them in dumpsters .
We burn their bodies in incinerators — it doesn ’ t take long , because we didn ’ t let them grow long .
We send them by UPS to university labs to be pillaged for usable organs and body parts .
We unleash a hidden nightmare that nobody can see , and everyone pretends isn ’ t happening .
But it is .
I know where the bodies are buried .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker , writer and pro-life activist .
He is the author of The Culture War and Seeing Is Believing : Why Our Culture Must Face the Victims of Abortion , and co-author of A Guide to Discussing Assisted Suicide .

I think we are in rats’ alley where the dead men lost their bones. — T.S. Eliot, The Wasteland
I have been in the pro-life movement for over 10 years, and sometimes I think I have seen abortion from every angle. I’ve seen gut-wrenching videos of abortions in progress. I’ve seen footage of a late-term abortionist hammering scissors into a bloody wound in a baby’s skull, blood pulsing everywhere. I’ve seen thousands of pictures. I contributed a written reflection to a book of photographs of abortion victims. But every so often, somebody says something that suddenly snaps everything into focus once again.
Where Do You Put 65 Million Children?
It was last summer, at a conference hosted by Protect Life Michigan. I was speaking on why men should join the pro-life movement. One of the other speakers was my friend Dr. Monica Miller from Citizens for a Pro-Life Society. During a panel on abortion victim photography, someone asked us for a question we could ask that would highlight the magnitude of what abortion has cost us. Monica paused for a moment. Then she responded. “Where do you put sixty-five million bodies?”
Where do you put sixty-five million bodies?
That question crystallizes everything. Abortion isn’t about reproductive rights. It isn’t about healthcare. It is about people. Those people have bodies. And those bodies go somewhere after they have been poisoned, dismembered and suctioned into bloody slurry. Where do they go? Philosophers have asked through the ages: Where do we go after we die? With abortion, the question we need to ask is similar: Where do they go after we kill them?
Going Through the Dumpsters
Monica Miller knows of what she speaks. The first chapter of her magnificent memoir Abandoned: The Untold Story of the Abortion Wars is titled, simply, “Bodies.” She describes going through a dumpster in an alley behind an abortion clinic, retrieving garbage bags. And she describes what they found:
The bag was stuffed with an unrecognizable material … I turned it over in my hands, trying to make sense of it. At last my eyes recognized a shape crammed tightly against the plastic. It jumped out at me — an arm, disconnected from anything else that would have helped me see it for what it was. And then my eyes distinguished another arm, and then a severed foot, a full inch in length. I had been staring at arms but did not see arms. I had no prior context by which my brain could recognize them. They were the dismembered limbs of a completely torn and mutilated body and, up until that day, my eyes had never been confronted with such a reality. It was as if an alien word had been spoken, a word I could not at first fully understand until, after much straining, I finally comprehended the message. Someone was trying to speak to me through the silent, shocking vestige of this broken body.
Voiceless Victims Speak
The baby was a little boy. After reassembling him, Miller began to photograph him. The pro-life activist with her, Joe Scheidler, couldn’t watch long. “I can’t look at him anymore.” He was, Miller wrote, “a hideous parody of a living baby.” Over the years, Miller would take thousands of these photographs of the babies she retrieved from dumpsters. Even The New York Times would run a series of her photos. Through Miller’s work, these voiceless victims speak from the dumpsters and the trash cans.
Joe Scheidler, the “Godfather of Direct Pro-Life Action,” described the same scene in his 2016 memoir Racketeer for Life. After going through the dumpsters, he wrote, the garbage bags of babies were taken to his garage. There was a clear bag full of fluid in one of them:
“Monica picked it up and looked through the fluid. Then she shifted the bag, and a severed arm appeared. It was a baby boy of at least six months gestation, cut to pieces by the abortionist. We took him and laid out his broken body on a paper towel.”
The chapter describing that scene is titled “To Bury the Dead.” But before the children were laid to rest, Scheidler, Miller and other pro-lifers did something extraordinary. On May 6, 1987, they carried the aborted children by hearse to the front of the abortion clinic where they had been killed. They laid the babies tenderly on long tables, and held a press conference. The pro-abortion press erupted. Not because the babies had been killed, of course. But because they had been seen. They had, in some strange way, escaped from the trash to tell their stories.
Face to Face
I know many pro-life activists who have come face to face with the aborted dead. They often look haunted when they talk about it. There is something strange and insane about having seen the bodies of murdered children that were murdered legally. It is even stranger to have held babies that abortion activists insist are not babies. The abortion industry essentially survives by gaslighting the public. We tell them what we have seen, and they swear it isn’t true; that we haven’t seen what we’ve seen. Who are you going to believe, us or your lying eyes?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I remember the first time I went through a dumpster behind an abortion clinic. The moment I pulled my gloved hand out of a garbage bag, and it was covered in blood. My brain froze with an unanswerable question: Is this baby blood, or mommy blood? We couldn’t tell, of course. It was impossible. The bags were filled with blood-spattered papers; crimson, flaking suction curettes; tubes with bits of flesh stuck to the sides, left there by the babies that had to disintegrate to get suctioned through. Folded into a blue terrycloth, there was even a tiny, translucent arm. It was severed at the shoulder, and the fingers were spread out. Waving goodbye? Gone so soon?
Between all of the garbage bags, I think there were the scraps and spatters of over fifty abortions. Roughly two kindergarten classes in plastic bags. Lifetimes shoved into dumpsters. The fruit of the womb yanked free and thrown away to rot. Tiny heads split open like overripe cherries. A nightmare not on Elm Street, but on our street — with a far, far higher kill count.
I’ve Seen Them Myself
I’ve written before, too, of the little boy I saw in the jar. He’d been retrieved from a dumpster and was floating in formaldehyde. There was no name on the jar, because he was an orphan and he’d been orphaned on purpose. There was only the location of the clinic where he was killed. Plus a phone number in case someone wanted to make an appointment to kill his brothers or sisters. I held him, and felt him move in the jar. And it was so strange to think: His mother doesn’t know I’m looking at her son. His father might not know he exists. But he’s here — his body, anyways. Irrefutable evidence that he was briefly with us, and belonged to people who didn’t want him.
Where do you put sixty-five million bodies? It is a question nobody wants to consider. Because when we do, we know. We flush them down toilets. We stuff them down drains. We put them in barrels and medical waste containers. We tie them up in garbage bags with blood-spattered junk mail. We put them in dumpsters. We burn their bodies in incinerators — it doesn’t take long, because we didn’t let them grow long. We send them by UPS to university labs to be pillaged for usable organs and body parts. We unleash a hidden nightmare that nobody can see, and everyone pretends isn’t happening.
But it is. I know where the bodies are buried. I’ve seen them myself.
Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer and pro-life activist. He is the author of The Culture War and Seeing Is Believing: Why Our Culture Must Face the Victims of Abortion, and co-author of A Guide to Discussing Assisted Suicide.


thestream--2020-11-13--The Second Catholic President Gets Congratulated by the First Atheist Pope

I know , I know .
My title here is controversial , even bordering on clickbait .
But I really must insist that abortion fanatic Joe Biden is in some sense a Catholic .
If only in the same way that the sex-addicted adulterer John F. Kennedy was , which is to say the “ tribal ” sense .
Anyone with an Irish , Italian , or Hispanic last name is a “ Catholic.
” So is anyone who says on social media “ I went to eight years of Catholic school !
” or “ My uncle is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or morals are a deeply private , personal matter .
Like your private parts , they ’ re something you must hide for decency ’ s sake beneath a bushel .
As JFK explained on the campaign trail , they should be kept so discreet that they exert no influence even on your own behavior .
It ’ s safest that way .
Sorry if that part of the headline confused or upset anyone .
But these are bewildering times .
Periodically I observe that we seem to be living in a badly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prize pig at the ( cancelled ) Texas State Fair , 2020 broke the springs on the GANI ( Gunshow Apocalyptic Novel Insanity ) Coefficient .
Many writers have said that this year is too much to take .
I think I ’ m the only one who said that back at the end of January .
Indeed , I declared the year over , and called for us to start 2021 .
Now , of course , I look back with golden nostalgia at those glory days .
Back then , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sham presidential impeachment , a mysterious virus that Democrats insisted wasn ’ t dangerous , and wildfires in Australia that killed over a billion cute wallabies , wombats , koalas and kangaroos .
Nobody thought we ’ d see a global virus lockdown that broke the backs of entire economies without saving a single life .
As late as mid-March I could write satirically that Drag Queen Story Hour was just as absurd as … Coronavirus Story Hours at nursing homes .
Little did I suspect that blue-state governors like Andrew Cuomo would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hey , Zmirak ’ s got another solid policy proposal !
” Then … dump COVID patients on veterans and grandmas , while shuttering all the churches and synagogues .
Nor did we expect that the virus which China sent us — in the form of a million travelers they let fly out of the country , which they ’ d locked down against local travel — would turn out to be so smart .
It knows if you ’ re singing in church or going to work , in which case it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re looting stores in an inner-city neighborhood to demand the police be abolished and replaced by Antifa thugs ?
Tell Your Immune System : Our Diversity Is Our Strength Then the virus passes over you , as the plague spared Israelites in the Book of Exodus .
You just need some bling that tells the Chinese angel of death to spare you , in the form of a “ Black Lives Matter ” t-shirt or “ Joe Biden ” sign .
Such a wise and discerning virus .
No wonder Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unwitting Chinese bioweapons fly into America .
It ’ s downright xenophobic to keep the virus out of our bodies .
We need to inform our immune systems : “ Our Diversity Is Our Strength !
” ( That ’ s also a handy deathbed prayer for victims of jihad attacks to mutter as they expire . )
It ’ s also “ Racist-Or-Something ” to insist that ballots be cast in person , that their signatures be authentic , or that they arrive before election day .
Didn ’ t we get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and following instructions are part of White Privilege ?
The only way to honor non-white Americans is to trash all our standards in their name , and cater to them like slow-witted children or surprisingly clever orangutans .
Which brings me to Pope Francis .
He ’ s the first pope , really , to think that the Catholic church would be stronger if it embraced Diversity in its doctrines and moral teachings .
Perhaps the first Christian ever to read St. Paul ’ s warning about a “ new Gospel ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pope Francis believed in God , things would be different .
He might not hunt down and close little groups of monks and nuns who follow old-fashioned prayers and practices .
( You know , as Joe Biden pledged to do to the Little Sisters of the Poor . )
Nor would a theist pope have sent a known sexual predator , then-Cardinal Ted McCarrick , to sell out China ’ s Christians to its Communist regime , in return for an alliance against Trump ’ s America .
I doubt that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a collective goal , which amounts to “ saving the planet.
” A theist pope wouldn ’ t have enshrined a pagan idol at the Vatican .
Nor , I think , would he have cherry-picked all McCarrick ’ s allies and enablers , to make them the most powerful bishops and cardinals in the Church .
I don ’ t think a theist pope would have started his reign by inviting onto the balcony a cardinal infamous for intimidating victims of clerical sex abuse .
A theist pope would want to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class , instead of promoting poverty because he adores it as a fetish .
Nor would a theist pope have done everything he could to help elect as U.S. president a corrupt , plagiarizing half-senile has-been/never was , an abortion activist who opposes religious freedom .
Nor would he have called to congratulate him while the votes are still being counted .
But I ’ ve got to be fair .
If we judge by the Biden scale , then the pope is a Catholic .
His last name ( Bergoglio ) isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ends in a vowel .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .
He is co-author with Jason Jones of “ God , Guns , & the Government .
”

I know, I know. My title here is controversial, even bordering on clickbait. But I really must insist that abortion fanatic Joe Biden is in some sense a Catholic. If only in the same way that the sex-addicted adulterer John F. Kennedy was, which is to say the “tribal” sense. Anyone with an Irish, Italian, or Hispanic last name is a “Catholic.”
So is anyone who says on social media “I went to eight years of Catholic school!” or “My uncle is a Jesuit!” Your beliefs about faith or morals are a deeply private, personal matter. Like your private parts, they’re something you must hide for decency’s sake beneath a bushel. As JFK explained on the campaign trail, they should be kept so discreet that they exert no influence even on your own behavior. It’s safest that way.
Sorry if that part of the headline confused or upset anyone.
The Gunshow Apocalyptic Novel Insanity Co-Efficient
But these are bewildering times. Periodically I observe that we seem to be living in a badly written end-times novel. Like an obese prize pig at the (cancelled) Texas State Fair, 2020 broke the springs on the GANI (Gunshow Apocalyptic Novel Insanity) Coefficient. Many writers have said that this year is too much to take. I think I’m the only one who said that back at the end of January. Indeed, I declared the year over, and called for us to start 2021.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Now, of course, I look back with golden nostalgia at those glory days. Back then, all we had to worry about was a sham presidential impeachment, a mysterious virus that Democrats insisted wasn’t dangerous, and wildfires in Australia that killed over a billion cute wallabies, wombats, koalas and kangaroos.
Governor Cuomo Keeps Stealing My Ideas
Nobody thought we’d see a global virus lockdown that broke the backs of entire economies without saving a single life. As late as mid-March I could write satirically that Drag Queen Story Hour was just as absurd as … Coronavirus Story Hours at nursing homes. Little did I suspect that blue-state governors like Andrew Cuomo would read my column and say, “Hey, Zmirak’s got another solid policy proposal!” Then … dump COVID patients on veterans and grandmas, while shuttering all the churches and synagogues.
Nor did we expect that the virus which China sent us — in the form of a million travelers they let fly out of the country, which they’d locked down against local travel — would turn out to be so smart. It knows if you’re singing in church or going to work, in which case it will kill you. But if you’re looting stores in an inner-city neighborhood to demand the police be abolished and replaced by Antifa thugs?
Tell Your Immune System: Our Diversity Is Our Strength
Then the virus passes over you, as the plague spared Israelites in the Book of Exodus. You just need some bling that tells the Chinese angel of death to spare you, in the form of a “Black Lives Matter” t-shirt or “Joe Biden” sign. Such a wise and discerning virus. No wonder Joe Biden insisted we let more of those million unwitting Chinese bioweapons fly into America. It’s downright xenophobic to keep the virus out of our bodies. We need to inform our immune systems: “Our Diversity Is Our Strength!” (That’s also a handy deathbed prayer for victims of jihad attacks to mutter as they expire.)
It’s also “Racist-Or-Something” to insist that ballots be cast in person, that their signatures be authentic, or that they arrive before election day. Didn’t we get the memo that punctuality, professionalism, and following instructions are part of White Privilege? The only way to honor non-white Americans is to trash all our standards in their name, and cater to them like slow-witted children or surprisingly clever orangutans.
Needed: A Shiny New Gospel
Which brings me to Pope Francis. He’s the first pope, really, to think that the Catholic church would be stronger if it embraced Diversity in its doctrines and moral teachings. Perhaps the first Christian ever to read St. Paul’s warning about a “new Gospel” and draw from it:
Yes! That’s what we need. A shiny new gospel all our own. It would be Pharisaical to insist on Jesus’ actual words. Instead we must take the principles we derive from stray Gospel passages, and teach what we know Jesus would have said, if he’d gone to Harvard in the 80s.
Of course if Pope Francis believed in God, things would be different. He might not hunt down and close little groups of monks and nuns who follow old-fashioned prayers and practices. (You know, as Joe Biden pledged to do to the Little Sisters of the Poor.) Nor would a theist pope have sent a known sexual predator, then-Cardinal Ted McCarrick, to sell out China’s Christians to its Communist regime, in return for an alliance against Trump’s America. I doubt that a theist pope would speak of salvation as a collective goal, which amounts to “saving the planet.”
Poverty: This Pope’s Pagan Fetish
A theist pope wouldn’t have enshrined a pagan idol at the Vatican. Nor, I think, would he have cherry-picked all McCarrick’s allies and enablers, to make them the most powerful bishops and cardinals in the Church. I don’t think a theist pope would have started his reign by inviting onto the balcony a cardinal infamous for intimidating victims of clerical sex abuse. A theist pope would want to fight poverty by helping poor people become middle class, instead of promoting poverty because he adores it as a fetish.
Of course if Pope Francis believed in God, things would be different.
Nor would a theist pope have done everything he could to help elect as U.S. president a corrupt, plagiarizing half-senile has-been/never was, an abortion activist who opposes religious freedom. Nor would he have called to congratulate him while the votes are still being counted.
But I’ve got to be fair. If we judge by the Biden scale, then the pope is a Catholic. His last name (Bergoglio) isn’t just ethnic. It even ends in a vowel.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of “God, Guns, & the Government.”


thestream--2020-11-13--Biden Pledged Not to Declare Victory Before Certification. He Broke That Pledge.

A couple of days ago , I wrote — this was fairly tongue-in-cheek — about Joe Biden deserving prosecution under the Logan Act , as he is a private citizen speaking under no authorization with world leaders to affect foreign policy .
It seemed particularly fitting ; after all , Biden is reportedly the one who brought up the Logan Act in the Oval Office as a way to target Michael Flynn .
( Ironically , unlike Biden today , Flynn was justified in talking with foreign leaders , as he was incoming national security adviser during an official transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Logan Act , I ’ ve seen that others are wondering about this , too .
Biden is “ playing President.
” The media are playing along .
He addresses them in front of an official-looking cardboard backdrop that says he ’ s the President-elect , and the media take him seriously because they choose to .
JOE BIDEN IS NOT THE PRESIDENT-ELECT .
He might , God forbid , actually become President-elect if he survives the careful examination of the vote that absolutely must occur .
But with the myriad allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be confirmed and reverse the count enormously in key states , he might not get through that process .
Democrats were the ones who pressed for massive mail-in balloting , which — intentionally , I believe — weakened the process and left it vulnerable to outside manipulation ( especially by the dead , ha ) .
So , they ’ re just going to have to wait while we make sense of the crazy result , which statisticians say is mathematically impossible .
The vote has NOT been certified .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Peculiar thing about this document .
It was never notarized.
” For once , it ’ s time for the Republicans to pull away the football and let the Democrats land helplessly on their backs .
As reported in the Washington Examiner , Biden is already play-acting the role of President-elect , accepting “ congratulatory ” calls from world leaders from France , Germany , Ireland and the U.K. and discussing issues such as climate change and COVID-19 .
In her report , Haley Victory Smith refers to him as the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haley Victory Smith ?
Smith says that despite Trump ’ s refusal to concede , “ many world leaders have recognized Biden as the victor.
” Well , that ’ s probably because they listen to our media , and also because Biden ’ s already assuming the mantle of power , quite inappropriately , speaking with them about foreign policy when he ’ s not supposed to be doing it .
I would add that one leader who hasn ’ t yet congratulated Biden is the president of Mexico , Andres Manuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been “ robbed ” of office before by a corrupt process and will wait until our count is certified .
Of course , AMLO is catching a lot of grief in the press for doing the right thing .
Reports say he “ refuses , ” but that ’ s too harsh ; he ’ s just prudently waiting until our legal issues are resolved , as our own media should .
Anyway , Biden ’ s team has been quite open about these talks , as they add to the perception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say Biden spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron about Iran ’ s nuclear program ( ! )
.
He spoke to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson about Ukraine ( ! )
and the Western Balkans .
“ I ’ m letting them know that America is back , ” Biden told reporters .
“ We ’ re going to be back in the game .
It ’ s not America alone.
” Now wait just a doggone minute .
I realize the media are playing along with this “ game ” — an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — but the “ game ” has gone too far .
Biden Lied in the First Debate During the presidential debate hosted by Chris Wallace on September 29 , Biden was asked , as the final question , “ Will you urge your supporters to stay calm while the vote is counted , and will you pledge not to declare victory until the election is independently certified ?
” Biden did not waver : “ Yes !
And here ’ s the deal : We count the ballots , as you pointed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states can ’ t even be opened until Election Day , and if there ’ s thousands and thousands of ballots , [ it ’ s ] gon na take time to do it.
” And so it will .
But Biden has pledged not to declare victory until the election results are certified .
The results have not been certified , so … does this mean he hasn ’ t declared victory ?
And if he hasn ’ t , what in blazes is he doing “ playing President ” and talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Trump ’ s the President ; Biden ’ s a private citizen .
Say , isn ’ t that a violation of the Logan Act ?
?
I would really like to have an answer to this .
And I want it from his own lips , not in some CYA statement put out by his legal team .
Megyn Kelly Knows It ’ s Not Over Last Saturday night , Megyn Kelly said on NEWSMAX that the legal fight over the election is not over , even if the margins make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ add that since Saturday , hard evidence has been produced that makes it seem like less of a longshot . )
She said the Trump campaign deserves its days in court and the election deserves to have “ its tires kicked , ” particularly in Pennsylvania , where judges had no business jumping into what the legislature constitutionally determines .
Kelly called Trump ’ s fight “ an uphill battle.
” But almost a week later , we ’ ve got sworn evidence of large-scale law-breaking , and we don ’ t yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud that appears to have taken place .
Kelly accused Biden of being worse than disingenuous with his calls for unity and healing .
She called him hypocritical for alienating everyone who voted for Trump at the same time he ’ s claiming he can unite all Americans .
“ [ Biden ’ s speech ] was written by a man in his basement for the past year , ” she said .
( I would add that it ’ s unlikely Biden himself wrote the speech . )
“ Because the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … And you need to look no further than Joe Biden ’ s own party.
” “ Biden ’ s been saying this all along , ” she said .
“ He ’ s the unifier , he ’ s the one who ’ s going to bring us together .
It sounds delightful .
… And I want that .
… But let ’ s get real .
It ’ s not connected to reality on the ground in this country right now .
And the only reason you ’ re hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is because they won.
” Megyn , just one tiny point of clarification : it ’ s because they want you to think they won .
Again , they haven ’ t .
But , but … The New York Times splashed a big headline on Wednesday ’ s paper : ELECTION OFFICIALS NATIONWIDE FIND NO FRAUD .
This is just more “ gaslighting ” to make us believe voter fraud is a bogus conspiracy theory — you know , like the one they ’ ve helped perpetrate against Trump for going-on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stop “ playing President , ” or you might have to be indicted for violating the Logan Act .
Wouldn ’ t that be something if you had the distinction of being the first American to be successfully prosecuted under it ?
I just love the idea .
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events .
A New York Times best-selling author , he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN .

A couple of days ago, I wrote — this was fairly tongue-in-cheek — about Joe Biden deserving prosecution under the Logan Act, as he is a private citizen speaking under no authorization with world leaders to affect foreign policy. It seemed particularly fitting; after all, Biden is reportedly the one who brought up the Logan Act in the Oval Office as a way to target Michael Flynn. (Ironically, unlike Biden today, Flynn was justified in talking with foreign leaders, as he was incoming national security adviser during an official transition.)
Since raising the issue of the Logan Act, I’ve seen that others are wondering about this, too.
Biden is “playing President.” The media are playing along. He addresses them in front of an official-looking cardboard backdrop that says he’s the President-elect, and the media take him seriously because they choose to. JOE BIDEN IS NOT THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.
He might, God forbid, actually become President-elect if he survives the careful examination of the vote that absolutely must occur. But with the myriad allegations of massive, deliberate fraud that might be confirmed and reverse the count enormously in key states, he might not get through that process.
Democrats were the ones who pressed for massive mail-in balloting, which — intentionally, I believe — weakened the process and left it vulnerable to outside manipulation (especially by the dead, ha). So, they’re just going to have to wait while we make sense of the crazy result, which statisticians say is mathematically impossible.
The vote has NOT been certified. I’m reminded of Lucy informing Charlie Brown, “Peculiar thing about this document. It was never notarized.” For once, it’s time for the Republicans to pull away the football and let the Democrats land helplessly on their backs.
The Play-Acting Politician
As reported in the Washington Examiner, Biden is already play-acting the role of President-elect, accepting “congratulatory” calls from world leaders from France, Germany, Ireland and the U.K. and discussing issues such as climate change and COVID-19.
In her report, Haley Victory Smith refers to him as the “apparent President-elect.” Apparent to WHOM? Haley Victory Smith?
Smith says that despite Trump’s refusal to concede, “many world leaders have recognized Biden as the victor.” Well, that’s probably because they listen to our media, and also because Biden’s already assuming the mantle of power, quite inappropriately, speaking with them about foreign policy when he’s not supposed to be doing it.
I would add that one leader who hasn’t yet congratulated Biden is the president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador; he says he himself has been “robbed” of office before by a corrupt process and will wait until our count is certified. Of course, AMLO is catching a lot of grief in the press for doing the right thing.
Reports say he “refuses,” but that’s too harsh; he’s just prudently waiting until our legal issues are resolved, as our own media should.
Anyway, Biden’s team has been quite open about these talks, as they add to the perception that he really is Prez-in-waiting. They say Biden spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron about Iran’s nuclear program (!). He spoke to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson about Ukraine (!) and the Western Balkans.
“I’m letting them know that America is back,” Biden told reporters. “We’re going to be back in the game. It’s not America alone.”
Now wait just a doggone minute. I realize the media are playing along with this “game” — an unwittingly apt choice of words from Biden — but the “game” has gone too far.
Biden Lied in the First Debate
During the presidential debate hosted by Chris Wallace on September 29, Biden was asked, as the final question, “Will you urge your supporters to stay calm while the vote is counted, and will you pledge not to declare victory until the election is independently certified?”
Biden did not waver: “Yes! And here’s the deal: We count the ballots, as you pointed out. Some of these ballots in some states can’t even be opened until Election Day, and if there’s thousands and thousands of ballots, [it’s] gonna take time to do it.”
And so it will. But Biden has pledged not to declare victory until the election results are certified. The results have not been certified, so … does this mean he hasn’t declared victory? And if he hasn’t, what in blazes is he doing “playing President” and talking with foreign leaders about Iran and Ukraine? Trump’s the President; Biden’s a private citizen. Say, isn’t that a violation of the Logan Act??
I would really like to have an answer to this. And I want it from his own lips, not in some CYA statement put out by his legal team.
Megyn Kelly Knows It’s Not Over
Last Saturday night, Megyn Kelly said on NEWSMAX that the legal fight over the election is not over, even if the margins make it a longshot. (I would add that since Saturday, hard evidence has been produced that makes it seem like less of a longshot.) She said the Trump campaign deserves its days in court and the election deserves to have “its tires kicked,” particularly in Pennsylvania, where judges had no business jumping into what the legislature constitutionally determines.
Kelly called Trump’s fight “an uphill battle.” But almost a week later, we’ve got sworn evidence of large-scale law-breaking, and we don’t yet know the extent of the targeted election fraud that appears to have taken place. Kelly accused Biden of being worse than disingenuous with his calls for unity and healing. She called him hypocritical for alienating everyone who voted for Trump at the same time he’s claiming he can unite all Americans.
“[Biden’s speech] was written by a man in his basement for the past year,” she said. (I would add that it’s unlikely Biden himself wrote the speech.) “Because the nation’s extremely divided right now. … And you need to look no further than Joe Biden’s own party.”
“Biden’s been saying this all along,” she said. “He’s the unifier, he’s the one who’s going to bring us together. It sounds delightful. … And I want that. … But let’s get real. It’s not connected to reality on the ground in this country right now. And the only reason you’re hearing Biden and all these Democrats calling for it is because they won.”
Megyn, just one tiny point of clarification: it’s because they want you to think they won. Again, they haven’t.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
But, but … The New York Times splashed a big headline on Wednesday’s paper: ELECTION OFFICIALS NATIONWIDE FIND NO FRAUD. This is just more “gaslighting” to make us believe voter fraud is a bogus conspiracy theory — you know, like the one they’ve helped perpetrate against Trump for going-on five years. Ignore them.
Joe, stop “playing President,” or you might have to be indicted for violating the Logan Act. Wouldn’t that be something if you had the distinction of being the first American to be successfully prosecuted under it? I just love the idea.
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events. A New York Times best-selling author, he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN.


thestream--2020-11-13--America Does Not Like the Radical Left

America Does Not Like the Radical Left

As we look at the results of last week ’ s elections , one thing is abundantly clear : Americans do not like the radical left .
There may be small factions that make a lot of noise .
There may be extremist ideologies that have cloaked themselves in socially acceptable themes .
But when the rubber meets the road , when the real agenda is exposed , the vast majority of Americans reject the goals of the radical left .
It is true that individuals like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez remain popular .
And it is true that there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic party , which continues to push further left .
But it ’ s also true that the Democrats knew that they needed someone like Joe Biden , perceived to be more moderate , if they were to defeat Trump .
That ’ s because America , for the most part , tends to lean centrist if not centrist-right .
And that ’ s why the BLM movement , which began with such fanfare , quickly lost some of its luster when its fangs were exposed .
Naturally , Americans stood up en @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together to say , “ Where there is unfair and unequal treatment of our Black brothers and sisters , we stand against it.
” But when BLM ’ s violent , socialist side began to emerge , many Americans stepped back .
As reported by Pew Research September 16 , “ As racial justice protests have intensified following the shooting of Jacob Blake , public support for the Black Lives Matter movement has declined , according to a new Pew Research Center survey .
A majority of U.S. adults ( 55 % ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the movement , down from 67 % in June amid nationwide demonstrations sparked by the death of George Floyd .
The share who say they strongly support the movement stands at 29 % , down from 38 % three months ago.
” That ’ s why the BLM website removed the “ What We Believe ” page a couple of months back .
The more people knew what the organization really stood for , the less support they would have .
( To this day , most Americans still don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do , the less they support it . )
We united by the millions in proclaiming that Black lives really do matter .
The same could not be said when it came to supporting a Marxist-based , transgender-activist agenda that wanted to dismantle the nuclear family .
If you want to succeed , then , you best hide or disguise that stuff .
It ’ s the same with the “ defund the police ” movement .
As a Washington Post reporter tweeted after the elections , referencing a conference call with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ [ Abigail ] Spanberger on the Dem caucus call : We lost races we shouldn ’ t have lost .
“ Defund police almost cost me my race bc of an attack ad .
“ Don ’ t say socialism ever again .
Need to get back to basics .
Biden Tried Shying Away from Radical Ideas of His Supporters That ’ s also why Joe Biden could not aggressively and openly support a Green New Deal .
Not if he hoped to win .
As The Hill announced on October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green New Deal during town hall.
” That would also suggest that , should Biden be proven to be our duly elected president , to the extent he tries to push through a radical leftist agenda , to that extent he will lose political clout ( and , likely , seats in the House and Senate ) .
It ’ s true that BLM co-founder Patrice Cullors has told Biden that , “ We want something for our vote.
” She wrote , “ Without the resounding support of Black people , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral outcome .
In short , Black people won this election.
” And it ’ s certainly true that Black voters helped turned the tide for the Biden campaign when he seemed dead in the water before the South Carolina primaries .
But I do not believe that a large majority of Blacks who voted for Biden were also voting for socialism or for transgender activism or for disrupting the nuclear family .
( Note also that Trump did increase his support among Black voters by 4 percent from 2016 . )
Again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want to make headway .
Yet , the Soul of America is in Jeopardy But that doesn ’ t mean that the soul of America is not in jeopardy .
It most certainly is .
That ’ s because it only takes a small , vocal , even violent minority to change the direction of a nation .
They can do it when their ideas are embraced by the cultural elites in the universities and the media and the world of finance , after which those ideas become mainstreamed .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 1960s .
Small groups of radicals , embraced and celebrated by the leaders of higher education and by the cultural influencers , became mainstreamed and championed .
Violent leaders with criminal backgrounds became heroes , including men like Huey Newton of the Black Panthers .
As noted by Jonathan Leaf in The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Sixties , “ Having become addicted to cocaine , in 1974 Newton was widely believed to have butchered a seventeen-year-old prostitute named Kathleen Smith for allegedly insulting him .
Facing murder charges , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1977 Newton met and befriended Jim Jones , who a year later engineered the mass suicide of nearly one thousand of his cult followers in the Jonestown compound in Guyana .
Returning to America in 1977 and beating the rap for Smith ’ s murder , Newton was convicted in 1989 of embezzling funds from a Panther-organized school.
” Newton is lionized to this day .
The mass-murdering Chairman Mao became a fountain of wisdom and an icon of idealism , his Little Red Book a prized possession .
Che Guevara , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his “ nostrils dilate while savoring the acrid odor of gunpowder and blood , ” became equated with Jesus .
And individuals as radical as Weather Underground leaders Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn became respected ( and influential ) university professors .
( And guides for one Barack Obama . )
The lesson , then , is simple : while a majority of Americans will continue to reject the unvarnished agenda of the radical left , it will make inroads in many other ways .
We must expose it ideologically as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most Americans also resist the agenda of the radical right , but that agenda tends not to make its way through society via our schools and the cultural elitists .
The radical right agenda must be rejected on other fronts .
As for the radical left , two words suffice : stay vigilant .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on @ @ @ @ @ @

As we look at the results of last week’s elections, one thing is abundantly clear: Americans do not like the radical left.
There may be small factions that make a lot of noise.
There may be extremist ideologies that have cloaked themselves in socially acceptable themes.
But when the rubber meets the road, when the real agenda is exposed, the vast majority of Americans reject the goals of the radical left.
It is true that individuals like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez remain popular. And it is true that there is a battle for the soul of the Democratic party, which continues to push further left.
But it’s also true that the Democrats knew that they needed someone like Joe Biden, perceived to be more moderate, if they were to defeat Trump.
That’s because America, for the most part, tends to lean centrist if not centrist-right.
And that’s why the BLM movement, which began with such fanfare, quickly lost some of its luster when its fangs were exposed.
America Stepped Back from BLM’s Marxism
Naturally, Americans stood up en masse to protest racism. We united together to say, “Where there is unfair and unequal treatment of our Black brothers and sisters, we stand against it.”
But when BLM’s violent, socialist side began to emerge, many Americans stepped back.
As reported by Pew Research September 16, “As racial justice protests have intensified following the shooting of Jacob Blake, public support for the Black Lives Matter movement has declined, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. A majority of U.S. adults (55%) now express at least some support for the movement, down from 67% in June amid nationwide demonstrations sparked by the death of George Floyd. The share who say they strongly support the movement stands at 29%, down from 38% three months ago.”
That’s why the BLM website removed the “What We Believe” page a couple of months back. The more people knew what the organization really stood for, the less support they would have. (To this day, most Americans still don’t know the whole story. The more they do, the less they support it.)
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
We united by the millions in proclaiming that Black lives really do matter. The same could not be said when it came to supporting a Marxist-based, transgender-activist agenda that wanted to dismantle the nuclear family.
If you want to succeed, then, you best hide or disguise that stuff.
Defund the Police? Nope.
It’s the same with the “defund the police” movement. As a Washington Post reporter tweeted after the elections, referencing a conference call with a Virginia Democratic candidate who narrowly won reelection: “[Abigail] Spanberger on the Dem caucus call: We lost races we shouldn’t have lost.
“Defund police almost cost me my race bc of an attack ad.
“Don’t say socialism ever again. Need to get back to basics.
“(Is yelling.)”
How revealing.
Biden Tried Shying Away from Radical Ideas of His Supporters
That’s also why Joe Biden could not aggressively and openly support a Green New Deal. Not if he hoped to win. As The Hill announced on October 16, “Biden distances himself from Green New Deal during town hall.”
That would also suggest that, should Biden be proven to be our duly elected president, to the extent he tries to push through a radical leftist agenda, to that extent he will lose political clout (and, likely, seats in the House and Senate).
It’s true that BLM co-founder Patrice Cullors has told Biden that, “We want something for our vote.”
She wrote, “Without the resounding support of Black people, we would be saddled with a very different electoral outcome. In short, Black people won this election.”
And it’s certainly true that Black voters helped turned the tide for the Biden campaign when he seemed dead in the water before the South Carolina primaries.
But I do not believe that a large majority of Blacks who voted for Biden were also voting for socialism or for transgender activism or for disrupting the nuclear family. (Note also that Trump did increase his support among Black voters by 4 percent from 2016.)
Again, best to hide that stuff if you want to make headway.
Yet, the Soul of America is in Jeopardy
But that doesn’t mean that the soul of America is not in jeopardy. It most certainly is.
That’s because it only takes a small, vocal, even violent minority to change the direction of a nation. They can do it when their ideas are embraced by the cultural elites in the universities and the media and the world of finance, after which those ideas become mainstreamed.
This is exactly what happened in the counterculture revolution of the 1960s. Small groups of radicals, embraced and celebrated by the leaders of higher education and by the cultural influencers, became mainstreamed and championed.
Violent leaders with criminal backgrounds became heroes, including men like Huey Newton of the Black Panthers.
As noted by Jonathan Leaf in The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Sixties, “Having become addicted to cocaine, in 1974 Newton was widely believed to have butchered a seventeen-year-old prostitute named Kathleen Smith for allegedly insulting him. Facing murder charges, he fled to Cuba. While there, in 1977 Newton met and befriended Jim Jones, who a year later engineered the mass suicide of nearly one thousand of his cult followers in the Jonestown compound in Guyana. Returning to America in 1977 and beating the rap for Smith’s murder, Newton was convicted in 1989 of embezzling funds from a Panther-organized school.”
Newton is lionized to this day.
The mass-murdering Chairman Mao became a fountain of wisdom and an icon of idealism, his Little Red Book a prized possession.
Che Guevara, who reportedly said that killing “made his “nostrils dilate while savoring the acrid odor of gunpowder and blood,” became equated with Jesus.
And individuals as radical as Weather Underground leaders Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn became respected (and influential) university professors. (And guides for one Barack Obama.)
The lesson, then, is simple: while a majority of Americans will continue to reject the unvarnished agenda of the radical left, it will make inroads in many other ways.
We must expose it ideologically as well as resist it politically.
Of course, most Americans also resist the agenda of the radical right, but that agenda tends not to make its way through society via our schools and the cultural elitists. The radical right agenda must be rejected on other fronts.
As for the radical left, two words suffice: stay vigilant.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-11-14--Divorce Is Down During COVID: A Surprise, or What We Should Have Expected?

“ Stressful ” doesn ’ t really begin to describe a year like 2020 .
Between the pandemic , the lockdowns , cancelled classes , lost jobs and an election to rival trench warfare , you would expect a heavy toll on marriages and families .
But a recent piece in The Washington Post offered some of the best news we ’ ve gotten in quite a while .
Divorce rates in the United States have declined , and marriages have grown stronger — during the pandemic .
Predictions of a COVID-induced divorce surge never materialized .
And according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Virginia ’ s National Marriage Project , divorce filings are down between 10 and 20 percent since last year .
While Wilcox admits that these numbers may also reflect “ deferred ” divorces , unhappy couples unable to get to the courthouse during lockdown , more and more data trickling in suggests trends more surprising and encouraging than initially assumed .
Last year , according to the American Family Survey , 40 percent of married Americans surveyed reported their marriages were in trouble .
This year , that number is down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same survey , 58 percent of married people between the ages of 18 and 55 report that their appreciation for their spouse has increased during the pandemic .
Also , 51 percent report a deepened commitment to their marriage during COVID , while only 8 percent report a weakened commitment to their marriage .
Recently , on the Upstream podcast with Shane Morris , Dr. Wilcox discussed these surprising and welcome findings .
As counterintuitive as it may sound , marriages tend to benefit during times of historical stress , such as during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is partly financial , since divorce is both expensive and stressful .
In other words , some choose to stay with a spouse they ’ d rather leave to keep from breaking the bank .
Still , Wilcox , believes there is more to it .
For instance , during the pandemic , fathers have spent more time at home and have helped out more with household chores .
The marital benefits of a father ’ s presence go far beyond the division of labor .
Wilcox believes that the increased time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an incredible difference relationally with both spouse and children .
Even more , for many during this pandemic , the home became the center of work , play , meals and even worship , a trend far more significant than it sounds .
In effect , COVID has at least temporarily reversed a long-term trend in which the home has been largely de-centered from modern life .
As Aaron Renn , a researcher with the Institute for Family Studies , pointed out back in March , pre-industrial families organized shared lives around shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shared education .
During the pandemic , however , families were forced to stop treating their homes as nothing more than shared bunk space and food repository .
As Renn predicted , many families have now rediscovered what he calls “ the productive household.
” And as Wilcox believes , a backyard garden , renovations , cleaning the garage , family projects and even board games can re-center families .
And , maybe , instead of just leaving when conflict started , couples were forced to stay together .
Maybe , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that come when conflict is faced and resolved , as opposed to running away from each other .
Dividends For Years To Come ?
Shane ’ s conversation with Brad Wilcox is available on the Upstream podcast .
The good news Wilcox shares should also be taken as a challenge .
When things go back to “ normal , ” our marriage habits shouldn ’ t .
When it comes to family , the most important things are cultivated , not felt .
Love , loyalty , gratefulness , growth , depth … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not to mention , the home is ground zero for fulfilling the creation mandate : to be fruitful , multiply , fill the earth and subdue it .
This pandemic has exacted significant costs from us .
Wouldn ’ t it be something if the forced investment of our time and attention to our marriages and households paid dividends for years to come ?
John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview .
He ’ s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
G. Shane Morris is an assistant editor and columnist at BreakPoint .

“Stressful” doesn’t really begin to describe a year like 2020. Between the pandemic, the lockdowns, cancelled classes, lost jobs and an election to rival trench warfare, you would expect a heavy toll on marriages and families. But a recent piece in The Washington Post offered some of the best news we’ve gotten in quite a while. Divorce rates in the United States have declined, and marriages have grown stronger — during the pandemic.
Predictions of a COVID-induced divorce surge never materialized. And according to Dr. Bradford Wilcox, director of the University of Virginia’s National Marriage Project, divorce filings are down between 10 and 20 percent since last year. While Wilcox admits that these numbers may also reflect “deferred” divorces, unhappy couples unable to get to the courthouse during lockdown, more and more data trickling in suggests trends more surprising and encouraging than initially assumed.
Surprising Findings
Last year, according to the American Family Survey, 40 percent of married Americans surveyed reported their marriages were in trouble. This year, that number is down to 29 percent. According to the same survey, 58 percent of married people between the ages of 18 and 55 report that their appreciation for their spouse has increased during the pandemic. Also, 51 percent report a deepened commitment to their marriage during COVID, while only 8 percent report a weakened commitment to their marriage.
Love, loyalty, gratefulness, growth, depth … these are things chosen and habitually formed.
Recently, on the Upstream podcast with Shane Morris, Dr. Wilcox discussed these surprising and welcome findings. As counterintuitive as it may sound, marriages tend to benefit during times of historical stress, such as during the Great Recession a decade ago. This is partly financial, since divorce is both expensive and stressful. In other words, some choose to stay with a spouse they’d rather leave to keep from breaking the bank.
The Productive Household
Still, Wilcox, believes there is more to it. For instance, during the pandemic, fathers have spent more time at home and have helped out more with household chores. The marital benefits of a father’s presence go far beyond the division of labor. Wilcox believes that the increased time men spend engaging in home life makes an incredible difference relationally with both spouse and children. Even more, for many during this pandemic, the home became the center of work, play, meals and even worship, a trend far more significant than it sounds. In effect, COVID has at least temporarily reversed a long-term trend in which the home has been largely de-centered from modern life.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
As Aaron Renn, a researcher with the Institute for Family Studies, pointed out back in March, pre-industrial families organized shared lives around shared labor, shared meals, shared recreation and shared education. During the pandemic, however, families were forced to stop treating their homes as nothing more than shared bunk space and food repository. As Renn predicted, many families have now rediscovered what he calls “the productive household.” And as Wilcox believes, a backyard garden, renovations, cleaning the garage, family projects and even board games can re-center families.
And, maybe, instead of just leaving when conflict started, couples were forced to stay together. Maybe, they experienced the long-term relational and personal improvements that come when conflict is faced and resolved, as opposed to running away from each other.
Dividends For Years To Come?
Shane’s conversation with Brad Wilcox is available on the Upstream podcast. The good news Wilcox shares should also be taken as a challenge. When things go back to “normal,” our marriage habits shouldn’t. When it comes to family, the most important things are cultivated, not felt. Love, loyalty, gratefulness, growth, depth … these are things chosen and habitually formed. Not to mention, the home is ground zero for fulfilling the creation mandate: to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.
This pandemic has exacted significant costs from us. Wouldn’t it be something if the forced investment of our time and attention to our marriages and households paid dividends for years to come?
John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He’s a sought-after author and speaker on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education and apologetics.
G. Shane Morris is an assistant editor and columnist at BreakPoint.
Originally published at BreakPoint.org. Republished with permission.


thestream--2020-11-14--No Sign of Scientific Progress in the Middle Ages — Right?

Have you heard this one ?
“ There was no scientific progress in the Middles Ages .
Religion suppressed knowledge , it was the Age of Unreason , and science was stalled until it finally shook free of the shackles of the Church.
” First , religion didn ’ t shut science down .
An early Renaissance of sorts — or the first Scientific Revolution , if you like — was centered at the Cathedral of Chartres in the 12th century .
As James Hannam explains , William of Conches did important work on nature and philosophy .
Adelard of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Important Greek and Arabic works were translated into Latin for current use .
When the more widely known Scientific Revolution got underway , it was led by clerics and other strongly committed believers .
Copernicus , Galileo , Brahe , Kepler , and many , many more were dedicated Christians .
And I haven ’ t even gone as far back as the Carolingian Renaissance .
There ’ s just too much story to tell in one page .
Galileo is Not an Example of Religion Suppressing Science But maybe you think the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the way of science .
Think again .
Galileo never doubted the truth of Scripture .
He did have a way of annoying the Pope , though , when the Pope was having enough trouble with the Reformation going on at the time .
He put Galileo in house arrest , but it was more for politics than for science or theology .
But if you still think Galileo was an example of the Church against scientists , here ’ s my question for you : Let ’ s suppose for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right , and Galileo is an example of that .
Name another one .
You won ’ t be able to .
In fact , there is no other example .
If Galileo is an example , he ’ s an example of what one pope , Urban VIII , did to one scientist , Galileo .
Nothing more .
There was no pattern of church resisting science .
But how then do we explain the explosion in science since the Scientific Revolution ?
All the real science has happened since then .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
Actually , you do , if you read a good history of science .
I recommend James Hannam ’ s , The Genesis of Science , from whom I got the above information about Chartres .
He writes chapter after chapter after chapter of science growing through the Middle Ages .
What Scientific Advancement Then Might Look Like from Here Still not impressed ?
Maybe you ’ re thinking , “ Look , if they ’ d really been doing science then , wouldn ’ t we have more sign of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history books ?
” No , not really .
Consider the graph below , as a picture of how science has grown since the year 500 .
Looks believable enough , doesn ’ t it ?
You see how pretty much nothing happened until the 1600s , and then slowly , finally , it started ticking upward .
During the 1700s , Boom !
it took off , and now it ’ s growing like crazy .
It ’ s a bit of a trick question , though .
If that graph looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to agree that science could have been growing at a constant rate , year after year , since the year 500 .
This is an exponential curve showing perfectly consistent growth at a rate of about 1.55 % every year for 1500 years .
( The chart uses imaginary “ science knowledge units ” of 100 in the year 500 , and 1 trillion in the year 2000 . )
The numbers obviously aren ’ t real , yet still they tell a story .
Science could have been advancing at a perfectly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roman Empire , yet looking back at it from here , it would appear as if nothing whatsoever had happened during the entire first thousand years .
And even that picture is just a matter of timing .
See below what happens if you cut the chart off at the year 1600 instead of 2000 and adjust the y-axis scale appropriately .
People living then might have looked back and seen a “ Scientific Revolution ” around 1400 or so .
And then again you could cut the chart off at the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in science a couple hundred years earlier .
This is not meant to be a true picture of the history of science .
Nothing proceeds at a constant year-by-year growth rate every year for 15 centuries !
The point rather is to give perspective .
You could read Hannam ’ s book — which is quite a good read , by the way , and neither dusty nor dry — and learn some of the real progress science made in science from 500 to 1500 and beyond .
Yet you might still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ re just pretending to call it science .
Science was still stalled for centuries , compared to the real growth we ’ ve had lately.
” Except now you see how that could be a simple error in perception instead .
The real story of science is a whole lot more interesting , going back a lot further in history , than you likely imagined .
So is the story of the Church , including the further story of how the Church advanced science through all those crucial early years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ThinkingChristian.net .
Used by permission .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the recently released Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

Have you heard this one? “There was no scientific progress in the Middles Ages. Religion suppressed knowledge, it was the Age of Unreason, and science was stalled until it finally shook free of the shackles of the Church.”
Nonsense. Total, complete, nonsense.
The Church Advanced Science
First, religion didn’t shut science down. An early Renaissance of sorts — or the first Scientific Revolution, if you like — was centered at the Cathedral of Chartres in the 12th century. As James Hannam explains, William of Conches did important work on nature and philosophy. Adelard of Bath made significant advances in mathematics. Important Greek and Arabic works were translated into Latin for current use.
When the more widely known Scientific Revolution got underway, it was led by clerics and other strongly committed believers. Copernicus, Galileo, Brahe, Kepler, and many, many more were dedicated Christians. And I haven’t even gone as far back as the Carolingian Renaissance. There’s just too much story to tell in one page.
Galileo is Not an Example of Religion Suppressing Science
But maybe you think the famous Galileo incident shows the Church standing in the way of science. Think again. Galileo never doubted the truth of Scripture. He did have a way of annoying the Pope, though, when the Pope was having enough trouble with the Reformation going on at the time. He put Galileo in house arrest, but it was more for politics than for science or theology.
But if you still think Galileo was an example of the Church against scientists, here’s my question for you: Let’s suppose for the sake of argument that you’re right, and Galileo is an example of that. Name another one. You won’t be able to.
In fact, there is no other example. If Galileo is an example, he’s an example of what one pope, Urban VIII, did to one scientist, Galileo. Nothing more. There was no pattern of church resisting science.
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But how then do we explain the explosion in science since the Scientific Revolution? All the real science has happened since then. You never hear of anything before that!
Actually, you do, if you read a good history of science. I recommend James Hannam’s, The Genesis of Science, from whom I got the above information about Chartres. He writes chapter after chapter after chapter of science growing through the Middle Ages.
What Scientific Advancement Then Might Look Like from Here
Still not impressed? Maybe you’re thinking, “Look, if they’d really been doing science then, wouldn’t we have more sign of it, without having to dust off academic history books?”
No, not really. Consider the graph below, as a picture of how science has grown since the year 500. Looks believable enough, doesn’t it? You see how pretty much nothing happened until the 1600s, and then slowly, finally, it started ticking upward. During the 1700s, Boom! it took off, and now it’s growing like crazy.
It’s a bit of a trick question, though. If that graph looks believable, then you’re ready to agree that science could have been growing at a constant rate, year after year, since the year 500. This is an exponential curve showing perfectly consistent growth at a rate of about 1.55% every year for 1500 years. (The chart uses imaginary “science knowledge units” of 100 in the year 500, and 1 trillion in the year 2000.)
The numbers obviously aren’t real, yet still they tell a story. Science could have been advancing at a perfectly steady rate since the fall of the Roman Empire, yet looking back at it from here, it would appear as if nothing whatsoever had happened during the entire first thousand years.
It’s About Perspective
And even that picture is just a matter of timing. See below what happens if you cut the chart off at the year 1600 instead of 2000 and adjust the y-axis scale appropriately. People living then might have looked back and seen a “Scientific Revolution” around 1400 or so. And then again you could cut the chart off at the year 1400, and see a strong science surge in science a couple hundred years earlier.
This is not meant to be a true picture of the history of science. Nothing proceeds at a constant year-by-year growth rate every year for 15 centuries! The point rather is to give perspective.
You could read Hannam’s book — which is quite a good read, by the way, and neither dusty nor dry — and learn some of the real progress science made in science from 500 to 1500 and beyond. Yet you might still think, “That’s nothing. They’re just pretending to call it science. Science was still stalled for centuries, compared to the real growth we’ve had lately.” Except now you see how that could be a simple error in perception instead.
The real story of science is a whole lot more interesting, going back a lot further in history, than you likely imagined. So is the story of the Church, including the further story of how the Church advanced science through all those crucial early years.
Adapted from work originally published at ThinkingChristian.net. Used by permission.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the recently released Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-11-14--A Brahmin Vice President?

A Brahmin Vice President?

America will soon be honored with our first Brahmin vice president , if current election reports hold .
Also our first outcaste president .
Kamala Harris would become the first descendent of both Jamaican slaves and Jamaican slave owners to be “ a heartbeat away from the Presidency.
” She would also be our first woman in that office .
Democrats , the media and thrill-seeking voters are delighted : We could be about to see all sorts of glass ceilings shatter .
Perhaps Harris ’ fusing of so many lines of ancestral privilege and abasement will blow the circuits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than bread , after all , whether white , naan , rye , mantou or pumpernickel .
Kamala Harris was not selected for this role because of the content of her character .
By some accounts she is not just ambitious , but ruthless .
She was chosen as a moderately successful “ female ” and “ person of color.
” Harris was born into more privilege than most folks of any race .
Her father , Donald Harris , is an eminent professor of economics at elite Stanford .
To give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identity politics ” and refused interviews during his daughter ’ s run .
Her mother , Shyamala Gopalan , was a prominent biologist who researched or taught at some of the top schools in North America .
Neither was Kamala slow to welcome opportunity when it knocked at her own door .
She dated the speaker of the California Assembly , Willie Brown , when he was twice her age .
Brown helped jump-start her career by handing her two political appointments .
Brahmin blood is the definition of privilege in traditional India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caste was born from the head of Brahma , while the servant Sudra class was born from God ’ s feet .
The Law of Manu explained that Brahmins should therefore be served by other castes : A Brahmin could take things from Sudras without pay .
Better not bring a Sudra girl home to Mom , though : “ Twice-born men who , in their folly , wed wives of the low ( Sudra ) caste , soon degrade their families and their children to the state of Sudras.
” It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thinking , as British scholar John Farquhar showed in his book , Modern Religious Movements in India .
It happened long before Kamala Harris ’ grandparents ( her grandfather was a government official ) were born .
Reforms introduced by missionaries like William Carey , and built upon by Indian reformers like Ram Mohan Roy , made it possible for a few girls like Shyamala to be educated .
And so she left India and studied at UC Berkeley .
Then she married a Jamaican grad student .
No one could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gospel began transforming India .
Indian immigrants are now by far the richest ethnicity in America .
Their annual household income , more than $ 123,000 , is double the American average .
Supposedly racist Americans have already freely elected two Indian state governors .
Indian immigrants and their children have enjoyed outstanding success .
In short , neither the immigrant status of her parents nor her own race define Kamala Harris .
Harris enjoys a complex family and personal background .
In some ways it ’ s not so different in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this : she has been vastly more “ privileged ” than most of us in money , power and connections .
According to the political faction about to take power in Washington , though , America is a deeply unfair place .
The nation is filled with “ systemic racism , ” as ocean basins are filled with water .
Activists like Robin DiAngelo maintain that power remains in the hands of white , “ abled ” men .
And this was 12 years after America elected its first African-American president .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , white , Brahmin daughter of three intersectional lines of POC privilege serving as vice president .
Shouldn ’ t that blow a circuit somewhere ?
Or how about Ron Nirenberg ?
He ’ s the mayor of San Antonio and a foe of climate change and Chick-fil-A restaurants in airports .
Wikipedia describes him as “ of Ashkenazi Jewish descent ( from Poland and Russia ) on his father ’ s side.
” On his mother ’ s side , he ’ s “ mixed Filipino , Malay , Indian and British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a Tagalog-speaking Filipino musician with possible roots in Mindanao.
” In my recent ebook , Letter to a “ Racist ” Nation : Pull Yourself Together , America , I ask how identity politics can possibly illuminate the reality of such a tangled ancestral tree : Democrats tell us that Kamala Harris will be the “ first woman of color ” to serve as vice president .
Scoffing seems the only sane response .
The modern Left infantilizes the complexity of culture , history .
It falsifies the true character of modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reducing the fullness of our lives to melanin or testosterone counts , or by pretending that is what people mainly care about .
Jesus Himself has led the world to see that people on the margins should be brought into the mainstream .
Jesus taught us to help those in need , for instance , a man of another tribe who had been mugged on the road to Jericho .
Following Marx , Gramsci and a host of other leftist thinkers , however , that virtue has gone to seed .
Now it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of privilege and bias called “ intersectionality.
” We might also call it the “ woke heresy.
” For Such a Time as This Kamala Harris is a stateswoman for such a time as this .
She was born with three silver spoons in her mouth .
The righteousness of her “ marginal ” identity , along with her ambition , burn away scruples like a mist before a hot August sun .
So good luck , Kamala , if your side wins in the end !
You ’ ve enjoyed a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all .
To be born is a privilege .
To eat with loved ones and witness a blue summer sky are undeserved blessings from God Almighty .
I don ’ t begrudge you the success that hard work and good fortune have added to the multiple , manifest privileges into which you were born .
But say no more , please , about how you overcame disadvantages and represent the downtrodden of the Earth .
Or if you do , your dad will not be the only one to turn away in disgust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in “ the Russian and Chinese Languages and Marxism , ” an M.A .
in Chinese Religions , and a Ph.D. in Christian Thought and Chinese Tradition .
His most recent book is Jesus is No Myth : The Fingerprints of God on the Gospels .

America will soon be honored with our first Brahmin vice president, if current election reports hold. Also our first outcaste president. Kamala Harris would become the first descendent of both Jamaican slaves and Jamaican slave owners to be “a heartbeat away from the Presidency.” She would also be our first woman in that office. Democrats, the media and thrill-seeking voters are delighted: We could be about to see all sorts of glass ceilings shatter. Perhaps Harris’ fusing of so many lines of ancestral privilege and abasement will blow the circuits of the Woke mind. Life is more than bread, after all, whether white, naan, rye, mantou or pumpernickel.
Kamala Harris was not selected for this role because of the content of her character. By some accounts she is not just ambitious, but ruthless. She was chosen as a moderately successful “female” and “person of color.”
A Life of Privilege
Harris was born into more privilege than most folks of any race. Her father, Donald Harris, is an eminent professor of economics at elite Stanford. To give him credit, he scoffs at “identity politics” and refused interviews during his daughter’s run. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a prominent biologist who researched or taught at some of the top schools in North America.
Neither was Kamala slow to welcome opportunity when it knocked at her own door. She dated the speaker of the California Assembly, Willie Brown, when he was twice her age. Brown helped jump-start her career by handing her two political appointments.
Kamala Harris is a stateswoman for such a time as this. She was born with three silver spoons in her mouth.
Brahmin blood is the definition of privilege in traditional India. The Rig Veda said the Brahmin caste was born from the head of Brahma, while the servant Sudra class was born from God’s feet. The Law of Manu explained that Brahmins should therefore be served by other castes:
Whatever exists in the world is the property of the Brahmana, on account of the excellence of his origin. The Brahmana is, indeed, entitled to all.
A Brahmin could take things from Sudras without pay. Better not bring a Sudra girl home to Mom, though: “Twice-born men who, in their folly, wed wives of the low (Sudra) caste, soon degrade their families and their children to the state of Sudras.”
A Complex Family and Personal Background
It was the gospel that began changing this sort of thinking, as British scholar John Farquhar showed in his book, Modern Religious Movements in India. It happened long before Kamala Harris’ grandparents (her grandfather was a government official) were born. Reforms introduced by missionaries like William Carey, and built upon by Indian reformers like Ram Mohan Roy, made it possible for a few girls like Shyamala to be educated. And so she left India and studied at UC Berkeley. Then she married a Jamaican grad student. No one could have conceived of any of this before the gospel began transforming India.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Indian immigrants are now by far the richest ethnicity in America. Their annual household income, more than $123,000, is double the American average. Supposedly racist Americans have already freely elected two Indian state governors. Indian immigrants and their children have enjoyed outstanding success.
In short, neither the immigrant status of her parents nor her own race define Kamala Harris. Harris enjoys a complex family and personal background. In some ways it’s not so different in that regard from you or me. Except this: she has been vastly more “privileged” than most of us in money, power and connections.
“Systemic Racism”?
According to the political faction about to take power in Washington, though, America is a deeply unfair place. The nation is filled with “systemic racism,” as ocean basins are filled with water. Activists like Robin DiAngelo maintain that power remains in the hands of white, “abled” men. And this was 12 years after America elected its first African-American president.
Now the nation could soon have a black, white, Brahmin daughter of three intersectional lines of POC privilege serving as vice president. Shouldn’t that blow a circuit somewhere?
Or how about Ron Nirenberg? He’s the mayor of San Antonio and a foe of climate change and Chick-fil-A restaurants in airports. Wikipedia describes him as “of Ashkenazi Jewish descent (from Poland and Russia) on his father’s side.” On his mother’s side, he’s “mixed Filipino, Malay, Indian and British heritage.” And “his maternal grandfather was a Tagalog-speaking Filipino musician with possible roots in Mindanao.”
In my recent ebook, Letter to a “Racist” Nation: Pull Yourself Together, America, I ask how identity politics can possibly illuminate the reality of such a tangled ancestral tree:
One wonders how to work the privilege calculus in such a family, in a city that is now mostly Hispanic! Should the British part of him give the Indian portion reparations? Might Polish Jewish white blood cells attack Russian Jew lungs for their history of imperialism? Or should genetic material descended from the Filipino street musician from the Muslim part of the country pay San Antonio’s Hispanics for the Moorish invasion of Spain?
Woke Heresy
Democrats tell us that Kamala Harris will be the “first woman of color” to serve as vice president. Scoffing seems the only sane response. The modern Left infantilizes the complexity of culture, history. It falsifies the true character of modern American society. It insults all by reducing the fullness of our lives to melanin or testosterone counts, or by pretending that is what people mainly care about.
Jesus Himself has led the world to see that people on the margins should be brought into the mainstream. Jesus taught us to help those in need, for instance, a man of another tribe who had been mugged on the road to Jericho.
Following Marx, Gramsci and a host of other leftist thinkers, however, that virtue has gone to seed. Now it takes the form of the simplistic calculus of privilege and bias called “intersectionality.” We might also call it the “woke heresy.”
For Such a Time as This
Kamala Harris is a stateswoman for such a time as this. She was born with three silver spoons in her mouth. The righteousness of her “marginal” identity, along with her ambition, burn away scruples like a mist before a hot August sun.
So good luck, Kamala, if your side wins in the end! You’ve enjoyed a lot of luck already. So have we all. To be born is a privilege. To eat with loved ones and witness a blue summer sky are undeserved blessings from God Almighty. I don’t begrudge you the success that hard work and good fortune have added to the multiple, manifest privileges into which you were born.
But say no more, please, about how you overcame disadvantages and represent the downtrodden of the Earth. Or if you do, your dad will not be the only one to turn away in disgust.
David Marshall holds a B.A. in “the Russian and Chinese Languages and Marxism,” an M.A. in Chinese Religions, and a Ph.D. in Christian Thought and Chinese Tradition. His most recent book is Jesus is No Myth: The Fingerprints of God on the Gospels.


thestream--2020-11-14--Understanding Socialism, Marxism, & the Radical Left’s Plan for America

Today ’ s world has a whole new vocabulary : cultural Marxism , Critical Race Theory , intersectionality , white privilege , systemic racism , social justice , and more .
They ’ re controversial , but they also have histories , and knowing where they came from will help you understand how to answer them .
Author and columnist Larry Alex Taunton gives a helpful , concise history of socialism and Marxism in Europe , including its enmity towards religion from its early beginnings .
Originally focused on economic issues , under Antonio Gramsci it turned toward other forms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories took aim at family , schools , the law , and more .
It ’ s a Trojan Horse approach known now as “ cultural Marxism.
” His views breathed new life into a movement that should have died under the weight of all its genocides in Russia and Asia .
Cultural Marxism now has new ideologies supporting it : Critical Race Theory and intersectionality .
Taunton opens all this up for understanding , puts it in context of all Marxism ’ s stunning failures , and explains why “ If Christianity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down a deadly trail of Marxism .

Today’s world has a whole new vocabulary: cultural Marxism, Critical Race Theory, intersectionality, white privilege, systemic racism, social justice, and more. They’re controversial, but they also have histories, and knowing where they came from will help you understand how to answer them.
Author and columnist Larry Alex Taunton gives a helpful, concise history of socialism and Marxism in Europe, including its enmity towards religion from its early beginnings. Originally focused on economic issues, under Antonio Gramsci it turned toward other forms of “oppression.”
Gramsci’s theories took aim at family, schools, the law, and more. It’s a Trojan Horse approach known now as “cultural Marxism.” His views breathed new life into a movement that should have died under the weight of all its genocides in Russia and Asia.
Cultural Marxism now has new ideologies supporting it: Critical Race Theory and intersectionality. Taunton opens all this up for understanding, puts it in context of all Marxism’s stunning failures, and explains why “If Christianity goes, the whole world goes” down a deadly trail of Marxism.