thestream--2020-10-01--The Most Compelling Messianic Prophecy in the Bible

There are many prophecies about the Messiah found in the pages of the Hebrew Bible ( what Christians refer to as the Old Testament ) .
But there is one prophecy in particular that has opened the eyes of more readers than any other , the prophecy commonly known as “ Isaiah 53.
” In fact , many Jewish readers have come to believe that Jesus ( in Hebrew , Yeshua ) was the promised Messiah based on this one passage alone .
What makes it so clear ?
Our ministry has just produced an eye-opening , 5-minute animated video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this amazing prophecy and help you understand why so many Jewish people around the world have put their faith in Yeshua because of these very words .
Watch here , and then post on your social media pages .
Let ’ s get the word out together !
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 .

There are many prophecies about the Messiah found in the pages of the Hebrew Bible (what Christians refer to as the Old Testament). But there is one prophecy in particular that has opened the eyes of more readers than any other, the prophecy commonly known as “Isaiah 53.” In fact, many Jewish readers have come to believe that Jesus (in Hebrew, Yeshua) was the promised Messiah based on this one passage alone. What makes it so clear?
Our ministry has just produced an eye-opening, 5-minute animated video that will take you into heart of this amazing prophecy and help you understand why so many Jewish people around the world have put their faith in Yeshua because of these very words.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Watch here, and then post on your social media pages. Let’s get the word out together!
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--2020-10-01--Why Fauci Is Lauding New York as a COVID-19 Success, and Why Rand Paul Isn’t Buying It

Sparks flew on Capitol Hill this week when Sen. Rand Paul questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , over the doctor ’ s praise of New York ’ s COVID-19 response .
Were New York ’ s COVID-19 Lockdown Policies Really a Success ?
During a Senate committee hearing , the Kentucky Senator asked Dr. Fauci how he could laud New York ’ s lockdown policies when the Empire state has “ the highest death rate in the world.
” “ To those who argue that the lockdown flattened the curve in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argues otherwise , ” Paul said in his opening statement .
“ New York and New Jersey wound up with the sharpest spike or highest death rate in the world , at over 1,700 deaths per million.
” New York ’ s results were a sharp contrast to many other nations , including Sweden , which had a death rate about one third that of New York despite having few government mandates and mostly voluntary guidelines .
“ You ’ ve lauded New York for their policy , ” Paul said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the world .
How can we possibly be jumping up and down and say , ‘ Oh , Governor Cuomo did a great job.
’ He had the worst death rate in the world.
” The COVID-19 Statistics From New York Are Bleak Fauci admitted that New York had “ made mistakes ” — likely a reference to Cuomo ’ s order that effectively forced nursing homes to admit COVID-19 carrying residents released from hospitals — but said Paul was mischaracterizing the facts .
“ You misconstrued that Senator , and you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past .
[ New York ] got hit very badly .
They ’ ve made some mistakes , ” countered Fauci , adding that New York ’ s more recent success is the result of effective implementation of the White House Coronavirus Task Force ’ s recommendations , including frequent handwashing , social distancing , and the use of face masks .
It ’ s unclear which point Fauci was alluding to when he said Paul was misconstruing the record .
But Paul was correct on at least two points .
First , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey and New York do have higher COVID-19 death rates than any single nation in the world , with 1,825 deaths per million and 1,707 deaths per million , respectively .
Additionally , New York ’ s death rate is indeed about three times that of Sweden ( 581 per million ) .
If one dislikes the comparison between New York and Sweden , other measures are equally bleak for New York .
Data from The Economist and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that New York City has the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , data analyst Justin Hart pointed out on Twitter .
To be fair , it ’ s unclear if Fauci was actually questioning Paul ’ s figures .
One might suspect that Fauci was challenging Paul ’ s assertion that Fauci had praised New York as a lockdown model .
However , in July , Fauci did cite New York as an example of an effective government response to COVID-19 .
“ We know that , when you do it properly , you bring down those cases , ” Fauci told PBS NewsHour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published on July 17 .
“ We have done it .
We have done it in New York .
New York got hit worse than any place in the world .
And they did it correctly by doing the things that you ’ re talking about.
” The quote makes it clear that Fauci isn ’ t praising New York for its high death toll , but for the decrease in COVID-19 cases .
There ’ s no question that New York ’ s COVID-19 numbers have fallen precipitously .
Much like Sweden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ second wave ” of coronavirus while many other parts of the world have — states such as California , Florida and Michigan , as well as countries such as France , Spain , and Italy .
The question is why .
The truth is we don ’ t really know .
What Explains the Decrease in COVID-19 Cases in New York ?
In his exchange with Paul , Fauci attempts to take credit for the drop in cases in New York , saying that New Yorkers are now heeding the Task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using masks , social distancing , and spending more time outdoors .
Paul , on the other hand , suggested that places like Sweden and New York have seen their numbers flatline because they have reached a certain level of herd immunity , an idea Fauci rejected out of hand .
Are the numbers in Sweden and New York a reflection of the virus running its course or the effective management of government officials ?
These are difficult questions to answer , especially for those of us who are mere economists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can help us understand behavior and incentives .
One would be naive to assume Dr. Fauci has no incentive to proclaim that the government ’ s COVID-19 lockdowns have been effective .
After all , the toll of the lockdowns — historic economic destruction , psychological deterioration , and vast loss of life — has been immense .
Fauci , the leader of the nation ’ s COVID-19 response team , has an incentive to show this destruction has not been in vain .
New York offered such an opportunity .
The Empire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 death rates in the world , but its reversal in cases allows Fauci to turn a tragedy into a success story .
New York ’ s change of fortune is the result of the plan .
Fauci ’ s plan .
In a sense , as Paul pointed out , the pandemic has forced Americans to answer a difficult question .
“ Is man really capable of altering the course of an infectious disease through crowd control ?
” Paul asked .
For Paul , the answer is clear .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul said .
“ The evidence argues mitigation efforts have failed to flatten the curve .
That most countries regardless of public health policy suffered a significant spike in deaths and then a gradual decline.
” In a sense , Fauci and Paul are not just arguing over COVID-19 data .
They are arguing about something much larger .
Many decades ago , the great economist Ludwig von Mises argued that a great deal of the struggle in society is over a simple question : who gets to design the world , individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentee F.A .
Hayek , believed that central planners were a threat to society because they sought to enforce their own plan over those of individuals .
“ What those calling themselves planners advocate is not the substitution of planned action for letting things go .
It is the substitution of the planner ’ s own plan for the plans of his fellow-men , ” Mises wrote in Socialism : An Economic and Sociological Analysis .
“ The planner is a potential dictator who wants to deprive all other people of the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own plans.
” It would be easier to dismiss Mises ’ s portrayal of the central planner as a “ potential dictator ” if America had not just endured two seasons of state-enforced lockdowns ( for their own good ) that resulted in 40 million job losses and a 33 percent annual drop in GDP as millions of Americans were effectively placed under house arrest .
The figures are shocking , but they are even more jarring if we discover the lockdowns were all for naught .
Yet Mises suggests we should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whatever the results .
“ [ The central planner ] aims at one thing only : the exclusive absolute pre-eminence of his own plan , ” Mises wrote .
Many people might wonder how the state with the highest COVID-19 death rate in the world became a success story of the pandemic .
Ludwig von Mises would not be the least bit surprised .
Jonathan Miltimore is the Managing Editor of FEE.org .
His writing/reporting has been the subject of articles in TIME magazine , The Wall Street Journal , CNN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star Tribune .

Sparks flew on Capitol Hill this week when Sen. Rand Paul questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, over the doctor’s praise of New York’s COVID-19 response.
Were New York’s COVID-19 Lockdown Policies Really a Success?
During a Senate committee hearing, the Kentucky Senator asked Dr. Fauci how he could laud New York’s lockdown policies when the Empire state has “the highest death rate in the world.”
“To those who argue that the lockdown flattened the curve in New York and New Jersey, the evidence argues otherwise,” Paul said in his opening statement. “New York and New Jersey wound up with the sharpest spike or highest death rate in the world, at over 1,700 deaths per million.”
New York’s results were a sharp contrast to many other nations, including Sweden, which had a death rate about one third that of New York despite having few government mandates and mostly voluntary guidelines.
“You’ve lauded New York for their policy,” Paul said. “New York had the highest death rate in the world. How can we possibly be jumping up and down and say, ‘Oh, Governor Cuomo did a great job.’ He had the worst death rate in the world.”
The COVID-19 Statistics From New York Are Bleak
Fauci admitted that New York had “made mistakes” — likely a reference to Cuomo’s order that effectively forced nursing homes to admit COVID-19 carrying residents released from hospitals — but said Paul was mischaracterizing the facts.
“You misconstrued that Senator, and you’ve done that repeatedly in the past. [New York] got hit very badly. They’ve made some mistakes,” countered Fauci, adding that New York’s more recent success is the result of effective implementation of the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s recommendations, including frequent handwashing, social distancing, and the use of face masks.
It’s unclear which point Fauci was alluding to when he said Paul was misconstruing the record. But Paul was correct on at least two points.
First, Paul’s figures are accurate. New Jersey and New York do have higher COVID-19 death rates than any single nation in the world, with 1,825 deaths per million and 1,707 deaths per million, respectively. Additionally, New York’s death rate is indeed about three times that of Sweden (581 per million).
If one dislikes the comparison between New York and Sweden, other measures are equally bleak for New York. Data from The Economist and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that New York City has the most excess COVID-19 deaths in the entire world, data analyst Justin Hart pointed out on Twitter.
Dr. Fauci challenged @RandPaul's assertion that New York City had the WORST record for #COVID19 in the world. Sen. Paul is right. Data taken from The Economist, EuroMOMO, and CDC. % of Excess deaths per 100K week over week.
NYC has THE WORST record in the world. 1/ pic.twitter.com/tULWUocMco — Justin Hart (@justin_hart) September 23, 2020
Effective Government Response to COVID-19
To be fair, it’s unclear if Fauci was actually questioning Paul’s figures. One might suspect that Fauci was challenging Paul’s assertion that Fauci had praised New York as a lockdown model. However, in July, Fauci did cite New York as an example of an effective government response to COVID-19.
“We know that, when you do it properly, you bring down those cases,” Fauci told PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff in an interview published on July 17. “We have done it. We have done it in New York. New York got hit worse than any place in the world. And they did it correctly by doing the things that you’re talking about.”
The quote makes it clear that Fauci isn’t praising New York for its high death toll, but for the decrease in COVID-19 cases.
There’s no question that New York’s COVID-19 numbers have fallen precipitously. Much like Sweden, the Empire state has not experienced a “second wave” of coronavirus while many other parts of the world have — states such as California, Florida and Michigan, as well as countries such as France, Spain, and Italy. The question is why.
The truth is we don’t really know.
What Explains the Decrease in COVID-19 Cases in New York?
In his exchange with Paul, Fauci attempts to take credit for the drop in cases in New York, saying that New Yorkers are now heeding the Task Force’s guidelines — washing hands, using masks, social distancing, and spending more time outdoors.
Paul, on the other hand, suggested that places like Sweden and New York have seen their numbers flatline because they have reached a certain level of herd immunity, an idea Fauci rejected out of hand.
Are the numbers in Sweden and New York a reflection of the virus running its course or the effective management of government officials?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
These are difficult questions to answer, especially for those of us who are mere economists, not epidemiologists or virologists. But economics can help us understand behavior and incentives.
One would be naive to assume Dr. Fauci has no incentive to proclaim that the government’s COVID-19 lockdowns have been effective. After all, the toll of the lockdowns — historic economic destruction, psychological deterioration, and vast loss of life — has been immense.
Looking for a Success Story
Fauci, the leader of the nation’s COVID-19 response team, has an incentive to show this destruction has not been in vain. New York offered such an opportunity.
The Empire State might have one of the highest COVID-19 death rates in the world, but its reversal in cases allows Fauci to turn a tragedy into a success story. New York’s change of fortune is the result of the plan. Fauci’s plan.
In a sense, as Paul pointed out, the pandemic has forced Americans to answer a difficult question.
“Is man really capable of altering the course of an infectious disease through crowd control?” Paul asked.
For Paul, the answer is clear.
“The statistics answer a resounding no,” Paul said. “The evidence argues mitigation efforts have failed to flatten the curve. That most countries regardless of public health policy suffered a significant spike in deaths and then a gradual decline.”
The Larger Question
In a sense, Fauci and Paul are not just arguing over COVID-19 data. They are arguing about something much larger.
Many decades ago, the great economist Ludwig von Mises argued that a great deal of the struggle in society is over a simple question: who gets to design the world, individuals or authorities?
Mises, like his mentee F.A. Hayek, believed that central planners were a threat to society because they sought to enforce their own plan over those of individuals.
“What those calling themselves planners advocate is not the substitution of planned action for letting things go. It is the substitution of the planner’s own plan for the plans of his fellow-men,” Mises wrote in Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis. “The planner is a potential dictator who wants to deprive all other people of the power to plan and act according to their own plans.”
It would be easier to dismiss Mises’s portrayal of the central planner as a “potential dictator” if America had not just endured two seasons of state-enforced lockdowns (for their own good) that resulted in 40 million job losses and a 33 percent annual drop in GDP as millions of Americans were effectively placed under house arrest.
The figures are shocking, but they are even more jarring if we discover the lockdowns were all for naught. Yet Mises suggests we should not expect central planners to acknowledge a mistake, whatever the results.
“[The central planner] aims at one thing only: the exclusive absolute pre-eminence of his own plan,” Mises wrote.
Many people might wonder how the state with the highest COVID-19 death rate in the world became a success story of the pandemic.
Ludwig von Mises would not be the least bit surprised.
Correction: This article originally identified Hayek as Mises’ mentor.
Jonathan Miltimore is the Managing Editor of FEE.org. His writing/reporting has been the subject of articles in TIME magazine, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, and the Star Tribune.
Originally published on FEE.org.


thestream--2020-10-01--Enough is Enough: My Interview With Samuel Rodriguez

Samuel Rodriguez is the President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference , the world ’ s largest Hispanic Christian @ @ @ @ @ churches across the U.S .
I thank God for his incredible passion and leadership in @ @ @ @ @ discuss how the church must stand up against the prevailing darkness and stop bowing before @ @ @ @ @ You can view all the videos in this interview series here .
James Robison is @ @ @ @ @ and publisher .
He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today @ @ @ @ @ author of many books , including Indivisible ( with Jay Richards ) and Living Amazed @

Samuel Rodriguez is the President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization with more than 45,000 churches across the U.S. I thank God for his incredible passion and leadership in our nation. Today we discuss how the church must stand up against the prevailing darkness and stop bowing before a culture of death.
You can view all the videos in this interview series here.
James Robison is The Stream’s founder and publisher. He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today. He’s the author of many books, including Indivisible (with Jay Richards) and Living Amazed.


thestream--2020-10-01--Who Are the Proud Boys?

Who Are the Proud Boys?

In the first presidential debate , Donald Trump was asked to denounce some fellow Americans .
Joe Biden plucked a talking point from the reaches of his brain , and singled out the Proud Boys as an example of a right-wing hate group he ’ d demand Trump condemn on TV .
Trump shrugged , and the next day admitted he knew little about the group .
What if on this , as on so many other issues , Biden wasn ’ t telling the truth ?
What if he ’ s just trying to divert attention from Antifa and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris was supporting till just a few weeks ago ?
The same media that smeared Nick Sandmann as a racist bully and Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh as gang rapists are hard at work .
They ’ re trying to paint this group as “ white nationalist , ” when in fact it ’ s nothing of the kind .
Of course , the same media echo the 1619 Project , which pretends that the U.S. was founded as a haven for slavery .
Even some ill-informed conservatives such as Senator Ted Cruz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the slander .
So let me tell you about the Proud Boys , some of whom are my friends .
To get into the Proud Boys you have to pledge that you are a “ Western chauvinist.
” That means you prefer the civilization of Athens and Jerusalem , Madrid and New York City , to Muslim or Red Chinese empires .
Of course , there ’ s nothing more Western and American than African-Americans , who are equally the heirs of Western civilization as anyone else .
That ’ s why there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hispanic Proud Boys — though you ’ ll never see them on TV .
That might skew the “ narrative.
” Read the Proud Boys ’ beliefs , in their own words , here .
It ’ s an all-male group .
In fact , the Proud Boys claim inspiration from the Catholic Knights of Columbus .
They believe men have no place to go these days , as feminists have invaded most male spaces .
The members promise to abstain from pornography and any vices linked to it .
Chastity was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their name is a spoof on the song “ Proud of My Boy ” from the movie Aladdin .
In fact , almost everything about the Proud Boys is a spoof .
A membership ceremony is getting punched in by four or five guys .
The beating ends … when you can name five breakfast cereals .
The members meet monthly , drink beer , sing songs and talk about books of interest , such as Pat Buchanan ’ s prophetic The Death of the West .
Like the Knights of Columbus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attain the Third Degree when you get a Proud Boy tattoo .
It takes courage to wear that nowadays , with Antifa and BLM menacing restaurant patrons , demanding they repeat Marxist slogans or else .
You achieve the highest degree of membership when you defend the innocent , that is , someone who is being physically attacked .
And here we hit what really offends the left about the Proud Boys — the fact that they push back .
The left wants to defund the police in city after city , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can burn , rape and pillage .
Any citizens who defend themselves and others , like Kyle Rittenhouse , Jake Gardner , or the Proud Boys ?
The “ anarchist ” left will sic the government on them .
Jail the Victims , Let the Attackers Go Free Look what happened to John Kinsman , a Proud Boy in New York City .
He helped to fight off an organized Antifa attack on attendees at a Metropolitan Republican Club event on Manhattan ’ s Upper East Side .
He and other Proud Boys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
None of the Antifa attackers were even charged .
Go visit the crowdsourcing page that benefits John ’ s wife , ZC .
Like John ’ s children , his wife is black — which is why media never print their pictures .
Proud Boys first came to national attention a handful of years ago .
That ’ s when they stepped in to defend conservative speakers on intolerant liberal campuses .
Conservative speakers like Ann Coulter regularly get silenced by violent Antifa thugs .
Innocent bystanders often end up in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it so dangerous to have conservative speakers , that colleges would no longer invite them .
It is the rioter ’ s veto .
Americans have become quite familiar with Antifa in recent months as they have started burning down cities .
Proud Boys have had a running fight with Antifa for years .
And yes , Proud Boys are brawlers , but only in self-defense and defense of others .
They insist they never start anything .
Without a doubt , their presence is a red flag to the violent left .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports President Trump is a “ Nazi ” who deserves to get punched .
So … half the country is fair game for violence .
The constant charge about the Proud Boys , which Joe Biden brazenly parroted , is that they are racists and white nationalists .
In fact , the Proud Boys are proudly multiracial , more of a rainbow coalition than Jesse Jackson ever dreamt .
Almost any picture of Proud Boys shows a group that is more “ inclusive ” than any team in the NBA or the board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Proud Boy chairman , Enrique Terrio , is of Afro-Cuban heritage .
No , the Proud Boys didn ’ t help organize the Unite the Right rally that ended in tragedy in Charlottesville , Virginia .
Leftists just made that up , and media repeated it .
The Proud Boys threatened to remove any member who went near that rally .
Proud Boys have publicly condemned white nationalists as the unpatriotic fools they are .
When the Cops Stand Down , Who ’ s Left ?
Certainly , some members of Proud Boys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including founder Gavin McInnes .
( Editor ’ s Note : McInnes left the group in 2018 . )
Enrique Tarrio insist they were merely being outrageous and politically incorrect .
Poking the censorship bear to show people its teeth and claws .
Shall we hold Joe Biden and every Democrat responsible for the open , admitted Marxism of Black Lives Matters founders ?
The media won ’ t .
America ’ s elites want to enforce a regime of double standards , selective law enforcement , mob rule and ideological conformity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ norms ” and “ civility ” when President Trump shoots off an unwinsome Tweet .
But they ’ re happy to let black-clad masked thugs burn courthouses and police stations .
If blue-city mayors won ’ t protect Americans from thugs like these , we ought to be grateful for the Proud Boys , who will .
Anastasia Beaverhausen is a pseudonym for a writer who resides in the D.C. area .
You thought this was a free country ?
Think again .

In the first presidential debate, Donald Trump was asked to denounce some fellow Americans. Joe Biden plucked a talking point from the reaches of his brain, and singled out the Proud Boys as an example of a right-wing hate group he’d demand Trump condemn on TV. Trump shrugged, and the next day admitted he knew little about the group. What if on this, as on so many other issues, Biden wasn’t telling the truth? What if he’s just trying to divert attention from Antifa and Black Lives Matter, whose riots Kamala Harris was supporting till just a few weeks ago?
The same media that smeared Nick Sandmann as a racist bully and Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh as gang rapists are hard at work. They’re trying to paint this group as “white nationalist,” when in fact it’s nothing of the kind. Of course, the same media echo the 1619 Project, which pretends that the U.S. was founded as a haven for slavery. Even some ill-informed conservatives such as Senator Ted Cruz have mistakenly heard otherwise, and repeated the slander. So let me tell you about the Proud Boys, some of whom are my friends.
Proud of Western Civilization
To get into the Proud Boys you have to pledge that you are a “Western chauvinist.” That means you prefer the civilization of Athens and Jerusalem, Madrid and New York City, to Muslim or Red Chinese empires. Of course, there’s nothing more Western and American than African-Americans, who are equally the heirs of Western civilization as anyone else. That’s why there’s no shortage of black and Hispanic Proud Boys — though you’ll never see them on TV. That might skew the “narrative.” Read the Proud Boys’ beliefs, in their own words, here.
It’s an all-male group. In fact, the Proud Boys claim inspiration from the Catholic Knights of Columbus. They believe men have no place to go these days, as feminists have invaded most male spaces. The members promise to abstain from pornography and any vices linked to it. Chastity was an ideal of medieval knights, too.
The Proud Boys claim inspiration from the Catholic Knights of Columbus.
Defending the Innocent from Leftist Thugs
Their name is a spoof on the song “Proud of My Boy” from the movie Aladdin. In fact, almost everything about the Proud Boys is a spoof. A membership ceremony is getting punched in by four or five guys. The beating ends … when you can name five breakfast cereals. The members meet monthly, drink beer, sing songs and talk about books of interest, such as Pat Buchanan’s prophetic The Death of the West.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Like the Knights of Columbus, there are degrees of membership. You attain the Third Degree when you get a Proud Boy tattoo. It takes courage to wear that nowadays, with Antifa and BLM menacing restaurant patrons, demanding they repeat Marxist slogans or else. You achieve the highest degree of membership when you defend the innocent, that is, someone who is being physically attacked.
And here we hit what really offends the left about the Proud Boys — the fact that they push back. The left wants to defund the police in city after city, or have them stand down, so they can burn, rape and pillage. Any citizens who defend themselves and others, like Kyle Rittenhouse, Jake Gardner, or the Proud Boys? The “anarchist” left will sic the government on them.
Jail the Victims, Let the Attackers Go Free
Look what happened to John Kinsman, a Proud Boy in New York City. He helped to fight off an organized Antifa attack on attendees at a Metropolitan Republican Club event on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He and other Proud Boys who defended themselves are facing prison time. None of the Antifa attackers were even charged. Go visit the crowdsourcing page that benefits John’s wife, ZC. Like John’s children, his wife is black — which is why media never print their pictures.
Proud Boys first came to national attention a handful of years ago. That’s when they stepped in to defend conservative speakers on intolerant liberal campuses. Conservative speakers like Ann Coulter regularly get silenced by violent Antifa thugs. Innocent bystanders often end up in the hospital. The idea is to make it so dangerous to have conservative speakers, that colleges would no longer invite them. It is the rioter’s veto. Americans have become quite familiar with Antifa in recent months as they have started burning down cities.
Proud Boys have had a running fight with Antifa for years. And yes, Proud Boys are brawlers, but only in self-defense and defense of others. They insist they never start anything. Without a doubt, their presence is a red flag to the violent left. The same left pretends that anyone who supports President Trump is a “Nazi” who deserves to get punched. So … half the country is fair game for violence.
Proudly Multiracial American Patriots
The constant charge about the Proud Boys, which Joe Biden brazenly parroted, is that they are racists and white nationalists. In fact, the Proud Boys are proudly multiracial, more of a rainbow coalition than Jesse Jackson ever dreamt. Almost any picture of Proud Boys shows a group that is more “inclusive” than any team in the NBA or the board of directors of Google. The current Proud Boy chairman, Enrique Terrio, is of Afro-Cuban heritage.
No, the Proud Boys didn’t help organize the Unite the Right rally that ended in tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia. Leftists just made that up, and media repeated it. The Proud Boys threatened to remove any member who went near that rally. Proud Boys have publicly condemned white nationalists as the unpatriotic fools they are.
When the Cops Stand Down, Who’s Left?
Certainly, some members of Proud Boys have said some racially charged things online, including founder Gavin McInnes. (Editor’s Note: McInnes left the group in 2018.) Enrique Tarrio insist they were merely being outrageous and politically incorrect. Poking the censorship bear to show people its teeth and claws. Shall we hold Joe Biden and every Democrat responsible for the open, admitted Marxism of Black Lives Matters founders? The media won’t.
America’s elites want to enforce a regime of double standards, selective law enforcement, mob rule and ideological conformity. They pretend to care about “norms” and “civility” when President Trump shoots off an unwinsome Tweet. But they’re happy to let black-clad masked thugs burn courthouses and police stations. If blue-city mayors won’t protect Americans from thugs like these, we ought to be grateful for the Proud Boys, who will.
Anastasia Beaverhausen is a pseudonym for a writer who resides in the D.C. area. You thought this was a free country? Think again.


thestream--2020-10-01--Upcoming ICE Operations to Target Sanctuary Cities

Under the Trump administration , cities that have instituted sanctuary policies will be targeted by an upcoming Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation according to three U.S. officials , The Washington Post reported .
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) “ sanctuary op ” will start in California before targeting Denver and Philadelphia , the Post reported .
The operation reportedly falls in line with President Donald Trump ’ s campaign message of law and order , according to the officials familiar with the plan , the Post report .
“ We do not comment on any law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers and the public , ” ICE spokesman Mike Alvarez told the Post .
“ However , every day as part of routine operations , U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement targets and arrests criminal aliens and other individuals who have violated our nation ’ s immigration laws , ” Alvarez added , according to the Post .
Cities who adopted sanctuary policies were notified that more ICE agents would be sent to their jurisdictions to make arrests , the Post reported .
Cities that don ’ t comply with an increase in agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public , Alvarez said .
“ Generally speaking , as ICE has noted for years , in jurisdictions where cooperation does not exist and ICE is not allowed to assume custody of aliens from jails , ICE is forced to arrest at-large criminal aliens out in the communities instead of under the safe confines of a jail , ” Alvarez said to the Post .
Sanctuary policies reportedly make it more difficult to take illegal immigrants into custody while they await potential deportation , the Post reported .
Around 70 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency is notified of an illegal immigrant ’ s pending release from a jail or state prison .
Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf is expected to make an appearance in at least one of the cities , the Post reported .
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 licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Under the Trump administration, cities that have instituted sanctuary policies will be targeted by an upcoming Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation according to three U.S. officials, The Washington Post reported.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “sanctuary op” will start in California before targeting Denver and Philadelphia, the Post reported.
The operation reportedly falls in line with President Donald Trump’s campaign message of law and order, according to the officials familiar with the plan, the Post report.
“We do not comment on any law enforcement sensitive issues that may adversely impact our officers and the public,” ICE spokesman Mike Alvarez told the Post.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
“However, every day as part of routine operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement targets and arrests criminal aliens and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws,” Alvarez added, according to the Post.
SCOOP — ICE is preparing to launch operation next month with targeted arrests in sanctuary cities and jurisdictions, a plan with messaging that will echo the president’s law-and-order campaign theme https://t.co/uUEOhgL1ll with @DevlinBarrett — Nick Miroff (@NickMiroff) September 29, 2020
Cities who adopted sanctuary policies were notified that more ICE agents would be sent to their jurisdictions to make arrests, the Post reported. Cities that don’t comply with an increase in agents pose a risk to ICE personnel and the public, Alvarez said.
“Generally speaking, as ICE has noted for years, in jurisdictions where cooperation does not exist and ICE is not allowed to assume custody of aliens from jails, ICE is forced to arrest at-large criminal aliens out in the communities instead of under the safe confines of a jail,” Alvarez said to the Post.
Sanctuary policies reportedly make it more difficult to take illegal immigrants into custody while they await potential deportation, the Post reported. Around 70% of arrests made by ICE occur after the agency is notified of an illegal immigrant’s pending release from a jail or state prison.
Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf is expected to make an appearance in at least one of the cities, the Post reported.
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--2020-10-01--Turkey Is Killing Armenians. Again. (And Why It Matters to US)

The Turkish government under President Tayyip Erdogan is supporting Azerbaijan in its attacks on mostly Christian Armenia .
Given Erdogan ’ s repeated sponsorship of anti-Christian jihadists around the world , The Stream interviewed regional expert Johannes de Jong about the conflict .
John Zmirak : Here in the U.S. we ’ re very distracted by our upcoming election and Supreme Court vacancy .
But there are major events taking place in the Near East , which endanger the religious freedom of Christians .
Right now , Turkey is sending jihadists linked to al Qaeda from Syria to attack Armenia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what ’ s happening and the background ?
Johannes de Jong : Azerbaijan and Armenia have been fighting over Nagorony Karabach since the nineties .
Armenia managed to defeat Azerbaijan .
So there is now still a significant Armenian population in that area and it is under Armenian military protection .
It functions however as a small and unrecognized separate republic next to Armenia under the name “ Artsakh.
” I understand that it is actually the oldest continuing place of Armenian inhabitation regardless of all else that happened to the Armenians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masters and attacked Nagorony Karabach .
But this was no surprise .
Already back in June we heard the first reports that Turkey was recruiting jihadists in Syria for a war against Armenia .
We now have evidence dug up by Reuters showing that Turkey is again deploying their jihadists on one more foreign battlefield .
After going after Kurds , Syriacs and Arabs in Afrin and Northern Syria ( and especially all Christians among them ) , Erdogan moved his extremist army to Libya and now after that to fight against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is it unfair to say that Turkey attacking Armenia is a lot like Germany bombing Israel ?
Personally I am always very careful not to draw comparisons with the Shoah .
I think it is sufficient to say that in 1915 Turkey tried to eradicate all the Christian peoples from its lands .
Erdogan has been continuing that genocide through ISIS and other jihadists since 2014 .
What is happening now is not different from the attack against Christian peoples and Yadizis in Iraq and Syria that we ’ ve seen since 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note that there is also a significant Syriac-Assyrian and Yazidi presence in Armenia .
So it is a collective experience by the same peoples of a repeat of the same genocide as 100 years ago .
Was Armenia in any way provocative , or is this just part of Turkish president Erdogan ’ s campaign of expansion ?
Is he really trying to found another Ottoman Empire ?
The fact that Erdogan was recruiting jihadists in Syria back in June in order to attack the Armenians is I think more than sufficient evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is nonsense to try to blame Armenia somehow for this situation .
How hard is Erdogan trying to gain control of Libya ?
There ’ s a funny thing happening there .
The man who led the Turkish-backed GNA resigned as ‘ Prime Minister ’ two weeks ago .
Now Turkey is struggling to keep control of things in Libya .
France made a show of military force against Turkey last weeks .
Was that in response to Turkish moves against Greece ?
Please tell us about those .
Yes , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure among readers of The Stream .
But he absolutely did the right thing there in sending warships to the Eastern Mediterranean .
This was in order to protect Greece and Cyprus against Turkish threats and aggression .
Turkey tried to seize areas of Greek and Cypriot waters .
Turkey wants the gasfields there .
But now he won ’ t get them .
Erdogan made a huge miscalculation and underestimated the French determination to protect its allies and the EU against Turkey .
The whole situation there is closely connected to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Egypt , Greece and Cyprus .
They want to create a pipeline to transport gas from the Gulf to Europe .
Of course , Turkey is against it .
This is also a very important background to the peace treaty between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain .
Is the EU as a whole gaining a backbone in standing up to Turkey , or is France alone ?
France is certainly no longer alone .
Things are changing fast in that regard .
The economy of Turkey is collapsing and the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU .
The only question is how much more action against Turkey will follow .
Turkey crawled back from the conflict with Greece but immediately attacked Armenia right after .
So the fundamental situation that the EU sees Turkey as a threat will not change soon .
How many countries has Erdogan provoked at this point in the region ?
Why is he risking escalation against so many nations at once ?
Turkey has managed to provoke every country around it .
Almost all the neighboring countries , the Arab world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran .
The main reasons ?
A toxic mix of extremist nationalism , the dream of a new Ottoman Empire , and Erdogan ’ s need to distract Turkish citizens attention to something else than the faltering economy .
Is it fitting that Turkey be a member of NATO any longer , given that it might go to war with other NATO members ?
Of course not .
It is however not easy to get rid of .
I think that it is therefore necessary that Congress , Senate and White House take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear that the U.S. will not defend Turkey when it is attacked .
In difference to what many people think there is no really binding obligation to help a NATO member if it is attacked .
It ’ s even possible that Turkey might end up confronting Russia over this conflict in Armenia .
The U.S. can ’ t use its men and women in uniform to defend the Turkish regime and its jihadists .
It ’ s unthinkable .
How are things with the Syriac Christians and the Kurds in NE Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conquered from ISIS , as U.S. allies ?
Are the Turks escalating there too ?
Oddly enough it seems calm at the moment .
Turkey is trying to choke off the water to NE Syria and that is a serious problem .
There seems to be no imminent military threat .
But with Erdogan one never knows what ’ s next so it is important that this situation is not forgotten .
Trump Must Act to Put America First Given that he ’ s focused on a pivotal election , what should Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now he should do three things .
The first is to make clear that the US will not defend Turkey if it is attacked .
The second thing is to recognize the Autonomous Administration of NE Syria as a full partner of the U.S. and to ensure that it no longer falls under sanctions .
Thirdly to make it very clear to Turkey that any military move against NE Syria will be met with severe military and economic consequences .
That would already help a lot to prevent a lot of trouble and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble as well .
Johannes de Jong is director of the Christian Political Foundation for Europe .
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 .
”

The Turkish government under President Tayyip Erdogan is supporting Azerbaijan in its attacks on mostly Christian Armenia. Given Erdogan’s repeated sponsorship of anti-Christian jihadists around the world, The Stream interviewed regional expert Johannes de Jong about the conflict.
John Zmirak: Here in the U.S. we’re very distracted by our upcoming election and Supreme Court vacancy. But there are major events taking place in the Near East, which endanger the religious freedom of Christians. Right now, Turkey is sending jihadists linked to al Qaeda from Syria to attack Armenia. Can you please fill us in on what’s happening and the background?
Johannes de Jong: Azerbaijan and Armenia have been fighting over Nagorony Karabach since the nineties. Armenia managed to defeat Azerbaijan. So there is now still a significant Armenian population in that area and it is under Armenian military protection. It functions however as a small and unrecognized separate republic next to Armenia under the name “Artsakh.” I understand that it is actually the oldest continuing place of Armenian inhabitation regardless of all else that happened to the Armenians.
Now Azerbaijan has obeyed its Turkish masters and attacked Nagorony Karabach. But this was no surprise. Already back in June we heard the first reports that Turkey was recruiting jihadists in Syria for a war against Armenia. We now have evidence dug up by Reuters showing that Turkey is again deploying their jihadists on one more foreign battlefield. After going after Kurds, Syriacs and Arabs in Afrin and Northern Syria (and especially all Christians among them), Erdogan moved his extremist army to Libya and now after that to fight against the Armenians.
The Same Genocide Again?
Is it unfair to say that Turkey attacking Armenia is a lot like Germany bombing Israel?
Personally I am always very careful not to draw comparisons with the Shoah. I think it is sufficient to say that in 1915 Turkey tried to eradicate all the Christian peoples from its lands. Erdogan has been continuing that genocide through ISIS and other jihadists since 2014. What is happening now is not different from the attack against Christian peoples and Yadizis in Iraq and Syria that we’ve seen since 2014. It may be of interest to note that there is also a significant Syriac-Assyrian and Yazidi presence in Armenia. So it is a collective experience by the same peoples of a repeat of the same genocide as 100 years ago.
An Unprovoked Attack
Was Armenia in any way provocative, or is this just part of Turkish president Erdogan’s campaign of expansion? Is he really trying to found another Ottoman Empire?
The fact that Erdogan was recruiting jihadists in Syria back in June in order to attack the Armenians is I think more than sufficient evidence that Turkey planned this all along. It is nonsense to try to blame Armenia somehow for this situation.
Turkey’s Empire
How hard is Erdogan trying to gain control of Libya?
There’s a funny thing happening there. The man who led the Turkish-backed GNA resigned as ‘Prime Minister’ two weeks ago. Now Turkey is struggling to keep control of things in Libya.
France to the Rescue
France made a show of military force against Turkey last weeks. Was that in response to Turkish moves against Greece? Please tell us about those.
Yes, President Macron may not be the most popular figure among readers of The Stream. But he absolutely did the right thing there in sending warships to the Eastern Mediterranean. This was in order to protect Greece and Cyprus against Turkish threats and aggression. Turkey tried to seize areas of Greek and Cypriot waters. Turkey wants the gasfields there. But now he won’t get them. Erdogan made a huge miscalculation and underestimated the French determination to protect its allies and the EU against Turkey.
The whole situation there is closely connected to the plans of the Gulf States, Israel, Egypt, Greece and Cyprus. They want to create a pipeline to transport gas from the Gulf to Europe. Of course, Turkey is against it. This is also a very important background to the peace treaty between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Europe Awakes
Is the EU as a whole gaining a backbone in standing up to Turkey, or is France alone?
France is certainly no longer alone. Things are changing fast in that regard. The economy of Turkey is collapsing and the country is now seen as a threat to the EU. The only question is how much more action against Turkey will follow. Turkey crawled back from the conflict with Greece but immediately attacked Armenia right after. So the fundamental situation that the EU sees Turkey as a threat will not change soon.
Ringing Itself with Enemies
How many countries has Erdogan provoked at this point in the region? Why is he risking escalation against so many nations at once?
Turkey has managed to provoke every country around it. Almost all the neighboring countries, the Arab world, the EU and now even Russia and Iran. The main reasons? A toxic mix of extremist nationalism, the dream of a new Ottoman Empire, and Erdogan’s need to distract Turkish citizens attention to something else than the faltering economy.
Turkey Out of NATO
Is it fitting that Turkey be a member of NATO any longer, given that it might go to war with other NATO members?
Of course not. It is however not easy to get rid of. I think that it is therefore necessary that Congress, Senate and White House take action. They must make it very clear that the U.S. will not defend Turkey when it is attacked. In difference to what many people think there is no really binding obligation to help a NATO member if it is attacked. It’s even possible that Turkey might end up confronting Russia over this conflict in Armenia. The U.S. can’t use its men and women in uniform to defend the Turkish regime and its jihadists. It’s unthinkable.
Peace for Syrian Christians?
How are things with the Syriac Christians and the Kurds in NE Syria? How is the autonomous region they conquered from ISIS, as U.S. allies? Are the Turks escalating there too?
Oddly enough it seems calm at the moment. Turkey is trying to choke off the water to NE Syria and that is a serious problem. There seems to be no imminent military threat. But with Erdogan one never knows what’s next so it is important that this situation is not forgotten.
Trump Must Act to Put America First
Given that he’s focused on a pivotal election, what should Trump do in the region now?
Right now he should do three things. The first is to make clear that the US will not defend Turkey if it is attacked. The second thing is to recognize the Autonomous Administration of NE Syria as a full partner of the U.S. and to ensure that it no longer falls under sanctions. Thirdly to make it very clear to Turkey that any military move against NE Syria will be met with severe military and economic consequences. That would already help a lot to prevent a lot of trouble and would spare President Trump a lot of trouble as well.
Johannes de Jong is director of the Christian Political Foundation for Europe.
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--2020-10-01--Sen Tim Scott: Trump ‘Misspoke,’ Should ‘Correct’ Comments Regarding White Supremacy

South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott said President Donald Trump should clarify the comments he made on white supremacy during the first presidential debate Tuesday night .
Trump , in response to a question from moderator Chris Wallace asking whether he would condemn white supremacy , said that “ almost everything I see is from the left wing , not the right wing.
” “ I think he misspoke in response to Chris Wallace ’ s comment … I think he misspoke , I think he should correct it .
If he doesn ’ t correct it , I guess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scott , the only black Republican senator , told ABC News Wednesday .
When asked to condemn the Proud Boys , a right-wing group that includes some white supremacists , Trump replied , telling the group to “ stand back and stand by , ” before once again addressing left-wing groups .
“ But I ’ ll tell you what , somebody ’ s got ta do something about Antifa and the left , ” Trump said .
While Democrats have criticized Trump for refusing to explicitly condemn white supremacy , his response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , NBC News reported .
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 licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott said President Donald Trump should clarify the comments he made on white supremacy during the first presidential debate Tuesday night.
Trump, in response to a question from moderator Chris Wallace asking whether he would condemn white supremacy, said that “almost everything I see is from the left wing, not the right wing.”
“I think he misspoke in response to Chris Wallace’s comment … I think he misspoke, I think he should correct it. If he doesn’t correct it, I guess he didn’t misspeak,” Scott, the only black Republican senator, told ABC News Wednesday.
Reporter: “Do you find that concerning, the president's refusal last night during the debate to condemn white supremacist groups?" Sen. Tim Scott: “I think he misspoke. I think he should correct it. If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak." pic.twitter.com/qxDTrg7ulT — NBC News (@NBCNews) September 30, 2020
When asked to condemn the Proud Boys, a right-wing group that includes some white supremacists, Trump replied, telling the group to “stand back and stand by,” before once again addressing left-wing groups.
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“But I’ll tell you what, somebody’s gotta do something about Antifa and the left,” Trump said.
That debate was garbage but this is the actual transcript of the white supremacy exchange. Trump didn't "refuse" to denounce white supremacy, as much of the media is now saying. Look at his first reply. Sure, take issue with how he handled the q, but don't misinform people. pic.twitter.com/TIg2WSxKVj — Emily Jashinsky (@emilyjashinsky) September 30, 2020
While Democrats have criticized Trump for refusing to explicitly condemn white supremacy, his response was praised by the Proud Boys organization, NBC News reported.
Right-wing extremist group Proud Boys celebrates Trump's 'Stand back and stand by' comments on white supremacy https://t.co/ikoxbrOj98 — WUSA9 (@wusa9) September 30, 2020
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-10-01--Can Science Show That Trump Has ‘Damaged’ the US? Scientific American Thinks So

Recently , Scientific American endorsed Joe Biden for president .
They claimed that Trump is a science denier , as shown by his response to the COVID crisis .
As such , they deemed Trump unfit to care for U.S. citizens : “ The evidence and the science show that Donald Trump has badly damaged the U.S. and its people — because he rejects evidence and science.
” Nonsense .
“ Science ” doesn ’ t show anything .
Scientists do .
And scientists are like the rest of us — biased and contentious .
Exhibit A : Scientific American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispassionate observers — a unique type of person who observes , thinks , and makes claims with a method and technique that others do not .
Scientists often demonstrate interesting and useful things , but they are not super-human observers .
As Logan Paul Gage says in his new online course How Science Became a Religion , “ Scientific theories do not emerge automatically from pristine data … not everyone draws the same conclusions from the same data set.
” Their “ scientific methodology ” is just a way of testing an idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at their best , they make and test arguments .
And in Scientific American , the unnamed editors make a bad and untested one .
The editors argue that , in contrast to Trump , testing and tracking people is how “ Europe and Asia have gained control over their outbreaks , saved lives , and successfully reopened businesses and schools.
” But this is not true .
The New York Times even recently made note of this .
England , for example , spent $ 20 million on new testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are back in quarantine , disallowed to be in groups larger than six people .
Meanwhile , Trump has spent billions of dollars on testing .
And as cases of COVID-19 in some European states increase , the idea that science proves that Joe Biden is a better presidential candidate than Trump is anything but self-evident .
Scientific American failed to compare their facts and figures to other countries .
They did not evaluate if anyone else had taken the steps Biden proposed .
They did not have a control group .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at the alternative evils .
Clearly , the lockdowns have had disastrous social health effects .
Depression has seen a staggering increase , domestic abuse has arisen at horrific rates , eating disorders are on the rise , people lack the dignity of work and ownership as small businesses are closing by the thousands .
The editors at Scientific American have made a bad argument — or , at least , an unconvincing one .
This is partly because they are sneaking in unproven assumptions .
They believe health is achieved through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that families and communities can be sacrificed at the expense of lowering cases .
But they never prove these assumptions , let alone state them .
There are a series of questions they would need to answer first before they could really propose such a verdict .
Why are cases dangerous if people aren ’ t dying ?
How do we define the common good ?
What is a good political rule ?
But the editors ignore these questions .
Instead they engage in an anti-intellectual power play : science says vote Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attributes this power of science to two myths .
The first says scientists are neutral .
The second says they always or generally agree .
Let ’ s consider both .
The magisterial role that scientists have in society is misleading .
Stephen Hawking said that “ science is increasingly answering questions that used to be the province of religion.
” This captures the pride of “ scientism.
” By scientism I mean the arrogant tendency to reduce all knowledge to the scientific form of knowledge : quantifiable and empirical evidence .
Certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal about nature .
But natural scientists , as scientists , can not tell us what makes a work of art beautiful , what makes an act good or evil , and what constitutes a just political society .
They can not even tell us what defines good public health policies .
These are questions that religion and philosophy answer for us .
People often think that what makes science unique is that it is unbiased .
Science , they think , doesn ’ t involve prior commitments , leaps of faith , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as religion or politics ) .
Rather , scientists cultivate a special sort of neutrality that makes them see reality as it really is .
But if we study the history of science , it ’ s clear that all kinds of presuppositions and personal factors influence a scientist ’ s conclusions .
Einstein once said , “ Every true theorist is a kind of tamed metaphysicist , no matter how pure a ‘ positivist ’ he may fancy himself.
” In other words , if a scientist is honest , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leads .
In fact , the prospect of merely following evidence rarely motivates anyone to work , research or publish at all .
Rather , scientists , like everyone else , tend to have a particular view of the world , human society , and man ’ s place in it that they wish to prove .
They seek evidence to prove their theories .
This is a good thing .
Scientists aren ’ t robots .
They form theories and enthusiastically look for evidence to support them .
How else could they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we should leave behind the idea that scientists are somehow promoting a neutral , disinterested observation and look at scientists , like anyone else , as people with something to prove .
People often say that science , unlike religion and philosophy , is characterized by consensus , by wide-spread agreement .
Scientists do tend to exhibit a greater love of “ consensus ” than , say , philosophers or theologians .
One will often hear that a certain belief represents “ the scientific consensus.
” One will never hear a belief called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like all scholars , often jump on bandwagons .
Few people are actually contrarians at their core .
We like being normal .
It ’ s uncomfortable to stand out .
Take the followers of Antoine Lavoisier for example .
Amidst his immense fame for having discovered the Law of Conservation of Matter , Lavoisier came before the Royal Academy of France to prove meteorites were a folktale .
He argued that no rocks are in the sky and thus meteorites could not fall from heaven .
Instead he surmised that rocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lightning has struck the earth flinging many stones into the sky .
At the end of his presentation , he added that the peasants had misidentified the origins of these stones and “ true physicists ” had always been skeptical .
And the scientists at the Royal Academy bought it .
Following Lavoisier ’ s conclusion , most major museums in Germany , Denmark , Switzerland , Italy and Austria tossed out their meteorites .
This is why so few European museums have meteorites dated prior to the eighteenth century .
Scientists are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falling under the sway of a popular figure and to group-think .
That wouldn ’ t be a problem , except that the media and culture treat science as our greatest authority .
It claims to represent all public knowledge .
Leave private beliefs at the door , for “ science ” has proclaimed the only perfect vision of reality !
This is a charade .
The bizarre endorsement of Biden by Scientific American should be seen for what it is : partisan politics , not neutral science .
Much of the structure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excellent work of Logan Paul Gage in his video course “ How Science Became a Religion.
” To learn more and watch , go to NewPolity.com/Videos .
Jacob Fareed Imam is a prize scholar at the University of Oxford working on theology and monetary theory .
He is the president of New Polity , a Steubenville-based think-tank for the promotion of Catholic Social Teaching .

Recently, Scientific American endorsed Joe Biden for president. They claimed that Trump is a science denier, as shown by his response to the COVID crisis. As such, they deemed Trump unfit to care for U.S. citizens: “The evidence and the science show that Donald Trump has badly damaged the U.S. and its people — because he rejects evidence and science.”
Nonsense. “Science” doesn’t show anything. Scientists do. And scientists are like the rest of us — biased and contentious. Exhibit A: Scientific American.
We often think of scientists as dispassionate observers — a unique type of person who observes, thinks, and makes claims with a method and technique that others do not. Scientists often demonstrate interesting and useful things, but they are not super-human observers. As Logan Paul Gage says in his new online course How Science Became a Religion, “Scientific theories do not emerge automatically from pristine data … not everyone draws the same conclusions from the same data set.” Their “scientific methodology” is just a way of testing an idea that they have. In other words, at their best, they make and test arguments. And in Scientific American, the unnamed editors make a bad and untested one.
Making Bad Arguments
The editors argue that, in contrast to Trump, testing and tracking people is how “Europe and Asia have gained control over their outbreaks, saved lives, and successfully reopened businesses and schools.” But this is not true. The New York Times even recently made note of this. England, for example, spent $20 million on new testing and it didn’t work. They are back in quarantine, disallowed to be in groups larger than six people. Meanwhile, Trump has spent billions of dollars on testing.
And as cases of COVID-19 in some European states increase, the idea that science proves that Joe Biden is a better presidential candidate than Trump is anything but self-evident. Scientific American failed to compare their facts and figures to other countries. They did not evaluate if anyone else had taken the steps Biden proposed. They did not have a control group. Even more than that, they did not look at the alternative evils.
Clearly, the lockdowns have had disastrous social health effects. Depression has seen a staggering increase, domestic abuse has arisen at horrific rates, eating disorders are on the rise, people lack the dignity of work and ownership as small businesses are closing by the thousands.
The editors at Scientific American have made a bad argument — or, at least, an unconvincing one. This is partly because they are sneaking in unproven assumptions. They believe health is achieved through a low number of COVID-19 cases and that families and communities can be sacrificed at the expense of lowering cases. But they never prove these assumptions, let alone state them.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
There are a series of questions they would need to answer first before they could really propose such a verdict. Why are cases dangerous if people aren’t dying? How do we define the common good? What is a good political rule? But the editors ignore these questions. Instead they engage in an anti-intellectual power play: science says vote Biden.
In his video course, Gage attributes this power of science to two myths. The first says scientists are neutral. The second says they always or generally agree. Let’s consider both.
The Myth of Neutrality
The magisterial role that scientists have in society is misleading. Stephen Hawking said that “science is increasingly answering questions that used to be the province of religion.” This captures the pride of “scientism.” By scientism I mean the arrogant tendency to reduce all knowledge to the scientific form of knowledge: quantifiable and empirical evidence.
Certainly, the scientist tells us a great deal about nature. But natural scientists, as scientists, cannot tell us what makes a work of art beautiful, what makes an act good or evil, and what constitutes a just political society. They cannot even tell us what defines good public health policies. These are questions that religion and philosophy answer for us.
People often think that what makes science unique is that it is unbiased. Science, they think, doesn’t involve prior commitments, leaps of faith, and presuppositions like other human activities (such as religion or politics). Rather, scientists cultivate a special sort of neutrality that makes them see reality as it really is. But if we study the history of science, it’s clear that all kinds of presuppositions and personal factors influence a scientist’s conclusions.
Scientists are not robots. They form theories and enthusiastically look for evidence to support them.
Einstein once said, “Every true theorist is a kind of tamed metaphysicist, no matter how pure a ‘positivist’ he may fancy himself.” In other words, if a scientist is honest, he is not always following evidence wherever it leads. In fact, the prospect of merely following evidence rarely motivates anyone to work, research or publish at all. Rather, scientists, like everyone else, tend to have a particular view of the world, human society, and man’s place in it that they wish to prove. They seek evidence to prove their theories.
This is a good thing. Scientists aren’t robots. They form theories and enthusiastically look for evidence to support them. How else could they do it? But this means that we should leave behind the idea that scientists are somehow promoting a neutral, disinterested observation and look at scientists, like anyone else, as people with something to prove.
The Myth of Consensus
People often say that science, unlike religion and philosophy, is characterized by consensus, by wide-spread agreement. Scientists do tend to exhibit a greater love of “consensus” than, say, philosophers or theologians. One will often hear that a certain belief represents “the scientific consensus.” One will never hear a belief called the “philosophical consensus.”
But scientists, like all scholars, often jump on bandwagons. Few people are actually contrarians at their core. We like being normal. It’s uncomfortable to stand out.
Take the followers of Antoine Lavoisier for example. Amidst his immense fame for having discovered the Law of Conservation of Matter, Lavoisier came before the Royal Academy of France to prove meteorites were a folktale. He argued that no rocks are in the sky and thus meteorites could not fall from heaven. Instead he surmised that rocks appear to fall from heaven only after lightning has struck the earth flinging many stones into the sky. At the end of his presentation, he added that the peasants had misidentified the origins of these stones and “true physicists” had always been skeptical. And the scientists at the Royal Academy bought it.
Following Lavoisier’s conclusion, most major museums in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy and Austria tossed out their meteorites. This is why so few European museums have meteorites dated prior to the eighteenth century.
Scientists are just as susceptible as everyone else to falling under the sway of a popular figure and to group-think.
The Power of Science
That wouldn’t be a problem, except that the media and culture treat science as our greatest authority. It claims to represent all public knowledge. Leave private beliefs at the door, for “science” has proclaimed the only perfect vision of reality! This is a charade. The bizarre endorsement of Biden by Scientific American should be seen for what it is: partisan politics, not neutral science.
Much of the structure of my argument was built on the excellent work of Logan Paul Gage in his video course “How Science Became a Religion.” To learn more and watch, go to NewPolity.com/Videos.
Jacob Fareed Imam is a prize scholar at the University of Oxford working on theology and monetary theory. He is the president of New Polity, a Steubenville-based think-tank for the promotion of Catholic Social Teaching.


thestream--2020-10-01--Military Photo of the Day: ROTC Cadets Slide Down Rope

A Class of 2022 Tuskegee University Army ROTC cadet slides down the inverted rope descent during an field training exercise @ @ @ @ @ on September 18 , 2020 .
Thank you to 1st Lt. Stephanie Snyder for capturing @ @ @

A Class of 2022 Tuskegee University Army ROTC cadet slides down the inverted rope descent during an field training exercise at Fort Benning in Georgia on September 18, 2020.
Thank you to 1st Lt. Stephanie Snyder for capturing this image.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-10-02--INTERVIEW: The Gathering Storm: What Christians Need to Know About What’s Ahead

Recently , Dr. R. Albert Mohler , Jr. , spoke with The Stream ’ s Nancy Flory to discuss his new book , The Gathering Storm : Secularism , Culture , and the Church .
Mohler is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville , Kentucky .
He also hosts two podcasts : The Briefing and Thinking in Public .
He has authored many books , including The Apostle ’ s Creed , We Can not Be Silent , and The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down .
He has appeared in many publications and television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book , The Gathering Storm : Secularism , Culture , and the Church ?
Why now ?
With everything happening around us , I couldn ’ t help thinking over and over again of Winston Churchill ’ s first volume in his great history of World War II , and that was entitled The Gathering Storm .
I borrowed that title from Churchill because he was saying that if you were alive during the 1930s , you should have seen these storm clouds gathering and you should have understood what they meant .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve tried to help Christians in this generation to do , is to understand what all these storm clouds mean , because it is a gathering storm that we as Christians face .
You talk about a secularization process going on .
What do Christians need to know about living in a secularized postmodern society ?
I think most people think of secular in terms of people not being religious .
And that ’ s not a good definition because people are religious around us .
They ’ re religious about sex .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re religious about all kinds of things , but secularism means , or a secular condition is when there ’ s no binding authority of God .
And in particular , the God of the Bible .
So we ’ re talking about the fact that most people live their lives every day as if there is no divine law giver as if there ’ s no Creator or as if there ’ s no one who ’ s going to be the divine judge and that ’ s new .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It used to be that the old liberals rebelled against the idea of God the judge .
Now , in the secular age , most people just never even think of it .
That changes the whole terrain of things around us .
That ’ s why we ’ re seeing not only a revolution in sexuality , but even in gender .
You can ’ t do that unless you just kind of intellectually kill off the Creator .
That ’ s what we ’ re looking at .
Then you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberty because people who do believe in a divine creator and do believe in God-given laws and principles by which we should live well , we ’ re now the people who are out of step with reality .
So why should society allow us to have access to the airwaves ?
Why should we be allowed admission to the colleges and universities ?
Why should our schools be able to operate by a biblical morality ?
We ’ re looking at very real challenges .
And those challenges are also something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you talk a bit about what ’ s happening with the church right now ?
The church finds itself in a very different position .
It used to be the people , for instance , gain social capital by coming to attend our churches .
That isn ’ t why we wanted them to come , but it ’ s true that they were thought of as good people because they went to church .
Now people who go to gospel-minded churches are considered by some of their coworkers as outlaws .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it comes to the LGBTQ revolution or any number of things .
I think the other thing is , is that a lot of Christian churches in the United States kind of just thought that people thought they ought to go to church .
And so we tried to be the kind of church where people who thought they ought to go to church would go .
Now we ’ re living in an age in which millions of Americans don ’ t even think about going to church .
To be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot harder than it used to be even just to get people in the door .
Considering all these storms that you talked about in your book , what is the Christian ’ s responsibility ?
What can we do ?
The first thing is , that we know that the church is not going to be defeated by the world .
Jesus Christ himself said in Matthew 16 , “ upon this rock , I will build my church and the Gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
” But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times where the church has been in retreat .
So , we just need to make sure we ’ re raising courageous Christians .
It ’ s going to take courage .
Now we want Christians to be nice and kind and joyful .
We want them to be convictional , evangelistic , but they ’ re going to have to be courageous .
Just think how much courage it ’ s going to take for an 18-year-old young Christian to arrive on a major college or university campus and stay Christian in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t tell young people in the past they were going to have to be courageous or they ’ re going to be run over by the world .
That ’ s the way it is right now .
And look , churches have to watch their preaching at the gospel .
Preaching at the Bible is just not going to work .
You ’ re going to have to preach the word in season and out of season , people who don ’ t know anything about the Bible are gon na @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And it ’ s just no time for church as entertainment .
That ’ s for sure .
People can get plenty of entertainment elsewhere , what they need from the church is the Gospel , the Word of God .
You mentioned raising Christians .
What are some concerns that you have for the next generation looking at all of this ?
I think one thing that Christians — and I speak of this as parents and older Christians — don ’ t think about enough is the fact that young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that includes our own children and grandchildren , are actually surrounded by constant messaging that is in opposition to the Gospel .
When you have young children in your home , you can help to protect them from that .
But as soon as they have contact with that external world , they ’ re receiving just an incredible avalanche of messaging that ’ s contrary to the Gospel .
My parents didn ’ t have to worry about that .
When I went to Boy Scouts , I was hearing the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When I went out into the community , when I went to a neighbor , and played in a neighbor ’ s house , they held to the same morality .
My parents didn ’ t have to worry about the fact that I was going to run into a same-sex couple , that they didn ’ t exist [ or weren ’ t ] legally recognized when I was a kid .
And my parents could send me to school pretty confident in the public schools , that I wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they taught , but that ’ s a lifetime ago .
And parents just have to understand that we can ’ t overcome bad messaging with no messaging .
We ’ ve got to overcome bad messaging with the Word of God , the Holy Scriptures with encouragement , discipleship , raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord , because we ’ ve got to get them ready for battle .
And they ’ re going to be in that battle for the rest of their lives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a political movement .
We need a theological protest .
What does that look like ?
I don ’ t believe that Christians should retreat from politics .
We can win at politics , which is important , but it ’ s never enough .
It doesn ’ t deliver the Kingdom of Christ and that ’ s [ what ] the Gospel does .
And so we ’ ve got to be active in politics .
We have to be active in the culture , but we have to build up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , the church is the visible Kingdom of Christ .
We have , as Paul talked about , a dual citizenship in this nation .
Yes .
But ultimately in the people of God , the Kingdom of Christ .
And so we ’ ve got to build up the church to constantly think of itself as the Kingdom of Christ on earth , the place where the Gospel , where Christ reigns Supreme and the Gospel is our point , our hope .
What do you want people to be talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book ?
I hope they will be able to connect a lot of dots and say , okay , the abortion issue , the sexual revolution , I can connect these things .
What ’ s going on on the college campus , what I ’ m hearing from politicians , I can connect those dots now because we as Christians know these aren ’ t accidents .
This is all part of a great collision of worldviews .
Then I hope Christians will say , ‘ You know , I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or I ’ m going to think just like the world.
’ That ’ s why we need the Bible taught in churches .
That ’ s why we need Christians reading the Bible .
And we have to understand the Christian worldview is not only true .
It ’ s life-transforming .
Then again , we just have to say , ‘ Okay , we ’ re to be salt and light in the world.
’ So it ’ s not enough that we know these things and treasure these truths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ them right out in public where it ’ s going to cost us something .
Is there anything that I haven ’ t asked you that you think I need to know ?
The one thing an author hopes for is people who read the book and are helped by it .
And that ’ s what I pray for is that Christians reading this book will say ‘ I think I can be a better church member because of this .
I think I ’ ll be a better parent.
’ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

Recently, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., spoke with The Stream’s Nancy Flory to discuss his new book, The Gathering Storm: Secularism, Culture, and the Church. Mohler is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He also hosts two podcasts: The Briefing and Thinking in Public. He has authored many books, including The Apostle’s Creed, We Cannot Be Silent, and The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down. He has appeared in many publications and television shows.
Why did you write the book, The Gathering Storm: Secularism, Culture, and the Church? Why now?
With everything happening around us, I couldn’t help thinking over and over again of Winston Churchill’s first volume in his great history of World War II, and that was entitled The Gathering Storm. I borrowed that title from Churchill because he was saying that if you were alive during the 1930s, you should have seen these storm clouds gathering and you should have understood what they meant. So that’s what I’ve tried to help Christians in this generation to do, is to understand what all these storm clouds mean, because it is a gathering storm that we as Christians face.
You talk about a secularization process going on. What do Christians need to know about living in a secularized postmodern society?
I think most people think of secular in terms of people not being religious. And that’s not a good definition because people are religious around us. They’re religious about sex. They’re religious about diet, they’re religious about all kinds of things, but secularism means, or a secular condition is when there’s no binding authority of God. And in particular, the God of the Bible. So we’re talking about the fact that most people live their lives every day as if there is no divine law giver as if there’s no Creator or as if there’s no one who’s going to be the divine judge and that’s new. Frankly, it’s very new. It used to be that the old liberals rebelled against the idea of God the judge. Now, in the secular age, most people just never even think of it.
That changes the whole terrain of things around us. That’s why we’re seeing not only a revolution in sexuality, but even in gender. You can’t do that unless you just kind of intellectually kill off the Creator. That’s what we’re looking at.
Then you understand why we have threats to religious liberty because people who do believe in a divine creator and do believe in God-given laws and principles by which we should live well, we’re now the people who are out of step with reality. So why should society allow us to have access to the airwaves? Why should we be allowed admission to the colleges and universities? Why should our schools be able to operate by a biblical morality? We’re looking at very real challenges.
And those challenges are also something that the church is dealing with. Can you talk a bit about what’s happening with the church right now?
The church finds itself in a very different position. It used to be the people, for instance, gain social capital by coming to attend our churches. That isn’t why we wanted them to come, but it’s true that they were thought of as good people because they went to church. Now people who go to gospel-minded churches are considered by some of their coworkers as outlaws. We won’t get with the program when it comes to the LGBTQ revolution or any number of things.
I think the other thing is, is that a lot of Christian churches in the United States kind of just thought that people thought they ought to go to church. And so we tried to be the kind of church where people who thought they ought to go to church would go. Now we’re living in an age in which millions of Americans don’t even think about going to church. To be honest, our job is just a lot harder than it used to be even just to get people in the door.
Considering all these storms that you talked about in your book, what is the Christian’s responsibility? What can we do?
The first thing is, that we know that the church is not going to be defeated by the world. Jesus Christ himself said in Matthew 16, “upon this rock, I will build my church and the Gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” But we also know that there are places and times where the church has been in retreat.
Parents have got to overcome bad messaging with the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures with encouragement, discipleship, raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, because we’ve got to get them ready for battle. And they’re going to be in that battle for the rest of their lives.
So, we just need to make sure we’re raising courageous Christians. It’s going to take courage. Now we want Christians to be nice and kind and joyful. We want them to be convictional, evangelistic, but they’re going to have to be courageous. Just think how much courage it’s going to take for an 18-year-old young Christian to arrive on a major college or university campus and stay Christian in worldview and in commitment. We didn’t tell young people in the past they were going to have to be courageous or they’re going to be run over by the world. That’s the way it is right now.
And look, churches have to watch their preaching at the gospel. Preaching at the Bible is just not going to work. You’re going to have to preach the word in season and out of season, people who don’t know anything about the Bible are gonna have to be grounded in the Scripture. And it’s just no time for church as entertainment. That’s for sure. People can get plenty of entertainment elsewhere, what they need from the church is the Gospel, the Word of God.
You mentioned raising Christians. What are some concerns that you have for the next generation looking at all of this?
I think one thing that Christians — and I speak of this as parents and older Christians — don’t think about enough is the fact that young people in the United States, and that includes our own children and grandchildren, are actually surrounded by constant messaging that is in opposition to the Gospel. When you have young children in your home, you can help to protect them from that. But as soon as they have contact with that external world, they’re receiving just an incredible avalanche of messaging that’s contrary to the Gospel.
My parents didn’t have to worry about that. When I went to Boy Scouts, I was hearing the same worldview as when I was at home. When I went out into the community, when I went to a neighbor, and played in a neighbor’s house, they held to the same morality.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
My parents didn’t have to worry about the fact that I was going to run into a same-sex couple, that they didn’t exist [or weren’t] legally recognized when I was a kid. And my parents could send me to school pretty confident in the public schools, that I wasn’t going to hear anything contrary to what they taught, but that’s a lifetime ago. And parents just have to understand that we can’t overcome bad messaging with no messaging. We’ve got to overcome bad messaging with the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures with encouragement, discipleship, raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, because we’ve got to get them ready for battle. And they’re going to be in that battle for the rest of their lives.
You said we don’t need a political movement. We need a theological protest. What does that look like?
I don’t believe that Christians should retreat from politics. We can win at politics, which is important, but it’s never enough. It doesn’t deliver the Kingdom of Christ and that’s [what] the Gospel does. And so we’ve got to be active in politics. We have to be active in the culture, but we have to build up the church because at the end of the day, the church is the visible Kingdom of Christ.
We have, as Paul talked about, a dual citizenship in this nation. Yes. But ultimately in the people of God, the Kingdom of Christ. And so we’ve got to build up the church to constantly think of itself as the Kingdom of Christ on earth, the place where the Gospel, where Christ reigns Supreme and the Gospel is our point, our hope.
What do you want people to be talking about after they’ve read your book?
I hope they will be able to connect a lot of dots and say, okay, the abortion issue, the sexual revolution, I can connect these things. What’s going on on the college campus, what I’m hearing from politicians, I can connect those dots now because we as Christians know these aren’t accidents. This is all part of a great collision of worldviews.
Then I hope Christians will say, ‘You know, I’m going to have to think biblically, or I’m going to think just like the world.’ That’s why we need the Bible taught in churches. That’s why we need Christians reading the Bible. And we have to understand the Christian worldview is not only true. It’s life-transforming. Then again, we just have to say, ‘Okay, we’re to be salt and light in the world.’ So it’s not enough that we know these things and treasure these truths. We’ve got to contend for them right out in public where it’s going to cost us something.
Is there anything that I haven’t asked you that you think I need to know?
The one thing an author hopes for is people who read the book and are helped by it. And that’s what I pray for is that Christians reading this book will say ‘I think I can be a better church member because of this. I think I’ll be a better parent.’ That’s what makes me happy.
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-10-02--Military Photo of the Day: U.S. Air Force Flies Above U.S. Navy on Philippine Sea

U.S. Navy ships from the Ronald Reagan carrier strike group sail in formation while fighter jets and other U.S. Air @ @ @ @ @ September 25 , 2020 , in the Philippine Sea .

U.S. Navy ships from the Ronald Reagan carrier strike group sail in formation while fighter jets and other U.S. Air Force aircraft fly above on September 25, 2020, in the Philippine Sea.
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