thestream--2020-07-23--The Globalist Borg Invents Another “Fascist” to Hunt: Michael Pack, at Voice of America

Has Attila the Hun arrived at U.S. government broadcasting to burn it to the ground ?
One would think so from the media hysteria surrounding Michael Pack ’ s first weeks in office as CEO of the Agency for Global Media , which oversees the Voice of America and other entities .
The Washington Post Editorial Board proclaims that he “ remains on course to dismantle the independent journalism that has been the calling card ” of U.S. foreign broadcasting .
That ’ s fast work .
A headline at The Week screams : “ Is Trump putting fascists in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Boston Globe hyperventilates that there has been an “ assault on Voice of America ” and “ the bodies continue to pile up at the nation ’ s government-funded but editorially independent news services… ” CNN reports a “ Wednesday night massacre.
” What was the body count ?
Of the some 3,600 personnel at the agency , five were affected .
That ’ s .00138 of the workforce .
Some massacre .
Obama ’ s Leavings Still in Place Till Now Pack removed the heads of the broadcasting entities who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why is this so outrageous ?
Every administration brings in its own leadership , and that does not mean the politicization of broadcasting .
What is amazing is that the Obama-era leadership was still there more than three years into the Trump administration .
And the legacies ’ record is hardly spotless .
VOA veteran Ted Lipien , who served for many years in senior positions at the agency , writes of “ the extreme politicization of VOA under Pack ’ s predecessors.
” From people inside , I remember hearing that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s election , “ We ’ re not going anywhere.
” I thought that was extraordinary cheek at the time , but they almost proved to be right .
Until Pack ’ s arrival , Anne Applebaum states in The Atlantic , “ no U.S. administration actually set out to destroy America ’ s international broadcasters… Now , finally , one has.
” Where has she been ?
Until Pack ’ s Senate confirmation , government broadcasting had been run by a dysfunctional , eight-person , part-time Broadcasting Board of Governors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Roman Empire .
The BBG worked about as well and , despite the best intentions of its members , inflicted incalculable harm from mismanagement and a profound loss of mission .
Did Michael Pack stop VOA broadcasting to Brazil , India , Russia and the Arab world , and repeatedly try to eliminate VOA ’ s China services ?
No , the BBG did .
Bipartisan legislation ended this farce by eliminating the board ’ s executive powers .
It returned government broadcasting to the executive branch chain of command , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some of Pack ’ s critics are upset by the return of VOA editorials .
They appear not to be fully cognizant of VOA ’ s mission .
Part of its congressionally mandated charter states : “ VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively.
” For the decade prior to my becoming VOA director in 2001 , I worked in the Policy Office to help produce the editorials that served this mission .
Under the recently departed VOA leadership , editorials were pared back almost to nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in seven months .
This was a serious abrogation of VOA ’ s responsibilities .
Pack has undone the damage .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The liberal media also malign the new CEO as clueless about international broadcasting .
“ Michael Pack is decidedly unqualified , ” Andrew Bates , a spokesman for former vice president Biden ’ s campaign , opined .
Wrong .
Pack first came to Washington in 1992 to serve as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agency ’ s and then VOA ’ s 24/7 television service to more than 127 countries .
( Full disclosure : I hosted a foreign policy talk show on WorldNet and VOA . )
He later went on to work as senior vice president for television programming at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting .
That ’ s a strange career trajectory for a “ fascist.
” Pack is , in fact , a mild-mannered , deeply thoughtful man whose life ’ s work belies the frenzied charges against him .
See , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Created Equal : Clarence Thomas in His Own Words .
I defy anyone to watch this film , which was broadcast nationally on PBS ( like many of his other films ) , and not feel prouder to be an American .
After Pack ’ s arrival , a wall with a slogan at VOA got painted over .
( He knows nothing about the incident , by the way . )
The slogan quoted his Obama-appointed predecessor .
It said that “ journalists and journalism have stood watch over private and public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Applebaum called this wall repainting “ ghoulishly Orwellian.
” Some people need to chill their jets .
And who holds journalists accountable ?
Their job is to help foreign audiences understand the United States , but their reflexive instinct is too often to attack it .
That helps them prove their “ authenticity.
” In 1981 , I flagged a VOA script for then-U.S.I.A director Charles Wick .
It said that “ now for the first time , the United States has as president a former actor , a divorced man , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that for objective news reporting ?
Did that help foreign audiences understand how a man like Ronald Reagan could have been elected president ?
If Applebaum thinks that there are not equally egregious examples from the recent past , she hasn ’ t been listening .
And isn ’ t VOA supposed to be the voice of freedom ?
Why , then , has it been repeating the propaganda of hostile foreign governments back to the people under those tyrants ’ heel ?
That tells those audiences that the U.S. backs the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pack may have wielded a brisk broom in his opening days as broadcasting CEO , but it was about time for sweeping changes .
“ VOA is supposed to promote American values , not Republican or Democratic values , not Trump or Biden values , and that is what I plan to do , ” he said .
Nothing in his distinguished background leads one to expect he will do otherwise .
Robert Reilly was the director of the Voice of America from 2001-2002 .
He is author , most recently , of @ @ @ @

Has Attila the Hun arrived at U.S. government broadcasting to burn it to the ground? One would think so from the media hysteria surrounding Michael Pack’s first weeks in office as CEO of the Agency for Global Media, which oversees the Voice of America and other entities. The Washington Post Editorial Board proclaims that he “remains on course to dismantle the independent journalism that has been the calling card” of U.S. foreign broadcasting.
That’s fast work. A headline at The Week screams: “Is Trump putting fascists in charge of the Voice of America?” The Boston Globe hyperventilates that there has been an “assault on Voice of America” and “the bodies continue to pile up at the nation’s government-funded but editorially independent news services…” CNN reports a “Wednesday night massacre.”
What was the body count? Of the some 3,600 personnel at the agency, five were affected. That’s .00138 of the workforce. Some massacre.
Obama’s Leavings Still in Place Till Now
Pack removed the heads of the broadcasting entities who had not resigned before his arrival. Why is this so outrageous? Every administration brings in its own leadership, and that does not mean the politicization of broadcasting.
Pack is a mild-mannered, deeply thoughtful man whose life’s work belies the frenzied charges against him.
What is amazing is that the Obama-era leadership was still there more than three years into the Trump administration. And the legacies’ record is hardly spotless. VOA veteran Ted Lipien, who served for many years in senior positions at the agency, writes of “the extreme politicization of VOA under Pack’s predecessors.” From people inside, I remember hearing that the Obama-era leadership said, after President Trump’s election, “We’re not going anywhere.” I thought that was extraordinary cheek at the time, but they almost proved to be right.
Mediocrity and Ideology
Until Pack’s arrival, Anne Applebaum states in The Atlantic, “no U.S. administration actually set out to destroy America’s international broadcasters… Now, finally, one has.” Where has she been? Until Pack’s Senate confirmation, government broadcasting had been run by a dysfunctional, eight-person, part-time Broadcasting Board of Governors. Imagine eight part-time proconsuls trying to run the Roman Empire. The BBG worked about as well and, despite the best intentions of its members, inflicted incalculable harm from mismanagement and a profound loss of mission.
Did Michael Pack stop VOA broadcasting to Brazil, India, Russia and the Arab world, and repeatedly try to eliminate VOA’s China services? No, the BBG did. Bipartisan legislation ended this farce by eliminating the board’s executive powers. It returned government broadcasting to the executive branch chain of command, from which it should never have been severed.
Mission: Forgettable
Some of Pack’s critics are upset by the return of VOA editorials. They appear not to be fully cognizant of VOA’s mission. Part of its congressionally mandated charter states: “VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively.” For the decade prior to my becoming VOA director in 2001, I worked in the Policy Office to help produce the editorials that served this mission. Under the recently departed VOA leadership, editorials were pared back almost to nothing – from two per day to three in seven months. This was a serious abrogation of VOA’s responsibilities. Pack has undone the damage.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The liberal media also malign the new CEO as clueless about international broadcasting. “Michael Pack is decidedly unqualified,” Andrew Bates, a spokesman for former vice president Biden’s campaign, opined. Wrong.
An Accomplished and Thoughtful Professional
Pack first came to Washington in 1992 to serve as director of WorldNet, the U.S. Information Agency’s and then VOA’s 24/7 television service to more than 127 countries. (Full disclosure: I hosted a foreign policy talk show on WorldNet and VOA.) He later went on to work as senior vice president for television programming at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
That’s a strange career trajectory for a “fascist.” Pack is, in fact, a mild-mannered, deeply thoughtful man whose life’s work belies the frenzied charges against him. See, for instance, his most recent documentary, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words. I defy anyone to watch this film, which was broadcast nationally on PBS (like many of his other films), and not feel prouder to be an American.
Someone Painted a Wall
After Pack’s arrival, a wall with a slogan at VOA got painted over. (He knows nothing about the incident, by the way.) The slogan quoted his Obama-appointed predecessor. It said that “journalists and journalism have stood watch over private and public officials to hold them accountable.” Anne Applebaum called this wall repainting “ghoulishly Orwellian.” Some people need to chill their jets.
And who holds journalists accountable? Their job is to help foreign audiences understand the United States, but their reflexive instinct is too often to attack it. That helps them prove their “authenticity.”
America-Bashing Goes Back Decades
In 1981, I flagged a VOA script for then-U.S.I.A director Charles Wick. It said that “now for the first time, the United States has as president a former actor, a divorced man, and the son of an alcoholic.” How was that for objective news reporting? Did that help foreign audiences understand how a man like Ronald Reagan could have been elected president? If Applebaum thinks that there are not equally egregious examples from the recent past, she hasn’t been listening.
Echoing Dictators’ Agitprop
And isn’t VOA supposed to be the voice of freedom? Why, then, has it been repeating the propaganda of hostile foreign governments back to the people under those tyrants’ heel? That tells those audiences that the U.S. backs the lies their governments tell them.
Michael Pack may have wielded a brisk broom in his opening days as broadcasting CEO, but it was about time for sweeping changes. “VOA is supposed to promote American values, not Republican or Democratic values, not Trump or Biden values, and that is what I plan to do,” he said. Nothing in his distinguished background leads one to expect he will do otherwise.
Robert Reilly was the director of the Voice of America from 2001-2002. He is author, most recently, of America on Trial.


thestream--2020-07-23--Black Lives Matter: The QAnon for Cool People

It ’ s harder to ruin people these days than it used to be .
That ’ s a good thing in some ways , of course .
We don ’ t want to go back to the days when rumors of homosexuality were enough to destroy a public figure , to the point where those actually tempted to that sin contracted marriages of convenience .
Especially since the women involved didn ’ t always know what they were getting in for .
Nor was it exactly fair to persecute Hollywood stars who ’ d joined some “ progressive ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segregation—not knowing they ’ d signed on to a Communist front group .
( I ’ m not talking here of hardcore Stalinists like the Hollywood Ten , of course .
They deserved what they got , and more . )
We ’ re long decades past the time when real hatred of homosexuals , or overheated anti-Communism , operates in our culture .
In fact , we ’ ve blown through a long series of realer , more legitimate taboos , too .
Politicians can cheat on their wives .
Macho actors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polyamorous ” spouses habitually cuckold them .
Sports figures can surgically mutilate their genitals , and the Supreme Court insist that the Civil Rights Act demands that we call them “ Caitlyn.
” You can mock Christianity , patriotism , and the institution of marriage , and everybody just shrugs .
We ’ ve come a long way , baby .
The West is running short of behaviors that everyone can agree are really disgraceful .
I think we ’ re down to just two : pedophilia and racism .
And it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are weaponizing each of them .
I observed this on Twitter today : Some Conspiracy Theorists Are More Equal Than Others Of course it ’ s darkly ironic that Black Lives Matter has seized control of the Democratic Party .
Meanwhile QAnon lives around the fringes of the Right , is now banned from Twitter , and widely dismissed as a group of paranoid crazies .
Two groups of conspiracy theorists , enjoying very different treatment by our culture .
Let me make clear right now : I think the claims made by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think a high-profile , elite conspiracy of pedophiles dominates American culture .
( More on this below . )
Nor does systemic racism prevail in America .
Quite the contrary , our institutions are obsessed with trying to overcorrect for past discrimination .
But many on the left are eager to claim otherwise , and use the “ racist ” brush to try to tar and destroy their opponents .
Meanwhile , they ’ ll cut endless slack to those they regard as allies , like Governor Northam of Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , until yesterday , Planned Parenthood ’ s Margaret Sanger .
The only way leftists can maintain the fiction of “ systemic racism , ” and the political power it gives them , is to redefine their terms .
Following Marxist logic , “ racism ” no longer means hatred , prejudice , or any intentional act of bias .
Nor is racism a sin that just any human being can commit .
Instead , “ racism ” describes any disparity of outcome or advantage between white people and others , regardless of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both powerful and pure , and so they ’ re the only people who should be held to absolute standards of self-crucifying virtue .
They ’ re white saviors , you see .
So today on Twitter I saw a complaint that the Queen of England is … white .
I offered what I thought was an obvious rejoinder : But of course I ’ d missed the point .
Only white people are auditioning for the role of Suffering Savior .
Only white Woke culture seeks to displace and replace Christianity as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are expected to walk on water .
Whites in Sweden and Hungary must be infinitely welcoming to countless Muslims , while mere Chinese in China can … run concentration camps for Uighurs .
Nigerian Muslims can kidnap all the Christian girls they wish .
Why expect more of savages , of “ lesser breeds without the law “ ?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
There is far less evidence of systemic racism than there is of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of children .
Planned Parenthood cuts them up and sells them , with Congress ’ tacit approval .
Human traffickers smuggle them , enabled by Democrats and cheap labor Republicans , who refuse to enforce our borders .
You needn ’ t obsess about the mysterious “ suicide ” of Jeffrey Epstein to wonder about his close ties to the Clintons .
Or his secret , private office at Harvard University .
Or Hollywood ’ s stolid refusal to ostracize Roman Polanski .
I don ’ t see an organized conspiracy here , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture that ’ s degenerating , you frequently see two phenomena : • New , shrill , hysterical religions , like the Woke anti-racism cult .
And • A vicious cruelty to children , for their very innocence .
G.K. Chesterton , writing of Carthage and its cult of child sacrifice , diagnosed the dark impulse operating here .
In The Everlasting Man , he opined : That ’ s the best explanation I ’ ve seen of this literal baby-bashing video , which the Cartoon Network seems to have aired in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chanting , “ Throw the fetus in the bin !
” I wonder at this point : How long will the taboo against pedophilia hold ?
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 .

It’s harder to ruin people these days than it used to be.
That’s a good thing in some ways, of course. We don’t want to go back to the days when rumors of homosexuality were enough to destroy a public figure, to the point where those actually tempted to that sin contracted marriages of convenience. Especially since the women involved didn’t always know what they were getting in for.
Nor was it exactly fair to persecute Hollywood stars who’d joined some “progressive” organization during the Depression or opposed racial segregation—not knowing they’d signed on to a Communist front group. (I’m not talking here of hardcore Stalinists like the Hollywood Ten, of course. They deserved what they got, and more.)
We’re Running Out of Taboos
We’re long decades past the time when real hatred of homosexuals, or overheated anti-Communism, operates in our culture. In fact, we’ve blown through a long series of realer, more legitimate taboos, too. Politicians can cheat on their wives. Macho actors can shrug and admit that their “polyamorous” spouses habitually cuckold them. Sports figures can surgically mutilate their genitals, and the Supreme Court insist that the Civil Rights Act demands that we call them “Caitlyn.” You can mock Christianity, patriotism, and the institution of marriage, and everybody just shrugs.
We’ve come a long way, baby. The West is running short of behaviors that everyone can agree are really disgraceful. I think we’re down to just two: pedophilia and racism. And it’s interesting that widespread, cult-like movements are weaponizing each of them. I observed this on Twitter today:
QAnon’s theory of systemic pedophilia is exactly parallel to BLM’s claim of systemic racism. Each movement takes one of the LAST remaining taboos, and weaponizes it, using cherry-picked evidence. — John Zmirak (@JZmirak) July 22, 2020
It is no more or less vicious and un-Christian to carelessly smear someone as a “racist,” echoing BLM, than to smear him as a pedophile, echoing QAnon. Only one of those cults is getting buckets of money from Bank of America, though. — John Zmirak (@JZmirak) July 22, 2020
Some Conspiracy Theorists Are More Equal Than Others
Of course it’s darkly ironic that Black Lives Matter has seized control of the Democratic Party. Meanwhile QAnon lives around the fringes of the Right, is now banned from Twitter, and widely dismissed as a group of paranoid crazies. Two groups of conspiracy theorists, enjoying very different treatment by our culture.
Let me make clear right now: I think the claims made by each group are equally unhinged.
The West is running short of behaviors that everyone can agree are really disgraceful. I think we’re down to just two: pedophilia and racism. And it’s interesting that widespread, cult-like movements are weaponizing each of them.
I don’t think a high-profile, elite conspiracy of pedophiles dominates American culture. (More on this below.)
Nor does systemic racism prevail in America. Quite the contrary, our institutions are obsessed with trying to overcorrect for past discrimination. But many on the left are eager to claim otherwise, and use the “racist” brush to try to tar and destroy their opponents. Meanwhile, they’ll cut endless slack to those they regard as allies, like Governor Northam of Virginia. Or comedian Jimmy Kimmel. Or, until yesterday, Planned Parenthood’s Margaret Sanger.
Systemic Gibberish
The only way leftists can maintain the fiction of “systemic racism,” and the political power it gives them, is to redefine their terms. Following Marxist logic, “racism” no longer means hatred, prejudice, or any intentional act of bias. Nor is racism a sin that just any human being can commit. Instead, “racism” describes any disparity of outcome or advantage between white people and others, regardless of its origin. Only whites are uniquely both powerful and pure, and so they’re the only people who should be held to absolute standards of self-crucifying virtue. They’re white saviors, you see.
So today on Twitter I saw a complaint that the Queen of England is … white.
UK’s head of state is first-born descendant of each generation of all-white senior royals. Black & Asian people are therefore excluded from being head of state for foreseeable future. This is institutional racism https://t.co/TaDCNxqSmE #BlackLivesMatter #blmuk @GreenJennyJones pic.twitter.com/IGxRNT0KaN — Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) July 22, 2020
I offered what I thought was an obvious rejoinder:
Why no black head of Chinese Communist Party? Why no Irish Catholic kings of Saudi Arabia? No Latinos running Ethiopia? Racism is EVERYWHERE, man. It’s amazing…. https://t.co/wF7D32DbCz — John Zmirak (@JZmirak) July 22, 2020
Aspiring White Saviors
But of course I’d missed the point. Only white people are auditioning for the role of Suffering Savior. Only white Woke culture seeks to displace and replace Christianity as the dominant worldview. So only whites are expected to walk on water. Whites in Sweden and Hungary must be infinitely welcoming to countless Muslims, while mere Chinese in China can … run concentration camps for Uighurs. Nigerian Muslims can kidnap all the Christian girls they wish. Why expect more of savages, of “lesser breeds without the law“?
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The Diabolical Hatred of Children
There is far less evidence of systemic racism than there is of widespread neglect, abuse, and exploitation of children. Planned Parenthood cuts them up and sells them, with Congress’ tacit approval. Human traffickers smuggle them, enabled by Democrats and cheap labor Republicans, who refuse to enforce our borders.
You needn’t obsess about the mysterious “suicide” of Jeffrey Epstein to wonder about his close ties to the Clintons. Or his secret, private office at Harvard University. Or Hollywood’s stolid refusal to ostracize Roman Polanski.
I don’t see an organized conspiracy here, but principalities and powers. In a culture that’s degenerating, you frequently see two phenomena:
New, shrill, hysterical religions, like the Woke anti-racism cult. And
A vicious cruelty to children, for their very innocence.
G.K. Chesterton, writing of Carthage and its cult of child sacrifice, diagnosed the dark impulse operating here. In The Everlasting Man, he opined:
[C]ertain anti-human antagonisms seem to recur in [the] tradition of black magic. There may be suspected as running through it everywhere, for instance, a mystical hatred of the idea of childhood.
That’s the best explanation I’ve seen of this literal baby-bashing video, which the Cartoon Network seems to have aired in 2018. Or of pro-choice protesters last year chanting, “Throw the fetus in the bin!”
I wonder at this point: How long will the taboo against pedophilia hold?
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.


thestream--2020-07-23--Epic Excuses From the Bible to 2020

Epic Excuses From the Bible to 2020

We ’ ve all made poor excuses , passing the buck to others in order to explain why we are not guilty .
Yes , someone else is responsible .
They did it , not me .
If you want someone to blame , blame them .
It ’ s human nature to make excuses , but some of them are more pathetic than others .
And when thinking about some recent political comments , a common thread could be clearly identified .
It ’ s “ the people , ” not me .
And “ the people ” have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Excuses Ever Going back to the book of Exodus in the Bible , Aaron , the brother of Moses made one of the worst excuses ever recorded .
He and the children of Israel had just heard God ’ s voice thundering from Mount Sinai with these unmistakable words : “ You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image , or any likeness of what is in the heavens above , or on the earth below , or in the waters under the earth .
You shall not bow down to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Yet , as Moses lingered on Mount Sinai , meeting with the Lord , the people became restless and asked Aaron to make for them the image of a god to worship , which he did , forging the infamous golden calf .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
When Moses came down from the mountain he was stunned and angry .
He asked Aaron , “ What did this people do to you that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them ?
” Aaron replied , “ Let not my lord be enraged .
You know that this people is bent on evil .
They said to me , ‘ Make us a god to lead us ; for that man Moses , who brought us from the land of Egypt — we do not know what has happened to him.
’ So I said to them , ‘ Whoever has gold , take it off !
’ They gave it to me and I hurled it into the fire and out came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Yes , those wicked people pressured me , and I threw their jewelry into the fire — “ and out came this calf !
” It just happened .
Plus , it wasn ’ t me .
“ Moses , you know all about this people.
” This reference to “ people ” calls to mind the Rep. Ilhan Omar ’ s horrific description of the 9/11 terrorist attacks : “ some people did something.
” It ’ s painful even to type those words .
How it downplays the depth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agonizing losses that still haunt some of the victims and their families to this day .
“ Some people did something ” ?
What an outrage .
More recently , Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi showed gross irresponsibility when excusing the destruction of a Baltimore statue honoring Christopher Columbus .
( It was toppled by vandals and thrown into the harbor . )
At a recent press conference , when asked about the statue , she first explained that on a personal level , she ’ s not into statues and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stated that if the community didn ’ t want the statue there , that was up to them .
When she was pressed on this by a reporter who pointed out that this was not the decision of a city commission but rather of a mob of vandals , she answered , “ people will do what they do.
” What ?
One of the top elected officials in the country responds to a brazen act of vandalism with , “ people will do what they do ” ?
Would she say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her own home ?
“ People will do what they do !
” Really ?
And then there was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ’ s justification for the wave of looting that has decimated cities across the nation , including beatings and even murder .
Ah , but the people had a reason .
She said , “ Maybe this has to do with the fact that people aren ’ t paying their rent and are scared to pay their rent and so they go out and they need to feed their child and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re put in a position where they feel like they either need to shoplift some bread or go hungry that night.
” Exactly .
That ’ s why someone shoplifts a big screen TV .
To sell it on the street in order to buy food .
And that ’ s why a crowd beats a man trying to defend his own store .
They were just so hungry that they couldn ’ t think clearly .
( We ’ ll bypass the complete lack of logic in this statement , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay their rent ” but they ’ re not scared to loot and steal in broad daylight . )
I ’ m sure there have been horrific excuses made by Republicans over the years as well , but these came to mind tonight when reflecting on the theme of pathetic excuses .
So , out came this calf .
And some people did something .
And people will do what they do .
Which is why they shoplift during the COVID-19 shutdown , because they ’ re hungry .
Right .
A closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Next time , before making a lame excuse and blaming others , think about Aaron .
And Ilhan Omar .
And Nancy Pelosi .
And AOC .
Let ’ s not be guilty of this same kind of folly .
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 .

We’ve all made poor excuses, passing the buck to others in order to explain why we are not guilty. Yes, someone else is responsible. They did it, not me. If you want someone to blame, blame them.
It’s human nature to make excuses, but some of them are more pathetic than others. And when thinking about some recent political comments, a common thread could be clearly identified. It’s “the people,” not me. And “the people” have their reasons.
One of the Worst Excuses Ever
Going back to the book of Exodus in the Bible, Aaron, the brother of Moses made one of the worst excuses ever recorded.
He and the children of Israel had just heard God’s voice thundering from Mount Sinai with these unmistakable words: “You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Exodus 20:4-5a).
Yet, as Moses lingered on Mount Sinai, meeting with the Lord, the people became restless and asked Aaron to make for them the image of a god to worship, which he did, forging the infamous golden calf.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
When Moses came down from the mountain he was stunned and angry. He asked Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such great sin upon them?”
Aaron replied, “Let not my lord be enraged. You know that this people is bent on evil. They said to me, ‘Make us a god to lead us; for that man Moses, who brought us from the land of Egypt — we do not know what has happened to him.’ So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off!’ They gave it to me and I hurled it into the fire and out came this calf!” (Exodus 32:21-24).
Yes, those wicked people pressured me, and I threw their jewelry into the fire — “and out came this calf!”
It just happened. Plus, it wasn’t me. “Moses, you know all about this people.”
Ilhan Omar’s Excuse
This reference to “people” calls to mind the Rep. Ilhan Omar’s horrific description of the 9/11 terrorist attacks: “some people did something.” It’s painful even to type those words.
How it downplays the depth of evil involved and how it minimizes the agonizing losses that still haunt some of the victims and their families to this day.
“Some people did something”? What an outrage.
Nancy Pelosi’s Excuse
More recently, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi showed gross irresponsibility when excusing the destruction of a Baltimore statue honoring Christopher Columbus. (It was toppled by vandals and thrown into the harbor.)
At a recent press conference, when asked about the statue, she first explained that on a personal level, she’s not into statues and monuments and the like. She then stated that if the community didn’t want the statue there, that was up to them.
When she was pressed on this by a reporter who pointed out that this was not the decision of a city commission but rather of a mob of vandals, she answered, “people will do what they do.”
What? One of the top elected officials in the country responds to a brazen act of vandalism with, “people will do what they do”?
Would she say that if, God forbid, people vandalized her own home? “People will do what they do!” Really?
AOC’s Excuse
And then there was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s justification for the wave of looting that has decimated cities across the nation, including beatings and even murder. Ah, but the people had a reason.
She said, “Maybe this has to do with the fact that people aren’t paying their rent and are scared to pay their rent and so they go out and they need to feed their child and they don’t have money. They’re put in a position where they feel like they either need to shoplift some bread or go hungry that night.”
Exactly. That’s why someone shoplifts a big screen TV. To sell it on the street in order to buy food. And that’s why a crowd beats a man trying to defend his own store. They were just so hungry that they couldn’t think clearly. (We’ll bypass the complete lack of logic in this statement, which claims that people “are scared to pay their rent” but they’re not scared to loot and steal in broad daylight.)
A Word to the Wise
I’m sure there have been horrific excuses made by Republicans over the years as well, but these came to mind tonight when reflecting on the theme of pathetic excuses.
So, out came this calf. And some people did something. And people will do what they do. Which is why they shoplift during the COVID-19 shutdown, because they’re hungry. Right.
A closing word for the wise, then: Next time, before making a lame excuse and blaming others, think about Aaron. And Ilhan Omar. And Nancy Pelosi. And AOC.
Let’s not be guilty of this same kind of folly.
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--2020-07-23--HHS Acts to Preserve Religious Freedom at Hospitals During Pandemic

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services took two important steps Tuesday to protect religious freedom during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The agency ’ s Office for Civil Rights announced that patients at hospitals within the University of Maryland Medical System may receive visits by clergy amid the pandemic .
And , the office said , a medical student at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City may follow his religious belief by not shaving his beard despite having to wear a mask .
“ We can protect people ’ s physical safety and their spiritual and emotional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roger Severino , director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights , said on a conference call with reporters Tuesday afternoon .
“ Those two things are not in tension and when we protect both , we actually protect the mental health as well as the physical health.
” “ Religious liberty doesn ’ t cease to be a fundamental human right during a pandemic , ” Ryan T. Anderson , a research fellow specializing in religious liberty at The Heritage Foundation , said in an email to The Daily Signal .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can combat COVID-19 and respect religious liberty.
” In the case prompting the first decision , Sidney and Susanna Marcus were airlifted to Prince George ’ s Hospital Center in Cheverly , Maryland , after a motorcycle accident May 25 .
Her husband ’ s injuries were more severe than hers , Susanna Marcus explained on Tuesday ’ s conference call , placing him in the hospital ’ s intensive care unit for an extended period .
Susanna Marcus requested that a priest visit her husband because she was “ very fearful for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She and her husband are Catholic , she said , and “ believe that in the sacraments our souls are united to God ’ s. ” “ I needed to know that he had access to that , ” she said .
“ And when I was told that no priests were allowed , I was able to contact HHS and was connected to the best people … and finally Sidney was able to have access to a priest and to the sacrament.
” The Office for Civil Rights and the Centers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Maryland Medical System to ensure that patients have access to clergy and chaplains during the pandemic , Severino said .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The University of Maryland Medical System updated visitation guidelines for all 13 of its hospitals to allow patients , including those in COVID-19 care units , to receive visits from pastors , priests , or other clergy — provided they wear the appropriate personal protective equipment .
In an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Michael Schwartzberg , media relations director for the University of Maryland Medical System , said : After we became aware of an issue regarding clergy visitation for a patient who was potentially nearing the end of [ his ] life , we engaged in extensive discussion with key stakeholders including legal counsel on how to best accommodate situations that require exceptions to our visitation policy while not compromising the safety of others .
We have since amended our policy , with all individuals visiting a COVID-19 positive patient provided a form acknowledging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visits with adherence to safety protocols .
HHS would like to see other states and hospital systems follow University of Maryland Medical System ’ s lead , Severino said .
“ It ’ s a tragedy when people are deprived of the ability to have access to their faith practices , ” he told reporters .
The Office for Civil Rights also acted to protect the faith practices of the New York City medical student in June , leading to the second announcement Tuesday .
The unnamed student was set to do rotations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer .
Hospital supervisors asked him to shave his beard before getting fitted for an N95 protective mask , but the student explained that he could not do so because of his religious beliefs .
He was told he could not return to rotations until he shaved .
The Office for Civil Rights worked with the student and the hospital to find an alternative that “ provides greater protection than an N95 mask and would allow for a facial beard , ” HHS said in a press release .
Patients and health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in religious freedoms , and both should be accommodated and protected to the extent possible , ” Severino said .

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services took two important steps Tuesday to protect religious freedom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agency’s Office for Civil Rights announced that patients at hospitals within the University of Maryland Medical System may receive visits by clergy amid the pandemic.
And, the office said, a medical student at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City may follow his religious belief by not shaving his beard despite having to wear a mask.
“We can protect people’s physical safety and their spiritual and emotional well-being at the same time,” Roger Severino, director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights, said on a conference call with reporters Tuesday afternoon. “Those two things are not in tension and when we protect both, we actually protect the mental health as well as the physical health.”
“Religious liberty doesn’t cease to be a fundamental human right during a pandemic,” Ryan T. Anderson, a research fellow specializing in religious liberty at The Heritage Foundation, said in an email to The Daily Signal. “As these HHS resolutions demonstrate, we can combat COVID-19 and respect religious liberty.”
In the case prompting the first decision, Sidney and Susanna Marcus were airlifted to Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland, after a motorcycle accident May 25.
Her husband’s injuries were more severe than hers, Susanna Marcus explained on Tuesday’s conference call, placing him in the hospital’s intensive care unit for an extended period.
Susanna Marcus requested that a priest visit her husband because she was “very fearful for his condition,” she said.
She and her husband are Catholic, she said, and “believe that in the sacraments our souls are united to God’s.”
“I needed to know that he had access to that,” she said. “And when I was told that no priests were allowed, I was able to contact HHS and was connected to the best people … and finally Sidney was able to have access to a priest and to the sacrament.”
The Office for Civil Rights and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services worked with the University of Maryland Medical System to ensure that patients have access to clergy and chaplains during the pandemic, Severino said.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The University of Maryland Medical System updated visitation guidelines for all 13 of its hospitals to allow patients, including those in COVID-19 care units, to receive visits from pastors, priests, or other clergy — provided they wear the appropriate personal protective equipment.
In an email Tuesday night to The Daily Signal, Michael Schwartzberg, media relations director for the University of Maryland Medical System, said:
After we became aware of an issue regarding clergy visitation for a patient who was potentially nearing the end of [his] life, we engaged in extensive discussion with key stakeholders including legal counsel on how to best accommodate situations that require exceptions to our visitation policy while not compromising the safety of others. We have since amended our policy, with all individuals visiting a COVID-19 positive patient provided a form acknowledging the risk, and will allow clergy visits with adherence to safety protocols.
HHS would like to see other states and hospital systems follow University of Maryland Medical System’s lead, Severino said.
“It’s a tragedy when people are deprived of the ability to have access to their faith practices,” he told reporters.
The Office for Civil Rights also acted to protect the faith practices of the New York City medical student in June, leading to the second announcement Tuesday.
The unnamed student was set to do rotations at Staten Island University Hospital during the summer. Hospital supervisors asked him to shave his beard before getting fitted for an N95 protective mask, but the student explained that he could not do so because of his religious beliefs. He was told he could not return to rotations until he shaved.
The Office for Civil Rights worked with the student and the hospital to find an alternative that “provides greater protection than an N95 mask and would allow for a facial beard,” HHS said in a press release.
Patients and health care providers “have [an] interest in religious freedoms, and both should be accommodated and protected to the extent possible,” Severino said.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


thestream--2020-07-23--‘Walking On Eggshells’: 62% of Americans Are Afraid to Express Political Views, Survey Finds

Self-censorship is on the rise according to a new Cato Institute survey that reports nearly two-thirds of Americans are afraid to share their political views .
A new CATO Institute/YouGov national survey found 62 % of Americans say the political climate today prevents them from saying what they believe .
This is up several points from 2017 when 58 % of Americans said they were afraid to share their political beliefs .
“ 31 % of liberals , 30 % of moderates and 34 % of conservatives are worried their political views could get them fired or harm their career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A recent poll conducted by Politico found that a plurality of Americans believe cancel culture has gone too far .
“ There have been shifts across the board , where more people among all political groups feel they are walking on eggshells , ” the CATO survey found , adding , “ majorities of Democrats ( 52 % ) , independents ( 59 % ) and Republicans ( 77 % ) who all agree they have political opinions they are afraid to share. ” “ Strong liberals stand out , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can express themselves .
Nearly 6 in 10 ( 58 % ) of staunch liberals feel they can say what they believe , ” the CATO survey found .
A majority of centrist liberals , who in 2017 said they could express their views freely , now say they have to self-censor .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
According to the CATO survey , self-censorship spans all ethnicities , with 65 % of Latino Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 49 % of African Americans saying they have political views they are afraid to share .
“ This large number from across demographic groups suggests withheld opinions may not simply be radical or fringe perspectives in the process of being socially marginalized .
Instead many of these opinions may be shared by a large number of people , ” the CATO study concluded .
Both surveys , CATO and Politico , suggest that those who engage and support cancel culture are a vocal minority of Americans , not the majority .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major preoccupation for the public if you spend a lot of time on Twitter , only 40 % of voters say they have participated in cancel culture and only one in 10 say they participate ‘ often , ’ ” the Politico poll found .
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 .

Self-censorship is on the rise according to a new Cato Institute survey that reports nearly two-thirds of Americans are afraid to share their political views.
A new CATO Institute/YouGov national survey found 62% of Americans say the political climate today prevents them from saying what they believe. This is up several points from 2017 when 58% of Americans said they were afraid to share their political beliefs.
“31% of liberals, 30% of moderates and 34% of conservatives are worried their political views could get them fired or harm their career trajectory,” the CATO survey stated.
A recent poll conducted by Politico found that a plurality of Americans believe cancel culture has gone too far.
“There have been shifts across the board, where more people among all political groups feel they are walking on eggshells,” the CATO survey found, adding, “majorities of Democrats (52%), independents (59%) and Republicans (77%) who all agree they have political opinions they are afraid to share.”
“Strong liberals stand out, however, as the only political group who feel they can express themselves. Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) of staunch liberals feel they can say what they believe,” the CATO survey found.
A majority of centrist liberals, who in 2017 said they could express their views freely, now say they have to self-censor.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
According to the CATO survey, self-censorship spans all ethnicities, with 65% of Latino Americans, 64% of white Americans, and 49% of African Americans saying they have political views they are afraid to share.
“This large number from across demographic groups suggests withheld opinions may not simply be radical or fringe perspectives in the process of being socially marginalized. Instead many of these opinions may be shared by a large number of people,” the CATO study concluded.
Both surveys, CATO and Politico, suggest that those who engage and support cancel culture are a vocal minority of Americans, not the majority.
“While online shaming may seem like a major preoccupation for the public if you spend a lot of time on Twitter, only 40% of voters say they have participated in cancel culture and only one in 10 say they participate ‘often,’” the Politico poll found.
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--2020-07-23--God Opened the Door: California Pastor Shane Idleman’s Church Will Meet in a Stadium That Holds Thou

God Opened the Door: California Pastor Shane Idleman’s Church Will Meet in a Stadium That Holds Thousands

California Governor Gavin Newsom may not want churches to meet in their buildings or sing worship songs during the coronavirus outbreak , but that doesn ’ t stop one pastor an hour ’ s drive from Los Angeles from holding services .
Pastor Shane Idleman ’ s church of about 700 will now meet outside — in their local AAA baseball stadium in Lancaster .
It holds 4,000 people .
Starting July 25 , for at least the next couple of months , Westside Christian Fellowship will meet at the JetHawks ’ stadium , Saturday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Pastor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing.
” “ It just kind of fell into our lap .
The City of Lancaster , the council members , wanted to be a blessing .
Want [ ed ] to help the churches get the message out there .
So that does help when you have a city that is on the side of truth.
” The governor isn ’ t pro-church or pro-God , but the city council is .
It ’ s important to meet physically , even if live streaming is available .
“ There ’ s something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporately .
The Scripture is clear on that .
Do not forsake the assemblying together.
” One of the hardest balancing acts for pastors in California particularly , is the degree to which they obey the government but also “ not being ‘ handcuffed ’ with regard to worship and seeking God and praying and being together.
” What ’ s that line ?
“ See , that ’ s really the pickle , because some people say the governor already crossed that line and we should meet in our buildings , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his church , they ’ re social distancing and practicing what the government has mandated , but he ’ s aware that the governor may go too far .
He said : We ’ re saying , ‘ Hey , Governor , we respect your authority .
We ’ re gon na do this , but there might come a point where you push too much .
If you start requiring too much , it becomes clear that this is now an agenda.
’ So , we can still worship .
We can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start to say no gatherings again or worship , then I think that ’ s when we have a problem .
Plus when he said there ’ s no singing in church , we just had to let that go in one ear and out the next because that ’ s ridiculous .
Churches should make decisions on where and how to worship on a case-by-case basis .
“ For example , a friend of mine , Jack Hibbs , in Riverside , their county is more flexible than we are here in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get up north , there ’ s a lot more flexibility because the virus rates are really low .
So it depends on where you ’ re at , what the scenario is.
” Pastor Shane recently spoke with radio host Janet Mefferd on Janet Mefferd Today .
“ Rest assured , we ’ re not allowing the governor to tell us how to do church , where to do church , when to do church , but we are being strategic in what we ’ re doing and seeking godly counsel through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know what to expect when the stadium opens on Saturday , but Pastor Shane hopes it will spark a revival .
“ Christians are passionate about getting out and worshiping God .
I can definitely sense a spirit of revival happening in California.
” Recently , another church held a worship service at Huntington Beach and over 1,000 people showed up to worship God .
“ We kind of feel the same thing could be happening here with the stadium.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Our Day .
Revival is God awakening His church , and that ’ s not predictable .
But God can do miraculous things .
“ God will bring [ the event ] wherever He wants to .
He ’ ll just break all kinds of natural rules , you know , man-made rules and things that we thought were impossible.
” He added that it ’ s hard to put a time limit on when his church will have services at the stadium .
“ But we ’ re just going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do in this whole event.
” God is Still in Control During the cultural upheaval and the coronavirus outbreak , America seems to be falling apart .
Pastor Shane wants to remind people that God is still on the throne and nothing will stop His plan and purposes for these events .
“ He will use this , I believe , to awaken His church and we will see just a great spiritual revival happening , even in the midst of darkness.
” The church hopes to broadcast the stadium services live .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by liking Westside Christian Fellowship .
You can also watch on Facebook here , or subscribe to their YouTube channel here .
Pastor Shane ’ s latest book , If My People : In Case Of National Emergency , Read This , was released earlier this month .
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream .
You can follow her @ NancyFlory3 , and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

California Governor Gavin Newsom may not want churches to meet in their buildings or sing worship songs during the coronavirus outbreak, but that doesn’t stop one pastor an hour’s drive from Los Angeles from holding services.
Pastor Shane Idleman’s church of about 700 will now meet outside — in their local AAA baseball stadium in Lancaster. It holds 4,000 people.
A ‘God Thing’
Starting July 25, for at least the next couple of months, Westside Christian Fellowship will meet at the JetHawks’ stadium, Saturday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Pastor Shane says it is a “God thing.”
“It just kind of fell into our lap. The City of Lancaster, the council members, wanted to be a blessing. Want[ed] to help the churches get the message out there. So that does help when you have a city that is on the side of truth.” The governor isn’t pro-church or pro-God, but the city council is.
It’s important to meet physically, even if live streaming is available. “There’s something special about uniting corporately and worshiping God corporately. The Scripture is clear on that. Do not forsake the assemblying together.”
A Balancing Act
One of the hardest balancing acts for pastors in California particularly, is the degree to which they obey the government but also “not being ‘handcuffed’ with regard to worship and seeking God and praying and being together.” What’s that line? “See, that’s really the pickle, because some people say the governor already crossed that line and we should meet in our buildings, who cares what he says.” As for his church, they’re social distancing and practicing what the government has mandated, but he’s aware that the governor may go too far. He said:
We’re saying, ‘Hey, Governor, we respect your authority. We’re gonna do this, but there might come a point where you push too much. If you start requiring too much, it becomes clear that this is now an agenda.’ So, we can still worship. We can worship outside. … But if they start to say no gatherings again or worship, then I think that’s when we have a problem. Plus when he said there’s no singing in church, we just had to let that go in one ear and out the next because that’s ridiculous.
Churches should make decisions on where and how to worship on a case-by-case basis. “For example, a friend of mine, Jack Hibbs, in Riverside, their county is more flexible than we are here in L.A. County. And then if you get up north, there’s a lot more flexibility because the virus rates are really low. So it depends on where you’re at, what the scenario is.”
Pastor Shane recently spoke with radio host Janet Mefferd on Janet Mefferd Today. “Rest assured, we’re not allowing the governor to tell us how to do church, where to do church, when to do church, but we are being strategic in what we’re doing and seeking godly counsel through Christian attorneys.”
A Spirit of Revival
The church doesn’t know what to expect when the stadium opens on Saturday, but Pastor Shane hopes it will spark a revival. “Christians are passionate about getting out and worshiping God. I can definitely sense a spirit of revival happening in California.” Recently, another church held a worship service at Huntington Beach and over 1,000 people showed up to worship God. “We kind of feel the same thing could be happening here with the stadium.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Revival is God awakening His church, and that’s not predictable. But God can do miraculous things. “God will bring [the event] wherever He wants to. He’ll just break all kinds of natural rules, you know, man-made rules and things that we thought were impossible.” He added that it’s hard to put a time limit on when his church will have services at the stadium. “But we’re just going to be open to whatever God wants to do in this whole event.”
God is Still in Control
During the cultural upheaval and the coronavirus outbreak, America seems to be falling apart. Pastor Shane wants to remind people that God is still on the throne and nothing will stop His plan and purposes for these events. “He will use this, I believe, to awaken His church and we will see just a great spiritual revival happening, even in the midst of darkness.”
The church hopes to broadcast the stadium services live. If so, you can watch it by liking Westside Christian Fellowship. You can also watch on Facebook here, or subscribe to their YouTube channel here.
Pastor Shane’s latest book, If My People: In Case Of National Emergency, Read This, was released earlier this month.
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-07-24--Strategy Against the Lunacy: On a Wartime Footing — Because It Really Is War

Part of an extended series on strategy against the lunacy .
See the series intro and mid-course summary for context .
There ’ s madness in the land , it ’ s growing , and we ’ re going to have to put ourselves on a wartime footing to overcome it .
That ’ s one of five crucial steps in the strategy we must adopt to defeat the lunacy , in my view .
A commenter on Wednesday took exception to it , though , saying I was “ part of the problem ” for recommending “ panic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too , so I ’ m picking up this topic next .
No , I ’ m not calling for panic and paranoia .
I ’ m actually recommending we pursue normal Christian discipleship — and pursue it as if it mattered .
Because it does , first of all , but also because it ’ s the only way to defeat this madness .
The Same Marching Orders We ’ ve Had From the Beginning Our marching orders from the beginning have been to “ contend earnestly for the faith ” ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the good fight.
” To do spiritual battle ( Eph .
6 ) , not with weapons the world uses and not by the flesh , but by destroying arguments and tearing down strongholds ( 2 Cor .
10:3-5 ) .
That means prayer .
It means the power of the Holy Spirit .
It means teaching truth and countering lies , by all honorably persuasive means possible .
Of course that implies studying the truth , and living in fellowship with God and with other believers .
It means loving and giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the joy of knowing God ’ s promises are real .
No More Dabbling In It !
There ’ s nothing new there .
The church has been dabbling in this for generations .
Dabbling ?
Yes .
We ’ ll give it lip service , but let it really affect the way we live our lives ?
Nah , that ’ s going too far .
I ’ m generalizing , obviously .
There are exceptions .
Yet I think of pastors who pour their hearts into prayer , who lead as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preach with truth and passion and conviction , and then see their people file out to dabble in Christianity the rest of the week .
This is not unusual .
Measured by the life of the average churchgoer , American Christianity is dabbling Christianity .
It ’ s a major part of what ’ s given the current madness room to grow .
You could even say our dabbling has been our contribution to it .
So this “ wartime footing ” simply means we quit dabbling in Christianity .
We pursue discipleship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Together .
Waking Up , Then Gearing Up There are times , as C. S. Lewis has somewhere noted , when Satan , the enemy of our souls , prefers to work through spiritual apathy .
That ’ s an attack , too , but oh , is it ever subtle !
He doesn ’ t need to destroy the Church ; he only needs us snoozing away the years .
And he ’ s been effective at it .
American Christianity has been sleepy through most of my 60-plus years , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m sure .
Up until recently , therefore , I never spoke in terms of a “ wartime footing.
” Instead I focused on Jesus Christ , on contending for His truth , and on wake-up calls for drowsy believers .
But the enemy ’ s tactic has changed now .
He ’ s come out swinging .
He ’ s spreading brazen lies , and he ’ s co-opting multitudes of people into using tactics of mockery , fear , and even violence to intimidate others away from following Christ .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With eternal stakes .
There ’ s nothing subtle about it .
The spiritual battle has become very , very obvious .
So I still focus on Jesus Christ and on contending for His truth , but the time has come when the language of wartime makes more sense .
During World War II , America called on men and women to fight abroad , to work at home , and to sacrifice everywhere to win the war .
Everyone had a different role , but they all united to do their part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we call a “ wartime footing.
” In the same way , the Church ought to be able to call on its people to fight the good fight , to do the work , to alter our lifestyles , to sacrifice for the sake of Christ , our families , our communities , and our country .
See the rest of my strategy series here ( some of which has yet to be published ) and you ’ ll see there ’ s nothing outrageous about it , other than calling on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s one key difference , though , between the 1940s wartime footing and what I ’ m talking about for today .
Back then it meant practicing unusual sacrifice and commitment .
For us today , a wartime footing means normal Christian commitment and sacrifice .
No more dabbling , but seriously following Jesus Christ , with all that we are and all that we have to offer — practiced by an unusually large and unified number of us .
The time is right for us to move on to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it .
That first effect would be a refreshed , enlivened , fully-engaged , fully-discipled Church , following Christ as He has always wanted us to follow Him .
I ’ m convinced that would bring a lot more people to Christ .
It would bring many of us much closer to Him .
And if that were the only effect , I ’ d call that plenty .
But I ’ d still be praying for the second benefit as well .
Second , barring some special work of God , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the only hope I see for overcoming the country ’ s growing lunacy .
And need I remind you how real that madness is ?
The country is falling all over itself to support an avowedly Marxist movement , Black Lives Matter , whose leaders ’ goals also include overthrowing healthy family life and cementing the gay movement ’ s victories over any sane form of sexuality .
Say a word against BLM almost anywhere and you ’ re in serious danger of being “ cancelled.
” Two citizens in St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves from that movement ’ s marauders .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Let me say it again that so it sinks in : City , state , and corporate leaders are strongly , openly supporting a Marxist movement here in America , and in many cases forcing their people to voice support for it , too .
There ’ s enormous risk in this to our homes , our families , and our freedoms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , too .
We could defeat this , if only we would mobilize for it .
We certainly have enough people .
We stand for the truth of God in Jesus Christ .
We stand for Jesus ’ name , and for His glory .
We have to take the battle seriously , though .
We must fight it wisely , as a spiritual battle , just the way Christ would have us fight it .
If we do , then we have every reason to expect the gates of hell themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the forthcoming Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

Part of an extended series on strategy against the lunacy. See the series intro and mid-course summary for context.
There’s madness in the land, it’s growing, and we’re going to have to put ourselves on a wartime footing to overcome it. That’s one of five crucial steps in the strategy we must adopt to defeat the lunacy, in my view.
A commenter on Wednesday took exception to it, though, saying I was “part of the problem” for recommending “panic and paranoia.” Perhaps others have misunderstood, too, so I’m picking up this topic next. No, I’m not calling for panic and paranoia. I’m actually recommending we pursue normal Christian discipleship — and pursue it as if it mattered.
Because it does, first of all, but also because it’s the only way to defeat this madness.
The Same Marching Orders We’ve Had From the Beginning
Our marching orders from the beginning have been to “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3). To “fight the good fight.” To do spiritual battle (Eph. 6), not with weapons the world uses and not by the flesh, but by destroying arguments and tearing down strongholds (2 Cor. 10:3-5).
That means prayer. It means the power of the Holy Spirit. It means teaching truth and countering lies, by all honorably persuasive means possible. Of course that implies studying the truth, and living in fellowship with God and with other believers. It means loving and giving self-sacrificially. And it means living in the joy of knowing God’s promises are real.
No More Dabbling In It!
There’s nothing new there. The church has been dabbling in this for generations. Dabbling? Yes. We’ll give it lip service, but let it really affect the way we live our lives? Nah, that’s going too far.
I’m generalizing, obviously. There are exceptions. Yet I think of pastors who pour their hearts into prayer, who lead as well as anyone could ask, who preach with truth and passion and conviction, and then see their people file out to dabble in Christianity the rest of the week.
City, state, and corporate leaders are strongly, openly supporting a Marxist movement here in America, and in many cases forcing their people to voice support for it, too.
This is not unusual. Measured by the life of the average churchgoer, American Christianity is dabbling Christianity. It’s a major part of what’s given the current madness room to grow. You could even say our dabbling has been our contribution to it.
So this “wartime footing” simply means we quit dabbling in Christianity. We pursue discipleship for real. Faithfully. Purposefully. Together.
Waking Up, Then Gearing Up
There are times, as C. S. Lewis has somewhere noted, when Satan, the enemy of our souls, prefers to work through spiritual apathy. That’s an attack, too, but oh, is it ever subtle! He doesn’t need to destroy the Church; he only needs us snoozing away the years.
And he’s been effective at it. American Christianity has been sleepy through most of my 60-plus years, and much longer than that, I’m sure. Up until recently, therefore, I never spoke in terms of a “wartime footing.” Instead I focused on Jesus Christ, on contending for His truth, and on wake-up calls for drowsy believers.
But the enemy’s tactic has changed now. He’s come out swinging. He’s spreading brazen lies, and he’s co-opting multitudes of people into using tactics of mockery, fear, and even violence to intimidate others away from following Christ.
It’s war. For real. With eternal stakes. There’s nothing subtle about it. The spiritual battle has become very, very obvious. So I still focus on Jesus Christ and on contending for His truth, but the time has come when the language of wartime makes more sense.
Normal Discipleship, Practiced To an Unusual Degree
During World War II, America called on men and women to fight abroad, to work at home, and to sacrifice everywhere to win the war. Everyone had a different role, but they all united to do their part. That kind of sacrifice is what we call a “wartime footing.”
In the same way, the Church ought to be able to call on its people to fight the good fight, to do the work, to alter our lifestyles, to sacrifice for the sake of Christ, our families, our communities, and our country. See the rest of my strategy series here (some of which has yet to be published) and you’ll see there’s nothing outrageous about it, other than calling on the whole Church to treat it seriously.
This “wartime footing” simply means we quit dabbling in Christianity. We pursue discipleship for real. Faithfully. Purposefully. Together.
There’s one key difference, though, between the 1940s wartime footing and what I’m talking about for today. Back then it meant practicing unusual sacrifice and commitment. For us today, a wartime footing means normal Christian commitment and sacrifice. No more dabbling, but seriously following Jesus Christ, with all that we are and all that we have to offer — practiced by an unusually large and unified number of us.
First Benefit: True Discipleship
The time is right for us to move on to this wartime footing. I see two benefits to it.
That first effect would be a refreshed, enlivened, fully-engaged, fully-discipled Church, following Christ as He has always wanted us to follow Him.
I’m convinced that would bring a lot more people to Christ. It would bring many of us much closer to Him. And if that were the only effect, I’d call that plenty. But I’d still be praying for the second benefit as well.
Second Benefit: Overcoming the Madness
Second, barring some special work of God, this kind of fully-engaged, fully-unified response is the only hope I see for overcoming the country’s growing lunacy. And need I remind you how real that madness is? The country is falling all over itself to support an avowedly Marxist movement, Black Lives Matter, whose leaders’ goals also include overthrowing healthy family life and cementing the gay movement’s victories over any sane form of sexuality. Say a word against BLM almost anywhere and you’re in serious danger of being “cancelled.”
Two citizens in St. Louis have been charged as criminals for protecting themselves from that movement’s marauders.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Let me say it again that so it sinks in: City, state, and corporate leaders are strongly, openly supporting a Marxist movement here in America, and in many cases forcing their people to voice support for it, too.
There’s enormous risk in this to our homes, our families, and our freedoms. There’s still incredible hope, though, too. We could defeat this, if only we would mobilize for it. We certainly have enough people. We stand for the truth of God in Jesus Christ. We stand for Jesus’ name, and for His glory.
We have to take the battle seriously, though. We must fight it wisely, as a spiritual battle, just the way Christ would have us fight it. If we do, then we have every reason to expect the gates of hell themselves to fall before His Church.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the forthcoming Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-07-24--Military Photo of the Day: Thunderbolts in the Afghan Skies

Two U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jets fly over Afghanistan on June 29 , 2020 .
Lord , @ @ @ @ @ troops safe this weekend and comfort their families here at home .
Amen .
Please @ @ @ @ @ Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day @

Two U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jets fly over Afghanistan on June 29, 2020.
Lord, please keep all of our troops safe this weekend and comfort their families here at home. Amen.
React to This Article What do you think of our coverage in this article? We value your feedback as we continue to grow.


thestream--2020-07-24--This Week at War: ‘We Have All Volunteered’

We don ’ t talk about it enough as a country , but the brave men and women of the U.S. military are still at war .
This week , our nation lost an “ incredible paratrooper ” in Syria , where valiant American troops are still risking their lives to fight terrorism .
According to the Department of Defense , U.S. Army Sgt .
Bryan Cooper Mount died on Tuesday in a “ vehicle rollover accident while conducting reconnaissance operations ” in the war-torn country ’ s eastern region .
The fallen soldier from St. George , Utah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was his second time serving in combat and we relied on his experience , ” U.S. Army Capt .
Reid Jacobson said in a statement quoted by Military.com .
“ Bryan was just one of those dependable paratroopers everyone looked up to and relied upon .
He had an easy smile and contagious personality.
” Military.com ’ s Matthew Cox writes that “ so far this year , ten service members have died while deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
” All ten of those fallen heroes have families , friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their loss .
Please pray for the wife , parents and fellow 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers of Sgt .
Bryan Cooper Mount .
We ask God to comfort them during this time of unimaginable confusion , pain and grief .
The military is also fighting a unprecedented war on COVID-19 .
As of Thursday , there were 22,769 coronavirus cases inside military ranks , with 453 hospitalizations and three tragic deaths .
Thankfully , 9,333 American service members are listed by the Pentagon as “ recovered.
” We thank God for shielding these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in every U.S. state and territory , courageous men and women of the National Guard are stepping forward to help detect and eradicate the virus .
The above tweet shows a COVID-19 testing site in Arizona , while the below image shows service members trying to slow the spread at a Colorado prison .
In Washington State , National Guardsmen are still building makeshift hospitals , particularly in rural areas .
In California , compassionate troops are helping deliver food to those in need .
In Ohio , the state ’ s first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2nd Lt. Colleen O ’ Callaghan , is helping lead the battle against the pandemic .
“ We genuinely want to be here .
We have all volunteered and we are all serving relatively close to our homes whenever possible , ” 2nd Lt. O ’ Callaghan said .
“ Everybody wants to help because there are so many people ( who are ) out of work and need assistance , and we have the ability to do it.
” “ We have all volunteered ” is the quote that really stood out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that every single member of the modern military is a volunteer warrior who raised his or her right hand and swore to defend our great country during a time of war .
These selfless heroes are the very best America has to offer .
All of us at The Stream thank 2nd Lt. Colleen O ’ Callaghan , Sgt .
Bryan Cooper Mount and each and every U.S. military service member ; past and present .
America is blessed to be defended by extraordinary patriots like you .
Please Support The Stream : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
A group of brave airmen is home from the war in Afghanistan after recently returning to their base in Alaska .
Welcome home , heroes !
Thank you for defending our nation – and our freedom – overseas .
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream .
He is co-author of 8 Seconds of Courage , Brothers Forever , Fire in My Eyes and the forthcoming Three Wise Men .
Follow Tom on Twitter @ TSileo and The Stream at @ @ @

Middle East
We don’t talk about it enough as a country, but the brave men and women of the U.S. military are still at war.
This week, our nation lost an “incredible paratrooper” in Syria, where valiant American troops are still risking their lives to fight terrorism. According to the Department of Defense, U.S. Army Sgt. Bryan Cooper Mount died on Tuesday in a “vehicle rollover accident while conducting reconnaissance operations” in the war-torn country’s eastern region.
The fallen soldier from St. George, Utah, was just 25 years old.
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of Sgt. Bryan Mount, a cavalry scout assigned to @2BCT_FALCONS from injuries sustained after his M-ATV rolled over in Syria. #Paratroopers never die, they just slip away. pic.twitter.com/pWXJPaH1ez — All American Division (@82ndABNDiv) July 23, 2020
“It was his second time serving in combat and we relied on his experience,” U.S. Army Capt. Reid Jacobson said in a statement quoted by Military.com. “Bryan was just one of those dependable paratroopers everyone looked up to and relied upon. He had an easy smile and contagious personality.”
Military.com’s Matthew Cox writes that “so far this year, ten service members have died while deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.” All ten of those fallen heroes have families, friends and fellow troops who will forever mourn their loss.
Please pray for the wife, parents and fellow 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers of Sgt. Bryan Cooper Mount. We ask God to comfort them during this time of unimaginable confusion, pain and grief.
Coronavirus
The military is also fighting a unprecedented war on COVID-19.
As of Thursday, there were 22,769 coronavirus cases inside military ranks, with 453 hospitalizations and three tragic deaths. Thankfully, 9,333 American service members are listed by the Pentagon as “recovered.” We thank God for shielding these heroes from harm.
Photo of the Day: An @AZNationalGuard Soldier helps facilitate contactless COVID-19 testing at a testing site. https://t.co/FSxtLfuhTy #InThisTogether pic.twitter.com/O7RyUvv8kI — National Guard (@USNationalGuard) July 22, 2020
Across the nation in every U.S. state and territory, courageous men and women of the National Guard are stepping forward to help detect and eradicate the virus. The above tweet shows a COVID-19 testing site in Arizona, while the below image shows service members trying to slow the spread at a Colorado prison.
"We are happy to partner with (Department of Corrections) in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Colorado." @CONG1860 are helping test inmates and staff at select correctional facilities. https://t.co/v1qEmLYn2A #InThisTogether — National Guard (@USNationalGuard) July 20, 2020
In Washington State, National Guardsmen are still building makeshift hospitals, particularly in rural areas. In California, compassionate troops are helping deliver food to those in need. In Ohio, the state’s first female Ohio National Guard infantry officer, 2nd Lt. Colleen O’Callaghan, is helping lead the battle against the pandemic.
“We genuinely want to be here. We have all volunteered and we are all serving relatively close to our homes whenever possible,” 2nd Lt. O’Callaghan said. “Everybody wants to help because there are so many people (who are) out of work and need assistance, and we have the ability to do it.”
“We have all volunteered” is the quote that really stood out to me. Sometimes, we forget that every single member of the modern military is a volunteer warrior who raised his or her right hand and swore to defend our great country during a time of war. These selfless heroes are the very best America has to offer.
All of us at The Stream thank 2nd Lt. Colleen O’Callaghan, Sgt. Bryan Cooper Mount and each and every U.S. military service member; past and present. America is blessed to be defended by extraordinary patriots like you.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Coming Home
A group of brave airmen is home from the war in Afghanistan after recently returning to their base in Alaska.
Welcome home, heroes! Thank you for defending our nation – and our freedom – overseas.
Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of 8 Seconds of Courage, Brothers Forever, Fire in My Eyes and the forthcoming Three Wise Men. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo and The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-07-23--The Left Comes for Religious Hospitals With Surgical Precision

The justices predicted a war — and almost one month to the day of their Bostock ruling , they got one .
The first shot was fired last Thursday , when the ACLU decided to sue Maryland ’ s St. Joseph Medical Center for refusing to take out a woman ’ s perfectly healthy uterus just because she wanted to live as a man .
It goes against the hospital ’ s religious beliefs , St. Joseph argued .
But now , thanks to the Supreme Court , it might go against six justices ’ ridiculous definition of “ sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doors The last thing anyone should want right now is fewer hospitals .
And yet , that may very well be the outcome of lawsuits like this one .
If people are worried about the health care system being overwhelmed today , just wait until liberals force the religiously affiliated groups entirely out of business .
Because that ’ s what ’ ll happen if the left insists on forcing religious facilities to embrace its radical views .
Catholic nonprofits have told the country before — in adoption and abortion debates — that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no choice at all .
They ’ d rather shut their doors than bend an inch on biblical teachings .
The ACLU , on the other hand , is more than willing to blow a gaping hole in America ’ s medical care just to advance its political goals .
And that ’ s all this is about .
It ’ s certainly not about justice for Jesse Hammons — she already got her surgery somewhere else .
It ’ s about making the nonconformists pay .
St. Joseph ’ s refusal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ discriminatory and unconstitutional application of Catholic religious doctrine.
” Worse , Hammons said , “ I felt like this hospital didn ’ t see any worth in my life and the care that I needed.
” On the contrary , St. Joseph ’ s might have been the only one who did see the worth in Hammons — because it , unlike the attorneys exploiting her story — refused to mistake bodily harm for medical “ care.
” Either way , a spokesman insisted , the hospital ’ s decision has nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people struggling with their gender .
It has to do with the hospital ’ s religious code .
St. Joseph ’ s has been under the umbrella of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops since it became a hospital in 1864 .
And those directives are clear : There are limits on the “ removal of healthy organs.
” At the end of the day , Wesley Smith argues at National Review , the denial actually has nothing to do with Hammons identifying as transgender .
If she ’ d had a cancerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a problem .
But this procedure would have sterilized her , Smith explains , and the church has very strong feelings about that .
It ’ s their right to say they won ’ t destroy a womb .
Just as it was Hammons ’ right to go elsewhere — which she did , nine days after the Bostock ruling — and have her body changed .
By all accounts , everyone should have been satisfied .
Hammons got the surgery she wanted , and the hospital didn ’ t have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sued anyway — proving , once again , that this debate has never been about coexistence or compromise .
The Battle is Here Maybe those are possible in a civil society where everyone is adult enough to put aside their hostility and see the value in respecting different viewpoints .
If instead of suing people like Aaron and Melissa Klein out of business , couples simply found another bakery .
If instead of jeopardizing care for everyone else , Hammons was content with an alternate location and moved on .
If instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But unfortunately , all of that became even more of a pipe dream once the Supreme Court stepped in to redefine the word “ sex , ” deciding for everyone that millennia of biology , history , and morality no longer applied .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Justice Samuel Alito tried to warn where this would lead , but six of his colleagues were too busy legislating to listen .
“ Healthcare , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … may emerge as an intense battleground under the Court ’ s holding.
” Workers are already suing for sex reassignment surgery under their insurance , Alito pointed out .
This sets up another major conflict , since , as he points out , “ requiring them to pay for or to perform these procedures will have a severe impact on their ability to honor their deeply held religious beliefs.
” The battle that Alito worried about is here .
“ It is open season on Catholic hospitals , ” Smith writes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of gender .
“ Medicine is becoming a major front in the accelerating attacks on religious liberty in this country .
The assault against medical conscience can only exacerbate our bitter cultural divisions already at the ripping point.
” Six activists on the Supreme Court think they ’ ve done Hammons a favor by ordering America to help her live as a man .
But what about the hospitals that want to live as Christians ?
We need justices who will stand up and protect them .
Tony Perkins is President of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife have been married for over 30 years and have five children .
Tony is also an ordained minister , as well as the host of a daily , nationally syndicated radio show , Washington Watch with Tony Perkins .

The justices predicted a war — and almost one month to the day of their Bostock ruling, they got one.
The first shot was fired last Thursday, when the ACLU decided to sue Maryland’s St. Joseph Medical Center for refusing to take out a woman’s perfectly healthy uterus just because she wanted to live as a man. It goes against the hospital’s religious beliefs, St. Joseph argued. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court, it might go against six justices’ ridiculous definition of “sex” too.
They Will Shut Their Doors
The last thing anyone should want right now is fewer hospitals. And yet, that may very well be the outcome of lawsuits like this one.
If people are worried about the health care system being overwhelmed today, just wait until liberals force the religiously affiliated groups entirely out of business. Because that’s what’ll happen if the left insists on forcing religious facilities to embrace its radical views.
Catholic nonprofits have told the country before — in adoption and abortion debates — that choosing between their faith and ministry is no choice at all. They’d rather shut their doors than bend an inch on biblical teachings.
It’s Not About Justice
The ACLU, on the other hand, is more than willing to blow a gaping hole in America’s medical care just to advance its political goals. And that’s all this is about. It’s certainly not about justice for Jesse Hammons — she already got her surgery somewhere else. It’s about making the nonconformists pay.
St. Joseph’s refusal, the liberal attorneys insist, was a “discriminatory and unconstitutional application of Catholic religious doctrine.” Worse, Hammons said, “I felt like this hospital didn’t see any worth in my life and the care that I needed.”
On the contrary, St. Joseph’s might have been the only one who did see the worth in Hammons — because it, unlike the attorneys exploiting her story — refused to mistake bodily harm for medical “care.”
Either way, a spokesman insisted, the hospital’s decision has nothing to do with Hammons or animus toward people struggling with their gender. It has to do with the hospital’s religious code. St. Joseph’s has been under the umbrella of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops since it became a hospital in 1864. And those directives are clear: There are limits on the “removal of healthy organs.”
At the end of the day, Wesley Smith argues at National Review, the denial actually has nothing to do with Hammons identifying as transgender. If she’d had a cancerous uterus, surgery wouldn’t have been a problem. But this procedure would have sterilized her, Smith explains, and the church has very strong feelings about that. It’s their right to say they won’t destroy a womb. Just as it was Hammons’ right to go elsewhere — which she did, nine days after the Bostock ruling — and have her body changed.
By all accounts, everyone should have been satisfied.
By all accounts, everyone should have been satisfied. Hammons got the surgery she wanted, and the hospital didn’t have to violate its conscience. But the ACLU sued anyway — proving, once again, that this debate has never been about coexistence or compromise.
The Battle is Here
Maybe those are possible in a civil society where everyone is adult enough to put aside their hostility and see the value in respecting different viewpoints. If instead of suing people like Aaron and Melissa Klein out of business, couples simply found another bakery. If instead of jeopardizing care for everyone else, Hammons was content with an alternate location and moved on. If instead of preaching tolerance, activists practiced it.
But unfortunately, all of that became even more of a pipe dream once the Supreme Court stepped in to redefine the word “sex,” deciding for everyone that millennia of biology, history, and morality no longer applied.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Justice Samuel Alito tried to warn where this would lead, but six of his colleagues were too busy legislating to listen. “Healthcare,” he wrote in his Bostock dissent, “ … may emerge as an intense battleground under the Court’s holding.”
Workers are already suing for sex reassignment surgery under their insurance, Alito pointed out. This sets up another major conflict, since, as he points out, “requiring them to pay for or to perform these procedures will have a severe impact on their ability to honor their deeply held religious beliefs.”
The battle that Alito worried about is here. “It is open season on Catholic hospitals,” Smith writes, and anyone else with a biblical view of gender. “Medicine is becoming a major front in the accelerating attacks on religious liberty in this country. The assault against medical conscience can only exacerbate our bitter cultural divisions already at the ripping point.”
Six activists on the Supreme Court think they’ve done Hammons a favor by ordering America to help her live as a man. But what about the hospitals that want to live as Christians? We need justices who will stand up and protect them.
Tony Perkins is President of the Family Research Council. He and his wife have been married for over 30 years and have five children. Tony is also an ordained minister, as well as the host of a daily, nationally syndicated radio show, Washington Watch with Tony Perkins.
Originally published by Family Research Council’s Washington Update.


thestream--2020-07-23--The Globalist Borg Invents Another ‘Fascist’ to Hunt: Michael Pack, at Voice of America