thestream--2020-08-17--Do Evangelical ‘Always Trumpers’ Exist?

Do Evangelical ‘Always Trumpers’ Exist?

For the last 5 years we ’ ve heard a lot about evangelicals who identify as Never Trumpers , and they are often contrasted with so-called Always Trumpers .
But does the latter class even exist ?
Is there a body of evangelical voters who will support Trump no matter what ?
We all remember candidate Trump ’ s infamous , tongue-in-cheek statement that , “ I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody , and I wouldn ’ t lose any voters , OK ?
It ’ s , like , incredible.
” An article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment cited the common response of many of Trump ’ s followers : “ Yeah , sometimes he makes me cringe , but I still like him and I still think he ’ s the right thing for America.
” This certainly speaks for many evangelical supporters of Trump who often cringe at things he says while applauding the things he does .
But is there a line he could cross that would cost him their support ?
His sordid past did not disqualify him in their eyes ( or , if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in your eyes ) .
After all , people can change and God is forgiving , right ?
The accusations of sexual impropriety , including allegations of sexual assault , did not disqualify him .
After all , who knows if these accusations are true ?
Even the release of the lewd Access Hollywood tape did not cause Trump to lose his evangelical base .
After all , the tape was 10 years old .
Plus he expressed regret for the comments and said he was not proud of them .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the tape and made clear that , should Trump engage in that kind of talk or conduct today , they could not back him .
But has Trump really changed since he ’ s been in office ?
Has he become kinder , more restrained with his tongue , less inclined to lie and exaggerate , less prone to engage in petty insults and throw people under the bus ?
If he has changed , the changes could hardly be called dramatic .
Yet , going into 2020 , his evangelical base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , confirm the existence of Always Trumpers ?
Certainly not .
Every evangelical Trump supporter I know would drop his or her support for Trump in a heartbeat should he change his stance on the core issues .
Of course , I can ’ t speak for everyone .
And I imagine there are some evangelicals who are so convinced that Trump is “ God ’ s man ” that he could stand on Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and they would justify it .
But I honestly do not believe that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way that “ Never Trumpers ” exist ( even though I ’ ve used both terms over the months ) .
Prof. Wayne Grudem recently wrote that , “ while the impeachment trial was going on , a younger faculty colleague asked me at lunch , ‘ What would Trump have to do to make you stop supporting him ?
’ My response was something like this : ‘ I would stop supporting him if he began to favor higher taxes , more government regulation , a weaker military , open borders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution , ” extended abortion rights , restrictions on freedom of religion , hostility toward Israel.
’ I didn ’ t finish the list because he said , “ Okay , the question for you is policies .
I get it.
” Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
For me and many others like me , if Trump was pro-abortion , he would not have my vote .
If Trump became an opponent of Israel rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend ) of Israel , he would not have my vote .
If Trump reversed his stance on religious liberties , becoming our opponent rather than our proponent , he would not have my vote .
And if Trump were guilty of a sexual assault today or followed in the footsteps of President Bill Clinton , he would not have my vote .
As I documented in my new book Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
, when the president announced he was pulling our troops out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who had been our faithful allies , evangelical leaders raised their voices in public .
An October 9 , 2019 article in New York Magazine ’ s Intelligencer carried the headline , “ Why Trump ’ s Evangelical Allies Are Enraged Over His Betrayal of the Kurds.
” This was echoed by similar stories in major , leftwing news outlets including the New York Times and NPR .
The articles cited quotes from leaders like Pat Robertson , who warned that Trump could lose his mandate from heaven , and Franklin Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kurds .
And the Intelligencer article , written by Ed Kilgore , added , “ Perhaps most strikingly , Christian Right journalist David Brody , co-author of a hagiographical ‘ spiritual biography ’ of Trump , retweeted this assessment by right-wing controversialist Erick Erickson : ‘ President Trump has committed an egregious act of betrayal in what he is doing to the Kurds .
Shame on him.
’ ” What if Trump had betrayed Israel ?
What then ?
Or what if he suddenly did an about face on abortion ?
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to repent , and if he did not do so , deeply and sincerely and quickly , he would immediately lose their vote .
In reality , then , it ’ s not hard to answer the question : What would Trump have to do to lose my support ?
What Would He Have to Do to Gain Your Support ?
My question for those evangelicals who do not support him is this : What would he have to do to gain your support ?
And in light of the radically leftist policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to reconsider your position ?
When I was working on Evangelicals at the Crossroads , I sent some of the chapters to an editor with a respected Christian publisher , asking him for his feedback .
I knew he was a committed Christian , and I knew he was not a Trump supporter .
And the chapters I sent him were not intended to be a polemic for Trump but rather to present the anti-Trump and pro-Trump arguments side by side .
To my pleasant surprise , he wrote back , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rationale for voting for Trump in 2020 that I have read — and I read and listen widely ( The Economist , NYT , WSJ , NPR , BBC , PBS , etc. )
.
In fact , your position is so clear and well-stated that I believe I ’ ve just swung my legs over the fence-rail to Trump ’ s side for November.
” He added , “ PUBLISH THIS BOOK , brother !
There are 10s of millions of Jesus-loving people like me across this nation !
” So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Trump , citing the positions of evangelical leaders with fairness and accuracy , the chapters pushed him to Trump ’ s side .
How interesting !
The Stakes are Very High On my end , I ’ m not endorsing Trump ( although I plan to vote for him ) .
But I am encouraging everyone to prayerfully consider the major choices we face .
The stakes are very high , because of which it would be healthy to evaluate and even reevaluate the positions that you hold .
And if reading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the other , please do let me know , either here or with a review on Amazon .
To say it again : the stakes are very high .
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

For the last 5 years we’ve heard a lot about evangelicals who identify as Never Trumpers, and they are often contrasted with so-called Always Trumpers. But does the latter class even exist? Is there a body of evangelical voters who will support Trump no matter what?
We all remember candidate Trump’s infamous, tongue-in-cheek statement that, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK? It’s, like, incredible.”
An article posted on NPR after he made this comment cited the common response of many of Trump’s followers: “Yeah, sometimes he makes me cringe, but I still like him and I still think he’s the right thing for America.”
This certainly speaks for many evangelical supporters of Trump who often cringe at things he says while applauding the things he does. But is there a line he could cross that would cost him their support?
His sordid past did not disqualify him in their eyes (or, if you’re an evangelical Trump supporter yourself, in your eyes). After all, people can change and God is forgiving, right?
The accusations of sexual impropriety, including allegations of sexual assault, did not disqualify him. After all, who knows if these accusations are true?
Even the release of the lewd Access Hollywood tape did not cause Trump to lose his evangelical base. After all, the tape was 10 years old. Plus he expressed regret for the comments and said he was not proud of them.
To be sure, evangelical leaders spoke out against the tape and made clear that, should Trump engage in that kind of talk or conduct today, they could not back him.
But has Trump really changed since he’s been in office? Has he become kinder, more restrained with his tongue, less inclined to lie and exaggerate, less prone to engage in petty insults and throw people under the bus?
If he has changed, the changes could hardly be called dramatic. Yet, going into 2020, his evangelical base seems strong. Does this, then, confirm the existence of Always Trumpers?
Certainly not. Every evangelical Trump supporter I know would drop his or her support for Trump in a heartbeat should he change his stance on the core issues.
Staying Firm on Core Issues
Of course, I can’t speak for everyone. And I imagine there are some evangelicals who are so convinced that Trump is “God’s man” that he could stand on Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and they would justify it. But I honestly do not believe that “Always Trumpers” exist in the same way that “Never Trumpers” exist (even though I’ve used both terms over the months).
Prof. Wayne Grudem recently wrote that, “while the impeachment trial was going on, a younger faculty colleague asked me at lunch, ‘What would Trump have to do to make you stop supporting him?’ My response was something like this: ‘I would stop supporting him if he began to favor higher taxes, more government regulation, a weaker military, open borders, judges who believed in a “living Constitution,” extended abortion rights, restrictions on freedom of religion, hostility toward Israel.’ I didn’t finish the list because he said, “Okay, the question for you is policies. I get it.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
For me and many others like me, if Trump was pro-abortion, he would not have my vote. If Trump became an opponent of Israel rather than a friend (really, a great friend) of Israel, he would not have my vote. If Trump reversed his stance on religious liberties, becoming our opponent rather than our proponent, he would not have my vote. And if Trump were guilty of a sexual assault today or followed in the footsteps of President Bill Clinton, he would not have my vote.
As I documented in my new book Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?, when the president announced he was pulling our troops out of Syria, thereby endangering the Kurds, who had been our faithful allies, evangelical leaders raised their voices in public.
An October 9, 2019 article in New York Magazine’s Intelligencer carried the headline, “Why Trump’s Evangelical Allies Are Enraged Over His Betrayal of the Kurds.” This was echoed by similar stories in major, leftwing news outlets including the New York Times and NPR.
The articles cited quotes from leaders like Pat Robertson, who warned that Trump could lose his mandate from heaven, and Franklin Graham, who publicly called for prayer for the Kurds. And the Intelligencer article, written by Ed Kilgore, added, “Perhaps most strikingly, Christian Right journalist David Brody, co-author of a hagiographical ‘spiritual biography’ of Trump, retweeted this assessment by right-wing controversialist Erick Erickson: ‘President Trump has committed an egregious act of betrayal in what he is doing to the Kurds. Shame on him.’”
What if Trump had betrayed Israel? What then? Or what if he suddenly did an about face on abortion? Trump’s loyal supporters would urge him to repent, and if he did not do so, deeply and sincerely and quickly, he would immediately lose their vote.
In reality, then, it’s not hard to answer the question: What would Trump have to do to lose my support?
What Would He Have to Do to Gain Your Support?
My question for those evangelicals who do not support him is this: What would he have to do to gain your support? And in light of the radically leftist policies of the Democrats, are you now willing to reconsider your position?
When I was working on Evangelicals at the Crossroads, I sent some of the chapters to an editor with a respected Christian publisher, asking him for his feedback. I knew he was a committed Christian, and I knew he was not a Trump supporter. And the chapters I sent him were not intended to be a polemic for Trump but rather to present the anti-Trump and pro-Trump arguments side by side.
To my pleasant surprise, he wrote back, “Michael… the most logical, clearly written rationale for voting for Trump in 2020 that I have read — and I read and listen widely (The Economist, NYT, WSJ, NPR, BBC, PBS, etc.). In fact, your position is so clear and well-stated that I believe I’ve just swung my legs over the fence-rail to Trump’s side for November.”
He added, “PUBLISH THIS BOOK, brother! There are 10s of millions of Jesus-loving people like me across this nation!”
So, by laying out the argument for and against Trump, citing the positions of evangelical leaders with fairness and accuracy, the chapters pushed him to Trump’s side. How interesting!
The Stakes are Very High
On my end, I’m not endorsing Trump (although I plan to vote for him). But I am encouraging everyone to prayerfully consider the major choices we face.
The stakes are very high, because of which it would be healthy to evaluate and even reevaluate the positions that you hold.
And if reading my new book influences you one way or the other, please do let me know, either here or with a review on Amazon.
To say it again: the stakes are very high.
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--2020-08-17--What’s Next After Trump Brokers Israel-UAE Peace Pact?

The historic peace accord between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is a major victory for the Trump administration ’ s “ outside-in ” negotiating strategy .
More Arab nations soon may follow .
By assisting negotiations between Israel and the outer ring of Arab states , the administration sought to jump-start regional peace proceedings while encouraging greater Palestinian flexibility by depriving the Palestinian Authority of its longstanding veto power over other Arab leaders ’ policies toward Israel .
Israel and the UAE agreed to full normalization of relations in a phone call Thursday with President Donald Trump , marking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Arab country in 25 years .
Under the terms of the agreement , the UAE will become the third Arab country to negotiate peace with Israel , following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 .
Trump signaled that other Arab countries may follow the UAE ’ s path .
State Department officials said Bahrain , Morocco , and Oman are likely prospects .
If the momentum can be maintained , the UAE agreement could breathe new life into an administration peace plan that was declared dead on arrival in January by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for statehood and the return of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees to Israel .
The text of the joint statement by Israel and the United Arab Emirates declared that the diplomatic breakthrough was made at “ the request of President Trump.
” It said that Israel will “ suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined in the President ’ s Vision for Peace and focus its efforts now on expanding ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world.
” The accord also specifies : “ Israel and the United Arab Emirates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch a Strategic Agenda for the Middle East to deepen diplomatic , commercial and security cooperation together and with other countries committed to peace and non-interference.
” This language suggests a broadening of the Trump administration ’ s previous proposal for a Middle East Strategic Alliance , which Heritage Foundation analysts called for in a report in April .
The new agreement makes public the expanding strategic , economic , and diplomatic cooperation behind the scenes between Israel and the UAE .
Both countries consider Iran to be their chief threat and were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition to the Obama administration ’ s flawed nuclear deal with Iran .
Iran is likely to be the biggest loser from the consequences of improved Israel-UAE ties , aside from Palestinian leaders who continue to oppose a realistic peace with Israel .
Not only does Iran need to beware of close military and intelligence cooperation between two of the most effective military powers in the Middle East , but the accord also is expected to clear the way for the export of more sophisticated U.S. weapons to the UAE , including armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Palestinian leaders were livid about the agreement and accused the UAE of betraying them .
A senior Palestinian Authority official told The Jerusalem Post : “ Israel has annexed the United Arab Emirates instead of annexing the West Bank .
This is a very dangerous development that requires a response not only from the Palestinians but the whole Arab world.
” The normalization agreement demonstrated that the current Palestinian leaders , increasingly criticized by their own people for failing to deliver prosperity and stability , no longer hold hostage other Arab states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create more favorable conditions for future peace agreements , including an Israeli-Palestinian accord if a new generation of Palestinian leaders becomes more pragmatic about the necessity of concessions to achieve statehood .
In addition to encouraging a more realistic approach to peace negotiations by Palestinian leaders , the Israel-UAE agreement includes significant political benefits for all three signatories .
Trump has gained a major foreign policy achievement shortly before the presidential election that will boost his support among Israel ’ s supporters , particularly evangelicals concerned about Israel ’ s future .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the run-up to the negotiations , sending a delegation to the UAE in October 2018 and other meetings that focused on normalization issues .
“ Evangelicals want Israel to be safer , stronger and more peaceful , not necessarily bigger , ” American-Israeli author Joel Rosenberg , who participated in the meetings , told The Jerusalem Post .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The agreement also helps Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by giving him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he faces rising domestic political criticism for his government ’ s response to COVID-19 and failure to pass a budget , as well as his own pending trial for corruption charges .
He “ did not and will not remove sovereignty from the agenda , ” Netanyahu stressed .
“ I will never give up on our right to our land.
” But it isn ’ t clear how long Jerusalem will suspend its claim to sovereignty over parts of the West Bank that are also claimed by Palestinians , or what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it does so .
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan , the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the United Arab Emirates , also can claim a major achievement .
He took off the table , at least temporarily , Israel ’ s proposed extension of sovereignty over parts of the West Bank .
Sheikh Mohammed also will reap benefits for his own people in the form of closer strategic cooperation with the United States , access for UAE citizens to visit the Al-Aksa mosque in Jerusalem , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccination for the coronavirus and improving access to adequate and safe water supplies .
The agreement is a huge win-win-win outcome for the United States , Israel , and the United Arab Emirates .
It clears the way for closer cooperation against Iran by defusing at least temporarily the sovereignty issue , which would have distracted attention from Iranian threats and given Iran and other Israeli enemies a wedge issue to undermine Israel .
The accord also demonstrates that Arab leaders can achieve more by engaging with Israel diplomatically than by boycotting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palestinian Authority has done .
Achieving a lasting peace is impossible without such diplomatic engagement .
For more about this topic from The Daily Signal : U.S. Should Expand Economic Cooperation with Middle East and North Africa U.S. Must Lead Strong Multinational Response to Iran ’ s Extortion Strategy James Phillips is the senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs at the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation .
He has written extensively on Middle Eastern issues and international terrorism since 1978 .
Read his @ @

The historic peace accord between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is a major victory for the Trump administration’s “outside-in” negotiating strategy. More Arab nations soon may follow.
By assisting negotiations between Israel and the outer ring of Arab states, the administration sought to jump-start regional peace proceedings while encouraging greater Palestinian flexibility by depriving the Palestinian Authority of its longstanding veto power over other Arab leaders’ policies toward Israel.
Israel and the UAE agreed to full normalization of relations in a phone call Thursday with President Donald Trump, marking the first peace accord between Israel and an Arab country in 25 years.
Under the terms of the agreement, the UAE will become the third Arab country to negotiate peace with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.
Trump signaled that other Arab countries may follow the UAE’s path. State Department officials said Bahrain, Morocco, and Oman are likely prospects.
If the momentum can be maintained, the UAE agreement could breathe new life into an administration peace plan that was declared dead on arrival in January by Palestinian leaders who clung to maximalist demands for statehood and the return of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees to Israel.
A Trilateral Triumph
The text of the joint statement by Israel and the United Arab Emirates declared that the diplomatic breakthrough was made at “the request of President Trump.” It said that Israel will “suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined in the President’s Vision for Peace and focus its efforts now on expanding ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world.”
The accord also specifies: “Israel and the United Arab Emirates will join with the United States to launch a Strategic Agenda for the Middle East to deepen diplomatic, commercial and security cooperation together and with other countries committed to peace and non-interference.”
This language suggests a broadening of the Trump administration’s previous proposal for a Middle East Strategic Alliance, which Heritage Foundation analysts called for in a report in April.
The new agreement makes public the expanding strategic, economic, and diplomatic cooperation behind the scenes between Israel and the UAE. Both countries consider Iran to be their chief threat and were motivated to explore secret contacts by strong opposition to the Obama administration’s flawed nuclear deal with Iran.
Iran is likely to be the biggest loser from the consequences of improved Israel-UAE ties, aside from Palestinian leaders who continue to oppose a realistic peace with Israel.
Not only does Iran need to beware of close military and intelligence cooperation between two of the most effective military powers in the Middle East, but the accord also is expected to clear the way for the export of more sophisticated U.S. weapons to the UAE, including armed drones that were denied in the past.
Palestinian leaders were livid about the agreement and accused the UAE of betraying them.
A senior Palestinian Authority official told The Jerusalem Post: “Israel has annexed the United Arab Emirates instead of annexing the West Bank. This is a very dangerous development that requires a response not only from the Palestinians but the whole Arab world.”
The normalization agreement demonstrated that the current Palestinian leaders, increasingly criticized by their own people for failing to deliver prosperity and stability, no longer hold hostage other Arab states in peace negotiations. This will help create more favorable conditions for future peace agreements, including an Israeli-Palestinian accord if a new generation of Palestinian leaders becomes more pragmatic about the necessity of concessions to achieve statehood.
Political Implications
In addition to encouraging a more realistic approach to peace negotiations by Palestinian leaders, the Israel-UAE agreement includes significant political benefits for all three signatories.
Trump has gained a major foreign policy achievement shortly before the presidential election that will boost his support among Israel’s supporters, particularly evangelicals concerned about Israel’s future.
In fact, American evangelical leaders were involved in the run-up to the negotiations, sending a delegation to the UAE in October 2018 and other meetings that focused on normalization issues.
“Evangelicals want Israel to be safer, stronger and more peaceful, not necessarily bigger,” American-Israeli author Joel Rosenberg, who participated in the meetings, told The Jerusalem Post.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The agreement also helps Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by giving him an important diplomatic achievement at a time when he faces rising domestic political criticism for his government’s response to COVID-19 and failure to pass a budget, as well as his own pending trial for corruption charges.
He “did not and will not remove sovereignty from the agenda,” Netanyahu stressed. “I will never give up on our right to our land.”
But it isn’t clear how long Jerusalem will suspend its claim to sovereignty over parts of the West Bank that are also claimed by Palestinians, or what the reaction of the UAE will be if it does so.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the United Arab Emirates, also can claim a major achievement. He took off the table, at least temporarily, Israel’s proposed extension of sovereignty over parts of the West Bank.
Sheikh Mohammed also will reap benefits for his own people in the form of closer strategic cooperation with the United States, access for UAE citizens to visit the Al-Aksa mosque in Jerusalem, and cooperation with Israeli experts in developing a vaccination for the coronavirus and improving access to adequate and safe water supplies.
The Bottom Line
The agreement is a huge win-win-win outcome for the United States, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates. It clears the way for closer cooperation against Iran by defusing at least temporarily the sovereignty issue, which would have distracted attention from Iranian threats and given Iran and other Israeli enemies a wedge issue to undermine Israel.
The accord also demonstrates that Arab leaders can achieve more by engaging with Israel diplomatically than by boycotting diplomatic efforts to improve relations, as the Palestinian Authority has done.
Achieving a lasting peace is impossible without such diplomatic engagement.
For more about this topic from The Daily Signal:
The Middle East Strategic Alliance: An Uphill Struggle
Palestinians Miss Opportunity by Rejecting Trump Peace Plan
U.S. Should Expand Economic Cooperation with Middle East and North Africa
U.S. Must Lead Strong Multinational Response to Iran’s Extortion Strategy
James Phillips is the senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs at the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation. He has written extensively on Middle Eastern issues and international terrorism since 1978. Read his research.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Signal


The Gospel Lens

When the lockdown began in India , I was in warrior mode .
I said to myself , “ Let ’ s do this !
You ’ ve got this .
Just three weeks and this will all blow over .
Everything will be back to normal and life will go on as usual.
” Yeah , right !
I wish .
And then there was the first extension of the lockdown and the second and the third and I lost count after that .
By the time we hit the middle of May I was exhausted from everything moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from doing the house work and teaching kids and cooking and refereeing fights and keeping myself sane .
I was simply worn out , burned out and at the end of the line .
I was binge-watching Netflix and overeating .
Angry and frustrated , all my heart idols were playing out in various ways .
I pulled out of every ministry that I was involved in .
I had nothing to give .
Our church had organized various Zoom meetings , Bible studies , morning devotion and noon prayer .
So at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to plug into the morning devotion group .
That morning devotion time was like a breath of fresh air .
I longed for the peace and quiet of the morning when everyone was asleep at home and I could dig into God ’ s word , drink deep and be satisfied .
I longed to share what I learned with the group and I enjoyed learning from their perspectives .
The one thing that this group did differently during their quiet time was to look for gospel moments from every chapter that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were studying the book of Genesis .
From chapter one until chapter 50 this group faithfully preached the gospel to me through the book of Genesis .
And oh it was refreshing , reassuring , calming and soothing — warming my soul .
God knew that was exactly what I needed during that time .
My gospel lens needed to be adjusted .
For example when we started reading Genesis 38 , the story of Judah and Tamar , this is what I thought … “ Lord what can I get out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Really Lord ?
Why is the Old Testament so messy ?
How can I find a gospel moment from this chapter ?
Why is this story sandwiched between Joseph ’ s life story ?
God why didn ’ t you choose Joseph ’ s lineage for your family line ?
” These were the questions that were in my mind when I started reading Genesis 38 .
And these are the answers I found .
I realized that God is just and holy .
He can not tolerate sin .
He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I see wickedness around me , I think , “ God don ’ t you see all this ?
” But this chapter shows me that I worship a God who sees .
I thank God that this story is in the Bible because as messy as it is , it gives me hope that God works through our messes to bring glory and honor to His name .
He uses Judah and Tamar in his genealogy to bring about the Son of God .
What an awesome God !
Please Support The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
When I was trying to look for a gospel moment in this chapter I saw that Judah leaves his seal and chord and staff as a pledge with a prostitute for just a one night stand , for just a fling — just uses her and leaves .
But Jesus is the perfect bridegroom and in Ephesians we see that he calls the church his bride and he never leaves us nor forsakes us and he has sealed us with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So even though I was the prostitute in this story , Jesus still is the perfect bridegroom who never leaves me .
He doesn ’ t walk away from the relationship .
That was the gospel moment for me from this story .
The Bad and the Good I had always viewed the Bible as God ’ s word filled with “ good ” stories and “ good ” values and doctrines and everything that was in the Bible was only “ good ” .
But through the book of Genesis I saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truly mean and wicked people .
Some atrocious acts .
Heinous crimes , rape and murder , lust and impulse , outright lies and major cover ups .
Some that I would have definitely omitted if I were writing the Bible .
God however , in his sovereignty , allowed the “ bad ” stories to be part of his “ good ” book .
And through that showed me his grand plan for salvation right from the beginning .
I always thought that the God of the Old Testament was an angry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to punish .
Instead , I saw a merciful God , kind and compassionate .
I saw the Grand Weaver at work , weaving the tapestry of human history and showing glimpses of his plan for salvation .
And to me that was beautiful , breathtaking , astounding and refreshing .
I saw a God who was willing to work through people ’ s messes , who was willing to work with human choices .
I saw a God who is sovereign , a God who works through the barrenness , the lies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the imprisonment to still bring about the Messiah .
For me to zoom out and look at God ’ s grand plan for humanity through the book of Genesis was truly astounding .
And in so doing I fell in love with this good and gracious King , a kind and merciful Father , a compassionate covenant-keeping God , who remembers his covenant for generations .
Through the pages of Genesis I came face-to-face with a powerful , sovereign , loving God and I came away breathless , gasping for joy , drowning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ juggles her various roles as a wife and mother of three kids .
Her biggest role is to support her husband in ministry , bringing stability into a demanding ministry environment .
She has a heart for underprivileged women and has served with commercial sex workers and women in situations of exploitation and abuse .
She is also theologically trained with an MA in Christianity from SAIACS .
She is joyful all the time and never tires of hosting people in her home .

When the lockdown began in India, I was in warrior mode. I said to myself, “Let’s do this! You’ve got this. Just three weeks and this will all blow over. Everything will be back to normal and life will go on as usual.” Yeah, right! I wish. And then there was the first extension of the lockdown and the second and the third and I lost count after that.
By the time we hit the middle of May I was exhausted from everything moving online so quickly. I was exhausted from doing the house work and teaching kids and cooking and refereeing fights and keeping myself sane. I was simply worn out, burned out and at the end of the line. I was binge-watching Netflix and overeating. Angry and frustrated, all my heart idols were playing out in various ways. I pulled out of every ministry that I was involved in. I had nothing to give.
A Breath of Fresh Air
Our church had organized various Zoom meetings, Bible studies, morning devotion and noon prayer. So at the beginning of June, I decided to plug into the morning devotion group. That morning devotion time was like a breath of fresh air. I longed for the peace and quiet of the morning when everyone was asleep at home and I could dig into God’s word, drink deep and be satisfied. I longed to share what I learned with the group and I enjoyed learning from their perspectives.
The one thing that this group did differently during their quiet time was to look for gospel moments from every chapter that we read. I joined them when they were studying the book of Genesis. From chapter one until chapter 50 this group faithfully preached the gospel to me through the book of Genesis. And oh it was refreshing, reassuring, calming and soothing — warming my soul. God knew that was exactly what I needed during that time. My gospel lens needed to be adjusted.
Judah and Tamar
For example when we started reading Genesis 38, the story of Judah and Tamar, this is what I thought … “Lord what can I get out of this story? Judah and Tamar? Really Lord? Why is the Old Testament so messy? How can I find a gospel moment from this chapter? Why is this story sandwiched between Joseph’s life story? God why didn’t you choose Joseph’s lineage for your family line?” These were the questions that were in my mind when I started reading Genesis 38. And these are the answers I found. I realized that God is just and holy. He cannot tolerate sin. He’s a God who sees. Sometimes when I see wickedness around me, I think, “God don’t you see all this?” But this chapter shows me that I worship a God who sees. I thank God that this story is in the Bible because as messy as it is, it gives me hope that God works through our messes to bring glory and honor to His name. He uses Judah and Tamar in his genealogy to bring about the Son of God. What an awesome God!
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When I was trying to look for a gospel moment in this chapter I saw that Judah leaves his seal and chord and staff as a pledge with a prostitute for just a one night stand, for just a fling — just uses her and leaves. But Jesus is the perfect bridegroom and in Ephesians we see that he calls the church his bride and he never leaves us nor forsakes us and he has sealed us with his Holy Spirit and we are his. So even though I was the prostitute in this story, Jesus still is the perfect bridegroom who never leaves me. He doesn’t walk away from the relationship. That was the gospel moment for me from this story.
The Bad and the Good
I had always viewed the Bible as God’s word filled with “good” stories and “good” values and doctrines and everything that was in the Bible was only “good”. But through the book of Genesis I saw some “bad” stories. Some truly mean and wicked people. Some atrocious acts. Heinous crimes, rape and murder, lust and impulse, outright lies and major cover ups. Some that I would have definitely omitted if I were writing the Bible. God however, in his sovereignty, allowed the “bad” stories to be part of his “good” book. And through that showed me his grand plan for salvation right from the beginning.
I always thought that the God of the Old Testament was an angry God, quick to judge and swift to punish. Instead, I saw a merciful God, kind and compassionate. I saw the Grand Weaver at work, weaving the tapestry of human history and showing glimpses of his plan for salvation. And to me that was beautiful, breathtaking, astounding and refreshing. I saw a God who was willing to work through people’s messes, who was willing to work with human choices. I saw a God who is sovereign, a God who works through the barrenness, the lies, the deception, the pit and the imprisonment to still bring about the Messiah.
Zoom Out
For me to zoom out and look at God’s grand plan for humanity through the book of Genesis was truly astounding. And in so doing I fell in love with this good and gracious King, a kind and merciful Father, a compassionate covenant-keeping God, who remembers his covenant for generations. Through the pages of Genesis I came face-to-face with a powerful, sovereign, loving God and I came away breathless, gasping for joy, drowning in his goodness.
Deepa David skillfully juggles her various roles as a wife and mother of three kids. Her biggest role is to support her husband in ministry, bringing stability into a demanding ministry environment. She has a heart for underprivileged women and has served with commercial sex workers and women in situations of exploitation and abuse. She is also theologically trained with an MA in Christianity from SAIACS. She is joyful all the time and never tires of hosting people in her home.
Originally published at IndiAanya.com. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-08-17--Military Photo of the Day: Refueling Over the Promised Land

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II and Israeli air force aircraft approach a U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender to @ @ @ @ @ over southern Israel on August 2 , 2020 .
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A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II and Israeli air force aircraft approach a U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender to refuel during a training exercise over southern Israel on August 2, 2020.
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thestream--2020-08-17--The Real Way Kamala Harris Can Keep Biden Out of the Presidency

Kimberly Strassel ’ s right about the phoniness of Kamala ’ s “ that little girl was me ” moment .
And wrong about everything else .
And so is the conservative attempt to portray Harris as a lightweight .
Writing in the Wall Street Journal , the newspaper ’ s “ Potomac Watch ” columnist begins : “ The Democratic nominee had the opportunity to name a competent female running mate , one who would excite his base and reassure undecided voters .
He instead chose California Sen. Kamala Harris , the definition of political mediocrity.
” I take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as I wrote on The Stream four days ago .
She may be a political mediocrity , with a newly manufactured reputation , but that ’ s not the reason she ’ ll help or hurt Biden .
Ridiculous , But So What ?
Yes , Kamala was a ridiculously cautious public official .
Strassel notes that “ If commentators are now struggling to define Ms. Harris , it ’ s because she offers little that is truly defining .
… In her 3½ Senate years , she ’ s done little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showboat at hearings.
” So what ?
So was Obama , who set records for voting “ present ” in the legislature .
It didn ’ t slow him down .
Indeed , it accelerated his climb up the ladder , as it has for her .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Yes , she ran a lousy campaign for President .
“ This is the same woman the media and Democrats rightly skewered in 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and disorganized presidential campaigns this cycle , ” Strassel writes .
So what ?
A different set of people will be running the Biden-Harris campaign and her role will largely be relegated to following orders .
And , finally , yes , the Democratic base doesn ’ t like her .
“ Ms .
Harris has alienated key elements of her party , in particular progressives , ” Strassel writes .
“ In a poll this week by the Economist/YouGov , Ms. Harris was viewed favorably by only half of African-Americans and very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But they have to like her .
They ’ ll talk themselves into it .
As Strassel herself admits : “ The media and Democrats this week can ’ t roll out enough praise for the veep pick : She ’ s brilliant , savvy , seasoned , vetted , smooth , forceful , appealing , authentic , powerful , a fighter.
” The Right does itself a disservice by dismissing Kamala , thinking she ’ s not a threat .
And even were I to emphasize the ways in which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not be as Strassel does .
She thinks Harris will make bad mistakes , that Trump will define her as “ a Bernie Sanders liberal , ” and many will reject her for her attack on Brett Kavanaugh .
Maybe , but those aren ’ t the big way she can damage Biden ’ s chances to be president .
That ’ s her effect on the white working class in the rust best states .
As I wrote here last year , this election will rise or fall with them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrible pick Kamala is for the demographic Biden most needs to win back to win the White House .
Trump ’ s tax cut was a good thing and the economy was doing well , back then .
The question we needed to ask then was the one we have to ask now : Do the guys in the rust belt states who put Trump over the top in 2016 feel it ?
Are their lives improving ?
Are the jobs coming back ?
Do they think their kids ’ lives will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expectancies growing again instead of shrinking ?
Are fewer of them dying of drug overdoses and suicides ?
Trump won an electoral college victory thanks to rust belt states that hadn ’ t gone Republican for president since the 1980s .
He was the first Republican in decades to offer an economic message that appealed to them and not just to the Chamber of Commerce crowd .
But a lot of those states swung back to the Democrats in 2018 .
Most are natural Democrats who aren ’ t committed to the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver what they expect for him , we will lose them again , and with them the White House and the Senate .
Where are those guys right now ?
Where are their heads at ?
Do they blame Trump for the pandemic and the recession , as Democrats intended them to ?
Do they blame Trump for not keeping peace in the streets , as Tucker Carlson warned ?
If so , Trump ’ s a goner .
Or do they remember how good things got under Trump right before the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for the riots and the disorder ?
Do they see the Democrats as the party of the cultural coastal elites ?
If they do , then Kamala really was the worst possible choice for Biden .
She will serve only to remind the white working class why they voted for Trump in the first place : all that cultural hostility , that condescension , that “ deplorables ” talk .
They will know they are the targets of the Left ’ s aggression and they will respond in 2020 as they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case against Kamala .
Not that she ’ s a lightweight .
Obama was a lightweight too .
Until he wasn ’ t .
Peter Wolfgang is president of Family Institute of Connecticut Action .
He lives in Waterbury , Connecticut , with his wife and their seven children .
The views expressed on The Stream are solely his own .

Kimberly Strassel’s right about the phoniness of Kamala’s “that little girl was me” moment. And wrong about everything else. And so is the conservative attempt to portray Harris as a lightweight.
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, the newspaper’s “Potomac Watch” columnist begins: “The Democratic nominee had the opportunity to name a competent female running mate, one who would excite his base and reassure undecided voters. He instead chose California Sen. Kamala Harris, the definition of political mediocrity.”
I take a very different view of her potential, as I wrote on The Stream four days ago. She may be a political mediocrity, with a newly manufactured reputation, but that’s not the reason she’ll help or hurt Biden.
Ridiculous, But So What?
Yes, Kamala was a ridiculously cautious public official. Strassel notes that “If commentators are now struggling to define Ms. Harris, it’s because she offers little that is truly defining. … In her 3½ Senate years, she’s done little by way of legislation, preferring to showboat at hearings.”
So what? So was Obama, who set records for voting “present” in the legislature. It didn’t slow him down. Indeed, it accelerated his climb up the ladder, as it has for her.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Yes, she ran a lousy campaign for President. “This is the same woman the media and Democrats rightly skewered in 2019 for running one of the most bungled and disorganized presidential campaigns this cycle,” Strassel writes. So what? A different set of people will be running the Biden-Harris campaign and her role will largely be relegated to following orders.
And, finally, yes, the Democratic base doesn’t like her. “Ms. Harris has alienated key elements of her party, in particular progressives,” Strassel writes. “In a poll this week by the Economist/YouGov, Ms. Harris was viewed favorably by only half of African-Americans and very favorably by only 26% of liberals.”
But they have to like her. They’ll talk themselves into it. As Strassel herself admits: “The media and Democrats this week can’t roll out enough praise for the veep pick: She’s brilliant, savvy, seasoned, vetted, smooth, forceful, appealing, authentic, powerful, a fighter.”
Harris’s Real Effect
The Right does itself a disservice by dismissing Kamala, thinking she’s not a threat. And even were I to emphasize the ways in which the pick could backfire on Biden, it would not be as Strassel does. She thinks Harris will make bad mistakes, that Trump will define her as “a Bernie Sanders liberal,” and many will reject her for her attack on Brett Kavanaugh.
Maybe, but those aren’t the big way she can damage Biden’s chances to be president. That’s her effect on the white working class in the rust best states. As I wrote here last year, this election will rise or fall with them. I would zero in on what a terrible pick Kamala is for the demographic Biden most needs to win back to win the White House.
Trump’s tax cut was a good thing and the economy was doing well, back then. The question we needed to ask then was the one we have to ask now: Do the guys in the rust belt states who put Trump over the top in 2016 feel it? Are their lives improving? Are the jobs coming back? Do they think their kids’ lives will be better than theirs? Are their life expectancies growing again instead of shrinking? Are fewer of them dying of drug overdoses and suicides?
Trump won an electoral college victory thanks to rust belt states that hadn’t gone Republican for president since the 1980s. He was the first Republican in decades to offer an economic message that appealed to them and not just to the Chamber of Commerce crowd.
But a lot of those states swung back to the Democrats in 2018. Most are natural Democrats who aren’t committed to the Republican candidate. If Trump doesn’t deliver what they expect for him, we will lose them again, and with them the White House and the Senate.
Harris v. the White Working Class
Where are those guys right now? Where are their heads at? Do they blame Trump for the pandemic and the recession, as Democrats intended them to? Do they blame Trump for not keeping peace in the streets, as Tucker Carlson warned? If so, Trump’s a goner.
Or do they remember how good things got under Trump right before the pandemic hit? Do they hold the Left responsible for the riots and the disorder? Do they see the Democrats as the party of the cultural coastal elites?
If they do, then Kamala really was the worst possible choice for Biden. She will serve only to remind the white working class why they voted for Trump in the first place: all that cultural hostility, that condescension, that “deplorables” talk. They will know they are the targets of the Left’s aggression and they will respond in 2020 as they did in 2016.
That’s the case against Kamala. Not that she’s a lightweight.
Obama was a lightweight too. Until he wasn’t.
Peter Wolfgang is president of Family Institute of Connecticut Action. He lives in Waterbury, Connecticut, with his wife and their seven children. The views expressed on The Stream are solely his own.


thestream--2020-08-17--Democratic Convention Starts Tonight, But Big Star AOC Is Pushed to the Sideline

The Democratic Convention gets underway today in Milwaukee .
Barring a last-minute fake out , the presumptive nominee Joe Biden will not be there .
He ’ ll be delivering his acceptance speech from his home state of Delaware .
That ’ s not too much of a surprise .
If Biden spent any more time cocooned he ’ d morph into a butterfly .
What is surprising is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is mostly being silenced .
She ’ s reportedly getting a minute .
That ’ s nothing .
That ’ s two My Pillow commercials .
Given her power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in shaping the policy “ compromise ” between Biden and Sanders , not having AOC featured at the DNC Convention is like not having engines at a car show .
It ’ s like not bringing a basketball to the NBA playoff bubble .
It ’ s presenting a fraud .
Does anyone really , truly think the bitter , ex-Republican governor of Ohio , John Kasich , is a more important voice in the Democratic Party than the captain of The Squad ?
Yet , despite a CBS poll showing only 38 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , while 60 % want to hear from AOC , Kasich gets to sacrifice whatever dignity he once had to spout off against Trump .
He gets a prime time gig , while the straw-that-stirs-the-Democratic-drink is iced out .
You have to understand the tough fix the Democratic National Committee is in this week : On one hand , they have to camouflage the radicalism of their socialist , anti-cop , anti-energy , pro-riot , pro-ANTIFA positions so normal American voters won ’ t be scared to death .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ painting Kamala Harris as a “ pragmatic moderate , ” even though she ’ s embraced enough radical policy positions to make a Berkeley professor blush .
That ’ s why you won ’ t be hearing Squad member Ayanna Pressley in prime time doing what she did this weekend , calling for “ unrest in the streets.
” On the other hand , the party has to make sure the radicals are appeased , or else Milwaukee could make Portland look like Peoria .
“ There are people that are really disappointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are certainly going to be a number of restive elements among Bernie Sanders delegates , ” Neil Sroka , communications director for the progressive group Democracy for America , acknowledged to Fox News .
What ’ s “ restive elements ” mean ?
Bernie delegates can figuratively blow up the convention .
( Even as it ’ s held virtually . )
Raise a ruckus like drunks at a Toby Keith concert , like they did in 2016 .
Outside , the radicals might not be so figurative .
Remember how paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other cities if they were wronged again ?
Then there ’ s the thugs of ANTIFA .
The ANTIFA gangs are wrecking other major cities , why wouldn ’ t they take their show to Milwaukee ?
It ’ s hard to imagine anarchists who want to do away with prisons singing “ Hallelujah ” about a Biden-Harris ticket whose most notable accomplishments are tossing people of color in prison ?
The Democrats have no interest in condemning violence , no desire to control violence .
And even when , too late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence , they ’ ve proven incompetent .
I pray this week doesn ’ t turn into Chicago 1968 .
But we shouldn ’ t be surprised if it does .
“ Uniting America ” ?
When Calling Half of America ‘ Haters ’ and ‘ Fascists ’ ?
Sure , we ’ ll see speeches from assorted Democratic characters .
Harris will have her moment Wednesday .
And Biden will muddle through his speech Thursday .
But the real star of the Democratic Convention will be President Trump .
While the official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the real slogan is “ Orange Man Bad.
” The underlying message will be , “ Sure , we know Biden ’ s so far gone he can ’ t even be tracked by NASA , but let ’ s get rid of Big Bad Orange and we ’ ll worry about Biden at noon January 20th.
” Four days of trying to hurt Trump .
Good luck finding five minutes of how they ’ re going to help you .
ABC News says one of the main themes is going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So despite the virus and the new-fangled technology , some things about the Democratic Convention haven ’ t changed .
The 1868 slogan for the Democratic National Convention was “ This is a White Man ’ s Country , Let White Men Rule.
” COVID-19 has severely restricted convention activities .
So the DNC is throwing a “ Convention Across America , ” a mostly virtual event that will involve all 57 states and territories .
The DNC is staging four nights of prime time convention programming , running from 9 pm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ night will contain Democratic star-power .
Monday will feature Bernie Sanders , former First Lady Michelle Obama , and fresh of his sentencing thousands of seniors to death , New York governor Andrew Cuomo .
Tuesday will feature Jill Biden , AOC ’ s quick hit , and fresh off being named in the Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell case , Bill Clinton .
And for Thursday ’ s big finale : Joe Biden and the Biden Family .
Plot twist : Will the night include Hunter Biden ?
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ JZmirak , of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration .
You can follow him at @ StreamingAl .
And if you aren ’ t already , please follow The Stream at @ Streamdotorg .

The Democratic Convention gets underway today in Milwaukee. Barring a last-minute fake out, the presumptive nominee Joe Biden will not be there. He’ll be delivering his acceptance speech from his home state of Delaware.
That’s not too much of a surprise. If Biden spent any more time cocooned he’d morph into a butterfly.
What is surprising is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is mostly being silenced. She’s reportedly getting a minute. That’s nothing. That’s two My Pillow commercials. Given her power in the party, given her role in shaping the policy “compromise” between Biden and Sanders, not having AOC featured at the DNC Convention is like not having engines at a car show. It’s like not bringing a basketball to the NBA playoff bubble. It’s presenting a fraud.
Does anyone really, truly think the bitter, ex-Republican governor of Ohio, John Kasich, is a more important voice in the Democratic Party than the captain of The Squad? Yet, despite a CBS poll showing only 38% of Democrats want to hear from him, while 60% want to hear from AOC, Kasich gets to sacrifice whatever dignity he once had to spout off against Trump. He gets a prime time gig, while the straw-that-stirs-the-Democratic-drink is iced out.
The Balancing Act
You have to understand the tough fix the Democratic National Committee is in this week: On the one hand, they have to camouflage the radicalism of their socialist, anti-cop, anti-energy, pro-riot, pro-ANTIFA positions so normal American voters won’t be scared to death. That’s why leadership and their media allies are painting Kamala Harris as a “pragmatic moderate,” even though she’s embraced enough radical policy positions to make a Berkeley professor blush. That’s why you won’t be hearing Squad member Ayanna Pressley in prime time doing what she did this weekend, calling for “unrest in the streets.”
Here’s the link for the entire convention schedule.
On the other hand, the party has to make sure the radicals are appeased, or else Milwaukee could make Portland look like Peoria.
“There are people that are really disappointed in how the primary came out and there are certainly going to be a number of restive elements among Bernie Sanders delegates,” Neil Sroka, communications director for the progressive group Democracy for America, acknowledged to Fox News.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
What’s “restive elements” mean? Bernie delegates can figuratively blow up the convention. (Even as it’s held virtually.) Raise a ruckus like drunks at a Toby Keith concert, like they did in 2016. Outside, the radicals might not be so figurative. Remember how paid Sanders staffers promised to burn down Milwaukee and other cities if they were wronged again? Then there’s the thugs of ANTIFA. The ANTIFA gangs are wrecking other major cities, why wouldn’t they take their show to Milwaukee? It’s hard to imagine anarchists who want to do away with prisons singing “Hallelujah” about a Biden-Harris ticket whose most notable accomplishments are tossing people of color in prison?
The Democrats have no interest in condemning violence, no desire to control violence. And even when, too late, and they decided to act against violence, they’ve proven incompetent. I pray this week doesn’t turn into Chicago 1968. But we shouldn’t be surprised if it does.
“Uniting America”? When Calling Half of America “Haters” and “Fascists”?
Sure, we’ll see speeches from assorted Democratic characters. Harris will have her moment Wednesday. And Biden will muddle through his speech Thursday. But the real star of the Democratic Convention will be President Trump.
While the official slogan is “Uniting America”, the real slogan is “Orange Man Bad.” The underlying message will be, “Sure, we know Biden’s so far gone he can’t even be tracked by NASA, but let’s get rid of Big Bad Orange and we’ll worry about Biden at noon January 20th.”
Four days of trying to hurt Trump. Good luck finding five minutes of how they’re going to help you.
ABC News says one of the main themes is going to be the current national discussion of race. So despite the virus and the new-fangled technology, some things about the Democratic Convention haven’t changed. The 1868 slogan for the Democratic National Convention was “This is a White Man’s Country, Let White Men Rule.”
The Fact Sheet
COVID-19 has severely restricted convention activities. So the DNC is throwing a “Convention Across America,” a mostly virtual event that will involve all 57 states and territories.
The DNC is staging four nights of prime time convention programming, running from 9 pm. to 11 pm. eastern. Each night will contain Democratic star-power.
Monday will feature Bernie Sanders, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and fresh of his sentencing thousands of seniors to death, New York governor Andrew Cuomo.
Tuesday will feature Jill Biden, AOC’s quick hit, and fresh off being named in the Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell case, Bill Clinton.
Wednesday features Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and VP nominee Kamala Harris.
And for Thursday’s big finale: Joe Biden and the Biden Family. Plot twist: Will the night include Hunter Biden?
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.


thestream--2020-08-17--‘I Was Trying to Get Out the Way’: Portland Protesters Attacked a Man and Woman After Their Truck Cr

‘I Was Trying to Get Out the Way’: Portland Protesters Attacked a Man and Woman After Their Truck Crashed

Protesters attacked a man and a woman in Portland , Oregon , Sunday night around 10:30 p.m. , the New York Post reported .
Protesters surrounded the man ’ s truck before attacking him and a woman , the Post reported .
The man reportedly hit a light pole while attempting to drive away from the protesters who chased his truck .
The mob drug the man out of his truck and beat him on the ground until he was unconscious , the Post reported .
The protesters allegedly hit the woman before tackling her to the ground .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , ” the man told the protesters , the Post reported .
“ I was trying to get out the way , ” the man added .
“ He didn ’ t do nothing , ” someone said as the man was punched while still sitting in his truck , the Post reported .
Editor ’ s note : the video contains profanity and graphic imagery of an unconscious man who has been assaulted .
As protesters reportedly left to watch another altercation , someone kicked the man in the back of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post reported .
“ What the f— is you talkin ’ about n—– , ” the protester said to the unconscious man , according to the Post .
Videos of the incident show the man lying unconscious and bleeding from the back of his head while protesters reportedly held back a crying woman and went through his truck , the Post reported .
A hostile crowd met Portland police officers at the scene of the incident , according to a statement issued by the Bureau .
The man sustained serious injuries and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

Protesters attacked a man and a woman in Portland, Oregon, Sunday night around 10:30 p.m., the New York Post reported.
Protesters surrounded the man’s truck before attacking him and a woman, the Post reported. The man reportedly hit a light pole while attempting to drive away from the protesters who chased his truck.
The mob drug the man out of his truck and beat him on the ground until he was unconscious, the Post reported. The protesters allegedly hit the woman before tackling her to the ground.
“I ain’t tryna hurt no one,” the man told the protesters, the Post reported. “I was trying to get out the way,” the man added.
“He didn’t do nothing,” someone said as the man was punched while still sitting in his truck, the Post reported.
Editor’s note: the video contains profanity and graphic imagery of an unconscious man who has been assaulted.
GRAPHIC: With the streets in downtown Portland occupied by BLM & antifa rioters, a man crashed his car. The mob pulled him out & beat him senseless in front of the passenger. He’s bleeding & unconscious. No police. Video by @livesmattershow. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/jjnt5dUeb8 — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 17, 2020
As protesters reportedly left to watch another altercation, someone kicked the man in the back of the head rendering him unconscious, the Post reported.
“What the f— is you talkin’ about n—–,” the protester said to the unconscious man, according to the Post.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Videos of the incident show the man lying unconscious and bleeding from the back of his head while protesters reportedly held back a crying woman and went through his truck, the Post reported.
A hostile crowd met Portland police officers at the scene of the incident, according to a statement issued by the Bureau. The man sustained serious injuries and was taken to the hospital.
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--2020-08-17--‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Phil Robertson is Baptizing Fans: ‘They Just Keep Coming’

Phil Robertson hasn ’ t slowed down since the family ’ s hit show Duck Dynasty went off-the-air in 2017 , with the reality TV star hosting a popular podcast called Unashamed , a TV show titled , In the Woods and penning books like Jesus Politics : How to Win Back the Soul of America .
But despite continued success and all that comes along with it , Robertson , 74 , hasn ’ t moved away from his first priority : helping others discover faith .
“ All we ’ re doing is we ’ re reaching out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re telling them to love their God , repent and turn to God , walk like Jesus did , ” Robertson told the Edifi With Billy Hallowell podcast .
“ Love God and love your neighbor … I do not see the downside to that.
” And the impact of Robertson ’ s work is quite stunning , as he said his Unashamed podcast has encouraged groups of people to visit his small town of West Monroe , Louisiana , to be baptized .
“ They ’ re coming from that podcast … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last three days — they ’ ve come all the way down here , ” he said .
“ And I ’ ve baptized that whole little crew .
Well , it ’ s that way every day or two .
They just keep coming.
” Listen to Robertson discuss this powerful reality as well as his take on President Donald Trump ’ s faith : Robertson has also taken his Christian message straight to Trump , revealing the details of a conversation he had with president during a private meeting before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I reached in my pocket and I pulled out a diagram of the gospel , an arrow coming down out of heaven — God becoming flesh — the cross , the tomb , and an arrow coming out of the tomb and the last arrow coming back down to earth , ” Robertson said .
“ I said , ‘ Whatever happens , Trump , don ’ t miss this.
” Trump , who seemed genuinely interested , asked , “ What is this ?
” And that ’ s when Robertson dove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesus and salvation , telling Trump , “ He died for Donald Trump ’ s sins.
” Robertson noted that Trump asked if he could keep the gospel diagram , to which Robertson obviously said “ yes.
” And that wasn ’ t the last time the two spoke , as Robertson said he later gave Trump some Bible verses and spoke more about the power of scripture .
“ I ’ m convinced he ’ s put his faith in Jesus and I ’ m convinced he ’ s a brother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president is a work in progress .
All that aside , Robertson said life is really all about loving God and loving others , and he lamented the current state of affairs and the “ mayhem ” that has broken out .
“ We ’ re at a tipping point and the forces of evil are going up against the forces of good , ” he said .
Listen to the full interview with Robertson on Edifi With Billy Hallowell and hear more of Robertson ’ s perspective in his new book , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published on Pure Flix Insider .
Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows .
You can get a free trial here .

Phil Robertson hasn’t slowed down since the family’s hit show Duck Dynasty went off-the-air in 2017, with the reality TV star hosting a popular podcast called Unashamed, a TV show titled, In the Woods and penning books like Jesus Politics: How to Win Back the Soul of America.
But despite continued success and all that comes along with it, Robertson, 74, hasn’t moved away from his first priority: helping others discover faith.
“All we’re doing is we’re reaching out to our neighbor, and we’re telling them to love their God, repent and turn to God, walk like Jesus did,” Robertson told the Edifi With Billy Hallowell podcast. “Love God and love your neighbor … I do not see the downside to that.”
And the impact of Robertson’s work is quite stunning, as he said his Unashamed podcast has encouraged groups of people to visit his small town of West Monroe, Louisiana, to be baptized.
“They’re coming from that podcast … about nine or maybe 10 in the last three days — they’ve come all the way down here,” he said. “And I’ve baptized that whole little crew. Well, it’s that way every day or two. They just keep coming.”
Listen to Robertson discuss this powerful reality as well as his take on President Donald Trump’s faith:
Robertson has also taken his Christian message straight to Trump, revealing the details of a conversation he had with president during a private meeting before the commander-in-chief’s 2016 election.
“I reached in my pocket and I pulled out a diagram of the gospel, an arrow coming down out of heaven — God becoming flesh — the cross, the tomb, and an arrow coming out of the tomb and the last arrow coming back down to earth,” Robertson said. “I said, ‘Whatever happens, Trump, don’t miss this.”
Trump, who seemed genuinely interested, asked, “What is this?” And that’s when Robertson dove into the Bible’s message about Jesus and salvation, telling Trump, “He died for Donald Trump’s sins.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Robertson noted that Trump asked if he could keep the gospel diagram, to which Robertson obviously said “yes.” And that wasn’t the last time the two spoke, as Robertson said he later gave Trump some Bible verses and spoke more about the power of scripture.
“I’m convinced he’s put his faith in Jesus and I’m convinced he’s a brother,” Robertson said, adding that the president is a work in progress.
All that aside, Robertson said life is really all about loving God and loving others, and he lamented the current state of affairs and the “mayhem” that has broken out.
“We’re at a tipping point and the forces of evil are going up against the forces of good,” he said.
Listen to the full interview with Robertson on Edifi With Billy Hallowell and hear more of Robertson’s perspective in his new book, Jesus Politics.
This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free trial here.


thestream--2020-08-17--49 Shot in 72 Hours in New York City as Violence Continues to Surge

Over four dozen were shot and multiple people were killed over the weekend in New York City as violence continues to rise .
A total of 49 people were shot throughout the five boroughs from Thursday to Sunday and at least five people were killed , police told CBS New York .
Twenty-three of the injuries came on Saturday alone in 20 separate gunfire incidents , the local outlet reported .
An off-duty corrections officer and a 47-year-old father of two were pronounced dead during the violent weekend , according to CBS New York .
Shootings are nearly double what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city has recorded 888 gunfire incidents so far in 2020 compared to 488 during the same time frame , the local affiliate reported .
President Donald Trump alluded to federal intervention in the city after learning about the weekend ’ s shooting totals , according to a Sunday tweet .
The month of July saw a 177 % increase in shootings , a 59 % increase in murders and precipitous increases in both auto theft and burglary when compared to 2019 , according to NYPD crime statistics .
Shootings were up 130 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after unrest spurred by the death of George Floyd , who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes , video showed .
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 .

Over four dozen were shot and multiple people were killed over the weekend in New York City as violence continues to rise.
A total of 49 people were shot throughout the five boroughs from Thursday to Sunday and at least five people were killed, police told CBS New York. Twenty-three of the injuries came on Saturday alone in 20 separate gunfire incidents, the local outlet reported.
An off-duty corrections officer and a 47-year-old father of two were pronounced dead during the violent weekend, according to CBS New York. Shootings are nearly double what they were in 2019, as the city has recorded 888 gunfire incidents so far in 2020 compared to 488 during the same time frame, the local affiliate reported.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
President Donald Trump alluded to federal intervention in the city after learning about the weekend’s shooting totals, according to a Sunday tweet.
The month of July saw a 177% increase in shootings, a 59% increase in murders and precipitous increases in both auto theft and burglary when compared to 2019, according to NYPD crime statistics.
Shootings were up 130% in June and 64% in May after unrest spurred by the death of George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes, video showed.
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--2020-08-17--Christians, We Must Unite in This War: My Interview With Jack Hibbs

Jack Hibbs , Founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills , says that despite all the negative news @ @ @ @ @ lately , he believes that his home state is on the cusp of revival .
@ @ @ @ @ this is an epic moment for the Church all across our nation .
We must @ @ @ @ @ and we must choose : wisdom or insanity , freedom or destruction .
Please watch @ @ @ @ @ is still working mightily today .
You can view all the videos in this interview @ @ @ @ @ is The Stream ’ s founder and publisher .
He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach @ @ @ @ @ Today .
He ’ s the author of many books , including Indivisible ( with @ @ @ @ @ Amazed .

Jack Hibbs, Founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, says that despite all the negative news we hear coming from California lately, he believes that his home state is on the cusp of revival.
Today we talk about how this is an epic moment for the Church all across our nation. We must face this moment together, and we must choose: wisdom or insanity, freedom or destruction. Please watch and be encouraged that God is still working mightily today.
You can view all the videos in this interview series here.
James Robison is The Stream’s founder and publisher. He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today. He’s the author of many books, including Indivisible (with Jay Richards) and Living Amazed.


thestream--2020-08-17--Solzhenitsyn’s ‘Live Not By Lies’  — A Call to Courage and Truth for Today

Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote a short essay in February , 1974 , titled “ Live Not By Lies.
” That same day , secret police broke into his apartment , and the next day he was exiled .
I thought I ’ d sit down and re-write it as it might fit America today instead of the Soviet Union in the mid-20th century .
What I discovered was disturbing : Most of it needed no rewriting .
The whole Western world today sits under a tyranny of lies .
If our situation is less dire than Solzhenitsyn ’ s 50 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least heading in the same fatal direction .
Let ’ s remind ourselves of the situation here in America .
A whole political party is pushing the same socialism that ’ s destroyed freedoms across half the globe .
It ’ s not just that party , though , but an entire “ progressive ” establishment .
And it ’ s doing it on the basis of lies .
They say they can provide free health care and free college to all .
That ’ s a lie .
They say sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious freedom .
That ’ s a lie .
They dehumanize us all , saying we ’ re no different from any other life ; we ’ re all born out of the slime , and the animals and the rivers and the trees are worth as much dignity as a human .
That ’ s a lie .
They say that the “ peace ” of a disarmed people is better than freedom .
That ’ s a lie .
They say the mobs in Portland and Seattle are “ mostly peaceful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They say we ’ re better off without police .
That ’ s a lie .
They say the answer to racism is to shame every white person .
That ’ s a lie .
They say God is not real , and even if He is , He doesn ’ t mind what we do , since “ thou shalt not judge.
” That ’ s the lie at the root of all the lies .
How Shall We Resist ?
A Lesson from a Soviet Dissident These are some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atmosphere like Noah ’ s rainfall , with as deadly effect .
And how shall we escape being drowned ?
Alexander Solzhenitsyn asked a question like that , and his answers was , “ Live Not By Lies.
” Here I rewrite portions of that essay to bring it forward to 21st century America .
The italicized portions are direct quotes from the original , the rest is my feeble attempt to imitate the great dissident writer ’ s style while bringing the facts up to date .
Live Not By Lies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our conservative spaces on the internet ; there we sit in our living rooms watching church on the screen .
Everywhere the question ricochets around the walls of our conservative self-enclosures : What kind of tricks are they playing on us ?
Propping up mob violence .
Fanning up internal division .
It will be we who will have to defend ourselves , and is there any way out ?
How long until they put sane people in asylums ?
Things have almost reached rock bottom .
A universal spiritual death has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death will soon flare up and consume us both and our children — but as before , we still smile in a cowardly way and mumble with our tongues tied .
But what can we do to stop it ?
Haven ’ t we the strength ?
We have been so hopelessly dehumanized that for the sake of maintaining a false peace , insecure comfort , and our proud conceit that we can control every outcome , we are willing to abandon all our principles , our souls , and all the efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our descendants — but just don ’ t disturb our fragile existence .
We lack staunchness , pride and enthusiasm .
Thus we fear a virus , we fear criticism , we fear being labeled ; we take refuge in the crevices .
And we fear acts of civil courage .
[ Is it not striking , how much of Solzhenitsyn ’ s language while under Soviet rule can be applied to us here today ? ]
We fear to lag behind the herd and to take a step alone , and suddenly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from our jobs or losing our businesses as “ haters.
” We have been indoctrinated in our schools and our universities , and in just the same way was fostered the idea to live comfortably , and all will be well for the rest of our lives .
You can ’ t escape your environment and social conditions .
… We can ’ t do anything about it .
But we can — everything .
But we lie to ourselves for assurance .
And it is not they who are to blame for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only we .
One can object : … Gags have been stuffed into our mouths ; they own all the media .
Nobody wants to listen to us and nobody asks us .
How can we force them to listen ?
It is impossible to change their minds .
It would be natural to vote them out of office , but it is not the office-holders as much as the influencers elsewhere , and the lies they tell , that are responsible for the mind of the nation .
And now Solzhenitsyn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our day so closely I could just copy and paste them here .
There ’ s a limit to how much one can do that , though , so I urge you to read what he wrote , beginning with “ Now that the axes have done their work , ” and continuing through , “ It ’ s dangerous .
But let us refuse to say that which we do not think.
” And then Solzhenitsyn calls on each one of us to make a choice : Whether consciously , to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is not out of inclination , but to feed one ’ s family , that one raises his children in the spirit of lies — or to shrug off the lies and become an honest man worthy of respect both by one ’ s children and contemporaries .
To close I quote two more short paragraphs : But there are no loopholes for anybody who wants to be honest .
On any given day any one of us will be confronted with at least one of the above-mentioned choices .
… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independence or toward spiritual servitude .
And he who is not sufficiently courageous even to defend his soul — don ’ t let him be proud of his “ progressive ” views , don ’ t let him boast that he is an academician or a people ’ s artist , a merited figure , or a general — let him say to himself : I am in the herd , and a coward .
It ’ s all the same to me as long as I ’ m fed and warm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ EvolutionNews.com , who pointed me toward Solzhenitsyn ’ s essay .
I recommend you read Egnor ’ s response to it as well .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote a short essay in February, 1974, titled “Live Not By Lies.” That same day, secret police broke into his apartment, and the next day he was exiled. I thought I’d sit down and re-write it as it might fit America today instead of the Soviet Union in the mid-20th century. What I discovered was disturbing: Most of it needed no rewriting. The whole Western world today sits under a tyranny of lies. If our situation is less dire than Solzhenitsyn’s 50 or more years ago, it’s at least heading in the same fatal direction.
Let’s remind ourselves of the situation here in America. A whole political party is pushing the same socialism that’s destroyed freedoms across half the globe. It’s not just that party, though, but an entire “progressive” establishment. And it’s doing it on the basis of lies.
Lie Upon Lie
They say they can provide free health care and free college to all. That’s a lie.
They say sexual freedoms are better and more important than religious freedom. That’s a lie.
They dehumanize unborn babies. That’s a lie.
They dehumanize us all, saying we’re no different from any other life; we’re all born out of the slime, and the animals and the rivers and the trees are worth as much dignity as a human. That’s a lie.
They say that the “peace” of a disarmed people is better than freedom. That’s a lie.
They say the mobs in Portland and Seattle are “mostly peaceful protesters.” That’s a lie.
They say we’re better off without police. That’s a lie.
They say the answer to racism is to shame every white person. That’s a lie.
They say God is not real, and even if He is, He doesn’t mind what we do, since “thou shalt not judge.” That’s the lie at the root of all the lies.
How Shall We Resist? A Lesson from a Soviet Dissident
These are some of the lies soaking us, drenching the atmosphere like Noah’s rainfall, with as deadly effect. And how shall we escape being drowned?
Alexander Solzhenitsyn asked a question like that, and his answers was, “Live Not By Lies.”
Here I rewrite portions of that essay to bring it forward to 21st century America. The italicized portions are direct quotes from the original, the rest is my feeble attempt to imitate the great dissident writer’s style while bringing the facts up to date.
Live Not By Lies, for 21st Century America
Here we sit in our conservative spaces on the internet; there we sit in our living rooms watching church on the screen. Everywhere the question ricochets around the walls of our conservative self-enclosures: What kind of tricks are they playing on us? Propping up mob violence. Fanning up internal division. It will be we who will have to defend ourselves, and is there any way out? How long until they put sane people in asylums?
Things have almost reached rock bottom. A universal spiritual death has already touched us all, and physical death will soon flare up and consume us both and our children — but as before, we still smile in a cowardly way and mumble with our tongues tied. But what can we do to stop it? Haven’t we the strength?
We have been so hopelessly dehumanized that for the sake of maintaining a false peace, insecure comfort, and our proud conceit that we can control every outcome, we are willing to abandon all our principles, our souls, and all the efforts of our predecessors and all opportunities for our descendants — but just don’t disturb our fragile existence. We lack staunchness, pride and enthusiasm. Thus we fear a virus, we fear criticism, we fear being labeled; we take refuge in the crevices. And we fear acts of civil courage.
Fear and Hopelessness?
[Is it not striking, how much of Solzhenitsyn’s language while under Soviet rule can be applied to us here today?]
We fear to lag behind the herd and to take a step alone, and suddenly find ourselves being pushed aside, fired from our jobs or losing our businesses as “haters.”
We have been indoctrinated in our schools and our universities, and in just the same way was fostered the idea to live comfortably, and all will be well for the rest of our lives. You can’t escape your environment and social conditions. … We can’t do anything about it.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
But we can — everything. But we lie to ourselves for assurance. And it is not they who are to blame for everything — it is we ourselves, only we. One can object: … Gags have been stuffed into our mouths; they own all the media. Nobody wants to listen to us and nobody asks us. How can we force them to listen? It is impossible to change their minds.
It would be natural to vote them out of office, but it is not the office-holders as much as the influencers elsewhere, and the lies they tell, that are responsible for the mind of the nation.
Solzhenitsyn Said It
And now Solzhenitsyn’s next dozen or so paragraphs fit our day so closely I could just copy and paste them here. There’s a limit to how much one can do that, though, so I urge you to read what he wrote, beginning with “Now that the axes have done their work,” and continuing through, “It’s dangerous. But let us refuse to say that which we do not think.”
And then Solzhenitsyn calls on each one of us to make a choice:
Whether consciously, to remain a servant of falsehood — of course, it is not out of inclination, but to feed one’s family, that one raises his children in the spirit of lies — or to shrug off the lies and become an honest man worthy of respect both by one’s children and contemporaries.
No Loopholes
To close I quote two more short paragraphs:
But there are no loopholes for anybody who wants to be honest. On any given day any one of us will be confronted with at least one of the above-mentioned choices. … Either truth or falsehood: Toward spiritual independence or toward spiritual servitude.
And he who is not sufficiently courageous even to defend his soul — don’t let him be proud of his “progressive” views, don’t let him boast that he is an academician or a people’s artist, a merited figure, or a general — let him say to himself: I am in the herd, and a coward. It’s all the same to me as long as I’m fed and warm.
With thanks to Dr. Michael Egnor at EvolutionNews.com, who pointed me toward Solzhenitsyn’s essay. I recommend you read Egnor’s response to it as well.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.