thestream--2020-06-26--How Tightly Does the Democratic Party Control the Rioters?

In my last column I wondered who was in the saddle in riot-torn blue cities .
Was it Antifa and Black Lives Matter , or the Democratic Party ?
Does the Democratic National Committee have the power to call the looters in to start urban chaos and shake business leaders down for donations ?
To make President Trump look weak , for tolerating this disorder ?
Or better yet , tempt him to overreact with a blood-soaked crackdown ?
Even more importantly , can the Democrats call off the wolves when things go too far ?
For instance , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city put too much pressure on local Democrats , maybe pushing them to send in National Guardsmen with fixed bayonets ?
That would backfire spectacularly on Democrats , enraging their most unhinged leftist street squads , as happened in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention .
The game of political chicken continues in embattled American cities .
But only those run by Democrats .
Not a single city in a red state , as far as I ’ ve seen , has witnessed extensive rioting .
Here in Dallas ( blue city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beloved Downtown for a single night .
They smashed the front windows of my parish , which serves the homeless .
Then they met the National Guard , which herded them onto buses , and shipped them back out of town .
That fact is suggestive to me .
It suggests that the hard left within the Democratic party is using the mobs to push “ reforms ” it hasn ’ t the political nerve to present the old-fashioned way — you know , via legislation and popular votes .
But a city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the face of a ravening horde ( as in Minneapolis ) , a proposal that in normal times would get laughed at .
And of course , all those torn-down or headless statues sends a powerful message to citizens who don ’ t back the radicals ’ policies .
We have the power to strike you whenever you want .
The cops won ’ t protect you , and the Second Amendment is a dead letter here .
Cough up donations , and maybe we ’ ll spare you .
If Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You Sure You Want to Cast that Vote ?
Yes , these riots are a form of election tampering .
What Russia never achieved in 2016 , the Democrats are pulling off now , with hooded , violent white people intimidating voters just as the Klan did in past decades .
Just how comfortable do you think black voters attracted to Donald Trump — as millions are — will feel trooping out to vote for him past burned out storefronts , at precincts run by those who cheered on the riots ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rioters are under tight political discipline , imposed via networks of leftist organizations funded by wealthy donors , of whom George Soros is merely the most anti-Semitic .
Why do I think that ?
Because of Seattle .
Remember that leftist separatist enclave that Antifa and BLM set up , seizing six city blocks ?
Its supporters never quite settled on a name , vacillating between “ CHAZ ” and “ CHOP.
” To save time , I called it “ Wankistan.
” Thousands of innocent Americans got trapped in that enclave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the absence of police .
Virtual warlords strutted around , imposing “ street justice ” on hapless reporters , suspected spies , and dissidents .
Republicans railed at the Washington State governor , demanding he reimpose order .
But that would have backfired , hideously .
And besides , it wasn ’ t necessary .
Wankistan is now dissolving itself peacefully , and almost instantaneously .
Almost as if it had served its purpose , and the puppeteers behind Antifa and Black Lives matter made a simple phone call , pulling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were paramilitary forces , who follow orders .
Antifa traces its heritage back to Communist street militias who battled the Nazis , and beat up hapless Social Democrats and Catholics in the streets of Weimar Germany .
They lost those battles , and learned from the national socialists who beat them .
They learned a powerful lesson : The overwhelming synergy of biased public authorities and ruthless political street thugs .
In Weimar , the public authorities might have feared the Nazis ’ zeal and tut-tutted at their tactics ( cracking heads and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with them as hard-core enemies of Communism .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
So when the police arrested both sides in a Red/Brown brawl , only the Communists went to prison .
The brown shirts got slapped on the wrist — as Hitler himself was .
His Beer Hall Putsch was an act of treason .
He should have been put up against a wall and summarily shot .
Instead , he got a short prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a private secretary and a typewriter .
He came out with the manuscript of Mein Kampf , as a major political figure .
That ’ s how Democratic officials are treating the thugs of Antifa and BLM .
Those who learn from history are tempted to repeat it .
Do you think maybe I ’ m overstating the radicalism of the forces we confront ?
Don ’ t listen to me then .
Listen to them .
The leader of Black Lives Matter in New York is Hank Newsome .
Here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national television , to Martha MacCallum of Fox News : “ You … have said that violence is sometimes necessary in these situations , ” host Martha MacCallum told Newsome .
“ What exactly is it that you hope to achieve through violence ?
” “ Wow , it ’ s interesting that you would pose that question like that , ” Newsome responded , “ because this country is built upon violence .
What was the American Revolution , what ’ s our diplomacy across the globe ?
“ We go in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replace their leaders with leaders who we like .
So for any American to accuse us of being violent is extremely hypocritical.
” “ I said , ” Newsome told the host , “ if this country doesn ’ t give us what we want , then we will burn down this system and replace it .
All right ?
And I could be speaking … figuratively .
I could be speaking literally .
It ’ s a matter of interpretation .
“ Let ’ s observe the history of the 1960s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he went on .
“ We had the highest growth in wealth , in property ownership .
Think about the last few weeks since we started protesting .
There have been eight cops fired across the country.
” “ I don ’ t condone nor do I condemn rioting , ” Newsome added .
“ But I ’ m just telling you what I observed.
” “ I just want black liberation and black sovereignty , by any means necessary.
” Maybe Newsome is just an outlier , who rose to the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metropolitan area .
No , he isn ’ t .
Here ’ s some scoop about BLM national co-founder , Patrisse Cullors , courtesy of David Harris : The Democrats are willing to turn our cities over to people like this , even while Trump is president .
Can you imagine how emboldened they ’ d be with Zombie Biden in the White House ?
Here ’ s a hint : The Biden campaign still refuses to condemn the mob attacks on statues of Ulysses S. Grant .
John Zmirak is a senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .

In my last column I wondered who was in the saddle in riot-torn blue cities. Was it Antifa and Black Lives Matter, or the Democratic Party? Does the Democratic National Committee have the power to call the looters in to start urban chaos and shake business leaders down for donations? To make President Trump look weak, for tolerating this disorder? Or better yet, tempt him to overreact with a blood-soaked crackdown?
Even more importantly, can the Democrats call off the wolves when things go too far? For instance, when terrified citizens in a blue state or city put too much pressure on local Democrats, maybe pushing them to send in National Guardsmen with fixed bayonets? That would backfire spectacularly on Democrats, enraging their most unhinged leftist street squads, as happened in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Can the Democrats call off the wolves when things go too far?
The game of political chicken continues in embattled American cities. But only those run by Democrats. Not a single city in a red state, as far as I’ve seen, has witnessed extensive rioting. Here in Dallas (blue city, red state) rioters trashed my beloved Downtown for a single night. They smashed the front windows of my parish, which serves the homeless. Then they met the National Guard, which herded them onto buses, and shipped them back out of town.
Send in the Commandos
That fact is suggestive to me. It suggests that the hard left within the Democratic party is using the mobs to push “reforms” it hasn’t the political nerve to present the old-fashioned way — you know, via legislation and popular votes. But a city council can vote to defund the police in the face of a ravening horde (as in Minneapolis), a proposal that in normal times would get laughed at.
And of course, all those torn-down or headless statues sends a powerful message to citizens who don’t back the radicals’ policies. We have the power to strike you whenever you want. The cops won’t protect you, and the Second Amendment is a dead letter here. Cough up donations, and maybe we’ll spare you. If Trump wins, expect more of the same.
You Sure You Want to Cast that Vote?
Yes, these riots are a form of election tampering. What Russia never achieved in 2016, the Democrats are pulling off now, with hooded, violent white people intimidating voters just as the Klan did in past decades. Just how comfortable do you think black voters attracted to Donald Trump — as millions are — will feel trooping out to vote for him past burned out storefronts, at precincts run by those who cheered on the riots?
Now I’m mostly convinced that the rioters are under tight political discipline, imposed via networks of leftist organizations funded by wealthy donors, of whom George Soros is merely the most anti-Semitic. Why do I think that?
Someone Pulled a String
Because of Seattle. Remember that leftist separatist enclave that Antifa and BLM set up, seizing six city blocks? Its supporters never quite settled on a name, vacillating between “CHAZ” and “CHOP.” To save time, I called it “Wankistan.”
Thousands of innocent Americans got trapped in that enclave, where assaults and rapes could flourish, in the absence of police. Virtual warlords strutted around, imposing “street justice” on hapless reporters, suspected spies, and dissidents. Republicans railed at the Washington State governor, demanding he reimpose order. But that would have backfired, hideously.
And besides, it wasn’t necessary. Wankistan is now dissolving itself peacefully, and almost instantaneously. Almost as if it had served its purpose, and the puppeteers behind Antifa and Black Lives matter made a simple phone call, pulling its strings. As if the rioters were paramilitary forces, who follow orders.
Learning from the Brown Shirts
Antifa traces its heritage back to Communist street militias who battled the Nazis, and beat up hapless Social Democrats and Catholics in the streets of Weimar Germany. They lost those battles, and learned from the national socialists who beat them. They learned a powerful lesson: The overwhelming synergy of biased public authorities and ruthless political street thugs. In Weimar, the public authorities might have feared the Nazis’ zeal and tut-tutted at their tactics (cracking heads and murdering Jews). But they sympathized with them as hard-core enemies of Communism.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
So when the police arrested both sides in a Red/Brown brawl, only the Communists went to prison. The brown shirts got slapped on the wrist — as Hitler himself was. His Beer Hall Putsch was an act of treason. He should have been put up against a wall and summarily shot. Instead, he got a short prison term in a cozy cell, with a private secretary and a typewriter. He came out with the manuscript of Mein Kampf, as a major political figure.
That’s how Democratic officials are treating the thugs of Antifa and BLM. Those who learn from history are tempted to repeat it.
Burn Down the System
Do you think maybe I’m overstating the radicalism of the forces we confront? Don’t listen to me then. Listen to them. The leader of Black Lives Matter in New York is Hank Newsome. Here’s what he was unafraid to say on national television, to Martha MacCallum of Fox News:
“You … have said that violence is sometimes necessary in these situations,” host Martha MacCallum told Newsome. “What exactly is it that you hope to achieve through violence?” “Wow, it’s interesting that you would pose that question like that,” Newsome responded, “because this country is built upon violence. What was the American Revolution, what’s our diplomacy across the globe? “We go in and we blow up countries and we replace their leaders with leaders who we like. So for any American to accuse us of being violent is extremely hypocritical.” “I said,” Newsome told the host, “if this country doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it. All right? And I could be speaking … figuratively. I could be speaking literally. It’s a matter of interpretation. “Let’s observe the history of the 1960s, when black people were rioting,” he went on. “We had the highest growth in wealth, in property ownership. Think about the last few weeks since we started protesting. There have been eight cops fired across the country.” “I don’t condone nor do I condemn rioting,” Newsome added. “But I’m just telling you what I observed.” … “I just want black liberation and black sovereignty, by any means necessary.”
Terrorists.
Maybe Newsome is just an outlier, who rose to the top in the backwater that is the NYC metropolitan area.
No, he isn’t. Here’s some scoop about BLM national co-founder, Patrisse Cullors, courtesy of David Harris:
BLM co-founder, Patrisse Cullors, spent ten years being mentored by Weather Underground terrorist and Bill Ayers’ comrade Eric Mann. That is where she learned political organizing and the Marxist/Leninist regimen that has shaped her world view according to the Gateway Pundit. Mann was not only a member of the terror group, Weather Underground, but Students for a Democratic Society as well in the 60s and 70s. They were noted for bombing police stations and government buildings.
The Democrats are willing to turn our cities over to people like this, even while Trump is president. Can you imagine how emboldened they’d be with Zombie Biden in the White House?
Here’s a hint: The Biden campaign still refuses to condemn the mob attacks on statues of Ulysses S. Grant.
NEW: @DailyCaller reached out to the Biden campaign and asked them if Biden agrees with Democrats who want to tear down statues of George Washington, Grant, Roosevelt, and depictions of Jesus. The campaign was given over 24 hours to respond. They did not: https://t.co/SgYS0BDnM0 — Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) June 25, 2020
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--2020-06-27--50 Questions for Christians #19: ‘Is the Born-Again Experience Real?’

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison ’ s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian .
Read the series intro here .
Our atheist friend guy Harrison doubts the born-again experience is real .
It ’ s too easy to be fooled by subjective experiences , he says .
Some Christians don ’ t have the typical evangelical version of the experience , as he thinks they should have , if it was real .
And besides , he tried and it didn ’ t happen to him .
What we ’ re seeing here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both over what “ born again ” means and what we should expect from it .
In John 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus .
“ Unless one is born again he can not see the kingdom of God.
” First Peter 1:23. says , “ you have been born again , not of perishable seed but of imperishable , through the living and abiding word of God.
” And in Titus 3:5 we read , “ he saved us , not because of work done by us in righteousness , but according to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
” That word “ regeneration ” is rendered “ rebirth ” or “ new birth ” in other translations ; being born again , in other words .
Here ’ s what ’ s going on here , then .
Being born again isn ’ t about an experience , it ’ s about being given new life .
Ephesians 2:1-2 says we were “ dead in the transgressions and sins in which [ we ] once walked.
” He ’ s talking about spiritual death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and especially when it comes to eternal matters .
You can ’ t live forever if you ’ re already dead .
So God needs to give us new life first .
The theological term for it is the one I quoted above , regeneration .
But new birth , or “ born again , ” is the same thing .
The new birth is our entrance to a new life .
My Experience With This New Life And this new life is indeed different from the old , qualitatively different .
Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it feels different , too .
For me , I ’ m sorry , but I can ’ t avoid the clichés , since they ’ re not figures of speech this time : The grass really looked greener the next morning , and the sky looked more blue .
Bad habits simply ceased , not because I was trying harder but because something else was going on .
I could tell it was God changing me from the inside .
The biggest change was the way the word of God came alive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soul .
I was different , and I knew it .
Harrison doubts that .
It ’ s easy to be fooled by subjective experience , he says , and with a grad degree in psychology I know he ’ s right .
Except this wasn ’ t just once-and-done for me .
It ’ s grown and matured over time , but 45 years later it ’ s still there , still real , still changing me from the inside .
But It ’ s Not About That For me it happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve known others who can honestly say , “ I can ’ t recall a moment without Jesus Christ.
” They grew up believing in him , so they don ’ t have a “ born-again experience ” they can point to .
Still their whole life demonstrates the fruit of regeneration .
And that ’ s what matters most .
Harrison critiques the “ born again experience ” because not everyone feels it the same way .
I say , “ Where ’ s the surprise there ?
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s about the reality.
” How Do We Know It ’ s Real ?
How do we know it ’ s real , though ?
Harrison rightly reminds us it ’ s no good trying to call it proof that should persuade someone else .
I ’ m fine with that , as far as it goes .
William Lane Craig explains it helpfully : There ’ s a difference between knowing and showing .
I can know my experience of God in me is real , but I can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differently , I can know God is real partly because I experience Him , but I can ’ t show you at all that God is real , just through my experience of Him .
My experience of God is my experience of God .
If I try to make that proof for you , all you ’ ve got is my description of an experience , and descriptions are lousy proof .
If you ’ ve actually seen change in my life , that might be good evidence , but then we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not inward experiences .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Shouldn ’ t we be more cautious , though ?
Shouldn ’ t we examine ourselves to make sure we ’ re not getting fooled ?
Up to a point , yes , maybe .
But my confidence in Christ isn ’ t just based on my internal experience .
There ’ s plenty of exterior , objective evidence for Him , too .
Other religions claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t claim the same evidence .
When internal experience lines up with external evidence , there ’ s just no reason to keep on questioning it .
What Harrison gets most tragically wrong in this chapter , though , is his own imitation attempt at being born again .
He was about 13 years old , he says , when he took a phone call from a “ telemissionary , ” who was apparently just working his way through the phone book .
The man told him about heaven and warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harrison thought that was “ harsh , ” he says , but , “ I sensed the man meant well , ” he says , “ and I was polite , so I kept listening .
He told me that in order to live again after I die I only had to invite Jesus into my heart , ask him to forgive me for all the terrible things I had done in the first thirteen years of my life , and then say the Lord ’ s Prayer.
” Harrison wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he didn ’ t fully dismiss it either , so he followed the man ’ s instructions and prayed the prayer he was told to pray .
He was “ completely sincere about the whole thing , ” even though he was still pretty unsure about “ the actual existence of gods.
” It was a “ Hey , why not ?
” thing in his mind .
( Yes that ’ s an actual quote . )
Still , he insists , he “ gave this thing a fair and honest effort.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ d done what he needed to do .
Harrison remembers this more than anything else that day , he says : the man on the phone telling him , “ That ’ s it , now you ’ re born again .
You are forgiven and you will be with Jesus now and for eternity after you die.
” Harrison “ wasn ’ t sold , ” though .
He felt nothing .
No “ warm sensation , no indescribable peace and contentment , no waves of electrical stimulation surging through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Except He ’ s Foolish .
Really , now .
What did he expect ?
The born-again experience without the new life reality ?
For this was plainly no real conversion .
That telemissionary was wrong .
He never should have told him he ’ d done what it took .
Harrison says nothing about repentance , nothing about regretting his sin .
He wasn ’ t even sure “ the gods ” existed .
His conviction rose to the subterranean level of “ Hey , why not ?
” He parroted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have addressed it to Betty Crocker .
And I guarantee he knows that .
He knows it was never real .
“ I tried my best to imitate the born-again experience , ” he even says , adding later , “ It was like pulling the trigger on an unloaded gun.
” The analogy is awful .
God ’ s work in the world is neither like exploding gun powder nor like a mindlessly propelled projectile .
Yet there ’ s something to the figure of speech anyway .
He drew the wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trigger on an empty gun , I don ’ t take its quiet click as evidence that there ’ s no such thing as live ammo .
He ’ s foolish to take his empty , imitation conversion attempt as evidence that the real thing isn ’ t real .
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 .

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison’s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian. Read the series intro here.
Our atheist friend guy Harrison doubts the born-again experience is real. It’s too easy to be fooled by subjective experiences, he says. Some Christians don’t have the typical evangelical version of the experience, as he thinks they should have, if it was real. And besides, he tried and it didn’t happen to him.
What we’re seeing here is a whole lot of confusion, both over what “born again” means and what we should expect from it.
What “Born Again” Means
In John 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus. “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” First Peter 1:23. says, “you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.”
And in Titus 3:5 we read, “he saved us, not because of work done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
That word “regeneration” is rendered “rebirth” or “new birth” in other translations; being born again, in other words.
Here’s what’s going on here, then. Being born again isn’t about an experience, it’s about being given new life. Ephesians 2:1-2 says we were “dead in the transgressions and sins in which [we] once walked.” He’s talking about spiritual death, but the spiritual is real, and especially when it comes to eternal matters. You can’t live forever if you’re already dead. So God needs to give us new life first. The theological term for it is the one I quoted above, regeneration. But new birth, or “born again,” is the same thing. The new birth is our entrance to a new life.
My Experience With This New Life
And this new life is indeed different from the old, qualitatively different. Every Christian I’ve spoken to says it feels different, too. For me, I’m sorry, but I can’t avoid the clichés, since they’re not figures of speech this time: The grass really looked greener the next morning, and the sky looked more blue.
Bad habits simply ceased, not because I was trying harder but because something else was going on. I could tell it was God changing me from the inside. The biggest change was the way the word of God came alive to me, like fire in my soul.
I was different, and I knew it. Harrison doubts that. It’s easy to be fooled by subjective experience, he says, and with a grad degree in psychology I know he’s right. Except this wasn’t just once-and-done for me. It’s grown and matured over time, but 45 years later it’s still there, still real, still changing me from the inside.
But It’s Not About That
For me it happened at a definite point in time. I’ve known others who can honestly say, “I can’t recall a moment without Jesus Christ.” They grew up believing in him, so they don’t have a “born-again experience” they can point to. Still their whole life demonstrates the fruit of regeneration.
And that’s what matters most. Harrison critiques the “born again experience” because not everyone feels it the same way. I say, “Where’s the surprise there? It’s not about the experience, it’s about the reality.”
How Do We Know It’s Real?
How do we know it’s real, though? Harrison rightly reminds us it’s no good trying to call it proof that should persuade someone else. I’m fine with that, as far as it goes. William Lane Craig explains it helpfully: There’s a difference between knowing and showing. I can know my experience of God in me is real, but I can’t show you that it is. Stated differently, I can know God is real partly because I experience Him, but I can’t show you at all that God is real, just through my experience of Him.
My experience of God is my experience of God. If I try to make that proof for you, all you’ve got is my description of an experience, and descriptions are lousy proof. If you’ve actually seen change in my life, that might be good evidence, but then we’re talking about outward effects, not inward experiences.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Shouldn’t we be more cautious, though? Shouldn’t we examine ourselves to make sure we’re not getting fooled?
Up to a point, yes, maybe. But my confidence in Christ isn’t just based on my internal experience. There’s plenty of exterior, objective evidence for Him, too. Other religions claim experiences, he says, but they can’t claim the same evidence. When internal experience lines up with external evidence, there’s just no reason to keep on questioning it.
Harrison’s Own “Born Again” Story
What Harrison gets most tragically wrong in this chapter, though, is his own imitation attempt at being born again. He was about 13 years old, he says, when he took a phone call from a “telemissionary,” who was apparently just working his way through the phone book. The man told him about heaven and warned him of the danger of hell. Harrison thought that was “harsh,” he says, but, “I sensed the man meant well,” he says, “and I was polite, so I kept listening. He told me that in order to live again after I die I only had to invite Jesus into my heart, ask him to forgive me for all the terrible things I had done in the first thirteen years of my life, and then say the Lord’s Prayer.”
Harrison wasn’t convinced of any of it, yet he didn’t fully dismiss it either, so he followed the man’s instructions and prayed the prayer he was told to pray. He was “completely sincere about the whole thing,” even though he was still pretty unsure about “the actual existence of gods.” It was a “Hey, why not?” thing in his mind. (Yes that’s an actual quote.) Still, he insists, he “gave this thing a fair and honest effort.” Ri-i-ight.
He parroted a cookbook prayer. He might as well have addressed it to Betty Crocker.
The man told him he’d done what he needed to do. Harrison remembers this more than anything else that day, he says: the man on the phone telling him, “That’s it, now you’re born again. You are forgiven and you will be with Jesus now and for eternity after you die.”
Harrison “wasn’t sold,” though. He felt nothing. No “warm sensation, no indescribable peace and contentment, no waves of electrical stimulation surging through my body.”
He Knows Better. Except He’s Foolish.
Really, now. What did he expect? The born-again experience without the new life reality? For this was plainly no real conversion. That telemissionary was wrong. He never should have told him he’d done what it took. Harrison says nothing about repentance, nothing about regretting his sin. He wasn’t even sure “the gods” existed. His conviction rose to the subterranean level of “Hey, why not?”
He parroted a cookbook prayer. He might as well have addressed it to Betty Crocker.
And I guarantee he knows that. He knows it was never real. “I tried my best to imitate the born-again experience,” he even says, adding later, “It was like pulling the trigger on an unloaded gun.”
The analogy is awful. God’s work in the world is neither like exploding gun powder nor like a mindlessly propelled projectile. Yet there’s something to the figure of speech anyway. He drew the wrong conclusion, though. When I pull the trigger on an empty gun, I don’t take its quiet click as evidence that there’s no such thing as live ammo. He’s foolish to take his empty, imitation conversion attempt as evidence that the real thing isn’t real.
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--2020-06-27--Observations From My Visit to CHAZ in Seattle

I nabbed a parking spot just north of CHAZ ( as the famous Seattle Capitol Hill experiment in radical self-rule was then called ) .
I glanced at the sign across the street : “ Republican.
” Good !
I would not be the only entity leaning GOP on Capitol Hill that day , after all .
I flipped my copy of Heather MacDonald ’ s War on Cops in the back seat face down , and headed through Cal Anderson park into the zone .
Three peculiarities struck me about this micro-state on the hill above downtown Seattle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for those who think revolutions begin among the poor and marginalized , what an odd location for a peoples ’ republic !
How peculiar that this revolution is proving particularly virulent in the wealthiest , whitest , and most liberal cities in America : Minneapolis , Seattle , Portland , San Francisco .
Capitol Hill is an edgy but well-toned neighborhood , the center of the city ’ s gay district , known for theaters , restaurants , an Asian art museum , the Jesuit-run Seattle University , and classical music at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby are listed for sale at near $ 6 million .
Aside from street signs , Republicans are normally as rare as red-necked grebes .
Second , while images on local street art are black , most faces in these streets are white .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Third , though they have seceded from a wealthy liberal city that still provides them with water , electricity , and porta-potties ( and patches up CHAZ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inhabitants seem desperate for something to complain about .
Newsweek recently highlighted one such complaint : gentrification .
Historic black neighborhoods in Seattle , we are told , are being destroyed by the influx of tech companies , which drive up real estate prices and force the working class out .
At first I felt sorry for the victims of this trend , but then remembered that I am one of them myself .
I come of two generations of working class in Seattle .
Largely because of price increases , not one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now .
Growing up as the son of a carpenter , though I am skeptical about “ solutions ” like rent control and preventing evictions .
Just as chasing the police away to protect black lives has resulted in numerous black deaths , so making life difficult for landlords and builders puts blue collar framers , electricians , plumbers , and roofers out of work , making housing more expensive for everyone .
The chief complaint in CHAZ is , of course , police violence against black citizens .
“ Kill Cops !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In a world without cops , we must never again become the cops ourselves !
” So piously warns local folk art .
Yet if CHAZ were a country , it would now own a murder rate above that of El Salvador .
If you care about human lives ( of any color , need I say ? )
, the CHAZ case against police is not only counter-productive , but patently contrived .
On the fence in front of the East Seattle precinct front door hangs a poster entitled , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington State.
” That poster actually names twenty-seven men and two women .
It demonstrates the phony character of the case against the police in two ways .
First , the designers of the poster ignore the fact that most of those killed by police in Washington State ( even more than in America as a whole ) are white .
According to The Guardian ‘ s interactive website , in 2016 , sixteen whites were killed by police in the state , and three blacks .
Yet no White , Hispanic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this list of alleged martyrs .
Some of the identified victims are so light in skin , one wonders how a racist officer would identify them as black .
If police brutality is the problem , though , why should we only care about black victims of this evil ?
Hundreds of people have died due to lack of police presence in cities across America when cops were cowed ( or quit ) .
Yet neither the press , nor Woke corporations , fuss much over those lost lives , whatever color their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Stories of Those Eulogized Look up the stories of those eulogized , as I have , and your sympathy may wane , or shift to the police and the people many of these men once tormented .
The “ martyrs ” whose deaths supposedly justify the existence of CHAZ include bank robbers , drug-dealers , child-abusers , and a man who shot his girlfriend then died in a shootout on I-5 .
There ’ s a man who took two children hostages after shooting a cop ( the officer , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The list even includes a street person who attacked a convenience store employee and a female customer with a club , hit a cop in the head , laying him on the ground , and was moving in for the kill when the officer shot him .
( This latter sequence is on video . )
True , there are also tragic tales are of lives spiraling down through drug addiction , mental breakdown , post-traumatic stress , and yes , two or three fearful cops who may have fired too quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sometimes awful ones .
But it is hard for me to imagine a person of compassion and sense reading those stories as a whole and hating cops , envying them , or thinking America ’ s deepest problems are about either race or police training .
‘ For the Succor of Those Years Wherein We Are Set ’ I have often stood against bullying , whether by police , pimps , kids at a Christian camp , or students .
But the contrived nature of most of the anti-police complaints , their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those complaints are used to justify , reveal who is the bully today , and who is being bullied .
Racism is ( or was ) the ultimate taboo in America for good reason .
But times change .
As J.R.R .
Tolkien put it : “ It is not our part to master all the tides of the world , but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set.
” The husband of one of my Chinese language teachers was reportedly thrown off a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Revolution .
Most of those persecuted had committed no crime .
Power was now in the hands of the “ proletariat.
” Innocent men and women were punished for the crimes of an earlier generation of warlords , mandarins and landed elite .
The violence was stoked by a self-righteous theory of class conflict , sold to gullible students called Red Guards who became the instruments of terror .
The modern BLM revolution has been influenced by the same Marxist concept of group guilt that inspired Mao .
But the Hebrew prophets said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sins of his father .
Mobs that justify violence by past oppression are children of those same past oppressors , not of the oppressed .
The crimes and terror of these past weeks are not a correction for past abuses .
They are a perpetuation of the evil they rebuke , the use of mob power to crush innocent people .
David Marshall holds a B.A .
in “ the Russian and Chinese Languages and Marxism , ” an M.A .
in Chinese Religions , and a Ph.D. in Christian Thought and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Jesus is No Myth : The Fingerprints of God on the Gospels .

I nabbed a parking spot just north of CHAZ (as the famous Seattle Capitol Hill experiment in radical self-rule was then called). I glanced at the sign across the street: “Republican.” Good! I would not be the only entity leaning GOP on Capitol Hill that day, after all. I flipped my copy of Heather MacDonald’s War on Cops in the back seat face down, and headed through Cal Anderson park into the zone.
Three peculiarities struck me about this micro-state on the hill above downtown Seattle.
What an Odd Location for Revolution
First, for those who think revolutions begin among the poor and marginalized, what an odd location for a peoples’ republic! How peculiar that this revolution is proving particularly virulent in the wealthiest, whitest, and most liberal cities in America: Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco.
Capitol Hill is an edgy but well-toned neighborhood, the center of the city’s gay district, known for theaters, restaurants, an Asian art museum, the Jesuit-run Seattle University, and classical music at St. Mark’s. Two mansions nearby are listed for sale at near $6 million. Aside from street signs, Republicans are normally as rare as red-necked grebes.
Second, while images on local street art are black, most faces in these streets are white.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Third, though they have seceded from a wealthy liberal city that still provides them with water, electricity, and porta-potties (and patches up CHAZ residents who shoot one another), inhabitants seem desperate for something to complain about.
Newsweek recently highlighted one such complaint: gentrification. Historic black neighborhoods in Seattle, we are told, are being destroyed by the influx of tech companies, which drive up real estate prices and force the working class out.
At first I felt sorry for the victims of this trend, but then remembered that I am one of them myself. I come of two generations of working class in Seattle. Largely because of price increases, not one sibling or cousin lives within city limits now.
Growing up as the son of a carpenter, though I am skeptical about “solutions” like rent control and preventing evictions. Just as chasing the police away to protect black lives has resulted in numerous black deaths, so making life difficult for landlords and builders puts blue collar framers, electricians, plumbers like Perth Plumber, and roofers out of work, making housing more expensive for everyone.
Decrying Police Brutality
The chief complaint in CHAZ is, of course, police violence against black citizens. “Kill Cops!” “Blue Lives Murder!” “In a world without cops, we must never again become the cops ourselves!” So piously warns local folk art.
Yet if CHAZ were a country, it would now own a murder rate above that of El Salvador. If you care about human lives (of any color, need I say?), the CHAZ case against police is not only counter-productive, but patently contrived.
On the fence in front of the East Seattle precinct front door hangs a poster entitled, “25+ Black Lives Killed by Police in Washington State.”
People in every profession make mistakes, sometimes awful ones. But it is hard for me to imagine a person of compassion and sense reading those stories as a whole and hating cops.
That poster actually names twenty-seven men and two women. It demonstrates the phony character of the case against the police in two ways.
First, the designers of the poster ignore the fact that most of those killed by police in Washington State (even more than in America as a whole) are white. According to The Guardian‘s interactive website, in 2016, sixteen whites were killed by police in the state, and three blacks. Yet no White, Hispanic, Asian or Native American is included in this list of alleged martyrs. Some of the identified victims are so light in skin, one wonders how a racist officer would identify them as black.
If police brutality is the problem, though, why should we only care about black victims of this evil? Hundreds of people have died due to lack of police presence in cities across America when cops were cowed (or quit). Yet neither the press, nor Woke corporations, fuss much over those lost lives, whatever color their skin, or however innocent the victims.
The Stories of Those Eulogized
Look up the stories of those eulogized, as I have, and your sympathy may wane, or shift to the police and the people many of these men once tormented. The “martyrs” whose deaths supposedly justify the existence of CHAZ include bank robbers, drug-dealers, child-abusers, and a man who shot his girlfriend then died in a shootout on I-5. There’s a man who took two children hostages after shooting a cop (the officer, by contrast, died saving a colleague). The list even includes a street person who attacked a convenience store employee and a female customer with a club, hit a cop in the head, laying him on the ground, and was moving in for the kill when the officer shot him. (This latter sequence is on video.)
True, there are also tragic tales are of lives spiraling down through drug addiction, mental breakdown, post-traumatic stress, and yes, two or three fearful cops who may have fired too quickly. People in every profession make mistakes, sometimes awful ones. But it is hard for me to imagine a person of compassion and sense reading those stories as a whole and hating cops, envying them, or thinking America’s deepest problems are about either race or police training.
‘For the Succor of Those Years Wherein We Are Set’
I have often stood against bullying, whether by police, pimps, kids at a Christian camp, or students. But the contrived nature of most of the anti-police complaints, their racial selectivity, and the mob violence those complaints are used to justify, reveal who is the bully today, and who is being bullied.
Mobs that justify violence by past oppression are children of those same past oppressors, not of the oppressed.
Racism is (or was) the ultimate taboo in America for good reason. But times change. As J.R.R. Tolkien put it: “It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set.”
The husband of one of my Chinese language teachers was reportedly thrown off a balcony and killed during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Most of those persecuted had committed no crime. Power was now in the hands of the “proletariat.” Innocent men and women were punished for the crimes of an earlier generation of warlords, mandarins and landed elite. The violence was stoked by a self-righteous theory of class conflict, sold to gullible students called Red Guards who became the instruments of terror.
The modern BLM revolution has been influenced by the same Marxist concept of group guilt that inspired Mao. But the Hebrew prophets said a man should not be punished for the sins of his father.
Mobs that justify violence by past oppression are children of those same past oppressors, not of the oppressed. The crimes and terror of these past weeks are not a correction for past abuses. They are a perpetuation of the evil they rebuke, the use of mob power to crush innocent people.
David Marshall holds a B.A. in “the Russian and Chinese Languages and Marxism,” an M.A. in Chinese Religions, and a Ph.D. in Christian Thought and Chinese Tradition. His most recent book is Jesus is No Myth: The Fingerprints of God on the Gospels.


thestream--2020-06-27--How to Live Like a Christian (and Be Happy)

He calls this a “ law ” of the way our character develops : “ Good comes to better , and Bad to worse.
” Then the great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon offers his real insight : “ bad does not [ become ] good except by conversion.
” We don ’ t get gradually good .
People tend to think we just kind of get better over time , just by trying to be a little nicer .
We don ’ t .
We get worse .
If we want to get better , we must actually , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this in a book called Salt-cellars .
( We would say “ salt shakers.
” ) He published the book three years before he died in 1892 .
One of the giants of his age , he was a Baptist , but read widely by other English Protestants .
In the two big volumes of Salt-cellars , he collects hundreds of proverbs and gives his own take on them .
He ’ s usually insightful , often striking , and sometimes funny .
The text of the book can be found here if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and here if you want read the original .
See last week ’ s article for an explanation of why Spurgeon wrote this way .
And learn from the great preacher “ How to Speak Like a Christian ( and Not Like a Fool , a Bully , or a Buffoon ) .
” Here are a few of his insights on living life as a Christian , chosen almost at random .
The book offers many , many more .
Next week we ’ ll share some of his insights on living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a Christian .
The farmer ’ s care makes fields to bear Yet God we know makes harvests grow How the omnipotence of God works through the labour of man we know , for we see it before us every day .
We work as if we did all , but we trust in God , knowing that all power belongs to him .
Evil society is the death of piety He can not smell sweetly who sleeps in a bed of garlic .
Make your mark , but mind what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for mere notoriety ; but if we are not famous for goodness we are practically infamous .
That is vain which vanisheth Therefore fix thy heart on nothing but that which is eternal .
Make much of little By charitable judgments come to a favourable conclusion concerning those in whom you see even a little grace .
One can see the sky in a single drop of rain , and a work of grace in a tear of repentance .
Nature abhors a vacuum When a man ’ s head is empty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get in , and when his stomach is empty it will not be comfortable till it is filled .
Empty purses also are very restless things .
Mice must not pay with kittens Nor must men toy with temptations , for they are not able to resist them .
The best of men are but men at the best When trial comes it is seen to be so .
What fault one man commits another may commit .
Those are not the best of men who forget that they are only men .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or your field Let prayer be the preface to all your business .
First look up , and then look out Look to God first , and then watch for every honourable opportunity of getting on in business .
God helps those who help themselves God helps those who can not help themselves These two proverbs are equally true ; but the last is very sweet to the hopeless and helpless .
Our extremity is God ’ s opportunity ; and he is never slow to begin when we have reached the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Have no faith in a man who has no faith If he does not believe in God , do not believe in him .
God will grind to powder those who grind the poor Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Make much of little By grateful praise express your value of the least of God ’ s mercies .
The birds see the bait , but not the net So men see the present pleasure of sin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose their lives by accident but not their souls That you may be loved be lovable Else you can not expect people to love you nor should you even desire them to act in so unreasonable a way as to love that which is not worthy of love .
Love and be loved — being loved , love .
God gives thee six days ; steal not the seventh He does much who does a little well He doeth much who loveth much Love to God is the mainspring of activity , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the good work is apparently little , the abundance of love which is in it makes it .
much in the sight of God .
“ He doeth well who doeth good To those of his own brotherhood ; He doeth better who cloth bless The stranger in his wretchedness : Yet best , yea , best of all , doth he Who helps a fallen enemy !
” Frenzy , heresy , and jealousy , these three Seldom or never cured be They feed upon themselves , and grow most rapidly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is little hope of their abatement .
Fowls should roost where foxes can not reach It is wise to rise above the tempter ’ s grip by living on high with God .
You will not be loved yourself if you love none but yourself The base pretender , being short in weight , dreads the scales Testing is what he abhors .
He can not endure a creed for his faith , nor a law for his practice .
But the man who is sound at heart comes to the light and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more life , more love Worthy to be a common wish and to grow into a holy proverb .
Light without life is a candle in a tomb .
Life without love is a garden without bloom .
Follow the Master more than the pastor The pastor must only be followed while he follows his Pastor .
Happy is it for a people when their minister walks with God , for then they may follow him everywhere .
Many have gifts from God but not the gift of God They have the comforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zeal without knowledge is fire without light and knowledge without zeal is light without fire Zeal without knowledge soon becomes cold There is nothing to feed its fires and so it dies down and is very hard to rekindle .
Faith looks to precepts as well as to promises It takes the whole Word of God , and obeys commands as well as trusts promises .
Men can not practise unless they know , but they know in vain if they practice not .
That man is lost indeed who is lost to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upon .
The creature ’ s hide is too thick for us to make him feel .
We shall have to let him run away , for he has become too hard in the mouth for our bit .
That fish will soon be caught which nibbles the bait The fish that nibbles at the bait , is very soon upon the plate .
Toying with temptation is extremely dangerous work .
Make a crutch of your cross Use it as a help on the road to Heaven .
God ’ s wrath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure God is no man ’ s debtor , but every man ’ s creditor You have only one soul — give it to your one Saviour David Mills is a senior editor of The Stream .
After teaching writing in a seminary , he has been editor of Touchstone and the executive editor of First Things .
He edits the site Hour of Our Death and writes the monthly “ Last Things ” column for the New Oxford Review and a weekly column for the English Catholic Herald .
He is finishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be published by Sophia Institute Press .

He calls this a “law” of the way our character develops: “Good comes to better, and Bad to worse.” Then the great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon offers his real insight: “bad does not [become] good except by conversion.” We don’t get gradually good. People tend to think we just kind of get better over time, just by trying to be a little nicer. We don’t. We get worse. If we want to get better, we must actually, actively turn to God.
Spurgeon wrote this in a book called Salt-cellars. (We would say “salt shakers.”) He published the book three years before he died in 1892. One of the giants of his age, he was a Baptist, but read widely by other English Protestants. In the two big volumes of Salt-cellars, he collects hundreds of proverbs and gives his own take on them. He’s usually insightful, often striking, and sometimes funny. The text of the book can be found here if you want to copy sections from it and here if you want read the original.
See last week’s article for an explanation of why Spurgeon wrote this way. And learn from the great preacher “How to Speak Like a Christian (and Not Like a Fool, a Bully, or a Buffoon).”
Here are a few of his insights on living life as a Christian, chosen almost at random. The book offers many, many more. Next week we’ll share some of his insights on living well, which also apply to living as a Christian.
For more from the wise men and women of the past, see #StreamChristianClassics.
The farmer’s care makes fields to bear
Yet God we know makes harvests grow
How the omnipotence of God works through the labour of man we know, for we see it before us every day. We work as if we did all, but we trust in God, knowing that all power belongs to him.
Evil society is the death of piety
He cannot smell sweetly who sleeps in a bed of garlic.
Make your mark, but mind what the mark is.
Too many seem eager for mere notoriety; but if we are not famous for goodness we are practically infamous.
That is vain which vanisheth
Therefore fix thy heart on nothing but that which is eternal.
Make much of little
By charitable judgments come to a favourable conclusion concerning those in whom you see even a little grace. One can see the sky in a single drop of rain, and a work of grace in a tear of repentance.
Nature abhors a vacuum
When a man’s head is empty, some nonsense or other is sure to get in, and when his stomach is empty it will not be comfortable till it is filled. Empty purses also are very restless things.
Mice must not pay with kittens
Nor must men toy with temptations, for they are not able to resist them.
The best of men are but men at the best
When trial comes it is seen to be so. What fault one man commits another may commit. Those are not the best of men who forget that they are only men.
Go through your closet to your shop or your field
Let prayer be the preface to all your business.
First look up, and then look out
Look to God first, and then watch for every honourable opportunity of getting on in business.
God helps those who help themselves
God helps those who cannot help themselves
These two proverbs are equally true; but the last is very sweet to the hopeless and helpless. Our extremity is God’s opportunity; and he is never slow to begin when we have reached the end of our own power and wisdom.
Have no faith in a man who has no faith
If he does not believe in God, do not believe in him.
God will grind to powder those who grind the poor
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Make much of little
By grateful praise express your value of the least of God’s mercies.
The birds see the bait, but not the net
So men see the present pleasure of sin but not its fatal result.
Men lose their lives by accident but not their souls
That you may be loved be lovable
Else you cannot expect people to love you nor should you even desire them to act in so unreasonable a way as to love that which is not worthy of love. Love and be loved — being loved, love.
God gives thee six days; steal not the seventh
He does much who does a little well
He doeth much who loveth much
Love to God is the mainspring of activity, and sets a man doing much. Even when the good work is apparently little, the abundance of love which is in it makes it. much in the sight of God.
“He doeth well who doeth good
To those of his own brotherhood;
He doeth better who cloth bless
The stranger in his wretchedness:
Yet best, yea, best of all, doth he
Who helps a fallen enemy!”
Frenzy, heresy, and jealousy, these three
Seldom or never cured be
They feed upon themselves, and grow most rapidly without other food, and hence there is little hope of their abatement.
Fowls should roost where foxes cannot reach
It is wise to rise above the tempter’s grip by living on high with God.
You will not be loved yourself if you love none but yourself
The base pretender, being short in weight, dreads the scales
Testing is what he abhors. He cannot endure a creed for his faith, nor a law for his practice. But the man who is sound at heart comes to the light and to the scale.
More light, more life, more love
Worthy to be a common wish and to grow into a holy proverb.
Light without life is a candle in a tomb.
Life without love is a garden without bloom.
Follow the Master more than the pastor
The pastor must only be followed while he follows his Pastor. Happy is it for a people when their minister walks with God, for then they may follow him everywhere.
Many have gifts from God but not the gift of God
They have the comforts of life but not eternal life.
Zeal without knowledge is fire without light and knowledge without zeal is light without fire
Zeal without knowledge soon becomes cold
There is nothing to feed its fires and so it dies down and is very hard to rekindle.
Faith looks to precepts as well as to promises
It takes the whole Word of God, and obeys commands as well as trusts promises.
Men cannot practise unless they know, but they know in vain if they practice not.
That man is lost indeed who is lost to shame
There is nothing left to work upon. The creature’s hide is too thick for us to make him feel. We shall have to let him run away, for he has become too hard in the mouth for our bit.
That fish will soon be caught which nibbles the bait
The fish that nibbles at the bait, is very soon upon the plate. Toying with temptation is extremely dangerous work.
Make a crutch of your cross
Use it as a help on the road to Heaven.
God’s wrath comes by measure; his mercy without measure
God is no man’s debtor, but every man’s creditor
You have only one soul — give it to your one Saviour
David Mills is a senior editor of The Stream. After teaching writing in a seminary, he has been editor of Touchstone and the executive editor of First Things. He edits the site Hour of Our Death and writes the monthly “Last Things” column for the New Oxford Review and a weekly column for the English Catholic Herald. He is finishing a book on death and dying to be published by Sophia Institute Press.


thestream--2020-06-27--Racism, White Privilege and Christianity: What Do We Do With Critical Theory?

The question most central to defining a worldview , other than “ Who is God ?
” and “ What does it mean to be human ?
” is “ What ’ s really wrong with the world ?
” It ’ s a tricky question , because there are a lot of things wrong with the world .
The question is , what is the core problem that needs to be addressed in the world , the root cause of evil and human suffering , and what solution can be offered to fix it ?
For example , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism of all kinds come to an end , especially in light of our nation ’ s history and evidence that our African American neighbors are not treated equally before the law .
But not everyone who talks about ending racism and creating justice means the same thing .
For a growing number of people , including some Christians with good motives , these goals are shorthand for an ideology that divides instead of reconciles , that sees people as either oppressed or oppressor rather than as divine image bearers created from “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve Probably Heard Its Ideas Even If You Haven ’ t Heard of It The ideas of Critical Theory , especially since the horrific killing of George Floyd , have become a central part of our national conversation .
Once largely limited to the academy , these ideas have trickled down the way ideas do , to the media , through popular culture , and into the cultural imagination .
Even those not familiar with the term “ critical theory ” will likely recognize its central tenets .
Critical Theory originated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karl Marx ’ s ideas about economics to society as a whole , especially across additional categories of class distinction , such as race , sex and gender identity .
The result was an all-encompassing worldview that purported to reveal hidden power structures behind society ’ s problems and institutions , by dividing people along the lines of oppressed and oppressor .
As Colson Center Senior Fellow and historian Glenn Sunshine explained in a recent episode of “ The Theology Pugcast , ” Critical Theory , like the classical Marxism it borrows from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms .
So , according to Critical Theory our race , sexual orientation , gender identity aren ’ t mere aspects of who we are , they are our defining characteristics .
In each of these areas , we are either part of oppressed groups or we are oppressors .
According to critical theory , the oppressed group automatically has moral authority , while the oppressor group does not .
Someone who is a racial minority or a sexual minority of some kind is automatically a victim of oppression and has claims against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their life easier ( and this part is critical ) at the expense of their oppressed neighbors .
A View That Distorts Reality and Isn ’ t Compatible With Christianity Overlooked in this analysis are individual choices and life situations , which often have far greater impact on a person ’ s life .
For example , whether or not a child grows up with a father is statistically more important than their ethnic identity .
Other factors , such as religious commitment , education , sexual decisions , and family stability have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ futures as individuals , families and whole communities .
Critical theory , however , ignores every other factor or squashes it into the oppressor-oppressed dynamic .
This view distorts reality , and often turns on itself .
Everything Can Be Oppression A recent article at Quillette described a Danish professor and critical theorist attacked by fellow critical theorists .
They claimed his branch of Critical Theory was racist .
This is no isolated case .
Critical Theorists have produced scholarly articles and whole books claiming that everything from logic to math are tools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The problem , as is explained in a recent “ What Would You Say ” video , is that Critical Theory ’ s answer to the question “ what ’ s wrong with the world ” is just wrong .
Specifically , critical theory gets the human condition wrong and the human problem wrong .
As a result , its solutions are simplistic and , at times , dangerous .
They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we should reject them .
Now , to be clear , I believe racism still plagues our country , and is embedded in the hearts of individuals and in institutions and systems .
We can reach that conclusion by care , by listening , and by statistical data , not to mention from how the Christian worldview describes the cause and condition of fallen humanity .
Too often , any attempt to listen and to engage the race issue is dismissed as critical theory .
It ’ s not .
At the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and answers to the problem of racism violate what we know to be true about the human condition .
Only the Biblical story frames for us human value , human sin and human hope , which both allows us and calls us to confront racism wherever it rears its ugly head , without embracing a theory that sees people as nothing but their race .
Originally published on Breakpoint.org : BreakPoint Commentaries .
Republished with permission of The Colson Center for Christian Worldview .

The question most central to defining a worldview, other than “Who is God?” and “What does it mean to be human?” is “What’s really wrong with the world?”
It’s a tricky question, because there are a lot of things wrong with the world. The question is, what is the core problem that needs to be addressed in the world, the root cause of evil and human suffering, and what solution can be offered to fix it?
For example, we should want to see justice flourish and racism of all kinds come to an end, especially in light of our nation’s history and evidence that our African American neighbors are not treated equally before the law. But not everyone who talks about ending racism and creating justice means the same thing.
For a growing number of people, including some Christians with good motives, these goals are shorthand for an ideology that divides instead of reconciles, that sees people as either oppressed or oppressor rather than as divine image bearers created from “one blood.”
Critical Theory: You’ve Probably Heard Its Ideas Even If You Haven’t Heard of It
The ideas of Critical Theory, especially since the horrific killing of George Floyd, have become a central part of our national conversation. Once largely limited to the academy, these ideas have trickled down the way ideas do, to the media, through popular culture, and into the cultural imagination. Even those not familiar with the term “critical theory” will likely recognize its central tenets.
Critical Theory originated with a group of political philosophers who applied Karl Marx’s ideas about economics to society as a whole, especially across additional categories of class distinction, such as race, sex and gender identity. The result was an all-encompassing worldview that purported to reveal hidden power structures behind society’s problems and institutions, by dividing people along the lines of oppressed and oppressor.
Critical theory gets the human condition wrong and the human problem wrong. As a result, its solutions are simplistic and, at times, dangerous.
As Colson Center Senior Fellow and historian Glenn Sunshine explained in a recent episode of “The Theology Pugcast,” Critical Theory, like the classical Marxism it borrows from, views human beings in purely materialist terms. So, according to Critical Theory our race, sexual orientation, gender identity aren’t mere aspects of who we are, they are our defining characteristics. In each of these areas, we are either part of oppressed groups or we are oppressors.
According to critical theory, the oppressed group automatically has moral authority, while the oppressor group does not. Someone who is a racial minority or a sexual minority of some kind is automatically a victim of oppression and has claims against oppressors and the unearned privilege that makes their life easier (and this part is critical) at the expense of their oppressed neighbors.
A View That Distorts Reality and Isn’t Compatible With Christianity
Overlooked in this analysis are individual choices and life situations, which often have far greater impact on a person’s life. For example, whether or not a child grows up with a father is statistically more important than their ethnic identity. Other factors, such as religious commitment, education, sexual decisions, and family stability have profound power to shape the lives and futures as individuals, families and whole communities.
Critical theory, however, ignores every other factor or squashes it into the oppressor-oppressed dynamic. This view distorts reality, and often turns on itself.
Everything Can Be Oppression
A recent article at Quillette described a Danish professor and critical theorist attacked by fellow critical theorists. They claimed his branch of Critical Theory was racist. This is no isolated case. Critical Theorists have produced scholarly articles and whole books claiming that everything from logic to math are tools of white, heteronormative oppression.
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The problem, as is explained in a recent “What Would You Say” video, is that Critical Theory’s answer to the question “what’s wrong with the world” is just wrong. Specifically, critical theory gets the human condition wrong and the human problem wrong. As a result, its solutions are simplistic and, at times, dangerous. They’re not compatible with Christianity, and we should reject them.
Now, to be clear, I believe racism still plagues our country, and is embedded in the hearts of individuals and in institutions and systems. We can reach that conclusion by care, by listening, and by statistical data, not to mention from how the Christian worldview describes the cause and condition of fallen humanity.
Too often, any attempt to listen and to engage the race issue is dismissed as critical theory. It’s not. At the same time, Critical Theory’s analysis and answers to the problem of racism violate what we know to be true about the human condition.
Only the Biblical story frames for us human value, human sin and human hope, which both allows us and calls us to confront racism wherever it rears its ugly head, without embracing a theory that sees people as nothing but their race.
Originally published on Breakpoint.org: BreakPoint Commentaries. Republished with permission of The Colson Center for Christian Worldview.


thestream--2020-06-27--Does the Bible Really Condone Genocide?

Does the Bible Really Condone Genocide?

What are we to think of the Old Testament passages in which God seems to command the destruction of entire people groups ?
Does God approve of ( and even command ) genocide ?
In this video from J. Warner ’ s “ Quick Shots : Fast Answers to Hard Questions ” series on RightNow Media , J. Warner answers this common concern related to the claims of Christianity .
For more information about the reliability of the New Testament gospels and the case for Christianity , please read Cold-Case Christianity : A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principles of cold-case investigations and applies these strategies to investigate the claims of the gospel authors .
J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective , Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview , Adj .
Professor of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology , Biola University , author of Cold-Case Christianity , God ’ s Crime Scene , and Forensic Faith , and creator of the Case Makers Academy for kids .
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What are we to think of the Old Testament passages in which God seems to command the destruction of entire people groups? Does God approve of (and even command) genocide? In this video from J. Warner’s “Quick Shots: Fast Answers to Hard Questions” series on RightNow Media, J. Warner answers this common concern related to the claims of Christianity.
For more information about the reliability of the New Testament gospels and the case for Christianity, please read Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. This book teaches readers ten principles of cold-case investigations and applies these strategies to investigate the claims of the gospel authors.
J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Adj. Professor of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, author of Cold-Case Christianity, God’s Crime Scene, and Forensic Faith, and creator of the Case Makers Academy for kids.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-06-27--Has Moral Fortitude Gone the Way of the Dinosaur?

Would you say you are faithful to Christ ?
When it comes to doing something you desperately want — but is biblically immoral — do you still do it ?
This isn ’ t a question only for you .
I ask it of myself , too .
I ’ d like to think I ’ d remain faithful even when it ’ s not convenient or expedient to do so .
This weekend I was reminded of the fictional story of Jane Eyre , and it made me wonder whether I have the moral fortitude to always do what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brontë weaves a romantic rags-to-riches tale of an orphan girl who becomes the governess at Mr. Rochester ’ s home and eventually falls in love with him .
Her dreams come true when they pledge to wed each other , but she ’ s surprised when — at the altar — someone reports Mr. Rochester is already married .
It turns out his wife is still alive but has become mentally ill , self-destructive , and insane .
Mr. Rochester justified marrying Jane because he no longer considered himself married to his first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is devastated to discover this news .
Being a faithful Christian , she can ’ t in good conscience marry Mr. Rochester .
She holds him accountable to the sacred vows he pledged to his wife .
Not to let a charming and intelligent woman escape him , Mr. Rochester attempts to win Jane back .
He does everything to persuade her to live with him .
Jane could be his mistress and they could live happily ever after .
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Jane describes the crushing temptation to give in to Mr. Rochester ’ s plea : You can feel Jane ’ s grief and pain .
Marrying Mr. Rochester is everything that she could ever want at that moment .
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity .
She could have the love of her lifetime .
It would be so easy .
After all , Mr. Rochester ’ s wife was virtually out of the picture .
No one would be hurt by their action .
It was as if Brontë is instructing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minimalist ethic — the principle that a behavior is permissible as long as it doesn ’ t hurt anyone .
Both Jane and Mr. Rochester would be happy to be together , and no one would be hurt .
Who wouldn ’ t move forward with such a calculus ?
But consider how Jane answers this moral dilemma .
I will respect myself .
I will keep the law given by God ; sanctioned by man .
I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation : they are for such moments as this , when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour ; stringent are they ; inviolate they shall be .
If at my individual convenience I might break them , what would be their worth ?
I love those last lines .
Our morals don ’ t exist to guide us when we ’ re not tempted .
Rather , they exist for times when we face the crushing temptation to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morals , asks Jane , if you break them whenever it ’ s convenient ?
They ’ re worth nothing , of course .
Brontë ’ s heroine has the moral fortitude to do what ’ s right , even when every fiber in her body is screaming to act in the opposite direction and her dream of marrying the man she loves is at stake .
It ’ s unlikely you or I will face a circumstance similar to that of Jane ’ s .
It ’ s certain , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we either succumb to our desires or surrender to God .
Would a modern believer also make the right decision like Jane ?
Does a person of such moral fortitude only exist in a fictional fairy tale like Jane Eyre ?
Or is that a decision that you and I would make as well ?
I ’ d like to think that , when the time comes , I ’ d be faithful to make the right choice even if that meant forsaking that which benefits me so greatly .
What would it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moral decision when the time comes ?
I don ’ t know for sure .
I believe , though , it doesn ’ t just happen naturally .
We don ’ t automatically choose faithfulness to God in the face of insurmountable temptation simply because we are Christians .
I suspect making the difficult choice is possible after a lifelong habit of yielding to the Spirit in smaller decisions .
Then , when more challenging decisions come our way , we are prepared .
I pray I am ready when the time comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaker for Stand to Reason .
He trains Christians to share their convictions in a persuasive , yet gracious manner .
He has been a guest on both radio and television , and has spoken to thousands of adults and students across the country at churches , conferences , and college campuses .
Originally published at Stand to Reason .
Reprinted with permission .

Would you say you are faithful to Christ? When it comes to doing something you desperately want — but is biblically immoral — do you still do it? This isn’t a question only for you. I ask it of myself, too. I’d like to think I’d remain faithful even when it’s not convenient or expedient to do so. This weekend I was reminded of the fictional story of Jane Eyre, and it made me wonder whether I have the moral fortitude to always do what is right.
Nineteenth century author Charlotte Brontë weaves a romantic rags-to-riches tale of an orphan girl who becomes the governess at Mr. Rochester’s home and eventually falls in love with him. Her dreams come true when they pledge to wed each other, but she’s surprised when — at the altar — someone reports Mr. Rochester is already married. It turns out his wife is still alive but has become mentally ill, self-destructive, and insane. Mr. Rochester justified marrying Jane because he no longer considered himself married to his first wife.
Jane, of course, is devastated to discover this news. Being a faithful Christian, she can’t in good conscience marry Mr. Rochester. She holds him accountable to the sacred vows he pledged to his wife.
Not to let a charming and intelligent woman escape him, Mr. Rochester attempts to win Jane back. He does everything to persuade her to live with him. Jane could be his mistress and they could live happily ever after.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Jane describes the crushing temptation to give in to Mr. Rochester’s plea:
I was experiencing an ordeal: a hand of fiery iron grasped my vitals. … Not a human being that ever lived could wish to be loved better than I was loved; and him who thus loved me I absolutely worshipped.
You can feel Jane’s grief and pain. Marrying Mr. Rochester is everything that she could ever want at that moment.
Jane continues to express her turmoil:
My very conscience and reason turned traitors against me, and charged me with crime in resisting him. They spoke almost as loud as Feeling: and that clamored wildly. “Oh, comply!” it said. … “Soothe him; save him; love him; tell him you love him and will be his. Who in the world cares for you? or who will be injured by what you do?”
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She could have the love of her lifetime. It would be so easy. After all, Mr. Rochester’s wife was virtually out of the picture. No one would be hurt by their action.
It was as if Brontë is instructing the reader in an ethics lesson on the minimalist ethic — the principle that a behavior is permissible as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. Both Jane and Mr. Rochester would be happy to be together, and no one would be hurt. Who wouldn’t move forward with such a calculus?
But consider how Jane answers this moral dilemma.
I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man. I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad—as I am now. Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth?
I love those last lines. Our morals don’t exist to guide us when we’re not tempted. Rather, they exist for times when we face the crushing temptation to do wrong. What is the worth of morals, asks Jane, if you break them whenever it’s convenient? They’re worth nothing, of course. Brontë’s heroine has the moral fortitude to do what’s right, even when every fiber in her body is screaming to act in the opposite direction and her dream of marrying the man she loves is at stake.
I love those last lines. Our morals don’t exist to guide us when we’re not tempted. Rather, they exist for times when we face the crushing temptation to do wrong.
It’s unlikely you or I will face a circumstance similar to that of Jane’s. It’s certain, however, that we will face many circumstances where we either succumb to our desires or surrender to God. Would a modern believer also make the right decision like Jane? Does a person of such moral fortitude only exist in a fictional fairy tale like Jane Eyre? Or is that a decision that you and I would make as well? I’d like to think that, when the time comes, I’d be faithful to make the right choice even if that meant forsaking that which benefits me so greatly.
What would it take to prepare me to make the moral decision when the time comes? I don’t know for sure. I believe, though, it doesn’t just happen naturally. We don’t automatically choose faithfulness to God in the face of insurmountable temptation simply because we are Christians. I suspect making the difficult choice is possible after a lifelong habit of yielding to the Spirit in smaller decisions. Then, when more challenging decisions come our way, we are prepared. I pray I am ready when the time comes.
Alan Shlemon is an author and speaker for Stand to Reason. He trains Christians to share their convictions in a persuasive, yet gracious manner. He has been a guest on both radio and television, and has spoken to thousands of adults and students across the country at churches, conferences, and college campuses.
Originally published at Stand to Reason. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-06-28--A Convicted Terrorist Sits on the Board of Charity Handling Black Lives Matter Fundraising

Thousand Currents , the California-based charity that manages fundraising operations for the national arm of Black Lives Matter , includes on its board a convicted terrorist whose sentence was commuted by former President Bill Clinton on his last day in office .
Susan Rosenberg was identified as the vice chair of the Thousand Currents board of directors on the charity ’ s website until Wednesday when the page was taken down after the conservative think tank Capital Research Center detailed her involvement with a communist terrorist group that had carried out bombings in New York and Washington , D.C. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s involvement with the May 19 Communist Organization , which carried out its bombing campaign to create a contrast to former President Ronald Reagan ’ s “ Morning in America ” campaign promise , earned her a spot on the FBI ’ s Most Wanted List , according to The Washington Examiner .
She was arrested in New Jersey in 1984 while unloading 740 pounds of stolen explosives and a sub-machine gun from a truck .
Rosenberg was released from prison in 2001 after having her sentence commuted by Clinton , serving 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White lobbied aggressively against Rosenberg ’ s commutation at the time , noting that she had allegedly been one of the getaway drivers in the 1981 Brink ’ s robbery , which resulted in the deaths of two police officers and one security guard .
Rosenberg was charged with crimes in the robbery , but those charges were dropped because she was already in prison , The New York Times reported .
Rosenberg was also identified as a member of the Thousand Currents board of directors in the charity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IRS for its 2016 , 2017 and 2018 fiscal years , indicating that the former terrorist has been involved with the group for the entirety of its fiscal sponsorship arrangement with Black Lives Matter Global Foundation , which began in 2016 .
Financial statements prepared by Thousand Currents reveal that 83.3 % of BLM Global Foundation ’ s total spending during its 2017 , 2018 and 2019 fiscal years was spent on travel , consulting and payroll , while only about 6 % was put toward grants to outside organizations such as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News Foundation previously reported .
BLM Global Network Managing Director Kailee Scales told the DCNF the figures “ do not reflect , for example , the in kind support for chapters and fundraising directed to chapters and programmatic assistance to chapters , that would not show up as direct grants on the audited financials.
” In addition to removing the page on its website disclosing Rosenberg as a member of its board of directors , Thousand Currents also took down a page that had disclosed financial information for the charity such as audits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thousand Currents did not return the DCNF ’ s request for comment .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
BLM Global Network has raised a substantial sum of money since the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man who died on May 25 in Minneapolis police custody .

Thousand Currents, the California-based charity that manages fundraising operations for the national arm of Black Lives Matter, includes on its board a convicted terrorist whose sentence was commuted by former President Bill Clinton on his last day in office.
Susan Rosenberg was identified as the vice chair of the Thousand Currents board of directors on the charity’s website until Wednesday when the page was taken down after the conservative think tank Capital Research Center detailed her involvement with a communist terrorist group that had carried out bombings in New York and Washington, D.C., in the early 1980s.
Rosenberg’s involvement with the May 19 Communist Organization, which carried out its bombing campaign to create a contrast to former President Ronald Reagan’s “Morning in America” campaign promise, earned her a spot on the FBI’s Most Wanted List, according to The Washington Examiner. She was arrested in New Jersey in 1984 while unloading 740 pounds of stolen explosives and a sub-machine gun from a truck.
Rosenberg was released from prison in 2001 after having her sentence commuted by Clinton, serving 16 years of her 58-year prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White lobbied aggressively against Rosenberg’s commutation at the time, noting that she had allegedly been one of the getaway drivers in the 1981 Brink’s robbery, which resulted in the deaths of two police officers and one security guard. Rosenberg was charged with crimes in the robbery, but those charges were dropped because she was already in prison, The New York Times reported.
Rosenberg was also identified as a member of the Thousand Currents board of directors in the charity’s Form 990s submitted to the IRS for its 2016, 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, indicating that the former terrorist has been involved with the group for the entirety of its fiscal sponsorship arrangement with Black Lives Matter Global Foundation, which began in 2016.
Financial statements prepared by Thousand Currents reveal that 83.3% of BLM Global Foundation’s total spending during its 2017, 2018 and 2019 fiscal years was spent on travel, consulting and payroll, while only about 6% was put toward grants to outside organizations such as the local BLM chapters, the Daily Caller News Foundation previously reported.
BLM Global Network Managing Director Kailee Scales told the DCNF the figures “do not reflect, for example, the in kind support for chapters and fundraising directed to chapters and programmatic assistance to chapters, that would not show up as direct grants on the audited financials.”
In addition to removing the page on its website disclosing Rosenberg as a member of its board of directors, Thousand Currents also took down a page that had disclosed financial information for the charity such as audits and Form 990s dating back to 2005.
Thousand Currents did not return the DCNF’s request for comment.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
BLM Global Network has raised a substantial sum of money since the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died on May 25 in Minneapolis police custody.
In recent weeks the group has announced grant funds totaling $12.5 million after raising more than $1.1 million in donations since Floyd’s death. The average donation to BLM Global Network clocked in at $33, The Associated Press reported.
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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--2020-06-28--The Issue is Never the Issue. The Issue is Always the Revolution

“ The issue is never the issue .
The issue is always the revolution.
” Whatever our revolutionaries say they want , they really want to overturn the whole system .
In The Stream a couple weeks ago , I pushed back against that phrase when deployed against the legitimate grievances of African-Americans .
But no phrase better encapsulates the iconoclasm now sweeping the world .
That is , how totally full of it are the anti-statue creeps .
Let ’ s start with what really happened in New Haven the other day .
Two supporters of removing the statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest .
They wore shirts declaring “ White Lives Matter Too Much , ” and carried a sign reading , “ Y ’ all left New Haven ‘ cause of blacks .
… Funny this is when you come back.
” I don ’ t support violence .
I wouldn ’ t walk into the middle of , say , a BLM rally wearing a MAGA hat and proceed to lecture the attendees on how they support a bad cause .
That would be a deliberate provocation .
That ’ s what these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pro-statue rally myself for an hour the day it was removed , from 6 am to 7 , and those were peaceful people .
Only after I left did those two men show up and provoke them .
You won ’ t see any of that context in a video , different than the one here , showing the two sides arguing afterward .
But the virtue-signal crowd only share that one .
Why the outrageous murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis means we have to remove a statue of Columbus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know .
Oh , wait .
I do know .
It ’ s in the title of my post .
Am I the only pro-family activist who is noticing the similarities between the gay marriage fight and the Columbus fight ?
Same tactics , same stakes .
The same demonic spirit at work in both battles .
On tactics , there is : 1 ) The gaslighting .
The activists ask : “ What do you lose if the Columbus statue comes down ?
” Not unlike “ How does it affect you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marry ?
” We quickly found out .
If you say the wrong thing about gay marriage , or if you said the wrong thing on social media ten years ago , you ’ re out of a job .
Post-gay marriage , no one should buy the gas-lighting on Columbus .
This is about so much more than Columbus .
2 ) The rejection of nuance .
Yesterday ’ s Jacobins rejected our point that gay persons are entitled to the same rights as everyone else , but they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today ’ s Jacobins reject the idea that Columbus discovered America , in the sense that our civilization in this hemisphere begins with him .
It was a huge achievement by a great man , albeit one who is guilty of grave injustices .
3 ) The accusations of racism .
Then , it didn ’ t matter that you had no animus against gay people .
You don ’ t support changing the definition of marriage ?
You ’ re a hater .
Now it doesn ’ t matter that you acknowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European to set foot in the New World and that he was guilty of crimes .
You still credit his achievements as a great explorer , you practically have Indian blood on your hands too .
Why is this ?
Taking down statues of Columbus ( and others ) isn ’ t really about the crimes of Columbus for them .
Supporting gay marriage wasn ’ t really about letting homosexual people marry .
It ’ s about power .
We Brought This on Ourselves We brought this on ourselves .
But not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We brought this on ourselves by not having enough children , the single biggest cause of our civilization ’ s decline .
We brought this on ourselves by letting the children we did have get educated by the likes of Howard Zinn , the second-biggest cause of our decline .
Into this vacuum rushes Cultural Marxism .
That ’ s why it ’ s not just Columbus or the Confederacy that has to come down .
That ’ s why Washington , Jefferson , Lincoln , Grant , Teddy Roosevelt , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ churches , even some abolitionist I never heard of who died fighting slavery , all of them need to be torn down .
Our civilization must first be erased , the good as much as the bad , to make way for what is coming next .
Either we stand up for our civilization or it will be replaced .
“ Meet the new boss , same as the old boss , ” sings The Who in “ Won ’ t Get Fooled Again.
” Except , as they could have told you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Christians in their corporate cubicles could tell you right now , if they weren ’ t terrified the H.R .
Department down the hall might hear them — the new boss is not the same as the old boss .
The new boss will be far worse .
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 .

“The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution.” Whatever our revolutionaries say they want, they really want to overturn the whole system. In The Stream a couple weeks ago, I pushed back against that phrase when deployed against the legitimate grievances of African-Americans.
But no phrase better encapsulates the iconoclasm now sweeping the world. That is, how totally full of it are the anti-statue creeps.
What Really Happened
Let’s start with what really happened in New Haven the other day. Two supporters of removing the statue of Christopher Columbus came to a pro-statue protest. They wore shirts declaring “White Lives Matter Too Much,” and carried a sign reading, “Y’all left New Haven ‘cause of blacks. … Funny this is when you come back.”
I don’t support violence. I wouldn’t walk into the middle of, say, a BLM rally wearing a MAGA hat and proceed to lecture the attendees on how they support a bad cause. That would be a deliberate provocation. That’s what these two men did.
I was at the pro-statue rally myself for an hour the day it was removed, from 6 am to 7, and those were peaceful people. Only after I left did those two men show up and provoke them. You won’t see any of that context in a video, different than the one here, showing the two sides arguing afterward. But the virtue-signal crowd only share that one.
Why the outrageous murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis means we have to remove a statue of Columbus in New Haven, I don’t know. Oh, wait. I do know. It’s in the title of my post.
The Same Fight
Am I the only pro-family activist who is noticing the similarities between the gay marriage fight and the Columbus fight? Same tactics, same stakes. The same demonic spirit at work in both battles.
On tactics, there is:
1) The gaslighting. The activists ask: “What do you lose if the Columbus statue comes down?” Not unlike “How does it affect you if two people of the same sex marry?” We quickly found out. If you say the wrong thing about gay marriage, or if you said the wrong thing on social media ten years ago, you’re out of a job. Post-gay marriage, no one should buy the gas-lighting on Columbus. This is about so much more than Columbus.
2) The rejection of nuance. Yesterday’s Jacobins rejected our point that gay persons are entitled to the same rights as everyone else, but they don’t have the right to redefine marriage. Today’s Jacobins reject the idea that Columbus discovered America, in the sense that our civilization in this hemisphere begins with him. It was a huge achievement by a great man, albeit one who is guilty of grave injustices.
3) The accusations of racism. Then, it didn’t matter that you had no animus against gay people. You don’t support changing the definition of marriage? You’re a hater. Now it doesn’t matter that you acknowledge that Columbus was not literally the first European to set foot in the New World and that he was guilty of crimes. You still credit his achievements as a great explorer, you practically have Indian blood on your hands too.
Why is this? Taking down statues of Columbus (and others) isn’t really about the crimes of Columbus for them. Supporting gay marriage wasn’t really about letting homosexual people marry. It’s about power.
We Brought This on Ourselves
We brought this on ourselves. But not in the way the iconoclast creeps think. We brought this on ourselves by not having enough children, the single biggest cause of our civilization’s decline. We brought this on ourselves by letting the children we did have get educated by the likes of Howard Zinn, the second-biggest cause of our decline.
Into this vacuum rushes Cultural Marxism. That’s why it’s not just Columbus or the Confederacy that has to come down.
That’s why Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, the National Anthem, Catholic saints, Catholic churches, even some abolitionist I never heard of who died fighting slavery, all of them need to be torn down. Our civilization must first be erased, the good as much as the bad, to make way for what is coming next.
Either we stand up for our civilization or it will be replaced. “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss,” sings The Who in “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Except, as they could have told you in Jacobin France or Bolshevik Russia — as Christians in their corporate cubicles could tell you right now, if they weren’t terrified the H.R. Department down the hall might hear them — the new boss is not the same as the old boss.
The new boss will be far worse.
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.