A prayerless person is a disaster waiting to happen. —D.A. Carson
Dec. 2, 2014
BLOOMBERG
President Obama has chosen Ashton Carter, a seasoned Pentagon official, to be his fourth defense secretary, succeeding departing Secretary Chuck Hagel.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced Monday that he will soon release new guidelines to state and local law enforcement officials designed to limit racial profiling in America.
Researchers at Washington State University are developing a breathalyzer that will detect the presence of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana. WSU chemistry professor Herbert Hill and a doctoral student are working on a handheld device similar to the ones used by police to tell whether a person is under the influence of alcohol.
India’s central bank left interest rates unchanged for a fifth straight meeting while signaling a possible easing early next year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government called for lower borrowing costs.
Japanese wages adjusted for inflation dropped for a sixteenth straight month as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces an election focused on his efforts to spur economic growth. Earning declined 2.8 percent in October from a year earlier.
House Republicans are moving toward a vote this week on legislation to revive dozens of lapsed U.S. tax breaks and extend them only through the end of this year.
At least 85 New York Times employees applied for voluntary buyouts by yesterday’s deadline, falling short of the number the newspaper publisher said was needed to avoid firings.
Cyber Monday sales growth is slowing as consumers embrace the convenience of online shopping, spreading out their purchases instead of being lured by one-day specials. Internet holiday shopping rose 8.5 percent on Cyber Monday.
Consumer spending over the long Thanksgiving weekend fell 2.1 percent from a year earlier to $21.8 billion, ShopperTrak estimated, offering a less-bleak view on the weekend than the National Retail Federation.
AP Top Stories
Trailblazing lawyer Vanita Gupta is Obama’s likely pick to run the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will talk to European allies this week about imposing further sanctions on Russia if pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine do not halt violence, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.
Hundreds of New York horse and buggy drivers could be on the road to unemployment if a ban of the historic trade makes its way through the city council.
For the second year in a row, airline experts have pronounced Air New Zealand the world’s best airline, calling it a “textbook case” of what airlines should be today.
President Obama pledged in 2009 to shutter Guantánamo Bay by the end of his presidency, a promise he’s repeated as recently as this year’s State of the Union address. It’s increasingly looking like he won’t be able to keep his word. Although 72 of the 142 men in the detention facility in Cuba have been cleared for release, transfers out continue at a glacial pace, and the looming Republican control of both houses in Congress come January could result in more roadblocks to drag out the process even more
Hackers have targeted the emails of top executives in more than 100 companies to steal market-sensitive information and “gain an edge in stock trading”, a report released on Monday revealed.
The American middle class has absorbed a steep increase in the cost of health care and other necessities as incomes have stagnated over the past half decade, a squeeze that has forced families to cut back spending on everything from clothing to restaurants.
BBC
Kenya’s president replaced his interior minister and police chief following a massacre by Islamist group al-Shabab in which 36 were killed.
The Russian government warned the economy will fall into recession next year as Western sanctions over Ukraine and falling oil prices begin to bite.
Thousands of Mexicans have taken part in a protest march over the disappearance of 43 students in September and the government’s handling of the case.
HIV is evolving to become less deadly and less infectious as it spends more time infecting people, according to a major scientific study.
The EU’s top court said refugees who claim asylum on the grounds that they are homosexual should not have to undergo tests to prove it.
WND
The U.S. debt clock has swept past $18 trillion without so much as a flicker of hesitation. “It also means that total U.S. debt has increased by 70 percent under Obama, from $10.625 trillion on January 21, 2009 to $18.005 trillion most recently.” In short, the federal government has borrowed, and spent, nearly $7.5 trillion more since President Obama took office than it has collected in taxes.
The FBI warned U.S. businesses that unknown hackers have released destructive malware that is capable of wiping data on hard drives. The attack makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible to recover data.
A renewed plunge in oil prices is a worrying sign of weakness in the global economy that could shake governments dependent on oil revenues. Yet it is also a bonus for consumers as prices fall at the pump, giving individuals more spending money and lowering costs for many businesses.
The killer virus Ebola may not be front and center in the news, but it’s still in the forefront of efforts by health officials nationwide. As of today, more than 1,400 people in 44 states in the U.S. are being actively monitored by state and local health departments after returning from West Africa. The good news is that no new cases have been reported in the U.S. since Oct. 23.
Daily Digest for Tuesday
December 2, 2014
THE FOUNDATION
“It is not honorable to take mere legal advantage, when it happens to be contrary to justice.” –Thomas Jefferson, Opinion on Debts Due to Soldiers, 1790
TOP 5 RIGHT HOOKS
DOJ to Offer ‘Guidance’ on Racial Profiling
Get ready for a “conversation on race” courtesy of the Obama administration. Attorney General Eric Holder, who once said Americans are “cowards” on racial issues, said Monday at Martin Luther King Jr.’s church in Atlanta: “In the coming days, I will announce updated Justice Department guidance regarding profiling by federal law enforcement. This will institute rigorous new standards — and robust safeguards — to help end racial profiling, once and for all. This new guidance will codify our commitment to the very highest standards of fair and effective policing.” Holder is absolutely not the authority on what’s “fair and effective,” much less what constitutes proper Rule of Law. Holder and his boss have inflamed the racial tension that boiled over in Ferguson, Missouri, focusing as always on the color of skin instead of content of character. Yet now they want to be seen as the voice of reason. No sale. More…
Rams Players Strike ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ Pose Before Sunday’s Game
The politics of Ferguson have bled over to the football field, with several NFL players showing “solidarity” with protesters/rioters before a game Sunday. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, “Several Rams receivers created a stir during pregame introductions at the Edward Jones Dome by striking the ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ pose when they came out of the tunnel for Sunday’s game with the Oakland Raiders. The group consisted of Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Kenny Britt, Jared Cook and Chris Givens. They hatched the idea before the game.” Somewhat ironically, Britt had his own run-ins with the law, most recently in June when he was still with the Tennessee Titans. Britt said, “We just wanted to let the [Ferguson] community know that we support them.” By using the gesture popularized by those destroying the community? The St. Louis Police Officers Association condemned the display, calling it “tasteless, offensive and inflammatory.” The football field is the place for one thing: football. Beyond that, these guys might want to note that it isn’t the hooligans burning down Ferguson who are paying their salaries. More…
Reid Cramming Before He Loses Senate Power
Like a college freshman just now realizing the end of term is nigh, Harry Reid has realized he has a few short weeks until he is no longer majority leader of the Senate. He’s warning senators he might not let them go home for Christmas, and they may have to work weekends — although Congress hasn’t worked Friday, Saturday or Sunday for quite some time. “We may have to be here a third week and everyone should understand that,” Reid warned Monday. “Our most important task at hand is to pass bills to fund our government, keep it from shutting down. We have a lot to do. And there isn’t much time to accomplish it. … We may have to be here the week before Christmas … and hopefully not into the Christmas holiday.” Reid, who has spent much of the last four years obstructing bills passed by the Republican-controlled House, only wants to use his last fleeting moments of power holding the purse strings of Congress to fund Obama’s agendas — something voters clearly rejected. And by the way, didn’t Senate Democrats pass ObamaCare on Christmas Eve 2009? More…
Thanks to ObamaCare, People Delay Health Care Over Cost
ObamaCare may have helped cause a slight decline in the uninsured in America (depending on how you count the statistics), but that doesn’t mean people are getting more health care. The Washington Times reports, “A third of Americans say they have put off getting medical treatment that they or their family members needed this year because of the cost. That’s in line with the roughly 30 percent figures seen in recent years, but still among the highest readings in the 14-year history of asking the question, according to a Gallup poll released Friday.” In other words, at best, ObamaCare hasn’t made health care more affordable — just the opposite, as a matter of fact, as insurance rates around the country skyrocket. And it’s not only the uninsured delaying care. According to the Times, “[T]he number of Americans with private health plans who put off medical treatment because of cost jumped from 25 percent last year to 34 percent this year.” But at least if you like your plan you can keep it, right? More…
Left’s Mockery Nothing Like Turkey Pardon Criticism
The presidential pardon of a turkey or two every Thanksgiving is just one of the silly events the Washington elite do every year — just like the softball games in summer and the cherry blossom princesses in the spring. So let’s not blame Barack Obama’s daughters Malia and Sasha Obama for being bored by the event. Elizabeth Lauten, the Communications Director for Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN), critiqued the two teens on Facebook, writing, “Dear Sasha and Malia, I get you’re both in those awful teen years, but you’re a part of the First Family, try showing a little class. At least respect the part you play.” It was a cheap shot, but the Leftmedia jumped down Lauten’s throat: How dare someone say such a thing to the children of the president. Lauten apologized and then resigned from her position. Yet her criticism was nothing compared to the mockery Slate spewed about Rick Santorum’s daughters, and let’s not forget how the Leftmedia cackled over the Palin family’s birthday party brawl or speculated over Trig Palin’s parentage. Double standard much?
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RIGHT ANALYSIS
EPA Announces Holiday Sale on Expensive Regulations
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Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, the Obama administration announced it will seek tighter restrictions to curb industrial emissions to lower ozone pollution. It’s the first of many new rules the EPA will be rolling out in the next few months — all sure to do more harm to the economy than good for the environment.
Rules to reduce methane emissions are expected soon. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas said to trap heat 25 times more than carbon dioxide, is a byproduct of hydraulic fracturing, a.k.a. fracking — the technique often used to extract oil or natural gas from the earth. Environmentalists claim methane leaks have the potential to cancel out the benefits of natural gas production. Of course, years before the natural gas boom, these same environmentalists heralded natural gas as the solution to America’s energy problems. It’s cleaner than oil, it’s plentiful and it’s easy to reach. Now that we are actually harvesting more energy, however, the environmental lobby wants to shut it down. It’s a common pattern — constantly moving the goal post to make anything good for the economy seem bad for the environment.
Coal ash is another target for the EPA. The agency may not label this byproduct of burned coal in electricity generation a hazardous waste, but the new rules for how it is stored and handled will hit the embattled coal industry with significant new costs. It’s yet another salvo in Obama’s ongoing war to shut down coal production in America.
The EPA temporarily tabled its new fuel-blending requirements for the Renewable Fuel Standard. But the welcome news of this delay is more than offset by coming government restrictions on fracking on federal lands and offshore drilling in the Arctic.
Industry and private citizens are paying a hefty price for these regulations. The agency maintains we’ll save $67 billion on energy. But they arrive at this phony conclusion by using a complex model illustrating the supposed damage done to the environment by unchecked carbon emissions and tallying the costs to be incurred by cleaning it up. Yet if rabid environmentalists have taught us anything over the last several years, it’s not to trust their predictions. Whether they’re wrong because of faulty analysis or outright lying, the end result is the same.
Energy Ventures Analysis, a private industry consultancy, estimates the EPA carbon rules will add $284 billion in energy costs over the next five years. Between 2012 and 2020, the average annual household gas bill will increase by $680, while electricity bills could increase by $340. The industrial sector could see a 92% hike in electricity and natural gas bills by 2020, costs that will assuredly be passed on to consumers in higher prices for goods and services.
The Supreme Court recently agreed to take on the question of whether the EPA should have considered costs in determining the regulation of hazardous air pollutants. The question is central to three separate suits against the EPA that the Court consolidated into one. There’s no reason to believe, however, that this case will curb the EPA’s overreach into the economic sector. The Supreme Court has a sad history of validating the agency’s broad use of power. In 2007, the Court ruled that the EPA had the power to regulate gases it associates with “climate change.” This year, it affirmed the EPA’s plan to regulate greenhouse gases at large industrial plants.
There really is only one way to check the imperial overstretch of the so-called Environmental Protection Agency: Elect a president in 2016 who knows the real difference between creating environmental regulations that make sense and issuing edicts for the sake of attaining power.
Trouble Picking a New Secretary of Defense
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It has been a week since the resignation/ouster of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, and yet there still appears to be no clear choice for Barack Obama as to who should next head the Pentagon. The reasons for this are many.
Rather than speculate on the next secretary, perhaps the question should be: Who would want to be the next Pentagon chief? Certainly there is a pool of people from which Obama could choose, but those who should be considered for the position won’t be, and several potential candidates have already declined.
For example, Michèle Flournoy was seen by many policy pundits as the frontrunner for the job, as she served as undersecretary of defense from 2009 to 2012. She could have been the first female appointed to the position, but she declined. Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed was also viewed as an option to succeed Hagel, but he plans to stay right where he is.
Another potential replacement is former Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, an academic considered to be an expert on budgets and weapons in the Pentagon. However, there are two problems. First, Carter is an expert on budgets, of which Obama knows little beyond cutting the defense budget for America’s military while breaking the bank for everything else. Second, Carter is considered to be an aggressive and independent thinker, and, he admits, “I do not think they are looking for someone more aggressive and independent.”
So scratch him off the list too. Surely Obama would not want to appoint someone who can think independently and who would pursue an aggressive defense policy aimed at strengthening America’s military and developing a sound military strategy in the world.
Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey notes that Obama will likely pick a “technocrat without much political pull in Washington DC,” or perhaps put forward DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson. Morrissey asks, “Who else would want a job where all of the blame would fall on his or her shoulders for a set of policies over which he or she would have little influence?”
National Review’s John Fund likewise observes, “Too many people view it as a job not worth having in an atmosphere where the White House manages everything.” Fund explains that no one wants to contend with the likes of National Security Advisor Susan Rice, “who exercises an iron grip on key aspects of foreign policy,” or White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, “who seems to have both hands in every pie at the White House.”
Furthermore, who would want to tag team with Secretary of State John Kerry, who deems that climate change is our biggest national-security threat? Well, besides Hagel, who shared that view.
Anyone with any sense recognizes that Obama’s foreign policy is a failure and is devastating to our nation, and anyone who even attempts to voice dissent against the president is pushed away.
It would be refreshing for Obama to tap someone for the Pentagon post who understands the threat of the Islamic State and other terrorist networks around the world. It would be desirable if Obama would choose someone who understands the geopolitical threat Russia presents to the world. It would be wonderful if he would pick a person who would strengthen the U.S. military and put an end to the leftist social engineering that weakens troop morale and unit readiness. However, the prospect of such a choice is dim.
Based on the record this president and his administration have established over the last six years, during which time three people have held the Pentagon post, the likelihood of Obama picking the right person now is slim to none. Even if the right person were picked, would he or she want to serve for the next two years under this president and his policy failures? It’s unlikely, but we can hope — better yet pray — for change.
TOP 5 RIGHT OPINION COLUMNS
- Arnold Ahlert: Progressivism’s Last Gasp
- Thomas Sowell: Opinions Versus Facts
- David Limbaugh: White House Exploits Ferguson
- Mona Charen: Will Body Cameras Solve the Ferguson Problem?
- Burt Prelutsky: Tax in the Form of a Billy Club
OPINION IN BRIEF
English author Auberon Herbert (1838-1906): “How should it happen that the individual should be without rights, but the combination of individuals should possess unlimited rights?”
Columnist Arnold Ahlert: “Early Sunday morning, 32-year-old Bosnian man Zemir Begic was killed in a hammer attack in the Bevo Mill neighborhood of St. Louis, MO. The murderous assault was perpetrated by three or four teens, described as ‘black and Hispanic.’ … And while [Begic] is clearly of the Caucasian persuasion, the media that have covered the story prefer to use the term ‘Bosnian’ to describe him. More than likely that is the case because the word ‘white’ would force them to consider the possibility that Begic was killed because of his race, or as a spillover reaction to the jury verdict and subsequent rioting in Ferguson. … Justice has a split personality these days. The racialist undertones that from the heart of the Ferguson protests have already been dismissed here. The same media that descended on Ferguson en masse, in all their fact-free, hysteria-inducing, narrative-perpetrating glory, will be nowhere to be found. The thugs who roamed the streets with hammers, ‘just for the fun of it,’ will never have a bounty placed on their heads, or be forced to go into hiding in fear of their lives. Attorney General Eric Holder will not descend upon the scene to determine the motives of those thugs, or conduct a follow-up investigation to see if Begic’s civil rights were violated. Al Sharpton and his traveling band of racial arsonists will make no grand gestures or statements about the black American thug culture that drives such attacks. Attacks whose percentages dwarf those of every other ethnic group. Attacks in which black-on-white murders far outnumber white-on-black murders. President Obama will not inject himself into the incident, nor will he hold three separate White House meetings to address the concerns of a Bosnian community living in fear. There will be no white equivalent of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan urging his followers to ‘tear this godda– country apart!’ or telling the parents of white teenagers to ‘teach your baby how to throw the bottle if they can,’ in reference to Molotov cocktails. … Progressive bankruptcy is unsustainable and headed for the ash heap of history. One race-bating, riot-inciting demagogue after another.”
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| Twitter user @AnthonyCumia |
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Email Brigade News Report
What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. ~ Micah 6:8
December 2, 2014
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ~ Hebrews 1:1-2
MARSHA WEST’S COLUMN
Revisited Would the Son of God Contradict the Father?
Is it true that Jesus never mentioned anything about homosexuality? That He never brought it up, even once? Most of us have heard the argument that the Gospels have no record of Jesus condemning homosexuality. There are individuals, especially from the militant homosexual rights movement, who utter this fabrication with all the raw hostility of liberals who think abortion is their God given right.
Bethel Church’s “Apostle” Bill Johnson: A Comedy of Errors Part 1 Part 2
Christian Meditation: What’s Biblical and What’s Not
FEATURED ARTICLES
New
Administration Exploits Ferguson to Undermine Race Relations and Rule of Law-David Limbaugh
David Limbaugh http://townhall.com/columnists/davidlimbaugh/2014/12/02/administration-exploits-ferguson-to-undermine-race-relations-and-rule-of-law-n1925923
I wish there were a way to address the Ferguson controversy without generating further controversy. But that’s not an easy task.
The Silence Around Ferguson—Deroy Murdock
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/393611/silence-around-ferguson-deroy-murdock
WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
New
Religious group wants to build McDonald’s in a church
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/11/28/businessman-wants-to-build-mcdonalds-in-church/
NEWS TO KNOW
New
Al Qaeda plot to blow up 5 passenger planes in Christmas ‘spectacular’
Ponzi: Treasury Issues $1T in New Debt in 8 Weeks—To Pay Old Debt
EPA staffers linked to ‘alleged serious misconduct,’ agency reveals
Feds urge US military members to scrub social media accounts over ISIS attack concerns
Israel’s government on verge of collapse as coalition partners turn on Benjamin Netanyahu http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Israel+government+verge+collapse+coalition+partners+turn/10428064/story.html
CULTURE CLASH
CULTURE
New
Marijuana Figures Big in Ferguson Meltdown—Cliff Kincaid
http://www.aim.org/aim-column/marijuana-figures-big-in-ferguson-meltdown/
CNN’s Don Lemon is under fire for making the elementary observation that some of the Ferguson protesters planning violence and mayhem were smoking pot. Linking dope to violence is taboo for most of the media.
Many binge drink, but not all are alcoholics
http://thrive.suntimes.com/health/report-every-excessive-drinker-alcoholic/
EDUCATION – Research Links
New
High school rule-makers endanger female athletes—Matt Barber
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/mbarber/141130
The inmates are running the asylum in Indy.
HOMOSEXUALITY — Research Links
The revolution of the family: the Marxist roots of ‘homosexualism’
Porn may be only place gay youth see gay sex portrayed ‘positively’: UK ‘sex health’ charity head
300 Articles You Have to Read to Understand Homofascism
Homosexual Promiscuity: Breeding a national health problem
Big ‘Gay’ Brother is Watching You
Truth-Telling and Homosexuality
New
The Age of Intolerance—Mary Steyn
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/366896/age-intolerance-mark-steyn
Last week, following the public apology of an English comedian and the arrest of a fellow British subject both for making somewhat feeble Mandela gags, I noted that supposedly free societies were increasingly perilous places for those who make an infelicitous remark. So let’s pick up where we left off: …
Previous
Homosexual Activist Arrested for Child Rape Was Called By Obama ‘Great Friend and Supporter’
EX-GAYS/EX TRANSEXUALS
Truth Matters In Ex-Gay Debate
Nine fallen ‘exgay’ leaders seek spotlight with therapy ban alliance
Why Gays Cannot Speak for Ex-Gays
120 EXhomosexual video testimonies
New
Former Lesbian Turned Christian: ‘We’ve Made God Little if We Believe He Cannot Change People’
Previous
Trouble In Transtopia: Murmurs Of Sex Change Regret—Stella Morabito
http://thefederalist.com/2014/11/11/trouble-in-transtopia-murmurs-of-sex-change-regret/
LEFT-WING MEDIA
New
CNN Covers Sex Abuse Case Against Obama ‘Friend,’ As Big Three Censor Story
http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/01/us/ferguson-up-to-speed/index.html
LIFE& DEATH – Research Links
Parents Release Photo of Daughter Born at 24 Weeks to Stop Late-Term Abortions
Amazing Video Shows Life Before Birth: “Everything a Newborn Baby Does, a Fetus Has Already Done”
New
CDC Report: Over 200 Babies Are Aborted for Every 1,000 Live Births in America
MARRIAGE & FAMILY
Ryan Anderson explains why gay marriage doesn’t exist
Our last chance to save traditional marriage
Previous
National Homosexual Activist Organization Targets Christians in Latest Campaign
A homosexual activist organization whose co-founder was recently jailed for sex abuse charges has launched an aggressive campaign to convert Christians to the same-sex ‘marriage’ cause.
CHECK OUT THE BOOK STORE
RELIGION
OF INTEREST
New
Thinking Biblically About the Riots In Ferguson—Jessee Johnson
http://thecripplegate.com/thinking-biblically-about-riots-ferguson/
Previous
A small village in Nepal is set to make the largest animal sacrifice in the world
CREATION VS EVOLUTION – Research links
Why is biblical Creationism so important?
The Giraffe: God’s Outstanding Animal
New
Missing Link or Another Fish Story?—Frank Sherwin
http://www.icr.org/article/8496
TEACHING/DEVOTIONAL
New
Unrepentant sin leads to spiritual blindness—Mike Ratliff
http://mikeratliff.wordpress.com/2014/11/30/unrepentant-sin-leads-to-spiritual-blindness/
WATCH OUT!
Where do Christians get solid food? From voices in their heads, intuition, imaginations, flights of fancy, signs, wonders? No. Solid food is consumed by feeding on the meat of the written
Word of God. ~ Sandy Simpson
Alcoholics Anonymous
Previous
Yes, AA’s cofounder was a freemason—John Lanagan
http://mywordlikefire.com/2009/10/26/yes-aas-cofounder-was-a-freemason/
Angels
Three Reasons You Should Not Try To Bind Satan
Ann Voskamp
Romantic Panentheism, a Review of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts: A Christianized Version of “Sexytime” with Ghosts?
Beth Moore
Has so-and-so false teacher always been false, or did it just start now?
The Low-Information Evangelical, Part 1 Part 2
Examining Beth Moore’s teaching
“Blood Moons”
Is Jesus going to return during the blood-red moon of 2015?
Divine Sign for Israel? Hagee Explains Blood Moons
Will Lunar Eclipses Cause Four Blood Moons in 2014 and 2015?
Charismatic Movement
Strange Fire Q&A: Answering the Critics—Phil Johnson interviews John MacArthur
Where is IHOP Going? An interview with Sarah Leslie
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Pa$$ The Plate And Let Us Prey–SUFTT
http://standupforthetruth.com/2014/10/pa-plate-let-us-prey/
Should we impart an anointing of the Spirit on someone’s head? Does the Holy Spirit posses us, or indwell us? Yes, big difference between these two terms.
Church Growth Movement/Seeker/Market-Driven
Straight Talk About the Seeker Church Movement
Why this pastor left the church-growth model
Who is Peter Drucker, and what did he do with our church?
Rick Warren’s Catholic television interview
Contemplative Prayer – Research Links
The “Tree of Contemplative Practices” – Is Your Church Practicing Some of These?
What Is Spiritual Formation and Why Does It Matter?
Previous
Ravi Zacharias on Henri Nouwen – “I regret having said that” “Henri Nouwen Was One of the Greatest Saints In Our Time”—Lighthouse Trails
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=16369
Ecumenism
Previous
Does Rick Warren want you to “come home” to the Catholic Church?—Amy Spreeman
http://standupforthetruth.com/2013/06/does-rick-warren-want-you-to-come-home-to-the-catholic-church/
You’ve heard about the Purpose Driven Life for Catholics, but did you ever think it would lead to a major evangelization project by the Church of Rome that targets Protestant Christians?
Emergent Church – Research Links
Listen: Emergent Church finally shows its real intentions!–
Emergent /Emerging Church Documentary
New
McLaren’s CANA Initiative marks new era for Neo Emergents–SUFTT
http://standupforthetruth.com/2013/10/mclarens-cana-initiative-marks-new-era-for-neo-emergents/
Previous
The morphing of the Emergent movement: Can you see it now?–SUFTT
http://standupforthetruth.com/2014/11/the-morphing-of-the-emergent-movement-can-you-see-it-now/
Hillsong Church
Hellsong – The Music of Hillsong – In Praise of Folly
Previous
Hillsong NYC’s “biblical” silence about homosexuality—John Lanagan
Eugene Peterson’s The Message “bible” flat out deletes homosexuality as sin from two key New Testament passages, and gives a politically correct spin to a third
“Jesus Calling” – Research Links
In Jesus Calling: Jesus Contradicts Himself
Is Hit Book “Jesus Calling” Pushing New Age?
Articles and links exposing the New Age “Jesus” and New Age teachings
in Sarah Young’s “Jesus Calling” devotional
One Woman’s Story About Jesus Calling: A Surprise I Never Expected That Changed My Life
Previous
Changing “Jesus Calling”—Damage Control for a False Christ–SUFTT
http://standupforthetruth.com/2014/11/changing-jesus-calling-damage-control-false-christ/
Jonathan Cahn
“Rabbi” Jonathan Cahn’s Most Recent Duping of the People of God: “The Mystery of the Shemitah”
Joyce Meyer
The Prosperity Priestess and the Pied Piper of IHOP
Previous
Joyce Meyer cancels speaking engagement at IHOP-KC Onething 2014
Kay Arthur
Kay Arthur With Erroneous Contemplative Interpretation of Psalm 46:10
Christian Meditation: What’s Biblical and What’s
Mark Driscoll
5 Early Leadership Lessons from the Dissolution of Mars Hill Church
Part 1: “We Are Not ABANDONED” Part 2: “Under the Bus” and “Off the Map” – The Out-of-Control Bus That Runs Over Sheep Part 3: The Culture Which Gave Rise to Driscoll
Previous
Sources: Mark Driscoll Considering a Return to Ministry http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/11/09/sources-mark-driscoll-considering-a-return-to-ministry/
“The Message” Bible
Eugene Peterson’s “The Message” is a parody of the Bible
New
The “Message Bible”: A Breach of Truth—John Lanagan
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=16449
Mormonism — Research Links
Mormon Church Admits Founder Joseph Smith Had About 40 Wives
Was Joseph Smith Really a Prophet from God?
What is Mormonism – What do Mormon’s Believe
The Mormon version of “Holy, Holy, Holy” is missing something
New
Did Polygamy Accomplish the Purpose Given in LDS Scripture? http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2014/11/did-polygamy-accomplish-the-purpose-given-in-lds-scripture.html
Over the last couple of months, the LDS Church has been publishing some in-depth “Gospel Topics” essays covering controversial issues such as the translation of the Book of Abraham and the First Vision accounts. The latest essays are on polygamy in the early church, and specifically, on the plural marriages of Joseph Smith (which some Mormons were not aware of—this is the first time this information has been officially stated by the LDS Church, though it’s been available through other sources for quite some time).
New Age Movement/New Thought/Spirituality — Research Links
Mysticism & Global Mind Change
What is “The Secret”? What is the “Law of Attraction”?
Previous
The New Age Peale Factor: Norman Vincent Peale and the Occult Part 1 Part 2—Warren B. Smith
New Apostolic Reformation/Dominionism – Research Links
Rick Joyner’s alleged visit to heaven where he claims he met Enoch
Previous
Written in 2008. Posting it as reminder of who these people are.
We have had enough of false prophets—Marsha West
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/mwest/080830
People in this movement believe that the Apostles and Prophets have authority over the Church. Even though they hold a high office, the “apostles” and “prophets” don’t see eye to eye on everything. It has now come to light that some of the “apostles” were concerned about the possible dangers of commissioning Todd Bentley and warned other “apostles” but they were rebuffed — and they’re not taking it lying down….
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Bethel Church’s “Apostle” Bill Johnson: A Comedy of Errors Part 1 Part 2
Occult
This Year’s Christmas Must Have A…Ouija Board–SUFTT
http://standupforthetruth.com/2014/11/years-christmas-must-ouija-board/
Roman Catholicism
The Papacy of the Roman Catholic Church
‘Secrets of the Vatican’ exposes moral crises facing Catholic Church’s new pope
Do eucharistic miracles really happen?
New
‘Pope Francis’ Bows Head in ‘Silent Adoration’ Beside Islamic Grand Mufti in Turkey’s Blue Mosque
In a move that drew some concerns from onlookers worldwide, the Roman Catholic pontiff known as Francis visited Turkey’s Blue Mosque on Saturday, expressing reverence during a moment of prayer observed by the nation’s grand mufti, who led him on a tour of the Islamic facility.
Previous
Cardinal’s demotion helps Pope Francis quell ‘conservative backlash’ — for now
Social Justice/Progressive Christianity
The Social Justice Gospel, Yesterday and Today—Part 2
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How progressive Pharisees brutalize the Bible—SUFTT
http://standupforthetruth.com/2014/11/progressive-pharisees-brutalize-bible/
Transhumanism/Nephilum
Extraterrestrials, Noah’s Flood, Pseudo-Humans, Pseudo-Science,
Nephilim and Space Alien DNA—Part 2
Vision Casting
Casting a Vision of Commandeering Control
Witchcraft – Research Links
Word of Faith/Prosperity Gospel — Research Links
The True Origins of the Prosperity Gospel
T.D. Jakes and Joyce Meyer teaching word-faith “Little Gods” doctrine
Previous
Televangelist pastor accused of forcing vasectomies and abortions on church members
http://rt.com/usa/195940-pastor-vasectomy-abortion-abuse/
Bethel Church’s “Apostle” Bill Johnson: A Comedy of Errors Part 1 Part 2
ENTERTAINMENT
New
St. Louis Rams Enter Field Doing ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ Gesture
HEALTH
New
New breast cancer vaccine proves safe in early clinical trial
Abuse of sleep, anti-anxiety drugs a growing issue among teenagers, study shows
HeadHeartHand Blog: World View
http://headhearthand.org/blog/2014/12/02/world-view/
A few links to highlight some cultural trends in church and society.
- Fathers now perform 4.6 more hours of childcare and 4.4 more hours of housework each week than they did in in 1965
- The number of stay-at-home dads has risen from 1.1 million in 1989 to 2.0 million in 2012, according to Pew.
- 24 percent of married women earn more than their husbands.
- For married couples with children, women were the primary breadwinners in 37 percent of households.
- 51 percent of respondents felt that kids were better off with a mother who stayed home,
- Only 34 percent said that kids were just as well off if their mom worked.
OK, the sample was not exactly representative (90% women), and the pollster was Facebook, but still some fascinating (and frightening) findings from a Facebook survey of what each state is most thankful for.
Higher resolution version here.
The Bible belt is still the Bible belt, thankfully. Orgeon chooses Yoga! The folks in California and Virginia really need to get out more – Youtube?! Some pranksters in Illinois, obviously. And Florida continues to rub it in.
Congratulations To Class Of 2014, Most Indebted Ever
As college graduates in the Class of 2014 prepare to shift their tassels and accept their diplomas, they leave school with one discouraging distinction: They’re the most indebted class ever. The average Class of 2014 graduate with student-loan debt has to pay back some $33,000.
And if you want a really scary graph, here’s one comparing average student earnings with average student debt.
More Pastors Embrace Talk Of Mental Ills
Evangelical leaders are increasingly opening up about family suicides, their own clinical depression and the relief they have received from psychiatric medication.
Apart from one ridiculous statement by one pastor, this is a very helpful and encouraging article.
What If We’re Wrong About Depression?
Dr. Andrew Miller’s research on depression is currently looking at the link between depression and infection/inflammation.
His team has experimented with treating depressed patients with an anti-inflammatory drug, and found that those with high levels of a particular blood marker for inflammation improved significantly. “This for us in psychiatry is a first,” he said, “where you can actually measure something in the blood.” Such an approach “gets into personalized medicine in a way that is very exciting for us in psychiatry.”
This is a reminder of the need to be cautious and careful when pronouncing on what causes depression and other mental illnesses.
The Economic Case For Supporting LGBT Rights
According to M. V. Lee Badgett, India could be throwing away more than $26 billion a year by stigmatizing LGBT people.
Economic reasoning is part of what propelled the modern women’s empowerment movement. And now, it’s informing an emerging argument for LGBT inclusion: Unequal treatment of LGBT people, as it turns out, can cause economic harm, leading to lower economic output for individuals, businesses, and even countries. And on the flip side, inclusive policies can boost a country’s GDP.
One of these articles where we don’t need to guess the author’s own sexual preferences. Just one small factor he/she doesn’t take into account: the blessing or curse of God.
How To Teach Kids To Be Grateful: Give Them Less
Worth remembering at this time of year:
As parents, despite wanting to give our kids everything, one of the greatest gifts we can give is to literally give less, to force decision-making and awareness among all their choices. We need to have more faith in them and let them be challenged. It’s not easy to watch your kids struggle—but in the end, it does breed gratitude.
CNN Brutally Cuts Off Benjamin Watson As He Proclaimed Salvation In Jesus Christ
The name that is above all names still makes lost people crazy
“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5
Tight End for the New Orleans Saints Benjamin Watson wrote a powerful essay on the troubles in Ferguson. It was received very well online and got over 750,000 likes on Facebook. Mr. Watson is a strong, bible believing Christian. He was invited to come on CNN and discuss his essay that had garnered all the attention. Everything went fine until he mentioned that most-hated name with liberals. Watch and see how it played out…
These are times we live in…
The post CNN Brutally Cuts Off Benjamin Watson As He Proclaimed Salvation In Jesus Christ appeared first on Now The End Begins.
In America, over 200 babies are aborted for every 1,000 live births
Disney Blocks “God” from being thanked on their Website
It turns out you can give thanks for a lot of different folks on the Disney Channel website – but you can’t thank God. I received a Facebook message on Sunday from Julie Anderson, of Angier, North Carolina, a town located about 30 miles from Raleigh. Julie was writing to tell me about her daughter, Lilly. Lilly celebrated her 10th birthday on Sunday. After church and a delicious lunch at the Golden Corral, the Andersons headed home – and Lilly made a beeline for the computer. Read More
America’s unhealthiest packaged snack foods
Walking down the “snacks” aisle of a supermarket can be an ordeal for someone who’s watching his or her diet. So many of these processed items, whether sweet or savory, contain staggering amounts of fat and calories and are loaded with unpronounceable ingredients like disodium guanylate and sodium acid pyrophosphate. Why, exactly, is America so hooked on junk food? Is it the sugar, the fat, the salt? Or maybe it’s the advertising and some sort of psychological addiction? Whatever the reason, we eat a lot of junk. Junk food comes in plenty of different varieties, and some contain more sugar, fat, and salt — more calories — than others. While just about everything is okay to eat in moderation, most consumers don’t pay nearly enough attention to serving size and portion control. While a cookie or two won’t do much damage to your waistline, a package of 10 might max out your recommended allowance of fat for the entire day. Potato chips and tortilla chips are known for being high in fat, and packaged snack cakes and baked goods can contain a lot more of the bad stuff than you may realize. Read More
White House Rejects Petition Asking Government to Declare Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Group
The White House has rejected a petition requesting that the government declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. The petition had been first created in July on the White House website, and obtained over 213,000 signatures in just a month. The Obama administration has stated that it will respond to any petition that reaches at least 100,000 signatures in a 30-day period. “[The] Muslim Brotherhood has a long history of violent killings & terrorizing opponents. Also, MB has direct ties with most terrorist groups like Hamas,” it read. “A book by one of their prominent figures, Sayyid Qutb, called Ma’alim fi-l-Tariq, is the bible for many terrorist groups.” “The Muslim Brotherhood has shown in the past few days that it is willing to engage in violence and killing of innocent civilians in order to invoke fear in the hearts of its opponents. This is terrorism,” the petition continued. “We ask the US government to declare MB as a terrorist group for a safer future for all of us.” Read More
Irish School Withdraws Worksheet on Bible’s Teachings on Homosexuality Over Complaint
BELFAST, Ireland – A school in Ireland has apologized and has decided to withdraw a worksheet that presents the Bible’s teachings on homosexuality following a complaint over the assignment. Hunterhouse College in Belfast, a grammar school for girls ages 11-18, had included a study on 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 for its Religious Studies curriculum, discussing a variety of opinions about homosexual behavior, in addition to the Christian view as outlined in Scripture. “Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God’s Kingdom,” the worksheet read, quoting from the Good News translation. “Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves—none of these will possess God’s Kingdom.” “Some of you were like that,” the Scripture continues. “But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Read More
A Nativity Will Soon Grace This Public Park — but Atheists Have a Plan to Hit Back at the Key Christmas Symbol
Atheists in Illinois are taking direct aim at Christmas by posting numerous public displays in an effort to combat nativity scenes and other religious sentiment. “Once again this year, the non-religious will have a voice in the Chicago area countering the religious symbolism widely present on public property during the the month of December,” reads a press release from the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Metropolitan Chicago Chapter. The group has posted a large, illuminated scarlet “A” along with banners celebrating the winter solstice and the Bill of Rights in Chicago’s Daley Center Plaza. Read More
Church Votes to Fire Pastor After Reported Sex, Drugs and Money Scandal — but He’s Seizing Upon Church Bylaws to Try and Keep His Job
An Alabama pastor who has reportedly admitted to having six with married church members inside of his house of worship without telling them that he has AIDS is forging on with a legal battle to keep his position, appearing before a judge Monday and arguing for his right to regain control. The Rev. Juan McFarland, 47, has been banned from Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church since mid-October under a court order, but the embattled preacher is fighting to return to the pulpit, with a judge set to rule on the matter in the coming days, according to the Associated Press. When it came to addressing alleged indiscretions, McFarland invoked the Fifth Amendment in court, declining to discuss the details of his purported indiscretions. Read More
Is North Korea working with Iran in Malware Attacks on US?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned U.S. businesses that hackers have used malicious software to launch a destructive cyberattack in the United States, following a devastating breach last week at Sony Pictures Entertainment. Cybersecurity experts said the malicious software described in the alert appeared to describe the one that affected Sony, which would mark first major destructive cyber attack waged against a company on U.S. soil. Such attacks have been launched in Asia and the Middle East, but none have been reported in the United States. The FBI report did not say how many companies had been victims of destructive attacks. “I believe the coordinated cyberattack with destructive payloads against a corporation in the U.S. represents a watershed event,” said Tom Kellermann, chief cybersecurity officer with security software maker Trend Micro Inc. “Geopolitics now serve as harbingers for destructive cyberattacks.” Read More
New Consumer Report: Just one weekly serving of rice pasta could put your baby at risk for arsenic poisoning
A new analysis by Consumer Reports explains how easy it is for infants to consume dangerous amounts of arsenic in common foods like hot rice cereal and rice pasta. Just one serving of rice pasta can put your child over the recommended weekly limit, according to the new report, which also details safer alternatives for grains including quinoa, buckwheat and basmati rice grown in California. A 2012 investigation by Consumer Reports discovered “significant levels” of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, in a range of rice products including organic, conventional and gluten-free rice. Read More
The McAvany Intel Memo
While it is difficult to recognize the peak rollover period in the long life of a great empire, historic lessons can serve as a guide to our future. Can our American Empire have already peaked after only 200 years? The following brief analysis could shed some light on this concept of “peak empire.”
Darryl Schoon is an exceptional thinker and writer on America’s wayward drift in monetary policy away from gold. In a recent article, “The Real Purpose of QE – It’s Not Employment,” he succinctly described the FED’s deception (and what it is based upon) with 18 words: “Free markets are a function of supply and demand, whereas capital markets are a function of credit and debt.”
In a “free market,” there is always a balance in every transaction between buyers and sellers. Therefore, the rules of the game are easily understood by all participants: 1+1=2. In a “capital market,” all rules become blurred by banking deception and the use of exaggerated leverage: 7+3=143!
We are living today in a fractional banking system that is combined with our government’s unlimited printing of paper money, the creation of computerized credit backed by instantaneous new debt, bank and hedge fund speculators using unlimited and uncontrolled levels of leverage, and the insurance of the entire monetary system with over a quadrillion dollars’ worth of bank-issued financial derivatives. In this bizarre system, anything is possible anytime, at the whim of any Fed-head who can instantly change the rules. This is the America you and I live in today. THERE ARE NO ESTABLISHED RULES – we make them up as we go along.
(Excerpt from McAlvany Intelligence Advisor, August 2014)
Israel’s government on verge of collapse as coalition partners turn on Benjamin Netanyahu
by Marsha West
According to The Vancouver Sun:
Israel’s government was on the verge of collapse Sunday night as a split over a controversial new law designating the country as a Jewish state deepened into an all-out assault by cabinet rivals on Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister.
Pope Francis bows head in ‘silent adoration’ beside Islamic Grand Mufti in Turkey’s Blue Mosque
by Marsha West
Christian News Network reports:
In a move that drew some concerns from onlookers worldwide, the Roman Catholic pontiff known as Francis visited Turkey’s Blue Mosque on Saturday, expressing reverence during a moment of prayer observed by the nation’s grand mufti, who led him on a tour of the Islamic facility.
According to reports, Francis took off his shoes, folded his hands and bowed his head, standing silently next to Rahmi Yaran, who serves as the nation’s highest Islamic leader as grand mufti. The two faced Mecca as Yaran prayed with his palms raised.
‘The Rob Bell Show’ Premieres On OWN Days Before Christmas
“Bell caused a stir in 2013 among some Christians when he declared that he was “for marriage … for fidelity … for love, whether it’s a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man.” Years prior, after he published Love Wins in 2011, Bell fell out of favor with some prominent evangelical leaders, such as John Piper, who found his questioning of a literal, eternal hell contrary to orthodox Christian teachings on the afterlife.”
How Then Shall We Pray? – The new issue of Credo magazine is dedicated to the subject of prayer. It’s free to read online or to download.
Headlines
Why has Christianity Tripled in Manhattan?
Why Advent and the Christmas Season are 2 Different Things
‘Twas the Night Before the Last Christmas!
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