If Christians look merely to themselves to gain assurance of their salvation, they will be drawn to the edge of despair. Today, R.C. Sproul addresses the true, solid ground of our assurance.
Hear more from Ultimately with R.C. Sproul: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list…
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TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Numbers 24:1-25:18
Luke 2:1-35
Psalm 59:1-17
Proverbs 11:14
Numbers 24:17 — The Star out of Jacob. Not the numberless stars prophesied of in Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 26:4, 37:9; Exodus 32:13; Deuteronomy 1:10, 10:22, 28:62; 1 Chronicles 27:23; Nehemiah 9:23; and Hebrews 11:12. Not the star of the Remphan (Amos 5:26, Acts 7:43), not the morning star (literal translation of the word Lucifer, Isaiah 14:12), not “Wormwood” of Revelation 8:10, not the falling star of Revelation 9:1, not the twelve stars of Israel (Revelation 12:1), and it’s not part of the third part of the stars that fell from heaven (Revelation 12:4).
This is the One whose star was seen in the east (Matthew 2:2), who is the Day Star (2 Peter 1:19), the holder of stars (Revelation 1:16), and the bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16).
Numbers 25:3 — What is Baal-peor?
Name of a Canaanitish god. Peor was a mountain in Moab (Num. xxiii. 28), whence the special locality Beth-peor (Deut. iii. 29, etc.) was designated. It gave its name to the Ba’al who was there worshiped, and to whose service Israel, before the entrance into Canaan, was, for a brief time, attracted (Num. xxv. 3, 5; Ps. cvi. 28). The god is himself also called “Peor” by abbreviation (Num. xxxi. 16; Josh. xxii. 17). It is commonly held that this form of Ba’al-worship especially called for sensual indulgence. The context seems to favor his view, on account of the shameful licentiousness into which many of the Israelites were there enticed. But all Ba’al-worship encouraged this sin; and Peor may not have been worse than many other shrines in this respect, though the evil there was certainly flagrant. In Hosea ix. 10 “Baal-peor” is the same as “Beth-peor,” and is contracted from “Beth-baal-peor.”
By the way, who was behind enticing the Israelites into apostasy? Balaam (Numbers 31:16)!
Numbers 25:14 — Zimri was the name of an Israelite who sinned, and on whom God commanded the Israelites to exercise the death penalty. It’s very unlikely that someone would name their child Ted Bundy today if they knew Mr. Bundy’s history, yet interestingly, someone in Israel named their child Zimri many years later, and he eventually became a chariot captain in the Israeli army and King in Israel (I King 16:9-10).
Luke 2:8 — What was special about the shepherds’ field?
The shepherds’ fields outside Bethlehem, to this day, play a central role in the Christmas celebrations in the Holy Land. Countless tourists have visited the fields between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The church historian Eusebius linked these fields to a unique biblical location called Migdal Eder, which translated means the “tower of the flock”.
The first time Migdal Eder is mentioned in the Bible is in the account of Rachel, who died after giving birth to Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob. “Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder”, records Genesis 35:21.
This area on the outskirts of Bethlehem is also mentioned in the Talmudic writings. According to the Talmud, all cattle found in the area surrounding Jerusalem “as far as Migdal Eder” were deemed to be holy and consecrated and could only be used for sacrifices in the Temple, in particular for the peace and Passover sacrifices. There was thus a special, consecrated circle around the city of Jerusalem.
Luke 2:13-14 — George Frederic Handel’s Messiah captures this scene:
Luke 2:32 — The Light & Glory was the Star of Jacob and the Scepter of Israel!
Psalm 59:13 — This is a good example of an imprecatory psalm. Do these psalms violate the command to love our enemies (Luke 6:27-29)?
It is important to recall the theological principles that underlie such psalms. These include: (1) the principle that vengeance belongs to God (Deut. 32:35; Ps. 94:1) that excludes personal retaliation and necessitates appeal to God to punish the wicked (cp. Rom. 12:19); (2) the principle that God’s righteousness demands judgment on the wicked (Pss. 5:6; 11:5–6); (3) the principle that God’s covenant love for the people of God necessitates intervention on their part (Pss. 5:7; 59:10, 16–17); and (4) the principle of prayer that believers trust God with all their thoughts and desires.
Proverbs 11:14 — We’ll notice that many “business principles” are really “stolen proverbs.” Why do Fortune 500 companies pay their board members over $200,000 per year? Because, in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
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To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17)
My heart, be thou stirred up to persevere in the holy war, for the reward of victory is great. Today we eat of heavenly food which falls about our camps; the food of the wilderness, the food which comes from heaven, the food which never fails the pilgrims to Canaan. But there is reserved for us in Christ Jesus a still higher degree of spiritual life and a food for it which, as yet, is hidden from our experience. In the golden pot which was laid up in the ark there was a portion of manna hidden away, which though kept for ages never grew stale. No one ever saw it; it was hid with the Ark of the Covenant, in the Holy of Holies. Even so, the highest life of the believer is hid with Christ, in God. We shall come to it soon, Being made victorious through the grace of our Lord Jesus, we shall eat of the King’s meat and feed upon royal dainties. We shall feed upon Jesus. He is our “hidden manna,” as well as the manna of the wilderness. He is all in all to us in our highest, as well as in our lowest, estate. He helps us to fight, gives us the victory, and then is Himself our reward. Lord, help me to overcome.
“Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Thoughts on today’s verse
While Paul’s exhortation here is excellent, it is the style of the exhortation we should especially notice. We live in an age where we are constantly pressured to emphasize the novel, new, or improved versions of things. But in our lives as Christians, we need to remind each other of what we are doing right and just simply say, “Hey, you’re doing well, just keep doing what you’re doing!”
Prayer:
Faithful Father, thank you for noticing and keeping record of the things I’ve done that are good and pleasing to you. Please help me to keep doing those things that please you, only do them better, that you may be pleased and glorified. In Jesus name. Amen.
by Phil Ware
used by permission
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The post Encourage One Another can be found online at Daily Thoughts about God.
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17
Knives in my kitchen are sharp! I regularly hone them with a device especially designed to keep the edges able to keenly cut through even a ripe tomato. The work of sharpening requires a grinding away of those little burrs that prevent the knife from doing its job, and this process takes attention and must be repeated regularly.
God wants His people to be “keen edged” as well. If a knife is dull, it is still a knife but its usefulness is diminished. And so with Christians. God frequently uses people and events to keep us focused, to draw our attention to those seemingly small “burrs” that prevent us from being faithful followers.
How do I react to such sharpening? What is my response when my plans are thwarted and someone comments on my impatience? Do I immediately defend my actions? Do I maintain my “rights”? Is my response filled with “I” statements?
Oswald Chambers wrote: God can never make us wine if we object to the fingers He uses to crush us with…when He uses someone whom we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, and makes those the crushers, we object… you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.
And knives only become useful when they have been sharpened.
Lord, I like being “sharp” but I resist the tools you regularly use to keep me that way. Thank you for never giving up on me. Give me grace to accept and even welcome your tools.
Describe a time when God used a friend to sharpen your life and Christian witness.
by Marilyn Ehle
Used by Permission
• When Personalities Clash by Julie Cosgrove
• Life’s Painful Experiences | a Poem by Margaret Mullings
• Wisdom for Life’s Trials – by Charles Stanley
The post Sharp Christians can be found online at Daily Thoughts about God.
The Great American Eclipse of 2024, Jonah and Nineveh: Connecting the Dots
There have been two solar eclipses: The first occurred on August 21st, 2017, and the second one will occur on April 8th, 2024. It appears that these two eclipses mark a giant “X marks the spot” on America. What does this mean? What might the God of Israel be saying to America?
Former Mormon bishop highlighted in AP investigation arrested on felony child sex abuse charges
A former bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was featured in an Associated Press investigation into how the church protects itself from allegations of sexual abuse was arrested by police in Virginia this week after being indicted on charges he sexually abused his daughter while accompanying her on a school trip when she was a child, according to court filings.
West Point removes ‘Duty, Honor, Country’ from mission statement
U.S. Military Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland announced a major change in West Point’s mission statement Tuesday with the removal of the academy’s motto, “Duty, Honor, Country.” According to Newsmax, the phrase “Duty, Honor, Country” was emphasized in a speech by Gen. Douglas MacArthur in 1962. After appearing in West Point’s mission statement for over two decades, “Duty, Honor, Country” will now be replaced by the words “Army Values.” (wokeism?)
Mexican Military Incursions On US Soil Worry Border Agents
Below them, white tents along the Mexican side of the border wall signal the army presence as Mexican national guard (Guardia Nacional) troops pull up in a truck. They set up camp here in early February. On Feb. 29, a Mexican soldier hides behind a rock as he realizes reporters have seen him on the U.S. side of the border. Several moments later, he ducks back under the barbed wire fence into Mexico. “Any time Mexican military comes on our side, we’re always notified. It’s a big deal,”
From ‘Hungry Looters Looking For Bread’ To ‘Million Dollar Organized Retail Crime’ In Record Time
My, my my…how quickly we go from a couple kids just looting to feed their families to “organized crime rings plaguing retailers”. Seems like we made the transition in just a couple of years and no Soro-appointed DA even noticed! But alas these crime rings were the topic of a new CNBC report which spent 8 months investigating organized retail crime rings.
Lemon’s Party Over: Musk Cancels Don Lemon After “CNN, But On Social Media” Interview
When asked to elaborate, Musk said that Lemon’s approach was “basically just “CNN, but on social media”, which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying. “Instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity,” Musk added.
‘Highest Percentage Of No Votes In Irish History’: Ireland Rejects Effort to Redefine Family
Voters in Ireland have resoundingly rejected two constitutional amendments that attempted to redefine traditional definitions of family and motherhood. More than 1.5 million Irish voters cast ballots March 9 with 67% rejecting the proposed Family Amendment and 74% defeating the Care Amendment.
A string of in-flight malfunctions raises global concern about air travel
2023 was hailed as the most secure in the history of commercial aviation. There have been five reported aviation glitches in the last week. While no casualties resulted from these incidents, they prompted a flurry of questions in the media and aviation industry about the safety standards of top global airlines. Notably, United Airlines, an American firm, owned the aircraft involved in four of the five events.
Israeli Strike on Car in South Lebanon Kills Hamas Member
An Israeli drone strike on a car outside the southern Lebanese city of Tyre on Wednesday killed a member of Hamas from the nearby Palestinian camp of Rashidieh, Israeli and Hamas officials said. A Hamas source, speaking to Reuters, identified the member as Hadi Mustafa
Nasrallah: Screams of Israeli settlers are louder because of Hezbollah
“The screams of settlers in northern occupied Palestine are getting louder as a result of Hezbollah operations,” the terrorist leader said.
Gallant: Shin Bet is holding up revocation of terrorists’ citizenship
According to the law, a convicted terrorist will be deprived of his citizenship or residency if he receives financial compensation from the Palestinian Authority. The Shin Bet is required to provide the evidence that the terrorist does receive the same salary from the Palestinian Authority.
Precise strike takes out Hamas commander in Rafah
Following IDF and ISA intelligence, an IDF aircraft on Wednesday precisely targeted and eliminated a terrorist in Hamas’ Operations Unit in the area of Rafah, Muhammad Abu Hasna.
Muhammad Abu Hasna was a combat support operative in Hamas’ military wing. He was also involved in taking control of humanitarian aid and distributing it to Hamas terrorists.
Foes of Israel wore red hand pins at Oscars
The Oscars are always a superb occasion for leftists to indulge in an orgy of virtue-signaling, and this year was no different. Foes of Israel sported little round pins featuring a red hand with a black heart in the palm, which even for them was a bizarre and ham-fisted way to show the world that they want Israel to stop fighting and Hamas to live.
In a win for Trump, judge dismisses three charges in Georgia election interference case
The judge overseeing the Georgia 2020 election interference case on Wednesday dismissed some of the charges against former President Donald Trump and others, but the rest of the sweeping racketeering indictment remains intact.
‘No safe haven for terrorists,’ vows Israeli defense minister ahead of Rafah operation
Gallant vowed that Israel would leave terrorists “no safe haven” in the coastal enclave, hinting at Israel’s impending operation in Rafah, the last Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip. “I am here [in Gaza] with the forces of Division 162, adjacent to the corridor. I met the troops who are conducting extraordinary work above and below the ground. Our forces reach every location [necessary], and we can conclude that there is no safe haven for terrorists in Gaza.”
Poll: 44%-30% Israelis want Trump over Biden as next US president
Among the respondents who voted for the government, 72% said they prefer Trump over Biden, while only 8% want Biden to win. Among voters opposing Netanyahu’s government, 55% want Biden and 23% prefer Trump. The poll was conducted on Tuesday, March 12, among 504 people representing a sample of Israel’s population above age 18. The maximum sampling error was reportedly 4.4 percentage points.
IDF general berates Israel’s politicians in highly unusual public statement – ‘You must be worthy of us’
In public remarks highly unusual for an active IDF commander, Brig.-Gen. Dan Goldfus on Wednesday berated Israeli politicians, calling on them to show themselves worthy of the sacrifices being made by Israeli soldiers serving in the IDF. Speaking “from a warrior’s heart” and addressing politicians “on all sides,” Goldfus called on them: “But you – you must, you must be worthy of us.”
After reports suggest possible softening in hostage talks, Hamas denies agreeing to US proposal for ceasefire
Reports over the last few days suggest that the Hamas terrorist organization could be softening its position in hostage talks after Qatar reportedly threatened to expel some of the group’s leaders living in the country. However, following a report in the Saudi newspaper Al Arabiya on Tuesday stating Hamas had accepted a modified version of the U.S. proposal for a six-week ceasefire, the group released a statement denying the claim.
M6.0 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit New Britain, Papua New Guinea at 15:13 UTC on March 13, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 50 km (31 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 56 km (35 miles).
3.8-magnitude quake jostles north Israel; no injuries or damage reported
Residents in a range of communities around Sea of Galilee feel tremor, which shakes furniture, sways lights; warning alerts set off in Jordan Valley. A 3.8-magnitude earthquake rattled the north of the country, the Geological Survey of Israel said Wednesday, and was felt across a swath of locations, with residents reported shimmying furniture and swinging light fittings.
Severe Tropical Storm “Filipo” strikes Mozambique
Severe Tropical Storm “Filipo” made landfall on the northeastern coast of Inhambane Province, Mozambique, close to Inhassoro City around 03:00 UTC on March 12, 2024. The storm brought over 150 mm (5.9 inches) of rainfall in 12 – 18 hours, destroying homes, schools, and electrical infrastructure, and leaving many in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
Hundreds of schools in path of total solar eclipse cancel classes over safety concerns
The kids will be over the moon. Hundreds of school districts from Maine to Texas that will experience near-total darkness during next month’s total solar eclipse will shut down or end classes early out of an abundance of caution.
Ohio governor signs executive order ahead of total solar eclipse
A total solar eclipse will bring a once-in-a-lifetime event to Ohio next month. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order to ensure the state is prepared for the celestial event. “The safety and well-being of Ohioans is always at the forefront of everything we do,” DeWine said in a statement. “We have been preparing for the April 8th solar eclipse for several years to ensure this once-in-a-lifetime event can be safe and memorable for all.”
Arkansas DROPS gender ‘x’ marker from driver’s licenses intended for transgender, non-binary and intersex people after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she ‘There are only two genders… I will not endorse nonsense’
Arkansas has dropped the gender ‘x’ option from driver’s licenses used for transgender, non-binary and intersex people because the state’s governor says ‘there are only two genders.’
The ‘New York Pizza Party’: NYC’s Green Rule Could Shutdown Upwards of 100 Pizza Joints in the City – March 20th Protest Announced
The climate tyranny continues—this time in New York City. As if New Yorkers dealing with an influx of illegal immigrants thanks to their state’s “Sanctuary City” law wasn’t difficult enough for citizens of the Big Apple, a new Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) rule will further hamper the ‘comeback’ for many iconic eateries. On April 27th, local pizzerias and bagel shops will be forced to replace their wood-burning or coal-burning ovens with more ‘green’ options or install expensive air filtration systems.
FLORIDA IS NEXT ON THEIR HIT LIST
Does anyone really believe that the ‘sudden’ collapse of Haiti is not yet another color revolution staged by the U.S. Intelligence Community in order to generate waves of fleeing illegal aliens onto the shores of Florida?!
British Potato Famine? Farmers Warn UK Could Run Out of Staple Crop
UK farmers have raised alarms over a likely shortage of potatoes, a staple food item in many British households, due to last year’s poor harvest caused by heavy rain.
Declassified Military Programs Reveal Fallen Angels
According to John Warner IV, the US military-industrial complex has for decades hidden the truth about encounters with extraterrestrial life and technology, and the existence of a breakaway German colony in Antarctica that survived the collapse of Nazi Germany in 1945. Advanced technologies acquired from crashed flying saucers, and secret agreements reached with the Antarctica Germans/Fourth Reich and extraterrestrials, have led to the development of multiple secret space programs.
Poland Quietly Confirms NATO Troops Are Deployed in Ukraine
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski confirmed in comments on Friday that NATO troops are inside Ukraine but would not name the countries who have personnel on the ground.
MUST WATCH: Unpublished Project Veritas Recording Reveals Pfizer Scientist Confirming the Risk of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines — Claims Side Effects of These Vaccines are “Very Sneaky”
Justin Leslie, a former operative with Project Veritas and O’Keefe Media Group, and a scientist previously involved in vaccine formulation at Pfizer, has brought to light unreleased recordings that raise serious questions about the pharmaceutical giant’s development and promotion of its COVID-19 vaccines.
Warning: The annual flu vaccine is being transformed into an mRNA jab…
A lot of you have been getting your flu shots for years without a hitch. But, heads up, there’s a big shift on the horizon you should be aware of. The annual flu vaccine is morphing into an mRNA shot. And chances are, they’re not going to broadcast this change, especially with all the health debates swirling around mRNA technology.
Breaking Report: Haitian Invasion Threatens Florida Coastline as Gangs Seize Control
The tranquil shores of Florida face an impending storm as reports emerge of a looming Haitian invasion, driven by the chaotic collapse of governance and the ruthless grip of violent gangs in the Caribbean nation. With thousands set free from prisons and lawlessness gripping the streets of Port-au-Prince, the specter of mass migration looms large, threatening to overwhelm border defenses and reshape the social fabric of southern Florida.
Hannibal Run: Biden Admin Warns Florida May Get Swamped By “Mass Migration” Wave From Haiti
…With the world still shocked at the whirlwind events taking place in the formerly quaint Caribbean island, on Tuesday Department of Defense officials testifying in Congress discussed the possibility of a “mass migration” into Florida as conditions in Haiti continue to deteriorate. Call it a… Hannibal Run?
America on verge of measles MAYHEM: Hundreds feared to be infected in California and Arizona outbreaks as US suffers year’s worth of cases in two months – as doctors say antivaxxers and Biden’s open border policy are allowing virus to spread
America appears to be on the precipice of a major measles outbreak with cases in the first two months of 2024 nearly outpacing the whole of last year — as doctors warn many young physicians have never even seen a patient infected with the virus.
‘This Is A Moral Panic’ – Trans Activists Furious That Britain’s ‘Far-Right’ NHS Banned Puberty Blockers For Kids
As one might expected Transgender activists were furious at the NHS’s decision, with advocacy group Stonewall stating “All trans young people deserve access to high quality, timely healthcare.” The group went on to falsely claim that puberty blockers are reversible, stating “For some, an important part of this care comes in the form of puberty blockers, a reversible treatment that delays the onset of puberty, prescribed by expert endocrinologists, giving the young person extra time to evaluate their next steps.
Ben-Gvir calls on IDF to respond after 100 rockets fired at North
Hezbollah fired over 100 rockets on Israel on Tuesday, while the IDF struck multiple strategic targets of the terror group around 100 kilometers deep into Lebanon in one of the most tense days of the conflict in the North.
‘Highest Percentage Of No Votes In Irish History’: Ireland Rejects Effort to Redefine Family
Voters in Ireland have resoundingly rejected two constitutional amendments that attempted to redefine traditional definitions of family and motherhood. More than 1.5 million Irish voters cast ballots March 9 with 67% rejecting the proposed Family Amendment and 74% defeating the Care Amendment.
What Will Happen When They Give The Green Light To Millions Of Radicals To Cause Widespread Chaos All Over America?
If things are this bad already, what is going to happen if the election in November does not go the way that leaders on the left want and they give the green light to millions of radicals to cause widespread chaos all over America?…the open border policies of the Biden administration have allowed millions of extremely desperate people to come pouring into this country. The stage is being set for civil unrest on a scale that we have never seen before, and it certainly isn’t going to take much to push our society over the edge.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, UK Politicians and Terrorists
“There are 11 major planned events in London today that will have a police presence. One of these will be a Palestinian Solidarity Campaign [“PSC”] demonstration which has three conditions imposed on it,”…The three conditions were that the PSC followed the prescribed route through London, participants assembling in preparation for the procession must assemble in a prescribed area and the event must end and the crowd to disperse by 5 pm…the PSC has been the main group organizing the anti-Israel demonstrations in London and across the UK following the 7 October massacre by Hamas. So, who is the PSC?
Scottish government’s Hate Crime Bill comes into effect next month; Orwell’s totalitarian nightmare has arrived
For three years, Scotland’s ‘Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill’ has been lurking in the shadows. It is now going to come into effect from 1 April meaning that “misogyny” and “stirring up hatred” will be recorded as a criminal offence. “It has taken 40 years longer than Orwell predicted,” the Scottish Daily Express wrote, “but we have finally arrived in the totalitarian nightmare that he feared.”
11-Year-Old Boy Reportedly Suffers Cardiac Arrest And Passes Away After Attempting TikTok Challenge
An 11-year-old boy from the United Kingdom reportedly suffered cardiac arrest and died while attempting a TikTok challenge called “chroming.” “‘Chroming’ is a general term to describe the inhalation of volatile substances/solvents as recreational drugs,” The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne says.
Patient Dies From Bubonic Plague, State’s First Fatality Since 2020
A New Mexico man has died from complications of the bubonic plague, marking the state’s first BP-related fatality since 2020.
England Will Stop Giving Puberty Blockers To Children
In what’s being called a “landmark decision,” NHS England announced it will no longer prescribe puberty blockers to individuals under age 18 in England at gender identity clinics. “Puberty blockers aka sterilization drugs will no longer be prescribed to children in Britain, due to potentially severe negative effects,” Elon Musk wrote.
After avalanche of Netanyahu criticism, US looks to keep rift from widening further
In rare critique, IDF general says politicians must ‘be worthy of us’
This Ramadan, starving Gazans will break their fast with scraps found in the garbage
Israel says it will ‘flood’ Gaza with aid as pressure mounts to do more
Israel will try to ‘flood’ Gaza with aid from multiple entry points, says IDF
Four U.S. Army Supply Ships Heading to Gaza to Construct Biden’s Promised Pier
US looks for alternatives as Congress mulls making UNRWA funding freeze permanent
Gaza war: UNRWA says Rafah aid centre hit by Israeli forces
Strike on UNRWA facility in Rafah took out Hamas commander who stole aid, says IDF
Some 100 terrorists killed as Khan Yunis operations continue
In Gaza, Gallant hints at Rafah op: ‘Those who think we are delaying will soon see’
IDF says civilians in Rafah to be sent to ‘humanitarian islands’ ahead of ground op
Blinken says Israel must view ‘protecting civilians’ in Gaza as its ‘no. 1’ priority
Italy refuses to extradite Palestinian suspect to Israel, citing risk of ‘degrading treatment’
South Africa threatens citizens fighting in IDF with arrest if they return home
Gazans reportedly charged exorbitant sums by Egyptian company to leave Strip
Mother of Hamas hostage: War cabinet ‘delegitimizing’ Oct. 7 by not meeting families
Jaw dropping: How Hamas compromised security cameras in the runup to Oct. 7
Ryanair suspends Israel flights again, blaming wartime closure of low-cost terminal
Hundreds block San Francisco airport terminal calling for Gaza truce
Franklin Foer: ‘Everyday Jewish Life in the U.S. Will Be Punctuated by Antisemitism’
Austria Reports Record Number of Antisemitic Incidents in Wake of Oct. 7 Hamas Pogrom
ADL launches interactive map to track global antisemitism
Progressive activist, former Christian pastor Shaun King converts to Islam
Evangelical Christians, Fierce Israel Supporters. Visit as Wartime Volunteers
Two lightly injured in stabbing at West Bank checkpoint, assailant shot dead
Palestinians say 4 shot dead by security forces in Jenin, near Jerusalem
IDF says it struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon
Hamas terrorist behind global attack plots killed in strike near Tyre, Israel says
Israel kills senior Hamas terrorist in Lebanon drone strike
UN: Reporter killed by IDF tank in Lebanon on Oct. 13 was ‘clearly identifiable’
Report: US, Iran held talks amid Red Sea escalation
Russia, Ukraine Show Little Enthusiasm for China’s Second Try at Ending War
French, German, Polish Leaders to Meet Friday to Ukraine War Aid
Poland’s Tusk to Speaker Johnson: ‘Thousands of Lives’ Depend on Ukraine Aid Vote
Putin: Ukraine’s Attacks in Russia Designed to Interfere With Election
Ukraine launches drone attacks on Russia for second night in a row, officials say
Putin tells West he is ready to use nukes, but doesn’t think they will be needed
Putin Warns Nukes Will Be Used if Russia’s Independence or Sovereignty Is Threatened
Laser Weapons Are Shaping the Future of Security
Joe Biden Admitted to Campaigning from His ‘Basement’ in 2020 During Robert Hur Interview
Dem Rep. Dean: Hur Denying He Exonerated Biden Is ‘Semantics’
Hunter Biden Refuses to Show Up to Public Hearing on Joe Biden’s Corruption
Hunter Biden Refuses to Publicly Testify After Demanding a Public Hearing
Rep. Comer: House Oversight Panel ‘Called Hunter’s Bluff’
James Comer Subpoenas 13 Years of Hunter Biden’s AT&T Phone Records
Judge grants Trump extension in blow to Jack Smith
Trump asks NYC judge to pause Alvin Bragg’s ‘falsified’ docs case until SCOTUS ruling on immunity
Judge dismisses some Trump Georgia election subversion charges but leaves most of the case intact
Georgia judge in Trump RICO case throws out 6 of 13 counts for ‘lack of detail’
CNN’s Honig: Trump Charges Dropped in GA Case ‘Embarrassing’ Screwup For Fani Willis
Defense attorney says judge pulling DA Willis from Trump case could be ‘death knell’
Never Trump Republicans to Spend Millions on Ads in Effort to Turn Voters Against Trump
Miss. Official: DOJ Pushes for Illegals, Felons to Vote
Nolte: Far-Left NPR Claims Illegal Aliens Voting Is ‘Right-Wing Myth’
European Union Passes ‘World First’ AI Legislation That Would Safeguard Copyrighted Music
China warns proposed TikTok ban will ‘come back to bite’ US
Lawyers for Dead Boeing Whistleblower Question “Suicide” Narrative
Boeing whistleblower’s lawyers demand full investigation into mysterious death mid-deposition
Boeing says employees must take ‘immediate’ action on safety measures
NTSB: Video Footage of Work on Boeing Jet’s Door Plug Erased
United Boeing 777 makes emergency landing after mid-air fuel leak in fifth safety incident in a week
Hundreds of schools in path of total solar eclipse cancel classes over safety concerns
Ohio governor signs executive order ahead of total solar eclipse
3.8-magnitude quake jostles north Israel; no injuries or damage reported
Heightened earthquake activity off Vancouver Island points to deep sea eruption, scientists say
Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier: The former cop-turned-gang leader bringing Haiti to its knees
Barbecue’s Biggest Rival in Haiti: a Gang Boss Rapper with a YouTube Award
Congressman Does What Biden Won’t, Rescues 10 Americans from Haiti Amid Chaos
Gov. DeSantis Prepares Florida for Haitian Influx
Joe Biden Faces Haitian Crash, Migrant Exodus in Election Year
Border Wall Funding Back ON: Judge Hands Biden Administration Massive Loss
Rep. Jordan Subpoenas Mayorkas for Long-Sought ICE Data
Venezuelan Woman Becomes 9th Suspect Charged for Migrant Mob Attack on NYPD Officers
Missouri Police Accuse Woman ‘Here Illegally from Venezuela’ of Killing 12-Year-Old Travis Wolfe
House GOP Bill: Deport Immigrant Sexual Assault Convicts
Police: Florida Man Raped Woman 5 Weeks After Release from Prison for Sexual Assault of a Minor
Canadian butcher dubbed ‘Satan’s helper’ gets no jail time for dismembering woman’s body
Gallup Poll: 1 in 5 Gen Z Identify as LGBTQ+
Nearly 30% of Gen Z women identify as LGBTQ, Gallup survey finds
Study: Transgender Suicide Risk Doubles After ‘Gender-Affirming’ Vaginoplasty
Poll: Voters More Concerned About the Economy and Immigration than Abortion
Democrats’ Bill to Protect IVF Gains GOP Backing
First-time Parent at 88: Has Israel’s Fertility Craze Gone Too Far?
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Have lies become your truth?
If you tell a lie often enough, it becomes your truth. Since the first lie needs defending, you add another lie, and so it goes on.
So first, we accept the lie, then we promote it, then we legislate it, and then we celebrate it.
This is the situation we are now in. Lies are everywhere and so commonplace that they are accepted as truth. Those who question are labelled delusional and deceived, even evil.
It is said a person can choose their own biological sex. This is nonsense. You may be able to alter your physical appearance, but fundamentally, your genes determine your sex.
Another is that love means tolerating, even embracing, what is evil. The lie that morality is anything you want it to be. The lie that right is wrong and wrong is right.
When a person’s lies become their avowed truth, there are myriad ways of spreading, promoting and enforcing their lies. Never before in the history of mankind has the ability to spread lies been so prevalent.
But we shouldn’t be surprised. The first humans were deceived when the serpent came to Eve and said: “Did God really say…?” First, doubt, then acceptance of the deception, then downfall.
Is this how we came to our present situation? The deceiver is very crafty and appeals to our truth to cause us to doubt. Such suggestions as: To be loving as God commands, you must be tolerant and accepting of everyone. To be critical is ungodly.
Well, that may be true. But we are called first and foremost to be holy as God is holy. To shun evil and work hard at discerning the truth from God’s Word. To reject evil is not unloving. We can love the sinner and hate the sin. But hate the sin we must.
When Cain’s offering was rejected by God because He detected the jealousy brewing in Cain’s heart, He gave Cain a warning:
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?
But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;
it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
~ Genesis 2:6-7
Just as Satan deceived Eve, so he worked in Cain’s heart. Anger gave rise to bitterness; bitterness took root and drove Cain to murder. It started with a thought that was not rejected.
Even the great Apostle Paul wrestled with this. He describes [in Romans 7:24-21-25] the war within him and how he overcame it.
We are warned in Ephesians 6 to put on our spiritual armour so we can stand against the devil’s schemes. Another passage warns us to be alert — the devil is prowling around seeking whom he can devour.
Oh, what hope is there for us when we are bombarded with so much fake news and surrounded by those who accept evil as good?
We must be discerning in what we watch and what we listen to. This is no time for complacency. We must take every thought captive.
As an example, a great lie currently circulating is that Israel is illegally occupying Palestinian land and committing war crimes. Several cases have been launched in the International Criminal Court and applications to the United Nations. Some of the world’s top lawyers are being paid handsomely to promulgate their case.
An excellent explanation of the arguments is presented by Andrew Tucker, an Australian international law specialist who established a think-tank contributing to the development of freedom and justice in the Middle East based on the rule of law.
Like other lies normalised in our society, the lie that Israel is not a legally sanctioned state is accepted by many and constantly reinforced by the Islamic states.
That the Jews are indigenous to Israel is proven by history – both Jewish and Roman, as well as archaeology. Israel is the only safe place for Jews to live, which is why, in fulfilment of ancient prophecies, they are returning to their sacred homeland.
The Hamas leadership has allowed lies to become their truth, and they are using all possible propaganda to perpetrate their version of truth. This includes their latest weapon of ‘lawfare’.
Our own Prime Minister is currently involved in this web of deception. He has been reported to the International Criminal Court ‘for participating in genocide’ for his alleged support of Israel.
So, with a biased press and so much fake news, how are we to distinguish the truth from the lies?
Our first resort must be to pray. Pray for guidance. Pray for truth to be revealed. Pray you will have an open mind and not be bamboozled by all the noise. Pray for wisdom in your response to each situation.
Through the pages of scripture, pray you will find the prophecies being fulfilled and those yet to be fulfilled. Many claim we are in the last days before Jesus’ return. If this is so, how can we interpret current events?
Above all, follow the advice of Peter.
“For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
~ 1 Peter 3:8-12 (NIV)
Our second resort must be to ask questions. Does it make sense? Does it come from a reliable source or an identifiably biased one?
Am I hearing both sides of the story? Do I understand the context and the history of this news?
Am I just following the prevailing trend without taking time to pray and use my own analysis?
It is not easy. It takes effort, but it is an effort well worth pursuing if we are not to be led astray and fall victim to lies and misinformation. When you find the Truth, the benefits are eternal.
___
Photo by Markus Winkler.
The post Have Lies Become Your Truth? appeared first on Daily Declaration.
Today’s 20-min top headline news brief includes:
[1:35] -NEWSMAX host Rob Schmitt looks at the pros and cons of TikTok. [Rob Schmitt Tonight]
[5:55] -TikTok’s CEO says banning TikTok is just the beginning. President Trump agrees.
[7:19] -Trump talks Hunter Biden in exclusive Greg Kelly interview. [Greg Kelly Reports]
[15:05] -Trump says success will going to bring the country together. [Greg Kelly Reports]
[16:53] -After Biden’s visit. African American voters in Milwaukee show overwhelming support for Trump. [NEWSMAX Breaking]
[18:25] -S. Dakota Governor Kristi Noem wants an America First app. [The Record with Greta Van Susteren]
[21:25] -Producer Price index shows inflation is still running high and you are still paying morehttps://youtu.be/lCXP9zS_LG4
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
“Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence … the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake.” —George Washington (1796)
| On this day in Patriot history in 1783, George Washington wrote an address to American soldiers impatiently awaiting delayed pay for their services. He urged them not to “open the flood gates of civil discord,” and as he began to read, he famously pulled out his spectacles. “Gentlemen, you must pardon me,” he said. “I have grown gray in the service of my country, and now find myself growing blind.” The soldiers were moved to give more time to Congress, and Thomas Jefferson credited Washington with single-handedly having “prevented this Revolution from being closed … by a subversion of that liberty it was intended to establish.” —Mark Alexander |
The House passed legislation that could lead to the popular China-owned social media giant being banned in the U.S.
Thomas Gallatin
The House has passed a bipartisan bill dubbed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. With a 352-65 vote, it was quite the show of bipartisanship. Texas Representative Chip Roy, a cosponsor of the bill, explained, “This is designed to be a framework that will allow us to ensure that we don’t have the Chinese Communist Party owning American data and using it nefariously against the American people.”
The popular social media app TikTok, owned by the Chinese firm ByteDance, is the primary target of this legislation. Beijing has used TikTok to collect massive amounts of data on users. However, unlike Big Tech competitors such as Facebook, TikTok has effectively flouted lawmakers’ concerns.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has repeatedly warned Congress of China’s nefarious information-collecting operation. Just last week, Wray told the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence that Beijing is increasingly seeking to exert control over what information Americans can access. “When it comes to the algorithm, and the recommendation algorithm, and the ability to conduct influence operations, that is extraordinarily difficult to detect,” Wray said. “And that’s what makes it such a pernicious risk.”
Meanwhile, China has attempted to leverage the millions of Americans using TikTok to pressure Congress not to shut down its powerful data-collecting and manipulating app. Users were even prompted to overwhelm Congress with calls to object. It may have backfired, showing just how influential Beijing could try to be in Washington.
TikTok responded to the House vote by falsely asserting, “This process was secret, and the bill was jammed through for one reason: It’s a ban.” The company added, “We are hopeful that the Senate will consider the facts, listen to their constituents, and realize the impact on the economy, seven million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our service.”
And there is the trouble. Despite the fact that a broad bipartisan group of lawmakers agree on stopping China’s abusive use of TikTok to spy on millions of Americans, the app’s popularity may present an obstacle to the bill’s passage in the Senate.
Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul opposes a TikTok ban and says it makes “no sense.” Asserting that TikTok was banned in China, Paul argued, “We’re thinking — or people who want to ban it are thinking — ‘Wow, we’re going to really defeat the Chinese communists by becoming Chinese authoritarians and banning it in our country’? TikTok is banned in China. So, we’re going to emulate the Chinese communists by banning it in our country?”
Paul further claimed, “We know that the Chinese government does demand things, but we don’t know that any information really is going from TikTok to any of these people in China.”
Paul’s claim about TikTok being banned in China is not quite accurate. While China doesn’t have TikTok, it does effectively have ByteDance’s Chinese version of the app, known as Douyin. However, Douyin’s content is much more limited and censored than TikTok’s, which appears to be the argument Paul was trying to make.
Another political figure who is also opposed to banning TikTok is, surprisingly, Donald Trump. This is a reversal for Trump, who, while president called for banning the app. So, why the change? Is Trump simply playing politics here? Is he changing his stance to win over younger voters?
Well, according to Trump, it has everything to do with Big Tech censorship, with the worst offender being Facebook. “I don’t want Facebook … doing better. They are a true Enemy of the People!” Trump stated on Truth Social.
In other words, from Trump’s perspective, Congress is effectively scapegoating TikTok in order to avoid tackling the bigger problem of Big Tech censorship. That may indeed be the case, at least partially. However, China’s use of TikTok to spy on Americans is no joke, and we should shut down that information pipeline.
And to be fair to the House, the legislation is not actually a ban on TikTok per se, but rather an ultimatum that forces TikTok to cut ties with China and ByteDance to sell the app to some American-owned enterprise. As Wisconsin’s Mike Gallagher, perhaps Congress’s leading China hawk, argues, “The Chinese Communist Party does not have a First Amendment right to conduct malign influence operations in the United States. We need to cut out the Chinese Communist Party tumor from TikTok.”
Indeed, former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced this morning that he supports the legislation “and I’m going to put together a group to buy TikTok.”
So, what will China do? Since Joe Biden has pledged to sign the legislation should the Senate pass it, it presents an interesting conundrum for Beijing. Of course, the Chinese Communists would love nothing more than to see the doddering old Biden win reelection over the prospect of facing another Trump term. But if China refuses to divest TikTok, and it is then banned, that could play right into Trump’s hands.
Republicans, too, might be playing into Democrats’ hands by tacitly embracing the narrative of “dangerous speech” that is promulgating misinformation and disinformation and, therefore, must be controlled and censored. The problem with TikTok is that China is using it as a massive spy tool, not that people use it to spread all kinds of often erroneous information and views. That part is and should continue to be protected under the First Amendment.
After all, without free speech, there can be no Liberty.
Douglas Andrews, Thomas Gallatin, & Nate Jackson
For more editors’ choice headlines, click here.
In a remarkable essay by a former Harvard epidemiologist, we see how a nation can lose its collective mind during a public health crisis.
Douglas Andrews
We remember four years ago like it was yesterday. We remember how the COVID curtain came down, how the lockdowns were ordered, how the masking and the mandates were enforced, how our speech was curtailed, how our liberties were usurped. We remember how the lab-leaked China virus took control of our lives. And we wonder: Did we really learn our lessons?
Oh, sure, there’s a general consensus that lockdowns are a bad idea and that vaccine mandates are unethical. But when the next pandemic comes around, will science once again give way to hysteria? Will Liberty take a backseat to tyranny?
One of the most important columns we’ve ever written, sadly, wasn’t among our most well-read pieces. It was published on October 8, 2020, and it covered Donald Trump’s brief battle with COVID. We remember the message he tweeted as he left Walter Reed Medical Center: “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” He was onto something.
In that column, we also noted for the first time a brief treatise by three of the world’s leading epidemiologists: Harvard’s Martin Kulldorff, Oxford’s Sunetra Gupta, and Stanford’s Jay Bhattacharya. It was called “The Great Barrington Declaration,” and it recommended — radically, simply, elegantly — that the vast majority of people be allowed to live their everyday lives while we protect only the most vulnerable from the coronavirus.
“As infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists,” the three wrote, “we have grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies, and recommend an approach we call Focused Protection.”
Just over a month later, on November 19, 2020, we covered the Great Barrington Declaration in greater detail in a piece titled “COVID: A Sensible Strategy.” The authors’ primary suggestion — protecting those most at risk, the elderly and the otherwise infirm, while the rest of us take on the bug, beat it, and proceed to herd immunity just as our species has always done — has, it’s safe to say, withstood the test of time.
In short, Kulldorff, Gupta, and Bhattacharya have been utterly vindicated, and their leading critics — among them National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci and National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins— have been rightly and utterly disgraced.
Kulldorff, though, isn’t satisfied. Nor should he be. In a piece published earlier this week in City Journal — a piece titled “Harvard Tramples the Truth,” Kulldorff, now a former Harvard biostatistician and infectious-disease epidemiologist, lets loose about Harvard’s utter failure to uphold its motto, Veritas, and about how the world “lost its way during the Covid pandemic.” He writes:
On March 10, 2020, before any government prompting, Harvard declared that it would “suspend in-person classes and shift to online learning.” Across the country, universities, schools, and state governments followed Harvard’s lead.
Yet it was clear, from early 2020, that the virus would eventually spread across the globe, and that it would be futile to try to suppress it with lockdowns. It was also clear that lockdowns would inflict enormous collateral damage, not only on education but also on public health, including treatment for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and mental health. We will be dealing with the harm done for decades. Our children, the elderly, the middle class, the working class, and the poor around the world — all will suffer.
Kulldorff, himself a Swede, goes on to note how his native land stood alone as the only major Western country to reject school closures and other lockdowns, writing, “The final verdict is now in. Led by an intelligent social democrat prime minister (a welder), Sweden had the lowest excess mortality among major European countries during the pandemic, and less than half that of the United States. Sweden’s Covid deaths were below average, and it avoided collateral mortality caused by lockdowns.”
Kulldorff recounts the brave and lonely battle being waged at the time by others, including Stanford professor and Trump White House health advisor Scott Atlas, who for his trouble was roundly assailed by 98 of his Stanford faculty colleagues “in an open letter that did not provide a single example of where he was wrong.” (Kulldorff publicly challenged any and all of the 98 to a debate, but none of them had the guts to do so.) As we noted at the time, Atlas was censored by Big Tech, but he ultimately set the record straight a year later.
Fauci, of course, is the leading and lasting villain in all this, and we’ve made this clear again and again and again. But Francis Collins shouldn’t escape permanent censure either. As Kulldorff notes: “Collins, a lab scientist with limited public-health experience who controls most of the nation’s medical research budget, called [the three of us] ‘fringe epidemiologists’ and asked his colleagues to orchestrate a ‘devastating published takedown’” of the Great Barrington Declaration.
As it turns out, Collins had the power of the state on his side, and the First Amendment became the first casualty: “At the behest of the U.S. government,” Kulldorff writes, “Twitter censored my tweet for contravening CDC policy. Having also been censored by LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube, I could not freely communicate as a scientist. Who decided that American free-speech rights did not apply to honest scientific comments at odds with those of the CDC director?”
It’s a great question.
One of the essential debates that was denied to our citizenry during this time of hysteria and Big Brotherly groupthink was about vaccination — and, more specifically, about our nation’s vile fetish for mandates. “Bodily autonomy,” Kulldorff writes, “is not the only argument against Covid vaccine mandates. They are also unscientific and unethical.”
The issue of vaccines isn’t going away, either. Indeed, it’s likely to become a campaign issue in the upcoming election, especially if Donald Trump continues to remind us during his stump speeches of the effectiveness of Operation Warp Speed, which brought novel mRNA vaccines to the market in astonishingly short order. There were certainly life-saving benefits to having ready access to these vaccines, but there remain very serious questions about their safety and effectiveness — questions that can’t reasonably be separated out from Operation Warp Speed.
To Trump’s credit, though, he never mandated vaccination. Unlike Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats, Trump never encroached on our fundamental freedom, on our bodily autonomy.
There are also sure to be campaign questions about who locked down what, when, and where. And one needn’t be a Trump-hating hysteric like National Review’s Noah Rothman to note that there’s some historical revisionism going on. Nor is there any shame in Trump taking the position that he did the best he could with the limited information that was available — and given the misguided counsel and the grievously anti-scientific policies of power-hungry public-health dolts like Anthony Fauci, Francis Collins, and Deborah Birx.
What’s needed here, though, is precisely what’s needed everywhere else: free speech and freedom of inquiry.
As Kulldorff concludes: “Science cannot survive in a society that does not value truth and strive to discover it. The scientific community will gradually lose public support and slowly disintegrate in such a culture. The pursuit of truth requires academic freedom with open, passionate, and civilized scientific discourse, with zero tolerance for slander, bullying, or cancellation.”
That 30% of Gen Z women identify with the Rainbow Cult is going to have huge demographic consequences.
Nate Jackson
“Nearly 30% of Gen Z women identify as LGBTQ, Gallup survey finds,” cheered the NBC headline Wednesday. NBC ran an almost identical headline about another survey in January. Our first thought was that taking 30% of women out of human reproduction will have devastating consequences for our nation. Our society can’t survive if male/female couples don’t reproduce. Our culture will collapse as traditional nuclear families are destroyed.
It’s almost as if some people think that’s the point and the goal.
To be sure, virtually the only reason 30% of young women identify this way is that “LGBTQ+” is a social contagion. There is no more celebrated group of people on the planet than those who are confused about what gender they are or what sex they’re attracted to.
Oh, they pretend to be oppressed, but for nearly the entire year, the national calendar is full of days of recognition and celebration for the Rainbow Cult. Even Joe Biden’s White House is decked out in garish colors to speak truth to power or something.
Young girls, largely from fatherless homes, find this to be the most welcoming place they can be at a time when they’re struggling with developing their own identity. And with every media headline trumpeting this group’s growth, there’s that much more pull to identify with the Alphabet People.
The Gallup survey found that a record 7.6% of the entire U.S. population now self-identifies as gender-confused. Another 6.8% declined to respond. “The current figure is up from 5.6% four years ago and 3.5% in 2012,” Gallup says. Is that because there were always this many people who really weren’t heterosexual but were afraid to come out, or is it because the explosion of rainbow “pride” over the last decade or so has attracted more cult followers?
That was rhetorical.
One part of the survey reveals our point. “Of all Gen Z women surveyed,” NBC said, “20.7% identified as bisexual.” That says to us that many of these young ladies aren’t fully committed to the cause but have found a middle ground for identifying with the favored group.
Maybe young people will grow out of this. After all, older generations are far less likely to choose an “LGBTQ” identity — Generation X (1965-1980) is at 4.5%, Boomers (1946-1964) are at 2.3%, and the Silent Generation (1945 or earlier) is at just 1.1%.
Yet the shift among younger people is profound. The rainbow percentage of the population has doubled since Gallup first asked in 2012, and Gallup says, “Overall, each younger generation is about twice as likely as the generation that preceded it to identify as LGBTQ+.” Some 9.8% of Millennials (1981-1996) choose the rainbow, as do 22.3% of Generation Z (1997-2012).
That’s astounding and deeply troubling. Many people won’t grow out of it. Instead, they will bear the mental troubles and (sometimes literal) scars for life.
Indeed, that destruction is just the point here.
This all began with pleas for “equality” to “love whoever you want to love.” That sounds perfectly innocent and understandable. But we warned of a slippery slope in redefining marriage because once that definition is changed, a major guardrail is missing. Sure enough, less than a decade later, we’re dealing with the aforementioned liturgical calendar, cancel culture based on quashing “homophobia,” groomers in kids’ classrooms and libraries, and people raking in money by mutilating children in the name of “gender affirmation.”
Make no mistake: This is ultimately political. Even the news analysts at The Washington Post tell us this week that “support for LGBTQ+ protections is tied to politics more than population.” The Post reports, “The best predictor of support for protecting LGBTQ+ Americans against discrimination isn’t the percentage of LGBTQ+ people in the state. It’s the percentage of Democrats.”
You don’t say.
The left-wing groomers who recruit young people into the gender cult are to blame for the coming decades of problems this demographic shift will create. There will be fewer babies born because of the intentional destruction of God’s design for families — a husband, a wife, and children. There will be lasting cultural consequences for a population that is increasingly irreligious and unmoored to any true family connections.
That isn’t to say there’s no hope. “We should never despair,” said George Washington. “Our Situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better, so I trust, it will again.” The best way for us to realize this hope is to pursue people in our lives — especially the at-risk and marginalized. If good people do that, the number of lost people will shrink once again.
By opting for “restorative justice” rather than traditional discipline, schools are only encouraging more violence from their students.
Scarlen Valderaz
School fights are as old as time, but their recent popularity as social media content is something new.
Many are appalled that such violence takes place, and they wonder how this behavior is allowed to persist. Public school parents and teachers nationwide give reports of violence taking place in schools and how it has affected them.
Recently, a video of a fight at a Missouri school has circulated on social media. The video shows a female student being attacked and her head being repeatedly slammed into the concrete. When the aggressor gets off the victim, she leaves her convulsing and in critical condition. After outrage on social media, the aggressor was identified and arrested.
At a high school in Issaquah, Washington, students were placed on lockdown due to a bad fight that required assistance from first responders. According to journalist Jonathon Choe on X, a male student was arrested after being involved in a school fight. Parent sources stated that several teachers were stabbed, and the vice principal was seriously injured.
Schools nationwide have become relaxed on student discipline and have even cut out their school resource officers. Teachers and students are left feeling unsafe and helpless in an environment that is supposed to be safe but isn’t due to the lack of student discipline.
In 2014, then-President Barack Obama sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to the Department of Education stating that there were racial disparities in student discipline in public schools. His administration threatened school districts with investigations if their student discipline data showed any racial disparities. This caused school districts to suppress data and stop disciplining students. This action was rescinded during the Trump administration only to be reinstated by the Biden administration.
Obama’s threats brought in a new wave of pseudo-discipline called restorative justice. This type of discipline prioritizes mending the relationship between the aggressor and victim. If an unruly child acts out in the classroom, the teacher is to gather the class to discuss the aggressor’s feelings and understand why the aggressor would have behaved in such a way. This type of discipline has resulted in a decrease in student suspensions and an increase in school violence. Imagine that. Zero-tolerance policies are hardly followed in the name of equity.
Parents who wonder whether their child’s school practices restorative justice can usually find this information on the school district website. Like all bad ideas from the Left, restorative justice is often rebranded. Parents can search for restorative justice, restorative practices, progressive discipline, or Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).
It is important to continue pressuring school districts to drop restorative justice as their main form of student discipline. Supporters of restorative justice love to talk of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs but forget that Maslow believed that safety is the topmost need that must be met. Restorative justice does not meet that need for safety and ultimately does more harm than good.
| Latest PodcastPopCon #35: Dune: Part TwoExplore the complexities and themes of Dune: Part Two in an episode FULL of spoilers! |
Read Dishonoring Our Fallen. High-profile hero receptions for those who did not perish in combat dishonor the fallen who were killed in action.
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Editor’s Note: Each week we receive hundreds of comments and correspondences — and we read every one of them. Click here for a few thought-provoking comments about specific articles. The views expressed therein don’t necessarily reflect those of The Patriot Post.
For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion.
For the Record
“I know guys whose military careers were destroyed over false allegations of purposely publishing classified information. Biden is recorded as a private citizen giving classified info (to make millions) to his ghostwriter, who doesn’t have clearance, and faces no charges.” —Katie Pavlich
“[Laken] Riley’s murder should ignite demand for rigorous vetting of migrants entering the U.S. Riley is dead because the Biden administration lets anyone in and lies about it.” —Betsy McCaughey
“Considering skin color in employment practices is immoral, and claiming that such actions are necessary to advance DEI — an inherently racist ideology — does not change that.” —Senator Ted Cruz
“The President’s $850 billion request for the Pentagon in 2025 is a mere 1% increase over 2024. That’s a cut after inflation, the fourth in a row Mr. Biden has proposed.” —The Wall Street Journal
Re: The Left
“When people, especially older people who have grown accustomed to talking in a particular way, are unscripted, they often say what they think. [Joe Biden] doesn’t think that [the word ‘illegal’ is] offensive. … I think that it’s so silly to suggest that anyone should have a problem with the use of the word ‘illegal’ when illegal is what those people are. They are illegal immigrants, as distinct from immigrants who are here legally.” —Charles C.W. Cooke
Around the World
“Finding an Israeli exit strategy from Gaza has long been a critical goal for Netanyahu’s government, but that required locating someone else fool enough to take the job, yet at least minimally trustworthy for security. In Joe Biden, he may have spotted the sucker at the table.” —Dan McLaughlin
Election Integrity
Question: “Do you believe that only citizens of the United States should be able to vote in federal elections?” —Senator Mike Lee
Answer: “Documentary proof of citizenship or requirements are often discriminatory.” —Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project
Memo to China
“We can’t take the chance of having a dominant news platform in America controlled or owned by a company that is beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, our foremost adversary.” —Rep. Mike Gallagher, author of the TikTok legislation
Food for Thought
“Researchers have found that resilience is the norm, even for combat veterans. How you understand the ‘trauma’ you went through is far more important than the mark it supposedly leaves on you. That means if you falsely believe you went through childhood trauma, you’re more likely to have problems as an adult than someone who actually went through trauma but who doesn’t think of it as traumatic. In most instances, telling a generation that they’ve been traumatized is so much more profound and harmful than even the trauma itself.” —Abigail Shrier
That Idea’s a Real Spud
“I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) … to respectfully suggest an appeeling way to modernize the White House Easter Egg Roll. … Instead of promoting the deleterious factory farming and slaughter industries, will you please initiate the annual White House Potato Roll?” —PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in a letter to Jill Biden
For more of today’s memes, visit the Memesters Union.
For more of today’s cartoons, visit the Cartoons archive.
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
Sen. Rand Paul offered a libertarian perspective Thursday morning on FOX News, defending TikTok from lawmakers seeking to ban the social media app unless it divests ownership of user data to an American-owned company.
SEN. RAND PAUL: I don’t think it’s a question of whether the allegations are true or false. I think when you are alleged of a crime, you have to be convicted of it. So you can’t really take someone’s property in our country without a conviction. That’s in the Fifth Amendment. You need due process to take someone’s company from them or force them to sell.
Even beyond the Fifth Amendment, the First Amendment says those 180 million Americans who express themselves on the platform have a right as well. There has been a preliminary decision by a federal district judge in Montana, that tried to ban this. There were two decision under Donald Trump when he tried to ban this. They have all been found unconstitutional.
We can like or dislike TikTok, I have actually never looked at TikTok. The thing is, using it or not using it, whether you own it or not, really has to be according to the law. Because there’s a real danger, for example, FOX News, I don’t know, maybe you have some foreign owners. I don’t know if everybody is an American citizen. And then what if they say FOX News is giving misinformation on the election?
You have a foreign ownership. You have misinformation, according to the government, all of a sudden they say we are going to shut down FOX News. Or we are going to shut down Twitter? The bill just isn’t about TikTok. It mentions TikTok by name, which is also a problem. Laws are not allowed to target one company. There is also a danger that goes beyond that.
…
Here’s the first thing, and this is the most important fact of all of this, and it needs to be debated and not assumed as fact. The company is owned 60% by international investors, 20% by the two Chinese software engineers who developed it — the entrepreneurs who began the business — and 20% by their employees, 7,000 of whom are American. It’s a very diverse ownership. It’s not owned by the Chinese government.
In fact, on TikTok’s board, there are no Chinese nationals that control this or are associated with the government at all. Their CEO is from Singapore. So this is an international corporation and like every other international corporation they deserve their day in court. You can’t just take their property.
Look, I have a lot of arguments with the Chinese communists and the Saudi authoritarians. But I’m not saying we should allow banning anybody to do business with the Saudis because they have an unsavory government as well and they spy on their people.
…
Even if it were true, Brian Brian, it’s an allegation. You are making allegations against a company… You are defaming the company. 60% of it is owned by international investors. 20% is owned by the software developers who are Chinese. And 20% is owned by the employees. 7,000 of whom are Americans.
…
TikTok owns its own algorithm and it’s not in China.
BRIAN KILMEADE, FOX NEWS: Who owns Byte-Dance? The Chinese government.
RAND PAUL: No they don’t. You just told a lie. You can’t say something on TV something that’s a lie about a company. It’s an out-and-out lie. It is provably false. They are not owned by the Chinese government. Tiktok is owned privately, 60% by international investors.
…
You cannot take people’s property without due process. If you believe there is a national security exception to the Constitution, then you believe that Fox News could be shut down, and that Twitter could be shut down. That’s a terrible thing to believe.
— Read on www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2024/03/14/rand_paul_vs_fncs_kilmeade_on_tiktok_if_you_believe_in_national_security_exceptions_to_the_constitution_then_you_believe_government_can_shut_down_fox_news.html
When one speaks the name Michael Faraday, we need to link it to the title of perhaps the greatest experimental physicist who ever lived. His contributions to the world of science are now legendary. He invented the transformer, the electric motor, and the electric generator. According to Mulfinger: “He also made many important contributions to our knowledge of diamagnetism, polarized light, and the liquefaction of gases. His discovery of benzene laid the foundation for aromatic organic chemistry. And, perhaps most noteworthy of all, he initiated one of the most profound developments in the history of physics – field theory.”1
What is even more remarkable this scientific genius had only a basic grammar school education. He had a passion for science and was self-taught reading books on chemistry and physics whenever he found the time as an apprentice bookbinder. But through a series of fortuitous meetings, meeting just the right people, he found himself at age twenty-one working for the world-renowned chemist Sir Humphry Davy as a laboratory assistant. According to Mulfinger: “Davy himself was a brilliant researcher who discovered six of the chemical elements – sodium, potassium, calcium, barium, strontium, and magnesium. But in later years he often said, ‘The greatest of my discoveries is Faraday.’”2 As the years went by Faraday’s fame grew and his contributions to the field of science earned him numerous awards. But just what motivated this man to explore God’s wonderful creation?
No doubt it was his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. As much as he loved scientific exploration his passion for Christ was even greater. He never tried to make money off his experiments, he was never paid much of a salary, he was faithful to his wife for almost 50 years until she passed away, lived very frugally, loved to share his knowledge with others, and loved his Lord to the end. Mulfinger gives us a sampling of his humility by sharing the following: “He never got over the wonder that God had allowed him – Michael Faraday, the uneducated son of a blacksmith – to glimpse the beauties of His creation. Even when he was an elderly scientist and his name was a household word and he had the worldwide respect of the scientific community; he did not think too highly of himself. When he was offered a knighthood, he turned it down. He felt that he should be just plain Michael Faraday to the end.”3 Michael Faraday realized that all of his gifts and discoveries were from the Lord and he never stopped giving God the glory for how He used him.
Faraday loved his church and attended it religiously from his childhood up until his death. He rarely missed attending Sunday worship service and the Wednesday prayer meeting, and when he did, he felt he had disappointed God. Again, Mulfinger gives us insights into his great reverence for the Holy Scriptures: “He was a diligent student of the Scriptures. His Bible contained nearly three thousand meticulously written notations in the margins – exegetical aids, comments, and cross-references. It is evident that the knowledge and wisdom gained from his study of the Bible found their outworking in his life. His actions in life were guided completely by God’s will revealed to him as he read the Bible. He did not base his morals on any intuitive sense of right or wrong. The Bible was his only standard.”4
In my book The Challenge, I share that: “At the age of fifty he became an elder in the Chapel Meeting House in Pauls Alley, London. He preached there every Sunday. Near his death he was quoted as saying: ‘My worldly faculties are slipping away day by day. Happy it is for all of us that the true good does not lie in them. As they ebb, may they leave us as little children trusting in the Father of Mercies and accepting His unspeakable gift. I bow before Him who is Lord of all.’”5
Even at his death in 1867 his humility never changed. While he could have been buried at Westminster Abbey he insisted on a plain and private funeral. Today Michael Faraday stands out as a truly humble man of science and a humble man of God.
1 George Mulfinger & Julia Mulfinger Orozco, Christian Men of Science. (Greenville, SC: Ambassador Emerald International, 2001), p. 87.
2 Ibid., p. 75.
3 Ibid., p. 84.
4 Ibid., p. 81.
5 Curt Blattman, The Challenge. (Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2007), p. 71.
The post Humble Man of Science – Humble Man of God appeared first on Bible Apologetics – A DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
— Read on bibleapologetics.org/humble-man-of-science-humble-man-of-god-2/
Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul called out Fox News on live TV Thursday over a conversation about TikTok and recently passed legislation.
The bill, which passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday, would compel TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest from and sell TikTok, a popular social media application that has sparked privacy concerns due to the company’s alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). ByteDance and other critics of the legislation argue that the bill amounts to a ban of the app and would raise concerns about freedom of speech.
Fox News’ Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade told Paul that ByteDance is owned by the Chinese government, prompting Paul to say: “No, it’s not, see, that’s a lie.”
“You’re defaming the company,” Paul said. “Sixty percent of it is owned by international investors, 20 percent is owned by the software developers who are Chinese and 20 percent is owned by the employees, 7,000 of whom are Americans.”
Kilmeade continued to press Paul, arguing that ByteDance is owned by the Chinese government. The Kentucky senator disputed this remark again, saying: “No they don’t, see you just told a lie Brian.”
— Read on www.newsweek.com/rand-paul-calls-out-fox-news-host-during-live-tv-you-just-told-lie-1879157
John Loeffler has been a broadcast journalist for decades. Today’s topics include media deception, and collapsing progressive narratives on Israel, Gaza, immigration, and climate change.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
It’s no secret that there’s no love lost between American President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But would Biden go so far as to actively work to undermine Netanyahu’s position and look to engineer his downfall?
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Some Israeli officials think so.
“We expect our friends to act to overthrow the terror regime of Hamas and not the elected government in Israel,” an unnamed Israeli government official told the Jerusalem Post. “Israeli citizens, and not anyone else, elect the prime minister. Israel is not a protectorate of the U.S. but an independent and democratic country whose citizens are the ones who choose the government.”
The Israeli official was commenting about the 2024 Annual Threat Assessmentwhich speculated on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s eventual ouster.
“Distrust of Netanyahu’s ability to rule has deepened and broadened across the public from its already high levels before the war, and we expect large protests demanding his resignation and new elections,” the report said. “A different, more moderate government is a possibility.”
A possibility after the war, perhaps, not in the near future. There will probably be a reckoning for Netanyahu for the numerous government failures on October 7, but the opposition will wait until the war is won before making a move.
But it might not have to. Netanyahu’s governing coalition is closer to coming apart, and only the prime minister’s legendary skill at persuasion is keeping his government intact. For the near future, the coalition remains an uneasy alliance.
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The Threat Assessment also speculated that Israel would have a very difficult time achieving its primary goal of destroying Hamas.
“Israel probably will face lingering armed resistance from Hamas for years to come, and the military will struggle to neutralize Hamas’s underground infrastructure, which allows insurgents to hide, regain strength, and surprise Israeli forces,” the report said.
William J. Burns, the CIA director, has become the point man in ceasefire negotiations, which continue to drag on.
“I learned a long time ago in crises like this that you have to find a practical goal and pursue it relentlessly,” Burns said.
Burns’s idea of a “practical goal” is for Israel to release hundreds of “low-level” Palestinian prisoners and at least 15 people convicted of serious crimes in exchange for about half the Israeli hostages.
As for the Biden-Neanyahu rift, what kind of idiot says he wants a “come to Jesus” moment for the leader of the Jewish state? It was a calculated, deliberate, hurtful slap at Netanyahu, and, in essence, he told Biden to go to hell.
Biden is now openly advocating for Hamas. He might claim to be lobbying on behalf of the Palestinian people, but even a child knows that any action Biden takes to support the Palestinians supports Hamas. It’s a cynical ploy to give himself and other Democrats cover.
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The Palestinian protesters have no such moral confusion. “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free,” they scream.
Their “two-state solution” includes only one state. And it’s not Israel.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy PJ Media’s conservative reporting taking on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth. Join PJ Media VIP and use the promo code SAVEAMERICA to get 50% off your VIP membership!
Rick Moran has been writing for PJ Media for 18 years. His work has appeared in dozens of media outlets including the Washington Times and ABC News. He was an editor at American Thinker for 14 years. His own blog is Right Wing Nut House. For media inquiries, please contact communications@pjmedia.com.
— Read on pjmedia.com/rick-moran/2024/03/13/is-the-us-trying-to-engineer-netanyahus-ouster-n4927272
The Biden administration appears poised to put the government’s thumb on the scale in the 2024 election, House Republicans say.
The administration’s lack of transparency about implementing President Joe Biden’s executive order for federal agencies to help get out the vote—combined with a warning from Attorney General Merrick Garland—has sparked some concern among lawmakers.
“You just saw Merrick Garland saying voter ID is disenfranchising people,” Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., co-chairman of the House Election Integrity Caucus, told The Daily Signal. “The statistics don’t bear that out. It’s like 85% of people across all demographics support voter ID.”
Earlier this month, Garland criticized voter ID laws and other election security measures as “discriminatory, burdensome, and unnecessary.”
“One of the first things I did as attorney general was to double the number of lawyers in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division,” Garland said in a March 3 speech in Selma, Alabama. “That is why we are challenging efforts by states and jurisdictions to implement discriminatory, burdensome, and unnecessary restrictions on access to the ballot, including those related to mail-in voting, the use of drop boxes, and voter ID requirements.”
As explained in my book “The Myth of Voter Suppression,” several studies have shown that voter ID laws don’t suppress voting.
A 2019 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, based on turnout data from 2008 to 2018, said voter ID laws “have no negative effect on registration or turnout, overall or for any group defined by race, gender, age, or party affiliation.”
A 2023 study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that voter ID laws actually “produced a Democratic advantage, which weakened to near zero after 2012.” It added that voter ID laws have “negligible average effects.”
Garland’s recent comments seemed aimed at intimidation during the 2024 election cycle, where it looks like Biden again will face Donald Trump, Tenney said.
“We’ve had just an unprecedented amount of changes in laws in terms of election integrity,” Tenney said, referring to New York and other Democrat-controlled states. She added: “I’m trying to make voting great again. I’m trying to make it sacred.”
Americans should be able to trust elections, said Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill.
“It’s interesting we think we are so sophisticated around the world and we are faltering in this area,” Miller told The Daily Signal. “People need to feel that their vote matters. We need to have voter ID. You cannot even pay cash for a hotel room without coming up with … ID. This is ridiculous.”
Voter ID laws are commonplace in almost every European country, while mail-in voting is far more restricted than in the United States.
“You want legitimate voters to make sure that everybody has a vote that legally should have a vote,” Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, told The Daily Signal. “Otherwise, you are diluting the voice of your constituency.”
Van Duyne said she does worry about Biden’s Executive Order 14019, which requires federal agencies to establish plans and partner with nonprofit organizations to boost voting.
“The Constitution clearly defines states as maintaining control of their election laws,” Van Duyne said. “Trying to stick the camel’s nose under the tent is a mistake. I do not want D.C. coming in and telling Texas how to conduct its elections.”
Although Biden administration agencies have been slow to release information voluntarily, responses to requests for public records have shown agencies are partnering with transparently liberal organizations such as Demos, the Brennan Center for Justice, the American Civil Liberties Union, and similar groups.
“I don’t have a problem with voters having access to vote. That’s the American way. I do have a problem with agencies being involved in the political process,” Rep. Carlos Giménez, R-Fla., said.
“That should be left up to the parties and volunteer groups for voter registration. Certainly, the agencies shouldn’t put impediments to voter registration [in place],” Giménez told The Daily Signal. “But that’s a very slippery slope for federal agencies to be in charge of voter registration, because there are always going to be charges of ‘Are you registering one particular group over another?’ I’d rather not see the federal government involved in that.”
The most frequent source of election fraud comes from mail-in or absentee voting, based on a compilation of cases from The Heritage Foundation’s Election Fraud Database.
If Biden cared about election security, he would address the problem of absentee ballots, said Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis.
“If you have an absentee ballot, you never know for sure who filled it out. You never know for sure if somebody is being coached,” Grothman told The Daily Signal.
“If [Russian President] Vladimir Putin got elected with 80% of the ballots being absentee, we’d just roll our eyes and say that’s not a fair election,” he said. “But there are many states in which 80% of the ballots are going to be absentee, which will always cause American elections to be viewed jadedly.”
Have an opinion about this article? To sound off, please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.
The post ‘Make Voting Great Again’: GOP Warns Against Government Election Meddling appeared first on The Daily Signal.
For many years now, NTEB readers and listeners have been told, and warned, about something called the Cloward-Piven Strategy to destroy America, created by two Marxist American college professors in the 1960’s. That plan began to be implemented during the first two terms of Barack Obama, and here at the end of his third term under surrogate Joe Biden, they are attempting a walk-off home run. How are they doing that? By increasing our National Debt by nearly 50%.
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs 29:2 (KJB)
All over America right now, hardworking citizens are feeling the squeeze with rising gas prices, insane rise of prepared food and grocery prices, resulting in less spending to hunker down and weather the storm. In a shocking sign of a bad economy, over 1,000 Dollar Tree stores are shutting down after an unexpected fourth-quarter loss. If people can’t afford to shop at the Dollar Store, what does that say about the future of our economy? Bullet Point #3 in the Cloward-Piven Strategy instructs Democrats to “Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.” Need I say more?
FROM REASON: Possibly the craziest detail is the fact that the White House is trying to frame all of that as being an exercise in fiscal restraint. No, really. In a “fact sheet” released alongside the budget, the White House touted how the proposal would cut the deficit by $3 trillion over the next 10 years. “Strong and shared growth that benefits all Americans isn’t just good for working families and the economy; it will also lead to better fiscal outcomes,” the administration claims, adding that Biden believes “long-term investments in our nation and its people should be paid for.”
Someone in the White House might want to Google what the phrase “paid for” actually means, because Biden’s budget assumes the federal government will keep borrowing at near-record levels for the next decade.
For fiscal year 2025, which begins on October 1 of this year, Biden is asking Congress to spend $7.3 trillion while the federal government will collect just $5.5 trillion in taxes. That will necessitate borrowing $1.8 trillion to make ends meet. Over the 10-year window covered by the president’s budget plan, federal revenues would exceed $70 trillion, but Biden is proposing to spend $86.6 trillion.
This is what “paid for” looks like, apparently.
So what about that $3 trillion reduction in deficits that the White House is promising? That number is the result of comparing Biden’s 10-year budget plan against the current baseline projections for deficits. It doesn’t mean the debt will fall, or even stop rising—we’d have to run a surplus for that to happen. It only means that, if enacted, Biden’s plan would result in the national debt being $3 trillion lower in a decade than what’s currently projected.
But simply piling up debt at a slightly slower rate shouldn’t pass for fiscal responsibility—not when the government is already $34.5 trillion in debt, and when Biden is proposing to borrow more than $16 trillion over the next 10 years. (And keep in mind that those figures don’t account for any unexpected crisis—a recession, a war, etc.—that might push the government to borrow even more heavily.)
“The level of borrowing under the President’s budget would be unprecedented outside a war or national emergency,” notes the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonprofit that advocates for lower deficits.
Running annual budget deficits well in excess of $1 trillion makes even less sense when you consider the current economic environment. The unemployment rate in the United States has been under 4 percent for more than two years. America’s economy grew faster than any of the world’s other major economies over the past year. We are relatively at peace. Tax revenue is hitting levels not seen since the 1960s, and Biden is proposing to raise taxes on corporations and wealthier Americans.
Put simply: If you can’t even get close to balancing the budget under those conditions, when can you do it?
The White House should have the intellectual honesty to tell the American people that it expects them to continue financing an unstable pile of debt that will burden their children and sap long-term economic growth. To claim that this budget is fiscally responsibility merely adds insult to injury.
Twenty-three Democrat run states and the District of Columbia, the home of our nation’s capital, filed amicus briefs in support of government censorship and banning of free speech in the United States.
These 23 states and the District of Columbia filed amicus briefs in support of the Biden administration in the SCOTUS case is Murthy, et al v. Missouri, et al, 23-411 (Missouri v. Biden) case.
The states essentially argue that they have an interest in collaborating with tech companies to “encourage” the public to behave themselves and “discourage” the public from believing alleged “disinformation” or engaging in online predatory behavior. The clear message is that they believe that the government has the right to shut down and censor speech.
The list of un-American states that support government censorship include:
New York
Colorado
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Vermont,
Washington,
Washington, D.C.
Wisconsin
New Jersey
New Mexico,
Oregon
Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island,
Delaware,
Hawaii,
Illinois,
Maine,
Maryland,
Massachusetts,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Nevada
HOWEVER, a number of courageous states filed an Amicus Curiae brief in SUPPORT of Gateway Pundit and the Free Speech Respondents. These (16) heroic states include:
Montana,
Alabama,
Alaska,
Florida,
Georgia,
Iowa,
Idaho,
Tennessee,
Kansas,
Nebraska,
Ohio,
South Carolina,
South Dakota,
Utah,
Virginia,
West Virginia,
and the Arizona Legislature
The “most important free speech case in a generation” Missouri v. Biden (Murthy v. Missouri), is set to be heard by the Supreme Court on Monday, March 18th.
Missouri v. Biden is the case filed by the courageous Attorneys General from Missouri and Louisiana against the Biden Administration for their violations of the First Amendment. Specifically, the case complains to the Court that the federal government violated the Constitution when it specifically directed social media companies to delete and censor comments, articles, accounts, memes and photos they disliked, and when the FBI’s corrupt agents, agents like Elvis Chan, engaged in a wholesale deplatforming of specific users, specific comments, and specific topics.
The government was purposefully censoring truthful information.
The scale of the censorship regime is massive.
The hearing on March 18th will be for oral arguments, which will likely last one day. The Justices would then decide the case, and if a majority agrees, they will issue an opinion on the last day of the Court’s term, typically in late June or early July. The Supreme Court agrees to hear very few cases each year, typically only 100-150 cases of over 7,000 that usually request review.
The Plaintiffs include three prominent doctors, a news website, a healthcare activist, and two states —had posts and stories removed or downgraded by the platforms.
Dr. Aaron Kheriaty
Dr. Martin Kulldorff
Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya
Jim Hoft
Jill Hines
The State of Missouri
The State of Louisiana
The post 23 Democrat States and District of Columbia File Amicus Briefs in Favor of Government Censorship and Regulation of Speech in America – via the MO v. Biden Case appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo joins ‘Fox News @ Night’ to discuss former President Trump’s legal issues intensifying as the 2024 race heats up.
#FoxNews
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
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