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Daily Archives: June 19, 2024
10 Places You Should Stay Silent
20 Sentences that will maximize your social intelligence
50 Ways to fuel a conversation
REPENTANCE AND FAITH
Repentance and Faith | WRETCHED TV Episode 2172 It’s Witness Wednesday! Today, we learn the significance of repentance and faith. ___ Thanks for …
REPENTANCE AND FAITH
Forgetting the Holiness of God | Founders Ministries
In looking over the landscape of the church today, many people have noticed that the holiness of God has largely been forgotten, overlooked, and ignored.
The late J.I. Packer claimed that the contemporary Christian finds holiness to be outdated and irrelevant. Kevin DeYoung wrote, “Shouldn’t those most passionate about the gospel and God’s glory also be those most dedicated to the pursuit of godliness? I worry that there is an enthusiasm gap and no one seems to mind.” John MacArthur put it like this: “The doctrine of sanctification has become unpopular in our time. There has been much talk about the doctrine of election, of justification, of glorification… But the doctrine that has fallen into the greatest disuse is this doctrine of sanctification.”
MacArthur, Packer, and DeYoung all rightly point out that too few Christians seem to care about sanctification or about pursuing holiness in their personal lives; and too few churches seem to preach anything that resembles a call for believers to be holy.
The failure of the church and the Christian to pursue holiness has everything to do with the holiness of God because the chief reason why the church today fails to pursue holiness is because the church has forgotten that our God is a holy God. Many churches fail to recognize that we serve a God who is absolutely, unchangeably, and eternally holy. Churches have trivialized God and ignored certain attributes of God that we don’t like or that seem out of step with the times. The evangelical church, in its never-ending quest to be cool, to be relevant, to be accessible, to be unoffensive, to be relatable, to be thought well of by the world, has jettisoned the holiness of God because it has no place in a church that wants a seat at the world’s table or a church that wants to be attractive to ungodly, unholy people.
Calling attention to this problem is vital because the failure to appreciate, love, and proclaim the holiness of God has disastrous consequences.
It results in worship that is frivolous and trivial.
When we walk into church, we should almost feel like we are leaving this present world and stepping into the presence of God in heaven. Heaven is a holy place, where God dwells and where His holiness is worshipped and adored. Heaven is not a place for trifles, for silliness, for trivialities. There should be a reverence and a fear and awe of God in worship.
The failure to appreciate, love, and proclaim the holiness of God has disastrous consequences.
Many churches have abandoned any sense of the holiness of God or any element of reverence or awe before God. These churches seem to have an overwhelming desire to minimize the holiness of God to ensure the comfort of the sinner. Attendees are left with the impression that it doesn’t really matter how they live, or maybe even what they believe – because “God loves them and so do we,” and “God accepts us all and isn’t really that concerned about holiness.”
This kind of worship service presents a god that is totally foreign to the God of the Bible. It takes what should be a transcendent, awe-inspiring encounter with a holy God who transforms us, turning it into something trivial and meaningless. It also centers worship on the felt needs of sinners instead of something that is supposed to be about the glory of God. This is the greatest crime in neglecting the holiness of God because such an approach robs God of the worship He rightly deserves from His people.
When we forget about the holiness of God, serious consequences result, and trivializing the worship of God is at the top of the list.
Another consequence of forgetting the holiness of God is having churches that have lost the Great Commission.
The goal of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 is the holiness of God’s people. We cannot fulfill the Great Commission unless Jesus’ disciples are being taught to obey all that He commanded us.
One of the key marks of a spiritually mature church is its obedience to Christ. In Romans 1:8, Paul highlights the faith of the Roman church and the fact they had turned from idols to trust in the living and holy God. Paul bookends that commendation in Romans 16:19, noting the Roman’s obedience and holiness due to their sincere faith in Christ. The Romans did not have a faith in name only, a nominal faith, a worldly faith, or a faith that made little difference. Their faith was so strong and sincere that, when people talked about the faith of the Romans, the report about their obedience and holiness accompanied it.
One of the key marks of a spiritually mature church is its obedience to Christ.
If we are not worshipping, serving, and trusting in the true God, who is the holy God, we will not be a Great Commission church because we will not lead people to holiness. And if holiness is distasteful, irrelevant, or offensive, we cannot fulfill the Great Commission.
A third consequence of forgetting the holiness of God is exhibiting lives that are worldly and ungodly.
In 1 Peter 1:15-16, Peter writes that what sets the standard of holiness in the life of the believer is his view of God and God’s holiness. We are to be holy as God is holy. However, if we have forgotten or neglected the holiness of God, what will our standard be? If we serve a god who accepts everyone, who is unconcerned about holiness, who is devoid of wrath and judgment against sin because his holiness is not offended by sin, we will become just like that unholy god.
This neglect of God’s holiness results in believers who have no real pursuit of holiness at all or who are unconcerned to be holy because they don’t understand the holiness of God; or in believers who think they are pursuing holiness but who are defining it by the world’s definition of holiness rather than by conforming themselves to God and His holiness. Both paths lead to ungodly living.
If we would live godly lives, if we would seek to be obedient to Christ, if we would put to death the deeds of the flesh and seek to walk in the Spirit, we must first understand the holiness of God.
One final consequence of forgetting the holiness of God is this: countless false believers who think they know God, but who serve an idol.
If we would put to death the deeds of the flesh and seek to walk in the Spirit, we must first understand the holiness of God.
In Luke 6:46, Jesus asked this powerful question: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
To put Jesus’ words another way, all true believers and followers of Christ will pursue holiness and seek to obey Jesus’ commands. The reason why people call Jesus ‘Lord’ but do not do what He commands is because they don’t know Him. They miss that He is holy. They have trivialized Jesus; they have created a Jesus in their own image; they have invented their own savior and rejected the Jesus who is the Holy One of God.
This is a tragedy of monumental proportions because it results in eternal destruction. Many people on the final day will call Jesus ‘Lord, Lord,’ and yet they will be condemned because they did not do the will of the Father, but instead practiced wickedness. They had no regard for holiness, and that manifested the reality that they did not know God.
These are the disastrous consequences of forgetting the holiness of God.
There is a remedy, however, for us who live in a time when the holiness of God has been so neglected and forgotten. We will unpack that remedy over the course of this series as we uncover the holiness of God and discover what our response to that holiness should be in our lives and in our churches.
The post Forgetting the Holiness of God appeared first on Founders Ministries.
Why the Best Explanation Can Be a Miracle | Cross Examined
By Al Serrato
We all intuitively seek the best explanation for a set of facts or circumstances. It’s called abductive reasoning. Detectives make use of this method of reasoning when endeavoring to solve a crime; they put the pieces together so that a picture of what occurred emerges in sufficient detail to have confidence that it is true. Parents do it when they notice that a freshly baked pie has a piece missing and little Johnny has crumbs on his fingers and fruit staining his lips. Perfect knowledge is not required to know with sufficient certainty what occurred.
Abductive Reasoning in Christian Apologetics
As it relates to apologetics, abductive reasoning is a formal way of supporting the case for the validity of Christian truth claims. Though there are dozens of pieces of evidence to support the belief that the Resurrection took place, many apologists will make the case using a “minimal facts” approach. These generally undisputed facts include that Jesus lived, that he was put to death on a Roman cross, that his tomb was later found empty, and that his followers experienced encounters with him which were, simply put, life changing. These followers included skeptics who knew him well, such as his brother James; zealots who were persecuting his followers, such as Paul; and numerous men and women who had been following him during his earthly ministry.
A Cumulative Case
What best accounts for these well-established facts? Could it be they were all hallucinating? That makes little sense as we know that hallucinations do not occur in mass settings. Were they simply mistaken about who it was they were seeing? This too lacks explanatory appeal as mistaken identification is not plausible for family members and close friends and certainly not for many such people. Was it simply wishful thinking? While his followers no doubt missed him dearly, it is not reasonable to conclude that they would face death by insisting that he was still alive, when they knew he was not. Nor would wishful thinking explain the change in those who were initially persecuting Jesus’ followers, nor for those who only became followers after his death. Seeing that the cumulative case points to the fact of the Resurrection can be a powerful way to support the faith.
Losing the Case Before the Courtroom
But many remain unconvinced. When I have encountered such people, I have found that by and large they do not employ abductive reasoning as described above. They have not assessed and considered the piles of evidence from history to determine what other reasonable inference would better fit the known facts. Instead, they begin with the presupposition that miracles – which of course include resurrection from the dead – simply cannot occur. Consequently, any explanation of the historical facts and events which posit a miracle are to be rejected out of hand. The case is lost before it is even considered.
In short, many argue that relying on the possibility of a miracle is simply an admission of ignorance. If you cannot first explain how the miracle occurred, they argue, you should not be able to rely on it.
We can know THAT it happened without knowing HOW it happened.
This challenge to provide an explanation for the “best explanation of the facts” – that is, to explain the miracle – is clever but misplaced. There are many circumstances in which we can know something to be true, or to work, without knowing how it is that this is so. Take our ability to reason or our native sense of fair play: I make use of these things even though I have no way of explaining how reason works, or why I should be able to rely on it to reach true conclusions. I cannot explain how I know that “playing fair” is something that should matter to me. Consciousness is another example: in operating rooms around the world, anesthesiologists make use of drugs that can put people “under” and then restore them to consciousness without knowing how it is that this occurs. They understand the effect these drugs have on the cellular level, and they can measure differences in brain wave activity, but understanding how a grouping of brain cells goes from conscious to unconscious and back is still beyond scientific understanding. Though not usually considered as such, consciousness and reason are themselves “miraculous” – no sufficient naturalistic processes can account for them.
So, if the evidence that a man was put to death and then appeared again in a re-animated and enhanced body is sufficiently credible, then the fact that we cannot currently “explain” how it occurred does not prove that it did not occur. Consider for a moment the many medical “miracles” that have occurred. There are countless cases in which a disease process stops, or reverses, for reasons that are unclear, at least at present. As knowledge and technology advance, some of these miracles will be explained through naturalistic mechanisms. But how can the skeptic possibly know that this will always be the case? Would this not require perfect knowledge on his part, in order to know with certainty that departures from the laws of nature can never occur?
There is nothing wrong with wanting to know more, with seeking more knowledge and more information to get the “how” questions answered. There is nothing wrong with trying to rule out all naturalistic explanations before considering the supernatural. And it may be, in the end, that additional knowledge will modify, or perhaps even change, some of our views.
But refusing to go where the evidence leads because of a belief that supernatural events are “impossible” is a reflection of underlying bias, not an expression of enlightened thinking.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Miracles: The Evidence by Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
Two Miracles You Take With You Everywhere You Go by Frank Turek DVD, Mp3 and Mp4
Early Evidence for the Resurrection by Dr. Gary Habermas (DVD), (Mp3) and (Mp4)
Debate: What Best Explains Reality: Atheism or Theism? by Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, and Mp3
Al Serrato earned his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1985. He began his career as an FBI special agent before becoming a prosecutor in California, where he worked for 33 years. An introduction to CS Lewis’ works sparked his interest in Apologetics, which he has pursued for the past three decades. He got his start writing Apologetics with J. Warner Wallace and Pleaseconvinceme.com.
The post Why the Best Explanation Can Be a Miracle appeared first on Cross Examined.
https://crossexamined.org/why-the-best-explanation-can-be-a-miracle/
Good (and Bad) Reasons to Be a Christian (Podcast) | Cold Case Christianity
In this podcast, J. Warner examines five responses typically offered to the question: “Why are you a Christian?” Are these responses sufficient, given the nature of the culture in which we live? How can we better respond to the challenges we face as we try to defend what we believe about Christianity?
Subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity Weekly Podcast on iTunes, or add the podcast from our RSS Feed. Subscribe to the Cold-Case Christianity Radio Interview Podcast on iTunes, or add the podcast from our RSS Feed.
For more information about the reliability of the New Testament gospels and the case for Christianity, please read Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. This book teaches readers ten principles of cold-case investigations and applies these strategies to investigate the claims of the gospel authors. The book is accompanied by an eight-session Cold-Case Christianity DVD Set (and Participant’s Guide) to help individuals or small groups examine the evidence and make the case.
The post Good (and Bad) Reasons to Be a Christian (Podcast) first appeared on Cold Case Christianity.
June 21 – Is There Not a God in Israel? | VCY
TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
2 Kings 1:1-2:25
Acts 13:42-14:7
Psalm 139:1-24
Proverbs 17:19-21
2 Kings 1:3 — Jeroboam sought a prophet of the LORD for wisdom, but Ahaziah sought a word from Baalzebub. “Is … there … not a God in Israel?” Even though Ahaziah didn’t seek Elijah, he did recognize Elijah (2 Kings 1:8).
2 Kings 1:13 — Like the old phrase goes, “I may be dumb, but I’m not stupid.”
2 Kings 2:9 — What was the double-portion? From StackExchange.com:
A dying man cannot leave to his heir more than he has himself. And, lastly, even the ministry of Elisha, when compared with that of Elijah, has all the appearance of being subordinate to it. He lives and labours merely as the continuer of the work already begun by Elijah, both outwardly in relation to the worshippers of idols, and inwardly in relation to the disciples of the prophets. Elisha performs the anointing of Jehu and Hazael, with which Elijah was charged, and thereby prepares the way for the realization of that destruction of Ahab’s house which Elijah predicted to the king; and he merely receives and fosters those schools of the prophets which Elijah had already founded.
2 Kings 2:11 — The phrase “chariots of fire” was used to name the movie about Eric Liddell.
2 Kings 2:23 — What command was broken here? Leviticus 19:32 commanded honor for the aged, based on the premise, “I am the LORD.” Solomon reiterated it in Proverbs 20:29.
Henry Morris gives a helpful analysis:
The situation evidently involved a gang of young hoodlums of various ages, led by the older ones, with all of them no doubt instigated by the pagan priests and idolatrous citizens of Bethel. The bears which suddenly emerged from the woods “tare” (not necessarily fatally in all cases) 42 of the older hooligans.
The jeering exhortation to “go up, thou bald head,” was both a sarcastic reference to Elijah’s supposed ascension, as well as an insult to God’s prophet. This was actually a challenge to God and could not be excused. So God made good–in miniature–on a warning issued long before: “And if ye walk contrary unto me … I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children” (Leviticus 26:21-22). It can be a dangerous thing, for young or old, to gratuitously insult the true God and His Word.
Acts 13:50 — Christianity has never been popular among the upper classes. In Matthew 19:24, Jesus reiterates this view.
Acts 14:5 and 7 — Despite the risk of stoning, “they preached the gospel!”
Psalm 139:13 — You can’t escape the Spirit of God (Psalm 139:7-10) because He has known you from the very beginning.
Proverbs 17:21 — Three verses warning against the way of transgression. Here is a closing warning to fathers to be careful not to be raising foolish sons.
Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.
Confidence Not Misplaced | VCY
The Lord God will help me. (Isaiah 50:7)
These are in prophecy the words of Messiah in the day of His obedience unto death, when He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. He was confident in divine support and trusted in Jehovah.
O my soul, thy sorrows are as the small dust of the balance compared with thy Lord’s! Canst thou not believe that the Lord God will help thee? Thy Lord was in a peculiar position; for as the representative of sinful men—their substitute and sacrifice—it was needful that the Father should leave Him and cause Him to come under desertion of soul. No such necessity is laid upon thee: thou art not bound to cry, “Why hast thou forsaken me?” Did thy Savior even in such a case still rely upon God, and canst not thou? He died for thee and thus made it impossible that thou shouldst be left alone; wherefore, be of good cheer.
In this day’s labors or trials say, “The Lord God will help me.” Go forth boldly. Set your face like a flint and resolve that no faintness or shamefacedness shall come near you. If God helps, who can hinder? If you are sure of omnipotent aid, what can be too heavy for you? Begin the day joyously, and let no shade of doubt come between thee and the eternal sunshine.
Meme: The Seven Deadly Sins
Does God Exist? Greg L. Bahnsen vs. Gordon Stein Debate
Does God Exist? Greg L. Bahnsen vs. Gordon Stein Debate
Gordon Stein (April 30, 1941 – August 27, 1996)[1] was an American author, physiologist, and activist for atheism and religious skepticism.[2]
Biography
Stein was born in New York to Jewish parents, and from an early age took an interest in science. He earned degrees in psychology and zoology, a doctorate in physiology from Ohio State University and master’s degrees in Management and Library Science from University of Rochester, Adelphi College, and the University of California at Los Angeles.[1]
He was an author of books for secular humanist and rationalist publications, he also was a critic of claims of paranormal phenomena. Stein was an outspoken atheist and publicly debated Christian apologists such as Greg Bahnsen. He served as editor of the American Rationalist and was the librarian of the Center for Inquiry, which houses both the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) and the Council for Secular Humanism (CSH).[3]
Stein died of lung cancer in Buffalo General Hospital.
Greg L. Bahnsen (September 17, 1948 – December 11, 1995) was an American Reformed philosopher, apologist, and debater. He was a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and a full-time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian Studies (SCCCS). He is also considered a contributor to the field of Christian apologetics, as he popularized the presuppositional method of Cornelius Van Til.
Early life and education
He was the first born of two sons of Robert and Virginia Bahnsen in Auburn, Washington, and grew up in Pico Rivera, California. In youth he was beset by a number of medical difficulties, the most serious of which was a lifelong platelet problem that made it difficult for him to stop bleeding, a condition similar to hæmophilia. He also had heart trouble which came to light only during his first college admissions medical exam.[citation needed]
Raised in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he actively participated in religious activities. He first began reading the apologetics of Cornelius Van Til when in high school. While attending Westmont College he began writing for the Chalcedon Foundation of Rousas J. Rushdoony and soon came to admire the latter’s strong Calvinistic convictions.
In 1970 Bahnsen graduated magna cum laude from Westmont College, receiving his B.A. in philosophy as well as the John Bunyan Smith Award for his overall grade point average. From there he went on to Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, where he studied under Cornelius Van Til. The two became close friends. When he graduated in May 1973, he simultaneously received two degrees, Master of Divinity and Master of Theology, as well as the William Benton Greene Prize in apologetics and a Richard Weaver Fellowship from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. His next academic stop was the University of Southern California (USC), where he studied philosophy, specializing in the theory of knowledge. In 1975, after receiving ordination in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he became an associate professor of Apologetics and Ethics at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Jackson, Mississippi. While there, he completed his studies at USC, receiving his Ph.D. in 1978. Bahnsen’s four years at RTS were fraught with contention, centered around his particular version of theonomic postmillennialism.
Later life
One of the original pillars of Christian Reconstruction, Bahnsen was a leading proponent of theonomy, postmillennialism, and presuppositional apologetics.
Greg Bahnsen’s vocal advocacy of Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy was highly controversial during his lifetime, and a public disputation pertaining to theonomy led to his dismissal from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. In addition, he was known for his public debates on apologetics, theonomy, religion (such as Roman Catholicism, Islam, and Judaism), and a variety of socio-political issues (such as abortion and gun control).
Bahnsen had a number of public debates with atheists including George H. Smith, Gordon Stein, and Edward Tabash. The debate with Stein marked one of the earliest uses of a transcendental argument for the existence of God (TAG).
Death
Due to his lifelong medical problems, Bahnsen had to undergo a third aortic valve implant surgery on December 5, 1995. After the completion of the operation, serious complications developed within twenty-four hours. He then became comatose for several days and died on December 11, 1995, at the age of 47.
19 June 2024 News Briefing
Where are the Viennese waltzing to? Mecca…
According to the German-Turkish SPD businessman Vural Öger (he said this during a meeting with Turkish businessmen in Germany), “what Süleyman started with the siege of Vienna we will achieve with our women”. At the time it was dismissed as a provocation. Then, on the 333rd anniversary of the Battle of Vienna against the Turks, Vienna’s Cardinal Schönborn said: “Will there be an Islamic conquest of Europe? Many Muslims want it and say: Europe is at the end”.
Pro-Palestinian organization hosts ‘revolutionary’ summer camp at Canadian university
The Gaza Solidarity Encampment, which has been operating on campus since April, six months after the war in Gaza broke out on October 7, will offer the city’s youth physical activities, Arabic language lessons, cultural crafts, political debates and “revolutionary” history classes. The university, located in the Quebec province’s capital, is a public institution funded by the public.
Serious Allegation: Intelligence soldier had affair with Palestinian from Ramallah
Channel 12 News reports that during a visit to Ramallah, she was arrested by the Palestinian Authority police who transferred her to the Israeli police, who discovered that she was a Intelligence Corps soldier in a classified position in the office of the chief of informational security. During an investigation by the military police, the soldier revealed that she had been having a secret affair with a Palestinian from Ramallah for a year, but since October 7th he was forbidden from entering Israel, so they met in Judea and Samaria.
Top US Official Calls Hamas Leader Sinwar a ‘Psychopath,’ ‘Messianic’ as Ceasefire Talks Swirl
“At the end of the day, there’s one guy 10 stories below the ground: a psychopath, messianic in his own belief that he has established himself in history, and [he believes that] there’s a sunk cost of having lost thousands of fighters and carnage in Gaza,” said Barbara Leaf, the US assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs.
What viable strategies are there to flip the multi-pronged Iranian threat? – analysis
While the Israel-West axis shot down some 350 aerial threats that Iran fired on April 13-14, Tehran could try again, and it is not so clear that Jerusalem would do as well in a second or third round.
Coca-Cola takes a hit after pro-Palestinian ad falls flat
The soft drink giant Coca-Cola has come under fire after the company debuted an advertisement which critics say is misleading at best, if not outright dishonest – in addition to angering supporters of Israel worldwide.
Ford Foundation sends millions to organizations that have celebrated Oct. 7 terrorist attacks
They make little effort to disguise their hostility to Jews and the state of Israel. …the Ford Foundation would bankroll “immediate humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza and the Middle East.”
Sanders, AOC to host rally for congressman who ramps up anti-Israel attacks
Key anti-Israel lawmakers in the US Congress are set to headline a rally to support the reelection bid of Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) as the embattled congressman intensifies his verbal attacks on the Jewish state.
IDF generals approve battle plan for all-out war with Lebanon
The head of the IDF’s Northern Command Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin and Operations Directorate Chief Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk approved battle plans, should Israel engage in an all-out war with Lebanon.
“operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved” and it was “accelerating the readiness of the forces on the ground.”
Discovery of Assyrian Military Base May Prove Biblical Battle of Angels Defending Jerusalem
The Biblical accounts describe King Hezekiah praying to God for salvation. God sent an angel to kill 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night, forcing Sencharib to retreat. The recent research is the first evidence that the battle actually took place. Researchers hope to use similar methods to uncover similar military bases and other ancient cities destroyed by the Assyrian Empire.
Israeli lawmakers launch Gaza resettlement caucus
Israeli lawmakers are set to launch a new parliamentary caucus focused on rebuilding Israeli civilian communities in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas terrorist group is defeated, the Maariv daily reported on Monday.
FM Katz: Israel expects relations with Europe to improve under Hungarian EU Council presidency
During a visit to Hungary on Monday, Katz said: “The period of the Hungarian Presidency is an unprecedented opportunity to improve Israel’s position in the European Union” despite “the plots” that EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell “has tried to promote against us.”
Europe’s top human rights court upholds Hungary’s ban on assisted suicide
Hungarian man Dániel Karsai challenged the national ban on assisted suicide but the ECHR ruled in favor of maintaining the prohibition, in line with the country’s obligations in law to protect life. In its decision, the court affirmed that prohibition of assisted suicide is in line with the country’s obligations under international law to protect life. Additionally, as the court pointed out, “the majority of the Council of Europe’s member States continue to prohibit” euthanasia and related practices
Fmr. Kiryat Shmona Mayor : ‘I demand war. Biden’s envoy is an angel of destruction
Former Kiryat Shmona Mayor Prosper Azran refuses to leave Israel’s northernmost city despite it being nearly empty as a result of Hezbollah’s bombardments. “At this stage I demand war. We were told by the Prime Minister that we’re at war,
Heavy rains and landslides hit Central America, claiming 13 lives in El Salvador and Guatemala
Relentless heavy rains caused by low-pressure systems on Guatemala’s Pacific coast and in the Gulf of Mexico have resulted in floods and landslides across Central America, leaving at least 13 people dead since Saturday, June 15, 2024. The worst affected are Guatemala and El Salvador, where a state of emergency has been declared.
Extreme rainstorms flood China’s Guangdong and Fujian
Extremely heavy rains have been battering southern China for the past week as the country entered its main flood season, resulting in deadly floods and landslides that have severely impacted the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. As of June 18, 2024, 5 people have been confirmed dead in Guangdong, and 17 are missing. In Fujian, at least 4 people have died and 2 remain missing.
Destructive storms hit Ecuador, claiming at least 10 lives – The Watchers
Severe storms hit parts of Ecuador on Sunday, June 16, 2024, causing rivers to overflow, destroying homes, roads and bridges, and leaving at least 10 people dead, many injured and several missing.
Shallow M5.9 earthquake hits Tonga
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.9 hit Tonga at 06:40 UTC on June 18, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 35 km (21.7 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth. The quake was initially reported as M6.0.
Home Foreclosures Are on the Rise
Home foreclosures were on the rise across the United States in May as Americans struggled with higher living costs. The details: According to a report from real estate data researcher ATTOM, 32,621 properties had foreclosure filings in May, a three percent jump from the prior month.
British PM Rishi Sunak Says He’s ‘Not Against’ Legalizing Euthanasia.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is “not against” legalizing euthanasia “in principle.” The Conservative leader, facing a historic defeat in the snap election on July 4, says it is “just a question of having the safeguards in place, and that’s where people have had questions in the past.”
Hundreds Of Thousands Of Americans Are Going “Off Grid” In Anticipation Of What Is Coming
As our society descends into chaos, vast numbers of people are choosing to pull the plug and walk away. Of course it is nearly impossible to completely escape the ubiquitous madness that is seemingly all around us, but many are finding that an “off grid” lifestyle gives them the best opportunity to insulate themselves as much as possible.
War Will Be One Of The Primary Elements Of The “Perfect Storm” That We Are Now Facing
There has not been a global war since the 1940s, and now nations all over the planet are armed to the teeth with weapons of immense destructive power. Everyone knows that it is just a matter of time before global conflict turns our world upside down, and once that happens everything will change.
Fighting the Transgender Movement’s War on Children and the Normalization of Pedophilia
Shannon Boschy, a father, became an activist after his child’s school supported a gender transition, and now aims to expose the perverse ideological subversion within the Canadian educational system and its undermining of traditional family values.
Several infant formula brands are contaminated with not just one, but five toxic heavy metals
In a study published last month, researchers looked at samples from 20 formulas made by well-known American and international brands and found that six out of 20 formulas tested positive for five types of toxic heavy metals, including lead and aluminium.
Dr. Ros Jones: The Chief Medical Officers made the decision to vaccinate children in the UK
Presumably succumbing to political pressure, a few months later the Committee handed over the decision to the Chief Medical Officers. It was the Chief Medical Officers of the four nations who decided to vaccinate children. The justification they gave was to improve children’s mental health, Dr. Ros Jones said.
Blinken Sits for Interview with Al-Jazeera News Anchor Who Expresses Hope for Israel’s Destruction
Al-Jazeera news anchor Jalal Chahda is well known for his extremist views, including vocal praise and support for Hamas and other terror organizations, as well as opposing Israel’s very existence. Yet this is the reporter with whom U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken chose to do an interview with on June 12.
Late-term babies who survive abortions in Canada are still being left to die
It is a chilling thing to consider, but it is indisputably true: Every year in Canada, babies are born alive and left to die – and not a single political party is interested in speaking out for these children, or stopping this brutality.
LA County Wants to Force Christian Employee to Fly Pride Flag
A county government is demanding that a Christian employee raise a Pride flag every day as part of his job duties. Captain Jeffery Little works for Los Angeles County Fire Department as a lifeguard. He’s an evangelical Christian with sincerely-held beliefs about gender and sexuality.
‘Climate Change’ Is An Unscientific Fear-Based Religion… And It’s All About Control
…“John Kerry is another false prophet,” Ham continued. “When John Kerry came back from the World Economic Forum, and this was a year or so ago, he said [that] there is an elite group of people that are going to save mankind and going to save the planet. In other words, he is saying that man is his own savior. Man is his own god, and there’s an elite group of people who are going to control everything so that they can control you. That’s really what it’s all about.”
Experimental biosynthetic food to replace natural food is happening, now!
Last week Australian Kate Mason gave a presentation to the 100-year Biodynamic Conference in Sydney. She flashed document after document on the screen detailing the involvement of national and international government and corporate interests determined to alter the nature and content of our food supply.
911 Services Across Massachusetts Down For Several Hours After System Crashes – Authorities Won’t Say Why
911 emergency services across Massachusetts were down for several hours on Tuesday after the system crashed.
Pope Francis faces UN investigation over alleged illegal wiretappings in embezzlement scandal
Pope Francis faces a U.N. investigation for allegedly authorizing illegal wiretappings of phones during the Vatican embezzlement trial linked to the sale of luxury London real estate.
Headlines – 6/19/2024
In open threat, Hezbollah publishes drone footage of sites in northern Israel
IDF kills Hezbollah rocket specialist amid rare 3-day lull in terror group’s fire
Lebanese Christian MP Warns Islamic Hezbollah Terror Group: ‘We Can Mobilize 20,000 Fighters’
Top Israeli generals approve battle plans for Lebanon offensive, army says
In Beirut, US envoy urges de-escalation between Israel, Hezbollah: ‘Achievable, urgent’
No one wants to see regional war in Middle East – Pentagon
Qatari PM meets Hamas leader to pressure group to accept ceasefire deal
Israel says Rafah offensive goals nearly achieved
In Rafah, IDF focuses on tunnels with aim of destroying Hamas brigade within a month
At least 17 killed in Gaza refugee camps after latest Israeli strikes, say medics
UK drastically cuts arms exports to Israel – report
Netanyahu Attacks Biden: ‘Inconceivable’ to Hold Back Arms Shipments to Israel
White House baffled by Netanyahu’s claim Biden is withholding weapons
White House cancels meeting, scolds Netanyahu in protest over video
NY Times: US Gaza aid pier may be dismantled soon, after little success
Senior US official says Israel not behind aid distribution woes in Gaza
UN says lawlessness in Gaza impedes aid via Kerem Shalom despite Israel’s military pause
US official: Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar a ‘psychopath and messianic’
Report: New Evidence Reveals IDF Had Detailed Prior Knowledge of Hamas Plan to Raid Israel
‘We cannot look away,’ Kamala Harris says after White House screening of 7/10 documentary
Netanyahu to meet with relatives of deceased hostages amid mounting backlash
Preaching unity, Netanyahu slams ‘loud, sometimes violent’ anti-government protesters
Protesters block highways ahead of Knesset protest amid ‘week of disruption’
U of Michigan, CUNY agree to make changes following federal antisemitism investigations
Wikipedia moves to bar ADL, claiming reliability concerns on Israel and antisemitim
Jewish girl, 12, gang raped in Paris in apparent antisemitic attack
Three teens arrested in France on suspicion of raping 12-year-old Jewish girl
Jews killed for being Jews: ‘We must adopt precise definitions for antisemitic attacks worldwide’
AI could spread false and misleading information on Holocaust, UNESCO report warns
Amid war, Israel opens R&D center to put the country on the map of quantum computing
High Court raises constitutional concerns over law granting Ben Gvir police powers
MKs hope for compromise as contentious Haredi draft bill goes to committee
Labor senator Fatima Payman calls on government to ‘recognise Palestine’ in rebuke to Albanese
Israel modernizing nuclear capabilities, upgrading production facilities – report
World’s nuclear powers strengthening arsenals as geopolitical tensions grow, report finds
‘Nobody Follows It’: U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Says Obama’s 2015 Iran Deal ‘Means Nothing’
Iranian presidential candidates debate economic issues as elections near
Houthis Believed to Have Sunk 2ndShip, the Tutor, in the Red Sea, UKMTO Says
US Approves $360M Arms Sale to Taiwan for Drones, Missiles
US blasts ‘aggressive’ China over South China Sea collision with Philippine ship
North Korean Troops Suffer Multiple Casualties After Attempting to Enter DMZ
Putin Arrives In North Korea For First Visit In 24 Years, Vows To Fight US-led Sanctions
Putin meets with Kim Jong Un in North Korea to garner support for Ukraine war
Vladimir Putin Praises ‘Dignity and Courage’ of North Korea, Vowing Russia’s Support on Eve of Visit
‘Morally and Strategically Unjustifiable’: Trudeau’s Canada Sends Warship to Cuba
Over 120 people hospitalized, 30 in ICU, with suspected botulism in Moscow; criminal probe launched
Rachel Maddow: ‘I Don’t Think Anyone Is Safe’ in Second Trump Term
CNN gloats over Steve Bannon being placed with ‘violent criminals and sex offenders’ in prison
Political Earthquake! New Jersey Democrat Kingmaker George Norcross Indicted on Racketeering Charges
Former Obama fundraiser disenchanted with Dems flips to Trump: Biden ‘asleep at the wheel’
Poll: Most Biden Voters Admit They Are Voting ‘AGAINST’ Trump Rather than ‘FOR’ Biden
Make Europe Great Again: Hungary channels Trump in EU presidency slogan
Report: FCC Fast-Tracking Soros Radio Takeover
Automaker Stellantis Recalls Nearly 1.2 Million Cars Due to Software Glitch
Pressed at Senate hearing, Boeing CEO insists on renewed safety culture
‘I know it happens’: Boeing chief admits the company has retaliated against whistleblowers
Virgin Australia Boeing 737 Makes Emergency Landing in New Zealand After Engine Fire
Is Leaky Starliner Stuck at the ISS? Boeing and NASA Say No Despite Yet Another Delay
NASA warns that a giant 210 ft yacht-sized asteroid is set to pass by Earth “alarmingly close”
‘Once-in-a-lifetime event’: Explosion in space to look like new star, NASA says
Stonehenge To See Rare Alignment This Week – A ‘Major Lunar Standstill’
5.8 magnitude earthquake hits near Hihifo, Tonga
5.2 magnitude earthquake hits south of the Kermadec Islands
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Isangel, Vanuatu
Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 25,000ft
Ruiz volcano in Colombia erupts to 23,000ft
Sangay volcano in Ecuador erupts to 22,000ft
Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 18,000ft
Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupts to 15,000ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 14,000ft
Ibu volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft
Lewotobi volcano in Indonesia erupts to 10,000ft
Increased volcanic activity at Home Reef volcano in Tonga, sailors advised to maintain distance
Commentary: Is Recent Extreme Weather Signaling God’s Displeasure with America?
Strengthening tropical rainstorm to bring intense rain, flooding to Gulf Coast
Extreme rainstorms flood China’s Guangdong and Fujian
Thousands evacuated as floods and deadly landslides hit southeast China
Heavy rains and landslides hit Central America, claiming 13 lives in El Salvador and Guatemala
Destructive storms hit Ecuador, claiming at least 10 lives
More than 550 hajj pilgrims die in Mecca as temperatures exceed 50C
Alarmists Warn of ‘Heat Dome’ over U.S. Tied to Human-Induced Climate Change
California wildfires force evacuations of thousands; Sonoma County wineries dodge bullet
Two Wildfires in New Mexico Burn Out of Control and Force Evacuations
Thousands Flee New Mexico Wildfires; Gov Declares Emergency
Monolith Mania: Another Mysterious Metal Artifact Found, This Time in a Desert Near Las Vegas
Biden’s Brain Malfunctions as He Announces Mass Amnesty for Illegals Months Before Election
WH releases details on Biden amnesty plan, Johnson says it will incentivize more illegal immigration
Experts Warn that Democrats Are Keeping the Southern Border Insecure for Political Gain
Biden to give ‘dreamers’ work visas without congressional approval
Half a million immigrants could eventually get US citizenship under a sweeping new plan from Biden
Three dead, including suspect, after shooting in Toronto office building
UK’s richest family on trial for human trafficking
House Ethics Panel confirms Gaetz to be investigated for alleged sexual misconduct, illicit drug use
Texas megachurch pastor Robert Morris resigns after “inappropriate sexual behavior” with 12-year-old
Colorado LGBT club mass shooter pleads guilty to 50 federal hate crimes
Transgender Plaintiffs’ Challenge to Oklahoma Ban on Changing Birth Certificates Revived
Thailand’s Senate overwhelmingly approves a bill to legalize same-sex marriage
Shock Report: US Drug Shortage Reaches a Dangerous New High
At least 5 contract West Nile Virus in Tel Aviv, 2 seriously ill
Fauci: More People in Red States Died from COVID Because of ‘Political Ideology’
Mid-Day Snapshot · June 19, 2024
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
THE FOUNDATION
“That form of government which is best contrived to secure an impartial and exact execution of the law, is the best of republics.” —John Adams (1776)
| ON THIS DAY in 1910, several churches in Spokane, Washington, celebrated the first Father’s Day. It was conceived by Sonora Louise Smart Dodd, who noted the newly established Mother’s Day and wanted to honor her widower single father of six. Presidents soon observed it, and in 1972, Richard Nixon signed a law making it an official holiday on the third Sunday in June. |
IN TODAY’S DIGEST
- Executive News Summary
- Featured Analysis: We’re a Republic, if We Can Keep It
- More Analysis
- Best of Right Opinion
- Best of Videos
- Short Cuts
- Memes and Cartoons
EXECUTIVE NEWS SUMMARY
Douglas Andrews, Thomas Gallatin, & Jordan Candler
Politics
- ChiCom “business opportunities”: Somewhat lost in recent months amid the cascading failures of his father’s presidency and his own legal troubles involving guns and taxes are the many damning data points of Hunter Biden’s international influence-peddling on behalf of the Biden Crime Family. Yet another example was uncovered recently. As Fox News reports, sonny boy told his business associates back in 2013, while the Big Guy was serving his second term as Barack Obama’s veep, “that a top Chinese Communist Party leader allegedly asked him to travel to China to talk about future ‘business opportunities.’” Hunter accompanied his dad on a six-day Asia trip that included China, South Korea, and Japan, during which the junior Biden introduced his dad to a couple of those business associates in a hotel lobby. The unelected and unappointed son of the sitting vice president “attended multiple events with his dad, including a lunch that featured some of the most powerful CCP leaders in China.” Later, according to an email exchange with Hunter, one of his business associates offered to accompany him on a trip to Hong Kong “to discuss business opportunities” with “C.H. Tung, a former governor of Hong Kong and billionaire who served as the vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference between 2005 and 2023.” No influence-peddling to see here, though. Move along.
- Trump’s appeal of gag order in “hush money” case dismissed by New York’s highest court (CBS News)
- All 18 Trump allies charged in Arizona “fake electors” case plead not guilty (Washington Examiner)
- Joy Behar, Rachel Maddow predict Trump will take them off the air if he wins (Daily Wire) | Humor: Trump polling at 100% after hosts warn he would cancel “The View” (Babylon Bee)
- Top six takeaways from primaries in Virginia, Oklahoma, and Georgia (Washington Examiner)
Crime
- Secret Service agent robbed in LA: Joe Biden was in Los Angeles on Saturday hobnobbing with Hollywood celebrities at a campaign fundraiser. Outside the venue that evening, a Secret Service agent was robbed at gunpoint, with the suspect making off with a handbag. The agent reportedly fired a firearm during the incident, but the perpetrator got away. Police have been unable to locate the suspect. The incident demonstrates the problem of growing crime in many Democrat-run states and cities. For Los Angeles in particular, the homicide rate rose 30% between 2023 and 2024, with the overall violent crime rate rising by 3% and robberies up 10%. Much of the crime rate increases can be blamed on the city’s Democrat leaders’ soft-on-crime policies. Prosecutions of criminals have decreased thanks to political leaders committed to promoting woke ideology as opposed to blindly upholding the law.
- Migrant crime: While not all illegal migrants are violent criminals, by definition, all illegal migrants are lawbreakers because they have unlawfully entered the country. The distinction between “legal” and “illegal” matters, but Democrats and the Leftmedia intentionally ignore and conflate the two so as to bolster their spurious claim that Republicans are anti-immigrant and to justify Joe Biden’s border malfeasance. Well, sadly, thanks to Biden, Americans are seeing more violent crimes being committed by illegal migrants that would otherwise not be happening if Biden actually did his job and enforced our nation’s borders. For example, in New York City, a 25-year-old illegal alien from Ecuador was arrested after sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl at a park in broad daylight. The illegal alien entered the U.S. in June 2021. In February 2022, an immigration judge ordered him deported, but that clearly did not occur. Americans are increasingly frustrated by the growing number of violent crimes being committed by illegal aliens, primarily because these crimes would not be happening if our border laws were being enforced.
- ICE non-detained docket is now over seven million (PJ Media)
Doublespeak
- Sanctuary state Maryland governor wants immigration reform: One sure sign that a presidency is in dire straits is when one politically ambitious party member after another begins to stake out positions in clear opposition to their incumbent president. An El Salvadoran illegal immigrant was arrested for murdering Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five, last August while she was out hiking. In response, promising young Maryland Democrat Governor Wes Moore scurried off the Bad Ship Biden. “My heart is broken for the Morin family, as is our entire state,” Moore said. “She should still be here.” Moore, who perhaps has forgotten that the state he governs offers sanctuary status to illegal immigrants, is now calling for something to be done. “We have an immigration policy that needed to be dealt with and was not. The consequences then fall on us as the leaders of our individualized jurisdictions.” Sadly, though, for Rachel Morin and her five children, the governor’s words can only ring hollow. Morin’s blood, as well as the blood of Laken Riley, is on the hands of every Democrat who failed to denounce Joe Biden’s disastrous border policies from the outset.
- The two-faced Pentagon: “Bodily autonomy is not the only argument against Covid vaccine mandates. They are also unscientific and unethical.” So said former Harvard professor Martin Kulldorff, one of three bold epidemiological experts who drafted “The Great Barrington Declaration” during the height of our nation’s COVID-19 hysteria. Sadly, though, our Department of Defense wasn’t paying attention. But it’s even worse than that. As Reuters reports, at the same time the Pentagon was mandating vaccines for all service personnel — or else be discharged — it was also running a secret anti-vaccination campaign to undermine China during the pandemic. The clandestine op “aimed to sow doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and other life-saving aid that was being supplied by China,” said Reuters. “Through phony internet accounts meant to impersonate Filipinos, the military’s propaganda efforts morphed into an anti-vax campaign. Social media posts decried the quality of face masks, test kits and the first vaccine that would become available in the Philippines — China’s Sinovac inoculation.” Talk about doublespeak. None of the tens of thousands of American warriors who were kicked out of the service for refusing to take the experimental stick were asked for comment.
Economy
- The wrong kind of jobs report: At a time when Joe Biden is desperate for good news, a new survey of 2,000 retirees delivers just the opposite: A growing number of retired Americans are thinking about going back to work due to chronic Bidenflation. As the Motley Fool reports, “More than 66 million retirees saw their Social Security benefits increase 3.2% in 2024 due to the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which is determined by the rate of inflation. But most aren’t satisfied with the bump, and many are considering going back to work to generate extra income.” The Fool adds, “44% of respondents are considering looking for work because Social Security does not provide enough income to support their lifestyle. That points to dissatisfaction among Social Security beneficiaries with the 2024 COLA.” And, we’d add, it points to still more electoral trouble for Joe Biden.
- Budget-busting: On Tuesday, the Congressional Budget Office updated its government deficit forecast for Fiscal Year 2024. The CBO added $400 billion to the previous estimate, now calculating that the total deficit will hit $1.9 trillion. The reasons for the change have everything to do with more massive government spending. The CBO pointed to Joe Biden’s college loan debt cancellation order, foreign aide spending, growing Medicaid spending, and increasing FDIC costs for the forecast change. Over the next decade, the CBO projects that the deficit will be $2.1 trillion higher than initially forecast. Furthermore, annual interest payments on the debt alone will surpass $1 trillion next year, which is more than is spent on our national defense, and by 2034 the annual debt interest payment is forecast to hit $1.7 trillion. By that same year, the overall national debt is projected to hit $50.7 trillion.
- EV startup Fisker’s U.S. units file for bankruptcy (Reuters)
- New Boeing whistleblower says company is using defective parts on planes (Washington Examiner)
World
- Russia gets NoKo backing: In an unsurprising move, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new mutual defense deal with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. The deal provides mutual defense should either of the nations be attacked and includes new trade, investment, and cultural ties. The occasion was also Putin’s first visit to the communist nation in over two decades, as the two repressive regimes seek to strengthen ties amid Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Under the deal, North Korea will provide Russia with “significant munitions” and weapons, and according to U.S. intelligence, Russia will share its nuclear submarine and ballistic missile technology. The concern is that it will help North Korea complete its first nuclear-armed submarine. Furthermore, Putin’s visit will help raise Kim’s domestic profile as a world leader, strengthening his grip on power.
- Houthi terrorists sink another major commercial shipping vessel as Biden fails to establish deterrence (Daily Wire)
- Brazil’s left-wing Supreme Court imprisons prominent conservative based on U.S. Border Patrol error (Daily Wire)
Misc.
- Biden admin sends two FBI agents to the door of nurse who helped expose illegal gender program at Texas Children’s Hospital (Not the Bee)
- Oregon doctors could soon lose their licenses for “microaggressions” under proposed Medical Board rule (Washington Free Beacon)
- Climate activists vandalize Stonehenge with spray paint (National Review)
- There is apparently a “National Gay Flag Football League” and the Buffalo Bills are sponsoring it (Not the Bee)
For the Executive Summary archive, click here.
Follow Thomas Gallatin and Jordan Candler on X/Twitter.
FEATURED ANALYSIS
We’re a Republic, if We Can Keep It
Rebutting CNN’s man-on-the-street attempt to scare people about “threats to democracy.”
Nate Jackson
“A republic, if you can keep it,” Benjamin Franklin answered when asked what kind of government had been established by the 1787 constitutional convention.
Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution says, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government.” The word “democracy” is nowhere to be found.
In explaining our Constitution, James Madison outlined some differences between republics and democracies in Federalist No. 10. He wrote, “Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”
In 1776, John Adams wrote, “There is no good government but what is republican.” A year earlier, he wrote, “They define a republic to be a government of laws, and not of men.”
Of course, Adams also said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” That’s something to ponder at a time when groomers target kids, and people who don’t even know what a woman is claim that she has a right to abort her child.
But cultural devolution is not the point here. Our Founders, who had many more thoughts on the subject, deliberately moved us away from a monarchy and to a republic while eschewing democracy. That’s important background for CNN’s latest effort to misinform the American people.
Reporter Donie O’Sullivan, who hails from — ahem — the Republic of Ireland, conducted a “man on the street” interview about the supposed “threat to democracy” posed by Donald Trump. When many interviewees told him we live in a republic, not a democracy, he was shocked and appalled by what was clearly “an attack on democracy.”
After this outrage, he scurried to the newsroom for an interview with historian Anne Applebaum to disprove these backward MAGA types. “I’ve heard a lot of conspiracy theories,” he fretted. “I hear a lot of things out on the road, but to hear Americans, people who would describe themselves as patriots, say that America is not a democracy, that stopped me in my tracks.”
Applebaum delivered the desired authoritative line, asserting without evidence, “America is a democracy. It was founded as a democracy.” Paging Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and John Adams.
Applebaum had a point when she said, “Honestly, the word ‘democracy’ and the word ‘republic’ have often been used interchangeably.” Cue the clips showing Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush using the word “democracy.” She was wrong, however, in her next sentence: “There isn’t a meaningful difference between them.” Again, Madison disagreed.
Few people see a meaningful difference because the word “democracy” has long served as shorthand for “people voting.” Insofar as that is the case, I don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill.
However, there are important points to be made about our system of government. Republics protect minorities — and I don’t mean only or primarily skin color. I also don’t mean people with very public fetishes about their private parts. I mean political minorities — people with different opinions that aren’t the most popular. I mean states with smaller populations and less power. As the saying goes, democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what’s for dinner.
A republic elected Trump in 2016. A democracy would’ve elected Hillary Clinton. That’s why leftists break out in hives when anyone uses the word “republic.”
Applebaum tries to turn the tables, saying that because her Democrat and Leftmedia pals assert that Trump is such a threat to democracy, the only defense Trump supporters have is to claim it’s not a democracy and conclude that “it doesn’t really matter” if Trump is “attacking democracy.” That’s a logical fallacy that assumes leftists are telling the truth.
She goes further, saying, “There is a part of the Republican Party that would like to rule as a minority, and they need an excuse for why that’s okay.” She thinks they mean, “‘We want Donald Trump to be able to do whatever he wants.’” That’s pure projection.
O’Sullivan concluded the segment by asserting that a constitutional republic is really just “a form of democracy.” But, he says, “This is not actually a debate about government, about democracy; it’s an attack on democracy.”
These people.
The real reason Democrats want everyone to use the word “democracy” is because their party is named after it. Ergo, they are its defenders. The opposite could be said of the GOP, as well, but Republicans have the advantage of the Constitution establishing a republic.
Democrats want to destroy the Electoral College, a cornerstone of our republic. They want to pack the Supreme Court, which Joe Biden ignores to transfer student loans to taxpayers. Biden also just issued another amnesty despite having no power to do so. What did Applebaum say about a president doing “whatever he wants”? They want to end the Senate filibuster and add states just so they can have more Democrats in the Senate. They foment hateful protests and violent riots when it suits their purpose of coddling a favored minority.
Oh, and by the way, they aim to jail the leading opposition-party candidate so as to make us a banana republic.
The only thing that matters to Democrats is power. Anything that facilitates the acquisition of it is “democracy.” Anything that gets in their way is a “threat to democracy” — including voters knowing that we live in a republic.
Follow Nate Jackson on X/Twitter.
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MORE ANALYSIS
- Emmy Griffin: Biden’s Next Mass Amnesty — The vote-pilfering commander-in-chief welcomes illegals who have married U.S. citizens.
- Thomas Gallatin: Who Made EVs a Political Issue? — The Washington Post seeks to blame Donald Trump and Republicans for having politicized EVs when it was Joe Biden who did so with his de facto EV mandate.
- Douglas Andrews: The Professor Takes AG Garland to Task — In an unusually candid critique, constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley says he was wrong about our “moderate” attorney general.
- Jack DeVine: American Anti-Semitism, Unpacked — It’s not complicated: There’s no room in our nation for either anti-Semitism or pro-terrorist activism. None.
- Linda Moss Mines: ‘Old Fuss and Feathers’ Joins the Fight — General Winfield Scott’s name headlined the newspapers when he plotted a unique maneuver — an amphibious landing at Veracruz.
- In Brief: ‘We’re a Republic, Not a Democracy’ — The Left really hates it when anyone points out this basic civic fact.
- Mark Alexander: Juneteenth Versus the Demo Hate Hustlers — “I will give thanks for being born in a country where such moral progress is possible.”
BEST OF RIGHT OPINION
- IAN HAWORTHBiden Freezes, and Old Propaganda Is Dead
- STAR PARKERYoung Voters Leaving Democrats and Biden
- BYRON YORKDemocrats Turn Lawfare Into a Campaign Ad
- BETSY MCCAUGHEYBan Sanctuary Laws
- JOHN STOSSELYou Owe $100,000!
For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion.
BEST OF VIDEOS
- What Is Juneteenth? Venice Beach vs. South Central — Before Juneteenth became a national holiday in 2021, few people had ever heard of it. Is this due to systemic racism in America’s education system, or is the new focus on Juneteenth simply a tool for division?
- ‘An Attack on Democracy’ — A CNN report absurdly claims that Donald Trump supporters accurately calling America a republic is a threat to democracy.
- Secret Service Agent Robbed in CA — An off-duty Secret Service agent was robbed at gunpoint in Tustin, California, after a fundraiser for President Joe Biden.
- Deported 16 Times — An illegal alien who has been deported 16 times was arrested after killing a 64-year-old man.
- A Tale of Two Ninnies — The more brain function John Fetterman recovers, the more conservative he becomes. And then there’s Joe Biden…
- Are WNBA Players Jealous Mean Girls or Pro Athletes? — The most popular WNBA player of all time, Caitlin Clark, has been left off of the Olympic basketball team. Is it all due to jealousy?
SHORT CUTS
Thanks, Captain Obvious
“I don’t know for sure, but I suspect that, you know, they want to see more action with regard to the border.” —Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) when asked, “Why do you think voters seem to trust Trump’s policies more than Biden’s?”
For the Record
“Every woman in America needs to understand that they are at risk because of the open border policies promoted by Joe Biden and the Democrat Party. … The debate over illegal immigration is not a hypothetical debate. It is about the safety of our wives, daughters, and granddaughters.” —Gary Bauer
Baghdad Bob
“I wonder why anybody is questioning Joe Biden’s mental acuity.” —Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu
Dumb & Dumber
“I’ve heard a lot of conspiracy theories. I hear a lot of things out on the road, but to hear Americans, people who would describe themselves as patriots, say that America is not a democracy, that stopped me in my tracks.” —CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan
“You are hearing people say America is not a democracy because there are people around Trump who want them to be saying that, who’ve been planting that narrative.” —historian Anne Applebaum
“The word ‘democracy’ and the word ‘republic’ have often been used interchangeably. There isn’t a meaningful difference between them.” —Anne Applebaum
“There is a part of the Republican Party that would like to rule as a minority, and they need an excuse for why that’s okay, and so they have begun to say, ‘We’re not a democracy, we’re a republic.’ … I think they mean, ‘We want Donald Trump to be able to do whatever he wants.’” —Anne Applebaum
Braying Jenny
“[Samuel] Alito struck me almost immediately upon sitting down to talk with him as a radical, as a fanatic about his views of culture and the role of religion in our society and his religion. … And I found him scary, and I said so on the floor of the Senate when I voted against him.” —Hillary Clinton
Big Brother
“The government spent decades trying to make fathers unnecessary. The failure of that experiment put society on the long-term path to collapse.” —Victor Joecks
Atrophy
“Once in America … we were gifted by great orators, men and women who could by the power and content of their words inspire, motivate and sometimes unify their nations. Today, we have politicians who mumble, slur their words, repeat themselves and in other ways make no sense. They neither inspire, nor unite.” —Cal Thomas
Village Academies
“The teacher unions are the strongest force in the modern Democratic Party. Unions. Not parents. … The teacher unions are adamantly opposed to anyone measuring THEIR performance. They can grade the students, but no one dares to grade the teachers.” —Stephen Moore
And Last…
“It’s weird how the press is now admitting Ashley Biden’s diary is real, but choosing not to discuss what she writes about her father in it.” —Erick Erickson
Follow Jordan Candler on X/Twitter.
MEMES & CARTOONS
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)”.
What in the pride-before-the-fall is happening at the White House?
Welp, it’s Pride Month, so of course the White House invited the estrogen boys from Queer Eye to the White House so they could film an episode there. No need to do White House stuff during the month of June, just gay stuff I guess.
https://notthebee.com/article/what-the-gay-pride-before-the-fall-is-going-on-at-the-white-house/
12 Leaked Questions From CNN’s Upcoming Presidential Debate | Babylon Bee
With the first 2024 presidential debate right around the corner, the public is eager to find out what topics will be covered and what questions the CNN moderators will ask the candidates.
Fortunately, The Babylon Bee has obtained the following leaked list of debate questions for the upcoming CNN presidential debate:
- “Which of President Trump’s crimes should he be executed for?”: With so many to choose from, this will be an important opportunity for each candidate to show wisdom.
- “Are you a convicted felon?”: Only candidates who answer “no” will be allowed to stay in the race.
- “If you were on a boat with a giant battery and the boat started to sink and there were sharks in the water, would you stay on the boat and risk electrocution or jump in the water and risk a shark attack?”: Just like Abraham Lincoln and John Breckinridge were asked in 1860.
- “Please demonstrate your fitness for being president by standing perfectly still with your arms stiffly to the side and staring blankly ahead.”: Biden has reportedly been practicing his response to this question for years.
- “What’s the most illegal thing you’ve ever done, and don’t worry, you totally won’t be indicted for it?”: Clearly an unbiased question intended to illicit honest and relatable answers and not in any way a trap for any specific candidate.
- “Mr. Trump, why are you such a loser?”: The voters deserve to know.
- “How many Pearl Harbors and 9/11s does it take to equal one Jan 6?”: A simple mathematical question that will establish the gravity of the worst day in human history.
- “On a scale of 1 to 10, rate your daughter.”: Only the creepiest of answers will suffice.
- “Who shot first, Han or Greedo?”: One of the most important questions of our time.
- “This question is for Trump. Why are you the literal personification of evil on planet Earth?”: Any professional journalistic organization would ask this question.
- “Follow-up question for Biden. How ya doin’ pal?”: Elected officials have to face tough questions.
- “President Biden? Hello? Can you hear us, sir?”: Quick, cut to a commercial break! Here’s a word from our sponsors!
If the questions above are any indication, the nation is in for the most fair and impartial presidential debate of all time.
NOT SATIRE:FOOD IS THE FOUNDATION OF SURVIVAL. PERIOD.
DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU’RE ALREADY STARVING TO MAKE A PLAN.
We plan on tomorrow being just like today… But what if it isn’t?
For all we know, we could wake up to bad news tomorrow. Really bad news. All the plans anyone had made the day before would be canceled in an instant.
The unprepared would start scrambling to get their hands on anything and everything that could boost their chances of survival. Especially food…
TAKE TOMORROW SERIOUSLY
My Patriot Supply makes it easy to feed your family no matter what comes your way. Their 4-Week Emergency Food Kit is the ultimate addition to your long-term food supply. With 16 flavorful food and drink varieties offering over 2,000 calories every day, you can face tomorrow with confidence knowing you’ll be eating well while others flounder. The best part? Preparing these meals is a breeze. Just add water and heat — then eat!
It’s the perfect first step toward total food security.
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Check out Hasbro’s latest update to the classic board game “Guess Who?” – now with more genders, inclusion, and fun!* *Fun not guaranteed
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tactical instruction
https://babylonbee.com/news/12-leaked-questions-from-cnns-upcoming-presidential-debate/
The Restaurant Apocalypse of 2024 Is a Really Bad Sign – The Organic Prepper
Americans love to eat out. But recently, many have reported that even fast food costs too much due to inflation and the demands of higher wages. Hundreds of popular restaurant chains have closed locations this year, which is concerning. You might call it the restaurant apocalypse.
When a meal for one person at McDonald’s costs nearly $20, most folks would rather add that money to their ever-climbing grocery bills. People are choosing not to eat out anymore, and that is a really bad sign for the economy in more ways that one.
The workers are affected, the franchisees are affected, the landlords of the restaurant properties are affected, and then there are all the other bills that don’t get paid because of the initial folks who lost income.
What restaurants are closing?
Recently, you may have heard that Red Lobster has recently closed dozens of locations with more on the chopping block. But that’s not the only place shuttering their shops. They’ve filed for bankruptcy and many blame its ill-fated Ultimate Endless Shrimp promotion as being the straw that broke the lobster’s back.
Fifteen Pizza Hut locations in Indiana closed overnight, due to a financial dispute with one of its largest franchisees. And there could be many more to come.
The dispute centres on millions of dollars in unpaid bills and puts 129 more locations in Illinois, Georgia, South Carolina and Wisconsin at risk of closure. (source)
Trump Polling At 100% After Joy Behar Warns He Would Cancel ‘The View’ | Babylon Bee
U.S. — Former President Trump has suddenly skyrocketed to 100% in the polls after host Joy Behar warned that Trump would ban The View from television if elected.
“Welp, that does it,” said lifetime Democrat Dean Bochner after hearing the news. “I never imagined any scenario where I would punch a ballot for Donald Trump, but here we are.”
According to pollsters, Trump now holds a one hundred point lead in every single state since the news broke. “We now project Trump winning literally every single vote in Seattle and San Francisco,” said pollster Mark Allen. “Despite millions of voters maintaining strong disagreement with Trump about policy issues, the chance to get The View off the air is simply too good to pass up. It has turned every person in America into a single-issue voter.”
In addition to cancelling The View, sources warned that a second Trump term would also lead to the banning of Rachel Maddow. “Whoa, you already sold me on Trump,” said previous Biden super-donor Amy Langford. “I’ll take that cherry on top right now though. I just had no idea what kind of good that orange man could do for society.”
At publishing time, Trump had gained a 100% approval rating world-wide after Keith Olbermann announced he would launch himself into outer space if Trump wins again.
Check out Hasbro’s latest update to the classic board game “Guess Who?” – now with more genders, inclusion, and fun!* *Fun not guaranteed
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tactical instruction
https://babylonbee.com/news/trump-polling-at-100-after-hosts-warn-he-would-cancel-the-view/
Yes, Biden’s Department Of Justice Wants To Imprison Peaceful Pro-Lifers For Praying
The Biden regime weaponized itself against people whose biggest tool for change isn’t Molotov cocktails or spray paint but supplication.
8 Signs That Extremists Are Taking Over Our Country | End Of The American Dream
It is happening all around us. Our nation is being radically transformed by people with extreme ideologies, and that should deeply alarm all of us. According to Google, an extremist is “a person who holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views, especially one who resorts to or advocates extreme action”. Sadly, that definition accurately describes many that hold prominent positions of power in our society today. In so many cases, individuals that have political beliefs that most ordinary Americans would consider to be very radical are going to extraordinary lengths to impose their views on all of the rest of us. The following are 8 signs that extremists are taking over our country…
#1 In Oregon, a high school track and field coach has been fired for simply “expressing his concerns about allowing biological males to compete with girls”…
The head track and field coach at a high school in Oregon has been fired after writing letters to state officials expressing his concerns about allowing biological males to compete with girls.
John Parks, who had been employed at Lake Oswego High School since January of last year, says his contract was terminated shortly after he began speaking out against trans-identified males self-identifying into female races.
#2 Officials in Seattle have decided that it is perfectly okay to hire migrants that have come into the United States illegally as police officers…
Now, faced with what can only be called an emergency due to low staffing, the city is taking advantage of Senate Bill 6157, signed into law by far-left Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, which will allow DACA recipients or so-called “dreamers” to apply to become police officers.
One issue facing DACA recipients becoming police officers is because they are in the country illegally, which means that they are not generally permitted to carry a firearm. However, Biden’s ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, FIrearms and Explosives) has ruled that “It is ATF’s position that DACA recipients can possess duty firearms and possess ammunition as part of their official law enforcement officer duties,” according to the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).
#3 Even though reservoirs are overflowing right now, bureaucrats have decided to greatly restrict the flow of water to countless potato farmers in the state of Idaho…
Eastern Idaho farmers may soon be out of water after the state issued a major curtailment.
Brian Murdock, a farmer who resides in East Idaho, warned of the potential devastating impact of the order on his business during his appearance on “The Bottom Line” Wednesday.
“Well, as you said, the state of Idaho and the Idaho Department of Water Resources has issued this curtailment of 500,000 acres. And to help put that in perspective, that’s basically 781 square miles of farm ground that is being taken out of production,” Murdock stressed.
#4 Executives at Disney seem absolutely determined to completely destroy Star Wars. In the newest series, a “coven of lesbian space witches” has been introduced…
At the center of the drama is Episode 3, which aired last week. The segment featured what the LGBTQ publication Them described as a “coven of lesbian space witches” who appear to use the Force to conceive the twins Mae and Osha without any male involvement.
#5 In Los Angeles, authorities are reportedly toying with the idea of “removing police from traffic enforcement altogether”…
In another step toward complete and total lawlessness on the West Coast, Los Angeles is reportedly studying the idea of removing police from traffic enforcement altogether as a way to reform policing.
A new report from the LA Times says that this week, the City Council approved a study aimed at determining how to implement additional speed bumps, roundabouts, and other modifications to streets to curb speeding and improve driving safety.
This would come in the place of traffic enforcement by officers after reform advocates argued for “the city to limit how often police pull people over for low-level offenses and to start imagining a future in which unarmed city workers would take over most traffic duties”.
#6 While politicians in Washington endlessly promote war on the other side of the globe to protect Ukraine’s “sacred borders”, vast numbers of people are being allowed to come flooding into this country illegally every single day. In fact, Citizen Free Press is reporting that “we may have 200,000 more Chinese men who have crossed our border” by the month of November…
Jacumba California is the entry of choice for Chinese Illegals. By November, we may have 200,000 more Chinese men who have crossed our border. What happens when China invades Taiwan.
#7 We aren’t supposed to question “climate science”, and many in positions of power get extremely angry when we do. As Ken Ham recently explained, the modern climate change movement has essentially mutated into a “religion” that “basically sees man as a blight upon the earth”…
“What’s going on here is the fact that the climate change movement is a religion. It’s an anti-God religion based on evolutionary assumptions. It’s a religion where man believes he will save himself and save the planet. And it’s a religion that creates fear,” he warned “Worldview Matters” listeners.
“The modern climate change movement is a religion that worships man and worships the creation, and basically sees man as a blight upon the earth,” Ham described. “They let the creation have dominion over man. Their whole worldview is wrong, their interpretation of the evidence is wrong, and it’s going to have bad consequences for us.”
#8 At a time when they should be concerned with a myriad of rapidly growing national security threats, the federal agency that oversees the CIA, the FBI and the NSA is focused on other things this month…
The top intelligence agency in the United States is celebrating Pride Month by inviting agents to have the transgender flag painted on their nails, participate in a “Pride Ally Challenge,” and learn from a “non-binary,” “Filipinx” activist who has taught children about her non-binary identity, a document exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire reveals.
The intelligence document outlines nine different Pride Month activities held by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), a cabinet-level agency overseeing the rest of the IC, including the CIA, FBI, NSA, and intelligence components in each branch of the military. Over the course of the month, intelligence officers will have their nails painted with trans flags, or even learn to crochet their very own Pride flags.
If my grandparents were alive today, they wouldn’t even recognize our country.
We now live in a society where up is down, down is up, high is low, and low is high.
Unfortunately, the control freaks that are running things get quite upset when anyone dares to question why everything has been reversed.
In my latest book I have an entire chapter entitled “cultural transformation”, and I think that phrase very accurately describes what is happening to us.
If you do not want extremists to be running things, the time to speak up is now.
Because once they get total control, you won’t even be able to do that.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
About the Author: Michael Snyder’s extremely controversial new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. He has also written seven other books that are available on Amazon.com including “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. When you purchase any of Michael’s books you help to support the work that he is doing. You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter. Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites. These are such troubled times, and people need hope. John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.
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