Houston, we’ve got a problem. Wretched Radio is hosted by Todd Friel. On the show you will hear live witnessing encounters and discussions of tough theological issues and various topics in the Christian community. You might even have a laugh.
Wretched Radio | Air Date: August 20, 2024
FOUR CONSEQUENCES OF THE MEGA CHURCH MOVEMENT
Why Sheep Don’t Become Goats| WRETCHED TV Episode 2361 Salvation does not depend on human effort alone. ___ Thanks for watching! Wretched TV would …
WHY SHEEP DON’T BECOME GOATS
Church Watch Central is pleased to introduce Dawn Hill’s YouTube Channel to our list of good resources. Dawn, a former NAR prophet, states:
“The goal of this channel is to glorify Jesus Christ and to point women back to the truth of the Word of God. I was a former “prophet” in the NAR/apostolic/prophetic movement. God graciously granted me repentance from deceptions that I believed in that movement, and by His grace and His Spirit, the Word of God in context has helped to correct false teaching.”
The following is Part 2 of a 3 part series. Part 1 available here.
Dawn Hill writes:
“Recently, American Gospel publicly released the latest roundtable featured in correlation with the upcoming docuseries, American Gospel: Spirit and Fire. This roundtable discussed the question of the NAR-New Apostolic Reformation and if it is a movement or a myth. Join me as I begin a three-part series discussing main points noted in this roundtable, and we consider further information to answer this important question.”
Source: Dawn Hill, Dawn Hill YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG1n1SvENMU, Premiered August 20, 2014, (Accessed Tuesday August 21, 2024.)
Email all comments and questions to c3churchwatch@hotmail.com
“Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Galatians 4:16
Have you ever felt uncertain about the significance of the cross in your life? It’s a feeling that many Christians experience, often without realizing that this doubt is one of Satan’s most effective strategies.
The enemy’s goal is to sow fear and dread about the true meaning and impact of the cross—a historic event that not only took place but accomplished something magnificent. Understanding this strategy is key to standing firm in our faith.
Satan’s playbook is full of tactics designed to keep us from fully grasping the power of the cross. One of his most subtle yet destructive strategies is to instill fear and dread about the very event that sealed his defeat. This isn’t just about fearing death; it’s about fearing the transformative power that the cross represents in our lives.
Jesus Himself warned about this strategy. In Matthew 16:21-23, we see a clear example:
“From that time Jesus began to point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day. And yet Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.’”
Here, Peter’s fear and dread over the thought of Jesus’ crucifixion are met with a stern rebuke. Jesus identifies this fear as a tactic of Satan, a stumbling block designed to divert attention from God’s purposes. The enemy knows that the cross is where his defeat began, so he does everything in his power to keep us from fully embracing it.
Another one of Satan’s strategies is to blind people to the truth of the gospel, which is centered on the cross. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:4:
“In whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
The gospel is the message of the cross—plain and simple. Yet, Satan blinds people to this truth, keeping them from seeing the light that can save them. A “crossless” gospel is no gospel at all, and the devil knows this. He detests the cross because it was there that Jesus disarmed him, making a public spectacle of his defeat.
The reason Satan despises the cross is clear: it’s the symbol of his ultimate defeat. Jesus didn’t just die on the cross; He rose from the dead, securing eternal victory for all who believe. Satan wanted Jesus and all of humanity to be damned, but the cross shattered that plan.
In John 12:31, Jesus says, “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” This judgment was pronounced at the cross, where our sins were nailed and Satan’s power was broken. The devil despises any mention of the cross because it represents everything he lost. It’s no wonder that he works tirelessly to keep it out of our minds and hearts.
1 John 3:8 further underscores this point: “The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” The cross is the instrument through which these works were destroyed, and that’s why Satan detests it so fiercely.
So, how can we resist Satan’s strategy and fully embrace the power of the cross? Here are a few practical steps:
The cross is more than just a symbol—it’s the place where our victory was won and where Satan was defeated. While the devil and his demons may detest God, you, and everything good, they are already beaten. Stand firm in this truth, and let the power of the cross guide your life.
How has the message of the cross impacted your life? Share your thoughts in the comments below. And if this message resonates with you, please share it with others who may need this encouragement.
CS Lewis wrote about this here.
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For a list of other essential Christian reads click here.
TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Job 4:1-7:21
1 Corinthians 14:18-40
Psalm 37:30-40
Proverbs 21:27
Job 4:7 — The danger of being 80% correct. Eliphaz believed that God blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked. And that is a good generalization, but the application made some faulty assumptions.
Job 4:17 — Eliphaz again recognizes a truth but doesn’t stop there. Stop while you’re ahead Eliphaz! We’ve talked about the atheist argument “more moral than God”, and Eliphaz picks up on that. Instead of only saying, “Don’t argue with God” … period … he says, “Don’t argue with God …” and then proceeds to compare Job to the foolish and silly (Job 5:2).
Job 6:6 — Egg whites haven’t gotten any tastier in the last 3,000 years.
Job 6:8-9 — Poor Job. Like the old preacher said, “Thank God that He doesn’t answer all of your prayers!”
1 Corinthians 14:33 — Whether worship was in the Old Testament under the Levitical code, or in the New Testament as regulated by the epistles – it was never one of confusion, but always practiced decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).
1 Corinthians 14:34 — Paul says that some things seem to be in conflict with accepted cultural values of the day. But if God’s desires always lined up with our desires, we would have no need for the corrective imperatives of the New Testament.
Psalm 37:31 — How much of God’s Law is in your heart?
Psalm 37:40 — This is an interesting contrast to the story of Job. Job was trusting in the LORD but had not been delivered … yet. The word “yet” is a key word in Job and the Psalms – God will deliver but sometimes “not yet.”
Proverbs 21:27 — This explains why God was not happy with Cain’s offering (Genesis 4:5, Genesis 4:7)
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.
Date: August 20, 2024
Host: Dalton Windsor
Guests: Dr. Richard Schmidt & Randy Melchert
MP3 | Order
https://embed.sermonaudio.com/player/a/82024216273167/
Dr. Richard Schmidt is pastor of Union Grove Baptist Church and founder of Prophecy Focus Ministries. He is an author. He spent 32 years in law enforcement including that of Acting Sheriff of Milwaukee County until his retirement.
Randy Melchert is a school administrator, a researcher, a consultant and a member of the VCY America Board of Directors.
Last evening, Randy had the opportunity to attend the DNC and he was fascinated by what he saw and heard. He noted how businesses near the United Center were boarded up for security reasons, the availability of prayer rooms (including a gender neutral prayer room) and the push toward no limits for elective abortion.
He also talked about the following:
When Dr. Schmidt took the microphone he discussed the following:
The program wrapped up with comments from the listening audience.
More Information
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. (Psalm 126:5)
Weeping times are suitable for sowing: we do not want the ground to be too dry. Seed steeped in the tears of earnest anxiety will come up all the sooner. The salt of prayerful tears will give the good seed a flavor which will preserve it from the worm: truth spoken in awful earnestness has a double life about it. Instead of stopping our sowing because of our weeping, let us redouble our efforts because the season is so propitious.
Our heavenly seed could not fitly be sown laughing. Deep sorrow and concern for the souls of others are a far more fit accompaniment of godly teaching than anything like levity. We have heard of men who went to war with a light heart, but they were beaten; and it is mostly so with those who sow in the same style.
Come, then, my heart, sow on in thy weeping, for thou has the promise of a joyful harvest. Thou shalt reap. Thou, thyself, shalt see some results of thy labor. This shall come to thee in so large a measure as to give thee joy, which a poor, withered, and scanty harvest would not do. When thine eyes are dim with silver tears, think of the golden corn. Bear cheerfully the present toil and disappointment; for the harvest day will fully recompense thee.
What is it inside us that always wants to do more and be more? Nothing ever seems good enough for very long. Cars, houses, schools, degrees, jobs, friends, status. Why is it never enough?
Matthew 4:5-7 says, “Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple” (v. 5). From the lonely wilderness to the crowded city. And to the most crowded building in it, thousands milling about every day.
This is literally the “wing of the temple,” the highest place of the building in all the nation.
The Jewish Temple was built on top of Mount Zion, which was leveled out into a plateau where the Temple complex stood. At the corner where Solomon’s Porch and the Royal Porch met, there was a sheer drop of 450 feet into the Kedron valley below.
Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, described that spot this way:
“This cloister deserves to be mentioned better than any other under the sun; for while the valley was very deep, and its bottom could not be seen, if you looked from above into the depth, this further vastly high elevation of the cloister stood upon that height, insomuch that if any one looked down from the top of the battlements, or down both these altitudes, he would be dizzy, while his sight could not reach to such an immense depth” (Antiquities XV.xi.5).
This was the closest building to a skyscraper in ancient Israel, standing some forty-five stories high—nearly the height of the Reunion Tower in Dallas, Texas.
It is here, as our Lord and our enemy were standing together, that Satan said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.”
He proceeds to quote Psalm 91: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone” (vs. 11, 12).
This was a promise made to the Messiah, which the angels did, in fact, keep: They protected him from Herod as a child and would celebrate his resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday morning.
But not here. The enemy did not tempt Jesus on a wilderness mountain but on the Temple Mount, where thousands would see and be impressed. In this public setting, the temptation was not to depend upon the angels for help—it was to perform for the crowds, to show them Jesus’ divine abilities, to be that perfect Messiah they had been longing to see.
Show them your power, Satan says. Do what no one has ever done or would ever do again. All will see and be impressed. Validate your ministry, your Messiahship, and your personal worth. Be that amazing, perfect Messiah everyone longs for. Build your identity on perfectionist popularity.
What a temptation it was for Jesus. And for us.
A few years ago, on the heels of a Dallas minister’s very public moral failure, Texas Monthly ran an article on the subject. The author concluded that clergy moral problems are only symptomatic of the larger pressures of living in North Dallas. The writer argued that there is no more stressed, pressured, high-intensity culture in the world than North Dallas. Here, the more perfect we are in our dress, look, and act, the more popular we are, and the more valuable we feel.
Where does such pressure to perfectionism and popularity come from?
The universe began perfectly. Our perfect God created a perfect world with perfect humans made in his perfect image. But when we sinned in the Garden of Eden, everything changed. Because of our sin, the universe fell. We are now sinful by nature. Perfection is now impossible. Paradise is lost.
Here’s where perfectionism originates.
Now I sin because that’s my nature. I am a fallen person. And soon I come to believe that I am a failure.
And so I create what psychologists call a “false self” to compensate. An idealized, perfect self, the person I want you to think I am. A perfect person to cover over my failures. A perfect mask to cover up the imperfect person inside.
Then I try very hard to live up to this perfect self, to convince you that this is who I really am, to persuade you that I’m not really a failure, that I really am a person of worth and value. I wear the mask and try to convince you that it’s the real thing.
We all do this to one degree or another. We play to the crowd. We are what we think they think we are. It’s basic human nature.
Perfectionism becomes a game we play, and the game affects every part of our lives.
Some of us play the game of perfectionism against other people. We must prove that we are better than others and, therefore, have value.
Others do it to please people. We must be accepted by everyone all the time. We have an excessive need to belong and be loved.
Still others play the game above people. We’re self-sufficient, invulnerable, aloof, not needing anyone.
And nearly all of us play the game against ourselves. We live by an unachievable standard of personal performance. The result is a constant sense of insufficiency and failure and a daily fear that we’ll be found out—that people will see behind the mask, see us the way we really are, and know that we are failures.
Of course, perfectionism popularity is a game nobody can win. It cannot be done.
You cannot be better than everyone at everything. You cannot please everyone. You cannot live without other people. And you can never achieve perfection personally. It simply cannot be done.
But we try. And our failures drive us to try harder, to work more, to be better. The result is a self-perpetuating cycle of frustration, anger, competition, stress, and failure.
John Claypool is one of my favorite preachers and pastors. In his classic work, The Preaching Event, he makes this very honest disclosure about himself:
“At an exceedingly early age … the overwhelming drive of my life became ‘to make it,’ ‘to get ahead,’ ‘to out-achieve all others’ so as to do something about that awful emptiness I sensed at the bottom of my being. This way of living affected me at every level…. People used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I was shrewd enough to fashion my answer according to what I thought they wanted to hear…. However, in my own heart of hearts, I had my own private fantasy that I never dared to share with anyone. Do you know what it was? I am telling you the gospel truth: I wanted to be president of the world! I envisioned the whole human race as a giant pyramid with one place of preeminence at the top. I dreamed of climbing over everybody’s back until at last I got there. Then I knew exactly what I would do. I would look down and say, ‘Now! Now, do I amount to something? Have I at last become a somebody out of my nobodyness?’” (The Preaching Event, 63-4, emphasis his).
The real tragedy is that we Christians think all this perfectionism actually pleases God—that this is what he wants us to do—jumping off temples to please the crowds and to please Christ. It’s a temptation from the devil himself.
And the answer to it comes from the word of God.
“Do not put the Lord your God to the test,” Jesus says, quoting Deuteronomy 6:16.
In the larger context, Moses is warning the people that when they come into their Promised Land:
“a land with large flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (vs. 10-12).
In other words, do not base your worth and identity on what you have, how you perform, how perfect your land and lives are, how popular you are with each other—build your worth and identity on my love, grace, and provision. Do not use God to make you perfect or popular—do not test his grace or manipulate his love.
Instead, live by the single greatest advice I’ve ever received:
You are a person of worth because God loves you and accepts you unconditionally and absolutely. Not because you can ever be perfect, for you cannot this side of glory. Not because you are popular with others, for the ways of God and the ways of the world are often at war.
Simply because he chose to make you, and he knows you, and he accepts and likes and loves you. Remember the source of your personal worth.
What temples are you tempted to jump off today? The result is simple and predictable: you’ll get hurt. Perfectionist popularity never lasts. And it never will.
The largest statue ever carved from a single piece of stone weighed over 1,000 tons (two million pounds). It was a statue of Ramses I, who died in 1317 B.C. Ramses decreed that his statue would forever remind the people of his greatness. When the Children of Israel left Egypt, they passed by this enormous statue to achievement, status, popularity, and perfection.
Who in Egypt thought that the real power of the universe left with them? With this rag-tag bunch of slaves following a crazy man out into the desert? They had no army, no map, no plan, no future. Or so it seemed.
Today Ramses’ statue lies broken in the sands of Egypt, the image of his perfectionist popularity reduced to rubble.
You will have two motives for all you do: to jump off temples, seeking perfectionist popularity; or to jump into the grace-filled arms of your loving Father. To remember the source of your personal worth.
Choose well.
The post Are you playing the game of perfectionism? appeared first on Denison Forum.
Some Christian doctrines are weightier than others. When discussing Christian theology, many of us have heard the helpful quote attributed to Augustine, “In the essentials, unity, in the non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity.” There is much to be learned from this quote, but did you know that many Bible teachers identify four different categories of doctrinal weight?
Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:23-24)! In this passage, Jesus says that some teachings of Scripture have more theological impact than others.
One way to describe a doctrine’s weight is by understanding the consequences of being wrong about it. Believing the wrong thing about some doctrines could send us to hell, while being wrong about others has little impact on our spiritual life.
The categories have different names depending on who you ask, but they are essentially the same regardless of what we call them. Graham Cole names the four categories this way.
Those are valuable categories and might be what you have heard. My professor, Craig Hawkins, taught me the following: these are more descriptive.
Essential Doctrines are doctrines that put you outside of the faith if you deny them. To reject these teachings means you are not a Christian, and the word “Heresy” is usually invoked for this category of error. Examples of essential doctrines are the deity of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, and believing in the bodily resurrection of Jesus.
Cardinal Doctrines Are extremely Important and have significant ramifications in our lives, but Christians can disagree and still be Christians. However, a wrong view could put you outside of the faith if you push these false beliefs too far. Examples would be the inerrancy of Scripture. It is possible to be a Christian and deny the inerrancy of Scripture, but in doing so, you are chipping away at the rock upon which you stand. And, if you believe the Bible is in error on any of the essential doctrines, you are now outside of the faith. Many of these doctrines are so significant that listing them here would cause some people to argue that they might actually be essential.
Another example would be free grace theology. This doctrine teaches that as long as you have said the sinner’s prayer and had faith at one point in your life, you are eternally secure, even if you live a life of sin and blaspheme God until your death. You are still saved. Most people who believe this would never curse God because they love him, so they can still hold this belief and be saved. However, the person who goes forward believing this and lives in rebellion of God is outside the faith. Cardinal doctrines are incredibly weighty, but they are not necessarily essential to salvation.
Non-essential doctrines are the ones that usually distinguish denominations. The Baptists, the Presbyterians, and the Pentecostals are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Still, they hold doctrines that are significant enough to impact how they worship and, therefore, opt to attend different churches.
Examples of non-essential doctrines include questions such as, “Does the gifts of tongues continue or cease after the Apostles? Predestination or libertarian free will? Baptism—infant or believers? Covenant theology or dispensational? And questions surrounding the rapture. These can significantly impact our worship, but the wrong answers to these questions rarely put us outside of the faith.
One thing to keep in mind about non-essential doctrines is that some churches can put so much emphasis on them that they neglect the weightier teachings of the Scripture. For example, a church that practices tongues can make it such a significant focus that it seems more important than the doctrine of justification. This distortion would be like swallowing a camel while straining out a gnat.
The final category is tertiary or peripheral beliefs and practices. Scripture does not explicitly promote or prohibit these teachings, but they do shape our worship traditions. Examples include such things as should church choirs wear robes. Should pastors wear a clerical collar and make the sign of the cross when we baptize? These should never be practices that cause us to break fellowship unless they are tied to one of the more weighty doctrines.
When doing theology, keeping these categories in mind will help us know where to place the most emphasis and when to know when a brother or sister’s soul is in danger or when we can agree to disagree.
-D. Eaton
Yemen’s Houthis planned mass attacks on US warships, Israeli ports
According to “The Wall Street Journal,” Iran’s terror proxies are advocating a more aggressive approach, causing concern in Tehran. The Houthis in Yemen planned to carry out massive attacks on American warships and Israeli ports, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing the Iranian terror proxy group and European officials.
Attacks against defense industrial base increasing, NSA chief warns
China, Russia, and others are taking aim more frequently at companies that serve the U.S. military, Gen. Timothy Haugh, the head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, told the crowd at TechNet Cyber on Tuesday.
Did China just demote its defense ministry?
Among the most significant personnel changes of the Chinese Communist Party’s recent Third Plenum meeting are two that didn’t happen: Adm. Dong Jun, the country’s defense minister, was neither added to the Central Military Commission nor appointed a State Councilor. This is an apparent demotion for the defense ministry, and could complicate the military-to-military relationship between China and the United States.
Terrorist accidentally blows himself up in ‘terror attack’ against Israel
Israeli police officials confirmed that an Islamic terrorist suspect accidentally blew himself up in Tel Aviv while transporting an explosive device that authorities believe was intended to be remotely detonated or used in a suicide attack. The outlet reported that the incident occurred at roughly 8 p.m. on Sunday. The suspect was killed in the explosion, while another individual was “moderately injured.”
The island where Washington state has confined hundreds for sexual violence: What to know
People at the Special Commitment Center have been civilly committed under Washington law as “sexually violent predators.” Residents, mostly men, have been convicted of or charged with sexually violent crimes and have been found likely to reoffend if not securely detained.
House Concludes Biden “Actively Participated” In Impeachable Offenses – Except It’s Too Late To Impeach Him
Obviously this would have been infinitely more helpful even a few months ago when there was time for the GOP-controlled House to take action (particularly before the DOJ concluded that Biden is too senile to prosecute), but hey – better late than never.
Local Cop, Not Secret Service, Shot Trump Rally Shooter First
The first shot to hit Thomas Crooks, the man who sprayed eight shots at a Butler, Pennsylvania Trump rally on July 13 – hitting Trump in the ear and killing an attendee – came from a local SWAT operator who was about 100 yards away from the building on which Crooks was positioned, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) said in a preliminary investigative report.
Harley-Davidson Hits Brakes On Woke Activism Amid Boycotts & Bud Light Treatment At Sturgis
In response to mounting social media backlash and boycotts at the 84th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally earlier this month, Harley succumbed to Starbuck’s pressure by eliminating DEI functions at the company and woke spending goals. This is a victory for Harley riders,
Lavrov Says ‘Clear’ That US Ordered Nord Stream Attacks, Demands Answers From Germany
it was “clear” the US ordered the Sept 2022 attacks on the vital Russia to Germany gas pipelines.
The central thesis of last week’s Wall Street Journal report is that a Ukrainian crew conducted the covert attacks with the oversight Kiev’s then-military commander-in-chief,
Ukraine Destroys 3rd Bridge In Russia’s Kursk, Zelensky Stresses He’ll Keep Territory
Following the Friday destruction of the strategic bridge in the Russian town Glushkovo, which lies in Kursk oblast, and the taking out of another bridge across the River Seym on Saturday, Ukraine has attacked and damaged a third bridge in the same region, Moscow has confirmed. Russia’s Investigative Committee on Monday announced that yet another bridge located along the River Seym, which winds through the Kursk region, was destroyed in a Ukrainian attack.
Harris proposes major corporate tax hike, reversing Trump era cuts
The Harris campaign confirmed to Fox News that the vice president is proposing to raise the rate that major businesses pay from 21% to 28%,
Iran seeks China’s help with surveillance satellites, officials say
Iran is pursuing partnerships with two Chinese satellite companies, Western security officials say, as it seeks to expand its capability for remote surveillance and intelligence gathering, potentially including high-resolution images of military targets in Israel and across the Middle East. The outreach has included multiple exchanges of delegations in recent months
On loan from Israel, rare mosaic floor to be flown to museum in Washington
A magnificent mosaic floor from an ancient church, which was unearthed at Megiddo Prison and which has captivated the Christian world, is set to embark on an extraordinary journey beyond Israel’s borders. This stunning find will be showcased at the Museum of the Bible in Washington for three months before making its return home.
IDF bombs Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, secondary explosions suggest ‘many’ weapons
Israeli jets struck several Hezbollah arms depots in the Bekaa Valley “deep in Lebanon,” the Israel Defense Forces stated on Monday evening. The Israeli military said it also killed Hossein Ali Hossein, a “key terrorist” in Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit.
Democratic National Convention to Host Panel on ‘Palestinian Human Rights’
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Monday will host a panel on “Palestinian human rights,” the latest indication of the growing influence of progressive activists on the Democratic Party’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Dispatches from Chicago: Unmasking the Web of ‘Malign Foreign Influence’ Behind #MarchonDNC
This isn’t a battle between “progressives” and centrists within the Democratic Party. Instead, these protests are the product of a deeply coordinated effort by an alliance of three units who represent an insidious dynamic coined malign foreign influence. …the Malign Foreign Influence Index … law enforcement officials recognize as a threat to U.S. national security. three units – self-described socialist organizations, far-left groups and anti-Israel Palestinian, Arab and Muslim organizations – who represent an insidious dynamic coined malign foreign influence.
Feminist ‘witches’ will cast spells at taxpayer-funded academic conference
A “queer tarot reader” and “interdisciplinary feminist researcher” who describe themselves as witches will perform “a series of spells and rituals” at an academic conference in London. Callum McGoldrick, researcher at the TaxPayers’ Alliance told The Telegraph: “Taxpayers will be mystified by this latest misuse of their money. The AHRC seems intent on finding increasingly weird but not wonderful ways to waste taxpayers’ cash.
Israeli jets demonstrate mid-air refueling capabilities, as war with Hezbollah, Iran looms
Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets practiced their mid-air refueling last Thursday in preparation for a possible war with Iran and its terror proxy Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces released an announcement, along with a video, showcasing the drill. This display was interpreted as a warning to Iran and its regional proxies.
Blinken meets Netanyahu and Herzog to discuss hostage deal in 9th trip to Israel since start of Gaza War
Blinken says ‘time for everyone to say yes and not look for excuses to say no’
Planned Parenthood offering free abortions, vasectomies at DNC
Planned Parenthood is offering more than a free T-shirt or sticker at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this coming week — the organization will offer free vasectomies, medication abortion, and emergency contraception.
Hurricane “Ernesto” to pass near Newfoundland, Canada before racing toward Europe
Hurricane “Ernesto” made landfall on Bermuda’s western coast as a Category 1 hurricane at 09:00 UTC on August 17, 2024. The storm brought maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h (85 mph), heavy rainfall, large surf, and a dangerous storm surge. On the latest forecast track, the center of Ernesto will pass near southeastern Newfoundland tonight, August 19, and early Tuesday, August 20. After that, Ernesto will weaken and race toward Europe.
Vienna hit by record rainfall, nearly average summer total in just one hour, Austria
Heavy rains struck Austria over the weekend, particularly affecting the Alpine regions and Vienna. The torrential downpours caused severe flooding, with record rainfall recorded in parts of Vienna, leading to significant damage and disruption to transport.
Slow-moving thunderstorms drop historic rainfall, causing catastrophic flooding in parts of Connecticut
Slow-moving thunderstorms produced extremely heavy rainfall in parts of southwestern Connecticut on August 18, 2024, particularly affecting Fairfield and New Haven counties. The historic downpour caused widespread flash flooding, with Monroe experiencing a rare one in a 200-year event.
Thanks To The Cost Of Living Crisis, U.S. Household Debt Has Soared To The Highest Level Ever Recorded
Our entire economy is fueled by debt. In fact, if going into more debt was suddenly banned the U.S. economy would instantly hit a brick wall. For the vast majority of us, our lifestyles simply cannot be funded by what we actually make. So we use debt to bridge the difference, and this has particularly been true during the cost of living crisis. Total household debt has now reached a grand total of 17.8 trillion dollars, and we continue to pile up more with no end in sight…
Britain Is Proof: Globalists Plan To Use Migrants As A Mercenary Army Against The West
Why do western officials insist on gaslighting the public on illegal border crossings? Why do they attempt to destroy anyone that publicly opposes mass immigration from the third world? The laws on the books support the public’s majority position on immigration – Come here legally or don’t come here at all. In Europe, the UK and the US polls show a majority of citizens want reductions in immigration and better border security. Yet, government officials, who often claim to be “protecting democracy,” brazenly ignore these majority concerns. Why?
They Are Preparing For Absolutely Massive Anti-Israel Protests At The Democratic National Convention
Tens of thousands of protesters from 264 different radical protest groups have descended upon Chicago, and the war in the Middle East is what they are upset about more than anything else. They are determined to get as much attention as possible, because so far the Biden administration has not been responsive to their demands.
‘I Will Cut Off Your Head’: Afghan Muslim Refugee Posing as Christian, Threatens to Behead Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer
Austria’s immigration policies face criticism as an Afghan Muslim asylum seeker, previously denied entry, threatens the life of Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
Danish Drugmaker Ready to Cash In with 10 Million Monkeypox Vaccine Doses Set for Production Following WHO’s Global Health Emergency Declaration
Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic is poised to begin large-scale production of its monkeypox vaccine. The company’s rapid response comes in the wake of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent declaration of a global health emergency concerning the monkeypox outbreak.
Blinken Praises Netanyahu’s Acceptance Of Gaza Truce Deal That Doesn’t Exist
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in Tel Aviv in what both called “a very good and important meeting.” Blinken touted that Netanyahu has accepted the latest US proposal on a Gaza ceasefire deal, and now he’s urging that Hamas “must do the same.”
Ukraine Destroys 3rd Bridge In Russia’s Kursk, Zelensky Stresses He’ll Keep Territory
Following the Friday destruction of the strategic bridge in the Russian town Glushkovo, which lies in Kursk oblast, and the taking out of another bridge across the River Seym on Saturday, Ukraine has attacked and damaged a third bridge in the same region, Moscow has confirmed.
Source: https://www.raptureready.com/2024/08/20/20-aug-2024/
Biden tells DNC he’s working for Gaza truce, says anti-Israel protesters ‘have a point’
Anti-Israel protesters try to disrupt Biden speech, without success
US must pressure Hamas to accept the deal, Gallant tells Blinken
Blinken Says Now ‘Maybe the Last’ Chance for Gaza Cease-Fire, Hostage Deal
Netanyahu said to believe even if truce deal is signed, it will crumble within weeks
Danon to Guterres: ‘We won’t be silent until all hostages are returned’
‘Christian role in Lebanon has ended,’ says Hezbollah-affectionate commentator
Hezbollah tunnel clip offers glimpse into an underground far more advanced than Gaza’s
IDF strikes Hezbollah weapons depots deep in Lebanon after deadly drone attack
IDF bombs Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, secondary explosions suggest ‘many’ weapons
IDF holds ‘day of readiness’ summit on northern front amid Iran threats
IDF to redraft reservist soldiers who previously received exemptions
Hamas, Islamic Jihad Claim Tel Aviv Suicide Bombing: Declare More to Come
Democratic National Convention to Host Panel on ‘Palestinian Human Rights’
At DNC, Josh Shapiro denies antisemitism kept him off Harris ticket
Rep. Foxx: Columbia Fails to Punish Pro-Palestinian Protesters
Former Saudi official alleges Prince Mohammed forged king’s signature on Yemen war decree, BBC says
US, China agree to coordinate in times of financial stress, US Treasury says
US Condemns ‘Dangerous’ China Actions on Philippine Vessels
US and South Korea Begin Military Drills Aimed at Strengthening Their Defense Against North Korea
Kyiv: our Kursk attack shows Kremlin red lines are bluff
German Lawmakers Demand Ukraine Pay for Nord Stream Sabotage, Gov’t Cutoff of Military Aid to Kyiv
European defense stocks slump on report Germany to stop providing new aid to Ukraine
Putin at Risk of Poisoning from ‘Gangster Chums’: Ex-NATO Colonel
House GOP: Biden and his family received $27 million from foreign individuals
BLM-supporting DC councilmember Trayon White arrested by FBI in $156,000 bribery scheme
Former Rep. George Santos pleads guilty in federal fraud case
Kamala Harris claims her $1.7 trillion fiscal proposal will ‘pay for itself’
Harris calls for raising US corporate tax rate to 28 percent
Democrats Release Party Platform in Chicago: Calls for Reelecting Joe Biden
Democrats Pass Platform That Never Refers to ‘Kamala’ Once
Democrat Party platform references Biden’s ‘second term’ 19 times
Tim Walz introduced as ‘Command Sergeant Major’ at DNC amid stolen valor controversy
Nolte: 55% of Likely Voters Say Tim Walz Stolen Valor Accusations Are Serious
Jill Stein Demands Democrats ‘Abandon Harris’: Democrat Party ‘Is the Cause of Fascism’
Democrats in Chicago book hotels under fake names to hide from protesters: report
DNC host Chicago, haunted by 1968 convention rioting, braces for bloodshed
Far-left agitators Breach DNC perimeter in Chicago, clash with riot police
Anti-Israel Agitator Storms DNC Stage, Snatches Microphone, Screams at Harris Supporters
Dem Chicago mayor embraces massive protests at DNC, says it’s a ‘privilege’ to hear ‘grievances’
Kamala Harris Campaign Accused of Booting Customers from Restaurant, Replacing Them with Paid Actors
US intel community formally blames Iran for hack of Trump campaign
New Russian threat targets over 100 Apple macOS browser extensions
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Baramula, India
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Baramula, India
Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 25,000ft
Sangay volcano in Ecuador erupts to 22,000ft
Ruiz volcano in Colombia erupts to 20,000ft
Semeru volcano in Ecuador erupts to 15,000ft
Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 15,000ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 14,000ft
Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala erupts to 14,000ft
Lewotobi volcano in Indonesia erupts to 10,000ft
Hurricane “Ernesto” to pass near Newfoundland, Canada before racing toward Europe
On one night, two places in the Northeast get hit with 1-in-1,000 year rainfall
Vienna hit by record rainfall, nearly average summer total in just one hour, Austria
Church of England dropping word ‘church’ to be more ‘modern’
Christians in Pakistan ‘terrified’ of more violence
Sheriff: Florida Drug Traffickers Had Enough Fentanyl to Kill Three Million People
Media Hide Biden-Harris’ Huge Migrant Flood in Campaign Season
Report: Kamala Harris Oversaw Ten Million Illegal Immigrant Crossings During Her Tenure
San Francisco Sues AI ‘Undressing’ Websites Used to Generate Deepfake Nudes
Trans teens file lawsuit challenging New Hampshire law banning them from girls’ sports
DNC Protesters March Through Chicago Streets Dressed as Abortion Pills
Study: Brain implant helps manage Parkinson’s symptoms
Feds are still sending ‘mad scientist’ millions to China – and keeping it from Congress
CDC Says ‘Very High’ COVID-19 Levels Reported in 31 States
This year’s summer COVID wave is big; FDA may green-light COVID shots early
Drug Company Announces It Will Produce Millions Of Monkeypox Vaccines By Next Year
Congo says it will receive its first mpox vaccines next week to address new global emergency
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
“It has been said that all Government is an evil. It would be more proper to say that the necessity of any Government is a misfortune. This necessity however exists; and the problem to be solved is, not what form of Government is perfect, but which of the forms is least imperfect.” —James Madison (1833)
| ON THIS DAY in 1776, the esteemed trio of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson submitted to the Continental Congress a seal for the new nation. Though that design was rejected, it included the words that would become our national motto for nearly two centuries: E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one. |
Douglas Andrews, Thomas Gallatin, & Jordan Candler
For the Executive Summary archive, click here.
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Douglas Andrews
“Past his bedtime,” read the headline of the New York Post’s print edition, and it certainly was. “Dems deliver final insult by pushing Biden’s angry, bitter speech to midnight,” went the subhead.
Midnight, yes, and Monday night — a speaking slot also known as “Death Valley,” in that the party’s biggest stars are always saved for Wednesday and Thursday night, the end of the convention.
After an introduction by his erstwhile shower mate, daughter Ashley, Scranton Joe Biden took in the ovation and then uttered his first words at 10:28 Chicago time, 11:28 Eastern time.
And on and on he went, for 50 grueling minutes, alternating between a dullish drone and a snarling shout. As comedian Jamie Lissow put it afterward, “That was torture. Just torture. At one point in the middle of the speech, I got up and yelled at the TV, ‘I’ve told you everything I know!’”
As the Associated Press reports:
Biden, 81, received a hero’s welcome weeks after many in his party were pressuring him to drop his bid for reelection. One month after an unprecedented mid-campaign switch, the opening night of the convention in Chicago was designed to give a graceful exit to the incumbent president and slingshot Harris toward a faceoff with Republican Donald Trump, whose comeback bid for the White House is viewed by Democrats as an existential threat. … Biden insisted he did not harbor any ill will about the impending end of his tenure — despite reports to the contrary — and called on the party to unite around Harris.
About those reports to the contrary: The Daily Beast’s David Gardner writes that Biden was still “Stunned and Pissed” ahead of his speech — which might help explain why he hopped on Air Force One and jetted off to vacation in Santa Barbara immediately afterward instead of hanging around for his successor’s speech later in the week.
Here, you take the torch, he seemed to be saying. I’m outta here.
The AP said Biden spoke “clearly and energetically,” but what does it say about a president’s cognitive state that a news service feels it necessary to report what should be a given for an American president? In any case, kudos to Joe Biden’s pharmacological team.
But then, ouch: “His delivery was more reminiscent of the Biden who won in 2020 than the mumbling and sometimes incoherent one-time candidate whose debate performance sparked the downfall of his reelection campaign.”
“81 million voters voted for us,” he said with a straight face. And then he spoke about what a swell job he’s done as our president: “We’ve gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the entire world. A record 60 million [sic; he must’ve meant a still-misleading 16 million] new jobs. Record small-business growth. Record-high stock market. Record high 401(k)s. Wages up, and inflation down.”
And then this, after talking about how he’d brought the cost of prescription drugs down: “We finally beat Medicare Big Pharma.”
He also talked about 500,000 EV charging stations. Okay, so he was off by 499,992, but who’s counting?
Biden was loud and feisty. After all, this was his swan song. And the lie-drenched laundry list of accomplishments he rattled off might cause a low-information voter to pause and ask, Tell me again why we kicked this guy to the curb and chose that empty pantsuit Kamala?
Biden served up a few ad-libs, too, and they were among the most interesting parts of a speech that was mostly a dusting-off and recitation of past State of the Union bombast. Among those off-script moments was an equivocating stink bomb about the war in Gaza, in which he demanded, “End the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people. And finally, finally, finally deliver a ceasefire and end. This. War! Those pros- those protesters out in the street, they have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed. On both sides.”
So, you see, there are very fine people on both sides — the innocent Jews and the murdering Nazi dogs of Hamas.
Biden kept his anger directed toward Donald Trump and those “MAGA Republicans,” and in yet another brief ad-lib, he said, “All that talk that I was angry to step down, it’s not true.”
Whatever you say, Joe.
All this “joy” was in keeping with the unified front that the Democrats are desperate to present. And it showed in the scripted tributes of the speakers who preceded Biden.
“Joe,” said Kamala Harris in a brief appearance, “thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez buttered him up, too: “Thank you, Chicago, for your energy. Thank you, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, for your vision. And thank you, Joe Biden, for your leadership.”
And Hillary Clinton: “Something, something is happening in America. You can feel it. Something we’ve worked for and dreamed of for a long time. First, though, let’s salute President Biden. He has been democracy’s champion at home and abroad. He brought dignity [sic], decency [sic], and competence [sic! sic! sic!] back to the White House. And he showed what it means to be a true patriot.”
And Senator Chris Coons, Biden’s fellow Delawarean: “On behalf of our nation, Joe, for your courage, in fighting for our democracy, we thank you. On behalf of our Democratic Party, for your loyalty in fighting for our democratic values, we thank you.” Coons then tried to get the audience to chant, “We love Joe. We love Joe.” But it went thud.
First Lady Jill Biden finally took the stage at 11:12 ET, but she didn’t hang around long. A few platitudes, a brief mention of “weeks ago, when I saw him dig deep into his soul, and decide to no longer seek reelection and endorse Kamala Harris,” then a nod toward “Kamala and Tim,” and she was off the stage within five minutes.
The essence of Joe Biden’s speech was the Charlottesville lie, which he continues to trot out despite even a Snopes fact-check, perhaps fittingly — both as a swipe at Trump and as the phony raison d’etre for his 2020 presidential run: “When the president was asked what he thought had happened, Donald Trump said, and I quote, ‘There were very fine people on both sides.’ My God. That’s what he said. That is what he said and what he meant. That’s when I realized I had to listen to the admonition of my dead son. I could not stay on the sidelines. So I ran.”
He talked about how violent crime was up under Trump and is down to a 50-year-low today. He talked about what a great job he’s done on the border.
Biden also disgorged the damnable “suckers and losers” lie: “We know from his own chief of staff, four-star general John Kelly, that Trump, when in Europe, would not go to the gravesites in one of those, in France. The brave service members who gave their lives for this country. He called them ‘suckers and losers.’ Who in the hell does he think he is?”
General Kelly, it seems to me, needs to set the record straight. Either Biden is lying, or Kelly himself is lying, or more than a dozen firsthand witnesses to these events are lying.
About his foreign policy, Biden bragged, “Three years later, Ukraine is still free!” That might be true. But at what cost and for how long? This guy seems to have forgotten that he practically invited Vladimir Putin to invade in the first place. Remember that greenlighting remark about a “minor incursion”? How many tens of thousands of Ukrainians have died during these years of bloody conflict due to Biden’s provocative weakness and that appallingly stupid remark?
A Biden speech, though, wouldn’t be complete without some good old-fashioned abortion fearmongering. “And you know,” the “good Catholic” said with a pathologically straight face, “Trump will do everything to ban abortion nationwide.”
And more lies: “Donald Trump says he will refuse to accept the election results if he loses again. Think about that. He means it. Think about that. He’s promising a bloodbath if he loses, in his words. And that he’ll be a dictator on Day One, in his own words.” Biden knows full well that Trump was referring to a figurative economic bloodbath, not a literal violent one.
Finally, mercifully, Biden called it quits. “I can honestly say,” he said, “and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, my word as a Biden: I can honestly say I’m more optimistic about the future than I was when I was elected as a 29-year-old United States Senator. I mean it.”
His word as a Biden. At least he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.
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.
Praetorian Guard
“The president put Vice President Kamala Harris in playing [sic] a critical role in terms of trying to stop the flow of migrants across the border.” —ABC News’s Jon Karl, 2023
“She wasn’t the border czar.” —Jon Karl, 2024
The BIG Lie
“The Media’s Double Standard Favors Donald Trump, Not Kamala Harris.” —Intelligencer columnist Jonathan Chait
Grand Delusions
“Tim Walz is a pragmatic guy. … And I think some of the wonderful things he’s done in Minnesota resonate with, you know, Americans in all states.” —Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Word Salad
“Our election is about understanding the importance of this beautiful country of ours in terms of what we stand for around the globe as a democracy. As a democracy. We know there’s a duality to the nature of democracy. On the one hand, incredible strength when it is intact. What it does for its people to protect and defend their rights, their liberty, and their freedom. Incredibly strong — and incredibly fragile.” —Kamala Harris
Friendly Fire
“When your opponent calls you ‘communist,’ maybe don’t propose price controls?” —Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell
“The times demand serious economic ideas. Harris supplies gimmicks.” —Washington Post editorial board
“This is not sensible policy, and I think the biggest hope is that it ends up being a lot of rhetoric and no reality. There’s no upside here, and there is some downside.” —former Obama economic adviser Jason Furman
For the Record
“Kamala Harris just promised to build 3 million new homes in four years. But in nearly three years since passing $7.5 billion for EV charging stations, they’ve built eight.” —Joel Pollak
“Kamala Harris is randomly picking half of her policies from the Communist Manifesto and the other half from Trump’s platform.” —Ian Haworth
“Giving Kamala Harris control over inflation policy … it’s like giving Jeffrey Epstein control over human trafficking policy.” —JD Vance
“Harris-Walz has all the seriousness and intellectual depth of a high school student council campaign to ‘abolish homework, tests, classes, and grades.’” —Buck Sexton
“Kamala Harris is an empty suit. They are trying to create this new version of Kamala Harris to match what their pollsters are telling them so she can say whatever she needs to say to try to win over voters, which is the most offensive thing, I think, because they think we’re so stupid as to forget what her record actually is. … Kamala Harris will say whatever she thinks she needs to say.” —former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI)
Belly Laugh of the Day
“There is going to be so much love for Joe Biden. There’s going to be tears of joy. … He literally saved our democracy in the U.S.” —Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
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)”.
Vice President Kamala Harris proposed raising the child tax credit for families with newborns Friday, despite voting against the expansion of the credit in 2017
If you were a malign power wishing to destroy a country, but you didn’t want to go to the expense in lives and money of a military invasion, how would you go about it?
Certain steps can be taken to undermine and ultimately to destroy the culture and the cohesive identity of a people. The United Kingdom today functions as a laboratory where we can witness them being played out in real time. Here are some of them.
The Church Recognise that Britain is a Christian nation, and proceed to undermine that concept. Britain is not Christian in the sense that it is made up of born-again worshippers, or even of people who identify as Christians. Rather it means that the nations of the UK were shaped by Christians. Their laws, their culture, their understanding of life were the products of people who had a Christian view of reality. To undermine the culture, it is essential that this view be undermined.
The capture of the church began early last century with the rise of liberal theology. It’s capture is now complete. The institutional church in the shape of mainstream denominations has become the handmaid of those who want to change the culture utterly. Instead of challenging the culture of the day with God’s Word, the church has too often meekly prostrated itself and adopted the political, social and sexual ethics of the world. When the bulwark is breached, the flood pours in.
Reshape the Culture In the culture-shaping fields of education and entertainment, deny that there is anything worth celebrating about the historic peoples of the United Kingdom. The Haywain by Constable is Britain’s most loved and celebrated landscape painting. Here the BBC tells us why it is ‘problematic’ because Constable painted it ‘from a position of privilege’ and it ignores the Enclosure Acts.
Emphasise the wrongs that have been done by the British as though the UK is unique in having blots in its history. Don’t hand down to the next generation stories of the contributions made by the people of the UK to the wellbeing of people everywhere. If you do this they might have pride in their country.
Underline the evil of slavery without mention of the lives and treasure lost by Britain in the dangerous and costly suppression of the transatlantic slave trade. Emphasise the evils of colonialism without mention of bringing education, agriculture, medicine and justice to great swathes of the world. Make youngsters ashamed or at least embarrassed to be British.
Immigration Open the borders and actively encourage and facilitate mass legal immigration. At the same time break election promises to stop illegal migration. Foist young men from cultures which have recently known civil war and are radically opposed to the Christian culture which built Britain on to communities throughout the UK. Then tell the concerned British that they must be quiet and take their ‘fair share’.
Back this up by constant media propaganda to convince the native population that this process is historically irresistible, beneficial to all, and morally good. Make it a mark of shame to question the wisdom of importing masses of people who have no interest in assimilating to British ways of doing things. Self-censorship is the most effective form of censorship.
Justice Is Not Blind Practise a selective governing approach in which the authorities use their power to hammer lower-class men and women who when their legitimate concerns are ignored are driven to express their feelings somehow.
Institute a de facto two-tier policing system. Give anti-social demonstrators the freedom to disrupt and threaten society as long as they come from a minority group or are demonstrating in support of an approved concern, such as Palestine, the environment or climate change. Then have overly aggressive policing of mainstream opinion.
Establish disproportionate sentencing between the two. Those who pursue approved campaigns may receive minimal punishments (if any) for causing criminal damage. The white working class, or ‘far right thugs’ and ‘racists’ as they are known to the elites, can get long prison sentences for hurty words on the internet.
March through London calling for ‘jihad” and ‘intifada’ and the destruction of Israel and the police will ensure you are not hindered. Chant, ‘Who the f*** is Allah’ and ‘You’re not English any more’ at the police and you can end up with 20 months in prison.
Make an example of them in order to frighten others into submission. Under the present ruling class, mainstream Britain is dangerously close to becoming ‘the enemy within’.
Ideological Conformity Make acceptance of the new ideology an unstated but mandatory requirement for entry into the power-wielding caste, particularly the political, media and ecclesiastical professions.
At the same time, make rejection of the new ideology the distinguishing mark of an ignorant, bigoted and vulgar lower-class mentality held only by those whose concerns can be safely dismissed out of hand.
The Old System Anew The condescending class system of Jane Austen’s day pervades the UK still. Instead of an early nineteenth century self-satisfied middle and upper class telling the lower orders what to think, we have the early twenty-first century Guardian telling us that we shouldn’t be concerned about ever-rising immigration, knife crime, or pressure on housing and medical waiting lists.
Those who constitute the power caste have luxury beliefs. To uphold policies such as mass immigration and two-tier justice brings them the approval of other members of the power caste without any cost to themselves. It is good to feel part of the morally righteous, the people on the ‘right side of history’, while being able to look down on the unenlightened who want to protect the things they know and love: things like their national identity, their heritage and way of life, and their faith.
Those who govern us have ridden roughshod over the wishes and deep instincts of the people. As a result the UK is in its greatest danger since 1945 and the end of WWII. If the establishment did not realise that there would be growing discontent eventually reaching the outpouring of unlawful and violent rioting as we have seen recently, they are not fit to govern.
The Church There must be a recovery of the church, the institution which shaped our culture. If we are ever to recover our country and our culture it is imperative that we first recover our church. This is a task for all biblical Christians whether by prayer, encouragement or action. The recovery begins with us.
In 2022, the U.S. official poverty rate was 11.5% with a total of 37.9 million people in poverty.
This map, via Visual Capitalist’s Kayla Zhu, visualizes the three-year average of poverty rates by U.S. state from 2020 to 2022.
The poverty rates are calculated using the official poverty measure, which defines poverty by comparing the pre-tax annual income to a specific national threshold adjusted for family size.
The figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau and are updated as of September 2023.
U.S. poverty rates were relatively higher in the South.
Many of the states with the highest poverty rates, including New Mexico (18.2%), Mississippi (17.8%), Louisiana (16.9%), Arkansas (15.9%), and Kentucky (15.8%), are characterized by large rural areas which are historically poorer than urban areas.
| State | Number of people in poverty (in thousands) | Percentage of population in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 382 | 18.2% |
| Mississippi | 518 | 17.8% |
| Louisiana | 765 | 16.9% |
| Arkansas | 475 | 15.9% |
| Kentucky | 706 | 15.8% |
| Oklahoma | 620 | 15.8% |
| West Virginia | 274 | 15.6% |
| Alabama | 738 | 14.8% |
| District of Columbia | 98 | 14.7% |
| Texas | 4,026 | 13.7% |
| North Carolina | 1,407 | 13.3% |
| South Carolina | 693 | 13.3% |
| Florida | 2,861 | 13.1% |
| Georgia | 1,391 | 13.0% |
| Nevada | 394 | 12.6% |
| New York | 2,410 | 12.4% |
| Arizona | 876 | 12.1% |
| Michigan | 1,156 | 11.7% |
| Alaska | 81 | 11.5% |
| Missouri | 695 | 11.5% |
| Ohio | 1,345 | 11.5% |
| California | 4,439 | 11.4% |
| Tennessee | 796 | 11.4% |
| Indiana | 739 | 10.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,368 | 10.8% |
| Montana | 118 | 10.7% |
| Delaware | 106 | 10.5% |
| Hawaii | 146 | 10.2% |
| Connecticut | 350 | 9.8% |
| South Dakota | 86 | 9.7% |
| North Dakota | 73 | 9.6% |
| Oregon | 399 | 9.5% |
| Illinois | 1,174 | 9.4% |
| Iowa | 299 | 9.4% |
| Kansas | 260 | 9.0% |
| Idaho | 170 | 8.9% |
| Maine | 122 | 8.9% |
| Rhode Island | 95 | 8.8% |
| Wyoming | 49 | 8.7% |
| Maryland | 529 | 8.6% |
| Virginia | 733 | 8.6% |
| Colorado | 489 | 8.5% |
| Massachusetts | 589 | 8.5% |
| Vermont | 53 | 8.4% |
| Washington | 637 | 8.3% |
| New Jersey | 749 | 8.2% |
| Nebraska | 159 | 8.1% |
| Wisconsin | 467 | 8.0% |
| Minnesota | 429 | 7.7% |
| New Hampshire | 99 | 7.1% |
| Utah | 235 | 7.1% |
Many of these Southern states also have low levels of education attainment and labor force participation, which contribute to slow economic growth and lower personal income levels.
Nine of the 15 states with the lowest per-worker GDP are in the South, and states like Kentucky and Arkansas are among the states with the lowest prime-age employment-to-population ratio.
On the county level, about one in five counties in the South experienced “persistent poverty,” maintaining a poverty rate above 20% for three decades. Over 80% of all persistently poor counties in the U.S. are located in the South.
CHICAGO, IL — Amid the excitement of attendees and volatility of protesters outside, Hunter Biden was seen desperately trying to offload his leftover painting inventory at the Democratic National Convention.
The son of the sitting U.S. president and one-time power player in the influence-peddling arena has experienced a sharp decline in the sale of his artwork in recent months following his father’s decision to abandon his bid for re-election, leaving Hunter with overstocked inventory.
“Step right up, people! Nice paintings for sale!” Hunter was heard shouting to passersby at the DNC. “Buy a painting and get some favors done for you on the side! Special DNC prices this week! Everything must go! Support an artist and gain some influence on the global stage! Check out these brush strokes! Come on, folks, I’ve got way too many of these things now.”
Despite Hunter wielding considerable influence for several years, attendees at the DNC showed little interest in his offerings, even at reduced prices. “Nah, no thanks,” said one delegate. “I don’t need any more paintings. It’s not like you have much pull these days, anyway.”
Hunter expressed disappointment and hoped he could unload at least a few paintings before the end of the convention later in the week. “This is my last chance,” he said. “If I don’t sell everything this week, I’ll have to just store all this artwork in my dad’s garage, somewhere next to the classified documents.”
At publishing time, Hunter had reportedly sweetened the deal to include one free night out with a Ukrainian hooker with the purchase of each painting.
Watch how a D.E.I. consultant magically turns a video game into… well, something else entirely.
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President Joe Biden resorted to a slew of familiar hoaxes in his address Monday night to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago — not just the “very fine people hoax,” but also several other familiar, long-debunked, hoaxes.
The post Biden Returns to Hoaxes at DNC: ‘Fine People’; ‘Suckers and Losers’; ‘Bloodbath’ appeared first on Breitbart .
Source: Biden Returns to Hoaxes at DNC: ‘Fine People’; ‘Suckers and Losers’; ‘Bloodbath’
Israeli forces recover the bodies of six hostages held in Gaza in overnight operation- we have a look at who those hostages were; the rescue comes as the US is trying to put together a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza and free the remaining hostages, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports a proposal bridging the gaps between Israel and Hamas, but Hamas is reportedly against it; the claims of responsibility behind a terror attack in Tel Aviv; how Israelis, including reservists, are holding up under the ongoing pressures of the warfare they’re facing; Democrats open their convention, saying farewell to President Biden on the first night; the exiled Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, tells CBN News that Iran is ripe for revolution, because the current regime is weaker than ever, and the people are hungry for change; and the first supermoon of 2024 appeared Monday night, with three more expected in the next three months.
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CBN News. Because Truth Matters™
Source: Israel Recovers the Bodies of Six Hostages | CBN NewsWatch – August 20, 2024
This story originally was published by Real Clear Wire
By Mark Green
Real Clear Wire
Ever since early 2021, Americans have watched as illegal aliens have flooded across the Southwest border unimpeded. They have read with horror the accounts of innocent Americans victimized by those here unlawfully. They have seen family and friends die after being poisoned by fentanyl coming across the border. And the Biden-Harris administration has largely done nothing.
Yet now, following a few months of somewhat-reduced numbers of apprehensions between ports of entry along the Southwest border, the Biden-Harris administration is taking a victory lap. Such premature celebration, however, ignores the reality of the continuing nature of this crisis.
Before explaining why, Americans must understand that even if not one more inadmissible alien crossed our borders for the remainder of Biden and Harris’ term, the millions they have already allowed into our country have done damage that will take decades to remedy. For many families, like those of Laken Riley, Rachel Morin, and Jocelyn Nungaray, the damage can never be undone.
But if Biden and Harris want to talk about numbers, the president and his “border czar” will find no exoneration. On their watch, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recorded more than 10 million encounters nationwide, plus another two million known “gotaways” who have crossed our borders uncaught.
Many on the left like to appeal to the history of Ellis Island as an excuse for mass immigration – despite the fact that these individuals arrived in accordance with then-existing law. However, the number of people who came through Ellis Island was also roughly 12 million – in the 62 years between 1892 and 1954.
The number of inadmissible aliens who have been encountered at our borders or crossed uncaught since the start of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 is unprecedented. Claiming victory now due to temporarily reduced border crossings displays a willful ignorance of the nature of this ongoing crisis, because these numbers alone do not tell the full story of what Americans are experiencing.
First, there are the continuing financial impacts. As of mid-June 2024, more than 205,000 illegal aliens had arrived in New York City since the spring of 2022. Mayor Eric Adams has declared that these arrivals and the resultant costs “will destroy New York City.” Small towns will also be struggling for years with the consequences of unchecked crossings. Springfield, Ohio, home to 60,000 people, has seen roughly 20,000 Haitians arrive since the crisis began, putting major strain on housing and other services. Whitewater, Wisconsin, a town of just 15,000 people, has been overwhelmed by the arrival of 1,000 illegal aliens “often lacking basic English skills.” According to one official in Sanford, Maine last year, “We’re tapped. … We’ve been overrun,” after costs to care for illegal aliens tripled.
DHS has reported that more than 80% of illegal aliens who are “neither expelled or repatriated directly by CBP nor continuously detained by ICE” remain in the United States years later. These communities, and thousands more like them, are going to be dealing with these costs for years.
Second, consider the ongoing public safety implications of what’s happening at the Southwest border. Border Patrol arrests of illegal aliens with criminal histories since FY2021 have more than doubledfrom FY2017-2020. Worse, criminals and individuals with possible ties to terrorism have been, and continue to be, released into the interior. In fact, news recently broke that the Biden-Harris administration actually released into the interior 99 individuals whom they knew were on the terrorist watchlist. According to one DHS source, ICE officials have been “discouraged from deporting even illegal immigrants who had final deportation orders and were linked to gangs.” Former ICE Field Director John Fabbricatore has said, “I was being forced to release people that should not have been allowed on the street.”
How many other threats to our safety and security have likewise been unwittingly released or entered as gotaways? How many more, who either did not commit crimes in their home country or were never caught, will do so for the first time against American victims?
Finally, despite a recent decrease in illegal crossings between ports of entry, encounters of inadmissible aliens at ports of entry are at record highs, in large part because the administration has devised numerous, unlawful mass-parole programs encouraging them to enter this way. Consider that in February 2021, Biden and Harris’ first full month in office, CBP recorded just 17,744 encounters at ports nationwide. By July 2024, that number was 110,615. Encouraging would-be border crossers to cross at ports of entry certainly cuts down on the embarrassing optics of overwhelmed Border Patrol agents and facilities, but ultimately leads to the same result – inadmissible aliens being released into the interior. And now, one of these mass-parole programs has been temporarily shut down due to massive fraud.
This border crisis is not over – not by a long shot. It is time for Congress, and the American people, to say enough is enough.
This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.
Rep. Mark E. Green, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, represents Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.
The post No, Biden and Harris’ Border Crisis Is Not Over appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
During his “My Take,” Tuesday, “Varney & Co.” host Stuart Varney discussed President Biden’s farewell speech at the DNC and whether Kamala Harris’ “all government, all the time” message will be enough to defeat Donald Trump.
STUART VARNEY: He spoke for 52 minutes. His speech went way past midnight. He teared up.
He said, “I gave my best to you.” The crowd chanted “thank you, Joe.” Then, he was gone.
BIDEN GOES OFF SCRIPT AND THROWS A LIFELINE TO TERROR SUPPORTERS DURING DNC SPEECH
As The Wall Street Journal commented today, he was “poor, unwanted, Joe Biden.”
Now, the party doesn’t want to know him. He’s off on a two-week vacation in California. Out of sight, out of mind.
They don’t want to know him. This is politics. In politics, you have to win.
So now it’s all Harris and Walz. It’s all about image. It’s a love fest.
KEVIN O’LEARY TEARS INTO HARRIS’ ‘INFLATIONARY’ ECONOMIC AGENDA: ‘BIDENOMICS 2.0’
Spare the policy and don’t do serious interviews because that could destroy the image they are trying to build.
The Democrats have to wonder if it will be enough. Will hating Trumpcarry Harris over the finish line?
She is not a great campaigner. She dropped out of the presidential race in 2019 before a single vote was cast.
She has a highly skilled team of handlers and a very compliant media.
Heaven forbid that the real Kamala Harris and her policies are revealed in full.
Barring catastrophe, by the end of the week, Harris will be riding a sea of motion.
HARRIS CALLS FOR RAISING CORPORATE TAX RATES TO 28%
She will probably get a bump in the polls.
But next week, the ball will be in Trump’s court.
He has to stay on message, and that message is Harris is all government all the time, and that’s not what America is all about.
— Read on www.foxbusiness.com/media/stuart-varney-hating-trump-enough-carry-harris-presidency
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