There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
THEN Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. (Our Lord never seems more lovely than when reposing in the delightful family circle of Bethany. We there see his gentle heart unveiled amid domestic joys and sorrows, and we perceive how near akin he is to us, how much at home with us, and how able to bless us. Jesus in the heart and Jesus in the house make up heaven below.)
2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. (Christ had once reproved Martha for being cumbered about much serving, but we find her serving still; she had not taken it amiss, and peevishly forsaken her post of duty, as some would have done; she loved her Lord too well for that. This time she served within hearing of the Lord’s gracious words, and served without complaining, or exhibiting over-anxiety. It is well when good people grow better. As for Lazarus, he was highly favoured, and yet his lot was only such as the Lord gives to all whom he quickens, for those who are made alive by him are made to sit together with him.)
3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
This was her grand testimonial of love. She thought nothing too good for her Lord. The expense was nothing in her esteem; she brought him the best she had, for her love was generous. She poured out the precious ointment with her own hands, for she desired to render him personal service, and she poured it not on his head but on his feet, to show both her own deep humility and her Lord’s superlative worth. There was also in her loving act an intelligent faith, which recognised his office as Priest and King, and treated him as the anointed of the Lord. Her loving lowliness in wiping his feet with her hair, set forth her entire devotion to his service. Enlightened affection suggested the whole deed, and we shall do well to imitate her therein, by giving our best treasure, and our most intense personal service without stint to him who has redeemed us with his blood.
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. (Here was a devil condemning a saint, and charity to the poor made into an argument against an act of piety. Many in these days argue in the same manner if a liberal heart gives largely to the cause of Christ. To their question, “Why was not this money given to the poor?” we reply, Because it was better still to give it to Jesus.)
7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. (Her act had gone beyond her own intention. Christ places his people’s actions in the best possible light.)
8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. (We can always give to the poor, for as long as the church lasts there will be such; but Jesus in his flesh was only once on earth, and it was meet that he should have honour done him by those who loved him.)
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10, 11 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. (This was concentrated wickedness. Did they hope to baffle Omnipotence itself? Were they so enraged at the Lord’s success as even to defy the life-giving God? To what extremities of sin will men go!)
Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have pleaded month after month without evidence of answer, it is not possible that the Lord should be deaf when his people are earnest in a matter which concerns his glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God, and never for a moment gave way to a fear that he should be non-suited in Jehovah’s courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word was spoken but “Go again.” We must not dream of unbelief, but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from Carmel’s brow, and if nothing is beheld, she sends again and again. So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is animated to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled, but not abashed: her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself, and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: deadly blows are thus struck at our corruption, and the chambers of imagery are cleansed. The great danger is lest men should faint, and miss the blessing. Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue in prayer and watching. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain, and even so with you, the token for good shall surely be given, and you shall rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of like passions with us: his power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing importunity, and it shall be with you according to your desire.1
My soul! the more thou turnest over the word of God in inquiries after thy beloved, the more wilt thou be astonished at the relation given of him in his excellency and glory. By every thing that can represent the adorable Redeemer, in his beauty, loveliness, grace, fulness, and all-sufficiency, whether considered in his absolute, his comparative, his relative, or his official glory, or in his glory as the head of his body, the Church, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, thou art constrained, with the Church, to cry out at every view: “Yea, he is altogether lovely; the chiefest among ten thousand.” There is somewhat particularly striking to this amount in this verse for thine evening portion: “Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.” Yes! it must be so; for when the soul hath found Jesus, like the merchant-man seeking goodly pearls, having found this One of immense and incalculable value, the soul gladly parts with every thing beside, to attain it. Hence, one of old, having got possession of Jesus, cries out, with holy joy and rapture, “I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil.” (Psalm 119:162.) In life men become mountains of prey to one another; and too frequently find, to their sorrow, that the pursuit and chase is folly, and the end of the game, vanity and vexation of spirit. But in following thee, thou blessed Jesus, every renewed discovery of thee is glorious, and every new attainment most excellent indeed. In thy person, offices, character, relations, thou art most glorious and excellent. Thou art a glorious Redeemer; a glorious head of thy Church and people; a glorious husband, brother, friend; a glorious prophet, priest, and king, in thy Zion. And when I behold thee in all these relative excellencies, and can and do know thee, and enjoy thee, and call thee mine, under every one of them, surely I may well take up the language of this sweet scripture, and say, “Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey!”1
20 This verse specifies the thought of the previous verses and confirms their argument. There is no difference in fate between humans and animals. Both share the same origin and the same final destiny. Animals and humans are both part and parcel of creation. This observation throws into doubt the human assumption of superiority over the animals and questions God’s teaching that humans should rule over the animals (Ps. 8:6–8).
Whybray is only partially correct when he states that “the thought of the whole verse is again completely in accordance with traditional Israelite beliefs.” There is no doubt that orthodox tradition knew that humans were composed of the same stuff as the rest of creation. After all, this is the teaching of Genesis 2:7 (which mentions that Adam was created out of the dust of the ground, symbolically associating humanity with the rest of creation), which is supported by Genesis 3:19, Psalm 90:3, 104:29, Job 10:9, and 34:15. But when Genesis 2 teaches about the creation of humanity, it does so in a context that shows not only human kinship with creation (i.e., “human” [ʾādām] and “ground” [ʾᵃdāmâ]), but also its special and distinct relationship with God. After all, it is only humans who are created in the image of God, and it is only humans about whom we hear that God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Gen. 2:7).
Thus, while it is true that Qohelet is right that humans were created from the dust of the earth and that they will return to that dust, it is not true that this is the whole teaching of the OT about the creation of human beings. Contra Whybray, Qohelet at least implicitly departs in this section from normative OT teaching, which affirms a special kinship to God and human rulership over the animals.1
Ver. 20.—All go unto one place. All, men and brutes, are buried in the earth (Ch. 12:7). The author is not thinking of Sheol, the abode of departed spirits, but merely regarding earth as the universal tomb of all creatures. Plumptre quotes Lucretius, ‘De Rer. Nat.,’ v. 260—
“Omniparens eadem rerum commune sepulchrum.”
“The mother and the sepulchre of all.”
Thus Bailey, ‘Festus’—
“The course of nature seems a course of death;
The prize of life’s brief race, to cease to run;
The sole substantial thing, death’s nothingness.”
All are of the dust (Gen. 3:19; Ps. 104:29; 146:4). So Ecclus. 41:10, “All things that are of earth shall turn to earth again.” This is true of the material part of men and brutes alike; the question of the destiny of the immaterial part is touched in the next verse.2
3:20 All share a common end in the grave. They are both going to the same place—the dust. They both came from it; they will both go back to it. Of course, this assumes that the body is all there is to human life. But we know that this is not true. The body is only the tent in which the person lives. But Solomon could not be expected to know the full truth of the future state.3
3:20 from the dust … to the dust. Genesis 3:19 is alluded to in the broadest sense, i.e., all of living creation will die and go to the grave. Neither heaven nor hell is considered here.4
3:20one place Death is the end result for humans and animals alike. This is not meant to be a statement concerning the afterlife.
and both return to dust This same language is used in Gen 3:19 when God curses Adam. See note on Eccles 3:11.5
3:20 Both man and beast return to dust from whence they came (Gen. 3:19; Ps. 104:29). This verse does not in any sense deny the truth of the immortality of the soul, but simply points to man’s observable destiny.6
5 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ec 3:20). Lexham Press.
6 Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J., eds. (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Ec 3:20). Thomas Nelson.
Isaiah 60:2-3 — This passage forms the tenth movement of Handel’s Messiah. Verse three foreshadows the Great Commission – universal, no longer tribal.
Isaiah 60:19 — Revelation 21:23 and 22:5 echo this verse, but notice the addition in Revelation 21:23 – the lamp of the city is the Lamb!
Isaiah 61:1-2 — Jesus’ first synagogue message in Nazareth after His baptism (Luke 4:16) was from Isaiah. Interestingly, this was not His request, but it was given to Him (Luke 4:17). He quoted from this verse and presumably from Isaiah 60:3. Notice that Jesus stopped in the middle of verse 2. This was not the day of vengeance but the day of mercy. Yet, the synagogue crowd tried to stone him (Luke 4:29).
Isaiah 62:4 — The woman called “Forsaken” shall now be called “Hephzibah”, i.e. the LORD delighteth in me! What a gracious and forgiving God we serve!
Philippians 1:29 — Suffering is a gift of God.
Philippians 2:7 — This is referred to as the Kenosis passage, as Jesus debased himself unto the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:14 — Murmurings? Paul had to warn the Corinthians about that (1 Corinthians 10:10), and remember that the Israelites had done the same thing to Moses (Exodus 15:24).
Psalm 72:1 — Who is this King that has dominion unto the ends of the earth (Psalm 72:8)? The answer is in vs. 18 – this is the LORD God’s reign on earth.
The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto. Deuteronomy 28:8
If we obey the Lord our God He will bless that which He gives us. Riches are no curse when blessed of the Lord. When men have more than they require for their immediate need and begin to lay up in storehouses, the dry rot of covetousness or the blight of hard-heartedness is apt to follow the accumulation; but with God’s blessing it is not so. Prudence arranges the saving, liberality directs the spending, gratitude maintains consecration, and praise sweetens enjoyment. It is a great mercy to have God’s blessing in one’s iron safe and on one’s banking account.
What a favor is made ours by the last clause! “The Lord shall bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand unto.” We would not put our hand to anything upon which we dare not ask God’s blessing, neither would we go about it without prayer and faith. But what a privilege to be able to look for the Lord’s help in every enterprise! Some talk of a lucky man: the blessing of the Lord is better than luck. The patronage of the great is nothing to the favor of God. Self-reliance is all very well; but the Lord’s blessing is infinitely more than all the fruit of talent, genius, or tact.
“Where it’s principalities are being threatened we can be sure they will fight back with all their fury. Yet the cool thing here is we have the assurance of faith that the demonic can never withstand the right preaching of the gospel of peace. It may thrash and gnash but it will always lose.”
(Benjamin Glaser) Thinking through how demon possession works in 2023 and how it remains an active force even when so many people do not believe in its existence can be a difficult labor. In some ways writing on this matter can sound like taking time to ponder through leprechauns, fairies, and other mystical forest creatures….
Most enlightened people, usually of a settled upper-middle class bourgeoisie mindset are of the opinion that we have moved passed such notions and need to spend our time in the real world. However, it has been the opinion of the last several Tuesday essays that it is actually the comfortable suburban types who need to get with the program. Not only is demonic activity still with us, denying its existence is dangerous for the well-being of humanity. The aforementioned forest deities are likewise more with us than some would bother to consider.
More on them later. Today as we get back into the question I want to ask a few leading questions. First of all, why, or better yet, how did we get into a world where so few want to believe in the presence of the spiritual, whether good or bad. The answer to that goes back to man’s discovery in the 18th century that he no longer needed the superstitions of the past to grow crops or in his finding new scientific ways of accomplishing victories over nature previously thought impossible. Humanity’s confidence in itself, and unwillingness to see its failures made it immune to the noumenal realm. However, just like a dog who hides its face behind a telephone pole, merely because Dr. Ph.D. isn’t looking at the transcendent doesn’t mean it’s not there. Our haughtiness just makes us more blind and grants more power to the wicked spirits of this age. View article →
HEZBOLLAH CHIEF NASRALLAH CONFIRMED DEAD BY IDF AFTER MASSIVE ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE IN BEIRUT Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the top leader of the Iranian-funded, armed, and directed Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon, is dead. The 64-year-old terror master was assassinated on Friday afternoon in a massive Israeli air strike on Hezbollah’s underground headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. His death was confirmed by Israel Defense Forces on Saturday morning.
Nasrallah eliminated as IDF strikes Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut The Israeli military carried out a massive airstrike on Hezbollah’s central headquarters in Beirut on Friday evening. The target was the terror organization’s leader, Sec.-Gen. Hassan Nasrallah. “BREAKING – reports coming in this strike on a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut has resulted in the assassination of leader Hassan Nasrallah”.
Large portions of Israel come under rocket fire as Hezbollah retaliates for strike on its leader Nasrallah Starting hours after the strike on Nasrallah, whose outcome was initially unclear, Hezbollah began firing small rocket barrages at northern Israel. On Saturday morning, they sharply intensified their attacks by launching two ballistic missiles and multiple rocket salvos. At the time of publication, no casualties or major damage had been reported as a result of the attacks.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah assassinated by Israeli military Israel’s military assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in airstrikes in Beirut, Lebanon on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed. Hours later, Hezbollah acknowledged the killing of its leader.
Notre Dame president’s inauguration celebration includes former Planned Parenthood executive A former Planned Parenthood executive who now heads a United Nations (UN) “corporate sustainability initiative” was featured as part of the recent festivities surrounding the inauguration of the University of Notre Dame’s new president, Fr. Robert Dowd, C.S.C. Sanda Ojiambo’s live-streamed interview before a large audience was conducted by NBC’s Ann Thompson, a Notre Dame graduate who serves on the school’s Board of Trustees.
Houthis: ‘We targeted targets in occupied Jaffa and Ashkelon’ “The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a military operation through which they targeted a military target linked to the Israeli enemy in the occupied Jaffa area (Tel Aviv) with a ‘Palestine 2’ ballistic missile and targeted a vital target in the occupied Ashkelon area using ‘Yafa’ drone as well,” the Saree stated. According to him, “The two operations have successfully achieved their objectives.” “The missile that was fired from Yemen was successfully intercepted by the ‘Arrow’ Aerial Defense System.
Reserve brigades mobilize for combat in the north The IDF called up the 6th and 228th Reserve Brigades, and several additional reserve battalions to enable combat efforts to continue, target Hezbollah’s military capabilities, and create the conditions for residents of northern Israel to return safely to their homes.
54th years after Nasser’s death: Egyptians still pay for his disastrous policies The end of this month marks the 54th anniversary of Nasser’s death on September 28, 1970. A hero for Egyptian Nassirian’s and Arab admirers in the region during his presidential era, Nasser’s transgressions tragically impact Egypt to this day far beyond the works of any other leader.
Additional Hezbollah commanders eliminated along with head of rocket force Following the IDF strike in the area of Beirut on Tuesday in which Ibrahim Muhammad Qabisi, Head of Hezbollah’s Missiles and Rockets Force was eliminated, the IDF cleared for publication Friday morning that additional senior terrorists were killed alongside him. The eliminated terrorists include Qabisi’s deputy, Abbas Ibrahim Sharaf Ad-Din, and an additional senior terrorist from Hezbollah’s missile unit, Hussein Hany, who was close to Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s most senior military commander and the head of its Strategic Unit, who was eliminated in July.
Bishop Schneider: Pope Francis has contradicted ‘the entire Gospel’ Bishop Athanasius Schneider has stated that Pope Francis has contradicted “the entire Gospel” with the claim that all religions are a way to God. Francis’ comments have caused widespread controversy and confusion among concerned Catholics, and consternation remains high even though he made the remarks now two weeks ago during an inter-religious meeting of young people in Singapore.
Walz education appointee calls for overthrow of US government Walz is in the midst of a radical overhaul of K-12 education in Minnesota. The curriculum of every class in every grade in every school is now required to include instruction in “Ethnic Studies.” Voters might naively think that Ethnic Studies means learning that Dutch children wear wooden shoes, and Norway has lots of fjords, although how this relates to Algebra is anyone’s guess. But the reality is entirely different, … “The first tenet of critical race theory is that the United States as constructed is irreversibly racist. So if the nation-state as constructed is irreversibly racist, then it must be done with, it must be overthrown” The United States needs to be deconstructed, period. This is what Minnesota kids will be taught in school if Tim Walz’s administration isn’t stopped.
Hurricane Helene has left at least 42 dead across the Southeast US. Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday night. It has now weakened to a tropical depression and is moving north across the Southeast, bringing strong winds and heavy rain, considered “life-threatening” conditions. Over 4 million are without power across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia amid fears that outages could last weeks.
Israel unleashes powerful attack on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut, targeting terror group’s leader. It’s unclear if the terror chief, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed. The IDF later confirmed that it “eliminated” Muhammad Ali Ismail, commander of the terror group’s missile unit in southern Lebanon, along with his deputy Hussein Ahmad Ismail and other “commanders and operatives.” The massive explosions “leveled six buildings.” At least two people were killed and 76 others injured, but Lebanese officials expect the death toll to soar as recovery efforts continue.
AOC’s ‘red light’ district overrun with prostitutes as locals call out MIA ‘Squad’ member. In “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district in New York City, those who are described as scantily dressed migrant prostitutes line blocks of a long commercial strip during all hours of the day and night, brazenly soliciting sex to passersby while their pimps strike fear into local business owners, one of whom told Fox News Digital he’s been threatened for speaking out and is on the verge of closing his store.
Does Iran’s hacking of the Trump campaign prove they want Kamala Harris to win the election? Iran’s recent hack of the Trump campaign is an “explicit tipping of the scales” in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris, according to one former national security official. Last week, the U.S. revealed Iranian hackers had obtained information on the Trump campaign and tried to distribute it to people linked to the Biden campaign and media organizations since June. “It’s no surprise, right?” Robert Greenway, former head of Middle East policy on the National Security Council, told Fox News Digital. “Iran perceives the return of Donald Trump and his policies, which brought them to the brink of financial collapse, as an existential threat.”
Pope gets an earful from Belgian king and abuse victims over scandals and failures to respond. The king of Belgium, its prime minister, and the rector of the Catholic university that invited him ripped into the institution he heads for a spectrum of sins: for covering up cases of clergy sex abuse and being far behind the times on embracing women and the LGBTQ+ community in the church. And that was all before Francis met with the people most harmed by the Catholic Church in Belgium — men and women who were raped and molested by priests as children.
Tone-Deaf “How did we get here? Let’s extinguish [Trump] for good.” —Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo “Listen, these are the facts: [Trump] is a threat. Period. Point blank.” —Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) “We’re walking into a doomsday scenario if Trump gets in.” —historian Douglas Brinkley Praetorian Guard “Trump foments distrust of federal law enforcement over assassination attempt probe.” —The Washington Post “Another chance for Trump to frame Democrats as dangerous has emerged.” —Washington Post columnist Philip Bump “No other president has used an assassination attempt to inflame American politics the way Donald Trump does.” —The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols “GOP seethes after second apparent assassination attempt on Trump.” —The Hill “Sense of duty apparently drove suspect.” —Dallas Morning News Letting the Cat Out of the Bag “As vice president, there wasn’t a single thing that I did that [Harris] couldn’t do. And so I was able to delegate her responsibility on everything from foreign policy to domestic policy” —Joe Biden The BIG Lies “Thirteen brave Americans lost their lives, along with hundreds of Afghans, in a suicide bomb. I think [of] those lost lives — I think [of] them every day.” —Joe “Check My Watch” Biden “I never fully believed the assertions that somehow there was this overwhelming reluctance my running again. I didn’t sense that. … I was confident I would beat Trump.” —Joe Biden “[Trump] really does not — does not — believe in democracy and the guardrails that our system has set up for the abuse of power.” —Joe Biden “[Trump] has vowed to be a dictator on day one; he … has called for ‘the termination’ of the Constitution of the United States of America. And let us be very clear: Someone who suggests we should terminate the Constitution of the United States should never again stand behind the seal of the president of the United States! Never again! Never again!” —Kamala Harris “When it relates to anybody making less than $400,000 a year, your taxes will not go up.” —Kamala Harris “Donald Trump has no intention of lowering costs for the middle class. In fact, his economic agenda would actually raise prices.” —Kamala Harris “Real wages — wages adjusted for inflation — are rising so that families are getting ahead.” —Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Gaslighting “I believe [it’s] important for the country to recognize this progress, because if we don’t, the progress we made will remain locked in the fear of negative mindset and dominate our economic outlook.” —Joe Biden “When you ask the question, ‘Are you better off today than you were four years ago?’ many Americans misremember just how bad the economy was four years ago.” —Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) Lack of Self-Awareness Awards “We must deny oxygen to [Iran’s] terrorist proxies.” —Joe Biden, who oxygenized the mullahs after Trump’s deterrence “Let us never forget: Some things are more important than staying in power.” —Joe Biden, whose party ousted him in a coup and nominated a candidate who has never won a single primary vote “We just need to move past the failed policies that we have proven don’t work.” —Kamala Harris “One must be serious and have a plan — and a real plan that’s not just about some talking point ending in an exclamation at a political rally, but actually putting the thought into what will be the return on the investment.” —Kamala Harris “I believe we shouldn’t be constrained by ideology and instead should seek practical solutions to problems.” —Kamala Harris Demagogue “Donald Trump’s abortion bans have created a health care crisis.” —Kamala Harris “I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe and get us to the point where 51 votes would be what we need to actually put back in law the protections for reproductive freedom.” —Kamala Harris Double Standard “If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot. Sorry. Probably should not have said that. But my staff will deal with that later.” —Kamala Harris (“In 2020, Harris said Stand Your Ground laws were racist.” —The Daily Wire) Delusions of Grandeur “I truly believe that [Biden’s] legacy will be etched in the history books as [George] Washington; as someone who put that ego aside and put his country first.” —”The View” co-host Sunny Hostin “After 50 years of proud public service, President Joe Biden stepped up to lead us out of the dark … and became one of the most substantial presidents of the past half-century.” —”The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg “Over the past three and a half years, we have taken major steps forward to recover from the public health and economic crisis we inherited.” —Kamala Harris Famous Last Words “It’s so strange why we just keep talking about fracking. … It’s going to be very close in Pennsylvania, and it’s not going to be defined by fracking.” —Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) Useful Idiots “I don’t think there’s any question that it’s a form of terrorism.” —former CIA Director Leon Panetta regarding Israel’s mass pager attack on jihadis “The exploding pagers and walkie-talkies targeting members of Hezbollah in Lebanon were certainly an espionage and technological coup. … But the explosions … were also very likely war crimes — terrorist attacks by a state that has consistently condemned terrorist attacks on its own citizens. Yes, the devices most probably were being used by Hezbollah operatives for military purposes. … But the attacks … came when the operatives were not operating.” —author Michael Walzer in The New York Times Village Idiot “They wanted the emancipation, they wanted the end of slavery in the United States, and that Republican Party has now morphed into some incredibly dangerous [sic], almost resembling the Know-Nothings of that period that are racist and certainly anti-immigrant. And … Abraham Lincoln is turning over in his grave that this still has the label of the Republican Party.” —documentarian Ken Burns Non Sequitur “I am tired of hearing from people who cannot point out Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala on a map telling us about how to mitigate the millions of people seeking refuge.” —Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) Word Salads “In terms of both rightly having the right to have aspirations and dreams and ambitions for your family and working hard and finding that the American Dream is, for this generation and so many recently, far more elusive than it’s been, and we need to deal with that.” —Kamala Harris “Let that then inspire us by helping us to be inspired to solve the problems.” —Kamala Harris Belly Laughs of the Week “I have incredible confidence in both the vice president and Governor Walz. They have shown that they are happy warriors. They are able to answer tough questions.” —Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer “Donald Trump, being the socialist that he is…” —billionaire leftist Mark Cuban
U.S. — After countless hours sifting through tens of thousands of polls, political analysts have determined the underlying reason Vice President Kamala Harris has struggled to connect with male voters is because she’s awful.
“Our team performed sophisticated statistical analyses of literally millions of data points and have at last finally identified the root cause of Kamala’s difficulties winning the male vote,” said lead analyst Mark Shore. “It’s because she’s completely, abjectly awful.”
The surveys of male voters used in the analysis asked a wide range of questions in an attempt to ascertain precisely which issues were hurting Harris. “After sorting through men’s views on her policies for the economy, foreign affairs, national security, and education, we have determined the problem is that Kamala is horrible,” explained statistician Dr. Stan Barber. “She’s just so, so bad. It’s really weighing her down, being the absolute worst.”
In response to the research, aides with the Harris campaign have broached the idea that perhaps Kamala should try not being awful. “We really think we could connect with more male voters if perhaps Kamala would stop being so terrible,” said campaign advisor Lisa Matthews. “It’s interesting, these voters seem to really value a candidate not being totally appalling in every way. It would be a big strategy shift.”
At publishing time, researchers had announced they had discovered that Tim Walz was struggling with male voters because he’s a giant fruitcake.
BIG NEWS: We made a movie, and you can watch the trailer NOW:
Entering into the final months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, former President Trump holds a sizable lead over Vice President Kamala Harris among evangelicals.
Likely voters with evangelical beliefs are twice as likely to plan to cast their ballot for Trump than Harris (61% vs. 31%), according to a study from Lifeway Research. Few say they are still undecided (5%) or supporting another candidate (3%).
While Trump is winning among voters who strongly agree with four theological beliefs central to evangelicalism, Harris leads among likely voters without such beliefs (47% vs. 38%).
Trump holds a smaller lead among churchgoing Christian likely voters. Among those who self-identify as Christian, are registered and plan to vote and attend church at least once a month, half support Trump (49%), and 41% back Harris, with 6% undecided and 4% planning to vote for another candidate.
“Evangelical beliefs are theological in nature, and surveys have shown that on some doctrinal issues, evangelicals are in lockstep and on others they are split,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Biblical views can influence what a person wants for society and what they think is the best way to get there, but choosing a presidential candidate is not something all people with evangelical beliefs agree on. More than a third have a different perspective than the majority.”
Evangelicals and churchgoers may be a key demographic in the upcoming election as a high percentage are registered voters. Nine in 10 evangelicals by belief (89%) are registered as are even more churchgoing Christians (96%).
Presidential polling
Much like U.S. Protestant pastors, evangelical voters were initially skeptical of Trump, but his support has solidified in the past two elections. More than a month before the 2016 election, Trump led Hillary Clinton (45% vs. 31%) among Americans with evangelical beliefs, but 15% were undecided and 9% planned to vote third party, according to a Lifeway Research study.
By 2020, Trump had a commanding 61%-29% lead over Joe Biden among evangelical belief adherents before the election, with just 8% undecided and less than 2% voting third party. Now, Trump leads Harris by a similar 30-point margin.
His support is likely linked to the party identification of evangelicals. Almost 3 in 5 Americans with evangelical beliefs (57%) say they are either a registered Republican or consider themselves to be a member of the party. A quarter (25%) are Democrats, and 16% are Independent. Party identification is more evenly split among Christian churchgoers. Almost half (45%) say they’re Republican, 33% say Democrat and 18% are Independent.
Like previous elections, Trump’s current support among evangelicals is more solid among white and older voters. White likely voters with evangelical beliefs are the most likely to back Trump (77%). Evangelicals aged 50-64 (66%) and 65 and older (68%) are more likely to choose Trump than those who are 18-34 (48%).
The former president struggles most among African American evangelicals where just 14% plan to cast their ballot for him, and 76% back Harris.
Age and ethnicity also play a key role among churchgoing Christians. Young adults (18-34) in that group are more likely to support Harris than those 50-64 years old (51% vs. 36%). Three in 5 white churchgoers (60%) plan to vote for Trump. Among African Americans who regularly attend church, 71% say they’ll cast their ballot for Harris.
Unsurprisingly, Democrats and Republicans plan to vote for their party’s nominee. Around 9 in 10 evangelicals and Christian churchgoers say they support the candidate of their political party.
“A person’s political party is more predictive of their voting intentions than their religious views,” said McConnell. “Political candidates typically invoke Christian references when convenient. Similarly, some Christians apply biblical principles to political decisions when it suits them.”
Deciding factors
Around 4 in 5 registered voters (79%) say an ability to improve the economy is an important characteristic of the candidates for deciding how to cast their vote. Most also say the candidate’s position on immigration (62%) and an ability to maintain national security (60%) are important. Almost half look for personal character (48%), position on abortion (46%) and position on foreign policy (44%).
Around a third see ability to address racial injustice (34%), ability to address climate change (34%), ability to protect religious freedom (34%), position on size and role of government (33%) and likely Supreme Court nominees (32%).
Evangelical voters and those without such beliefs have many of the same priorities in the election, but some differences exist. Evangelicals are more likely than others to say position on immigration (72% vs. 60%), ability to protect religious freedom (55% vs. 28%) and position on foreign policy (53% vs. 42%) are important, while being less likely to look for a candidate’s personal character (41% vs. 51%) and ability to address climate change (26% vs. 36%).
Similar divides open between Christians who attend church services at least monthly and other Americans. Regular churchgoers are more likely to look for a candidate’s ability to protect religious freedom (44% vs. 28%) and less likely to see personal character (43% vs. 51%), ability to address climate change (29% vs. 37%) and ability to address racial injustice (30% vs. 37%) as an important consideration for their vote.
Forced to choose the most important issue, voters as a whole are most likely to say the economy (34%), followed by personal character (15%) and position on immigration (13%). No other issue garnered more than 9%.
Voters with evangelical beliefs are more likely than others to say a candidate’s ability to improve the economy (39% vs. 33%) or position on immigration (19% vs. 12%) is the most important characteristic for them in deciding the candidate to vote for and less likely to choose personal character (10% vs. 16%) or position on abortion (6% vs. 10%).
“Evangelicals are not single-issue voters. On average, people with evangelical beliefs picked more than five of the 11 characteristics listed as important in their decision on a presidential candidate,” said McConnell. “When evangelicals don’t find a candidate that fits their views exactly, the largest group gives preference to the candidate they believe has the most ability to improve the economy.”
Registered voters backing Harris are more likely to say a candidate’s personal character (67%), position on abortion (62%), ability to address racial injustice (55%) and ability to address climate change (54%) is important.
Those voting for Trump are more likely to look for a candidate’s ability to improve the economy (87%), position on immigration (78%), ability to maintain national security (72%), position on foreign policy (55%), position on size and role of government (43%) and ability to protect religious freedom (41%).
Events are moving fast in the Middle East region following the massive Israeli airstrikes which killed Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah Events are moving fast in the Middle East region following the massive Israeli airstrikes which killed Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah belatedly confirmed his death on Saturday.
Overnight, Iran held an emergency meeting of its national security council, at the home of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But immediately after the meeting, which was likely disclosing to Iran’s leadership and miliary the death of Nasrallah, the Ayatollah was reportedly transferred to a secret and secure location.
Khamenei has been “transferred to a secure location inside the country with heightened security measures in place,” regional security officials told Reuters.
“The sources said Iran was in constant contact with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and other regional proxy groups to determine the next step after Israel announced that it had killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in a strike on south Beirut on Friday,” the report added.
Given Israel’s surprise and bold decapitation strike against Hezbollah, Iran likely fears that Israel could go after the Islamic Republic’s top leadership in Tehran next. Netanyahu had warned this week, “There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach.”
There are unconfirmed reports that one or more Iranian IRGC offers were killed in the strike that took out Nasrallah.
So far Iran has been mute in terms of a military response. Will it launch ballistic missiles on Israel? Will it mount attacks on other Israeli assets in the region or across the globe?
Did Khamenei go to a secure location in order to oversee a new war?
All Israeli embassies and consulates globally are on high alert at this sensitive moment. Iran has now found its number one proxy in the region neutered, wounded, and on the defensive. It could take a while for Hezbollah to regroup.
Telling: Reuters reports #Iran’s regime's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been transferred to a secure location, with heightened security measures in place after the strike on Nasrallah, sources said on Saturday. The fear and paranoia is setting in after Netanyahu warned… pic.twitter.com/cjxX5N3WxI
Israel’s overwhelming aerial attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 700 people since Monday, Lebanon’s Health Ministry has announced Saturday.
France and other Western nations are currently warning of the ‘destabilizing’ fallout from the Nasrallah assassination. Currently the situation is highly unpredictable and if Iran decides to retaliate then runaway escalation into major regional war is the likely next step.confirmed his death on Saturday. Overnight, Iran held an emergency meeting of its national security council, at the home of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But immediately after the meeting, which was li
President Donald Trump delivers remarks on migrant crime in a speech at the Prairie du Chien Area Arts Center in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Watch the full rally on NEWSMAX and NEWSMAX2.
FOX NEWS ALERT: Ice just crashed @KamalaHarris’ border photo op with cold hard truths. Turns out, the Biden-Harris administration didn’t just let in 10 million illegals, half a million of them were convicted criminals. That means five percent of the Biden-Harris migrants are… pic.twitter.com/gI0bjzEFNz
(The Center Square)–In the last year, terrorist threats have increased to a level not seen since the Sept. 11, 2021, terrorist attack, only worsening after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel, federal officials say.
“We are living on borrowed time,” U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told The Center Square in an exclusive interview. “I believe that today we’re at a greater risk for a major terrorist attack than we have been at any point since Sept. 11, 2001. The policies of [President] Joe Biden and [Vice President] Kamala Harris and [U.S. Rep.] Colin Allred have made every Texan and every American much less safe.”
Cruz faces Allred in a tight race for his U.S. Senate seat in November.
“When you combine their disastrous foreign policy, flowing over $100 billion to the Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, which in turn flows directly into the pockets of Hamas and Hezbollah, when you combine that incredibly weak foreign policy with Kamala Harris and Colin Allred’s open borders, the result is an invitation for terrorists to murder Americans.”
Of the numerous Biden-Harris border policies Cruz has identified as dangerous and illegal, one involves flying millions of illegal foreign nationals nationwide and even housing them in airports at taxpayer expense. He’s demanded answers on the “incredible lapses in vetting and screening illegal aliens at airports” following reports “that multiple airports have housed illegal aliens and that the Biden-Harris administration has flown in 435,000 unvetted aliens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, directly into the United States.”
That number has increased to 530,000 according to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, in addition to 813,000 arriving through a CBP One app and an untold number through Biden-Harris parole programs. Cruz, House and Senate Republicans, attorneys general and federal judges argue they are illegal.
“Tragically, it is only a matter of time before another major terrorist attack is likely to occur because of Kamala Harris and Colin Allred’s open border policies,” Cruz said, referring to the Dallas Democrat who is challenging him in his Senate race. Allred has voted against border security measures that other Texas Democrats supported.
When asked to comment about terrorism threats Allred’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
In a recent campaign ad, Allred says, “I’m working with both parties to finally secure the border, to add more border patrol agents, crack down on fentanyl and human trafficking,” also pointing to a failed Senate border bill to solve the border crisis.
Among others, Cruz requested information about the Massachusetts Port Authority and Boston Logan International Airport, the airport used by a number of 9/11 terrorists.
Retired U.S. Federal Aviation Administration special agent Brian Sullivan was instrumental in surfacing Logan Airport’s screening checkpoint vulnerabilities and among the first to warn about a potential terrorist attack.
“The warning lights are blinking now even more so than they were 23 years ago,” he told The Center Square.
Sullivan conducted a sting at the Logan Airport in May 2001 and warned the FAA, former U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-MA, and the Massachusetts Port Authority of checkpoint vulnerabilities, the same checkpoints used by the 9/11 terrorists.
“No one listened then and nobody is listening now. That’s what scares me,” he said, referring to the Biden-Harris administration.
Sullivan, a Vietnam veteran, served in the military police retiring as a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army and worked as an FAA special agent for ten years. He shares the same concerns as military and intelligence leaders that Americans are in danger because of a “soft invasion” of primarily single military age men illegally entering the U.S. and migrant warfare, first reported by The Center Square.
Earlier this year, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned about an ISIS smuggling ring coming through the border and of increased security risks posed by China and Iran. Congressional Republicans also have demanded answers about terrorist threats.
In June, a former CIA deputy director warned that a terrorist attack could occur before the election.
Since then, hundreds of members of ISIS are confirmed to have illegally entered the U.S., officials say vetting isn’t occurring, Chinese illegal border crossers have breached U.S. military bases, the greatest number of known or suspected terrorists have been apprehended at the U.S.-Canada border, Canadian officials have expressed alarm, and Cruz and others called for greater security due Hamas members entering from Canada, as Jewish Americans, he and others are targeted by pro-Hamas protestors.
In the last few months, three assassination attempts were foiled against former President Donald Trump, including by an Iran-linked Pakistani, Trump has been briefed on an Iranian assassination plot, and President Joe Biden extended a 2001 executive order declaring a national emergency due to terrorism threats.
This was preventable, Cruz argues. Biden, Harris and Allred policies “have made every Texan and every American much less safe.
“Right now, today, Iran has declared a jihad demanding that terrorists murder Americans. Hamas has declared a jihad demanding that terrorists murder Americans. Hezbollah has declared a jihad demanding that terrorists murder Americans. ‘Palestinian Islamic Jihad,’ true to their name, has declared a jihad demanding that terrorists murder Americans.”
“The only solution,” he says, “is to throw Joe Biden and Kamala Harris out of office, to reelect Donald Trump, to reelect me, and elect a strong Republican Senate and a strong Republican House” who “will secure the border and we will do so in a matter of weeks.
“The open invitation of Kamala Harris and Colin Allred, that’s what’s caused this crisis. We know how to fix it. We’ve done it before,” he said, referring to implementing Trump-era policies that “achieved the lowest rate of illegal immigration in 45 years.”
Moscow could “covertly sabotage” American bases if Ukraine is allowed to strike deeper inside Russia, the newspaper has claimed
US intelligence agencies have warned that Moscow may directly retaliate against Kiev’s Western backers if they permit Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russia, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
According to an intelligence assessment cited by the newspaper, analysts believe that even if Ukraine is allowed to use Western-supplied missiles freely, it will not significantly impact the conflict due to their limited numbers. Furthermore, after initial strikes, Russia would likely relocate vital functions out of range, making it harder for Kiev to achieve any military objectives.
Moreover, such a decision would be a high-stakes gamble, as it could lead to “lethal” attacks on US military assets worldwide, the NYT reported.
Russia’s potential responses could range “from stepped-up acts of arson and sabotage targeting facilities in Europe to potentially lethal attacks on US and European military bases,” according to the assessment. US officials reportedly believe that if Moscow decides to retaliate, it will likely do so “covertly” rather than through overt attacks to reduce the risk of a wider conflict.
The US and its allies have provided Ukraine with three types of long-range missile systems: American-made ATACMS, British Storm Shadows, and French SCALP missiles. Kiev has repeatedly used these missiles to target infrastructure and civilian areas in Crimea and other regions that have become part of Russia.
Kiev has called on the US and its allies to lift all restrictions on the use of long-range weapons to strike deeper into Russia. The West cites these limitations to claim that it is not directly involved in the conflict while supplying Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that such a move would directly involve the US and NATO in open war against Moscow, as Kiev relies on receiving target coordinates for precision weapons from the US military. He also previously advised NATO members to be aware of “what they are playing with,” warning that one possible response could involve arming adversaries of the West with long-range precision weapons.
Additionally, under proposed updates to Russia’s nuclear doctrine announced Wednesday, Moscow would consider “aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, with participation or support from a nuclear state” as a “joint attack,” which could cross the nuclear threshold.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky presented his so-called “victory plan” to the US this week, hoping to persuade President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Earlier, Britain and France indicated they were prepared to allow Ukraine to freely use their long-range cruise missiles, but only with Washington’s permission first.
The last place Vice President Kamala Harris should be going with just over a month to go before Election Day is the border.
It doesn’t take a savvy campaign strategist to figure out this is the place where she is the weakest after her time in office has seen millions of illegal immigrants flood the country — after Harris was charged by President Joe Biden in 2021 with dealing with the illegal immigration’s “root causes.”
Any thinking person knows this, but apparently Harris doesn’t, as her planned trip to the border in Arizona on Friday shows.
Harris was scheduled to speak Friday evening in Douglas, Arizona, but ahead of that visit, the Border Patrol union put out a statement in which National Border Patrol Council Vice President Art Del Cueto went absolutely scorched earth on her.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin posted the statement to X Friday morning:
NEW: Border Patrol union statement to @FoxNews re: VP Kamala Harris’ border visit in AZ today – her first visit to the southern border since June 2021 when she went to El Paso, TX.
“After years of not just ignoring the problem, but helping create it, Vice President Kamala…
Del Cueto, an outspoken critic of the Biden-Harris administration’s border policies, called the visit, “a slap in the face to the American public,” and stated, “what it is in reality is a slap in the face towards the men and women that put their lives on the line every day.”
He ended with a compelling question for anyone totally fed up with the administration’s handling of the issue:
“Where has she been?”
As Melugin noted, this is the first border visit for Harris since 2021, when she made an appearance in El Paso, Texas.
She isn’t going out of principle, because we know she has none.
“Where it’s principalities are being threatened we can be sure they will fight back with all their fury. Yet the cool thing here is we have the assurance of faith that the demonic can never withstand the right preaching of the gospel of peace. It may thrash and gnash but it will always lose.”
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