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
Thomas Watson – (ca. 1620-1686), English non-conformist Puritan preacher and author
Watson was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was noted for remarkably intense study. In 1646 he commenced a sixteen year pastorate at St. Stephen’s, Walbrook. He showed strong Presbyterian views during the civil war, with, however, an attachment to the king, and in 1651 he was imprisoned briefly with some other ministers for his share in Christopher Love’s plot to recall Charles II of England. He was released on June 30, 1652, and was formally reinstated as vicar of St. Stephen’s Walbrook.
Watson obtained great fame and popularity as a preacher until the Restoration, when he was ejected for nonconformity. Notwithstanding the rigor of the acts against dissenters, Watson continued to exercise his ministry privately as he found opportunity. Upon the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he obtained a license to preach at the great hall in Crosby House. After preaching there for several years, his health gave way, and he retired to Barnston, Essex, where he died suddenly while praying in secret. He was buried on 28 July 1686.
Thomas Watson – (ca. 1620-1686), English non-conformist Puritan preacher and author
Watson was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was noted for remarkably intense study. In 1646 he commenced a sixteen year pastorate at St. Stephen’s, Walbrook. He showed strong Presbyterian views during the civil war, with, however, an attachment to the king, and in 1651 he was imprisoned briefly with some other ministers for his share in Christopher Love’s plot to recall Charles II of England. He was released on June 30, 1652, and was formally reinstated as vicar of St. Stephen’s Walbrook.
Watson obtained great fame and popularity as a preacher until the Restoration, when he was ejected for nonconformity. Notwithstanding the rigor of the acts against dissenters, Watson continued to exercise his ministry privately as he found opportunity. Upon the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he obtained a license to preach at the great hall in Crosby House. After preaching there for several years, his health gave way, and he retired to Barnston, Essex, where he died suddenly while praying in secret. He was buried on 28 July 1686.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come…He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. JOHN 16:13, 14
If we are going to reproduce Christ on earth and be Christlike and show forth Christ, what is our greatest need? We must have the Spirit of Christ! If we are going to be the children of God, we must have the Spirit of the Father to breathe in our hearts and breathe through us. That is why we must have the Spirit of God! That is why the church must have the Spirit of Christ! The Christian church is called to live above her own ability. She is called to live on a plane so high that no human being can live like that of his own ability and power. The humblest Christian is called to live a miracle, a life that is a moral and spiritual life with such intensity and such purity that no human being can do it—only Jesus Christ can do it. He wants the Spirit of Christ to come to His people—an invasion from above affecting us mentally, morally and spiritually! The Holy Spirit brings the wonderful mystery that is God to us, and presents Him to the human spirit. The Spirit is our Teacher, and if He does not teach us, we never can know. He is our Illuminator, and if He does not turn on the light, we never can see. He is the Healer of our deaf ears, and if He does not touch our ears, we never can hear! The Holy Ghost bestows upon us a beatitude beyond compare. He asks nothing except that we be willing to listen, willing to obey!
Tozer, A. W., & Smith, G. B. (2015). Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings (p. 37). Moody Publishers.
How very striking is the former of these verses! And oh, how justly true! If it were possible for the rich worldling to keep back from the grave, by purchase, his worldly friend, would he do it? Yes, indeed, it is possible he might, under the presumption that, when it came to his turn, he should be himself redeemed. It is, however, of little consequence to estimate human friendships, when they are altogether helpless, in the most important of all concerns. But, my soul, doth not this scripture point to Him, and tend to endear him to thy warmest affection, that was indeed “a brother born for adversity;” and who, though rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that through his poverty we might be made rich? Jesus was, and is, the brother (mentioned in that scripture, Levit. 25:25) who, when our whole nature was waxen poor, and we had sold our possession, and had no power to redeem it, came and proved his relationship by ransoming our lost inheritance. But mark, my soul, what is said in the latter of these verses: “the redemption of their soul is precious.” Precious, indeed! since none but Christ could redeem it; and he only by his blood; yea, not his blood only, but his soul. For it was expressly agreed upon, and so the tenor of the everlasting covenant ran: “when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,” (Isaiah 53:10,) then “he should see his seed.” But remark yet further, that this latter verse is enclosed in parentheses. I have often thought, wherefore the Holy Ghost was pleased so to enclose it? Not surely that, like other parentheses, it might be read or left out; not so, I venture to believe. But rather, I should conceive, that here, by its total unconnection with what was said before of the rich worldling having no power to redeem his brother, the preciousness of Christ’s redemption might be more strikingly conspicuous. And so it doth indeed. And how precious, blessed Jesus, was, and is, thy redemption! Not purchased with corruptible things, as of silver and gold, and therefore not liable to perish and become corruptible like them. And being so richly purchased, and so fully and completely bought with a full value, and infinitely more than value, even with the soul of Christ, it ceaseth for ever. It is impossible ever to need again redemption, for it is impossible ever more to be lost. O precious salvation! O precious, precious Redeemer!
Hawker, R. (1845). The Poor Man’s Evening Portion (A New Edition, pp. 39–40). Thomas Wardle.
These words express the desire of the believer after Christ, and his longing for present communion with him. Where doest thou feed thy flock? In thy house? I will go, if I may find thee there. In private prayer? Then I will pray without ceasing. In the Word? Then I will read it diligently. In thine ordinances? Then I will walk in them with all my heart. Tell me where thou feedest, for wherever thou standest as the Shepherd, there will I lie down as a sheep; for none but thyself can supply my need. I cannot be satisfied to be apart from thee. My soul hungers and thirsts for the refreshment of thy presence. “Where dost thou make thy flock to rest at noon?” for whether at dawn or at noon, my only rest must be where thou art and thy beloved flock. My soul’s rest must be a grace-given rest, and can only be found in thee. Where is the shadow of that rock? Why should I not repose beneath it? “Why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?” Thou hast companions—why should I not be one? Satan tells me I am unworthy; but I always was unworthy, and yet thou hast long loved me; and therefore my unworthiness cannot be a bar to my having fellowship with thee now. It is true I am weak in faith, and prone to fall, but my very feebleness is the reason why I should always be where thou feedest thy flock, that I may be strengthened, and preserved in safety beside the still waters. Why should I turn aside? There is no reason why I should, but there are a thousand reasons why I should not, for Jesus beckons me to come. If he withdrew himself a little, it is but to make me prize his presence more. Now that I am grieved and distressed at being away from him, he will lead me yet again to that sheltered nook where the lambs of his fold are sheltered from the burning sun.
Spurgeon, C. H. (1896). Morning and evening: Daily readings. Passmore & Alabaster.
LET us read Job’s famous passage upon the search after wisdom, and in order that we may see its beauties we will read it in an accurate translation; arranged as it should be in parallel lines.
JOB 28
1 For there is a vein for the silver,
and a place for the gold, which they refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the dust,
and stone is fused into copper.
The following verses describe the operations of mining, and the hazards of the miner. 3 He puts an end to the darkness; and he searches out, to the very end, stones of thick darkness and of death-shade. 4 He drives a shaft away from man’s abode; forgotten of the foot, they swing suspended, far from men! That is to say, having no use for their feet in descending the shaft, they swing in mid air. 5 The earth, out of it goes forth bread; and under it, is destroyed as with fire. 6 A place of sapphires, are its stones; and it has clods of gold. 7 The path, no bird of prey has known it, nor the falcon’s eye glanced on it: 8 Nor proud beasts trodden it, nor roaring lion passed over it. 9 Against the flinty rock he puts forth his hand; he overturns mountains from the base. The solid rock is broken, and the hills are undermined by those who search for precious metals. Their tunnels pierce the centre of the Alps, and tear out the bowels of the hills. 10 In the rocks he cleaves out rivers; and his eye sees every precious thing. 11 He binds up streams, that they drip not: and the hidden he brings out to light. Miners take great care to prevent the water from breaking in upon them so as to flood the mines, and by such care they are able to penetrate into earth’s deep places, and reveal her secrets. 12 But wisdom, whence shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding? 13 Man knows not its price; nor is it found in the land of the living. 14 The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me. 15 Choice gold shall not be given in exchange for it; nor shall silver be weighed for its price. 16 It cannot be weighed with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx and sapphire. 17 Gold and glass shall not be compared with it, nor vessels of fine gold be an exchange for it. Glass in ancient times was a costly article, used only for splendour and luxury, but however precious it might be, wisdom far excels it. 18 Corals and crystals shall not be named; and the possession of wisdom is more than pearls. 19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared with it; it shall not be weighed with pure gold. 20 But wisdom, whence comes it? and where is the place of understanding? 21 Since it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and covered from the fowls of heaven. 22 Destruction and death say: with our ears have we heard the fame of it. 23 God understands the way to it, and he knows the place of it. 24 For he, to the ends of the earth he looks; and he sees under the whole heaven: 25 To make the weight for the wind; and he meted out the waters by measure. 26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a track for the thunder’s flash: 27 Then he saw it, and he declared it; he established it, yea, and searched it out. 28 And to man he said: Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. Job comes to the same conclusion as Solomon, who said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” True religion is priceless beyond all the treasures of earth. Seek it first, ye children and young men; for then shall you be truly rich. Jesus is the Captain of the mine of wisdom, and he will show you the lodes of precious knowledge.
In vain we search; in vain we try;
Till Jesus brings his gospel nigh;
’Tis there such power and glory dwell
As save rebellious souls from hell.
Let men or angels dig the mines,
Where nature’s golden treasure shines;
Brought near the doctrine of the cross,
All nature’s gold appears but dross.
Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 68). Baker Book House.
Exodus 20 — We saw the preamble to the Covenant with the Israelites yesterday; today we see the Ten Commandments! AlMohler.com reports “According to data from the Barna Research Group, 60 percent of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. ‘No wonder people break the Ten Commandments all the time. They don’t know what they are,’ said George Barna.”
I’ve taught Sunday School at various churches, and sometimes I will ask the class to show with their fingers which commandment is “Thou Shalt Not Kill.” Sadly, very few in our Bible-preaching churches are fluent in the Old Testament Law. While many dismiss the Old Testament as irrelevant, we saw that Jesus directed the rich young man who wanted salvation right back to the Law! Ray Comfort regularly takes people back to the Law to show that they are sinners in need of a Savior.
So how can you learn the Ten Commandments? You can learn all 10 with your fingers!
Exodus 21 — Welcome to the “statute law” of the Bible. After we finished reading through the 10 Commandments, we are starting into the detailed laws, known as the 613 Commandments. Some liberals say this is a cheap knockoff of Hammurabi’s Code. Many of the 613 Commandments deal with the uncomfortable topic of slavery but not as we are familiar with it being practiced:
Exodus 21:2 — Slavery is time limited, not perpetual.
Matthew 23 — Hypocrisy is used 8 times in this chapter. If you have friends who don’t go to church because of the hypocrites, ask them if they ever heard what Jesus said about hypocrites!
Psalm 28:2 — Is your first call to the stockbroker? The therapist? Your friends on Snapchat? Or is your first call in time of trouble to the Lord?
Proverbs 7:4-5 — Which woman do you spend time with? Wisdom or the Strange Woman?
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.
The Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. (Acts 23:11)
Are you a witness for the Lord, and are you just now in danger? Then remember that you are immortal till your work is done. If the Lord has more witness for you to bear, you will live to bear it. Who is he that can break the vessel which the Lord intends again to use?
If there is no more work for you to do for your Master, it cannot distress you that He is about to take you home and put you where you will be beyond the reach of adversaries. Your witness-bearing for Jesus is your chief concern, and you cannot be stopped in it till it is finished: therefore, be at peace. Cruel slander, wicked misrepresentation, desertion of friends, betrayal by the most trusted one, and whatever else may come cannot hinder the Lord’s purpose concerning you. The Lord stands by you in the night of your sorrow, and He says, “Thou must yet bear witness for me.” Be calm; be filled with joy in the Lord.
If you do not need this promise just now, you may very soon. Treasure it up. Remember also to pray for missionaries and all persecuted ones, that the Lord would preserve them even to the completion of their lifework.
Description:Only Christ can redeem us from the immeasurable debt we incur by our sin. In this sermon, R.C. Sproul continues his series in the gospel of Mark to investigate Jesus’ interaction with a rich young man who could not recognize his own spiritual bankruptcy.
The Resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of Christianity. Is there any good reason to believe Jesus rose from the grave? Is it possible to take an evidential approach to this claim?
To see more training videos with J. Warner Wallace, visit the YouTube playlist.
John 1:1 is one of the most important verses in the Gospel of St. John to understand grammatically in English but more importantly in Greek.
“In the Beginning was the word and the word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1)
Εν αρχή ἧν ὁ λόγος και ὁ λόγος ἧν προς τον θεόν και θεός ἧν ὁ λόγος[i][ii]
The reason is this verse is always under attack by various non-Christian religious groups and even faiths who claim to be Christian but, do not accept Jesus Christ as God the Son (The second person of the Trinity). The two words I want to focus on is “God” and “Word” or Θεός ἧν ὁ Λόγος (Theos hēn hŏ logos). What I am going to focus on is the grammatical construct of John 1:1 and a bit of the history behind ὁ λόγος (hŏ logos).
John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1
In Ancient Greek literature there is no difference in meaning between the two-word adverbial Phrase Ἐν ἀρχη (en arkē) and the three-word adverbial phrase Ἐν τη ἀρχη (en tē archē) but Ἐν ἀρχη is used more frequently. Ἐν ἀρχη parallels Genesis 1:1 Ἐν ἀρχη ἐπιοησεν ὁ Θεος (en arkē hŏ theos), “In the beginning God created.”[iii]
The Historical Background of Hŏ Logos
John may have written his gospel in Ephesus the birthplace of Greek philosopher Heraclitus who lived around 500 B.C. He taught that λογος (logos) was eternal, and it could be compared to fire and gives life to everything in the universe; and this was taught well into the first century.[iv]
Λόγος word
The Greek Term λόγος is found in a number of different English words like logic, logical, prologue, epilogue etc. It can also have a number of different senses like, word, reason, cause, reasoning etc.
Λόγος is associated with “spoken Word” but λόγος in John 1:1 does not mean “word” in the sense of a word found in a dictionary. The Greek term for word is λέξις (lexeis) which is where we get our English word lexicon from. The ὁ λόγος in John 1:1 in a person.[v]
John was writing to a Hellenized audience, so he places Jesus as the ὁ λόγος he did this in the most integral spot, at the beginning of his gospel.[vi]
The Grammatical Construct of John 1:1
The combination of Προς (prŏs) plus the accusative Τον Θεόν (tŏn theon) means “with God.” This is similar in force to how Paul writes: ἐν μορφῃ Θεού ἰσα Θεῳ (en morfē isa theō), which translates as, “In the form of God, equal with God” (Phil. 2:6).
Προς Τον Θεόν (prŏs tŏn theon) literally means “With the God.” The use of the article Τον (tŏn) “the” before a noun identifies that noun. And in this case “the God” means “God the Father.” By reiterating the conjunction και (kai) in και Θεός ἧν ὁ λόγος (kai theos hēn hŏ logos) John is placing emphasis on this instance of ὁ λόγος. He describes in his gospel, in addition to being from eternity with Θεός, is also Himself Θεός.[vii]
The word order is reversed in English, in English it reads “and the word was God” but in Greek it reads, “And God was the Word.”
Θεός ἧν ὁ λόγος (Theos hēn hŏ logos)
In John 1:1 this clause has two nouns. One noun is Θεος (theos) and the other is λόγος (logos). Λογος has an article, ὁ λόγος which means it is an articular noun and Θεος has no article so it is called an anarthrous noun. The articular noun is identified by the definite article “ὁ” as the subject. And the rest of the clause is the predicate.[viii]
So, between the predicate noun and a linking verb, ἧν (hēn; “was”), the linking verb connects the subject, ὁ λόγος, to the predicate noun, Θεός. Θεός adjectivally describes ὁ λόγος. In essence ὁ λόγος was with all the attributes, essence, nature, and qualities of Θεός. [Everything true of God is true of the Logos.][ix]
This article is not intended to be a full comprehensive explanation due to the how in depth this subject can go. John was very intentional about describing Jesus as God the Son, the second person of the Trinity.
References:
[i] Editor’s note: The Greek transliterates as: “en arkē hēn ho logos kai ho logos hēn pros ton theon kai theos hēn ho logos.” – Transliterations are included throughout, in text, for those of you who don’t read Greek.]
[ii] Editor’s Note: If the translation were to preserve the Greek word order, it would look something like this: “And the word was with [the] God and God was the word.” This phrasing creates a chiasm – inverting the word order between the two parallel lines: Word-God, and God-Word. Additionally, the definite article, ὁ (pronounced hŏ), which is typically unnecessary in Greek except for emphasis or clarity, translates as “the” and is used here for “the God” in the first phrase then “the Word” in the second phrase. The Chiasm, being inverted parallelism, indicates that this verse is intended as poetry – still literally true, but expressed with an eye for beauty, memorability, and maybe even lyricality. Heightening that poetic structure is the shift of the definite article from “the God” to “The Word.” The one and only God is the same being as singular Logos, “The Word.” The author most definitely wanted to draw attention to the strict identity between God and Logos. The Word is God.” – JDF]
[iv] Ibid., see also, Jean Bollack, “Ch. 17 The Heraclitean Logos,” in The Art of Reading: From Homer to Paul Celan, C. Porter and S. Tarrow with B. King, trans; C. Koenig, L. Muellner, G. Nagy, and S. Pollock, eds. Hellenic Studies Series 73 (Washington, DC: Center for Hellenic Studies, 2016), accessed 23 Jan 2025 at: https://chs.harvard.edu/chapter/17-the-heraclitean-logos/.
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (DVD Set, Mp3, and Mp4)
Seattle native Justin Angelos brings a passion for evangelism and discipleship along with theology and apologetics. He has studied at Biola University and Liberty University and recently earned a Master of Arts in Apologetics from Biola University. Justin focuses on providing help for those who suffer from emotional and anxiety issues. He currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Lawrence Krauss: “Physics has changed what we mean by ‘nothing’…Empty space is a boiling, bubbling brew of virtual particles popping in and out of existence…If you wait long enough, that kind of ‘nothing’ will always produce particles.”1
J. Warner Wallace: “The evidence demonstrates all space, time, and matter began with the origin of the universe. Whatever preceded the universe cannot, therefore, have been spatial, temporal, or material, at least by the definitions we have been using all along. Emergent models redefine the meaning of “nothing” to include “something” (the primordial vacuum, virtual particles, and time). While this solves the problem semantically, it doesn’t solve the problem evidentially.”2
To checkout our entire Counterpoints series, go here.
Footnotes: 1. The Colbert Report, Comedy Central, June 21, 2012 as quoted by J. Warner Wallace, God’s Crime Scene, p. 212. 2. J. Warner Wallace, God’s Crime Scene, p. 40.
Iran secretly building nuclear weapons able to reach Europe based on North Korean designs Iran has allegedly been covertly developing nuclear weapons with a 1,800‑mile range that could reach Europe using North Korean designs, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The desperate Iranian regime is thus speeding up the development of nuclear weapons. Now is the time to hold the regime accountable for internal killings, regional warmongering and nuclear weapons development.”
‘Either no drones or no Hezbollah’: Israel’s DM Katz escalates threats as Lebanon front heats up again Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz escalated his threats to Lebanon on Sunday, after Hezbollah attempted to launch multiple drones in recent days, prompting the IDF to carry out strikes deep inside Lebanon. During a visit to some of the remaining IDF positions in southern Lebanon, Katz declared, “I want to send a clear message from here to Hezbollah and the Lebanese government: Israel will not accept the launching of drones from Lebanon.”
Israeli Air Force strikes terrorist cells in Samaria planning ‘imminent’ attacks The Israeli Air Force (IAF) carried out three airstrikes on Saturday against terrorist cells in Jenin, a city located in northern Samaria, … The Israeli military revealed that one of the terror cells in Kabatiya outside of Jenin was planning “imminent” attacks against Israeli targets.
Israeli UN ambassador raises concern about Egyptian military buildup, saying it ‘trains for one purpose: War with Israel’ “They spend hundreds of millions of dollars on modern military equipment every year, yet they have no threats on their borders,” Danon assessed. “Why do they need all these submarines and tanks? After October 7, alarm bells should be raised. We have learned our lesson. We must monitor Egypt closely and prepare for every scenario,” the Israeli UN envoy warned. Unlike the Iranian and Syrian militaries that largely rely on outdated Russian military systems, Egypt has, after its peace agreement with Israel, acquired a large quantity of advanced American and Western military equipment.
92% British Jews say media bias is fueling antisemitism In a poll recently carried out by Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) surveying over 4,000 Jewish people in the UK, only a third (34%) felt they had a long-term future in the UK. An astonishing 92% believe media bias against Israel fuels persecution of Jews in Britain, with the same number, 92%, considering the BBC coverage as unfavorable. The Guardianalso had a significant majority (69%) of British Jews describing its coverage as unfavorable.
Released Palestinian terrorist calls on grandchildren ‘not to follow the path of resistance’ Al-Tus also said … “Today I advise my grandchildren not to follow the path of terror attacks and resistance. At this stage, it is necessary not to go to military activity, but to political activity,” he said yesterday in an interview with the Saudi Al-Arabiya network. “We do not want our freedom to be at the expense of our children’s lives.”
71% of Israelis oppose Palestinian state, even if it means forfeiting Saudi normalization According to the poll, 59% were against Palestinian statehood before the October 7 attacks and remain opposed. Twelve percent supported it before October 7 and have since shifted their position. Additionally, 25% supported a Palestinian state before the events of October 7 and still do, while only 4% changed from opposing it to supporting it after the Hamas assault on southern Israel.
How the Saudis are sneaking into Phase II of the Hamas-Israel deal With American support, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to reshape the negotiations over Phase 2 of the hostage deal to turn it into a much broader agreement that would have normalized relations with Riyadh as the new end game, Haaretz reported Sunday. According to the Israeli daily, after Netanyahu meets U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday in the White House, they will make a joint statement about developments on the Saudi-Israel track.
IDF Rabbinate premiers tactical Holy Ark The IDF’s Rabbinical Corps has developed, in the course of the past months, in light of the fighting on a number of fronts, a number of revolutionary patents designed to assist the combatants in maintaining their faith, while in combat. One of the significant developments created by the IDF Rabbinate is a Holy Ark for the Torah scroll, which, at the touch of a button, becomes a table for the scroll.
Mexican president adopts defiant tone a day after Trump tariff announcement Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum argued on Sunday that reason should prevail a day after her government and the US announced tariffs against one another. She adopted a defiant tone as she insisted she does not lack courage to respond. In a speech outside the Mexican capital, Sheinbaum raised her fist in the air and insisted that the trade penalties first ordered by US President Donald Trump will hit his own people with higher prices.
Incoming IDF Chief of Staff: ‘2025 will continue to be a year of combat’ Eyal Zamir, set to become the 24th IDF chief of staff, said Israeli will produce its own weapons and emphasized the need to reduce reliance on foreign arms; He faces major challenges, including Gaza, Iran and integration of ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military
Trump invites King Abdullah of Jordan to formal White House visit King Abdullah will meet with President Trump on Feb. 11, a week after he meets with Netanyahu; Trump’s controversial Gaza relocation plan faces strong opposition from Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations, who reject displacing Palestinians as a solution to Gaza’s crisis
With Trump back in White House, Saudi Arabia looks to be major player Now that President Donald Trump is back in the White House, Saudi Arabia hopes to play a greater role in the Middle East. Soon after Trump took office, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud announced the kingdom’s intention to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over four years. That figure is higher than the $450 billion Saudi Arabia committed to investing in 2017.
Deliverer Or Globalist: Popular Perspectives On Donald Trump That Fall Short Of Reality During the two weeks following Donald Trump’s inauguration, I read two divergent positions on social media regarding his presidency. I believe that neither one of these viewpoints is accurate. The “Trump Will Save Us Crowd” The “Trump Is No Different than the Globalists Crowd”
Major flooding underway in northern Queensland after extreme rainfall, Australia A major flood event is underway in northern Queensland, Australia, on Sunday, February 2, 2025, after parts of the region received between 500 and 1 000 mm (19.7 – 39.4 inches) of rain in the 48 hours leading up to 09:00 LT today. At least one person has drowned in floodwaters after an SES boat capsized. The region is forecast to receive additional heavy rainfall, with some areas expected to see up to 500 mm (19.7 inches) of additional rain over the next 24 hours.
Some Hospitals Stop Transgender Surgeries On Children After Trump’s Order …Trump on Tuesday signed an order titled “Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” The order says it is now U.S. policy not to fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support “the so-called ’transition’ of a child from one sex to another.” It says the U.S. government “will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.”
“Did You Mean Trains?”: State Dept. Scrubs Transgenderism Out Of Existence President Trump’s purge of DEI nonsense from government departments continues to proceed full steam ahead with the terms ‘Trans’ being completely wiped from the State Department website. People have noticed that inputting the term in the search box on the site returns a message ‘no results found,’ and follows up with “Did you mean trains?”
Pete Hegseth: ‘No More Identity Months’ “In a pro-America move, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon will no longer officially recognize “Identity Months,” such as Black History Month and Pride Month, in a bid to bring normalcy back to the United States after a disastrous last four years. Hegseth, a vocal critic of what he perceives as excessive political correctness in the military, applauded the Pentagon’s stance, calling it a victory for those who believe the armed forces should prioritize national defense over social and cultural agendas.”
Are They Positioning Themselves For A Pre-Determined Scenario In Which There Will Be A Massive Stock Market Crash? Do they know something that we do not? All of a sudden, hedge funds are betting billions of dollars that the stock market is going to crash. If they are wrong, they will lose a ton of money, but if they are correct they will make absolutely enormous profits. So why are they feeling so confident that a stock market collapse is in our future? Without a doubt, the real economy has been moving in the wrong direction for quite some time, but for years there have been relentless efforts to keep the financial markets propped up. Could it be possible that there is a scenario in which the financial markets will simply be allowed to fail at some point?
Czech Republic: Women who are covid vaccinated are 66% less likely to give birth Data from the Czech Republic shows that covid vaccinated women are 66% less likely to give birth compared to unvaccinated women. During 2023, even though only about a third of Czech women were unvaccinated, most births were among unvaccinated women. The birth rate among vaccinated women aged 18-39 was 42 per thousand, while unvaccinated women had a birth rate of 114 per thousand.
“War is not the best engine for us to resort to; nature has given us one in our commerce, which if properly managed, will be a better instrument for obliging the interested nations of Europe to treat us with justice.” —Thomas Jefferson (1797)
Douglas Andrews, Thomas Gallatin, & Jordan Candler
Black Hawk pilot named: The name of the third member of the Black Hawk helicopter crew involved in the fatal collision with an American Airlines jet that resulted in the deaths of 67 people has finally been released: Army Captain Rebecca Lobach, 28. Her name had initially been withheld due to a request from her family, which goes against normal protocols and ironically only served to fuel the very speculations about her competency that her family likely wanted to avoid. However, she had an impressive résumé and over 450 hours of flight time. Lobach had also served as a White House Military Social Aide for the Biden administration, her family noted in a statement, “volunteering to support the President and First Lady in hosting countless White House events, including ceremonies awarding the Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
Trump counters China in Panama: Shortly after President Donald Trump dispatched Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Panama, the tiny country with the world’s most strategically vital isthmus announced that it’ll end its “Belt and Road” development agreement with Communist China. At issue is the Panama Canal, which the U.S. spent 11 years and thousands of lives to build in the early 1900s and which Jimmy Carter relinquished to Panama in 1977. The country’s president, José Raúl Mulino, reasserted his nation’s sovereignty over the canal, but he has undoubtedly noticed Trump’s tough talk. “What they’ve done is terrible,” said Trump yesterday on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. “They’ve violated the agreement. … China is running the Panama Canal. That was not given to China; that was given to Panama, foolishly. … We’re going to take it back, or something very powerful is going to happen.”
Border crossings plummet: Nothing contrasts the Trump and Biden administrations more starkly than the situation at the southern border. After just his second week in office, Donald Trump has seen a 93% decrease in the number of illegal border crossings. In a Fox News interview over the weekend, Border Czar Tom Homan credited Trump as the “game-changer,” observing, “No one has had the success he’s had in securing the border.” Homan further pointed out ICE’s arrest of 5,000 criminal illegal aliens in just Trump’s first week while noting that “we’ve got more work to do.” The clear difference between Trump and Biden on illegal immigration is simple: Trump is enforcing the law; Biden went out of his way to avoid doing so.
Trump fires CFPB director: The director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Rohit Chopra, was fired by Donald Trump on Saturday, ending his five-year term nearly two years early. Chopra, who is a protégé of Senator Elizabeth Warren, has been a target of Republican lawmakers, but primarily because he headed the CFPB, which they want to eliminate due to its independence from congressional oversight. The CFPB came into existence during the Obama era as part of the Dodd-Frank regulatory package that targeted Wall Street following the 2008 financial crisis. Senator Ted Cruz leads a number of Republicans who are aiming to defund CFPB and may seek to do so in a reconciliation bill in the next few months.
Appeals court rules handgun ban on young adults is unconstitutional: In a win for supporters of our Second Amendment, a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously late last week that the federal government’s ban on handgun sales to adults age 18-20 is unconstitutional. Of course it is. In Reese v. ATF, the panel ruled that the government failed to persuade them that 18- to 20-year-olds aren’t a subset of “the people” mentioned within the terse language of the Second Amendment. As Judge Edith Jones noted, “There are no age or maturity restrictions in the plain text of the Amendment, as there are in other constitutional provisions.” She compared gun rights to others specified in the Bill of Rights — such as the right to peaceably assemble and to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
McConnell contrasts with Trump’s youth movement: Former Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared on “60 Minutes” this weekend, and he showed all 82 years of his age. McConnell, who has suffered from a couple of very public bouts of catatonia-like health episodes, told CBS’s Lesley Stahl that he’s still “very upset” with President Donald Trump and that they haven’t spoken “for quite a while.” McConnell recently stepped down from his 17-year run as the GOP’s Senate leader just as the party wrested control of the upper chamber from the Democrats on November 5. His presence in the Senate seems at odds with Trump’s youth movement, which includes Vice President JD Vance (40), Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (44), Director of National Security nominee Tulsi Gabbard (43), UN Ambassador Elise Stefanik (40), and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (27), the youngest person in history to hold that role.
Pentagon changes: The preferential treatment that legacy media outlets have long enjoyed in Washington is changing fast. The Pentagon has announced an “annual media rotation” program to “broaden access” for new media outlets that haven’t “previously enjoyed the privilege and journalistic value” of working within the building. As a result, NBC News, The New York Times, National Public Radio, and Politico have exited their office spaces in the Pentagon to make way for the New York Post, Breitbart, One America News Network, and HuffPost. Meanwhile, the Defense Department is also scrapping the controversial Biden-era subsidization of abortion-related travel expenses for military personnel. Furthermore, the Pentagon has put a pause on “special observances” related to several politicized recognitions, including Black History Month and Pride Month.
Animal rights group appeals to DOGE: We don’t know whether Elon Musk is a dog lover, but he might become one in light of how they’ve been treated during the Biden administration. As part of a barbaric $5.3 million drug testing study by the National Institutes of Health — and we want to warn you here — six-month-old beagle pups are put into jackets and injected with cocaine and methamphetamine, which causes them to vomit and foam at the mouth. Now, by way of Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, members of Congress are joining animal welfare groups such as White Coat Waste to end that animal testing, which they say is both inhumane and wasteful. Said Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who chairs the DOGE Senate caucus: “It is about doggone past time to put bureaucrats in the doghouse for wasting tax dollars on cruel and unscientific experiments on puppies.”
Headlines
Ken Martin wins election as the next chair of the DNC (NBC News) | Gun control activist David Hogg elected vice chair (Breitbart) | Humor: To announce they’ve given up completely, DNC selects Hogg as vice chair (Babylon Bee)
USAID leaders tell staffers not to show for work as Musk declares war on agency (National Review)
Senior FBI official forcefully resisted Trump administration firings (NBC News)
Manhunt tied to “anarchist” vegan cult in Border Patrol agent killing (Fox News)
Plane crash in Philadelphia neighborhood kills seven (CBS News)
Donald Trump sees a lot of black and white in the world, and that doesn’t mean race. In the case of trade and the economy, Trump concludes that either America is doing well (winning, you might say) or it’s being treated unfairly by other countries. To fix what he views as the latter, he’s wielding tariffs.
For decades, the Republican Party has advocated for free trade, intending to bolster the American economy and elevate our standard of living by expanding trade. Bill Clinton welcomed China into the World Trade Organization, but we now have 25 years of history to reflect on the outcomes of that decision. Earlier in his two terms, Clinton also negotiated NAFTA with Canada and Mexico, and there are compelling reasons to believe that it, too, did not yield the expected benefits for the U.S.
Trump prefers what he views as fair trade to free trade. The U.S., JD Vance announced, is “done being taken advantage of.”
Hence, the president imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada over the weekend. It was no surprise to anyone, including him, that the two nations announced retaliatory measures. It was also unsurprising to see Mexico rush to the table to negotiate. More on that in a moment.
In a Truth Social post with his caps lock key stuck, Trump said, “WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!).” However, he added, “IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID.”
Indeed, there will be a price. Like the corporate income tax, tariffs are paid by consumers. Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul noted, “Taxing trade will mean less trade and higher prices.” With Canada and Mexico, that will have huge effects on energy, produce, automotive parts (13% come from Canada, 42% from Mexico), and more.
Democrats will be more than happy to use this to blame Trump for inflation, but the opposition is bipartisan. Moreover, the editorial boards of National Review and The Wall Street Journal slammed the “folly” of the “dumbest trade war,” respectively.
Trump argues that we can provide for ourselves. “We pay hundreds of Billions of Dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada,” he said in another Truth post. “Why? There is no reason. We don’t need anything they have. We have unlimited Energy, should make our own Cars, and have more Lumber than we can ever use. Without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true! Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada — AND NO TARIFFS!”
We in our humble shop still think he’s trolling Canada about becoming another state, and it’s pretty funny. On the other hand, it’s not so amusing that Trump is arguably violating his own trade agreement with Mexico and Canada — the NAFTA rewrite he so famously signed in his first term. Stock markets don’t find tariffs humorous either, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all down significantly this morning on the news.
Trump’s rationale has much to do with solving Joe Biden’s border crisis. “The extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, constitutes a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA),” says the White House fact sheet on the tariffs.
Until the crisis is alleviated, President Donald J. Trump is implementing a 25% additional tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% additional tariff on imports from China. Energy resources from Canada will have a lower 10% tariff.
President Trump is taking bold action to hold Mexico, Canada, and China accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country.
Tariffs, in this particular case, may be the tool Trump has chosen for a specific job. Fixing things costs money, and the border crisis must be ended.
Mexico might agree, as President Claudia Sheinbaum announced this morning that she’ll send 10,000 troops to the border to help address drug trafficking. The tariff fight has been delayed one month to allow for negotiations.
However, Trump also views tariffs as part of the ingredients for a new “Golden Age of America,” much like the end of the 19th century. He has mentioned using tariffs to offset lower or even eliminate income taxes. As he put it in his Inaugural Address, “Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.”
In other words, tariffs may be less about extracting concessions or cooperation from Mexico and Canada and more about reworking the economic order that Trump believes is tilted to our disadvantage.
Roger Helle: Inspector Clouseau Professionalism — Let’s pray that we see less Inspector Clouseau bureaucrats and more competent, highly qualified people in the Trump administration.
CBS News Folds to Trump — Staffers are reportedly furious over parent company Paramount Global’s intent to reach a settlement regarding a $10 billion lawsuit filed by President Trump.
‘Why Are You Crying?’ — The former president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, is going viral for his take on the three-month pause of U.S. foreign aid.
We Are Winning the Fight Against DEI — Robby Starbuck updates Dr. Jordan B. Peterson on his efforts to remove DEI and woke policies from the entrepreneurial landscape.
“Donald Trump is turning his back on our servicemembers — and our servicewomen in particular — to score political points. It’s shameful, and it will only make us less safe.” —Senator Elizabeth Warren responding to the Pentagon striking a Biden-era order to pay for abortion travel expenses
“Tone Down the Rhetoric”
“We are going to fight it legislatively, we are going to fight it in the courts, and we are going to fight it in the street.” —House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Can’t Fix Stupid
“Karine Jean-Pierre Would Not Have Done It Any Differently.” —Rolling Stone headline
Dumb & Dumber
“We have decided … to demonize a certain type of immigrant … either from Central America or Mexico. They are brown.” —”The View” co-host Sunny Hostin
“How does President Trump make sure that the effort to deport people who are not in the country legally doesn’t end up hurting Americans who want safe borders … but also don’t want to see even more higher prices in groceries?” —CNN’s Jake Tapper
For the Record
“Although one would never know it from the rhetoric of Mexican politicians, the entire Mexican economy, both legal and illicit, hinges on America accepting a worsening asymmetrical relationship.” —Victor Davis Hanson
“We will use all available tools to address obstruction and other unlawful impediments to our efforts to protect the homeland. Most importantly, we will not rest until the work is done.” —Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove with a shot across the bow of “sanctuary cities”
“Democrats can say they weren’t for open borders but it sure looks like someone left the gate unlocked.” —Bill Maher
“Our message is simple: If you are a criminal illegal alien, you will be arrested and deported.” —White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
“When Muslims stream into Europe or the United States, it is celebrated as a great moral imperative. Israel is home to Jewish refugees from Asia and Africa and Europe. Arab nations should partake in this great cause by welcoming back their own people.” —David Harsanyi
“Several years ago, when I was working in this press shop and President Trump would take to this podium to brief the American people on COVID-19, he suggested that COVID very well may have came from a lab in Wuhan, China — and many members in this very room mocked him for that, said he was spewing conspiracy theories. He was not. We now know that to be the confirmable truth. … The president was right in this instance again.” —Karoline Leavitt
“As far as I know, this White House certainly still intends to celebrate — and we will continue to celebrate American history and the contributions that all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed, have made to our great country, and America is back.” —Karoline Leavitt in response to a question on the administration’s plans to celebrate Black History Month
Re: The Left
“One of the weirdest things about living in DC is that when things are horrible for the country, people in DC tend to feel great. And when things are better for the country, DC feels scared and threatened. They legit LOVED the last four years. And are freaking out now.” —Mollie Hemingway
“Not all the Trump initiatives are likely to be successful, and his Democratic and journalistic opponents, as the reaction to his aid cutoff proposals showed, are ready to pounce on any ambiguity or weakness. But it’s striking so far how subdued the response has been to the volley of Trump’s recent actions.” —Michael Barone
Upright
“I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation… As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us… In moments like this, the differences between Americans fade to nothing compared to the bonds of affection and loyalty that unites us all… Together we take solace in the knowledge that their journey ended not in the cold waters of the Potomac but in the warm embrace of a loving God.” —Donald Trump
And Last…
“They/them are now was/were.” —Senator John Kennedy
JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington Sunday night for talks with President Donald Trump. The meeting is pivotal for the outcome of Israel’s war with Hamas, the future of Gaza, and the fate of the remaining hostages.
Before he left for the U.S., the prime minister told reporters some of the issues the two leaders will discuss.
He listed, “Victory over Hamas, achieving the release of all our hostages, and dealing with the Iranian terror axis in all its components – an axis that threatens the peace of Israel, the Middle East, and the entire world,”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arriving today in Washington for talks with President Trump. The search continues for the remains of the victims from the air disaster at Washington’s Reagan airport last week. President Trump signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Canada, China, and Mexico. Several dozen students recently visited Israel to learn how to counter hatred of Jews and the Jewish nation. The original Superbook first hit Japan’s airwaves in 1981. Since its debut and success, CBN televised the updated animated bible series, reaching a new generation of Japanese children.
The diversity, equity, and inclusion project, often seen as a major element of the so-called “woke” creed along with green fanaticism, keeps popping up as a possible subtext in a variety of recent tragedies.
In the case of the Los Angeles fires, Mayor Karen Bass, who cut the fire department budget, was warned of the mounting fire dangers of the Santa Anna winds and parched brush on surrounding hillsides. No matter—she junketed in Uganda. When furor followed, on cue, her defenders decried a racialist attack on “a black woman.”
Her possible stand-in deputy mayor for “security” was under suspension for allegations that he called in a bomb threat to the Los Angeles city council—a factor mysteriously forgotten.
The fire chief previously was on record mostly for highlighting her DEI agendas rather than emphasizing traditional fire department criteria like response time or keeping fire vehicles running and out of the shop.
One of her deputies had boasted that in emergencies, citizens appreciated most of all that arriving first responders looked like them. (But most people in need worry only whether the first responders seem to know what they are doing.) She further snarked that if women allegedly were not physically able to carry out a man in times of danger, then it was the man’s fault for being in the wrong place.
The Los Angeles water and power czar—culpable for a needlessly dry reservoir that could have provided 117 million gallons to help save Pacific Palisades—was once touted primarily as the first Latina to run such a vital agency. But did that fact matter much to the 18 million people whose very survival depended on deliverable water in the otherwise desert tinderbox of greater Los Angeles?
In all these cases, the point is not necessarily whether the key players who might have prevented the destruction of some 25,000 acres of Los Angeles were selected—or exempted—on the basis of their race, gender, or sexual orientation.
Rather the worry is that in all these cases, those with responsibility for keeping Los Angeles viable, themselves eagerly self-identified first by their race, gender, or sexual orientation—as if this fact alone was synonymous with competence and deference.
In fact, racial or sex identity has nothing to do with whether a water and power director grasped the dangers of a bone-dry but vital reservoir; whether the fire department must know how many fire hydrants remain in working order; or whether a mayor understood that in times of existential danger she must stay on the job and not fly on an optional junket to Africa.
As of yet, we have no idea exactly all the mishaps that caused a horrific air crash at Reagan Airport in Washington. The only clear consensus that has emerged is that the horrific deaths could have been easily preventable—but were not because, in perfect storm fashion, there were multiple system failures. In that sense, both the Los Angeles and Washington, DC, disasters are alike.
When a military helicopter crashes into a passenger jet in Washington, DC, airspace—an area that has not seen such a disaster for 43 years—the likely cause is either wrongly altered protocols or clear human error, or both.
So, it is vital to discover what the causes of the disaster were to prevent such a recurrence. As in the Los Angeles cataclysm, the role of DEI—the method of hiring regulatory agency administrators, air traffic controllers, or pilots on bases other than meritocracy—becomes a legitimate inquiry.
To dispel such worries, authorities must disclose all the facts as they do when there are no controversies over DEI. Yet we never learned the name of the Capitol police officer who fatally shot unarmed Ashli Babbitt for months, nor received evidence of his spotty service record. The same initial hesitation in releasing information marked news about the ship that hit the Francis Scott Bridge near Baltimore and why traffic barriers were not up in the French Quarter before the recent terrorist attack in New Orleans.
In the Washington, DC, crash, two questions arise about the conduct of pilots, air traffic controllers, and the administrators responsible for hiring, staffing, and evaluating such employees.
The first issue is whether hiring, retention, and promotion in the airline industry or the military is not fully meritocratic. That is, were personnel hired on the basis of their exhibited superior education, practical experience, and superb scores on relevant examinations in matters relating to air travel? Or were they instead passed over because of their race, gender, or sexual orientation?
Was the shortage of controllers a direct result not of an unqualified pool of applicants but rather because of racial restrictions place upon it to reduce its size?
Second, were the promoters of DEI confident that they could argue that “diversity, equity, and inclusion” were as important criteria for the operation of a complex aircraft system as the past traditional criteria that had qualified air traffic controllers, pilots, and administrators?
Not only did DEI considerations often supersede past traditional meritocratic requirements for employment, but DEI champions had also argued that “diversity” was either as important to, or more important than, traditional hiring and retention evaluations.
The answers to these first two questions make it incumbent to ask further whether DEI played a role in the Washington, D.C., crash, similar to how it may have in the Los Angeles wildfires.
It is not racist, sexist, or homophobic to ask such legitimate questions, especially because advocates themselves so often give more attention and emphasis to their race, gender, and sexual orientation than their assumed impressive expertise, proven experience, and superior education. In other words, had one’s race, sex, or orientation been incidental to employment rather than essential, such questions from the public might never have arisen.
Finally, what are the problems with DEI that have not just lost its support but put fear into the public that, like the Russian commissar system of old, it has the potential to undermine the very sinews of a sophisticated, complex society?
DEI is an ideology or a protocol that supersedes disinterred evaluation. In that regard, ironically, it is akin to the era of Jim Crow, when talented individuals were irrationally barred from consideration due to their mere skin color. Like any system that prioritizes identity over merit—whether Marist-Leninist credentials in the old Soviet Union or tribal bias in the contemporary Middle East—a complex society that embraces tribalism inevitably begins to become dysfunctional.
DEI does not end at hiring. Rather, once a candidate senses he is employed on the basis of his race, sex, or sexual orientation, then it is natural he must assume such preferences are tenured throughout his career. Thus, he will always be judged by the same criterion that led to his hiring. In other words, DEI is a lifetime contractual agreement, an insurance policy of sorts once DEI credentials are established as preeminent over all others.
The advocates of DEI rarely confess that meritocratic criteria have been superseded by considerations of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Instead, to the degree that they claim such criteria are not at odds with meritocracy, they argue that the methods of assessing talent and performance are themselves flawed. Tests then are unsound and systemically biased and therefore largely irrelevant. Few DEI advocates make the argument that diversity is so important that it justifies lowering the traditional standards of competence.
Once DEI tribal protocols are established, they are calcified and unchanged. That is when supposed DEI demographics are overrepresented in particular fields such as the postal service or professional sports, then such “disproportionality” is justified on “reparatory” grounds or ironically on merit. If other non-DEI groups, by DEI’s own standards, are deprived of “equity” and “inclusion” or “underrepresented,” it is irrelevant. DEI is, again, a lifetime concession, regardless of changes in status, income, or privilege. An Oprah Winfrey or a Barack Obama—two of the most privileged people on the planet—by virtue of their race, at least as it is defined in the Western world—are permanently deserving of deference.
DEI is also ossified in the sense that it makes no allowance for class. Asian Americans, when convenient, can be counted as DEI hires even though, in terms of per capita income, most Asian groups do better than so-called whites. Under DEI, the children of elites like Barack Obama or Hakim Jeffries will always be in need of reparatory consideration but not so the children of those in East Palestine, Ohio.
Because DEI is an ideology, a faith-based creed, it does not rely on logic and is thus exempt from charges of irrationality, inconsistency, and hypocrisy. The belief system feels no obligation to defend itself from rational arguments. For example, are not racially separate graduations or safe spaces contrary to the corpus of civil rights legislation of the 1960s? There is no such thing as DEI irony: the system contrived to supposedly remedy the de jure racism of some 60-70 years ago itself hinges on de jure racial fixations as the remedy—now, tomorrow, forever.
As in all monolithic dogmas such as Sovietism or Maoism, skeptics, critics, and apostates cannot be tolerated. So, in the case of DEI, logical criticism is preemptively aborted by boilerplate charges of racism, sexism, and homophobia. And the mere accusation is synonymous with conviction, thereby establishing DEI deterrence, under which no one dares to risk cancellation, de-platforming, ostracism, or career suicide by questioning the faith.
DEI is also incoherent. It is essentially a reversion to tribalism in which solidarity is predicated on shared race, sex, or sexual orientation, not through individual background, particular economic status, or one’s unique character. No DEI czar knows why in the pre-Obama era, East Asians did not qualify for DEI status, though they seem to now, or when and how the transgendered were suddenly not statistically still traditionally .01 percent of the population but, in some campus surveys, magically became 10-20 percent of polled undergraduates. No one understands what percentage of one’s DNA qualifies for DEI status, only that any system of the past that fixated on ascertaining racial essentialism, such as the one-drop rule of the old South or the multiplicity of racial categories in the former South Africa, or the yellow-star evil of the Third Reich, largely imploded, in part by the weight of its own absurd amorality.
DEI never explains the exact individual bereavement that justifies preferentiality. All claims are instead collective. And they are encased in the amber of slavery, Jim Crow, or homophobia or sexism of decades past. Social progress does not exist; the malady is eternal. The candidate for DEI consideration never must ascertain how, when, or where he was subject to serious discrimination or bias. And that may explain all the needed prefix adjectives that have sprouted up to prove these -isms and -ologies exist when they otherwise cannot be detected, such as “systemic,” “implicit,” “insidious,” or “structural” racism rather than just “racism.”
DEI never envisions its demise or what follows from it, much less whether there are superior ways to achieve equality of opportunity rather than mandated results. The beneficiaries of DEI seldom ponder its efficacy, much less whether resources would be better allotted to K-12 education during the critical years of development. And they certainly show little concern about those often poorer and more underprivileged who lack the prescribed race, gender, or orientation for special DEI considerations.
In sum, because of these inconsistencies, Donald Trump may well be able to end DEI with a wave of an executive order—simply because its foundations were always built of sand and thus any bold push would knock over the entire shaky edifice.
Are you ready to talk to a Muslim? As an ambassador for Christ to Muslims, you’re called to do two things: learn and engage. In Stand to Reason University’s free “Engaging Muslims“ course, Alan will demystify what Islam teaches and examine how it stacks up to Christianity, giving you a better understanding of Muslims and their faith. More importantly, he’ll provide you with a strategy to reach Muslims with the gospel and teach you a tactic needed to address their most common objection. By the end, you’ll be ready to begin a conversation that naturally introduces your Muslim friend to Jesus.
Trump border czar Tom Homan assesses the state of immigration in the U.S. as President Trump’s second term reaches the two-week mark, deportations of criminal illegal immigrants and using Guantanamo Bay for detainment. #FoxNews
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