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The Internet Is Hilariously Roasting Joel Osteen After Tweeting About the ‘Simple Things’ in Life

Emily Brown — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 20:06:18 +0000

The Internet is not letting Lakewood Church pastor and televangelist Joel Osteen off the hook after he posted a tweet encouraging others to enjoy the “simple things in life” even if you don’t “have a lot of resources.”

It’s the simple things in life that bring us the most joy. You may not have a lot of resources, but if you have family, you’re blessed. If you have your health, you’re blessed. If you can look up at the stars at night, you’re blessed.

— Joel Osteen (@JoelOsteen) June 27, 2024

It’s not an uncommon sentiment to hear from a pastor, but many online users pointed out that Osteen might not be the best spokesperson for that message. After all, Osteen’s estimated net worth is at least $50 million, and his two homes in Texas have a combined value of $13.4 million.

X users were quick to start their unofficial Osteen Roast, letting the megachurch pastor know he might need to think before he tweets.

If you can look up at those stars from the balcony of your mansion, you’re Joel Osteen. https://t.co/QOjUVqHq39

— Jessica Huseman (@JessicaHuseman) June 27, 2024

You donating your salary then ?

— Federico Chispas (@dfchispas) June 27, 2024

Yeah, Joel, your multimillion dollar mansions and $350,000 Maserati are the “simple things in life.”
Why don’t you try living like you preach as Jesus would have you do? Move into an average home, drive a Chevy, get your own clothes and groceries, cook, clean.
6 months. Deal?

— Farmers for Democracy (@FarmerinVA) June 27, 2024

Joel Osteen, worth $100 million, living in multiple mansions, and owning multiple yachts wants you to know that money won’t bring you joy — but he still wants you to send him all of the money you can. https://t.co/kPaf0uLlhV

— Melanie D’Arrigo (@DarrigoMelanie) June 27, 2024

Joel Osteen: “It’s the simple things in life”

Also Joel Osteen: pic.twitter.com/qBvAluTiyA

— ScottW (@jswtreeman) June 27, 2024

Saw Joel Osteen trending and thought he had locked his church doors during a hurricane again
pic.twitter.com/QI4arlm1zX

— P. Against The World (@chillin662) June 27, 2024

Joel Osteen coming in to tell you how much of a struggle life is on his $54,000,000 yearly salary. pic.twitter.com/8AVHXhda7V

— Meme Kingdom (@MemeKINGD0M) June 27, 2024

The Supreme Court Has Allowed Cities to Criminalize Homelessness

Emily Brown — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 21:29:39 +0000

In the biggest decision on homelessness in decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that cities can fine or arrest homeless individuals for sleeping in public places.

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that cities have the authority to prohibit sleeping and camping in public spaces, and homeless individuals can be fined or arrested. The 6-3 decision, divided along ideological lines, overturned lower court decisions that had previously deemed such bans as “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment if no alternative shelter was available.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, acknowledged the complexity of homelessness and its varied causes but emphasized that federal judges are not best suited to dictate how cities should handle the issue.

“The Constitution’s Eighth Amendment serves many important functions, but it does not authorize federal judges to wrest those rights and responsibilities from the American people and in their place dictate this Nation’s homelessness policy,” he stated.

In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor argued that the ruling ignores the needs of the most vulnerable individuals. She highlighted the biological necessity of sleep, asserting that the decision forces homeless individuals to choose between staying awake or facing arrest.

“This decision leaves a homeless person with an impossible choice,” she wrote.

The ruling is seen as a victory for Grants Pass, Oregon, which brought the case, as well as for numerous Western cities that have sought greater enforcement powers amidst rising homelessness. Local governments argued that previous lower court rulings restricted their ability to manage public spaces effectively, compromising public health and safety. These cities argued that they were hindered from addressing homeless encampments without first providing adequate shelter, a challenging requirement given the shortage of shelter beds and the unwillingness of some individuals to accept available shelter due to various restrictions.

However, advocates for the homeless believe the decision exacerbates the problem rather than solves it.

Rosanne Haggerty, President and Chief Executive Officer at nonprofit Community Solutions, a leader in homelessness solutions, called the decision “deeply disappointing.”

“Arresting or fining people for experiencing homelessness is cruel — and it won’t solve the problem,” she said. “Countless studies show we can’t police homelessness out of existence. But there are proven solutions to homelessness. It takes a community-wide effort to make sure that every person experiencing homelessness is accounted for and cared for.”

Street homelessness in the United States has risen dramatically, experiencing a 25 percent increase since 2017, according to the most recent report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Despite billions of federal dollars being spent on support services and shelter space, cities still struggle to keep up with the demand, especially in West Coast areas where homelessness is pervasive and encampments are sprawling. An estimated 400,000 individuals are currently experiencing homelessness, and with 59% of Americans living only one paycheck away from homelessness, that number is expected to grow over the next several years.

“Leaders have a choice,” Haggerty said. “The law now allows them to punish people for experiencing homelessness, but this won’t solve the problem. Cities can make a different choice. By choosing proven solutions to homelessness, together we can create communities where everyone has a home.”

God’s Plan for the Needy Starts With You

johncortines — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 15:00:00 +0000

I strolled along the sidewalk, five or six paces behind my 3-year-old son, who was cruising toward the mailbox on his little bicycle. As we started opening the mail, I saw an appeal from Compassion International related to an earthquake in Ecuador, where our sponsored child, Josue, lives.

The earthquake devastated 23 churches in the Compassion network and caused more than $2 million in damages.

That evening, as we began our prayers, I explained to my son what an earthquake is, and that our sponsored child possibly lost his church. Given that churches are how aid and support are often distributed to the community, Josue may have lost many layers of provision in his life.

After thinking about the situation, my son said, “Well, they can ask God for a new church. Will God build him a new one?”

I paused, unsure exactly how to answer, and then it hit me.

“Yes, son, God will build them a new church. Do you know how?”

“No, how will God do that?”

“Well, God has given us money, along with many other families in America. God’s plan to help Josue is you and me.”

You Are God’s Plan for the Needy

God’s plan to help the hurting people of the world is to equip other people—us—to help them. As St. Teresa of Avila wrote centuries ago, “Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours.”

My son’s excited response brought me back from my musing:

“Daddy, I have my [pretend] cash register. It has lots of dollar bills. I can open it up, get them all out, and we can send them all to Josue.”

My son’s excited response perfectly captures the mindset God desires for us. But often, we end up on the other end of the spectrum.

Have you ever given out of guilt, or because you feel like you have to “tithe” to be a good Christian? Have you ever given because you heard an emotional appeal and felt awkwardly obligated to chip in?

We’ve all heard that God’s desire is for a “cheerful giver,” but growing up I was often stumped by how actually to become one. As an un-cheerful giver, I just didn’t give that much.

But over the past two years, I’ve met many radically generous families, and observed their joy. It doesn’t come by accident—it comes through a proper view of God, man and redemption.

What the Bible Says About Giving

Nearly every generous family I met pointed to the Bible’s teaching. I was surprised to learn that the Bible says more about money than it does about heaven and hell combined. Nearly half of Jesus’ parables related to money, and there are over 2,300 verses pertaining to money. Clearly, it’s an important topic. So, what does the Bible say?

In short, three things:

1. All of our wealth originates from and belongs to God (Deuteronomy 8:18, 1 Chronicles 29:11-14, Colossians 1:16).

2. In light of this, our wealth should be used for God’s purposes (Luke 12: 42-43, Matthew 25: 31-46).

3. God’s purpose is to restore the world to wholeness. This occurs spiritually through salvation in Jesus Christ, and physically through our service and giving to serve the poor, needy, and weak (Luke 4:18-19, 2 Corinthians 5:18, Matthew 28: 19-20, Jeremiah 22: 13-16, Proverbs 19:17).

Implicit in these three statements is the idea that our wealth is not our own. As my son learned, God has given it to us to accomplish something on earth.

Giving With the Gospel, not Guilt

It was a turning point in my financial life when I realized that my generosity should spring from the Gospel, not from guilt. I don’t give because I’m supposed to tithe, or because I want to avoid feeling bad, or because it’s kind of a thing Christians are supposed to do.

I give because God gave first. Since He enables us to get wealth in the first place, and because we are the recipients of His great grace in our lives, our natural and joyful response is to engage in radical generosity on behalf of the Christian church and the poor.

Pastor Tim Keller puts it this way:

To the degree you understand the Gospel of grace, you will live a radically generous life! If you truly have a spiritual inheritance, you are going to be promiscuously generous with your earthly inheritance.

The next morning, I sent a check for Josue and the people of Ecuador. And, for one of the first times in my giving life, I smiled with joy after sending the funds. My dollars, in some mysterious way, experienced redemption for a higher purpose. There they were, sitting in a bank account in the United States, accomplishing nothing. And now, they have become bricks, bread and the hope of Christ made known in a desperate situation.

Praise God for allowing us to be a part of accomplishing His purposes in the Earth.

Seven Things Christians Need to Remember About Politics

Bryan Roberts — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Tonight, CNN is hosting the first presidential debate of the year between the two presumptive party nominees, Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Inevitably, this will lead to political discourse online and in-person for the next few months.

Political discourse is the Las Vegas of Christianity—the environment in which our sin is excused. Hate is winked at, fear is perpetuated and strife is applauded. Go wild, Christ-follower. Your words have no consequences here. Jesus doesn’t live in Vegas.

Not only are believers excused for their political indiscretions, but they are often applauded for committing them. Slander is explained away as righteous anger; winning arguments are esteemed higher than truthful ones (whether or not the “facts” align); and those who stir up dissension are given the pulpit. So I balk when pastors tell me the Church should engage in the political process. Why would we do that? The political process is dirty and broken and far from Jesus. Paranoia and vitriol are hardly attractive accessories for the bride of Christ.

Rather than engage in the political process, Christians have a duty to elevate it. Like any other sin, we are called to stand above the partisan dissension and demonstrate a better way. Should we have an opinion? Yes. Should we care about our country? Yes. Should we vote? Yes. But it’s time we talk politics in a way that models the teachings of Jesus rather than mocks them.

Here are seven things to remember about politics:

1. Both political parties go to church

There’s a Christian Left and, perhaps even less well-known, there’s a secular Right. Despite your point of view of who is on the other side, party lines are drawn in chalk, and they’re not hard to cross. The Church must be engaged in politics, but it must not be defined by the arbitrary lines in politics.

2. Political talk radio and cable “news” only want ratings

When media personalities tell you they are on a moral crusade, they are lying to you. These personalities get rich by instilling fear and paranoia in their listeners. If we give our favorite political ideologues more time than we give Jesus, we are following the wrong master. There are unbiased, logical and accurate news sources out there. But it’s up to you to be a good steward of information—to fact-check for yourself, take ideology with a grain of salt and make decisions based on facts rather than gossip.

3. Those who argue over politics don’t love their country more than others

They just love to argue more than others. Strife and quarreling are symptoms of weak faith (Proverbs 10:12; 2 Timothy 2:23-25; James 4:1) and are among the things the Lord “detests.” We need to rise above the vitriol and learn to love our neighbors the way God commanded us. We need to love our atheist neighbor who wants to keep creationism out of schools; our Democrat neighbor who wants to keep gay marriage and abortion legal; our Republican neighbor who celebrates death penalty statistics and gun ownership; and yes, even the presidential candidate from the other side.

4. Thinking your party’s platform is unflawed is a mistake

The social policies of your party were constructed by imperfect politicians fueled by ambition. It’s nearsighted to canonize them—and it will make you obsolete in a few years. Every four years, the parties adopt a current, updated platform at their respective conventions. And while they stay on general tracks, every four years the platform evolves to meet the needs of a growing, modernized and changing party. The Republican party of today doesn’t look like it did 10 or 20 years ago. We need to know when to change our views to meet a changing culture—and when to stand by them.

5. Scripture tells us to pray for our governing leaders (2 Timothy 2:1-4) and to respect those in authority (Romans 13:1-7)

Translation: if you’re mocking your governing leaders on social media, the Holy Spirit is grieved. We should spend more time honoring our leaders and less time vilifying them. This doesn’t mean praying the President will be impeached; it doesn’t mean praying your candidate will win. God commands us to pray for our leaders—for their wisdom, for their hearts and for them to be led by Him.

6. Don’t be paranoid

The country is not going to be destroyed if your candidate loses. As 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Stand up and demonstrate what God has given you. America has functioned—albeit, at varying levels of success—for years under the direction of alternating Democrat and Republican control, and at every flip, the other side thought it was the end of the world. It’s not. And if we’re a Church that believes God is in control, we have to believe that He is the one in control of the end times—not whoever’s in office now, and not whoever succeeds them.

7. Stop saying, “This is the most important election in the history of our nation”

It’s not. The most important election in the history of our nation was when Abraham Lincoln was elected president. Before that, we thought it was OK to own people. Every generation thinks it’s living in the most important moment in history. We’re not, our parents were not and our children probably won’t be. And that’s OK.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated from an original version posted in September 2020.

Caring For the Earth is an Act of Worship

RELEVANT Staff — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 18:00:00 +0000

In the beginning…

Three simple words begin one of the most influential and controversial books in history. The mere mention of these words will cause some to become excited, some to be defensive and others to shut down. Wars have been fought over the implication of the words in this book; families and friends have been divided by their understanding of this book; churches throughout history have been torn apart over the debates this book raises.

The Bible has been at the center of many conflicts. History has been shaped—and often disrupted—by what different people interpret the Bible to be saying. However, somewhere in the midst of all the arguing, much of the Church community has neglected to start the conversation where it should: In the beginning.

The first two chapters of Genesis speak of how creation began. These two chapters serve as the opening to our understanding of God, our planet, each other and ourselves. Both chapters are loaded with deep implications for what it means to live the life God intends.

Neglecting the importance of Genesis 1 and 2 creates many misconceptions. Where you believe a story begins shapes the story you are telling—and oftentimes, the Church begins its understanding of the Christian message by starting in Genesis 3.

Chapter three of Genesis speaks of mankind’s rebellion against God, the Fall and the introduction of sin. When we begin the story here, our message centers on the removal of sin. Salvation becomes reduced to nothing more than an answer to how to avoid hell.

But salvation is about more than just a ticket to heaven. It is the answer to everything and is the introduction of a new creation that is bursting forth, here and now, and reconciling the world with God’s peace. Christianity is God working through us, by the same power that brought the world into existence and raised Jesus from the grave (Romans 8:11) to bring about His plan to reconcile us with Him, His creation and humanity as a whole.

To begin to grasp this, we must start with an understanding of how God intended things to be. We must start in the beginning.

Though recently there has been a slight shift in focus, environmental issues have typically been ignored by the Church. Conversations about environmental issues are often passed off as either myth, scientific folly or of no importance. The focus placed on evangelistic efforts has made the argument that anything outside of one’s eternal security is not worth the attention of Church efforts. However, in a view of Christianity that begins in Genesis 1 and 2, there is a drastically different understanding of our world that needs to be discovered.

In the beginning, man was created in a garden.

In the second chapter of Genesis, we’re given an account of man’s creation, in which verse 15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it”(NIV). One of God’s plans for mankind is that we should care for the world we have been placed in. There is a vital need for the Church to reclaim an understanding of God’s way as one that includes the proper care and ordering of our world. The use of and care for our planet is a deeply spiritual issue, which is rooted all the way back to our very creation. There are drastic implications for our ignoring the issues that continue to weigh upon creation itself.

This is not the proper care for God’s garden. Some people have taken God’s command to “rule the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28) and twisted it to attempt to reign over creation as dictators, rather than using our God-given authority to order creation in such a way that cultivates growth, responsibility and respect.

It’s time that the Church reclaims its God-instilled responsibility to care for the creation it has been blessed with. It’s time the environmental issues plaguing our world be understood as a result of the selfish nature which drives us, and our planet, from being what we were created to be. Our world must no longer be seen as a temporary holding place, but as a blessing that is the responsibility of all mankind to share. It’s time to reconcile with the planet itself, care for it, and properly partake in a way that is better for everyone and everything. It’s time to see creation care not as elevation of creation above the Creator, but as a way of worshiping the Creator and caring for His creation.

It’s time that we see a more environmentally-conscious Christianity as an aspect of taking part in the Kingdom of God today.

Eternal Real Estate? A Church in Mexico Is Selling Plots of Land in Heaven

Emily Brown — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:24:20 +0000

A church in Mexico is helping people prep for eternity by selling plots of land in heaven.

According to the pastor of Entoms, who claims to have received “permission from God,” the church is offering heavenly real estate for the simple price of $100 per square meter.

Pictures of the offer have been circulating on social media, showing a brochure with an elaborate depiction of a holy house in the clouds. The illustration features a family ascending a golden staircase to their new celestial home. The brochure also clarifies that the church accepts various payment options, including PayPal, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard and American Express, as well as available payment plans.

A Christian Church is trending online after they announced that they’re selling plots of land in heaven for $100 per square meter.

The pastor says he spoke to God and he was granted permission to do this. They have already collected thousands of dollars pic.twitter.com/jS4rEKSkik

— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) June 23, 2024

One real estate influencer on TikTok asserted that millions of dollars worth of these heavenly plots have already been sold in what is being called the “biggest real estate deal on the planet.”

Unfortunately, this is not the first instance of someone attempting to sell real estate in heaven. In 2018, a Zimbabwean pastor was arrested after selling “tickets to heaven” to his congregation for $533 per person. Similarly, last year, an Ugandan pastor persuaded many of his followers to liquidate their assets, including land and livestock, to fund their eternal purchases.

Maybe one day these scammers will realize access to Heaven is, quite famously, free to everyone.

Five Lessons I’ve Learned as a Recovering Church Cynic

Scott Savage — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 14:00:21 +0000

We live in an age of cynicism. Cynicism is a big problem and it’s tremendously popular to point that out.

While some praise cynicism, I’m not convinced. I can’t argue that cynicism is good.

But I think the question we need to be asking isn’t, “Is cynicism more bad than good?” (I think it’s more bad than good). Nor is it, “Are we living in an age of cynicism?” (Please pull your head out of the sand if you disagree).

The more important question is, “Why are we so cynical?”

I’ve always felt a resonance with the words of comedian, George Carlin, in this area. Carlin famously quipped, “Scratch any cynic and you’ll find a disappointed idealist.”

Our cynicism is often just a cover for our disappointment and wounds. We’re weary and wary. We’re cynics who were idealistic and are now massively disappointed.

The resurgence of cynicism makes sense. My generation entered adulthood amidst a diminished job market, with suffocating student loans and numerous reasons to distrust institutions like government and the Church. In the midst of these circumstances, it has become more acceptable to reject certain perspectives, even faith.

It is far more fashionable and practical, it seems, to trust in ourselves when we feel like others, including God, have let us down.

So, we live in age of distrust because we’ve been taken advantage of. In other words, cynicism is our way of protecting ourselves from once again being that idealist who gets torn to pieces.

I’m not writing this in praise of cynicism, but I do think this discussion of cynicism needs context. There’s a reason we reach for it.

“The age of anxiety has given way to the age of cynicism. Among my generation, cynicism is no longer a bad word: it’s being celebrated, and it is often mistaken for intelligence. … The age of cynicism is where it is better to be wry and distrustful than to be open and trusting.”

-Mohammed Fairouz, The Age of Cynicism

When I think of cynicism, I think of a scab. I can remember getting scabs when I was a boy playing baseball. I’d slide into second base on rough gravel and tear up the skin on my knee pretty badly. The wounds would transform into scabs in a few days. Underneath those scabs, the skin would begin healing. Once the skin was healed (if had the discipline to not pick at it and if I protected it), the scab would fall off and I could again slide to my heart’s content.

Ideally, cynicism is a self-protection mechanism that helps us to heal and not be hurt again. It works for a short period, while the healing process takes place.

To borrow another metaphor, it’s OK to lease space in Cynic-ville; just don’t sign a mortgage because that’s where things get dangerous.

Cynicism works as a temporary bandage. And it offers a few benefits. If you’re in a room full of idealists, you need a cynic to bring everyone back to reality. Cynics who point out what’s broken and needs to change offer the rest of us a gift. But before we start praising cynicism, we need to pause and remember that there’s more to worry about here than rejoice over.

I say that as a recovering cynic. Planning to become a pastor, I graduated college, entered seminary and began an internship with a local church, carrying a healthy dose of idealism.

That idealism, though, had a very short shelf life. I was exposed to judgmental pastors who harped on other people’s sins, while failing to repent over their own. I saw those with the most power use their position to defend tradition and the status quo, causing people to stumble over them on their way to Jesus. Those who were held up as “heroes” in the congregation penned the nastiest of emails to our staff and disparaged my family when they were out for Sunday brunch.

My shattered idealism drove me to cynicism. I became the resident expert on what was wrong, pointing out all that was broken in our church and the Church. Each week, in the “meeting after the meeting,” me and my cynical friends verbally tore others down.

I was hurt and wounded, but I didn’t know it. My anger, bitterness and cynicism were actually symptoms of the deeper problems — disappointment, grief and unforgiveness. Until a friend pulled me aside to ask me, “Scott, where’s the hope?” I didn’t realize my wounds were actually impacting others. A few years ago, when I stumbled on this interview with Matthew McConaughey in Men’s Health, I began to realize how far I’d fallen and how dangerous I’d become.

Cynicism is damaging. But want to know what’s even more damaging? The sources of disappointment which are making people cynical today. We need to address the symptom (cynicism), while also going after the root of the problem too.

I’ve been fighting to overcome my cynicism for several years now and here’s what I’ve learned:

Choosing to fight cynicism is the more difficult route.

Jason Duesing, the author of Mere Hope: Life in an Age of Cynicism reflects, “Often, the pull toward cynicism is easier to follow than the struggle to resist.” It is easier to remain cynical than it is to resist and struggle toward hope.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean we declare what’s broken good; it means we choose to become free from the pain.

Our cynicism recoils at the idea of forgiveness because we believe we’re letting the other person off the hook or declaring what’s bad to be good. This is one of the many lies I’ve been told and I now try to deconstruct through my writing. Nadia Bolz-Weber puts it well when she describes forgiveness as the bolt-cutters that sever the chain linking us to those who wounded us. Remaining cynical and bitter perpetuates the wounds others have incurred in our lives.

Our cynicism doesn’t just affect us.

We all have someone who looks up to us. I realized that blogging with a critical voice made it harder for my readers to find hope. When friends ask me how I’m doing, my mood and attitude impacts the environment of our relationship. Your victory with cynicism could transform the lives of other people too.

We should critique, but we need to be aware of a critical spirit.

Once faced with reality, idealism can only be sustained through denial. We don’t honor the Church when we remain silent about its flaws. But we ought to check our motives and intent when we speak. Critiquing in pursuit of change, transformation, and improvement stands in stark contrast to a critical spirit which prefers to focus only on what’s broken.

Cynicism is conquered through a series of small victories.

As I learned on my journey from cynicism to hope, the road from cynicism to hope is broken and uneven. It lacks an HOV lane and all traffic moves slowly. However, with each passing landmark, we can leave behind the pain and destruction of our woundedness and discover healing.

A Word About Hope

If you struggle with cynicism, you might bristle at the idea of hope.

Hope is not idealism. Hope is very different from an unrealistic view of reality.

Hope stares reality in the face and chooses to believe something is happening (or can happen) which is different than what is visible today. This kind of hope doesn’t deny reality; this hope defies reality. Hope, in the biblical sense, marries the honesty of cynicism with the positivity of idealism.

Many of us live between the death of our idealism and the resurrection of something new in its place. Cynicism is super-attractive when we’re in that kind of limbo, but it will keep us stuck. Only hope moves us forward.

Ernest Hemingway once said, “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places.” Every day, idealists become cynics. Yet, cynics can become hopeful people, whose scars reveal the places where, once wounded, they now offer robust hope to the world.

Major Christian TV Network Removes All Robert Morris Content Following Child Sex Abuse Allegation

Emily Brown — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 17:40:18 +0000

Daystar Television Network, one of the largest Christian television networks in the world, has removed all content from Gateway Church founder Robert Morris after he resigned earlier this week following allegations that he sexually abused a 12-year-old girl over multiple years in the 1980s.

“We are deeply grieved and saddened by the recent and very serious allegations against Pastor Robert Morris involving the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old minor,” the network wrote on X. “In light of these events and a recently released statement by Gateway’s Elders, Daystar’s leadership has made the decision to remove all of Pastor Robert Morris’ programming from our broadcasting schedule. Daystar unequivocally condemns the actions described in these allegations and remains committed to upholding biblical values as outlined in the Word of God. As we navigate through this challenging situation, we extend our heartfelt support and prayers to all those impacted.”

The decision comes less than a week after Cindy Clemishire, now 54, publicly accused Morris of sexually abusing her over a span of four years, starting when she was a child. On the Wartburg Watch blog, Clemishire detailed the abuse she endured starting on December 25, 1982, when she was just 12 years old and Morris was 21. She said the abuse continued for four-and-a-half years while Morris lived with her family.

On Friday, Gateway’s elders sent a statement to staff, stating Morris admitted that “in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying.”

“It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong,” Morris, 62, said in a statement to local Dallas news station WFAA-TV on Sunday. “This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years … Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area.”

Clemishire, however, told The Roys Report that Morris’ version of events was not the full story.

“He says there was no sexual intercourse, but he did touch every part of my body and inserted his fingers into me, which I understand now is considered a form of rape by instrumentation,” she said. “I was an innocent 12-year-old little girl who knew nothing about sexual behavior.”

On Tuesday, Gateway’s Board of Elders announced that Morris was resigning from his position at the 100,000-member church. The board expressed regret over the newly revealed details, claiming they were previously unaware of the victim’s age and the extent of the abuse.

“The elders’ prior understanding was that Morris’s extramarital relationship, which he had discussed many times throughout his ministry, was with ‘a young lady’ and not the abuse of a 12-year-old child,” the statement read. “Even though it occurred many years before Gateway was established, as leaders of the church, we regret that we did not have the information that we now have.”

However, Clemishire shared that in 2005, she had confronted Morris about the abuse via email, with former Gateway elder Tom Lane responding and acknowledging the incidents.

“The leadership at Gateway received actual notice of this crime in 2005 when I sent an email directly to Robert Morris’ Gateway email address,” Clemishire said in a statement released Tuesday night by her attorney Boz Tchividjian. “Former Gateway elder, Tom Lane, received and responded to my email, acknowledging that the sexual abuse began on December 25, 1982, when I was 12 years old.

“Again in 2007, my then attorney Gentner Drummond (the current Attorney General of Oklahoma) sent a letter to Robert Morris with the hope that he would help reimburse me for the thousands of dollars I had expended in counseling as a result of this abuse,” she continued. “His attorney acknowledged the dates as well and then attempted to blame me for the abuse. At the very least, both the Gateway pastor and at least one elder had specific notice that I was sexually abused beginning when I was 12 years old. Gateway had the information but intentionally decided to embrace the false narrative Robert Morris wanted to believe.”

The Wrong Response to Scary Headlines

Kris Beckert — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:00:00 +0000

In this age of smartphones and 4G networks, news travels fast.

It was a normal Monday night and I was gathered with a dozen young adults in my living room, eating grilled cheese (the food of champions) and ready to play a game and talk about God, when the subject of conversation changed.

It has happened like that several times in the last few months—a sudden shift from the usual conversations about work and school, weekend shenanigans and new music. I couldn’t help but hold my breath once again as the topic turned to tragedy: Recent automobile accidents that claimed the lives of friends. Tragic, nonsensical shootings. International wars. Planned Parenthood videos. Lots to fear, lots of which to be afraid.

The list was long. Intense. Depressing. Scary.

Over the last few months, time and again, I have observed that when I’m talking with Christians—young or old—and the subject of conversation shifts to tragedies and world events, there happens to be a common denominator to their reactions. Of course, it’s all sad. Of course they differ in explaining how God may or may not be involved, depending on their background and experience. But when it comes to what they do personally when they receive what seems like a tidal wave of unsettling, fearsome information over airwaves, social media and news sites, there seems to be a common theme:

“Shut it off.”

Fear can be overwhelming. The more we feel the world is out of control, the less we want to be a part of it. We’re devastated people could act that way toward one another. We’re confused as to how we can protect ourselves. We’re uncertain about the what-ifs. And so, we shut down.

“That’s why I don’t watch/listen to/read the news anymore.”

Maybe you have said it. Maybe you have done it. Maybe after discussing all this stuff going on in this crazy world, you are choosing to do it right now. Maybe it’s the reason you signed off cable and signed onto Netflix.

And it makes perfect sense, if you think about it. Fear traps, imprisons, paralyzes. Even for those who place their hope in Jesus Christ, thinking about big problems and possible tragedies can cause insomnia, stress and sadness. I don’t know about you, but when my heart breaks, I don’t like the way that feels. I sometimes think if I don’t know, think about or talk about disasters, epidemics, wars or bombings, I don’t have to experience that.

We often feel helpless about our own lives, let alone the world. Besides, even Christ-followers can’t do anything about these local, national and worldwide tragedies anyway—right?

Not according to Jesus.

While there are legitimate times to step away, and while chronic fear and anxiety are real issues that need to be faced and mitigated in our lives, pulling the curtains to block out the world doesn’t seem to be an option for anyone who claims to follow Christ. Jesus was with people so much that the Scriptures go out of their way to indicate He experienced gut-wrenching compassion for them in their state of life (Mark 6, Matthew 14).

On one occasion, when crowds of people began to gather around Jesus, He sat down on a mountainside with His crew—the 12 disciples—and purposely allowed the throngs of folks to overhear His teachings. He surprised everyone by first calling out blessings on unexpected groups of people: the poor, the mourners, the humble, the persecuted. The list went on. In that time, everyone believed those people to be punished by God, as indicated by their horrible circumstances. But Jesus claimed the opposite—that God was with them and they were where God was.

And after listing these groups of “blessed” people, Jesus started talking to the disciples directly about their responsibility, their role.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14-16).

The disciples knew the strategic placement of cities of the day—built on top of hills, these cities allowed their inhabitants to protect themselves and see what was going on miles away. City lights also helped travelers orient themselves on the road. Seeing a city gave people relief and HOPE. The light of the city helped those in the city to see, as well as others to see the city and be guided by it.

Responsibility is powered by awareness. Awareness is possible through involvement. Involvement results in illumination.

But what would happen if everybody shut their windows, shut their curtains and put their lights under baskets?

We wind up aiding the darkness when we go too far to protect our light.

If God’s Spirit populates us like a city, we need to see what’s happening on the landscape. We need to be connected to the world—to those unruly situations, people and places that make us most afraid—so we can be reminded how much we need to rely on God and not on human attempts to be gods. By shutting off the world around us, how would we know who and what to pray for? If we actually believe prayer has a purpose and God can work in anyone, anywhere, we need to plead on the behalf of others.

Christ-followers should feel uncomfortable when we hear of people killing one another, of viruses spreading, of citizens living in the midst of rocket fire and war. When that discomfort turns into fear, we shut ourselves off from the news, cover our lamps, and take cover in our comfortable living rooms.

But when that discomfort turns into prayer and trust in a God who has plans to restore His broken world, we shut down the author of fear, the prince of darkness. We are propelled to fight against injustice and offer hope and help to those suffering from accidents, addictions and depression. We support aid organizations and go on mission trips to change situations and our priorities. Fear does not get the best of us—God does.

And we pray—not just say we will. But really pray.

The ability to sing the song of hope and to live each day in the confidence that God will write the final bars does not depend on what’s going on around us. Like the light of Christ that we’ve been given, that hope only dies—actually suffocates—when we attempt to cover it for ourselves.

The Mega-Problem Behind the Falls of Megachurch Pastors

Eddie Kaufholz — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in 2016 when former megachurch pastor Tullian Tchividjian posted an article, explaining how deeply his own scandal affected him, even leading him to the point of suicide. We are re-publishing it in the wake of Pastor Tony Evans‘ decision to step down following an undisclosed ‘sin’ issue.

Guess what didn’t surprise me at all? The recent “fall” and firing of Perry Noble—for that matter, Darrin Patrick, Tullian Tchividjian or any number of mega-pastors who have been removed from their pulpits and leadership positions for what is referred to as a “moral failing.” In other words, they got caught doing something you wouldn’t want anyone doing, much less your pastor.

If you want the gory details, just Google their names. These kinds of screw-ups will forever dominate the search results of these pastors and their respective churches.

But let’s be really honest with each other, were you really shocked that this happened?

I mean, I get that you never saw it coming and the great sermons and books by these pastors have touched your life—and now, this?! But really, isn’t there kind of a pattern emerging here of big pastors with big platforms crashing and burning? Perhaps it’s becoming common enough that there’s a systemic failure right under our noses?

Enough question marks. Enough questions. The truth is: The mega-church pastor is in real trouble.

Let’s talk about why.

Being a pastor is more pressure than you can imagine.

What an average church-going person doesn’t understand about the pressure of being a pastor, I can sum up in one word: currency. You see, most people think the currency of a pastor is his or her Sunday sermon. Now the sermon is important, but any pastor in any size church can figure out how to get through 30-ish minutes with relative success and only light blasphemy.

But Sunday isn’t the currency, it’s the cherry on top.

The currency of being a pastor is the spiritual well-being of people, which is a wholly different perspective than simply viewing them as a dancing sermon monkey. Think about it: Every email they write, every meeting they have, every sermon they give is them doing their very best to make sure that people know Jesus.

Now we know, of course, that it’s not really their job to bring you closer to Jesus. (Hint: That’s on you). But what wakes them up, drives them, scares them and calls them is the spiritual well-being of a whole group of individuals, collectively known as the church.

And so, knowing that the currency is you and me, it’s probably also helpful to note that we are the worst. The. Worst.

And we’re really brutal on our pastors.

C’mon, we are. When the children’s ministry doesn’t do check-in efficiently, we believe the pastor should know. When our feelings are hurt because we don’t have the “voice” in leadership that we think we should have, we complain and manipulate. When our hearts are in the wrong place and we no longer “connect” with the worship or sermon—we shirk responsibility and place blame. In short, the person with the mic becomes the scapegoat—and that is a mortal blow.

Should church be this way? Should pastors feel this weight and even have this kind of pressure in the first place? No. Church was not really designed to be such an institutional behemoth (see Acts). But alas, this is what we’ve got (for now) and as soon as a congregation hits 100, the pressure creeps in and your little home church pastor starts preaching sermons titled “Why Does Everyone Hate Me?” and “I am Job.” When it hits 1,000 the pastor becomes a punching bag for issues they didn’t even know existed.

And when a church hits 1,000 there are enough staff members and congregants that even subtle moves in leadership affect people’s paychecks, trust and lives.

So in our mega-churches, how could a pastor not cave under this stress? With thousands of people clamoring for your positive/negative attention, dozens of staff paying their mortgages with your leadership and literally endless responsibilities—how can they do anything but feel the walls caving in? Which leads us to the next reality…

Being a pastor is lonely.

I once led at a church where the Senior Pastor resigned due to terrible circumstances. It was a soul-wrenching nightmare of a season. As the campus pastor, also known as the Junior Associate Announcements Pastor, I carried some of the weight of walking with the church through the aftermath of our pastor’s derailing. And during that time, I often heard people say, “I miss him so much, I feel like he really knew me.” To which I would reply kindly, “Had you ever spoken to the pastor?” Inevitably, they would reply, “No. He high-fived me at the VBS party, but we never actually met or talked.”

This is so often the life of a mega-church pastors. They are surrounded by people, yet nobody knows them. We think we know them, but we only know what they show—and they don’t show everything. And really, how can they?

If they admitted that their addiction was creeping in again, the people who are best equipped to love them are the same people relying on them for leadership, wisdom, paychecks, etc.

Being a pastor is all-encompassing. Your friends, your co-workers, your church, your family, literally everyone turns into this system of satellites that orbit around your position. So, to ever really be vulnerable would require you messing with the trajectory of one of those satellites, which would then mess with everything else. So it’s you, alone.

Mega-churches aren’t designed to have a human in the pulpit, they’re bred to sustain a celebrity pastor. And a celebrity is a two-dimensional figure who exists to serve the needs of everyone but themselves. It must be a lonely life not really being vulnerable or known.

Which leads to the last pitfall of the mega-pastor life.

Being a pastor is an ego-drug.

Everyone has an ego, and a little bit of it isn’t a bad thing. When my daughters are afraid, I ask them to “say it”, to which they reply, “I’m a brave, strong woman!” They need that voice in their head and we all need that voice that says, “Hey, I’m kinda great!” Yet like any good thing, a bit of it is okay, but a bunch of it is a problem.

Such is the case with the mega-church pulpit. When your pastor makes a joke, 10,000 people laugh—even if it’s not that funny. When the pastor says, “Hey church, let’s do XYZ!”, hundreds of people do XYZ—because of the awesome pastor. What’s more, every single day with every single grocery trip and every single waking moment, people are telling your pastor how fantastic they are. But it’s not just like a normal fantastic, it’s a fantastic that really means, “Hey, you’re famous and I just met you! This is a big moment for me!”

This existence is no sort of life for a pastor. And while I believe there are some ways to guard against this celebrity worship, the truth is that it’s a constant onslaught of temptation that can (and so often does) wreck people from knowing their true, God-given human value.

So what do we do?

Well, some do it well, like Stanley, Groeschel and Warren. But trying to use them as an example is like me shooting four 3’s in a row (never happened, by the way) and feeling equal with Steph Curry. These people are exceptions to the rule, not a means by which to prove it.

Which begs the question: What’s “the rule”? What needs to exist or be stripped away in American Christian culture that gives our pastors a fighting chance of doing their job without turning into yet another mega-cliche?

I don’t think there is a silver bullet answer.

Yes, I wonder if the large church model isn’t doomed. And yes, I think that our Real Housewives culture is bleeding precariously into our sanctuaries.

But no matter the case, we must do whatever we can do make the role of a pastor one that truly allows for a person to be a human. We must do whatever it takes to not allow these men and women to be consumed by our expectations and worship of them. Because when we do this, we kill our pulpit and make humans out to be the gods they were never meant to be.

One last thing: There is a personal responsibility to be taken by the fallen pastor and believe me, they suffer. But to simply read another tweet about another disgraced mega-pastor and think it’s their problem is to ignore the bigger issue. Us.

We are to blame for this epidemic, and we are the ones who must insist that our churches allow everyone to be fully known, fully human and fully under the headship of Christ.

Six Father’s Day Gifts that Also Give Back

Jesse Carey — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 15:55:00 +0000

Haven’t bought a gift for Father’s Day yet? Want to get your pops something different than a patriotic tie, new grill cover or another sleeve of golf balls? Don’t worry, there’s still time to order dear old dad a gift that he’ll like—and that gives back to a community in need.

Here’s a look at six items every dad would want that also support charitable initiatives in communities around the world.

Everlane T-Shirts

Price: $12

Your dad needs new T-shirts. You know this. He’s been wearing the same tees Miami Dolphins t-shirt since you were a kid. Give him some tees that will change his world with Everlane, one of the best t-shirt investments you can make. Not only are they affordable, well-made and sharply tailored, but they use sustainable materials and warehouses that pay their workers fairly. That’s pretty rare in the retail world.

Bombas Socks

Price: Gift boxes start at $68

Believe the podcast ad hype. Bombas are as good as you’ve heard, providing about as much comfort and durability as a sock can. And, look, socks might scream last-minute gift but come on, most of us spend at least half the day in socks, so why not make sure your dad’s feet spend that time well? And, yes, every pair of socks bought through Bombas also gets a pair sent to someone in need.

Yellow Leaf Hammocks

Price: $199

What dad wouldn’t want a new place to kick back and relax this Father’s Day? Yellow Leaf hammocks boast “insanely comfortable” designs, handmade by artisan craftspeople in Thailand. Not only are you giving your dad a super chill new place to catch a well-deserved afternoon nap, you’re also helping communities break the cycle of poverty. From Yellow Leaf: “Our artisan weavers and their families were previously trapped in extreme poverty and debt slavery. Now they are empowered to earn a stable, healthy income through dignified work (we call this a ‘prosperity wage’). This is the basis for a brighter future, built on a hand up, not a handout.”

Miir Water Bottle

Price: Starts around $25

Whether Dad needs a new water bottle, a better coffee mug or something for his at-home bar setup, Miir has some of the coolest drinkware around. It’s slick, sustainable and does the all-important job of keeping hot drinks hot and cold beverages cold. Best of all, Miir sets aside a chunk of their profits to help fund clean water initiatives around the world. Check out their (surprisingly transparent) website for more details on how Miir products fund good causes. What else could Dad ask for?

TOMS Sunglasses

Price: Starts at $50

TOMS has been in the sunglasses game for a while now, helping fund optometry initiatives around the world and basically doing for eyeware what they’ve done for shoes. That all sounds well and good, but the most immediate concern is your dad’s peepers, and you’re in luck. We recommend these aviators that will enhance any Dad vibe with some high-key Top Gun vibes.

One World Soccer Ball

Price: $30

It’s almost impossible to destroy a One World Soccer ball. That makes it a great gift for active dads who enjoy pick-up games at any location—a parking lot, the driveway or the beach—as well as for kids in communities around the world. The uniquely designed ball never goes flat, and it’s virtually impossible to pop, meaning kids everywhere can enjoy playing the beautiful game. For every ball purchased, one is given to an organization that works with youth in at-need communities around the globe.

Supreme Court Unanimously Upholds Access to Abortion Pills

Emily Brown — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 18:44:32 +0000

In a huge blow for the pro-life movement, the U.S. Supreme Court today unanimously rejected a lawsuit aimed at restricting access to abortion pill mifepristone, meaning the drug can remain nationally available.

Limiting access to the pill was a priority for pro-life advocates, considering the number of abortions has actually increased since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. That increase is largely due to the availability of mifepristone, even in states that have largely banned other abortion options.

The court voted 9-0 that the group of doctors who challenged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision to make the pill more easily accessible did not have the proper legal standing to sue.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that while the doctors have “sincere legal, moral, ideological and policy objections to elective abortion and to FDA’s relaxed regulation of mifepristone,” that doesn’t mean they have a federal case. Instead, the court wrote that the plaintiffs should use other channels to challenge the FDA’s decision.

“The plaintiffs may present their concerns and objections to the president and FDA in the regulatory process or to Congress and the president in the legislative process,” Kavanaugh wrote. “And they may also express their views about abortion and mifepristone to fellow citizens, including in the political and electoral processes.”

The case was brought forth by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a conservative group of doctors and medical professionals. Over the last several years, the FDA has allowed mifepristone to be prescribed online, mailed to patients and dispensed at physical pharmacies. Mifepristone is used as part of a two-drug FDA-approved regimen that is now the most common form of abortion in the United States. The use of abortion pills has increased by 60% since 2022 as the FDA’s policy has helped it become easily accessible and cheaper than surgical abortions.

Access to abortion pills is believed to be the primary factor in the continued rise of abortions. Reports found that an estimated 1,026,690 abortions were performed in 2023 — a 10% increase from 2020, the last year for which comprehensive estimates are available.

Katie Daniel, the state policy director for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said, “It is a sad day for all who value women’s health and unborn children’s lives, but the fight to stop dangerous mail-order abortion drugs is not over.”

Real Talk: How Should Christians Engage With Politics?

RELEVANT Staff — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 14:50:17 +0000

Another election year is upon us, and while in many ways it feels similar to where we were four years ago, a lot has happened. Economic changes, wars, presidential court cases — it’s proof that life can change drastically in just four years.

One thing that hasn’t changed much, however, is how Christians engage with politics. And while there’s not precisely a one-size-fits-all method when it comes to politics, there is a way that Christians are called to speak about our country’s leaders.

Michael Wear addresses this often tense relationship between faith and politics in his latest book, The Spirit of Our Politics. Wear is a member of the executive leadership team for the AND Campaign and the founder of Public Square Strategies. Before becoming a leader in the non-profit world, Wear spent four years working with former President Barack Obama managing The White House’s engagement on religious and values issues. In short, he’s had plenty of experience watching the relationship between faith and politics.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

In The Spirit of Our Politics, you write about how American politics is “sick” right now. What is the root of the sickness?

There are many ways to talk about the sickness of our politics, and I address it in several ways in the book. One of the central threads is the framework of political sectarianism, a way of thinking about the kind of polarization we have.

This concept was advanced by social scientists in 2020. They described it as a toxic cocktail of three primary ingredients. First, a tendency of aversion, which is a tendency to dislike or distrust people who have different political views or belong to a different political party. Second, a tendency of othering. Finally, a tendency of moralization or misplaced moralization, elevating political disagreement to the level of sin or iniquity, a pure contestation of good and evil. This toxic cocktail is having disastrous consequences for the way our politics functions, including governance and the ability to get things done, as well as significant spillover effects at the personal, social and community levels. Our families and churches are strained by this toxic polarization, this political sectarianism.

At the core of my book is the argument that the kind of people we are has much to do with the kind of politics we have. We can think about political sectarianism in terms of the structures that facilitate or exacerbate this tendency of aversion, othering and moralization. It is also vital for individuals to consider their role in this. What are the ways in which you are incentivizing or playing into these tendencies of aversion, othering and misplaced moralization?

How, if at all, should we let our identity inform our politics?

There have been some predominant ways we’ve thought about politics. One is to place politics above the gospel and faithfulness. Another is to view politics as outside of and irrelevant to the gospel and questions of faithfulness. What I address in this book is the need to place politics under and within the gospel.

We should approach politics as essential, not ultimate, not the only, but an essential form in which we can love our neighbors. We should view politics as a form in which we live out our faith and learn from Jesus how to live our lives as he would live them if he were us. That is a different paradigm for thinking about politics than others that seem prevalent these days.

What does a genuine Christian approach to politics look like?

I think we need to move away from the idea that having a Christian approach to politics means having the “right answers” to a limited set of policy or political questions. These ideas are deeply related to the broader Christian life, which is about more than just having the right answers to a few doctrinal points.

In my book, I discuss what Dallas Willard referred to as “Gospels of Sin Management,” which I call the “Fixer Gospel” and the “Toolbox Gospel.” These concepts are tied to our approach to politics. Instead, Christians should recognize several things about politics: it is penultimate, not ultimate; political opinions aren’t tantamount to Christian dogma; and politics is an area of prudence.

When we engage in politics, we are translators, not stenographers. We seek to translate ultimate values into the prudential area of politics, not to enact God’s will through our political pronouncements in an unimpeachable way. Politics is contingent on time, place, and context; policies that might be good in one context may not be in another.

Christian resources can offer valuable perspectives on issues like immigration, poverty, and the dignity of life. We should bring these contributions with humility and discernment. However, I believe that the greatest contribution Christians can make to politics now is not dictating what politics should be, but reminding politics of what it is not and the space it should not occupy. Christians have tremendous resources to aid in this effort.

One of the things you write about is a call for a “gentler approach” to how we talk about American politics. What does that look like practically? And can we actually achieve it in today’s political climate?

I think that thinking about gentleness in politics requires specific thought. There isn’t just a general answer. We must consider what it looks like for gentleness to be viable in political life.

We’ve operated for so long as if politics is an area of life cordoned off from God, where the way of Jesus either doesn’t hold up or isn’t realistic. One question I have is: Don’t think about this theoretically. Think about your life and the specific challenges to gentleness in political life. Particularize it to you because you can’t be faithful with Senator so-and-so’s life or the head of an advocacy organization. You can only be faithful with, as Willard would say, that which is within the effective range of your will. Politics can be contentious, and as we discussed, there is a logic of politics that is not gentle.

In the book, I argue that we can become the kind of people our politics needs. We can resist the impulses, promises, and temptations of politics that suggest that if we were just willing to cultivate anger in the right way, we could achieve something good. The other side is angry, but not for the right reasons. They keep winning, so what if we used anger on our side to move politics in a better direction? A Christian will say, “I’m not confident in our ability to cultivate anger, direct it, and do more good than harm.” I’m concerned about what it does to the soul to promote a politics of fear. I think there are better motivations in our political life, in my political life, and in what we’re promoting generally, so that the means match the ends.

When talking with people working in politics, there’s a specific kind of conversation. They have jobs and may be asked to do things they don’t personally agree with, or there may be a deep embeddedness in the practices. For those not working in politics, it’s important not to take on the burdens of being political strategists in an unhealthy way or carrying out our politicians’ fights for them. Political parties and campaigns are constructed to make the case for why they’re the best, often by making the case for why the other side is bad. But as citizens, we don’t have that burden. You don’t have an obligation to assume a political identity. We can be freed from that burden.

To a majority of Americans, it feels like we’re in a polarized system, but you are arguing we can live in the middle in a more balanced way. What are some guidelines we can have to keep ourselves in check and make sure we’re not feeding into the polarization?

In the new book, I offer a range of practical ways of thinking about your political involvement and how your life intersects with politics, along with some practices relevant to the particular challenges our politics presents right now.

Those practices range from thinking about tried-and-true practices like silence, solitude, prayer, worship, celebration, study, and confession as connected to our political life. They also include what I call 21st-century spiritual disciplines for public life. These are things like how we consume and approach the news, and how we can be agents of breaking groupthink, especially in our own groups, where political consensus among friends can sometimes be unhelpful. I suggest the discipline of affirming those you oppose politically in specific ways and critiquing those you generally support.

There’s a section in Bonhoeffer’s Life Together, an incredible passage where he says Christians never meet one-on-one. Jesus is always standing between them, mediating among them. He says that when we meet with another Christian, we’re never seeking to act directly on the person we’re meeting with. We’re looking to Jesus and seeing what Jesus is seeking to do in the life of the person we’re interacting with.

That has the potential to free us from the desire to coerce, manipulate, and instrumentalize people. I propose in the book that it would be incredibly life-giving for us to approach politics in the same way.

What encouragement do you have for young people who already feel politically burned out?

It’s important to keep in mind your motivations. Political engagement can be difficult, especially for younger people who have grown up in a digital environment and a culture of customer service and responsiveness. If I donated $50 to Charity Water right now, they’d send me a GPS feed where I could watch a live camera of a well that my money helped support. I could literally see people drinking water from the well my contribution made possible.

You will rarely know whether your actions, like showing up at a school board meeting, writing a letter, or having a conversation, made a difference. If you are engaging in politics for the desire of that kind of credit, you will burn out quickly. Before burning out, you may go through a period of seeking certainty about the value of your contribution.

Christians engage in politics because we care about people. God loves people, and we love people too. We know political decisions greatly impact our neighbors, particularly the most vulnerable and disinherited. Whether the political system gives us affirmation or not, we are seeking to steward the limited responsibility we have in a loving way toward our neighbors. As citizens, we do not choose to have political responsibility; we already have it. The only choice we have is what to do with it.

I want that to be encouraging. As my friend Tyler Wigg Stevenson wrote in his book about a decade ago, the world is not ours to save. Taking responsibility for political outcomes can lead to a soul-crushing place. Instead, try to be faithful with what you have. Keep the means in mind, not just the end, because for Christians, faithfulness is both the means and the end. Always keep learning and keep your political engagement practical.

Many young people feel burned out by politics, but they aren’t actually engaging in politics. They say they’re burned out from watching cable news, scrolling through their newsfeed, and arguing online. Getting in arguments online is rarely, if ever, politics.

A lot of people are burned out and apathetic toward our political culture without ever participating in our political system. One of the most encouraging and invigorating things you can do is to focus on a specific issue and a particular aspect of our political system you can personally engage in. By doing the work, the political culture will become less oppressive and wearing.

Is Beth Moore Leaving X?

Emily Brown — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:20:37 +0000

Yesterday, X updated its user policy to officially allow adult content on the platform, “provided it’s properly labeled and not prominently displayed.” Following the news, speaker and author Beth Moore shared a thoughtful response where she wondered if it was time to finally leave the platform behind.

“This dramatically changes things,” Moore wrote. “I’ve so not wanted to leave this site because of the community we developed. Dialogue. Insight. Hilarity. Silliness. The praying for one another. Celebrating victories and mourning losses. What shall we do?

“One thing that worries me is that we surely have numerous people in our community who’ve struggled with [porn],” she continued. “Is it irresponsible of us, then, to stay? If I were a recovering alcoholic, for instance, I’d very much wish my friends would think of a different place to meet up than a bar. Get what I’m saying? On the other hand, will we ultimately have this issue wherever we go? Are there settings here we can change?”

Moore has grown a large following on X over the years, letting people in on everything from her daily activities to deeper thoughts on faith and theology — which has made her name a trending topic on more than one occasion. She’s stuck around through lots of changes on the platforms, but it looks like Musk’s latest move could be the final straw.

“Some of y’all reading this will not understand why we’re making such a big deal of it — I mean, just move to Threads and be done with it — but many of us can tell you we survived some of the worst seasons of our lives together here,” Moore concluded. “Disrupting the community we found here — new friends we made who are now important to our well-being — will be like leaving our hometown.”

Some further thoughts: the p0rn is very offensive to me but it doesn’t tempt me. I’ve had a lot of issues but I’ve not this one. One thing that worries me is that we surely have numerous people in our community who’ve struggled with it. Is it irresponsible of us, then, to stay?…

— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) June 4, 2024

Lisa Sharon Harper: Justice Is at the Heart of the Gospel

Jesse Carey — Tue, 21 May 2024 14:00:00 +0000

If the myriad of tragic events over the last few years has done anything for Americans, it’s shown us the stark need for justice in the world. Because at the heart of the Christian message is justice itself. And that means, according to Lisa Sharon Harper, the only hope the world has for justice is the message of the gospel.

We spoke talked with Harper, who is the founder and president of Freedom Road, about the deep connection between the gospel and justice, her book The Very Good Gospel and why it starts with understanding the message of Genesis.

I love the title Very Good Gospel. Can you tell me for our audience that may not be familiar with the concept, can you talk about the concept of the book and why you landed on that title in particular?

The book came out of 13 years of exploration of Genesis, particularly Genesis 1-3 and that came out of a journey I took in 2003 called the Pilgrimage for Reconciliation. And I was just really struck at the end of that journey. For the first two weeks we retraced the Cherokee Trail of Tears. Then, over the second half, we retraced the African experience in America from slavery through Civil Rights.

I have to say, my understanding of the good news of the Gospel was really wrapped up in the Four Spiritual laws. The reality is that when it came down to it my understanding at that point of the good news of the Gospel was God loves me, but I’m sinful and Jesus died for my sins and if I pray this prayer then I get to go to Heaven. It was also a very legal construct: It’s very linear in its thinking and very simple.

But I imagine myself sharing that understanding of the Gospel with my own ancestors who walked the Trail of Tears and who had been enslaved in the South and I asked myself at the end of that journey: “Would my understanding of the Gospel make them jump up and down and holler because it was so darn good?” and I realized I could not share that Gospel with them. It had nothing to say about the lives they were living or the oppression they were experiencing.

And I realized if my Gospel is muted in the face of the worst stuff that has ever happened on our land then maybe it’s not so good. Maybe the news is not so good or maybe it’s just not good enough.

All parts of creation were created in interconnected relationship and those relationships are what God declared very good at the end of the sixth day. That is what we were created for—that kind of connectedness to all things, including God.

But our understanding of the Gospel, especially in the 20th century, got reduced down to simply our relationship with God. And sin got reduced to our imperfection within ourselves. But what I came to understand is if the very goodness that God was talking about in the very beginning was located between things then sin is anything that breaks any of those relationships that God declared very good in the very beginning. It’s not about necessarily our being imperfect.

It’s interesting because when you look at the things in the Old Testament that angered God it wasn’t so much just what we think of as immorality in terms of failures of the flesh or weaknesses, it was being unkind to refugees or being inhospitable. It was like you said, what really made God angrier than anything, at least in the Old Testament context, seemed to be that breakdown of relationships between people.

It doesn’t actually stop there. I don’t know exactly how it happened, but in our modern, American church, our understanding of the Gospel really reduced Jesus down to being a moralist, but Jesus actually really wasn’t. His whole life was spent breaking down barriers between people and creating connections that were not supposed to be. Between men and women; affluent and poor people. Jesus actually coming down from Heaven to Earth is the building of a bridge. It’s the connecting of humanity to God.

And then with the cross, He becomes all of these things—the sick one, the one who was oppressed by the government, a prisoner and as a result he becomes separated from all things. I think the triumph of the resurrection is the triumph over that ultimate separation which is death and he comes back to life. Because if Jesus can beat death, Jesus can certainly beat economic disparity and oppression. Jesus can certainly beat sexism and patriarchy. In fact, we saw Him do it while Jesus was alive.

The practical implications of looking at the Gospel as primarily post-death are pretty profound. Do you think the church has been too focused on that and has a misunderstanding? Do you feel like it’s accurate that a lot of the church has misrepresented the Gospel as not something that is for the now but for later?

A person’s social perspective—their location, approach and position—mostly dictates what they can see. So I think that the perspective of those who handed us our understanding of the Gospel was actually very affluent—it was literally the perspective of governments and nations that oppressed others.

And that was, and is, the social perspective of the American church. And I think the reason why we are so disconnected from the Scripture is because every single word, letter, book and writer in the Scripture was a person whose perspective was on the underside of oppression. Every single person who wrote the Scriptures was oppressed.

I think that’s part of why the Body of Christ needs us all in order to interpret the Scripture well—to see what needs to be seen in Scripture. I think when we have looked at Scripture for the last century, in particular in the American church, we have seen the Scripture from the position of one who lives on top of systems and structures that actually are oppressing people.

This is why all of this stuff that happened by hands who claimed faith in Jesus and often used their version of the Bible to justify what they were doing, because they’re not seeing the Scripture through the eyes of the oppressed. They’re seeing the scripture through the eyes of the oppressors. So they pick and choose what they want to see, what justifies their actions.

They’ve taken Jesus out. They’ve literally lifted Him out of the context of the whole story.

So there’s a disconnection from the text itself and we know from scripture that the text is God.

The text is Jesus. John said of Jesus, “The Word came and lived among us and The Word was flesh.”

So much of it comes down to, as you were mentioning this, lack of perspective from only seeing your view. What are some practical steps for people who may have been raised in a position of privilege, and maybe not even be aware of their own lack of perspective, so that they can gain it?

It goes right back to Genesis 1 for me. At the beginning of the 6th day, that’s when God creates humanity in His image. In the Babylonian empire their understanding of the image of God was that it was only held by royalty. But the priests who were exiting 70 years of oppression do something that is absolutely revolutionary: They democratize power. Because what they say is all humanity is created in the image of God. And then they do something even more radical they say “and let them, all humanity, have dominion.”

So it’s really about maintaining the boundaries and wellness of the relationships that God has created in this new creation and so all humanity was given the call and created with the capacity to steward the world. But what we have been given in our world is a hierarchy, several hierarchies of human values and human dignity to exercise dominion. But those hierarchies are a lie. They are not from God. Because what God says is that all humanity was created to steward the world.

So I think the first step quite honestly is to learn to see the image of God and that call and that capacity to exercise dominion behind every set of eyes that you encounter in your life. You literally do what Paul said to do: Take every thought captive. And when you realize that you’re thinking of this person as just the Uber driver, just the homeless person who’s always on that corner or just your mentally ill cousin—whenever you feel that “just” part come up in your head, take that thought captive and if you can see them, look into their eyes and look for the image of God behind their eyes.

So it’s not actually enough, according to the research, for us to have a black friend or have a poor friend or to have a woman friend if you’re a bunch of men like to actually have a woman who’s a friend.

But it’s really the process of being immersed that actually challenges our unconscious biases because we’re confronted by them all the time when we’re immersed and we can’t just explain them away when we’re immersed.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2016.

Struggling with Mental Health Doesn’t Make You a Bad Christian

Bonnie Gray — Thu, 02 May 2024 17:00:53 +0000

Earlier this week, pastor John MacArthur went viral for claiming there’s no such thing as mental illness.

“I was reading a book, interesting book, called A Profession Without Reason,” MacArthur said. “It’s a book that shows, basically, this is pretty shocking to some of you, that psychiatry and psychology is finally admitting the noble lies that they’ve been telling for the last 100 years.

“And the major noble lie is there is such a thing as mental illness,” he continued. “Now, this isn’t new. You have Thomas Szasz … writing a book, who was a psychiatrist, on The Myth of Mental Illness. There’s no such thing as PTSD. There’s no such thing as OCD. There’s no such thing as ADHD. Those are noble lies to basically give the excuse to, at the end of the day, to medicate people. And Big Pharma is in charge of a lot of that.”

Current data shows that more than one in five U.S. adults do, in fact, live with a mental illness, and I am one of those adults. I didn’t want to admit it, because I was afraid that people’s response would be much like MacArthur’s. I feared people would question my faith, or worse accuse me of not trusting God enough or tell me that worry is a sin, so I should just stop worrying.

Because I believed for so long that anytime I told someone I had been feeling numb, lonely or depressed, they would accuse me of not praying enough, reading the Bible enough or applying it correctly.

But it isn’t true. Mental health issues happen to everyday people — even to believers who are strong in faith and have friends.

The worst part of working through my fear was the sense of shame some Christians made me feel about my emotional struggles. As I discovered how God views healing, however, I realized it wasn’t my faith that was flawed; it was their views toward mental health and faith.

Today, I’d like to bust some of those myths and share the truths that transformed my journey of healing into beauty and meaning.

Google and the Anonymity of Pain

Three years ago, Google began addressing the U.S. depression epidemic by implementing a new feature to users who search for “depression” or “clinical depression” by offering a questionnaire, so you can “check if you’re clinically depressed,” to determine whether to seek professional help.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five people suffer from depression. Think about it. Whether you’re sitting in a small group, at church, laughing with friends on Friday night, odds are you or a friend are suffering emotional pain, even if they appear happy, sociable and capable. It happens in ministry, too, whether you’re a pastor, missionary or youth leader.

Google developed this tool to help users ask questions about mental health in anonymity, without the stigma or shame of talking with a doctor or someone they know.

But this isn’t the way it ought to be among people of faith, who Jesus calls us to love one another the way He loves us: unconditionally. We are called to be known. But how can we light to the world, if we can’t be light to each other?

I know it’s easier to hide because I once struggled with anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia. I didn’t want anyone to think I was broken, so I kept quiet and prayed it would go away. But God wanted to heal me, not shame me.

Emotional Trauma: Social and Christian Stigma

Out of the blue, during the happiest chapter in my life—being a Christian author; happily in love and married with two boys; someone who grew up an optimist in a single-parent family; putting myself through college; loving God, coffee, inductive Bible Studies, friends and ministry—I suddenly started having panic attacks and debilitating insomnia. And I didn’t know why.

It turns out because I was now grown up and safe, all the painful things I experienced as a child began to surface. Not because my faith was faulty, but because God loved me and it was time to heal what I overcame in the past. My post-traumatic stress disorder therapist told me that a soldier doesn’t experience trauma when he’s brave and fighting on the battlefield. A soldier only experiences panic attacks when he’s finally home—when he is safe to face what was too difficult to process at the time.

It’s actually God’s way of protecting us when hurt, fear or loss is too overwhelming. Our healthy nervous system, designed by God to automatically shield us in the moment, compartmentalizes pain for us, so we can get through hard things—temporarily.

Except I was confused. PTSD from childhood trauma? I never experienced physical abuse and I’d never been to Iraq or Afghanistan. How can I have PTSD?

What my therapist said next stopped me in my tracks: “Did you know emotional abuse has the same impact as physical abuse? You need to heal from Emotional PTSD.”

It is tough enough combatting the stigma of mental health in a culture that prides itself on entrepreneurship, self-reliance and curating Instagram-perfect lifestyles. But as a Christian, it was even worse. Speaking up about the emotional pain I once survived or was enduring, I ran into a lie often perpetuated in our church culture about mental health and spiritual fitness: If you’re feeling emotionally broken, your faith is weak or broken.

It’s the opposite. Healing parts of your heart that you’ve once put to the side—whether to survive, to be strong, to avoid pain or take care of others—may be the most powerful act of faith, that God is calling you to make today.

What Keeps You Silent?

So, where is the Church’s voice on mental health—other than simplistic Sunday School answers, guilt or silence? Because the Church is often slow to address realities that the culture is first to voice—whether through arts, film, music and, unfortunately, through stories of pain and tragedy in the news. It’s up to us, the regular, everyday people in the trenches of real life to speak the truth and tell our stories about the work God’s doing in our lives and what He’s saying to us through the Scriptures.

Because the truth is, you and I are the Church.

In that spirit, here are the top five myths and truths I’ve uncovered in my books about my journey to find rest, practice soul care and experience the peace and joy that comes from healing.

5 Myths and Truths About Mental Health and Spiritual Fitness

1. Myth: Jesus commanded us, “Do not worry.” If you worry, you are sinning.

Truth: Jesus was encouraging us. There is no need to worry about money.

In Matthew 6:25, Jesus was not issuing a command that makes worry an act of sin when he said, “Therefore, do not worry.” Jesus was giving us the reason why “You cannot serve God and money” in the previous verse. He was giving us encouragement not to worry about money because God will provide for us, like the birds of the air and flowers in the field.

So, be at peace. God understands why you worry. He loves you. He is the God of comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles (2 Corinthians 1:4).

2. Myth: Trust God and you’ll have peace and joy. If you don’t have peace or joy, then you’re not trusting God enough.

Truth: Emotional honesty is an intimate act of trusting God with your real self, instead of hiding how you feel or trying to do or be more.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest for your souls.” – Matthew 11:28

Notice Jesus doesn’t say, “Come to me strong, cheerful, calm and untroubled.”

It’s the opposite. We’re invited to come to him weary—whether confused, numb, anxious, angry or stressed. Jesus tells us to simply come, as we are. Imperfectly His.

3. Myth: If you read God’s word more, pray more, praise more, give thanks more, rejoice more, etc.—you will have peace that surpasses all understanding.

Truth: Faith is not emotional amnesia. Faith gives us courage to face the brokenness of life and heal from the losses we’ve suffered.

Jesus Himself obeyed, prayed, praised and gave thanks perfectly. Yet He suffered emotional trauma, overwhelmed by impending physical and emotional abuse, abandonment and betrayal: “My soul is deeply troubled, overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Going a little farther, He fell to the ground …” – Mark 14:34, 35

When the apostle Paul encourages us not to be anxious, but to pray, give thanks and present our requests (Philippians 4:5, 6), he was encouraging us to experience the peace of taking our problems to God, rather than finding peace in our ability to solve them with our own understanding. This wasn’t meant to indict us for experiencing anxiety.

4. Myth: The Bible says forget the past and focus on what’s ahead.

Truth: God remembers the moments that break us. We go back to heal our past with Jesus, to experience His love intimately and recover all parts of our hearts with Him.

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” – Psalm 56:8

When the Apostle Paul said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,” he wasn’t talking about erasing his past. Read Philippians 3. You’ll discover he was referring to forgetting his old way of life as a Pharisee, focusing his worth on how things appeared and spiritual performance. Paul was focused on knowing Jesus intimately and sharing in “His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death.”

5. Myth: You don’t need a therapist. You just need Jesus and God’s Word.

Truth: If you look at most instances of healing in Scripture, someone had to step out in faith and take action to go somewhere, see someone or ask for something.

If you’ve been hurt, you deserve to take care of yourself now that you’re safe to heal with Jesus. God’s words will give you strength to heal and investigate your emotional wounds. Just like God uses skilled doctors to help us heal from physical wounds, God uses psychologists to help us heal our nervous system and process memories that once wounded you, so that you’re free to sleep, rest and access all parts of your heart and your story.

You story is worth remembering. You are worth valuing.

Be curious. Let God love you. Take the intimate journey of healing.

You’ll be amazed by the beauty and be transformed by it.

We Asked: The Craziest Thing You’ve Seen At Church

RELEVANT — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:00:21 +0000

If you’ve been in church before, you know it’s not necessarily known for its humor. However, that doesn’t mean that hilarious or outrageous things don’t happen during services. Sometimes you witness things like flaming monster trucks or sword-swallowing acrobatics, which got us thinking about other instances people have witnessed in church.

We searched the internet looking for the funniest or craziest things people have witnessed at church. We covered a few on the latest episode of The RELEVANT Podcast, but here are a few more we wanted to share:

20.

The part-time pastor, part-time wrestling show worker is not a typical combination you see these days.

19.

This is actually a cautionary tale of playing with fire.

18.

Sure, that’s what he said he was doing…

17.

Well, did you pray for him?!

16.

That’s one way to get the church on their feet!

15.

Uh, so what did she call the judge?

14.

Well, that’s one way to do it!

13.

Kids really do say the darndest things.

12.

Your baby cousin has impeccable timing.

11.

Ah, so your brother was trying to still his brother’s blessing. Where have we heard this story before…?

10.

Did you still tell her “bless you” after this? Because it sounds like she needed it.

9.

This pastor sounds like he’s trying on a career as a comedian.

8.

If my nickname was the “toothless preacher” I would simply move states and change my name (or at least change my dentist).

7.

When Paul wrote “pray about everything,” we aren’t sure this is what he had in mind.

6.

Simple, but effective.

5.

And we’re sure this story was used as a sermon illustration for years to come.

4.

This is downright diabolical. Hilarious, but diabolical.

3.

What were strikes one and two?

2.

We bet God got a good chuckle out that, too.

1.

“Feet” and “bread” do not belong in the same sentence.

A Wave of Protests Are Erupting On College Campuses Nationwide

RELEVANT — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 19:02:11 +0000

Student protests over the the Israel-Hamas War have intensified and expanded over the past week across several college campuses including Columbia University, Yale, New York University and the University of Texas at Austin, among others. Police have been called on to several campuses to arrest demonstrators and break up encampments.

Protesters are calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, an end to U.S. military assistance for Israel, university divestment from weapons suppliers and other companies profiting from the war, and protections for students and faculty members who have faced disciplinary actions for protesting.

Within the last week, the protests have grown violent from ongoing tension. Organizers have widely disavowed violence against pro-Israel counter-protesters, but many Jewish students have said they feel unsafe on campus after hearing rhetoric they believe is antisemitic.

In response, school administrators and local law enforcement have begun to crack down on the protests. In particular, Columbia University has had an intense and tumultuous week. Following university president Minouche Shafik’s testimony before a U.S. House of Representatives committee on Columbia’s response to protests, students set up an encampment on campus. Over the weekend, more than 100 protesters were arrested for violating unauthorized protests. However, the encampment has not yet disbanded, despite pressure from university administrators.

They’re not the only college cracking down on protests. Yale police arrested more than 60 protesters on Monday, after giving them “several opportunities to leave and avoid arrest,” according to the university. The New York Police Department said officers also arrested 120 people at NYU on Monday because protesters were “interfering with the safety and security of our community.” On Wednesday afternoon, nearly 60 UT students were arrested by Austin police.

While campuses are navigating how to navigate their responses, political leaders are chiming in on the situation. President Joe Biden — who protesters have criticized for aiding Israel — told reporters on Monday that he condemned both “antisemitic protests” and “those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians.”Additionally, former President Donald Trump (and the current frontrunner for the Republican candidate for the 2024 election) called the campus protest situation “a mess.”

What’s Really Going to Happen to TikTok?

Emily Brown — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 17:28:23 +0000

After being passed by both houses of Congress, this morning President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that would ban Chinese-owned TikTok unless it is sold within a year. The new law applies to any social media app owned by a foreign adversary that has more than 1 million yearly users in the U.S. With 170 million American users, Chinese-owned TikTok definitely fits that bill.

It is the most serious threat yet to TikTok’s future in the U.S., but don’t expect to see any changes to the app just yet. Here’s what we know:

Is TikTok shutting down?

No. The law states that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, must sell its stake in the app within 12 months otherwise it will be banned in the U.S. According to the bill, ByteDance has nine months to divest and find an American buyer for TikTok. After that, the president can push back the deadline by an additional 90 days.

In the meantime, users will likely not experience any changes on the app.

How long until the app would be banned?

While it’s unlikely, a potential ban would probably be several years from now. The earliest it would shut down is one year from now, assuming ByteDance doesn’t find an American buyer.

However, ByteDance previously said if the bill passed, it would block the implementation of the statute, which means any ban would be paused while under judicial review by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Once the court issues its ruling, whichever side loses is likely to request a review by the U.S. Supreme Court. That would lead to a further pause in the ban by another year, meaning nothing would likely go into effect until 2026. (And that’s only if ByteDance refuses to sell.)

Following Biden’s announcement, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chow posted a video response, calling it a “disappointing moment” and reiterating the company’s commitment to legally challenge the law.

“This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court,” the company wrote in a Wednesday statement on X following Biden’s signing. “This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans.”

If ByteDance does sell, who is most likely to buy TikTok?

The bill states that TikTok can continue to operate in the U.S. if ByteDance sells the app to a U.S.-approved company, which means there are a wide array of options. Major U.S. tech companies like Microsoft have been rumored to have interest, but the Biden administration has stated they have no interest in expanding the already massive power and influence of such companies.

This leaves room for outside groups to jump in. Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, for example, has sought to make a bid, and has already put together an investor group. The Wall Street Journal also reported that former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick was looking for potential partners to pursue it.

It comes down to who will have the right price point. ByteDance is worth hundreds of billions of dollars, but TikTok would fetch less than that, experts say — especially if it is sold without its powerful recommendation algorithm. And that’s assuming ByteDance agrees to sell at all.

How did we get here in the first place?

U.S. lawmakers have been concerned about TikTok for several years. In August 2020, President Trump signed an executive order that tried to ban the app after TikTok users used it to coordinate disruptions to his campaign rallies.

In the years since, Congress worried that TikTok could be pressured by the Chinese government to hand over personal information of its American users, potentially facilitating targeted misinformation campaigns or providing China with intelligence targets.

“How can we ban TikTok among ourselves and not ban it for our children? That is the moral question of today and of our time,” said Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul. “TikTok is a modern-day Trojan horse of the [Chinese Communist Party] used to surveil and exploit Americans’ personal information… In other words, it’s a spy balloon in your phone.”

The current law was passed so quickly because it was tucked into a larger spending bill providing emergency financial aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. The Senate passed it on Tuesday evening, and Biden signed it into law on Wednesday morning.

Why Christians Should Probably Care About Earth Day

Tim Mascara — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 16:00:02 +0000

I am a disciple of Jesus. But if I am honest with myself, I am probably more of a selective disciple. I find myself, sometimes unknowingly, but again if I am honest, knowingly, “choosing areas in which commitment suits [me] and staying away from those areas in which it will be costly,” as John Stott wrote in The Radical Disciple. What about you? Are there areas where you pick and choose what to submit to the authority of Jesus?

I wonder if sometimes these areas are things we think really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. By saying it is not a big deal we are able to downplay the possibility that this is a discipleship issue. I wonder if what is innocuous to us is a way for us to say it would be too costly to my life to actually ponder the implications or ramifications of radical discipleship.

John Stott may not be a household name for many, but in Christian circles he was a very influential thinker and writer of the 20th century. Besides the many works he published in his long career, the very last book he penned was a challenge to the Church on some areas he believed to be neglected in our calling as disciples of Christ.

One of those areas was the lack of dialogue in the American evangelical churches around creation care. I have to say, I think I agree with him.

The minute someone begins to talk about climate change, Earth Day or any other “green” initiative, what image pops in your head? What image do you have of the person speaking? For me, a few years ago, that person would have been a left-wing, granola-eating liberal. (My apologies if I have offended any left-wing, granola-eating liberals reading this.)

If I am being honest, though, that is the stereotype I used to have in my head. But why? Isn’t that backwards? If the Earth is God’s creation and not some cosmic accident, shouldn’t God’s followers be at the forefront of environmental care initiatives?

Here is why I believe Earth Day should matter to the Church: The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it — the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1). Earth Day should matter because the Earth is His. He is the creator of the creation, all of it, every inch, every animate and inanimate aspect of it.

It all matters, and all has value, not because we say so, not because we can make a dollar off of it, or it is useful to us, but because it is His and He said it is good. Earth Day should matter, not because of some cliché saying that it belongs to our kids and we are just borrowing from them. It doesn’t belong to my kids anymore than it belongs to me.

And because it is His, it isn’t just some field, it isn’t just some animal or it isn’t just some valley. It is His. You and me? We are just stewards. But that sells it short also. We are not just stewards. We are the creator’s stewards. We are His stewards.

And as amazing as that is, and as often as we muck that role up, we still have the chance to cooperate with God in conserving and nurturing creation. He has entered into a partnership with us to be caretakers of His creation. This is what Genesis 1 gets at. This is dominion. It is not domination. It is to till and to keep, to cultivate and preserve.

This is why Earth Day matters. Because we have a mandate from God, from the rightful owner, to compassionately care for what is His. Is Earth Day the only day that matters? I can’t help but think of Matthew Scully, who put it this way, “Justice is not some finite commodity, nor are kindness and love … a wrong is a wrong, and often the little ones, when they are shrugged off as nothing, spread and do the gravest harm to ourselves and others.”

We know the power of a small act of kindness. It can have ripple effects in our lives and the lives of others. Could small strides taken on Earth Day, from the Christian community, have ripple effects in our lives and the lives of others?

Could our understanding of the passage that “His eye is on the sparrow” not just be some happy illustration of his love for only us? It can also mean that His eye truly is on the sparrow and He watches over both of His creations with grace and love. Yes, we are of more worth than many sparrows, but that doesn’t belittle the fact that even a sparrow is not outside of the Father’s care.

What strides can we take?

Maybe the first step is to get outside. To explore. To ponder. To slow. To stop and listen to the sound of a bird. To stop and pause in front of a shrub this spring. We are often moving so fast that we miss the smaller world around us. But sometimes, if you stop long enough you will see how busy the bees are working to gather food, and yet to help pollinate the many plants around us.

As Francis Schaeffer wrote, “This is not pantheism, but rather a way of honoring the Creator. Thus, as a human, I recognize that I am more valuable than an ant, but the ant is a fellow creature, both of us made by the same God.” The goal here is not the deification of nature, but maybe admitting we have lost sight of whose creation this is, and our part in that creation.

Our second step could be to educate ourselves. How many water bottles are thrown into a landfill every single day? (60 million.) How many animals in America are slaughtered every day? (23.3 million.) There are a whole host of valuable questions to ask. And as hard as it is to hear it, to say, “I don’t want to know how the chicken nugget got to my plate. I just want to enjoy it,” is not a valid excuse.

Finally, take small steps by maybe skipping the water bottle. Use a reusable bottle. Skip the plastic straw at the restaurant. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs. As cliché as it sounds, plant a tree. See that act as something more. See it as an act of building for the coming kingdom. Find locally sourced animal meat, and even, eat less animal meat. To want to help the Earth and not address the destruction caused by the industrialized animal farming operations is like focusing on a small issue while a larger one looms. It is like an old Persian saying about someone who has lost his horse and yet is busy looking for horseshoes.

You can either choose to simply eat less animal meat, or in your budget, since buying locally sourced animal meat tends to be more expensive, keep the same budget and you naturally will consume less. Or perhaps, when you go out to eat, choose vegetarian.

Yes, these are just a few small steps. Yes, there are many other problems facing our world. But is it fair to ask that we can be involved in multiple issues? Can we see how both the refugee crisis and creation care are able to fall under what it means to be a disciple of Jesus? There is room for us to do both in a given day. And maybe, just maybe, the daily habit of small acts of kindness toward the creation can train or aim our hearts to larger acts of kindness.

Could we have fallen prey to our own selective discipleship? Am I able to admit that for a long time I have simply pretended to not know? As Leo Tolstoy wrote, “We are not ostriches, and cannot believe that if we refuse to look at what we do not wish to see, it will not exist.”

‘American Idol,’ Gospel Star Mandisa Dies at 47

Emily Brown — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 17:45:13 +0000

Mandisa, the Grammy Award-winning gospel singer who got her start as a contestant on season 5 of American Idol, died on Thursday, April 18 at the age of 47 in her Nashville home.

David Pierce, the chief media officer of Christian radio network K-Love, also commented on Mandisa on social media.

“Mandisa loved Jesus, and she used her unusually extensive platform to talk about Him at every turn,” wrote David Pierce, chief media officer of K-Love. “Her kindness was epic, her smile electric, her voice massive, but it was no match for the size of her heart. Mandisa struggled, and she was vulnerable enough to share that with us, which helped us talk about our own struggles. Mandisa’s struggles are over, she is with the God she sang about now. While we are saddened, Mandisa is home. We’re praying for Mandisa’s family and friends and ask you to join us.”

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Born Mandisa Lynn Hundley, the singer auditioned for American Idol in 2005, becoming a fan favorite among other contestants like Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Chris Daughtry and eventual winner Taylor Hicks. She advanced to the top nine contestants before being eliminated. During her run, she sang hits like “I’m Every Woman,” “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing,” “Any Man of Mine,” “Shackles (Praise You)” and more.

Post-American Idol, Mandisa released her first album, True Beauty, in 2007, which featured the hit single, “Only the World.” She received Grammy nominations for best pop/contemporary gospel album for True Beauty and Freedom (2009), and for contemporary Christian music album for What if We Were Real (2011). In 2013, she won a Grammy for her fourth album, Overcomer.

In 2022, Mandisa began to speak out about her struggles with fame and mental health throughout her career. In her memoir Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy, the singer detailed her experience with depression and anxiety following the loss of a close friend to cancer, which she referred to as her “deep dark” period. During that time, Mandisa turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Eventually, her mental health sank so low she contemplated suicide.

“I was so miserable; I felt so hopeless,” she wrote. “I am a woman of faith, and I believe that heaven is real, and when I do leave here, I’m going to be in heaven with Jesus. One of the things I started hearing during that dark period was: ‘You’re in so much pain. If you take your life, you could be in heaven right now with Jesus.’”

After an intervention from her friends, Mandisa was able to get help and take control of her mental health. She credited her friends with helping her out of that darkness.

“During my life I’ve been drawn into friendships with all types of people — some very different from me,” said Mandisa. “My tribe has included men, women, single people, married people with kids, millennials, more ‘seasoned’ folks, and every age in between. … You learn so much and become a richer person by surrounding yourself with people who are different from you. As I’ve walked through hard things in my life, I’ve sometimes been surprised by the people God has used to comfort and help me. At times I get to be there for them too. That’s what it’s all about.”

Many of those friends also included collaborations with other Christian and Gospel artists, including TobyMac, Michael W. Smith, Jordan Feliz, Jon Reddick, Kirk Franklin and Matthew West.

“The darkness felt a little less dark,” she wrote. “I could see a small flicker. Light was beginning to break through.”

Christianity Shouldn’t Be a Weapon

Hilary Moore — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:00:41 +0000

In the law, there is a concept of interpretation where an individual law can be used either as a sword or as a shield. A law is used as a sword when it is weaponized, used to hurt people or denigrate the law itself. Law is used as a shield when it is employed to help people, protect them or fortify the integrity of the law in general. We choose how we interpret the law – as sword or as shield – and often it is to our benefit to use it as a weapon – to defend ourselves and our ways of life from question, criticism or God forbid, change. Like the law, Christianity can also be used as a sword or a shield. And we Christians get to choose how we use it.

I am hard on Christians. Because I am one. Due to my social and political beliefs, I have rarely felt welcome or respected in organized religion, much less found a home church. I was not raised in a religious home. I wasn’t taught to pray. We didn’t discuss God or the hereafter. Through my years, I have repeatedly experienced Christianity used to exclude, insult and mistreat others. Not always, but in meaningful and common enough ways to be memorable.

We are a heavily Christian nation. Therefore, we Christians are largely responsible for the state of our nation. Much of America’s divisive rhetoric stems from a conscious – or unconscious – interpretation, application and profession of Christianity as a sword, rather than the loving, hopeful and merciful shield that it was intended to be. This use is in fact the opposite of our professed purpose however – to share Christ’s love. And it’s killing not only the Church, but our country. Through God-given free will, we can choose to change.

I beg my fellow Christians to look inside themselves and take personal responsibility for our weaponization of faith. For its negative impact on our country, our neighbors, our church. For our use of Christianity to validate only our own experience of reality. To protect only our own way of life. To justify and facilitate our own pre-existing discrimination, anger, and even hatred.

The result? Jesus has a PR problem.

Christianity, like the law, is very easy to use as a weapon. Because it brings us the immediate satisfaction that we crave with little or no self-reflection, sacrifice or effort. A sword provides the excuse that enables us to release our own self-righteous anger. And it feels good. It can even seem “right” when we look around and see the rest of the choir doing it too.

But faith is often eviscerated by those who claim to be its most stringent adherents. Those who lack the self-awareness to realize or take responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Free will was good enough for God. Why then do his earthly followers insist upon conversion by sword – physical or legislative – rather than by using the faith to look inside themselves and purify their own hearts? Conversion by force is lazy. It absolves us of our own duty to live the faith and inspire faith in others. It absolves us of personal responsibility.

If Christians would with voice and action support truthful, just, compassionate politics and rhetoric, we would unify our faith and our nation. We would fulfill our moral obligation to treat all individuals regardless of politics, race, gender or nationality with the human dignity and love that we believe God created them. Ultimately, it would even better serve our professed purpose – to lead others to faith.

New people are not brought to faith when we simply beat the war drums with the choir.

New people are not brought to faith when we support, engage in or fail to speak up against intentionally divisive, inappropriate, untruthful and unprofessional political rhetoric, no matter which side of the political spectrum it comes from.

New people are not brought to faith when we care more for our party’s own political benefit than we do truth. (How can we be trusted to reveal eternal truths when we don’t respect earthly ones?)

New people are not brought to faith when we support laws that only benefit ourselves or that perpetuate injustice.

New people are not brought to faith when we hold tight our purse strings, refusing to help the poor, ill, destitute, faithless, “undesirables” because of our own self-serving and self-righteous labeling of them as such.

New people are not brought to faith when we choose to interpret science as the enemy of faith, rather than as a God-given tool to understand the glory of His creation.

New people are not brought to faith when we use Christianity to criticize and condemn others, rather than to look inward and purify our own hearts.

While the pen (or keyboard) is said to be mightier than the sword, at the same time, words are easy. Actions speak louder than words. Real life action, introspection and self-sacrifice is hard. But that is exactly what we are called to do. Are we really comfortable taking the easy way out? Slapping on the superficial bandaid rather than doing the hard, life and world-changing work? Our laziness and self-righteousness has created a major PR problem for Jesus. It’s time to fix it.

The world saw the Jesus flags in the crowd of insurrectionists that descended upon our capitol, with zip ties in hand and pipe bombs left at the DNC and RNC, with the chants to hang Vice President Pence. Yes. Jesus indeed has a PR problem.

These dark times are an opportunity for Christians to be a light. To unify in Christ’s love, not just with each other, but especially with others and with those who we perhaps don’t think deserve it. After all, isn’t that what Christ did for us – give us undeserving grace and love?

We don’t have to be hateful. We don’t have to be divisive. We don’t have to use our faith as a sword. Can we step down from our comfortable, non-introspective, self-righteous pedestals to walk humbly with those labeled criminal, immoral, wrong? Alongside those who we disagree with? It will be uncomfortable, challenging, and difficult, but it is indeed exactly what Jesus showed us. And it is exactly what the nation and the world needs.

A Bunch of States Are About to Ban Your Favorite Snacks

RELEVANT — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 21:01:09 +0000

Multiple states across the U.S. are pushing forward bills that could lead to the banning of several additives found in popular candies, snacks and sodas.

Following in the footsteps of California’s “Skittles ban,” these laws have a serious goal: eliminating food additives linked to cancer, fertility issues and adverse effects on children’s behavior.

California’s ban, set to take effect in January 2027, targeted four additives—brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and Red 3—due to their association with various health risks, including cancer and mood disorders. Building on this initiative, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey and Missouri are now advancing similar measures.

(Pennsylvania’s proposal is taking a particularly broad approach, aiming to outlaw five common food colorings associated with hyperactivity in children.)

States are looking to the European Union’s standards for this bill. In many European countries, snacks such as Hot Cheetos, Lucky Charms and Gatorade are all available without the additives, proving that these dangerous chemicals are not necessary for the production of the products.

The move has garnered support from experts like Brian Ronholm, director of food safety at Consumer Reports, who emphasizes the urgency of removing these chemicals from our food supply.

“There is no consumer confusion on this issue — they want these chemicals out of foods,” Ronholm said. “But when [consumers] see that the FDA has not been able to keep up with the latest research… they recognize that the states are the only ones trying to protect them from toxic food chemicals right now.”

However, opposition from industry representatives, like Chris Gindlesperger of the National Confectioners Association, suggests there are ongoing debates over the scientific evidence supporting these bans.

“This [research] has blatant shortcomings,” he said. “Other bodies have consistently countered that study and concluded there is no causal relationship between food color additives and behavior in children.”

Despite this, campaigners remain optimistic, pointing to bipartisan efforts and the precedent set by European countries, where similar bans have been successfully implemented.

We Need to Rethink How We Care for the Homeless

Matthew Rigby — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0000

I’m staring at an old newspaper cover.

It was delivered to our house in December, and made its rounds from the front door, to the kitchen table, to the kitchen cupboard before my wife finally stated, “throw it out, I’m sick of looking at it.”

I threw most of it out.

The front cover I laid aside, then carefully cut out the picture on the front page. A woman stands in the middle of the picture, her upper body and face obscured by the sign she is holding. On the sign are two simple words: “Not Welcome.”

The city where I live has a problem. It has a significant population of unhoused individuals, and (currently) inadequate resources to shelter them. This past fall, tents and makeshift tarps lined the city sidewalks in a central downtown location close to various shelters and services. The tent-city eventually took up an entire block. And then in late November, the city unexpectedly and suddenly moved this population and their belongings to less central, residential areas. Areas much closer to people’s homes.

I kept the picture on the front page because it disturbed me. Temperatures had dropped significantly that week, and snow had begun to cover the ground. On the edges of the picture I can see the sign holder’s, embroidered scarf and fur-lined mittens. In contrast to their seemingly put-together appearance, the signboard appears hastily written, blotches of paint visible within the letters. Their face was obscured, their identity and disdain protected. They could have been anyone. For a while, they seemed to be everyone.

That story captured a moment of collective anger, fear and judgement. For days people called in to the local radio or wrote into the paper expressing their frustration over scores of unhoused individuals being unceremoniously moved near their homes and parks.

At that time, a prominent pastor in our city was highlighted by a national news program for an editorial he had written regarding the homeless population in our city. I was hopeful that this pastor was going to comment on our common humanity, our need for empathy, and our need to stop “othering” this unhoused population.

But this was not what was written.

Initially, I was encouraged. The editorial began with the pastor challenging each person to walk down the affected street in our city, to see the faces of those most affected. The people hunkering down under makeshift tarps, those who worked at the nearby shelter, the business owners attempting to make a living. He reflected on his own religious instruction to have compassion and care for the poor. He lamented the tragic history that many of these individuals have had that has led to their current living situation.

And then as expected, he likened the plight of our city’s unhoused to a story in the Gospel of John. In John’s account, Jesus comes upon an encampment of people near a pool. The pool is thought to be a place of healing for those who can reach the pool while water is stirring (supposedly by a divine being). Many sick, blind, paralyzed and emaciated lived nearby. It is here that Jesus comes across a man who has had an infirmity to his legs for 38 years, and asks him if he would like to be well.

That question, “Would you like to be well?” is an interesting one, and one the aforementioned pastor focuses on. He reckons that perhaps the man did not want to be healed. That he preferred begging, that perhaps he would have to take responsibility for his life if he was healed. And then he related the story to the unhoused. Maybe some of them don’t want to be housed. Maybe some of them don’t want to “be clean and sober and work and pay [their] own way.”

Ah. There it is. So that’s the pastor’s true message. That there are deserving and undeserving. Sick or poor, 2,000 years ago or today, some people deserve our help and compassion, others do not. This pastor ends his editorial with the opinion that if an unhoused individual does not wish to become a productive member of society, that we should make our city “a very unwelcome place for them”.

There it is again. “Not Welcome.”

I cannot tell you how deflated I felt after hearing these words. I was expecting the Gospel, good news for the unhoused. I was expecting a story of compassion to yield more compassion, not justified condemnation.

And yet, I understand the frustration that leads one to look for answers, especially from the Bible. Frustration is understandable because the problem of homelessness is not simple, and has not been easily addressed in any city I am aware of. This pastor is frustrated with “handouts,” nonprofit and municipal resources spent because they don’t “fix” the problem of homelessness in our city.

What if it’s not about fixing? What if it’s about compassion?

I work as a nurse, and I regularly witness firsthand how important and commonly overlooked compassion is. Where we can, practitioners endeavor to heal to the best of our ability. But there are many things we cannot heal. Certain diseases, chronic conditions, even the human condition of aging and own slow decay are inescapable, unfixable.

In these cases, compassion and care becomes infinitely more important than outcomes. In fact, compassion becomes the outcome. Reducing suffering matters, even and especially when all seems hopeless. Imagine if I refused to treat the next patient with a chronic disease, on the basis that they would never “get better”.

I make this connection with our city’s unhoused and their treatment because I think this pastor, this unknown sign holder, and many of us need to rethink what a homeless plan should look like. What our compassion and care looks like, regardless of desired outcomes. I believe this pastor wants to help, wants to heal. He looks at the homeless encampment and sees a disaster, a crisis. He’s not uncaring, he’s motivated. He’s a fixer. It’s a good impulse.

But what if we can’t fix the problem? Or what if it takes a really long time? What if, as the experts imply, this is a result of lost social and institutional structures, multi-generational trauma, systemic racism, a society-wide dependence on numbing through substances? What if this isn’t an “everybody work harder!” problem? What if those with past trauma are unable to trust institutional structures? What if someone who was part of a residential school can’t bring themselves to spend one night in a shelter with the name “Mission” on it. Or in the basement of a church? What if someone with longstanding substance use can’t simply sober up by sheer willpower alone in order to jump through the hoops of “dry housing?” What if someone can’t focus on job training before they find a reliable place to sleep that night? What then?

What do we do when we can’t win, can’t fix?

Our compassion matters. It matters to the people around us, and it matters within us. The moment I saw the front page, and that “Not Welcome” sign, I thought of Jesus’ warning that it is possible to gain the world, and forfeit your soul. Forfeit what best and truest within you. I grieved for a soul so willing to display it’s fear and hatred, and filled with enough shame to hide its face. I think about the soul of someone who thinks that the way of Jesus includes making a city unwelcome. Who reads a story of compassion and healing and justifies that some are undeserving of help or healing. The soul of someone who sees the coming snow, and doesn’t think of those sleeping in tents as deserving of warmth. That soul is cold.

And that soul is my soul, too, of course. Who hasn’t turned away from a stranger asking for help, hiding behind judgments of deserving or undeserving? Who hasn’t hoped that the next shelter would be miles away from their house, their work, or their children’s school? It’s easy to focus on an outspoken community pastor, or an anonymous sign holder, but each time I choose judgement or dismissal over compassion, my soul is wounded too.

I wonder if our purest love is shown best in the darkest places. When a perfect outcome seems impossible, when we barely move the needle. When nothing is winnable or fixable, we have only our compassion, our desire to reduce the hurt. We touch the wound, and we are the ones who are healed.

There is a place for a call to action. A call for businesses, communities, and organizations to partner. A call for personal responsibility, for those housed and unhoused. A place for compassionate municipal strategies. Power structures can change. Systems can ensure less people fall through the cracks. Outdated ideologies can be replaced. But our compassion is nonnegotiable.

I know people who are sure they will see an end to homelessness. Their focus is unwavering, until they make it reality. But whether they are right or wrong, one thing I am sure of is this: they will work to that end with dedication and compassion until their dying day. With their every action, in a thousand different words, they will tell the soul in front of them: “You are welcome here.”

And they will see none of it as wasted.

The Pringles x Crocs Crossover Nobody Asked For Is Here

Emily Brown — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 22:01:21 +0000

Pringles has teamed up with Crocs to create an ankle holster for your potato chips. No, this is not a delayed April Fool’s product.

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The “Pringles X Crocs” collab dropped limited-time shoes this week, ranging from $50-100, in both men’s and women’s sizes.

First up, there’s the “Classic Crush” boots, which come with a mini-can of a new Pringles flavor called “Croc-tail Party,” which tastes like “watermelon chili lime.” That’s exactly the flavor no one wants from a potato chip.

Then there are the multi-colored “Classic Clogs” and “Classic Slides.” Each pair comes with charms called “Jibbitz” that can be plugged into holes on top of the shoes, to make sure everyone knows you’re the No. 1 Pringles fan.

Delicious.

Ahead of the release, Pringles’ parent company Kellanova, which spun off from Kellogg last year, sent the Classic Crush boots to influencers in order to generate some buzz. Pringles fanatics Ashlee Simpson and her husband Evan Ross decided they were the perfect boots for Coachella. So if you feel like matching with a couple of D-list celebrities, run, don’t walk, to the official Crocs website to get your own pair.

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A post shared by Ashlee Simpson Ross (@ashleesimpsonross)

Steven Furtick’s Barber Is Going Full Defense Over the Pastor’s Haircut

Emily Brown — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:42:10 +0000

Weeks after Elevation Church went viral for how they do and don’t talk about Easter, another “controversy” has gone viral, this time over Pastor Steven Furtick’s sweater and haircut.

It all started when Furtick wore a $2,000 Givenchy sweater on Easter Sunday. X and Instagram users drudged up years-old arguments about preachers purchasing high-end clothing — a conversation that is somehow not totally exhausted in 2024. But one user, Trey Ferguson, wanted to direct everyone’s attention to a more important matter regarding Furtick: his haircut.

“Y’all so worried about the sweater that we about to let him slide for the haircut?” Ferguson said in a video posted on his social media channels.

Ferguson then compared Furtick’s haircut to everything from a coach’s offensive line on a junior varsity football team to “an unrighteous gemstone.” He also said Furtick’s haircut “looks like he goes to a Black barber if that Black barber was raised by white people.”

Online pile-ons can bring out the worst in us.

Everybody is so focused on the price of a preacher’s sweater that we’re missing some of the weightier matters.

Do not be distracted nor deceived. pic.twitter.com/Zxpae4G60k

— Trey Ferguson (@PastorTrey05) April 11, 2024

That final comment garnered some backlash of its own… from Furtick’s actual barber.

In a response to the video on Instagram, user @flytonair clarified he was Furtick’s barber but he was not raised by white people. He defended Furtick’s looks before going in on Ferguson’s appearance. The entire thing is a vicious clapback — here are a few highlights:

“You have no hairline and a chin strap beard that doesn’t connect.”
“You look like a low-budget Risk Ross if he was on drugs.”
“You look like a hood Forrest Whittaker in a $6 hoodie.”
“The low-budget Steve Harvey look doesn’t work for you, sir.”

Furtick’s barber concluded his response by asking, “How about lifting up the preacher and less focus on the outfit and the cut? Isn’t that what you are called to do! Or maybe you called yourself?”

Of course, that wasn’t the end of the conversation. The two went back and forth exchanging insults on IG. If you’ve got some time to spare, you’ll definitely want to take a scroll down the comment section.

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A post shared by Trey Ferguson (@pastortrey05)

The latest update is that pastor Trey’s mom has entered the chat. She was NOT having it with this barber insulting her son…’s mother.

Welcome to the churchy version of the Drake/Rick Ross feud.

How You Can Help the Crisis in Haiti

Stephanie Robinson — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 15:42:18 +0000

In late February, gangs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, joined forces to overthrow the currently exiled prime minister and take control of the country. Haiti’s ongoing crisis has dangerously escalated ever since.

For those of us in the U.S., it may seem as though Haiti has been in and out of the news for decades, most notably in 2010 when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake killed nearly a quarter of a million people. Since then, political unrest, gang violence, and natural disasters have been near constant. Under the current circumstances, Haitians all over the country are suffering from food shortages and extreme threats of violence.

There are two common responses to this news: The first is apathy. People shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, what are you going to do?” before grabbing a latte on their way to work. The other is to take action — to jump in and help, just like I did in 2010.

Both responses can be harmful. But I didn’t know that back then.

Misconceptions That Harm

My husband and I moved to Haiti following a mission trip after the earthquake in 2010. Initially, our role was to help provide clean drinking water, but I soon began volunteering at a local orphanage. A three-month commitment became permanent, and for the next 12 years, we called Haiti home.

As a 23-year-old American, I had arrived holding my luggage and a number of powerful — and problematic — assumptions.

Despite having next to no experience in development work, I thought the Haitian people needed my help, and my perspective. But my perspective turned out to be wrong. During the time I spent volunteering at the orphanage, I, like so many others, innocently believed the children were truly orphans — that they didn’t have a living parent. I was also genuinely convinced that my effort to care for these children in a facility and coordinate mission teams from the States to help at the orphanage was the best way to support and serve the Haitian children. I wasn’t alone in these misconceptions — an outpouring of donations led to a 150% increase in the number of orphanages after the earthquake, and international adoptions skyrocketed.

Listening, Learning, and A Willingness to Change

After four years at the orphanage, I took note of a group of women who regularly attended our church service. The kids would surround them, and one day I asked who they were. I was told, “They’re the moms.”

This shocking revelation became a turning point for my work in Haiti.

Needing to examine my role and purpose there, I started by learning about the circumstances of children who live in orphanages. I realized that the vast majority, both in Haiti and worldwide, have living family members who want to be together with them. In supporting the orphanage, I was perpetuating the problem of families being separated.

Something had to change.

Listening to the Haitian believers already working towards development and family-strengthening efforts, I asked how we might partner together to prevent more parents from needing to rely on orphanages to care for their children. By supporting vulnerable families rather than orphanages, children could stay with their parents.

From these discussions, I became the co-founder of Konbit, a name that means “together.” And this is exactly how Konbit operates. Through the empowerment of local leaders and the community, we believe that change in Haiti will happen from the inside out. By removing barriers to school and offering after-school care, job training, emergency assistance and medical care, what started as an after-school program for 25 kids is now a robust partnership that serves between 300-400 families each year.

Informed Help Creates Local Impact

In the community where Konbit works, about an hour and a half outside of Port-au-Prince, gangs are making it nearly impossible to find food. People in Haiti are starving. But through Konbit’s grassroots network, Haitian believers are helping fellow Haitians. Some leaders are finding or buying food, then returning to the community and distributing it to local families. Others with access to food are preparing meals and serving them to families in need.

The situation in Haiti is very complex. And right now, the people of Haiti do need help. But they need it the way they say they need it, not in the way Americans believe it is best to give it.

By redirecting our giving away from orphanages and towards organizations working to strengthen families, we can ensure children and parents are fed during this crisis and that their basic needs are met. By engaging and empowering organizations already doing the work, families will be able to stay together both now and in the future. Supporting local organizations makes an enormous difference in the lives of struggling families.

If you have a heart to help, it’s tempting to believe there’s no place for you if you’re not on the ground. But that can’t be farther from the truth. Being a global partner from right where you are just might be the very best place to make a difference.

Stephanie Robinson is the Outreach Coordinator of the Faith to Action Initiative and also co-founder of a grassroots organization Konbit Haiti, which provides localized support for family preservation.

Mark Driscoll Was Kicked Off Stage At a Men’s Conference For Calling Out Male Stripper’s Performance

Emily Brown — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:37:18 +0000

Mark Driscoll is going viral after being kicked off stage at a Christian men’s conference for how he expressed concern about the conference’s opening act.

The 2024 Stronger Men’s Conference at James River Church in Springfield, Missouri, led by John Lindell, invited Alex Magala to perform as the conference opener. Magala is a former stripper and pole dancer who was featured on Britain’s Got Talent for a dangerous sword-swallowing routine. During the performance, Maglea tore off his shirt, swallowed a sword and climbed up a pole with the sword still in his mouth. The performance, as seen below, was met with roaring applause.

Megachurch has strip-show-like performance at men’s conference. Guest speaker Mark Driscoll spoke out against it and was kicked off stage.

Unbelievable that any church would allow this. Reason #538 not to attend a megachurch.#ChristIsKing @pearlythingz @sovereignbrah @scrowder… pic.twitter.com/Fl2Vd3DDhn

— Caeden (@thecfrazier) April 14, 2024

However, when Driscoll — who has spoken at the conference previously — got up on stage, he condemned the act, calling out the conference leaders for letting in a “Jezebel spirit.” Here’s what he had to say:

“Let me do this: I’ve been up since one o’clock in the morning. The reason I’m hoarse is I have been praying for you and my heart is very burdened for you. And I want to be very careful with this and it’s not what I want to say, but the Jezebel spirit has already been here. The Jezebel spirit opened our event. This is a rebuke and a correction of no one. This is an observation. Before the Word of God was opened, there was a platform. It was a high place. On it was a pole of Asherah. The same thing that’s used in a strip club for women who have the Jezebel spirit to seduce men. In front of that was a man who ripped his shirt off like a woman does in front of a pole at a strip club. That man then ascended. See, our God is not arrogant. He doesn’t ascend. Our God is humble, he descends. And then-“

Driscoll was then cut off by Lindell, who yelled out, “Wrong time Mark!” and walked on stage to kick off Driscoll. As he was leaving the stage, the crowd began to boo, although it’s unclear if it was aimed at Driscoll or Lindell.

Lindell then took over and shared his shock at Driscoll’s statements and called Driscoll out for being “out of line.”

“If Mark wanted to say that, he should have said it to me first, but he didn’t,” Lindell said. “Matthew 18: ‘If your brother offends you, go to him privately.’ I talked to Mark for a half hour. There was not one word of that. He’s out of line. If you want to say it, he can say it to me. You may not agree with me. You may not agree with him. But we are brothers in Christ and there’s a right way to handle this.

“I’m telling you, I’m not going to sit back and watch someone do publicly what they should have done privately,” Lindell continued. “As a pastor and a man of God, I’ll call another man of God out. I love Mark, but he was out of line. I have a responsibility spiritually for this event. We saw 530 people come to Christ. We’re going to conduct ourselves in a Christian manner and we’re going to go according to the Bible, and the Bible tells us how that should have been resolved, and it wasn’t.”

NEW: Pastor Mark Driscoll gets kicked off stage at a men’s conference after he calls out pastor John Lindell for allowing a demonstration from a male stripper.

The incident happened at the Stronger Men’s Conference in Springfield, MO.

After Vegas stripper and ‘sword swallower’… pic.twitter.com/hlDHqHHriY

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 14, 2024

This isn’t the first time the Stronger Men’s Conference has received backlash for their theatrical performances. In 2022, the conference went viral for featuring flaming monster truck stunts.

Donald Trump Clarifies His Views on Abortion Law — And Pro-Life Leaders Aren’t Happy

Emily Brown — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 20:22:27 +0000

After months of dodging the question directly, former President Donald Trump has finally shared his thoughts on a national ban on abortion — and many pro-life advocates were disappointed with his response.

“Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights,” Trump said in a video posted on his Truth Social site. “My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both. And whatever they decide must be the law of the land — in this case, the law of the state.”

“Many states will be different,” Trump continued. “Many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others and that’s what they will be. At the end of the day, it’s all about will of the people.”

Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice president and a staunch pro-life supporter, called Trump’s stance “a slap in the face to the millions of pro-life Americans” who have previously supported him.

President Trump’s retreat on the Right to Life is a slap in the face to the millions of pro-life Americans who voted for him in 2016 and 2020. By nominating and standing by the confirmation of conservative justices, the Trump-Pence Administration helped send Roe v. Wade to the…

— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) April 8, 2024

In the video, Trump reiterated he personally opposes abortion with three exeptions — in cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is at risk. He then described the current legal landscape, discussing how different states have varying restrictions post-Roe.

Many states have, in fact, had widely varying responses to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. At the time of this writing, 21 states have enacted near or total abortion bans. Arizona is the latest state to enact a law that bans abortions of all kinds, with the only exception being if the mother’s life is in danger. On the flip side, states like California, Minnesota and Kansas have enacted laws that expand abortion access.

Noticeably, in the video Trump did not endorse a national limit on abortion, an idea his campaign floated earlier this year and many conservatives support. However, some Republican leaders warned Trump that abortion rights would be at the forefront of the 2024 election, which could impact their chances of taking back the White House and the Senate majority. It appears that Trump took their warnings seriously by not choosing to endorse a national ban.

The former president has long argued that the Supreme Court’s decision gave pro-life advocates “tremendous power to negotiate” policies that he hoped would “make both sides happy” and bring the country together. However, abortion remains one of the most polarizing issues in American politics, and pro-life advocates were hoping for more help from Trump.

Marjorie Dannenfelser — president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, one of the largest pro-life groups in the nation — said she was disappointed to hear that Trump was no longer pushing for a national limit on abortion.

“We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position,” said Dannenfelser. “Saying the issue is ‘back to the states’ cedes the national debate to the Democrats who are working relentlessly to enact legislation mandating abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy.”

Rapture Watch: Why Some Christians Think the Solar Eclipse Will Actually Be the Second Coming of Christ

Emily Brown — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 22:09:56 +0000

As millions of Americans are preparing to see today’s rare total solar eclipse, some Christians are gearing up for the rapture.

That’s right, while everyone else is looking to the sun, others are thinking about The Son. (You might want to put on your tin foil hat for this one.)

It all began with an image that points to southern Illinois as the spot where the next eclipse is going to intersect with the path of the 2017 North American eclipse.

Eclipse maps published by Michael Zeiler, CC BY-NCC

From this image, two theories have been birthed. First off, there’s this idea that these eclipses are seven years apart, and if you know anything about biblical symbolism, you know seven is a holy number that symbolizes completeness. Secondly, when you map out these eclipse paths, they resemble a cross.

So, naturally, some Christians are seeing this as a major sign. But before we all start building underground bunkers, let’s hit the brakes and look at this logically.

First off, solar eclipses aren’t exactly rare sightings. According to NASA, there has been an average of 2.5 eclipses every year for the past 1,000 years. They happen when the moon photobombs the sun passes between the Earth and the sun and blots out all or some of the sun’s light. They only seem rare because they affect a narrow strip of land that falls in the shadow of the moon.

And the whole eclipse path-crossing thing? Not as extraordinary as it sounds. Maps of other eclipses show that overlapping happens frequently.

Map of the world charting the paths of eclipses between 2001 and 2025. All but two of these paths intersect. Eclipse map predictions courtesy of Fred Espenak, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Now, some might argue that the 2017 and 2024 North American eclipses are special because of that seven-year gap. And that would be interesting — if they were actually seven years apart. The actual gap between those two events is six and a half years, or precisely 2,422 days if you’re counting.

This new theory isn’t a complete surprise, as religious theories have often been intertwined with astronomical events. In December 2020, for example, many Christians believed the planetary alignment of Jupiter and Saturn signaled the return of the “Star of Bethlehem.” Televangelist John Hagee has spent the last decade trying to convince everyone that “blood moons” are signs of the impending apocalypse. One of the most tragic examples in recent history is the religious cult of Heaven’s Gate, where members believed there was a spacecraft hidden in the tail of the Hale-Bopp Comet and they only way to access the ship was through a ritualized, mass suicide.

So, maybe let’s not jump to conclusions just yet.

I Thought I Was Helping The Poor (Turns Out It Was Just My Savior Complex)

Chase Miller — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 16:00:00 +0000

There is a heartening development within the mainstream Church of late: people are starting to take what Jesus said about the poor seriously.

Indeed, gone are the days when simply taking up a collection for inner city, rural, or overseas missions would suffice. Instead, Christians of all ages are rolling up their sleeves and getting far more hands-on in matters of poverty. We take mission trips, we volunteer in homeless outreach ministries, some of us even do advocacy work in our spare time. We are involved.

Yet as a new generation of Christians heeds God’s call to serve “the least of these” in our society, let’s stop for a moment and reflect upon our approach to serving with those living in poverty.

To put it quite frankly, some of our perceptions towards the poor are somewhat outdated.

So before we rush in with righteous vigor to help the helpless, so to speak, we would do well to dispense of some archaic lenses through which we view poverty. All parties involved will be better off for it. Here are some ways not to approach those in poverty:

Get Rid of Your Savior Complex

Have you ever noticed that when people speak with children, they tend to change their tone and “talk down”?

We adopt that same tendency when encountering the impoverished of our world. Whether we have stopped to speak with a homeless man on the street, or are conversing with a local in a developing country, we adopt an airy sort of tone that—rather unintentionally, I’d say—sets up something of an intellectual hierarchy. The fancy word for this is paternalism.

When I first started living and working as an intern in the beleaguered but promising city of Camden, New Jersey, some leaders from our ministry held perhaps one of the most candid orientation sessions I’ve ever experienced. One of the directors, a Camden native, stood up and said in no uncertain terms, “You’re not going to change Camden in just two months. No one is going to carry you off on their shoulders at the end of the summer.”

He continued, his tone blunt and honest, “And don’t look at it as you’re ‘bringing God to the city.’ God has been here long before you arrived, and He will be here long after you leave.”

In our passion and energy, we can mistakenly assume something of a “savior complex” when serving with the poor. Note the intentionally-inserted word “with,” which implies that the relationship is not one-directional, but collaborative.

There is only room for one Savior, and His name is Jesus Christ. We are merely His servants.

Don’t Let Pity Be Your Motivation

The last thing that poor people need is your pity. Your friendship? Absolutely. Your prayers? Without a doubt. The problem is, when we approach someone with pity and then stay at that level, there is never any mutuality to the relationship. They remain a specimen, a project, if you will.

Look at Christ’s example of the Good Samaritan—his first response for the downtrodden man splayed across the roadway was indeed pity. That’s probably why he stopped in the first place. Yet the next phase of their interaction was far beyond pity. It was intimacy.

The Samaritan cleaned and bandaged his wounds, gave of his time and talents, and invested himself in the wellbeing of his newfound friend. Pity by itself allows us to keep people at arm’s length, never developing the reciprocity and meaningful exchange that characterize a real relationship.

Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back

I grew up in and around Philadelphia, and am no stranger to perceived “no-go” zones in our cities and in our world. For many, especially Christians, we have ensconced ourselves in the safety of the suburbs to avoid the rampant dangers and violence of—gasp!—the inner city. Many don’t engage with the poor because, quite simply, they fear the poor.

Eleven o’clock news sound bytes such as “fatal shooting” and “robbery at gunpoint” grip the collective mindset and paint those living in poverty with an oppressively broad brush.

I am glad to say that this perception is beginning to die out, albeit slowly. When I tell people I work in Camden, the requisite eyebrow raise and muted response of, “Camden, eh?” is becoming less frequent.

The millennial generation appears to making strides, and the old guard’s fearful ways of engagement is becoming a thing of the past. Though we are risking gentrifying long-term residents out of exponentially priced housing, at least the fence that fear put up is starting to come down, slowly but surely.

Find the Right Approach

There are ways to remedy this situation, to effectively shed the perceptions that we might impose upon the poor.

The good news is that it doesn’t involve a three-point plan, or anything of that sort. It’s something of a heart condition, an internal shift that changes the way we look at ourselves first, and then others.

The best summation of this change of heart might be from Brian Fikkert, author of When Helping Hurts. Sitting in his session at the 2013 Justice Conference, Fikkert asserted with much vigor that serving with the poor is about partnership, about sharing, mutuality and equity.

He said, “It’s about us grabbing each other by the hand and saying, ‘Hey brother, I’m a beggar too!’” Indeed, in this heavenly banquet that Christ has prepared, we have all been given the same invitation, and we will all one day sit side by side in His presence.

We can overcome pervasive pity, condescension and fear when it comes to serving with the poor. It will only happen though when we realize that we all approach the throne equally before God.

How Can I Talk About Jesus Without Being Annoying?

Courtney Bareman — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0000

We’ve all seen the people on college campuses who make us cringe at the thought of being associated with them. The individuals dressed like they’re straight out of the 19th century, usually wearing suspenders and an ill-fitting shirt telling college students they should “turn or burn.” I’ve never heard of someone coming to Christ through a megaphone of judgment and I’m not sure where the idea that sharing our faith as Christ-followers needs to be aggressive or awkward. In fear of being seen as judgmental, many of us decide to stop sharing our faith at all. So where is the balance between fire and brimstone preaching and total silence?

Here are a few practical ideas.

Invite people in.

As Paul says, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” This is a great instruction, because it keeps Paul on the hook and accountable. It doesn’t say “follow me and do as I say” or “don’t pay attention to what I do, just pray and worship more.” Nope, instead there is an assumption that Paul is leading someone, discipling them. Teaching them what it looks like to truly follow Christ. And he invites them in, to come close and see. He isn’t hiding or trying to curate a something that looks perfect from an arms-length.

Instead, we can follow his example to invite those we are sharing our faith with to follow us as we follow Christ. We can show how we love our families, not perfectly, but faithfully. And how we create time and space to allow for our hearts and minds to focus on God and his word, rather than the craziness of the culture. Life in the Bible was lived in close relationships—tight-knit community was the cultural norm.

Families lived in close proximity, adding on to their homes with modest additions as the family grew. They depended on each other in nearly every aspect for survival. They prepared meals together, spent their days and nights together. This was normal and this is how influence happens—it takes time. In sharing our faith, it takes time.

It’s not nearly as quick or easy as creating a clever sign and yelling at people on a corner. Instead, this deep influence is birthed over meals shared over time and honest conversation. It is not about having it all together, but instead inviting people in to see how you live with God, in the daily mess, and letting them be a part of it.

Start small, right where you are.

Rather than talking, posting or ranting about all the bad things, try showcasing the good in the world. Trying to share your faith with the whole world in one fell swoop can be paralyzing. Instead, start small, right where you are. Bring dinner to someone who could use it. Listen and care about someone who is lonely. Volunteer at a local nursing home, homeless shelter or after-school program. Build relationships. Serve others.

In this way, you are showing your faith without even having to speak about it. Getting outside and over ourselves is big step, and it creates a lot of room for God to move in our own lives as we serve others. This is not about what we are super great or effective and efficient at, in many ways it is about showing up and being willing to do what needs to be done.

Have a posture that is humble and not above or beyond certain tasks. Actions speak so much louder than words. In the words of Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” What if we worried less about saying the right thing or trying to demonstrate our theological knowledge and just tried to simply love people—with no agenda. That is hard to argue with. There are endless opportunities to love people well and serve them, it just takes humility and the courage to be obedient.

Be generous.

As a people group, generally, Christians are not known to be a generous bunch. Instead we usually get characterized as stingy hypocrites. What if we let this characterization motivate us to do better? To be people who truly care and give accordingly. Of course, there are many ways to be generous—we can give of our time and talents in addition to our money, and those are valid and impactful ways to be generous. But what if we chose to give to others in a way that called us to rearrange our life to accurately reflect the values we claim to live by.

What if we gave up some good and fun things so that others who are lacking opportunity could thrive? What if we chose less for us so we could give more? There are so many great organizations with life-changing missions. This is truly a way to live out your faith and share it. And of course, like what happens so often, we think that we help provide the blessing by giving, when in reality the giver is blessed as well, not just those on the receiving end. Our hearts become softer and more aligned with the heart of God. Our lives become more aligned with the mission of the gospel when we willingly and practically choose to surrender, rather than to serve ourselves.

In so many ways, when we choose to express and share our faith in powerful, tangible ways not only do we get to spread the good news that comes from knowing Jesus, but we reap the benefits and blessings of a life well lived. We have depth to our relationships. Our time is spent not just on building up our bank account or our little kingdom on Earth, but instead making an eternal investment. Our generosity right sizes us and our lives in comparison to what God has called us to do and how to live.

Everything We Know About T.D. Jakes Being Mentioned in the Diddy Lawsuit

Emily Brown — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:48:51 +0000

Following the FBI’s raid of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami houses earlier this week, a handful of celebrities’ names listed in a lawsuit against Combs have begun circulating online, including Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas.

The lawsuit, filed by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones on February 27, 2024, and amended on March 25, alleges Combs’ involvement in a sex trafficking ring.

Seeing a prominent pastor’s name included in Combs’ lawsuit has led to widespread speculation on social media. To clear things up, here’s what we know:

In the suit, there is no implication of Jakes participating in, or knowing about, any illegal or scandalous activity by Combs.
Jones’ lawsuit claims to possess “irrefutable evidence” of “Mr. Combs detailing how he planned to leverage his relationship with Bishop T.D. Jakes to soften the impact on his public image of Cassie Ventura’s lawsuit.”
In 2021, the pastor collaborated with Revolt Media, a cable TV network co-founded by Combs, for an ongoing sermon series titled “Kingdom Culture with T.D. Jakes.” Combs recently divested from Revolt Media.
Derrick Williams, executive vice president of entertainment at T.D. Jakes Enterprises, refuted claims of Jakes’ involvement in Combs’ activities, asserting that their presence at Combs’ birthday party in 2023 was brief and innocuous. “We both greeted the family, Bishop Jakes recorded a brief celebratory birthday video and left immediately to take our other scheduled meetings,” Williams said. “Any accusation to the contrary is wholly unsubstantiated, unverified, and false.”

This is the fifth lawsuit against Combs in the past year over accusations of sexual assault and sex trafficking. In this lawsuit, Jones mentions other celebrities with connections to Combs, including actor Cuba Gooding Jr., who has been accused of sexual harassment and assault, and rapper Yung Miami, who has been accused of trafficking drugs.

Jakes and his team have yet to comment on the current lawsuit.

7-Eleven Wants to Destroy Humanity By Selling Hot Dog Water

Emily Brown — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 20:34:57 +0000

Folks, we need to talk. Sparkling water options have gotten out of control, and it’s time for us to come together and put our feet down.

At the beginning, it was all good and fine. LaCroix had normal flavors, like lemon or lime. If you were feeling adventurous, you could try grapefruit or cran-raspberry. But all too soon, more brands started showing up and introducing more exotic flavors, trying to stand out. Which is how we eventually ended up with “bright ideas” like pickle seltzers.

But these “innovators” have now gone too far. Because today, 7-Eleven announced the most disgustingly ambitious drink yet: the world’s first hot dog-flavored seltzer water.

The convenience store’s collaboration with Miracle Seltzer will feature four new flavors of 7-Select sparkling waters: Lemon Lime, Green Apple, Sweet Orange, and yes, the Big Bite Hot Dog. Inspired by 7-Eleven’s ubiquitous hot dogs — you know, the ones on the rollers — the seltzer is said to taste just like the iconic hand-held meat, with ketchup and mustard included.

According to a press release from 7-Eleven, “Gone are the days of alternating bites of a hot dog with sips of a beverage,” because “now those on the go can swap the bun for bubbles.”

The flavor is slated to roll out on April 1, meaning this could all be a cruel and disgusting April Fools’ joke. For the sake of humanity, we really hope it is.

True Justice Work Isn’t Just Outrage

Katie Bergman — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:00:39 +0000

Some say laughter is contagious. But when it comes to the online world, the most easily transmitted reaction is anger.

That probably doesn’t surprise you. If you’ve plodded around on TikTok or X or even just skimmed the comments section of online news articles, you’ve probably noticed that outrage has become ubiquitous on the web. And lately, this seems to be the preferred emotion of armchair activists—people who rage about injustice from their supple leather La-Z-boys.

Injustice should make us outraged, but it matters how we react to it. Responding by wishing AIDS on a person or punctuating a tweet with hashtags like #burn and #die hardly advances the work of justice. This kind of approach only fuels our “outrage economy” and turns the internet into an online battlefield, escalating already volatile issues and dividing people even further.

It’s not that social media is the enemy of justice. Instagram and X can be used to quickly spread awareness of human rights abuses, raise the profile of charitable organizations and bring about fresh perspectives on social issues. But the same tool that can be used for good can also be used for harm. Especially if we’re using social media for the purpose of flipping injustice the middle finger, our influence will be limited at best.

It’s All About Us

Let’s be honest: Angry social media rants are ultimately about us, more than about a cause. It’s a quick and convenient way of blowing off steam while projecting our magnanimous desires onto a public platform—without having to get off the couch.

And we’re affirmed by it. Every retweet, “like” or “share” reinforces the illusion that we’ve done a little bit of good for the world. Even on a biochemical level, we’re rewarded with the release of dopamine and endorphins from perceiving we’ve done something altruistic—even if it was only a 140-character tirade about child hunger.

There lies one of the fundamental problems. Using Twitter as our podium is a great outlet for personal expression, but not meaningful impact.

It Reinforces Slacktivism

In his article “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted,” Malcolm Gladwell asserts that “Facebook activism succeeds not by motivating people to make a real sacrifice but by motivating them to do the things that people do when they are not motivated enough to make a real sacrifice.” In other words, you don’t actually have to help someone, you just have to get angry and click something.

We call this slacktivism—and what a contrast it is from the strategic, organized activism that was the hallmark of the civil rights and suffrage movements. Instead of expressing our indignation in constructive ways, we assemble a semi-intelligent thought about the U.S. travel ban or hit “like” on the odd post from Amnesty International and leave it at that. Millions of us will share charitable campaign posts, yet only a slim percentage will actually donate. But as UNICEF bluntly phrases it in this video, “Likes don’t save lives. Money does.”

Of course, there’s still the argument that social media is a mechanism for awareness and education. And there’s certainly merit in that. However, a recent study shows how “morally outraged tweets” tend to stay within like-minded networks. So your enraged tweet about gun control is likely going to be consumed by people who already agree with you and isn’t likely to inform or challenge those outside your ideological sphere.

It Doesn’t Solve Problems

While there is often a good underlying reason our anger, setting the internet ablaze with fits of fury rarely precipitates meaningful change. The online attack of Brock Turner didn’t give him a longer sentence for raping an unconscious woman. Jodie Marsh’s tweeted appeal to “bring back the death penalty and hang” the Manchester bombers in 2017 didn’t bring justice or healing to anyone.

Angry tweets can do a lot of things, but they can’t accomplish what “real-world activism” can, which is addressing the root cause of injustice. Your irate social media diatribe isn’t curbing police brutalities or eliminating white supremacy or bringing back our girls. And it trivializes the arduous labor of people who work at the front lines of social issues, often for little or no pay.

Outrage begets outrage. One angry tweet is met by a swarm of angry counter-tweets, creating a virtual mud-slinging brawl that incites hateful, defensive chatter, not systemic change.

It Obscures the Process

Social media leaves little room for nuance. There isn’t the space to unpack the heaviness, so we oversimplify complex issues and leap to misguided conclusions. We consume a lot of fake news and take opinion as fact. Worst of all, we speak on behalf of other people based on misinformed assumptions of their needs.

In my own experience of intervening in human trafficking, I’ve learned the hard way that seeking justice is as much about the process as the outcome. It requires the sacrifice of time and energy, the practice of patience and faith and a commitment to sticking around for the long haul. Most of all, it cannot be sought without inclusive conversations and consultation with all stakeholders, where the paternalistic barrier of the “helper” and “helped” is dismantled.

But this kind of process is not only difficult—if not impossible—to coordinate via social media, it’s not rewarding enough. We want the immediate gratification of sending out a fuming tweet about child exploitation rather than investing years in comprehensively addressing it.

It Doesn’t Keep You Going

Anger has its place. It can propel us into action, but it isn’t a healthy source to draw our energy from over time. Anger drains us, not sustains us.

What does sustain us are relationships. Real, authentic, in-the-flesh relationships with people who can provide a more productive and empathetic sounding board than the Twitterverse. People who encourage us when we feel burdened by the pain of others and disillusioned with the world. People who can help channel our angry energy into mindful, strategic, solutions-focused efforts and gently admonish us when our pride gets in the way.

Justice is not something to be achieved from a virtual soapbox. It is something that’s sought by a community of people. The kind of people who, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr, do not “rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes.”

Thank goodness he didn’t limit himself to 140 characters.

The Smithsonian Ordered to Pay $50K to Pro-Life Youth Group That Was Kicked Out

RELEVANT — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 22:04:26 +0000

The National Air and Space Museum has agreed to pay $50,000 to a group of young visitors who were booted from the museum for wearing pro-life attire.

The incident, which took place on January 20, 2023, following the March for Life rally in Washington D.C., involved a dozen students from Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School in Greenville, South Carolina, and their chaperones. The students were touring the museum while wearing beanies with “Rosary PRO-LIFE” written on them. However, National Archives guards told the students they needed to either cover or remove their beanies or leave the museum.

According to the American Center for Law and Justice, which represented the students in the lawsuit, museum staff not only made fun of the students and “yelled expletives” at them, but also kicked them out “with glee,” while others wearing hats with all sorts of messages weren’t bothered at all.

“It’s absolutely outrageous, it’s unconstitutional discrimination, and the ACLJ is fighting back,” said Jordan Sekulow, an attorney and executive director of the ACLJ. “This was a clear-cut First Amendment violation, not only of their freedom of speech but of religion as well. The federal government simply cannot ban speech with which it or its employees disagree.”

In response to the lawsuit filed by the plaintiffs, the Smithsonian Institution, which oversees the National Air and Space Museum, entered into a consent decree, acknowledging the mishandling of the situation. The agreement stipulates that the museum must reaffirm its policy allowing visitors to wear clothing with messages, including religious and political speech. Additionally, the Smithsonian not only agreed to pay $50,000 to the plaintiffs but also offered them a private tour of the National Air and Space Museum along with a video apology from museum officials.

This settlement comes on the heels of a similar agreement reached by the ACLJ in December with the National Archives and Records Administration over a comparable incident involving visitors wearing pro-life attire.

The Abortion Rate Is At Its Highest Since 2011

Emily Brown — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:25:01 +0000

More abortions happened in 2023 than any year since 2011, according to a new report.

The Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research group, says an estimated 1,026,690 abortions were performed in 2023. That’s a 10% increase from 2020, the last year for which comprehensive estimates are available.

Experts predicted the number of abortions would decline following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, but the new report shows that the number is rising. With abortion now restricted or banned in 21 states, how is that possible?

160,000 people crossed state lines last year to obtain an abortion in a state with no restrictions. And the populations in those states also got abortions at a higher rate than previously. But the majority of abortions came through prescribed medication — commonly mifepristone and misoprostol — which can be easily obtained online. The use of abortion pills increased by 60% since 2022, and has become the most common way for women to terminate their pregnancies as it has become easily accessible and cheaper than surgical abortions, even in states with abortion bans.

However, that could change very soon.

This Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear a case brought by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine challenging laws that have expanded access to mifepristone. Those policies, issued in recent years by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, have allowed the pills to be prescribed online, mailed to patients and dispensed at physical pharmacies. The case could restrict access to the abortion pill around the country, including to women living in states even without abortion bans.

The number of abortions in the United States peaked in 1990 at 1.6 million and over the following 30 years, the number declined, falling to 885,000 in 2017. In 2019 and 2020, however, that trend began to reverse, with the number of abortions rising to 930,160 in 2020, and now, 1,026,690 in 2023. The last time there were nearly that many abortions was back in 2011, which saw an estimated 1,058,490 abortions.

Apocalypse Watch: Chick-fil-A Is Experimenting With Pizza

Emily Brown — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 19:01:57 +0000

Imagine this: a classic Chick-fil-A sandwich, but like deconstructed in pizza form.

Well, that’s the exact concoction someone at Chick-fil-A has cooked up.

The Christian chicken chain is currently testing pizza as a new menu item at their spinoff concept Little Blue Menu in Washington, D.C. Brave customers can get the Chick-fil-A Classic Pizza Pie, comprised of chopped Chick-fil-A nuggets, Chick-fil-A sauce and pickles all on top of mozzarella cheese.

Chick-fil-A is also testing normal pizza options: Buff-lo Ranch Pizza Pie, Cheese Pizza Pie, Pepperoni Pizza Pie and Meats-n-Veg Pizza Pie. Although to be fair, it’s hard to imagine any of these options making it to the big leagues nationwide. Who would go to Chick-fil-A for a pizza? That’s like going to a steakhouse for noodles.

For anyone who is willing to try a reinvented pizza, Little Blue Menu starts rolling out the pies today.

Pornhub is Now Blocked in Texas

RELEVANT — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:17:01 +0000

Pornhub, along with its affiliate websites including Redtube, is now inaccessible to users in Texas as a legal battle unfolds over the state’s demands for age verification.

The move comes in response to a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton targeting the site’s age-verification practices. Visitors attempting to access the adult content site are met with a statement from Aylo Global Entertainment (formally MindGeek), the site’s owners, explaining the reasoning for the block.

“As you may know, your elected officials in Texas are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website,” the statement reads in part. “Not only does this impinge on the rights of adults to access protected speech, it fails strict scrutiny by employing the least effective and yet also most restrictive means of accomplishing Texas’ stated purpose of allegedly protecting minors.”

The legal dispute stems from a recent ruling by Texas officials to enforce a new law mandating age-verification systems on pornographic websites. This law faced opposition from Pornhub and other adult entertainment sites, who argued it was unconstitutional. Pornhub still moved forward with a basic age-verification system, but the Texas Attorney General’s office doesn’t think it’s system was doing enough.

“The age verification methods used by the Defendants on their websites cannot be said to verify anything at all, and wholly fail to comply with the requirements of” the bill, the lawsuit stated.

Texas is now one of 17 states who have passed or proposed laws requiring porn sites to verify the age of viewers. Under the law, websites failing to comply face hefty fines, which explains why Pornhub decides to fully block access from Texas rather than risk penalties. More states are expected to enact similar age verification laws in the coming years, meaning the end of the online porn industry could be near.

Over 100 Acts Have Dropped Out of SXSW to Protest U.S. Army’s Sponsorship

Emily Brown — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 21:30:50 +0000

The annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, is facing controversy after more than 100 acts have dropped out over the U.S. Army’s sponsorship of the music and cultural event to protest the Pentagon’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza.

At the time of this writing, 105 bands and individual musicians — a majority who are Europeans — and five music labels have announced they will not perform at the festival this week.

The boycotts appear to be spearheaded by a campaign from the Austin For Palestine Coalition, which began on Feb. 21. The AFPC has asked artists and attendees to apply pressure on SXSW over the participation of military defense firm RTX, better known as Raytheon, and its subsidiary Collins Aerospace, which both make weapons and equipment that are currently being used by the Israeli military.

Zainab Haider, a spokesperson for the AFPC, shared that nearly 600 people have contacted SXSW “to express their horror” at the military-linked sponsors.

“These entities are either sponsoring, funding or supplying weapons for Israel’s assault on Gaza, for what the International Court of Justice is investigating as Genocide in Palestine,” she said.

On Tuesday, Army spokesperson Matt Ahearn responded to the backlash, saying the Army is “proud to be a sponsor of SXSW, and to have the opportunity to showcase America’s Army.”

“SXSW presents a unique opportunity for the Army to meet technology innovators and leaders, explore new ideas and insights, and create dynamic industry partnerships as we modernize for the future,” he said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded to the boycott on X, condemning the artists who dropped out of the festival.

“Bye. Don’t come back,” he wrote. “Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command. San Antonio is Military City USA. We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here.”

Bands pull out of SXSW over U.S. Army sponsorship.

Bye. Don’t come back.

Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command.

San Antonio is Military City USA.

We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas.

If you don’t like it, don’t come here.
https://t.co/t3RyQgLRKN

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 12, 2024

The official SXSW account responded in a thread on X that it “does not agree with Governor Abbott.”

SXSW does not agree with Governor Abbott. https://t.co/fOHHn9r5BG

— SXSW (@sxsw) March 12, 2024

The account’s full statement reads:

“SXSW does not agree with Governor Abbott. We are an organization that welcomes diverse viewpoints. Music is the soul of SXSW, and it has long been our legacy. We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech. Across the globe, we are witnessing unspeakable tragedies, the rise of repressive regimes, and the increasing spread of violent conflict. It’s more crucial than ever that we come together to solve these greater humanitarian issues. The defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today. These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives. The Army’s sponsorship is part of our commitment to bring forward ideas that shape our world. In regard to Collins Aerospace, they participated this year as a sponsor of two SXSW Pitch categories, giving entrepreneurs visibility and funding for potentially game-changing work. We have and will continue to support human rights for all. The situation in the Middle East is tragic, and it illuminates the heightened importance of standing together against injustice.”

Wait, Is Congress Really Voting to Ban TikTok This Week?

RELEVANT — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:50:29 +0000

Congress is set to vote on a law this week that could potentially ban TikTok in the U.S.

Although — everybody breathe — that’s very, very unlikely to happen.

Congress has been floating the idea of banning or at the very least heavily restricting TikTok for years over concerns of privacy and security data. The core concern is that ByteDance, TikTok’s owner, is a Chinese corporation that could potentially be manipulated by the Chinese government to share user information.

The proposed law received a 50-0 approval vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 7, just two days after the bill was introduced. That’s a quick turnaround for a new bill, but that’s likely because U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials gave a classified briefing to lawmakers urging them to fast-track the measure.

The bill would require ByteDance to sell its U.S. subsidiary within six months of the law taking effect. Additionally, it grants the president power to prohibit foreign adversary-owned social media platforms from accessing U.S. users unless they break off from their overseas owners. These restrictions would apply to apps with over 1 million yearly users. For reference, TikTok has roughly 170 million American users.

The legislation is not intended to create a total ban on TikTok, as supporters have clarified. The goal would be a forced divestiture by ByteDance due to concerns that Chinese government officials have access to Americans’ data and could use that information to persuade public opinion. Several U.S. corporations have been rumored to be potential buyers, primarily Microsoft.

However, TikTok has repeatedly denied the claims of user data being shared with the Chinese government. Last year, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress in a meme-able hearing defending his company’s policies.

Despite TikTok’s protests, House lawmakers could vote on the bill as early as today, and experts expect it to pass with at least a two-thirds majority. The bill would then move on to the Senate, where it’s already gained support.

“I’m very concerned about foreign adversaries’ exploitation of Americans’ sensitive data and their attempts to build backdoors in our information communication technology and services supply chains,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. “These are national security threats and it is good [that] members in both chambers are taking them seriously. I will be talking to my Senate and House colleagues to try to find a path forward that is constitutional and protects civil liberties.”

Activist and Former Pastor Shaun King Converts to Islam

Emily Brown — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:13:11 +0000

Shaun King, a prominent activist and former Christian pastor, announced he converted to Islam after witnessing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“I don’t know that I would be here today without the past six months of suffering and pain and trauma that we’ve seen in Gaza,” King said. “It has touched me in the most profound ways to see people right now in the most dangerous, traumatic place on the planet still be able to sometimes look at nothing but rubble and the remains of their family, and still see meaning and purpose in life.”

In a video shared to Facebook, King and his wife Rai recite the shahadah, the Muslim profession of faith, under the guidance of Palestinian-American imam Omar Suleiman at a mosque in Dallas, Texas. King explained that his decision to convert to Islam stemmed not only from what he’s witnessed in Gaza, but also from his admiration for Malcolm X’s legacy and his deep connections with Muslim friends.

King worked as a pastor at Total Grace Christian Church in DeKalb County, Georgia, before launching Courageous Church in Atlanta in 2008. During his four years as pastor, he made use of social media to bring in new members, earning him the nickname “The Facebook Pastor.” King also began to use social media to raise awareness for social justice issues. In 2012, King resigned from Courageous Church, citing “personal stress and disillusionment.”

He continued to grow his social media platforms by advocating for victims of police brutality, raising funds for a variety of charities and nonprofits, and working closely with the Black Lives Matter movement. He has worked as a regular contributor to media outlets like The Daily Kos, The New York Daily News and The Young Turks, writing extensively about civil and human rights, race relations, police brutality, mass incarceration and law enforcement misconduct.

King has been particularly vocal about the Israel-Hamas conflict ever since the October 7 attack, garnering online support for Palestinian victims and their families. In December, King claimed that his Instagram account with over six million followers was banned in response to his support for Palestine online.

How Science Confirms God

Robert Harris — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 15:34:08 +0000

When we enter the world, we know very little. But over time we learn about the world using several very different methods. We learn from authorities, such as teachers and parents; and from intuition, imagination, and insight; and from reasoning and logic. But those methods have some obvious potential drawbacks: authorities sometimes can be wrong; intuition can be based on incomplete information; reasoning can be unsound. But we’re fortunate to have another more reliable method of learning: experience.

We learn about the world with confidence primarily through experience. (In fact, science, one of the great human achievements, relies on repeatable and verifiable experiences.) When we interact with the natural world, we learn what is possible and what is typical in various situations. This learning serves as the foundation for what we call common sense.

One thing we learn is that natural objects sometimes can work together to enable a function. For example, twigs and leaves can come together — either intentionally or naturally — to serve as a dam in a stream. This is a static system: the parts don’t move.

But what about a dynamic system that has interrelated parts that move in a consistent way to enable a function? For example, a boxlike structure can be supported on one end by a stick, thus serving as an animal trap. This type of reliable system obviously can come about intentionally. But can it come about naturally?

How science confirms God’s existence

We humans have had innumerable experiences with natural objects and processes for 200,000 years or longer. And those experiences can be viewed as part of a grand scientific study, conducted (unwittingly) by the entire human race.

You’ll recall from high school (you were paying attention, weren’t you?) that a scientific study has these parts:

observations of a thing or event or process, which lead to
a hypothesis, a speculation about a part of the world, stated in such a way that it can be disconfirmed, which is followed by
tests of the hypothesis via observations, experiences, and/or manipulation of variables, after which comes
evaluation of the test results, which leads to
conclusions and inferences

The hypothesis in this study is that random events — accidents — can produce dynamic systems (with interrelated moving parts) that have reliable functions.

The countless tests of the hypothesis have come in the form of actual experiences with nature, not from trusting authorities, intuition, or reasoning. The results of these unbiased tests have been consistently negative: in all conditions, with all types of people, over all time, the hypothesis has been disconfirmed. In other words, nature has never constructed dynamic systems with reliable functions—no tools, no instruments, no machines.

As with any scientific study that yields remarkably consistent results, we are justified in generalizing. We can conclude that no dynamic systems come about by accident, but instead require purposeful actions guided by creative intelligence. In other words, they come about by design. This natural law is no less valid than other natural laws that have been derived from repeatable and verifiable experiences.

Dynamic systems that have no human creator include the atom, the Earth-Moon system, the inner ear, and the Earth’s water cycle, to name just a few. To ignore the scientific conclusion of our very long-term study of the world, and insist that these dynamic systems, and all others throughout the universe, have come about by accident, would be intellectually dishonest and counterproductive.

And yet, according to many, we must unquestioningly believe that the entire universe assembled itself in just this way. Otherwise, we are superstitious or ignorant or “anti-science.” Yet we know with confidence that even simple dynamic systems with reliable functions do not come about by accident. If they did, then the Earth would be littered with dynamic systems of all sizes and complexities.

In light of the consistent results of the study that has gone on for 8,000 or more generations, we must once and for all dismiss the accident theory. It is no longer tenable. It’s time to follow the science and embrace the design theory. We have clear scientific confirmation that creative intelligence is evident in every dynamic system with a reliable function. Experience makes it clear that purposeless nature, with its random and destructive actions, lacks the means for producing such systems. Nature simply cannot do what a creator does—no matter how much time passes or how many random events occur.

People of faith have never doubted the Creator’s existence. They all have known what a psalmist eloquently stated about 3000 years ago: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” But people of faith will no doubt welcome scientific confirmation of God, as it will bolster their understanding of the world.

Committed atheists have always denied the Creator’s existence, and instead have decided that Time and Chance are the true creators in a purposeless universe. They undoubtedly will not welcome the scientific confirmation of God. And they probably will continue to insist on the unjustifiable conclusion that all dynamic systems in nature have come about by accident. I have a feeling that such people simply are stuck with an inadequate image of God. Perhaps to them God is a mean-spirited despot, or an always-present policeman, or an impersonal CEO way up in the sky, or a capricious cosmic puppeteer. Such immature conceptions can make God seem unrealistic, and thereby make it hard to accept the scientific confirmation of God’s purposeful role in shaping nature’s dynamic systems.

Uncertain agnostics have always been hesitant to admit the Creator’s existence, perhaps because they are waiting for convincing and undeniable proof. Many, I’m sure, sincerely want to have the best possible understanding of the world (without relying on authority, intuition, or reasoning), and are thus open-minded. For them, the scientific confirmation of God should be welcome, eye-opening, and perhaps life-changing.

Adapted from Scientific Confirmation of God by Robert Harris. The author’s books include The Jesus Perspective, 101 Things NOT to Do Before You Die, the Claude Monet, Private Eye mysteries, and Move Ahead with Sudden Forgiveness. He can be contacted via his website, artspace5.com.

After 18-month Investigation, the DOJ Files No Charges Against the Southern Baptist Convention

RELEVANT — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 23:12:15 +0000

The U.S. Department of Justice has concluded a year-and-a-half-long investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention’s lead administration to determine whether officials were criminally responsible for mishandling an abuse crisis.

The DOJ has determined that no SBC leaders will be charged with criminal offenses. The decision has been met with surprise by many and disappointment from abuse survivors and their allies who were hopeful that the DOJ would be able to hold leaders from the nation’s largest Christian denomination accountable.

“Not everything that is evil sees earthly justice in the courts,” wrote Rachael Denhollander, a vocal advocate for survivors of sexual abuse in churches and Christian organizations, on X. “That’s one of the reasons Scripture commands is repeatedly to speak. To tell the truth. To bring darkness into light. We are responsible for that. No matter what.”

Not everything that is evil sees earthly justice in the courts.

That's one of the reasons Scripture commands is repeatedly to speak. To tell the truth. To bring darkness into light.

We are responsible for that. No matter what.

— Rachael Denhollander (@R_Denhollander) March 6, 2024

The DOJ first began its investigation following a report from Guidepost Solutions, a third-party firm, in May 2022 about SBC leaders’ inadequate response to the abuse crisis. According to Guideposts’s report, the SBC had a pattern of silencing and disparaging survivors of sexual abuse who begged leadership for action. SBC leadership ignored, dismissed and sometimes even attacked survivors, and refused to consider suggested policies that might protect future victims because of the financial risks.

“On February 29, 2024, counsel for the SBC Executive Committee was informed that the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York concluded its investigation into the EC (executive committee) with no further action to be taken,” said SBC Executive Committee interim president/CEO Jonathan Howe. “While we are grateful for closure on this particular matter, we recognize that sexual abuse reform efforts must continue to be implemented across the Convention. We remain steadfast in our commitment to assist churches in preventing and responding well to sexual abuse in the SBC.”

Tim Tebow Gave an Emotional Speech to Congress Advocating for Child Sex Abuse Victims

Emily Brown — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 21:45:32 +0000

Tim Tebow advocated for victims of child sex abuse in an emotional and passionate speech in front of the House Judiciary Subcommittee.

Tebow was part of a panel at the “Voice for the Voiceless” hearing on Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill. The former football star opened up his statement by explaining the work the Tim Tebow Foundation does with children in need around the world.

“[The Tim Tebow Foundation] exists to bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need,” Tebow said. “To sum it up, we strive to fight for people who can’t fight for themselves.”

He then called on lawmakers to pass a bill that would create a “rescue team” to protect thousands of children who are victims of sexual abuse around the world. Tebow said that this team needed to not only have adequate manpower but also the necessary funding, resources and technology to rescue and protect vulnerable children.

“I’ve had the privilege to play for a lot of sports in my life, and almost all of them we’ve had incredible resources to give us a better chance at winning a game. Something that ultimately — as much as we care about it — doesn’t matter,” he said. “Why would we not give as much, if not more, resources to the frontline heroes that are going after the most vulnerable boys and girls on the planet?”

Tebow later shared his full speech on X saying that he was grateful for the opportunity to speak and advocate for children facing injustice around the world.

Viewer Discretion Advised: “Voice for the Voiceless” House Judiciary Committee Hearing Testimony on behalf of child sexual abuse victims

Last night, I got a message from a girl who has been rescued and she said, “thank you so much for speaking up for us”…and it was… pic.twitter.com/HabteqT1tQ

— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) March 6, 2024

“Identifying and rescuing these children is so much more than policy,” Tebow wrote in another post on X. “Policy is important, but our focus has to stay on people. They deserve our best because God set the example and gave His very best, His son Jesus. ”

How to Remember Black History All Year Long

Kathy Pierre — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:00:36 +0000

We are officially at the end of Black History Month, but that doesn’t mean the learning has to end until Black History Month 2025. There are many small ways to make Black history part of your daily life and keep educating yourself because Black history isn’t just Black history, it’s the world’s history.

Here are five small, but impactful ways to celebrate Black history throughout the year.

Read

While figures of Black history won’t be in the forefront of the news, you can keep learning by reading books. Read books about society and the systems and institutions that were set up to keep Black people — and people of color — marginalized.

Read biographies on lesser-known Black people who affected the United States and the world in great ways. Read fiction books written by Black writers. Read memoirs written by Black writers. Read to have an understanding and don’t be afraid to read other books and do research inspired by the books you’ve read.

Support Black Businesses and Creators

“Support small businesses” is a common rallying call in our country. This year, consider shopping from Black-owned businesses where you can and recommending them to your friends and family. Many experts believe that more — successful — Black-owned small businesses will be one of the keys to closing the racial wealth gap. (There are systemic issues at play to explain the disparity of Black business owners, which are important to recognize.)

In the same vein, look for Black creatives and creators and support their work. Whether that looks like paying Black writers to write — not just about race, buying art from Black artists, watching films and TV shows by Black screenwriters and directors, and listening to music from Black musicians.

Add Black People to Your Networks

One of the downfalls of networking, aside from how much introverts hate it, is the way it can exclude people of color. If you don’t know any people of color, then you can’t recommend them for a job or introduce them to a hiring manager, which means the company will probably maintain a low number of people of color as employees.

When you’re networking or looking for young people to mentor, be intentional about looking for people you can connect to opportunities and others who can help them succeed.

Support Nonprofits

Consider volunteering with or donating to nonprofit organizations that serve marginalized communities. Get plugged in and genuinely attempt to become part of that community in a way that will transform you and the people you’re helping.

Learn More History

Many cities across the United States and the world have museums focused on the history and contributions of Black people. Going to a museum is generally a cheap way to spend your day and you’ll come away with information you didn’t know before entering and you’ll be able to experience it and learn with an added visual component, which can even make old information feel new.

Brian Houston Says His X Account Was Hacked, But The Internet Isn’t Buying It

Emily Brown — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 21:34:35 +0000

Brian Houston, the former global lead pastor of Hillsong Church, has come under fire after saying his account on X was hacked after a rather, uh, interesting post appeared.

Late Tuesday night, Houston’s account shared a tweet that read, “Ladies and girls kissing.”

The tweet was posted at 11:41 p.m. (Australian Eastern Daylight Time) on Feb. 20, and remained on Houston’s account for 16 minutes before it was removed. At 11:57 p.m., another account appeared to offer some much-needed clarification.

“I think my Twitter may have been hacked,” the post read.

By then, however, the floodgates to X had been opened. Users responded to the pastor asking what was he doing, how did he get his account back so quickly, and why — of all things — did a hacker write only those four words? They also began speculating quickly that there was no hacker and rather Houston somehow mistook X for Google.

There were hundreds of comments responding to Houston’s post, and although most of the replies were NSFW, we found a few safe ones:

Good save, Brian. This one hasn’t ever been used before ever. pic.twitter.com/YdCQTDwVHM

— Moistened Tart (@MoistenedTart) February 21, 2024

Don’t mix your Twitter with google searches.

— Tania S (@Scottyvin68v2) February 21, 2024

pic.twitter.com/E2PhT9jdsz

— MiloTheGreat (@MiloTheGreat) February 21, 2024

Eventually, one of Houston’s assistants shared some further clarity on her own account (later retweeted by Houston) asking everyone to “disregard anything that seems out of the ordinary.”

Houston has remained mostly quiet since resigning from his position as Hillsong global pastor two years ago after being placed on a disciplinary sabbatical due to issues of substance abuse and inappropriate conduct involving women. He also was facing trial for allegedly hiding child sex offenses that were perpetrated by his father Frank Houston, although Brian was acquitted of the charges last year.

For now, Houston shared that he is spending his time working on a “very authentic and transparent” autobiography. Here’s hoping this infamous tweet will be included.

Tony Evans: Why We Still Need Black History Month

Tony Evans — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0000

When it gets around to Black History Month each year, I sometimes hear my white brothers and sisters say, “Tony, tell me again … why we have to have Black History Month? And shouldn’t we have White History Month, too?” That statement is usually followed up by a chuckle in an attempt to take the edge off of what has the potential of turning into an awkward conversation.

I welcome discussions like these because they provide an opportunity to place a subject front and center that often only lurks in the shadows of Christendom. Yes, Black/white relations and racial reconciliation across any racial barrier needs to be a “front and center” subject—I say that in light of the emphasis God Himself places on His body living, acting, moving, communing and serving in oneness and unity in His Word.

What Does Unity Really Mean?

God does His best work in the midst of unity. In fact, so essential is the issue of oneness in the Church that we are told to be on guard against those who try to destroy it (Romans 16:17). God has intentionally reconciled racially divided groups into one new man (Ephesians 2:14-15), uniting them into a new body (Ephesians 2:16), in order that the Church can function as one (Ephesians 2:13). When the Church functions as one, we boldly brag on God to a world in desperate need of experiencing Him.

But how do we as a Church function as one? We don’t. He does—both in us and through us.

When we got saved, we were baptized into the body of Christ. No matter our race, gender, or class, when each of us came to faith in Jesus, we entered into a new family. We didn’t create God’s family. We became a part of it.

Far too often, we try to force unity when authentic unity cannot be mandated or manufactured. Instead, God says we are to “preserve the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3). The Holy Spirit has created our unity. It is our job to preserve it.

The reason we haven’t solved the racial divide in America after hundreds of years is because people apart from God are trying to invent unity, while people who belong to God are not living out the unity we already possess. The result of both of these situations has been, and will continue to be, disastrous for our nation. Let alone disastrous for the witness of Christ to our nation.

So what does this have to do with Black History Month? Everything.

Unity Through Working Together

I read an eye-opening paragraph in a popular book the other day that will help explain my answer. It highlighted the reality that we still don’t get it about race. It said, “I know many of my white friends and colleagues, both past and present, have at times grown irritated by the Black community’s incessant blabbering about race and racism and racial reconciliation. They don’t understand what’s left for them to do or say. ‘We have African-Americans and other people of color on our staff. We listen to Tony Evans’s broadcast every day. We even send our youth group into the city to do urban ministry. Can we get on with it already? Haven’t we done enough?’”

To be fair, we have come lightyears away from slavery, Jim Crow laws, and other overt displays of racial hatred. But tolerance is still a far cry from reconciliation. The mere fact that we remain relationally separated most of the time, only coming together for an event or cross-cultural seminar, shows how far we need to go. The proof of this is that we do not have a collective restoring effect in our society. We have limited the degree to which God’s presence will flow in us and through us because if what we call unity is not transforming individuals, churches and communities, then it is simply sociology with a little Jesus sprinkled on top.

Unity can be defined in its most basic of terms as oneness of purpose. It means working together toward a common goal. Unity is not achieved through seminars, but rather through service—together. Unity is not uniformity either. Just like God is made up of three distinct persons—each unique and diverse—unity does not negate individuality. Unity embraces diversity to create a stronger whole.

My son Jonathan used to play in the NFL as a fullback. Imagine if he had showed up at practice one day and started playing like the quarterback, or the center, or even the wide receiver—he’d be kicked off the team before practice was even over. Jonathan was a fullback, and if he did’t play like a fullback then the team would be worse off because of it.

A football team is 11 unique players working together to reach the same goal. The body of Christ is no different. We are each gifted with certain strengths and skills, but unless we intentionally (and with race in America, we must be intentional) bring these together under the overarching purpose of God, we will continue to run in circles on the field and never cross the goal line together. We’ll have programs, without power.

Know Who Your Teammates Really Are

If Jonathan didn’t know what the quarterback did, or could do, that would also be a problem. A successful football team is made up of players who not only know who they are, but who also know who everyone else is.

Growing up in urban America during the Civil Rights Era in a Christian context of racism, segregation and an incomplete historical education didn’t give me an opportunity to know who I really was. In my all-Black classrooms, I learned about white culture and white history. I read about Paul Revere and his midnight ride. But what my teachers failed to mention was that on the night of Paul Revere’s ride, another man—a Black man named Wentworth Cheswell—also rode on behalf of our nation’s security. He rode north with the same exact message.

Reading my Scofield Bible each week at church, I was reminded that we as Blacks were under a curse of slavery. After all, it wrongly referenced it in the notes in my Bible. What I didn’t learn was the rich heritage of people of color in the Bible, and even that there were Black men and women in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Without an authentic self-awareness, African-Americans often struggle as we seek to play on the same team toward the same goal in the body of Christ. But my white brothers and sisters also need to be aware of who we are, and who God has created and positioned us to be at this critical time in our world.

Black History Month gives us an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with our own past in such a way that will enable us to embrace our diversity to its fullest, putting unity to use for good. When we do that—when we knowledgeably serve side by side—there will be no stopping what we can do in the name of Jesus Christ.

Rob Reiner Breaks Down Christian Nationalism on NPR

RELEVANT — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 19:10:52 +0000

This week, filmmaker/actor/director Rob Reiner spoke with Here and Now’s Robin Young about his new documentary, God and Country, which follows the rise of Christian nationalism. The film releases today.

Reiner came on as a producer after director Dan Partland completed the film, offering assistance to distribute it to a wider audience. Reiner explained that he wanted to be part of the documentary because of his personal interest in the subject matter.

“First of all, Jesus was a Jewish person. And when I went through the roughest time of my life, the dark time of the soul, what I came away with was the core idea of what Jesus taught — which is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That stuck with me. And when I look at the Christian nationalist movement, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with that,” Reiner told Young.

In the film, Partland interviews conservative Christian leaders like Christianity Today editor-in-chief Russell Moore and VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer about what Christian nationalism is (and what it isn’t) and how it’s been able to rise over the last several decades. Reiner summarizes the history of Christian nationalism by clarifying it began with race:

“The problem [Christian nationalists] had was initially they tried to do it using race. They’d say, ‘You shouldn’t have black people and white people going to the same school.’ Well, that’s kind of ugly. It’s hard to create a movement based on racism. So they had a big problem there. And it wasn’t until Roe v. Wade came along that they said, ‘Ah, we can latch onto this and make this a fundraising opportunity.’ But when you look at the Christian nationalist movement, it’s virtually all white people, and so the racist element cannot be overlooked.”

Reiner also says that Christian nationalist leaders have continued to grow the movement today by “co-opting Jesus.”

“You can justify anything if you say you’re doing it in the name of Jesus and the name of God. But as Russell Moore points out [in the film], that’s not what Jesus taught. He didn’t talk about using violence to get what you want. I mean, it’s all about persuading through teaching and through the Gospel, not through violence. It’s unfortunate, but this movement has co-opted Jesus and used it as a weapon, physically using it as a weapon,” Reiner said.

Reiner hopes the documentary shows that Christian nationalism is damaging our society in more ways than one. He just hopes they listen to what Christian leaders have to say.

“Not only is this movement is a danger to democracy, but it’s a danger to Christianity itself. We try to lay that out and show what ultimately could happen.

“I mean, that’s why we have the people in the film that we do,” he continued. “It’s not me saying these things. These are respected Christian leaders saying these things. They’re not going to listen to me. They think I’m a ‘Hollywood libtard’ or something. But that’s why we have people who they can respect saying those things. This is something they believe.”

You can also listen to the full conversation with Reiner on NPR here.

If You Care About Fair Wages, Don’t Rideshare on Valentine’s Day

RELEVANT — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 19:17:56 +0000

Thousands of rideshare and delivery drivers in Los Angeles are going on strike on Valentine’s Day to seek fairer wages, safety protections and more job security from the popular ridesharing apps.

Rideshare Drivers United (RDU), a driver-led organization based in Los Angeles with over 5,000 members, will turn off apps like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash on Wednesday, Feb. 14. RDU says drivers “won’t stop fighting until we’ve won the fair pay and dignity we all deserve.”

And they’re not the only rideshare workers going on strike. Thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers have shared they will refuse rides to and from airports between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in 10 U.S. cities on Wednesday, Feb. 14 while on strike.

“Uber, Lyft, and delivery drivers are TIRED of being mistreated by the app companies,” wrote Justice for App Workers, which represents about 130,000 drivers and delivery workers, in a blog post. “Across the country, in Austin, Chicago, Hartford, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island and Tampa, we’re not taking rides to or from any airport on February 14.”

Rideshare workers are the latest employees to strike for better wages. Last year, workers across a variety of industries — from autoworkers to Hollywood writers and actors — went on strike to demand fairer pay and safety protections. As the cost of living rises across the board, it’s become increasingly clear that employees want companies and organizations to know they aren’t comfortable being mistreated and cheated out of their hard-earned wages.

For years, rideshare drivers, who are considered independent contractors, have accused the companies of taking disproportionately high amounts as commissions. The cost of an Uber or Lyft ride skyrocketed throughout the pandemic, but workers did not receive a proportional share of the spoils. A report from the UCLA Labor Center found that Uber and Lyft took an even larger share of drivers’ profits as fares increased over the last several years. Between February 2019 and April 2022, the average driver pay increased by 31%, even though the passenger fare increased by 50%.

Reports also found that rideshare workers experienced an 8% decline in gross earnings per hour last year.

“A year into algorithmic pricing, drivers have seen an incredible decrease of our pay… whatever calculations and algorithms they’re using, it’s absolutely useless,” said Nicole Moore, president of the RDU union.

Rideshare and delivery drivers hope their strike sends a message to the app companies that they “won’t stop fighting until we’ve won the fair pay and dignity we all deserve.”